Tempted in the Tropics Read Online Free PDF Page B

decision.”
    “For sure,” Lane said just as the doorbell chimed.
    Henry hurried past in the hallway. Soon the latch on the huge front doors clanged, and there was chatter in the foyer. Several women’s voices were muffled by space and distance. Lane would swear he’d heard a couple of them before, but he couldn’t quite place them. Before he had time to even guess who the voices belonged to, Henry led three women into the parlor. Lane was stunned to see Sylvia Sutherland and her daughter, Liza. Sylvia and her husband, John, had been lifelong friends of Lane’s parents. The families had vacationed together several times when Lane was little.
    Lane hadn’t seen Sylvia or Liza since his sports medicine rotation during his residency at Johns Hopkins, but they were the kind of people who made him feel comfortable right away, no matter how much time had passed. The last woman to come in was Paige Ellerbee. Seriously? Lane swallowed hard as he tried to make sense of the last guest. He struggled to keep the shock off his face because, for some reason, Mrs. Hawthorne’s gaze never left him.
    Paige seemed as surprised to see him as he was her, and she didn’t hesitate to show it. Her large eyes widened, then narrowed beneath her lowered eyebrows. She’d looked a little tired but still hot when he’d seen her at the bakery last night, but now she was 100 percent smokin’ in clingy black slacks that showed off her shapely legs and stilettos custom-made for impure thoughts. A few of them crossed his mind as his eyes made his way up to her glimmering silver sleeveless top that draped at the neckline. He risked a fleeting glimpse at her cleavage and inhaled sharply. His gaze traveled to her face—her glossy-pink bow-tie lips, her perfectly upturned nose, those incredible eyes. She wore her silky blond hair in a sleek chignon and managed to make the pink stripe at the front look sophisticated. Whether he’d admit it or not, his blood pressure told him he was no longer thinking Disney, he was channeling Fifty Shades .
    “Dr. Sylvia Sutherland, Miss Liza Sutherland, and Miss Paige Ellerbee,” Henry announced, as if everyone didn’t already know one another.
    Mrs. Hawthorne gave her empty glass to Henry and held out her hands, palms up. “Lovely to have you ladies here!” She paused for a moment, then said, “You all know Mayor Warren.” She clutched Lane’s upper arm with a firm grip. “Dr. Anderson, I understand you know Sylvia and Liza.”
    Liza looked dramatic and demure in a simple black dress, her long red hair framing her face. “Congratulations again on your engagement.” He’d followed the story of her proposal from Cole Collins, the Silver Slugger first baseman for the Washington Nationals. They’d exchanged texts at the time, and he’d been truly happy for her despite the fact that he’d still been hurting from his breakup with Stephanie. Her diamond engagement ring sparkled like fireworks.
    “Thanks” She shyly tucked her hair behind her ear.
    Sylvia stepped toward him and held out her arms for a hug. “I’m so happy to see you! You’re still my favorite resident ever.”
    Lane hugged her, remembering how motherly she had been to him and all of the residents who were little better than zombies by the time they’d worked with her. “You look lovely as ever.” And it was true. She had the same ash-blond bob, she was still in shape and impeccably dressed—in a dark red wrap dress tonight—and she still made you wish she were your mom, even though Lane adored his mom, too.
    “I always respected your judgment,” she teased.
    Mrs. Hawthorne chuckled. “I understand you’ve met Paige.”
    “That’s correct.” Paige nodded, looking as if she was struggling to shape her lips into something resembling a smile. He had a wisp of a thought about kissing them, then quickly wondered exactly how much liquor was in his mojito.
    Lane worked to keep his expression neutral and nodded at Paige.
    Mrs.