Revenge Read Online Free Page B

plastic-covered seat of the booth, dug into the sweet confection.
    Stretching a jean-clad leg out to the side of the booth, Max said, “It surprises me—you coming back here. I thought you couldn’t stand the sight of this place.”
    â€œIt was time.”
    â€œWhy?”
    She bristled a little, then decided not to let her temper get the better of her. “Family. And Doc Fletcher’s offer. It was hard to pass up.”
    He looked about to say something, but changed his mind and picked up his cup. “Not as much money as you could make in the city.”
    â€œThere are some trade-offs.”
    â€œAre there?” He took a long swallow from his cup, and Skye tried not to stare at the movement in his throat. But she couldn’t help feel the weight of his gaze and was suddenly more nervous than she had been in years. “You know, Skye, there are lots of small towns all along the west coast, towns that need medical professionals. You didn’t have to come back to Rimrock.”
    Her temper started to rise. “I chose to, Max.”
    â€œAnd why’s that?”
    â€œMy family’s here.”
    â€œThey’ve been here for the past seven years.”
    â€œDoc Fletcher offered to sell out.”
    Max smiled slightly as if he knew something she didn’t. “He’s been lookin’ for a partner for a long time.”
    â€œBut I wasn’t ready.”
    â€œThere must be more of a reason, Skye,” he said, and for the first time she saw a spark of amusement in his eyes. He was baiting her and she knew it.
    â€œDon’t make more of it than it is, Max.” She finished her drink, left a bill on the table, and when he began to protest, she cut him with a quick, scathing look that had kept more than one randy resident at bay. “Look, Max, I heard about your dad...I’m sorry.”
    â€œAre you?” His eyes narrowed up at her, challenging her.
    Standing, she bit back the hot retort on her tongue. “Goodbye, Hillary, it was nice meeting you,” she said, managing a tight smile for Max’s daughter.
    â€œAre you mad?” Hillary asked before Skye could escape the booth. Chocolate and vanilla were smeared over her lips and chin.
    â€œOf course not.”
    â€œYou look mad. Just like Mommy every time—”
    â€œEnough, Hillary,” Max snapped, his face flushed with a silent rage.
    â€œYou hate Mommy,” Hillary said, and her little face crumpled. Tears rose in the corners of her eyes and she dropped her spoon.
    â€œNo, honey, I don’t—”
    Skye felt immediately contrite. What was she doing, letting herself be pulled into some infantile argument with a man who meant nothing, nothing to her? “I—I’m sorry, Max. I didn’t mean—”
    â€œIt’s not your fault,” he retorted, snatching a napkin from the dispenser and tending to the ice cream and tears on Hillary’s face.
    â€œI...” She felt suddenly useless. She was a mature woman, a doctor, for crying out loud. She’d worked in emergency rooms, helped save lives, lost a few, told patients when their diseases were life threatening, and even consoled the grieving. Yet this one man, this one damnably arrogant man, and his imp of a daughter had reduced her to fumbling and stumbling and muttering apologies that she didn’t mean. “I didn’t expect to run into you this soon—”
    â€œJust leave, Skye,” he said coldly, his jaw suddenly as hard as granite. “It’s what you do best.”
    She didn’t need to hear anything else. Already a few eyebrows had risen behind the plastic-coated menus, and she felt more than one curious glance cast in her direction. She wasn’t making a good impression. As the new doctor in town, she couldn’t appear rash or quick-tempered or tongue-tied, or anything but a levelheaded professional. These people would have to trust her, depend