Fortune's Heart. Leanne Banks

Corners to see a doctor.”

      “Right again,” he said. He put the stew in the microwave, then pulled some sliced ham, cheese and bread out of the fridge and went to the counter. “The trouble is you’d have to trick him.”

      Rachel frowned. “What do you mean?”

      “You would need to make an appointment with him and find some other reason for him to go. You’d take him to lunch, then take him to a doctor’s appointment and beg for forgiveness afterward. He would forgive you within twenty-four hours, less if he got some relief from his back pain.”

      Rachel’s frown deepened. “That sounds like a lot of trickery,” she said.

      “As if you haven’t done the same ten times over for less honorable reasons,” he returned as he slapped the meat and cheese on the bread and slathered it with Dijon mustard.

      “I wish Dad would be more reasonable about medical treatment,” she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

      “You and me both,” he said, when the microwave beeped. He grabbed his bowl of stew and sandwich. He would worry about water later.

      Rachel poured a glass of ice water and sat down at the kitchen table. She put the glass at the place opposite from her. “Well, sit down,” she said, waving her hand. “We have to figure out exactly when and how I’ll do this trickery.”

      “Dad is a sucker for his little girl. Just invite him to go to lunch with you, then take him to a doctor afterward,” Colton said.

      “Stacey and I didn’t just talk about Dad,” Rachel said.

      A bite of sandwich lodged in Colton’s throat. He coughed repeatedly and washed it down with a gulp of water. “Oh, really,” he said in a deliberately noncommittal tone.

      “Yes,” Rachel said. “Stacey said the two of you could use some privacy. What do you say about that?”

      “Privacy begins at home,” Colton said.

      Rachel made a face at him. “I’m trying to help.”

      “Then stay out of it,” he said. “There’s a baby involved. I don’t want to be responsible for messing up that child’s life. I’m taking it slow or not at all.”