Читать книгу From Temptation To Twins - Barbara Dunlop - Страница 10
ОглавлениеJules couldn’t decide whether to sit down and wait patiently for news or to pace the hospital waiting room floor and worry. Melissa had seemed okay in the ambulance, in surprisingly good spirits considering she had a large nail protruding through the middle of her left hand. Jules had assumed her sister couldn’t have been too badly hurt if she was awake and joking. But she might have been in shock. She could quite easily have been in shock.
Opting for pacing, Jules walked the hall then turned at the narrow, vinyl sofa and walked back toward the vending machines. If Melissa was in shock, then the pain might not have been registering. She could be really hurt. The hospital staff had certainly taken the injury seriously, whisking her off to a trauma room. Jules had tried to follow, but the nurse had urged her to stay out of the way and let the medical staff do their work.
When Jules turned again, she saw Caleb at the end of the hallway walking swiftly toward her. He looked tall, broad-shouldered and capable, and she felt an inexplicable sense of relief at the sight of him. As soon as the feeling registered, she banished it. It was embarrassing to react that way. He wasn’t a medical professional. He wasn’t a friend. He wasn’t a significant person in either her or Melissa’s life. There was no reason his presence should be comforting, none at all.
“Is Melissa all right?” he asked as he approached, concern clear in his tone.
She felt an inexcusable urge to walk straight into his arms. She wouldn’t do it, of course, but a little part of her couldn’t help wondering how he’d react if she did.
“They’ve taken her into surgery.”
He frowned as he came to a halt. “That sounds concerning.”
“They told me it was a precaution.”
His intense look of interest prompted her to continue.
“There’s a hand specialist in the hospital tonight, and he wants to be sure they don’t damage any nerves or tendons taking out the nail. At least that’s what they said.” She had to fight the urge to lean on him again. “You don’t think they’d downplay it, do you?”
“Are you worried?” he asked, moving slightly closer.
She wished he’d keep his distance. It was easier to resist him that way.
“No. I can’t decide. Should I be worried? The truth is I’m worried that I’m not worried. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.”
“She was still talking when we arrived. I thought that was a good sign. But now I’m thinking she might have been in shock.”
“I suppose that’s possible.” He looked thoughtful.
“You could have just said it was a good sign.”
He gave a slight smile. “I think it was a good sign.”
“Too late.”
“I suppose.” He paused. “But it was probably a good sign.”
“Noble effort.”
“I don’t see why they’d downplay it for you. They’d want you to be prepared for any bad news.”
“Okay. I’ll give you that one.” Jules relaxed a little. She moved and sat down on a padded chair.
Caleb followed, taking a chair across from her. They were both silent for a few moments.
It was Caleb who broke it. “Do you know what was she doing with the nail gun?”
“She was showing me how it worked. Noah had shown her earlier. And, well, it went off. We didn’t expect that.”
An expression of annoyance crossed Caleb’s face. “Noah showed her how to use a nail gun?”
“It’s not Noah’s fault.”
“What was he thinking?”
“That she asked a question and he answered it.”
“I don’t mean to sound sexist—”
Jules felt her spine stiffen. “But you’re about to.”
“I guess I am. Are you sure that the two of you should be undertaking a construction project?”
“We’re not undertaking a construction project. We’re helping with a construction project. Noah has been great about showing us what to do and how to do it.”
Caleb frowned again. “He didn’t do so well with the nail gun.”
“Ms. Parker?” A nurse interrupted.
Jules immediately switched her attention. “You have news?” She came to her feet.
Caleb rose with her.
The smile on the nurse’s face was encouraging, but it seemed to take forever for her to speak. “Your sister is out of surgery. It went very well.”
“Thank you,” Jules whispered, relief rushing through her. She realized then just how frightened she’d been.
“She’s in recovery for the next hour or so, and then she’ll likely sleep through the night. There’s no need for you to stay.”
“So her hand will be fine?”
“The surgeon is anticipating a complete recovery. She’ll need to rest it for a couple of weeks. She can follow up with her family doctor.”
“We’re new in town. We don’t have—”
“She can see my doctor,” Caleb put in. His hand went to the small of Jules’s back and rested lightly there.
She looked skeptically up at him. Good doctors had been difficult to find in Portland. Most had closed practices and weren’t taking new patients.
“He’ll see her.” Caleb spoke with authority, seeming to guess Jules’s hesitation.
She was reminded of his wealth, and the power it likely brought him. She realized his doctor would probably grant any favor Caleb asked. Her first reaction was to refuse on principle. But Melissa’s health was at stake, and Jules knew she couldn’t let pride stand in the way of the best care for her.
“Thank you,” she said instead.
Caleb smiled, and his hand firmed against her back. Warmth and pleasure flowed through her before she remembered to shut it down.
“Can I see Melissa?” Jules asked the nurse.
“Not for at least an hour. She’s in recovery.” The nurse’s gaze went to the clock on the wall, which showed that it was well past midnight.
“You might as well come back in the morning,” Caleb said. “You need some sleep, too.”
Again, Jules wanted to argue with him on principle. But she was tired, and he wasn’t wrong, especially if Melissa was only going to sleep anyway.
“I’ll drive you home,” he said, seeming to take her silence for agreement.
It was, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to make the assumption. But now wasn’t the time to make an issue of it.
She directed her attention to the nurse instead, reaching out to squeeze the woman’s hands in gratitude. “Thank you so much. Will you thank the surgeon for me?”
“I will.”
The nurse departed, and Jules stepped away from Caleb’s touch as they walked down the corridor.
“I can get a cab,” she said as they approached the double doors of the foyer.
“Sure you could,” he said. “And that makes perfect sense. Especially since I’m driving past your house on my way home.”
“We’re not your responsibility,” she felt compelled to point out.
He pushed open the door. “Nobody said you were.”
“What are you doing here anyway?” The night wind was brisk against her thin T-shirt, and she wrapped her arms around herself.
“I wanted to make sure Melissa was okay. And I knew you’d need a ride home.”
“You barely know us.”
He indicated a black Lexus parked near the door. “I’ve known you for twenty-four years.”
“You’ve disliked me for twenty-four years. It’s not the same thing.”
“I never disliked you.” Something softened in his tone. “I barely knew you.”
“You dislike me now.”
“I’m annoyed with you right now. That’s not the same thing either.”
“Close enough.”
He cracked a smile as he opened the passenger door. “You do make it difficult to like you, Jules.”
“Because I won’t give in and give you what you want.”
“That’s part of it.” He closed the door and crossed to the driver’s side.
“What’s the other part?” she asked as he took his seat and pressed the starter button.
To her relief, warm air immediately blew through the dashboard vents.
“You disagree with virtually everything I say.”
She thought about that. “Not with everything you say.”
He gave an ironic shake of his head, but he smiled again, too.
She liked his smile. She had to stop liking his smile. And his touch, she really had to stop liking his touch.
He pulled out of the parking spot and headed for the winding coastal road back to their houses. “Name one thing where you’ve agreed with me.”
“I’m letting you drive me home.”
“I had to talk you into that.”
“Proving I can change my mind,” she said with triumph. “I’m a reasonable person who can change her mind when presented with evidence.”
“In that case, let me explain about how...”
Her heart sank a bit. “Not tonight, Caleb.”
“I was joking.”
She suddenly felt drained of energy and realized she’d been running on adrenaline since the accident, and the relief that had buoyed her at learning Melissa would recover had already worn off. Now she was just exhausted.
“Are you hungry?” he surprised her by asking.
She was, but she didn’t want to admit it. It felt like she’d be showing him another weakness.
“I’m starving,” he said. “Do you mind if we stop?”
“You’re driving. It’s your car. You can do whatever you like.”
He glanced her way. “Have I done something to annoy you just now?”
She instantly felt guilty. “No.” That was a lie. “Yes.” That wasn’t quite right either. “I wish you’d quit being nice. It makes me nervous.”
He laughed, and the rich sound was somehow soothing to her nerves.
He took an abrupt left, entering the parking lot of a fast-food place. “Burger okay with you?”
“Whatever you’re having,” she said. She was hungry, not fussy.
He pulled up to the drive-through window, and a young woman slid back the glass.
Considering the late hour, the girl’s smile was positively perky. “What can I get for you?”
“Two cheeseburgers, two fries and two chocolate shakes,” Caleb said.
She rang up the order, and Caleb handed her some bills.
“Coming right up.” She pulled back, the smile still in place.
“Comfort food,” Jules said, thinking it fit the circumstances.
“I forgot you were a chef.”
“I wasn’t being critical.”
“You weren’t?”
She gave him an eye roll. “If you’re going to jump to conclusions, you should learn to interpret my intonation.”
“I thought that was sarcasm.”
“It wasn’t. I’ve got nothing against burgers and fries. They get a bad rap. They’re tasty. Okay, maybe not so nutritious as to be a daily recommendation. But I’m not really in the mood for nutrition right now.”
He smiled and seemed to relax. They both fell silent.
“Thanks for this,” she said a few minutes later.
“Not a problem.”
The window opened and the girl handed Caleb his change and the food.
He set the milk shakes in the console between them and passed the warm, fragrant paper bag to Jules. Then he pulled across the shoreline road into a parking lot overlooking the ocean. He shut off the engine and released his seat belt.
“This okay?” he asked her.
“Perfect.” She released her own seat belt and sat back in the comfy leather seat, letting the tension of the past few hours drain from her.
Melissa was going to be okay. Everything else would work itself out around that.
Caleb relieved her of the bag and handed back a burger wrapped in waxed paper, and then a small carton of fries. She popped one of the fries in her mouth. It was crisp and flavorful, salty and satisfying.
“Mmm,” she said.
He smiled and gave a small shake of his head. “You’re awfully easy to please.”
“My needs are simple.” She took the closest milk shake and drew the cold, creamy liquid through the straw.
“You surprise me, Juliet Parker.”
“You should be the one surprising me by appreciating burgers.”
“Why is that?”
“I’m an ordinary Portland girl. You’re a successful millionaire who lives in a mansion on the hill.”
“I suppose that’s true,” he agreed, a trace of laughter in his voice.
She unfolded the wrapper, pulling it away from the sticky cheese. “If anyone should be snobby about fast food, it’s you.”
“I normally add a garnish of caviar.”
“Now, that’s more what I expected.”
“Then I’m likely to keep surprising you.”
“Is this your pitch for being an ordinary guy?”
“I am an ordinary guy.”
“You own seventeen restaurants.”
“You did some research.”
“I did,” she admitted. “I’ve concluded you don’t need an eighteenth.”
He paused. “You really want to have that argument now?”
She didn’t. She wasn’t sure why she’d brought it up. Or maybe she was. They were getting along, and that made her nervous. She’d wanted to remind herself of what stood between them. She didn’t want to like Caleb. She didn’t dare.
* * *
The burgers finished and the drive complete, Caleb stepped out of his car at the top of the stairs that led down to the Parker house.
