Читать книгу Her Texas Rescue Doctor - Caro Carson - Страница 14

Chapter Six

Alex was dazzled by the sight of Grace in the bright Texas sun.

Being dazzled was, of course, the temporary effect of walking from the windowless emergency room into the bright sunlight of the ambulance bay. Light adaptation was the medical term. He watched Grace blink, a reflexive move to relieve the visual discomfort as the retinas chemically altered to favor cones over rods.

Or maybe she was just a pretty girl, shading her eyes on a sunny spring afternoon, and he was just a guy who wanted to get to know her better.

Life was only that simple in Hollywood movies.

Alex’s life had never been charmed. He was starting to suspect this woman’s life wasn’t quite the American dream it appeared to be on the surface, either.

He couldn’t grill her about her apparent anxiety when it came to Sophia Jackson. As he had with his young soccer-playing patient, he started with something that he knew wouldn’t cause pain. “I wanted to let you know that Mrs. Burns has decided to use the services we offered her. She’s got an advocate with her now who will escort her to a women’s shelter when she’s ready to leave.”

“That’s wonderful.” Grace’s smile dazzled him in a way that had nothing to do with the chemistry of the retinas. The fine tension she carried in her shoulders eased a fraction. With a firm touch, he could eliminate the rest, smoothing his thumbs from insertion to origin point on each tight muscle.

Alex put his hands in the pockets of his white coat.

“And the children?” Grace asked. “What happens to them?”

“They’ll be picked up and brought to the safe house with their mother.”

“That is really, really good news. Thank you so much for telling me.”

“Of course.”

He realized he was staring into her eyes—warm and brown and gold, like her hair—when she looked away. Just how long had that silent bit of gazing between them lasted?

She made a gesture, a small wave at nothing in particular. An equally delicate worry line appeared between her brows. “Are you going to get in trouble for breaking a privacy rule or something? Is that why you brought me outside?”

“No. You volunteered to be a witness if necessary. It’s reasonable for me to let you know that the patient is speaking up for herself, so you don’t have to.”

Her compassion extended to him, then. She was kind to worry that he’d be in trouble. Maybe she was too compassionate, though. If she didn’t guard her heart, she would always be worrying about others.

She smiled again, another bit of tension leaving her shoulders. “I’m so glad to hear that. Can you keep me updated? I want to know if everything turns out okay.”