“Then why won’t you operate on me?”

“The appendix isn’t my area of expertise. Dr. Johnson has done countless appendectomies, whereas I’ve only done a few. I’ll assist.”

“But I know you.” As soon as the words ran over her tongue, Marjorie realized how ridiculous they sounded. They’d met less than a half-hour earlier.

“You’ll do fine with Dr. Johnson.”

“I suppose I will,” she said, without much confidence.

“I can honestly say that you’re the first woman who’s jumped off the examination table, ready to swing at me.” His smiling eyes studied her.

“Hey, that poke hurt.”

“I know, and I apologize,” he answered sincerely. “I don’t want you to worry about this surgery. I’ll be there with you. Cal Johnson’s an excellent surgeon, and there shouldn’t be any problems, since we’ve caught this in time.”

Marjorie nodded.

“I’m not going to let you down.”

“You say that to all your patients, don’t you?”

His eyes widened briefly. “No.” He opened the top drawer and took out a single sheet of paper. “Here. Let me show you what we’re going to do.”

Marjorie wasn’t sure she wanted to know. He must have read the doubt in her eyes, because he added, “I learned long ago that my patients aren’t nearly as nervous if they have an idea of what’s going to happen.”

She nodded and cocked her head so that she could see the picture he had started drawing.

“As you’re probably aware, the appendix is a small pocket, from one to six inches in size.” He illustrated it, dexterously moving his pencil across the sheet of paper.

Marjorie understood only a little about what he was telling her, but she nodded as though she had recently graduated from medical school and knew it all.

He talked for several minutes more, explaining where Dr. Johnson would be making the incision and what he would be doing. “Once you’re admitted to the hospital, you’ll undergo a series of tests, including several X-rays.”

“X-rays? Why?”

“We want to be sure that your lungs aren’t congested. No need to borrow trouble.”

“I see,” Marjorie commented, although she didn’t really. Whatever he and the other doctors thought was fine with her.

“You’ll only be in the hospital a couple days, depending on how you feel, and you’ll be back to work within three weeks.”

“Three weeks,” Marjorie echoed. “I can’t take off that much time!”

“You don’t have any choice.”

“Wanna bet?” Defiantly, she slapped the challenge at him. “In case you don’t realize it, a car salesperson works solely on commission. If I don’t sell cars, I don’t eat.”

His mouth tightened momentarily. “Let’s play that part by ear. No doubt you’ll surprise me.”

“No doubt,” she echoed.