“Add that if you don’t marry Paul Mrs. Carl won’t let you work with her husband, and it’s a catastrophe. You’ll spend the next twenty years saving enough money to open your own place.”

“This doesn’t sound so good after all.”

“Kelly, please let me lend you the money to open a clinic. It can be in Ottawa. That’s far enough away that there won’t be too much competition and you can easily drive there every day.”

“You can’t—”

He cut her off. “We’re going to be family. That means something. You can pay me back every cent. And when you think about this, it’s all for me.”

“And Vera,” she said. “To free her. And to release me from being a burden to her.” Her head came up. “And besides, maybe I’ll find somebody else. This sex against a wall interests me.”

Adam laughed. “Tell you what. While you plan a wedding for Vera and me, you and I will look for a clinic for you.”

“My own clinic,” she whispered. “I love Dr. Carl, but his filing system is very bad. And he doesn’t like what he calls ‘weird pets.’ That means turtles and birds. And goldfish.”

“You work on goldfish?”

“When needed.”

“I hope you get a secretary better than the gum chewer who answered the phone.”

“Betty was Mrs. Carl’s choice. Utterly incompetent. And rude. But no chance her husband would be attracted to her.”

Adam was watching her. “Are we set on this?”

“We have a Dagwood sandwich of lies.” She was smiling. “I’m engaged to Pauly but I’m really not.”

Adam grinned. “And you will plan a wedding for you two that will actually be for Vera and me.”

“You have to help.”

“I’m sure you can do it all by yourself. Have confidence.”

“Okay. Then it’ll be pink. Pink flowers. Pink cake, pink ribbons in the church. Maybe the pastor can wear pink. I bet we can find a pink jacket for you in KC. And—”

Adam threw his hands up in horror. “I’ll help! I promise. And I’ll help you find a clinic. I’ll enjoy doing that. And I will introduce you to some men.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Yes, it is. I’ll weed out the scum that’ll come running when they hear Paul is out of the picture.”

“I was kidding about other men. I don’t have time for that now. I’ll have a wedding to plan, a clinic to find, my studies and working for Dr. Carl. It’s all I can handle.”

“No. You’re going to meet some people.”

She gave him a hard look. “Mr. Selfish, is this about your little brother?”

“I’m caught. Robbie will be at your doorstep. He’s too young for you. Too much of a...of a kid. You need a man who won’t get upset when you’re called out in the middle of the night to deliver a calf. Or somebody who won’t pout because you like four legs better than two.”