* * *• • •
How could her morning have already gone so wrong? She’d woken up only moments before. She shouldn’t be dealing with this kind of drama. The night before had been a revelation, but she was confronted with all the reasons they might not be able to work this morning. All it had taken was the addition of a few people and she was right back to worrying they didn’t really fit together.
“I think this is a conversation we should have in private.” She loved her sister and she should have called her apparently. Back in Dallas, it would have been no big deal. Lisa likely wouldn’t have even heard about the incident. Here, she was discovering, everything was a big deal.
Maybe he would see reason and she could put off the conversation until they could have it in a professional setting. Like the clinic, where she would be properly dressed and in the right place to deal with the fact that she’d had a conversation with his daughter he might be angry about.
“Hey, the eggs are ready.” Lisa stepped in and gave her another hug. “I’m glad you’re okay, and I will see you the day after tomorrow? Remember? We’ve got a day of beauty scheduled at Miss Marcelle’s.”
“I might need to work.” She didn’t need a day of beauty. She needed patients. She needed to not step on the land mines that seemed to be buried everywhere in this town.
“You don’t.” Lisa took her husband’s hand. “I already had Mabel clear your calendar.”
That probably hadn’t taken much. But yesterday had proven that even though the people in town might not like her, they sometimes needed her. “Emergencies. I need to be available for emergencies.”
Lisa shrugged. “It’s okay. The beauty parlor is a block away from the clinic, and Mabel can call. She has your full schedule for the rest of the week and she’s ready to take care of everything. I’ll be by to pick you up for lunch.” Her voice went low. “And don’t think we won’t talk about this. Because we will. All of it.”
There might not be much to talk about given how grim Armie looked.
Remy frowned the sheriff’s way. “You think before you say anything you can’t take back, because you do not want to have a talk with me. Remember who she is.”
“Why would you forget who I am?” She watched as Lisa and Remy headed out.
Armie sighed. “He didn’t mean it that way. He meant if I hurt you, he’ll kick my ass.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because you’re his sister-in-law, and that’s how we do things down here. I’ll be honest, though—I’m more worried about Lisa. Now tell me what’s going on.”
“Dad, it’s private.” Noelle shifted, her frustration at not being able to move evident.
But she moved more than Lila had seen her move before. Her hips actually shifted a bit. With some serious PT, Noelle might be able to have more freedom. She needed to do some research. Armie hadn’t liked her talking about this yesterday, but maybe if she came to him with hard facts and a plan, she could convince him. Of course, he might not talk to her at all after this morning. “Noelle and I had a talk. She had a few questions and I answered them.”
“What were the questions?” Armie asked, looking from her to his daughter.
Damn, that man could be intimidating. She’d worked with law enforcement a lot over her years, but she’d rarely met one who could make her think about backing down. “She wanted to know what the normal flow for a period is. She’s worried hers is quite heavy.”
Noelle had asked about that. And she’d told Lila it was the way to shut Armie down. Technically HIPAA didn’t protect children under the age of eighteen from their parents asking for medical information, but Noelle should have someone she could talk to.
Armie winced but soldiered on. “No. I don’t think that’s what she meant. She talked about sex, Lila. I want to know what’s happening with my daughter. She’s sixteen years old. She’s not an adult and I have the right to know what’s happening.”
She squared off with him. “And she has the right to some privacy when it comes to her own body.”
The moment lengthened, silence between them.
“Don’t be mad at Lila,” Noelle said. “I asked her to do it, to order it for me.”
Armie’s jaw tightened. “Is this about that boy? Caleb Granger?”
“Not exactly.” Noelle had gone bright red. “Caleb is just a friend. It was about something else. I . . . I wanted to know if it worked. My female parts. I want to know if I can have sex.”
Armie’s eyes went wide. “No. No, you can’t have sex. You are sixteen and you are far too young and it’s not happening. Not on my watch. I swear I’m going to talk to that little shit. Sniffing around my daughter. He can spend some time in jail and then we’ll see if he tries to take advantage of my daughter again.”