“But see, I don’t really know that.”
“Like I said, I’m real easy to check out. You could start with Vanni.”
“Vanni?” she asked, surprised.
“Yup. Her first husband’s mother tried to fix us up and we dated a little, before Paul. I had a practice in Grants Pass for several years—ask the doctors there. Check with Mel—she hired me. I’m here for a year.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Their doctor, a man I knew briefly, died a few months ago. They needed help and I happen to love this place. You’ll see—it’s kind of special. Now, tell me about this problem you have. Not the pregnancy, that’s not a problem. What has you hiding out in Virgin River, afraid someone will recognize you?”
She sighed deeply and let it out. Her choices were few at this point. At least if he knew why she was so afraid he might keep his big mouth shut.
“And that’s what has you so wound up? Abby, that’s only money.”
“Only money? It’s a ton of money! I didn’t stick him with any debt, but I feel lucky it was only a fortune in credit-card bills! I suppose a rock star can run up a big tab.”
“Abby,” he said calmly. “It’s legal details. It can be handled. We just have to figure out the best approach and—”
“Stop! This is my problem! I need time to breathe!”
Cameron wasn’t too worried about things like prenups and credit-card debt. It wasn’t that he thought he could buy their way out of this mess; he didn’t have a ton of money. But he was sure there was a compromise in there somewhere. His biggest concern was getting the mother of his twins to trust him a little. He put a large hand over her slightly rounded middle. “Have you been seeing a doctor since the beginning?” Again she nodded, but this time she lifted her eyes. “And everything is going fine? You’re feeling all right?”
“Fine,” she said. “If I didn’t miscarry from being a nervous wreck, I guess I must be in good shape.”
He smiled. “You should have called me. I could have helped.”
“I was afraid to get involved with someone I didn’t know. I already screwed up on that once. You could be a lunatic for all I know.”
“I could be, but I’m not.”
“I can’t be sure of anything. Anyone. You have to understand that. Don’t take it personally—there are very good reasons for me to be cautious.”
“I smoked a little pot in college,” he said with a smile. “Otherwise, I’m relatively safe.”
“Relatively?”
“Yeah. I’ve been known to do insane things like chuck a thriving practice to come to a town of six hundred for practically no money because it’s quiet, clean and the people make you feel useful. My family thinks I’ve lost my mind,” he added, laughing. “Other than that, I haven’t had a severe personality shift since puberty.”
“When I saw you at the clinic, it scared me to death,” she said.
“That’s the first thing we have to work on,” he said. “There is absolutely no reason to ever be afraid of me. I would never hurt you. Why would I? What would that get me? I’d like a chance to get to know you a little bit. I told you that back in Oregon, that I’d like to know more about you. I’m not going to screw up that chance by being cruel. Forceful.” He grinned. “You have that list. Forceful isn’t on it.”
“And you have very good manners,” she added softly. And for the first time that day, she really looked at him. He looked different from that night. He was dressed in jeans, a denim shirt, laced boots.
“You have to promise you’re not going to run away,” he said. “We’ll act like we just met, you don’t even have to tell Vanni you knew me before. You’re not my patient, it’s not a problem for me to want to get to know you. I’ll see you around. You’ll show up at Jack’s sometimes, and I get dinner there. And if I see you there sometimes, maybe we’ll be friends. That’s why I was trying to get in touch with you. Just to see you again. Give it a chance.” He smiled at her. “Come on. You like me. You know you do.”
“How are you going to explain some interest in a single, pregnant woman?” she asked him.
He laughed. “Abby. Look in the mirror.”
“I should get out of here before there’s trouble…”
“No, you can’t go,” he said calmly, firmly. He really didn’t want to play hardball with her, but he shouldn’t have to tell her what she would be able to put together after she thought about it a while—he’d turn the earth upside down to find her if she was carrying his children. Cam had the DNA to prove he was the father. “You have to give this a little time. I have a vested interest here.”