Two and a half hours after his scheduled appointment, the sound of the garage door opening signaled Phil’s arrival.

“You didn’t really meet with him for two hours, did you?” Lina asked.

“Yes, I really did.” He set his briefcase on the floor beside the kitchen island before meeting her lips for a brief kiss.

“Your dinner is ready. Do you want to eat in the kitchen or outside?”

“Outside.” He pulled a beer from the refrigerator. “I don’t want the kids overhearing us.”

“Are you going to tell me how it went?” Lina asked as she watched Phil dig into the shrimp scampi on his plate.

“It was—” he hesitated with his fork at his lips “—interesting. Interesting and enlightening.” He put a shrimp in his mouth, watching her while he chewed.

“Did you like him?” She was confused by his response. He seemed almost amused.

“You mean Nicholas?”

“Nicholas? Did he tell you to call him that?”

“No, but I thought he may have told you to.”

“No. I call him Dr. Drayton.” She watched him continue to eat. “Are you going to tell me what you think of him?”

He tore off a piece of garlic bread and hesitated with it in front of his mouth. “I think Dr. Drayton has a very unprofessional interest in one of his patients’ mothers,” he said before tossing the bread in his mouth.

“That’s not even funny.” She could feel her cheeks heat up.

“I agree it’s not funny. The man has completely fallen for you. His entire demeanor changed when he talked about you. And he talked about you a lot.”

Lina laughed aloud. “That’s the craziest thing you’ve ever said.” She could feel herself begin to perspire. “Didn’t you talk to him about Katie?”

“Yes. That was fine with the exception of the part where I’m a hundred percent to blame for all her problems.”

“That’s not true, Phil. He’s been giving me parenting advice for months. We’re both a part of this. Is that what’s wrong with you? You think he thinks I’m a better parent than you?”

“No. I know he thinks you’re a better parent than I am, but frankly I don’t have a problem with that.” He trailed his index finger through the condensation on the outside of his beer bottle, his eyes watching the movement. “What I do have a problem with is my daughter’s psychiatrist lusting after my wife, especially when he sees her once a week.” He lifted his eyes to hers. “That, I have a problem with.”

“He isn’t lusting after me. He has a girlfriend.”

“Does he?” He lifted his eyebrows. “And how would you know that?”

Lina’s blush deepened, and she was thankful for the dim lighting on the deck. “He just mentioned her in passing.”

“I bet he did. Has he asked you about us?”

She forced herself to maintain his gaze. “Our relationship impacts Katie.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“You are blowing things way out of proportion.”