Doctor's Orders Box Set (Babies in the Bargain, Right Name, Wrong Man, No More Lies)

by Risk, Mona

  Enfer et damnation. Would he be able to refrain from shoving his fist in this monster’s face the minute he walked in for his consultation? But Luc had no choice. In view of the new information, he couldn’t let Olivia deal with this case.

  He studied Melissa’s features one last time and straightened to leave. “If you will excuse me, Mademoiselle Melissa, I have some work to do.” She smiled when he used that title.

  “Oh, you’re leaving? I wanted to ask you questions about Paris. I hope to visit France in a year or two.”

  His heart went out to the girl who’d grown up without a father. He’d have lavished her with love. God only knew how badly he wanted a child.

  If only Olivia had trusted him.

  His jaw tightened so much it hurt. “I am sure you will come here another time for lunch. We can talk then.”

  Would Olivia allow him a friendship with her daughter? After his questioning that morning, his relationship with Olivia teetered on a brink, but in spite of her bravado, she needed his protection. And she was going to receive it, even reluctantly.

  “It’s not easy to come all the way here. I just got my driver’s license a month ago, and Mom doesn’t let me drive that far.”

  “How did you come?”

  “Tony drove me.”

  “Tony?”

  “Dr. Tony Burk. Mom’s friend. He came for dinner last night and stayed overnight. He took me with him on his way to work.”

  Mom’s friend? Overnight? Luc’s breath clogged in his chest as the three words sucker punched him.

  Was there no end to Olivia’s secrets?

  ****

  Olivia froze in the doorway, unable to take another step. Her daughter was chatting with Luc. In her office.

  “Melissa? What are you doing here?”

  “Hi Mom. Missed you.” Melissa jumped from her chair and came forward. Throwing her arms around Olivia’s neck in a big hug, the teenager chuckled. “Dr. Luc and I have been killing time talking.”

  Olivia hugged her back. Oh Lord, what had Melissa been discussing with Luc? He stood, handsome and somber, arms crossed over his chest. His blue gaze, fixed on Olivia, darkened by the second. She owed him no explanation, certainly not after the way he’d grilled her this morning.

  Ignoring him, she smiled at Melissa. “Honey, I didn’t expect to find you here.”

  “I know. I’m inviting you for a surprise lunch at the Rotating Tower.”

  “It’s a surprise, all right. You’re not supposed to drive such a long distance on your own.”

  “I didn’t. Honest, Mom. Tony drove me.”

  “Oh.” With Luc constantly around in the past two days, Olivia had forgotten about Tony, but she’d bet a month’s salary that Luc’s scowl had something to do with the mention of her friend’s name. She sighed, her skin prickling with a premonition. Since Luc’s arrival, the tidy strings of her life had tangled beyond belief.

  “I was upset when you didn’t show up last night for dinner.” Her daughter was not one to mince words when she felt justified. “Nana suggested I go and see you. Tony stayed overnight and brought me with him.”

  Oh dear. Why couldn’t Melissa skip the awkward details?

  Luc’s forehead wrinkled into a mesh of tempestuous lines. Not that Olivia’s private life was any of his business, but knowing Luc’s professional tendency to dig into everyone’s thoughts, he would launch into a series of new questions at the first opportunity—annoying questions about her relationship with Tony.

  Tension balled between her shoulders, but her body yearned for Luc’s unforgettable caress. Why would she have to argue with him when she’d rather be kissing him?

  “Melissa, I—”

  “Don’t tell me you’re too busy again. Please, Mom.” Melissa’s voice wheedled.

  Melissa had gone out of her way to spend time with her. Olivia’s heart melted. “Of course, I can come.” A mother-daughter lunch would please her immensely.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave you to your lunch,” Luc said, taking heed of her crystal clear message.

  Before Olivia could breathe a sigh of relief, Melissa spun toward him. “Dr. Luc, can you come with us? I’d love to hear stories about France.”

  “I don’t want to intrude. You are trying to have a private time with your maman.”

  Melissa scoffed. “Not private, just a fun time. You and Mom and me. Tony’s coming too. Please, Dr. Luc,” she insisted in a cajoling tone that won her an amused smile from Luc.

  “Shame on me to ever disappoint you, Mademoiselle Melissa.” The smart man danced to the tune Melissa played, a sure way to win her favors. Upon Melissa’s insistence—and probably her mention of Tony—Luc plopped down into a chair. His frown hadn’t relaxed a single line, but he didn’t seem eager to leave now.

  Olivia sighed, hating the irritating ideas of her headstrong daughter. Hopefully, Tony would be detained in a therapy session. But before Olivia had time to formulate an answer, she heard a light knock.

  Tony walked in, a bright smile on his face, and swept Olivia into a bear hug. “Where has my favorite shrink been hiding? I need to have a talk with McMillan. That old tyrant is going to kill you on the job.”

  Olivia peeked around Tony’s burly shoulders at Luc’s arched brow and braced herself, waiting for Tony to turn and notice their foreign guest. “Come on, Tony. You’re busier than I am.”

  “Sweetheart, I know where to draw the line. You shouldn’t have dumped us for the French expert last night. We’ll see enough of him in the next six months.”

  Count on Tony to step in it. Luc hadn’t moved from his chair, but a sarcastic smile stretched his lips.

  “Tony, may I introduce Dr. Lucien de Toulon-Chatel? Luc for short,” Olivia said without a smile.

  Tony spun around, scanned Luc and burst out laughing. “Talk about a blunder.”

  Luc took his own sweet time to stand up while Olivia finished the introduction. “This diplomatic man is Dr. Tony Burke, famous psychologist and reputed the world over for his refined language.”

  She exhaled, wondering how this scene would end. But she was dealing with two pros.

  Tony extended his hand. “Luc, so happy to finally meet you. I must say I’ve heard a lot about you,” he added with a wink while shaking Luc’s hand.

  “I must say I have not heard a thing about you.” Luc continued to pump on Tony’s hand with the same force. “Enchanté. A great surprise for me. Absolute surprise. Olivia as you know is a very busy person. She has not found the time to mention your name yet. A simple oversight, right, ma chère?”

  Ignoring Luc’s half-smile, Olivia rolled her eyes and shrugged. “Yes.” They were about to dislodge each other’s radial bones with their shaking.

  “Let’s go to lunch,” Melissa chimed in. “This is going to be fun. Too bad Nana’s not with us. She’d have enjoyed this outing.”

  Olivia almost choked. As if she needed her mother to bless her choice of boyfriends, past or fake, and nudge her into choosing one for happily ever after. Just the type of fun Olivia needed.

  She had often imagined lunch with Luc—breakfast and dinner too—but she’d never thought she’d be driving to a restaurant with her ex-lover sitting in the back of her van next to her dear friend Tony.

  In the front seat, Melissa chatted about school, her friends and the coming prom, with Tony giving know-it-all advice on every subject just like a stepfather. Olivia caught Luc’s somber scowl in the rearview mirror and the disgruntled look he threw at Tony. Luc’s mood seemed to have plummeted to an all-time low.

  A fun lunch indeed.

  “We’re at the Rotating Tower,” Olivia announced. She slipped from the van before Luc could climb out and extend a helping hand. Raising her head, she scanned the tall building. “There’s a gorgeous view from up there, and they make the best ribs.”

  Luc crossed his arms. “Is this all you remember about the Rotating Tower?”

  She stiffened, not ready to elaborate or dwell o
n happy memories. Luc had brought her here for dinner once. The night he told her he loved her and later stayed at her place for a memorable night. Her cheeks flamed as she opened her mouth and then closed it without a sound.

  “I remember our dinner here,” Luc whispered against her hair. “And the after-dinner drink, of course. Do you?”

  She glared at him, hoping Melissa and Tony hadn’t heard Luc’s reminiscence. Her lips pursed, she spun around, gave her key to the valet and led the way to the elevator and the rotating restaurant on the thirtieth floor.

  When they reached the table, Luc sat next to her before Tony could appropriate the place. Melissa slid into the chair across from Luc, and Tony settled beside her daughter.

  “We better order right away. I have patients this afternoon.” Olivia signaled to the waitress, and they placed their orders.

  “Look how beautiful it is.” Melissa waved at the scenic view beyond the glass panels surrounding the restaurant.

  “Gorgeous view,” Tony commented as he reached for the soft drink the waitress placed in front of him.

  After a quick glance at the panoramic sight of high-rises, beyond the Ohio River, Luc shifted in his seat and faced Olivia. His broody expression melted into a flicker of a smile. “Exceptional.” She blinked at the double entendre. “Breathtaking,” he murmured as their gazes collided.

  Her cheeks burned. She fluttered her napkin with a swift gesture and smoothed it on her lap. Somehow, she preferred his previous gloominess to this confident teasing.

  Stop it, Luc.

  CHAPTER SIX

  What had caused Luc’s change of mood? Had he decided to stop dwelling on the past? Or maybe he’d realized that Tony wasn’t a dangerous rival?

  Olivia squinted at him. His grin widened as if he seemed amused by her unspoken questions.

  She snorted inwardly. Rival to what? Luc had just arrived in Cincinnati two days ago, after a long absence. How could such an attractive man still be unattached?

  Maybe he enjoyed his freedom too much and the fringe benefits attached to let any woman capture his heart. But he’d always been a possessive man, fiercely protective of what he considered his. Did he still think of her as exclusively his? Nonsense.

  The waitress brought their orders. Hardly noticing the aroma of garlic and herbs emanating from her plate, Olivia speared her steak, still puzzled by Luc’s sudden change of attitude.

  “Mom?” Her daughter’s voice cut through her reverie. “Mom?”

  “Huh?”

  “I said, ‘Have you found the picture?’”

  Olivia’s heart flipped over at her daughter’s aggressive tone. “The picture?”

  “My dad’s picture. I asked you a month ago to get me one. Don’t tell me you forgot again?”

  “Huh? No, I didn’t forget.” Olivia wrinkled the napkin on her lap with an icy hand. Of course, she hadn’t forgotten. Actually, she’d spent several nights awake, debating how to tackle this new problem.

  For sixteen years Melissa had lived happy, content with the stories Olivia invented to answer her innocent questions. Why the sudden need to see a picture of her damned father?

  “Mom, I’ve never seen a single picture of him.” Melissa’s voice wobbled with indignation and then firmed as she addressed Luc. “My dad died a war hero. There should be a way to find an old photo of him.”

  A war hero. Olivia stifled a snort. It was almost blasphemy to refer to Jeremy Rutherford as war hero. He was a jerk of the worst type, a womanizer and an abuser. Olivia bit her lip hard. A vicious pain stabbed her insides, but she couldn’t crush her daughter’s heart with the truth.

  “Honey, he’s been gone too long.” Olivia scratched the back of her neck to calm an itch and wished she could scratch Jeremy out of her past as easily. For all she knew, the sleazeball might be having fun with a string of girlfriends at this moment. Unless he was already in jail.

  “You said he was your first love. Don’t you miss him, Mom?”

  Olivia threw a glance at Luc and prayed for patience. “Yes, he was my first love.” And the curse of my life. “But, he’s been gone for a long time. We can’t live in the past. Darling, you are the most important person for me now. I want you to promise you’ll forget the sad thoughts and be happy with all the blessings we have.”

  “Yes, Mom.”

  Her daughter’s dutiful tone didn’t fool her. Olivia knew there would be a follow-up. For the time being, she’d evaded a huge pothole.

  “Tell me more about your plans to visit France, Mademoiselle Melissa.” A paternal smile at the teenager softened Luc’s firm tone of voice.

  “For heaven’s sake Luc, drop the Mademoiselle. She’s only sixteen.” Olivia huffed.

  “A very mature sixteen I must say. I tell you what, Melissa, we will both use each other’s first names.” A delighted smile brightened the girl’s face. Luc ignored Olivia’s exasperated sigh and Tony’s interested gaze. “Now about your trip. Have you seriously discussed it with your maman?”

  “We talked about it. Mom knows I want to go.” Melissa tilted her chin up in a show of independence.

  Luc shot a quick look at Olivia as if he too noticed her daughter could be a handful in spite of her apparent sweetness. “How long would you like to spend there?”

  “Ten months. My sophomore year. I have a friend whose mother is French. We’ll be staying in Paris together, but I plan to visit Normandy where the Americans landed during World War II. And I want to take a side trip to Kuwait.”

  “What?” Olivia squealed as Tony’s exclamation echoed Luc’s. Under the table, her foot hit Luc’s outstretched leg in a jerky movement. “Sorry, Luc,” she said automatically without looking at him. “Why Kuwait?” Her eyes froze open, and her heart sank to her toes.

  “I want to see the place where my dad died. Mom, I didn’t talk to you about it, because you always change the subject when I mention him.”

  “Honey, it’s not that easy to go to these countries.” Olivia clenched her knife, her knuckles whitening, as she flicked a glance from Melissa to Tony.

  A deep scowl replaced Tony’s cheerful expression. The psychologist definitely knew about Melissa’s parentage and shared Olivia’s anxiety. How long had she entrusted Tony with her secret?

  Luc smothered the bitterness that pervaded his spirit whenever he was faced with secrets. If the tightness of her jaw was any indication, Olivia needed all the sympathy and support he could give her.

  Melissa patted her mother’s hand. “Don’t worry, Mom, I won’t go alone. I learned from a friend that the Department of Defense organizes tours for veterans’ families. I’m a vet’s child. I’m sending them a letter to inquire about their war hero, Joe Madden, and if they still have a picture of him.”

  “You’re writing to the DOD?” Olivia croaked. The color drained from her face. Panic flashed in her widened eyes. For a second, Luc feared she might collapse. Tony, as pale as Olivia, fiddled with a bag of sugar without opening it, a nervous tic playing at the corner of his left eye.

  “What’s the matter, Mom? I just want a picture of my father. That’s all. Mom?” Melissa leaned forward and squeezed her mother’s fingers. “Relax. Look at your face. It’s not like I’m committing a crime, for heaven’s sake.” Melissa shrugged and turned toward Luc. “I was born after my father’s death. My parents never had the chance to get married. Mom doesn’t even have a picture of her fiancé.”

  “The whole situation is too sad for you and your maman.”

  Luc caught the rapid blinking of Olivia’s eyelids. Strong, independent and tough Olivia, reduced to that shivering state by her daughter. He wanted to take away the pain that creased tell-tale lines under her eyes. He swallowed the rest of his wine and then dabbed his mouth with his napkin while he formulated a quick plan of action. If he couldn’t comfort Olivia, he would at least try to help.

  “Melissa, how would you like to come and spend next summer in France? Your sophomore year is in three years. Why wait so long?” He purpo
sely shifted the conversation back to the French trip. “I can arrange for you to stay in Paris with friends who have a daughter your age. And then you can visit with my mother at our family château in Bourgogne.”

  “Oh my God, you have a chateau?”

  “Not a huge one, but big enough. My mother will be delighted to take you around.”

  “I’d love to go. Mom?”

  “I don’t mind, if it’s not too much trouble for Luc to organize your summer.” Olivia sent him a grateful look. “But forget about that Kuwait trip. And asking for information and pictures from the DOD. We don’t need sad reminders.”

  “But, Mother—”

  “Melissa, do not make your maman cry,” Luc said with gentle firmness, determined to erase the shadow from Olivia’s aqua eyes. “You are going to promise that you will forget all about Kuwait, the DOD, and the past. I will bring you pamphlets about France in a few days and together we will plan a fabulous vacation for you. D’accord?”

  A silence hovered around the table. Melissa’s gaze rested on her mother’s face, and then she nodded. “Deal.”

  “Your promise, please,” Luc said, praying he’d managed to influence the girl. He mentally ticked the seconds while Melissa hesitated. Dreams glittered in her eyes as she peered at the window panels and the scenery unfolding beyond.

  Finally, she inhaled deeply. “I won’t send the letter if it hurts my mother so much.”

  Olivia sighed and squeezed her daughter’s hand. “Thank you, darling.”

  “Right decision, Melissa,” Luc said, pleased to see Olivia relax. He immediately launched into a description of the castles in the Vallée de la Loire. A hint of a smile curled Olivia’s lips as she listened with obvious relief to Luc’s anecdotes and her daughter’s questions.

  But Tony’s nervousness puzzled Luc. The psychologist forked his steak, hardly eating. He rolled his bread into little balls and dropped them on his plate. Was it worry about Olivia and her daughter that caused Tony’s visible tension? Or jealousy toward an unexpected rival?

  The waitress wheeled a cart with mouthwatering desserts near their table.

  “Hmm, French gateaux.” Olivia licked her lips.