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“You.”
“Me?”
“Yes,” he smiled. “You say we don’t know each other anymore, so tell me all about yourself.”
I stroked the kittens. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Says the woman who went to medical school and became a doctor.”
“There you have it. That’s my life in a nutshell.” I was doing my best to resist him.
“You’re chicken. Bok, bok,” he teased me.
“I’m not chicken,” I said, highly offended. “I just don’t see the point in sharing.” Well, I saw the point, but I thought it would be best if I didn’t try to reach for it. If I did, Tristan might get his wish, and it was going to get hot and sticky in here. And I wasn’t talking about the cinnamon rolls I brought.
Tristan reached over and tapped my nose. “Now that’s a lie. But I get why you’re scared.”
“You’re ridiculous. But … since you’re helping me out, I’ll let you ask me five questions. But they can’t have anything to do with us.” I added that caveat, saving myself from any uncomfortable situations. It was already awkward enough as it was.
His face fell before he quickly recovered from his disappointment. “Okay. I’m game. First question: What is the most rewarding thing you have done as a doctor?”
That was an easy one. “Last year, I went to Africa for three weeks and worked in a clinic treating and vaccinating children through a program my hospital sponsored. I even got to deliver several babies.” I had never seen such poverty or happiness. It was such a weird dichotomy. It definitely made me more grateful for my life.
“Wow.” He looked taken aback. “I had no idea. Quinn never said a thing about it.”
“I didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t want to make it about me.”
“You’re incredible,” he said in awe.
“Not really.”
“Are you kidding me? The only philanthropic thing I do, besides donating money to various causes and participating in charity golf games, is fulfilling Christmas wish lists for kids in some of the surrounding counties. And even then, I pay people to do the shopping. My small part is dressing up as Santa when they come to the store to get their gifts.”
I could picture Tristan in a Santa suit. I bet he was the sexiest Santa around. Ho. Ho. Ho. “That’s nice.”
“Says the woman who goes to Africa and plans reconnaissance missions to save her sister.”
I grinned. Although I was more than worried about my sister now. If she had turned to the oldest profession around, I was going to have a major intervention with her. She was a mother, and Aspen Lake would eat her alive if they ever found out. Cordelia and Frasier may very well have heart attacks over it. Which wouldn’t be terrible. Okay, that was evil of me to think. “Well, you’re a good uncle, and one time you rescued some puppies and took the rap for it.” I probably shouldn’t have brought it up, especially since I didn’t want to talk about us. But I still felt guilty he had been arrested.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “About that. I shouldn’t have—”
“You don’t have to say anything,” I interrupted him. “I should have never gotten you involved. Ask your next question,” I said hastily, hoping to change the subject. The past was the past. There wasn’t anything we could do about it now. I guess I just wanted him to know I regretted his being arrested on my behalf.
Tristan scooted closer and contemplated what to say for a moment. He finally let out a sigh of resignation and let it drop.
I was grateful he didn’t want to hash out the past. Or at least I thought so.
“Why aren’t you married?” he threw at me.
“Uh, that’s a personal question.”
The corners of his lips twitched. “You didn’t specify it couldn’t be personal.”
The answer to that question was multifaceted, and I didn’t particularly care for him to know he had a lot to do with it. The scars he left when he broke up with me made it hard for me to trust anyone. And then there was the whole still-being-in-love-with-him thing. That always put a damper on a relationship. I took the simple route. “Med school and residency didn’t leave much time for relationships.”
“What about now?”
“You’re about to run out of questions,” I cautioned him.
