Read Online Practice Makes Perfect (Single Father) by Janice Macdonald - Free Book Online

the society column?”
    “Dunno.” Sarah was laughing, too. “Be more elklike.”
    “Bigger horns maybe.”
    “Couldn’t hurt.”
    They sat there for a minute or so, just grinning at each other.
    “I’ve been thinking.” Sarah broke off a piece of his tortilla and scooped up some rice. “I know, take two aspirins and call you in the morning.”
    “Works for me,” Matthew said.
    “Just shut up and listen, will you? It’s not every day I apologize, but I’m about to do it so don’t make it more difficult. The words are practically choking me already.”
    “On the other hand, it could be the tortilla,” Matthew suggested.
    “I’ve been told by, oh, one or two people…maybe three, that I’m argumentative and idealistic and kind of difficult sometimes. All lies of course, but I started thinking about how I gave you a hard time the other night and, okay, this isn’t a concession or anything—”
    “Of course not.”
    “I came here to say I’m sorry for accusing you of…abandoning your principles,” she said solemnly. “Especially—”
    “Considering I don’t have any,” Matthew said, beating her to the punch line. Laughing, he watched Sarah struggle to keep a straight face. “Give it up, Sarah. It’s me, Matthew. You don’t have to apologize for anything you say to me. You were simply expressing your opinion. Which is what I’d expect of you.”
    “You don’t think I have a career in diplomacy? Or public relations?”
    Matthew shook his head. “Sorry.”
    “But, I did kind of get on my soapbox and I’m—” she swallowed “—sor-sorry.”
    “I heard it.” He glanced around the cafeteria. “Where’s the media when you need them? She apologized. Sarah Benedict apol—”
    Sarah leaned over to slap her hand across his mouth. “I take it back. That word never left my mouth.”
    “Hey.” He grabbed her wrist, brought it down to the table. Her sweater looked as if someone, not Sarah though, had knitted it. Her skin above the cuff was tanned, her wrist bony in his grasp. She looked up at him, her expression unreadable and then he released her and she withdrew her hand.
    “Okay, so now’s the part where you tell me you’ve thought things over and you’re ready to join forces with me. Let’s see, Doctors Benedict and Cameron, An Integrated Approach to Medical… Or are you going to insist that your name goes first?”
    “Sarah.” He sat back. “Look, I’m glad you came by. I felt bad the way we left things, but what I said before still holds. Maybe if I didn’t have a daughter and…other responsibilities, I could entertain your idea. But I do.”
    “And I don’t. Have kids and responsibilities, I mean. Which gives me the luxury of being able to entertain these foolish fancies. Is that what you’re saying?”
    “Sarah.” Two techs in blue scrubs passed the booth. One held a plate of enchiladas glistening with red sauce. Matthew took a breath. “I thought I’d already explained my posi—”
    “You did.” She looked directly at him. “And I apologize. Again. I guess I’d fantasized so much about how this whole thing would come about that I’d already made it into reality. Before I’d talked to you. I’m sorry. Truly. It’s kind of taking a while for all the changes around here to sink in. My mom announced that she was selling her practice to CMS.”
    Matthew nodded.
    She shot him a sideways look. “You knew that?”
    “The hospital rumor mill is pretty efficient.”
    “I’m still struggling with that. My grandfather, my father, all these generations…and now she’s just selling out to some anonymous conglomerate. I’m—”
    “Speechless?” Her sudden flash of anger had abated, and he made a mental note to steer clear of professional issues. As he cast around for something to say, she grinned.
    “Wanna do something?” she said, suddenly sounding like the ten-year-old Sarah he’d once known. “Go for a hike, ride bikes down Lopez Hook? Look for