LITMIR.BIZ

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be silly,” Russ said, and turned to Victoria. “Call Rich. Then try the house. Maybe Toby didn’t ride out today.”

      “Sure.” She pulled the phone back toward her and dialed.

      Since she wasn’t looking at him, Jon admired her beautiful face. He didn’t know what kind of worker she was, though he was beginning to think she wasn’t like his mother. But he knew for sure she was beautiful.

      “Ready?” Russ asked, distracting him.

      “Uh, yeah, but I hate to take you away from your work.”

      “I can use some exercise,” Russ said, and led the way out of the office.

      TORI WATCHED THE TWO MEN go out while she was calling. When Red asked what she needed, she explained the situation. He immediately agreed to find Toby. He also offered one of the chocolate cakes he’d just finished making. When Tori protested, he said he could bake another one before dinner.

      She hung up the phone, a smile on her face. Her family was wonderful. They pitched in for everyone.

      She started back to work, not thinking about the doctor. She was determined to keep her distance from that man.

      An hour later, she answered the phone to discover Doc’s voice on the line.

      “Hi, Doc, how’s retirement—”

      He interrupted her. “Get Jon. We’ve got a wreck on the highway with multiple injuries. Your mom is on her way. I need him as soon as possible.”

      “Right.” She hung up and ran out of the office around to the parking lot. The guys had moved a lot upstairs, but there were still some things in the parking lot.

      “Where’s the doctor?” she demanded.

      “Just went upstairs with Casey, carrying some boxes. Anything wrong?” Rich asked.

      “Multiple accident. Doc needs him,” she called over her shoulder as she raced up the stairs.

      She found him in the living room and hurriedly repeated the message.

      With a worried frown on his face, he thanked her and ran out of the apartment. She stared after him, revising her opinion of him. At least he seemed intent on his job, even if it was for only four years.

      “People are hurt?” Casey asked.

      “I guess so. They called Mom in, too.”

      Russ, Rich and Toby came up the stairs, the three of them carrying a beaten-up sofa. Russ puffed out some air. “I’m not sure this sofa is worth the effort. What do you think, Tori?”

      She grinned. “I’ve seen worse.”

      “Where?” Rich asked when he let go of the sofa.

      “At college. I’m sure the doctor couldn’t afford expensive furniture at med school. In Caroline’s letters to Aunt B.J. she says she never gets back to her apartment anyway. It sounds like they work them twenty-four hours a day.”

      “I’ve seen that on TV, but I wasn’t sure that was the truth,” Toby said. “Elizabeth likes that show, ER.”

      “Have you seen a table? For the breakfast area?” she asked, staring at the empty space.

      “Nope. He really doesn’t have much. But we still have some boxes of books. Talk about heavy!”

      “Maybe we should tell him about the table and chairs Aunt Megan took in last week. She didn’t want to put them in the store. She was hoping to find someone to take them off her hands,” Tori pointed out.

      “Hey, good idea,” Russ said. “They weren’t bad, just not old. Aunt Megan only wants antiques in her store. Maybe Abby and I will give him the table and chairs for a housewarming present.”

      “You’re going to give him a present because you’re his landlord?” Tori asked. “Do you think that’s necessary?”

      “Not necessary, no, but I think it would be nice,” Russ said.

      “Anybody home?” Red’s voice called.

      They all turned around to find him standing on the doorstep, Mildred right behind him.

      “Come in, Red. The doctor’s not here. He had an emergency,” Toby said.

      “We heard. It was bad. They had a couple of fatalities,” Mildred said. “I talked to Anna.”

      They all lamented such a horrible accident. Then Mildred asked Tori to put the lasagna in the refrigerator. “We thought the man could use some dinner that’s already prepared. I’m sure he won’t have any groceries yet.”

      “That’s so thoughtful, Mildred,” Tori said.

      “Here’s the chocolate cake, too,” Red said, extending his offering.

      “I know he’ll appreciate it, Red.” Tori put the cake plate on the bare cabinet.

      “I guess he’ll get in late tonight. Maybe Elizabeth and I will buy some groceries to fill up the pantry for our housewarming gift,” Toby said. “I’ll call her.” He pulled out a cell phone and moved away from the rest of them.

      Tori moved to the door. “Well, I left the office unmanned. I’d better go back.”

      Russ stopped her. “Go lock it up and come help us. No man should come in late from that kind of work and find everything a mess. Poor guy doesn’t have a wife.”

      “That would be a good way to get to know him, Tori,” Mildred suggested, enthusiasm in her voice.

      Uh-oh. The Randall family was famous for its matchmaking, but Tori didn’t want any part of it. Especially with a man who was leaving in four years. “No, I don’t think I can spare the time.”

      “Sure you can,” Russ insisted. “Abby will come by after school, and she’ll help you.”

      Toby joined them again. “Elizabeth will be by, too. She and Abby agreed to do some grocery shopping.”

      Tori was feeling trapped, but at least she wouldn’t be alone. And it would be terrible to find everything just dumped after dealing with a horrible wreck. “Fine. I’ll go close up.”

      Once she’d locked the doors downstairs, leaving a note on the door, she went back up the stairs. The main bedroom had a nice bedroom suite all put together. It looked new, with its king-size bed, dresser and bedside table. When she started opening boxes, she found one marked “bedroom” and opened it. Inside were a set of new sheets, and a navy comforter with flecks of maroon forming a pattern. Very masculine.

      “I’ll take the sheets to my apartment to wash before I make up the bed. Want me to bring back a pitcher of lemonade?”

      Her cousins enthusiastically agreed to that offer.

      When she returned, she brought the lemonade, along with what cookies she’d had in her cookie jar. She knew her cousins’ appetites. Especially Casey, Russ and Rich’s baby brother. At eighteen, he was still a growing boy.

      “I called Aunt Megan,” she said as they fell upon the snack. “She said she’d be glad to donate the table and chairs just to get rid of them. She’ll be there another hour if you want to go get them.”

      Russ stood up. “I think we can get them and be back here before the girls arrive,” he said to Rich.

      “No problem,” Rich agreed. “I brought my truck.” The two of them left.

      “That sofa is a sore spot, isn’t it?” Casey asked. “I mean, I’m no expert on decorating, but it’s an eyesore.”

      Toby laughed. “You’re right.”

      “I bet Mom and Dad would like to give him a new sofa.”

      “No,” Tori said firmly. “We can’t do that

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