Hannah's List (Blossom Street #7)(53)

"Male."

That got Harvey's attention. He turned to face her, the hose, still spurting water, in his hand. "When did you meet him?"

"A while back," she said, not elaborating. "I want you to meet him, too."

"Why? Is he your boyfriend?"

"No."

"Then why are you bringing him to meet me?"

"He's a...sort of friend, nothing more. The thing is, I'm not even sure I like him."

Harvey made a scoffing sound and returned to his watering.

"I'm painting a mural in his office."

"Is he that persnickety doctor you talked about?"

"Yup." She grinned. "Persnickety. I love it. Not a word I've actually heard anyone say before."

"Then perhaps you should expand your vocabulary."

"Okay. Yes, he's that punctilious doctor I mentioned."

"The one who annoyed you."

That was putting it mildly. "He's the one."

Harvey snorted, but it could have been a laugh. Sometimes it was difficult to tell. "I'd be interested in meeting that young man."

Macy didn't question his sudden sociability. "You will tonight." This was working out beautifully. Macy would bring Michael by and introduce him to Harvey, and the two men would chat. Michael would ask a few subtle questions and learn what he needed to know so he could order the proper tests. Her next challenge would be to get Harvey to take those tests, but she'd deal with that when she got to it. "See you later," she said, waving goodbye.

Harvey grumbled something unintelligible.

Macy made sure Sammy and her three cats were fed, then took the bus to Michael's office, her supplies in a large canvas pouch.

When she arrived, Linda Barclay, Dr. Everett's nurse, let her in and accompanied her to the hallway. Macy removed the amended drawing from her bag, followed by paints, brushes, her purse, her lunch.

She was eager to begin the mural. She'd worked on the sketch over the weekend, adding several flourishes she thought Michael would like. Well, she hoped he would. Since their conversation on Thursday, she'd begun to think of him by his first name. And since she was passing him off as her "sort of friend" to Harvey, calling him Dr. Everett would be much too formal.

"The doctor isn't in yet," Linda told her as Macy unrolled the drawing.

"I can get started, though, can't I?"

The older woman shrugged. "I suppose that would be all right."

Macy still hadn't made up her mind about Michael's nurse. The woman stood guard over him as if he were royalty in need of protection. And yet, at times, Macy had the distinct impression that Linda, obviously no fool, might have taken a liking to her.

"I'm sure it will be, too," Macy said decisively. She'd struck her agreement with Michael and he'd approved her idea, minus the zoo bars.

The first order of business was to sketch in the background and the various animals. Since the wall had been freshly painted, or so she'd learned from Linda, Macy didn't have to prepare it and set about drawing with a thick lead pencil. She did everything freehand.

She'd just started when Michael showed up. He paused when he saw her.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully without interrupting her work.

"Morning."

He watched for a few minutes, although Macy didn't know what was so fascinating about a few lines. She was still sketching in the trees.

"Do you always hum while you draw?"

"Oh, do I?" Macy frowned. "No one's ever mentioned that before."

"You hum."

She turned and smiled warmly. "You'll notice I got here before you did this morning."

One side of his mouth lifted in a half smile, and Macy could see that getting him to relax would be a real test of her ability. She wasn't sure why she found it so important. She guessed it had to do with Hannah. If she'd loved Michael, and clearly she had, there must be more to him than he'd revealed so far.

"I'd like to get this done as quickly as possible," she told him. Of course, being paid when she was finished was a great incentive.

"Good idea."

"I added a few things to the scene if you want to check it out," she said and pointed to the sketch, which she'd rolled out on the floor. "See the baby giraffe? And the parrots?"

He stared down at it, then nodded. "I like it."

"I was hoping you would." She wiped her forearm across her brow. Her hair was tied back with a red Western-style bandanna. An apron covered her denim skirt and Mariners T-shirt, both faded from multiple washings. She didn't care if she got paint on them, but she liked the way the skirt allowed her freedom of movement.

He walked away and returned a couple of minutes later, entering the examination room at the opposite end of the hallway. Macy heard a little boy let out a wail and wondered what had caused him pain. Soon afterward, however, he was giggling. Macy smiled just listening to him. She wouldn't have guessed it, but Michael seemed to have a way with children.

Macy had hated visiting the doctor as a child and suspected other children felt the same terror she had. As the little boy left, he smiled shyly at Macy. Trailing behind his mother, he paused and studied the partial scene Macy had outlined.