Читать книгу The Doctor's Christmas Wish - Renee Ryan - Страница 13

Chapter Five

Ethan arrived at City Hall ten minutes early. He took a circuitous route to the conference room that led him past Hardy’s office—empty, of course—and then to a soda machine that was currently out of his favorite flavor. He told himself he wasn’t stalling. He was just killing time.

After a bit of meandering, he located another soda machine at the back of the building. He fed a dollar into the designated slot.

He wasn’t stalling, he told himself, even as he popped open the can, and took a long, slow swig. He tossed the can in the recycle bin, then followed the sound of laughing female voices.

At the threshold of the conference room, he looked around and immediately zeroed in on Keely. She was dressed in casual jeans and a green sweater the same color as her amazing eyes. She was setting Flicka up at the end of a long conference table with paper, crayons, kid scissors and several other supplies.

He watched the two interact. They were certainly easy with each other, comfortable even, as if they were already finding their temporary roles as mother and daughter a good fit. The kid’s transition wasn’t without problems, and could possibly get worse before it got better, but Ethan had no doubt she would settle nicely into her new home. Keely was that determined.

Confirming his suspicion, she said something that made Flicka laugh, which had Keely leaning over and kissing the child’s head. There was something unbearably sweet in the gesture and a sense of longing for all he’d lost echoed through him, pressing the air from his lungs.

Ethan tore his gaze away from the charming scene and glanced around the room again. He knew all the people in attendance by name, their various connections to each another and how long they’d lived in Village Green. That was the way of a small town, and why he loved living here, certainly one of the reasons why he’d come home after Tracy’s funeral.

It took him a second to realize he was the only man on the committee. Hardy Bennett had some explaining to do. As did Ms. Keely O’Toole.

He moved deeper in the room and was immediately surrounded by seven—he counted—women. Two had been friends of his mother, two were local business owners and the last had sat beside him in high school chemistry.

Flicka came to his rescue, by waving at him and calling him over. With great relief, he said, “Excuse me, ladies, I’m being summoned.”