“No. Mr. Falciano gave Mikie money for helping him. Isn’t that nice?” Patty said. She noticed Mikie give Patty a warning look. “Oh yeah. I wasn’t supposed to say anything. But it’s not like you know him anyway. Well, not really. You just delivered his baby for him.”
Krista couldn’t believe this. She thought all this was behind them. “It wasn’t his baby, but you’re correct, I don’t know him.” Because the man I know says he doesn’t like kids but seems to be doing a lot of helping when kids are involved.
That softer side of Connor was creeping out more. Or maybe it was always there and he just did a better job of covering his tracks. What she still didn’t grasp, was what was Mikie doing for Connor?
“Since I know, you might as well tell me what Connor, I mean Mr. Falciano, hired you to do for him,” she asked. Mikie looked like he didn’t want to tell her. “I promise not to tell anyone.”
“Yeah, that’s what I told him. But I guess I already broke that one,” he said.
“I’m sorry Mikie.” Patty started crying. “It just slipped out.”
Mikie wrapped his arms around Patty and said, “Don’t worry. I think it falls under doctor patient confidentially.” He looked at Krista and asked, “Am I right Dr. Chinto?”
“My lips are sealed,” she replied. Because that wasn’t even close to what the law meant. But it seemed to have done the trick and Patty stopped crying.
“He hired me to find everything I could on the Internet about you and him in New York. You’d be surprised how quickly that shit spread. By the way, you got more hits for delivering that baby than Mr. Falciano did for holding her.”
“What did he want you to do with all that information?” she asked.
“Block it when I couldn’t get it ripped down. If someone even tries searching for it now, they get a message they won’t like. Guess I should’ve mentioned that to Mr. Falciano. Then again, he didn’t ask. All he wanted was to make sure you weren’t being harassed anymore.”
“Me? He did this for me?”
Mikie shrugged. “Not at first. At first he was pissed that his name was out there. But then he called me from New York and it was all about protecting you. Maybe it was because I told him what an awesome doctor you are and how everyone in Montpelier loves you.”
“That was very sweet of you Mikie.”
“No. Just told him the truth,” Mikie said. “I told him we were meeting you today and asked if he wanted to come, but he said no. Bummer.”
Patty grinned. “You guys would make such a cute couple.”
“No we wouldn’t,” she blurted. The last thing she needed was for Patty to start a rumor like that. She loved Patty, but keeping secrets wasn’t her strong point. Explains why Patty and Laurel are best friends.
“Doesn’t matter. I think he had something to do tonight anyway,” Mikie said.
Krista looked at her watch. It was almost five. “Oh my. I can’t believe how late it is. Sorry. I have to go.”
“Already? I thought maybe we could have dinner together,” Patty said.
“I’d love to, but I already have plans. Maybe next time I’m in Boston,” she said.
Patty said, “Maybe Mr. Falciano will be free then too. I still think you guys would be great together.”
Mikie rolled his eyes. “You never even met the guy.”
“Nope. But I saw his picture.”
Krista laughed. “I might be looking for more than just a handsome face.”
“So you think he’s handsome?” Patty asked.
Krista gave Patty a hug and said, “I refuse to answer any more of your questions unless they are about the pregnancy.”
Patty said, “Okay, but watching you blush when I say his name is much more fun.”
Krista was glad to get out of there. Unfortunately, she hadn’t planned her time wisely. There was no way she could stop at a store and get back and cook in time. Of course, he said she owed him dinner. She didn’t remember if it said she had to cook it.
There was an Italian restaurant not far from where she was. It was going to have to do. She called and placed her order for pick-up, and quickly made her way there.