Читать книгу Hot Docs On Call: Tinseltown Cinderella - Lynne Marshall, Amalie Berlin - Страница 13
ОглавлениеON MONDAY, AFTER working all day, Joe insisted Carey come out with him for dinner, which was fine with her because she’d felt kind of cooped up. They ate at a little diner, then he showed her around Santa Monica, like the perfect host. She got the distinct impression it was to get them, and keep them, out of the house, because sometimes things felt too close there.
At least, that’s how it felt for her, and sometimes she sensed it was the same for him. The guy seemed to bite down on his jaw a lot! But she soon ignored her worries about him not wanting her around and went straight to loving seeing the beach and the Pacific Ocean, and especially the Santa Monica pier.
On Tuesday Joe had the day off, and he dutifully took her shopping for more clothes at a place called the Beverly Center. They checked the directory and he guided her to the few stores she’d shown interest in, then he stood outside in the mall area, giving her space to shop. Clearly he wanted nothing to do with helping her choose clothes, rather he just did what he thought he should do out of courtesy to her situation. She protested all the way when he insisted on paying for everything. She sensed his generosity was based on some sense of charitable obligation, and she only accepted his offer when he’d agreed to let her repay him once she was back on her feet. She’d be sure to keep a tally because things were quickly adding up!
Wednesday morning, before he started an afternoon shift, he chauffeured her around to the Department of Motor Vehicles for a temporary driving license, and since she’d received a check from her old job he also helped her open a bank account. She decided the guy was totally committed to helping her, like he’d signed some paper or made some pact to do it. And she certainly appreciated everything he’d done for her, but...
Even though he was easy enough to be around, she felt it was out of total obligation to treat people right in life. Far too often she sensed a disconnect between his courtesy and that safe distance he insisted on keeping between them. Well, if that’s what he wanted, she knew exactly how to live that way. Her parents had, sadly, been perfect role models in that regard.
* * *
Joe got home on Wednesday night to a quiet house. Carey had said hello, but now kept mostly to herself in her room. It made him wonder if he’d done something to offend her. He’d been trying his best to make her feel at home, though admittedly he may have been going about it robotically. But that seemed the only way he could deal with having a woman in his life again. Since he worked the a.m. shift the next day, he didn’t get a chance to ask Carey if he’d put her off or if her withdrawal had nothing to do with him. Something was definitely on her mind, and under the circumstances, being battered, bruised, mugged, homeless, and completely vulnerable, not to mention living with a stranger, he could understand why.
Maybe he’d come off aloof or unapproachable at times. But she had no idea how nearly unbearable it was to fix meals with her when it reminded him how much he missed being married. And having Carey there twenty-four seven, with her friendly smile and naturally sweet ways, was nearly making him come unhinged. She deserved someone to share things with, to talk to, but it couldn’t be him. Nope. He was nowhere near ready or able to be her sounding board. All he’d signed up for was offering her a place to live.
Maybe he could arrange for some follow-up visits with the social worker at the clinic. That way she could get what she wanted and needed and he wouldn’t have to be the person listening. Because when a woman vented, from his past experience with Angela, he knew she always expected something in return. Nope, no way would he unload his lousy past on Carey, no matter how much she might think she wanted him to. The lady had far too much on her plate as it was, and, truthfully, reliving such pain was the last thing he ever wanted to do. The social worker was definitely the right person to step in, and he planned to ask Helena to follow up the next day.
On Thursday evening, Joe came home to find Carey scrubbing the kitchen floor. From the looks of the rest of the house, she’d been cleaning all day.
“What’s up?” he asked.
She was so focused on the floor-scrubbing she didn’t notice him. He stepped closer but not onto the wet kitchen tiles.
“Am I that much of a slob?” he tried to joke, but she didn’t laugh. Something was definitely eating at her. “Carey?”
Finally she heard him and shook her head as if she’d been in a trance and looked at him. “Hi.” Not sounding the least bit enthusiastic.
“Everything okay?”
She stopped pushing the mop handle. “Just trying to pay you back for all you’re doing for me.”
Damn. She may as well have sliced him with a knife. “You don’t have to be my house cleaner, you know.”
“What else can I do?” The obvious “else” not being to sleep together.
Why was that the first thought to come to his mind? Cripes, she had him mixed up. He used her clear frustration as a springboard to what his latest mission on Carey’s behalf had been. “I, uh, spoke to the social worker today—the one who helped you while you were in the hospital—and she said she’d love to keep in touch.” He’d totally reworded their true conversation, trying to make it sound casual, not necessary, but the truth was he’d talked at great length with Helena at work about Carey’s precarious situation. The social worker wanted to keep connected with Carey and promised to call her right away.
“Yes. Thanks. She called earlier today. I’m going to have a phone appointment with her on Monday.”
“That’s great.” He almost said, I hope it helps you snap out of your funk, but kept that thought to himself because a sneaky part of him worried he’d put her there. He knew too well how unhelpful being told to snap out of it could be, especially when a person was nowhere near ready. He would protect Carey in any way he could, and felt she shouldn’t be nervous all the time. But he’d never been in her shoes, and...
Then it dawned on him. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? The woman was a nurse. Nurses were always busy on the job. She was used to helping people, not the other way around. She was probably going crazy with so much time on her hands and nothing to do but watch TV or read while he was away every day. But she’d had a head trauma and needed to heal. “Do you feel ready to go back to work?”
She shifted from being intent on cleaning to suddenly looking deflated. “That’s the thing, I can’t until the California RN license comes through. Plus I still feel foggy-headed from the concussion. At this point I’d worry I might hurt some poor unsuspecting patient or something. But on another level my energy is coming back, and I’m feeling really restless.”
That damn mugger had not only stolen her identity and money but also her confidence. He thought quickly. It was early summer, people went on vacations. “I think there might be some temporary slots to fill in while people go on vacation. Jobs that don’t require a nursing license.”
She stopped mopping and looked at him, definite interest in her eyes.
“For instance, I know of a ward clerk on the second floor who’s getting ready to visit her family back east for two weeks. Maybe you could fill in on something like that. Sort of keep your hand in medicine but in a safer position until you feel back to your old self.”
She rested her chin on the mop handle. “How can I just walk in off the street and expect to get a job in a hospital like The Hollywood Hills Clinic?”
He flashed an overconfident grin he hadn’t used in a long time. “By knowing a guy like me? I could put in a good word to Dr. Rothsberg for you. What do you say?”
The fingers of one hand flew to her mouth as she thought. “That would be great. But it would also mean I’d have to quit my job back home.” Worry returned to her brow.
Joe was sure he was missing out on another story, probably something huge. Like, who she was running away from, and would they come after her? If only he could get her to open up. This was stuff he needed to know if he expected to protect her. Rather than press her right then, he let her finish her task and went to his room. Besides, he needed time to figure things out for himself, like the fact that he both totally looked forward to seeing her each day but dreaded how it made him feel afterwards.
After he changed into workout clothes, he headed to the back porch for some boxing, since it was the one sure way to help him blow off steam. Well into his usual routine, while she was in the other room, watching TV, he wondered if, in fact, the guy who’d given Carey her shiner might come after her, and an idea popped into his head. “Hey, Carey, come out here a minute, would you?”
Within seconds she showed up looking perplexed, and maybe like she’d rather be watching TV. Yeah, she’d probably already had it with living with him.
“Since you were mugged recently, and I’m sure you never want to go through that again, would you like me to show you a couple of moves?”
She looked hesitant, like learning a few self-defense maneuvers might bring back too many bad memories.
“Maybe it’s too soon,” he quickly.
“No, I can’t keep hiding out at your house. I know there’s a bus stop right down at the end of your street, and I shouldn’t be afraid to use it.” She nodded, a flicker of fight in her eyes. “Yeah, show me how I could have kept that creep from dragging me into the alley that night.”
“That’s the attitude,” Joe said with a victorious smile. She smiled back, that spirited flash intensifying.
“Okay.” He clapped his hands once. “I saw the guy grab you by the wrist and pull you away that night. So, first off, a lot of the information that’s on the internet for ladies’ self-defense is bogus. Here’s something that works. When that guy grabbed your wrist, you could have used your other hand to push into his eyes, or, if he wore glasses, you could have gone for his throat. With either move you also could have included a knee to the groin. That stuff hurts the attacker and surprises them. Knocks them off balance. Let me show you.”
He grabbed Carey’s right wrist and immediately felt her tense, making him think maybe he was right and it was too early to do this lesson with her. But he was committed now and pressed on, and she had enough anger in her eyes to put it to good use.
“Okay, use your left hand and go for my face,” He showed her how to make an open, claw-like spread with the fingers and how to jab it at a person’s face to do the most damage. “Get those fingers on my eyes and press with all your might.”
She followed his instructions and went for his eyes.
“Ow!” He reacted and pushed her hand back to keep her from injuring him.
“Sorry!”
“Don’t be sorry, fight for your life. It’s up to me to keep you from hurting me. You just caught me off guard. Got it?”
She gave one firm and committed nod.
“That’s the spirit. If the guy foils that move with his other hand, like I just did, make sure you put your knee to his groin at the same time.” He flashed a charming grin. “Don’t actually do that one now, okay?”
She laughed, and it felt good to get her to relax a little.
“Just knee him in the groin area and later you can practice kneeing the heck out of that boxing bag.”
“Got it, boss.” Yes, she was really into this now.
He said, “Go!” and grabbed her left wrist this time, and she moved like lightning for his face and eyes, driving her knee into his groin at the same time. Being prepared for the move, in case she got overzealous, which she obviously had, he brought his own knee up and across to protect himself, letting her full force hit his thigh. If he hadn’t, he’d have been on his hands and knees, riding out the pain, right now.
He didn’t want to discourage her efforts but, damn, that could have hurt! “Good.” Up close, their eyes locked. He could hear her breathing hard and felt the pulse in her wrist quicken. The fire in her green-eyed stare made him take notice. He stepped back, releasing her wrist. “That was good.”
She rubbed her wrist and searched the floor with her gaze, making a quick recovery. This wasn’t easy to relive, he understood that, but keeping the same thing from ever happening again was more important than her current comfort zone.
“Now do the same thing, going for my throat.” He showed her the wide V of his hand between the thumb and index finger and demonstrated how to drive it into the Adam’s apple area of the attacker’s neck. “Since most guys, like that scumbag the other night, will be taller than you, force your hand upward with all you’ve got. Okay?”
Carey agreed and he immediately grabbed her hand, trying to catch her off guard. Something clicked, like she’d gone back in time. She went into attack mode and because he wasn’t ready for it she got him good in the throat. He coughed and sputtered and backed away to recover, and only then did she realize she’d shifted from demonstration to true life.
“I’m sorry!” she squealed, grabbing her face with her hands, as if just snapping out of a bad dream.
He swallowed, trying to get his voice back. “That’s the way. See how it works? I dropped your hand, and that means you could have run off screaming for help at that point.”
“Oh, Joe.” Carey rushed to him. “I’m so sorry I hurt you.” She touched his shoulder and, without thinking, he reacted by opening his arms. Carey threw her arms around him and squeezed. “Can I get you some water? Anything?”
“Maybe a new throat,” he teased, though he really liked having her arms around him, the realization nearly making him lose his balance. She smelled a hell of a lot better than he did, and up close, like this, her eyes were by far the prettiest he’d ever seen in his life, though fear seemed to have the best of them right now.
Surprised, no, more like stunned by how moved she’d been when grappling with Joe, Carey held him perhaps a second too long. Fear still pounded in her chest. At first the lesson had brought out all the bad memories she’d been trying to force down a few months before leaving home and definitely since coming to Hollywood. Ross had changed from attentive boyfriend to jealous predator. He had frightened her. He’d also grabbed her by the wrist like that on several occasions, each time scaring her into submission. Then the creep at the bus station must have seen her as an easy mark, sensed her fear, and grabbed her the same way, pulling her into the alley.
She hated feeling like a victim!
Anger had erupted as horrible memories had collided with Joe’s grip on her wrist. She’d never be a victim again, damn it. Never. Suddenly fighting for her life all over again, she’d switched to kill mode and had practically pushed his larynx out the back of his neck. Darn it! She hadn’t meant to hurt him, not the man who’d saved her and taken her in, but she clearly had.
Now, being skin to skin with her incredibly fit and appealing roommate had changed the topic foremost in her mind. Being in Joe’s arms wiped out her fear and she shifted from fighting for her life to being completely turned on. What was it about Joe?
So confusing. It wasn’t right.
Obviously her concussion was still messing with her judgment.
In a moment of clarity she broke away and strode to the kitchen to get him a glass of water, trying to recover before she brought it to him.
“What about pepper spray?” She schooled her voice to sound casual, completely avoiding his eyes, as if she hadn’t just survived a flashback and had flung herself into Joe’s arms. There was nothing wrong with a decoy topic to throw him off the scent, right? The man had turned her on simply by touching her. Pitiful. Blame it on the head injury.
“First you have to get it out of your purse, right?”
She nodded, quickly realizing the fault in her premise. He stood shirtless, damp from his workout, skin shiny and all his muscles on display. Cut and ripped. A work of art. She handed him the glass. Thought about handing him his T-shirt so he’d cover up and make her life a little safer for the moment, or less tempting anyway. At least it seemed easier for him to swallow now and that made her grateful she hadn’t caused any permanent damage. Could she have? If so, he’d just given her a huge gift of self-protection. No way would she let herself be a victim. By God, she’d never let anyone hurt her again.
“Plus, I’ve heard about guys who’ve been sprayed and didn’t even react,” he continued. “Also, when you’re scared or nervous, you might spray all over the place and not hit the eyes.”
She kept nodding, watching him, completely distracted by his physique, unable to really listen, wishing she’d brought herself a cool drink too. Surely her head injury had left her brain unbalanced, taking her back to the worst moments in her life one second and then the next rushing into the realm of all things sensual.
“Your hands and your knees are your best defense. Want to practice again?”
She sucked in a breath and shook her head quickly. This was all too confusing. “I think that’s enough for tonight.”
He put down his glass on the nearby table, folded an arm across his middle, rested the other elbow on it and held his chin with his thumb and bent fingers, biting his lower lip and nailing her with a sexy, playful gaze. “Chicken, eh?”
Joe had saved her life. He’d also just given her a great gift of learning self-defense. And there was that sexy sparkle in his eyes right now...
“Are you challenging me?” Suddenly awash with tiny prickles of excitement again, she moved toward him and grabbed his wrist with all her might. “Let’s see you fight your way out of this one, buddy.” She knew she didn’t have a chance in hell of keeping hold but enjoyed the moment, and especially grappling with the hunk. When was the last time she’d had fun horsing around with a man and not felt the least bit afraid or vulnerable?
She trusted Joe not to hurt her.
He swung his free arm around behind her and pulled her close, pretending to get her in a head lock but quickly moving into a backward hug. “I don’t suggest you ever let your attacker get you in this position,” he said playfully over the shell of her ear.
“There won’t be any more attackers,” she said through gritted teeth. “Because I’ll kick their asses first.”
He tightened his hold, but in a good way, a sexy way. She went limp in his arms, feeling his closeness in every cell and nerve ending, confused by the total attraction she had for him. This was the worst time in the world to fall for someone. She was pregnant with another man’s baby, for crying out loud. He must have felt the shift of her mood from fight to flight, or in this case to catatonic, and he quickly backed off. They’d gotten too close. Too soon. That sexy, challenging gaze in his eyes from a second before disappeared and he reached for his water to take another drink as a distraction.
“So,” he started again, sounding nonchalant, “another good idea, if a bad guy only wants your wallet, is to reach into your purse, grab your wallet and throw it as far away as you can. He probably wants your money, not you, and will go after it. Then scream like hell and run for your life. Of course, if he has a gun you may want to reconsider that move.”
She gave the required light laugh over his obvious smart-aleck attempt to change the focus of what had just gone down. But their eyes met again, his honey brown and inviting as all hell, and it seemed they both knew some line had just been crossed. Though she couldn’t tell from Joe’s steely stare how he felt, and wasn’t about to guess because the thought made her get all jittery inside, she hoped he couldn’t tell how shaken she was.
She watched him with a mixture of shame and longing, but mostly confusion. Damn that concussion. “Thanks for the lesson,” she whispered. “I’d better get some rest now.”
They’d gotten too close, that was a fact.
She turned to head for her room, but a sense of duty stopped her. The man had saved her life then offered to share his home with her. Where did a guy like that come from? The least she could do was tell him what she’d been through, why she’d run away from home. He deserved to know how she’d ended up smack in the middle of his life. And if she shared, maybe she’d find out something about him, too.
“Joe?” She circled back to face him.
“Yeah?” He’d gone back to throwing punches at his punchbag and stopped.
“I ran away from a man who wanted to possess me. Completely. Little by little he clipped away at my life. Half the time I didn’t even notice, until one day I realized he’d isolated me from everything I liked and loved other than him.” She picked at a broken fingernail. “He wanted to control my life, and when I got pregnant he acted like that would ruin everything and got abusive with me.” Carey stared at her feet rather than risk seeing any judgment on Joe’s face. “I ran away the night he handed me a wad of money and told me to take care of ‘it’, as if my baby was a problem that needed fixing. He didn’t want to share me with anyone, not even our kid.”
She finally glanced up to find nothing but empathy in Joe’s eyes. “I fought him and he roughed me up. So when he gave me the money I grabbed whatever I could without being obvious, acted like I was going to do what he wanted, then ran for my life.”
Joe stepped toward her but she backed up, needing the distance and to tell him her entire story.
“I came to California because it was the next bus out of Montclare, and I didn’t have time to pick or choose. I must have looked like a sitting duck because I stepped off the bus and immediately got dragged into that alley.” Frightened to relive that night, and frustrated by the emotion rolling through her, she dug her fingers into her hair. “At first I thought maybe Ross had somehow found me and he was taking me back home. Then I realized I was getting mugged, but it was too late. I didn’t know how to protect myself.” She removed her hands from her hair and held them waist high, palms upward, beseeching Joe to understand. “If it wasn’t for you I don’t know where I’d be.
“I owe my life to you, and I’ve got to be honest and say it’s strange to feel that way.” She sat on the edge of the nearby dining table chair. “Yet here you are day after day watching over me, making my life better. I’m grateful, I am, but please understand that I’m confused and scared and...” Her voice broke with the words. “And I don’t know what the future holds for me. Whether I stay here or go somewhere else, I just don’t know, but the only thing that matters right now is my baby.” Her forearm folded across her stomach and she blinked.
“I get it,” Joe said. “Believe me, I understand how life-changing a baby can be.”
“You do? Are you a father?”
“Uh, no.” He immediately withdrew.
“So how do you know, then?”
“Look, forget I said that. Right now, all I want is for you to be healthy and safe.” He came to her and crouched to be eye level with her. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable. I can’t help but find you attractive, so there, I’ve said it, and I know that’s not acceptable.”
How was she supposed to answer him? “It may not be acceptable but I feel the same way.” Oh, God, she’d put her secret thoughts into words. “It’s just the worst timing in the world, you know?”
“I know. Like I said, I get it.” He made the wise decision not to touch her but instead to stand and step back.
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Of course.”
She stood and started walking, this time without looking back, and headed on wobbly legs to her room. Had she just admitted she found Joe Matthews as attractive as he’d just confirmed he found her?
This was nuts! So she’d blame it on the head trauma.
Joe stood perfectly still, watching Carey make her exit. He half expected to hear her lock the door to the bedroom. He hoped he hadn’t made her feel creepy about him. It hadn’t been his intention to get her in a hug, but he’d been showing her ways to get out of predatory attacks and had inadvertently become a predator himself.
Great going, Joe. You made your house guest think you wanted to crawl into her bed.
He went back to the porch and punched the bag. “Ouch!” He hadn’t prepared his fist and it hurt like hell. And what had gotten into him to let slip that he’d known how it felt to be an expectant parent? That wouldn’t happen again. He wound up, wanting to punch the bag again, this time even harder, but stopped himself.
Regardless of how awkward he may have made Carey feel, she’d just opened up to him. Man, she’d had it tough back in Chicago. He couldn’t remember the name of the suburb she’d come from, and right now that didn’t matter. What mattered was that she shouldn’t feel like she’d run all the way across country only to find herself in the same situation again.
She needed to get out of the house. To begin something. To get that job and start some money rolling in before she got so pregnant she wouldn’t be able to. His head started spinning with everything that needed to be done for her. He needed to help her get her independence back.
From personal experience he knew about a special class at The Hollywood Hills Clinic. A class that would be perfect for where she was right now in her life. He knew the right people to talk to about it, too. And he’d move ahead with her getting that job, so if she wanted, in time, she could move out.
Maybe he couldn’t erase what had happened between them just now, but he sure as hell could make some changes for the better happen, starting tomorrow.
He flipped off the light and headed to his room to take a cold shower and hopefully catch a little sleep.
On Friday afternoon Carey sat on the backyard deck in the shade of the huge jacaranda tree, the flowers falling into piles of light purple and scattering across the wood planks like pressed flowers in a painting. She’d been reading an article about early pregnancy on the internet on Joe’s tablet when she heard his hybrid SUV pull into the garage and shortly after he came through the gate in the backyard.
Did he know she was out here? Or, more likely after last night, maybe he wanted to avoid her by coming through the back way, hoping she’d be inside.
“Hey,” he said, all smiles, as if nothing monumental had occurred between them last night.
“Hi. You’re home early.”
He came toward the deck but didn’t come up, keeping a safe distance between them, placing a foot on the second step and leaning a forearm over his knee. “One of the perks of owning your own business is that I call the shots. It was a slow day, so I took off early.”
“Lucky you.” His smile was wide, giving her the impression he had some good news. Maybe he had found somewhere for her to move to? If she was honest, that would give her mixed feelings, though the social worker Helena had said she’d look into housing for her, too, and she’d agreed to it at the time. “But I know you’ve worked hard to get where you are and at the ripe old age of twenty-eight you deserve your afternoon off. Twenty-eight, that’s right isn’t it?”
He nodded proudly. Yeah, he’d made something out of himself and he wasn’t even thirty yet. “And you are?”
“Twenty-five.”
“A mere child.” He smiled, pretending to be the worldly-wise older man, but his gaze quickly danced away from hers. Yeah, he was still mixed up about last night, too. “So, listen, about you feeling isolated and stuck here and everything...”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. I figured it out after you went to your room last night. But let’s not rehash that, because I’ve got some good news.”
She shut down the tablet and leaned forward in the outdoor lounger. “Good news? They found my stuff?”
He wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “Sorry, I wish. But here’s the deal—the clinic has this prenatal class, they call it Parentcraft and it’s starting a new session tomorrow. I hope you don’t mind, but I put your name in, and Dr. Rothsberg gave me the okay. I thought you could ride into work with me in the morning, and check it out.”
“You signed me up? Isn’t there a fee? I...uh...can’t—”
“Like I said, James took care of everything. He’s a generous man. There’s a spot for you and the first session starts tomorrow at ten.”
“Joe, I’m really grateful for you doing this, but you’re helping so much, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you.”
“Carey, I’m not doing any of this to make you feel indebted to me. Please, don’t feel that way. My parents taught me a lot of stuff, and helping folks was big in our family. When you’re back on your feet you’ll find a way to help someone else in need. That’s all. No debt to me, just pay it forward.”
“Joe...” She stared at him, trying her hardest to figure him out. Was he a freak of nature or her personal knight in shining armor? She leaned back in the lounger and looked into the blue sky dotted with its few wispy clouds. “It’s just hard to take in all this goodness after the way my life had been going this past year.” She heard him step up the stairs and walk toward her.
“Well, get used to it.” He sat on the adjacent lounger then reached out to touch her hand. “That man you ran away from is ancient history. It may not have been your plan, but Hollywood is your new beginning. Just go with the flow, as my yoga-brained sister likes to say.”
Carey laughed, wondering about Joe’s family. They must be some special people to produce a gem like him. “Okay. Thanks. I’m excited about the class tomorrow.”
“Great, and while you’re at the hospital you can fill out the papers for the temporary ward clerk job, too.”
“What?”
“I know, too much goodness, right?” He laughed, and she thought she could easily get used to watching his handsome face. “James, uh, Dr. Rothsberg, has taken care of everything. Hey, not every clinic can boast their very own Jane Doe. We just want to help get you back on your feet.”
“This is all too much to take in.”
“Then don’t waste your time.” He stood. “Come on, I’ll take you to my favorite deli on Fairfax. You like roast beef on rye? They make their sandwiches this thick.” He used his thumb and index finger to measure a good four inches.
Well, come to think of it, she was hungry. Again! And what better way to keep her mind off the whirlwind of feelings gathering inside her about that man than stuffing her face with a sandwich. Otherwise she’d have to deal with her growing awareness of Joe, the prince of a guy who had literally come out of nowhere, protecting her, saving her, taking her in, changing her life in a positive way, and, maybe the most interesting part, forcing her to remember pure and simple attraction for the opposite sex.
* * *
Saturday morning Carey was up and dressed in one of the new outfits Joe had bought her, a simple summer dress with a lightweight pastel-green sweater that covered the tiny baby bump just starting to appear. She was nervous about applying for a job, though she knew she really needed to get out among the living again, to prove to herself she was getting back on her feet. Also, having something to do after a week of lying low since being discharged from the clinic was a major reason she looked forward to applying for the job. As for the parenting class, with her huge desire to be a good mother she was eager to start.
Joe had dressed for work, his light blue polo shirt with The Hollywood Hills Clinic logo above the pocket fit his healthy frame perfectly and highlighted those gorgeous deltoids, biceps and triceps. The cargo pants, though loose and loaded with useful pockets, filled with EMS stuff no doubt, still managed to showcase his fine derriere. She felt a little guilty checking him out as he walked ahead to open the door to the employee entrance. How much longer would she be able to blame her concussion for this irrational behavior? In her defense, there was just something so masculine about a guy wearing those serious-as-hell EMS boots!
He glanced at his watch. “You should have enough time to get your paperwork done for the job application first. I’ll walk you over to HR.”
“HR?”
“Human Resources.”
“Ah, we call it Employee Relations back home.”
“Yeah, same thing, but first I’m going to show you where your parenting class will be so you’ll know where to go when you’re through. Follow me.”
Carey did as she was told, clutching her small purse with her new identification cards and temporary driving license, while walking and looking around the exquisite halls and corridors with vague memories of having been there before. Though the place seemed more like a high-end hotel than a hospital. And this time she had money from her last pay check from the hospital back home, instead of being completely vulnerable, like before. Ten days ago she’d arrived on a stretcher, and today she was applying for a job and starting a new parenting class. She was definitely getting back on her feet. Who said life wasn’t filled with miracles?
“Oh, Gabriella,” Joe said, to a pretty woman walking past, “I’d like to introduce you to Carey Spencer. She’ll be starting your class later.” He turned to Carey. “Gabriella is the head midwife and runs the prenatal classes.”
The woman, who looked to be around Joe’s age, with strawberry-blonde hair and a slim and healthy figure, smiled at Carey, her light brown eyes sparkling when she did so. They briefly shook hands, then all continued walking together, as the midwife was obviously heading somewhere in the same direction. As Gabriella was just about Carey’s height, their eyes met when she spoke. “Oh, lovely to have you. How far along are you?”
“A little over three months.”
“Perfect. We’re beginning the class with pregnancy meal planning trimester by trimester, plus exercises for early pregnancy.”
This was exactly what Carey needed. Just because she was a nurse it didn’t mean she knew squat about becoming a mother or going through a pregnancy. “Sounds great.” Her hopes soared with the lucky direction her life had taken. Thanks to Joe and Dr. Rothsberg.
“Yes, I think you’ll love it.” Gabriella cut off into another hallway. “Be sure to bring your partner,” she said over her shoulder. “It’s always good to have that reinforcement.”
And Carey’s heart dropped to her stomach, pulling her pulse down with it. Was having a partner a requirement? Obviously, Gabriella didn’t know her circumstances.
Joe gave her an anxious glance. “That won’t be a problem. Trust me, okay?”
Surely, Carey hoped, in this day and age there were bound to be other women in the class without partners. Joe was probably right about it not being a problem. But, please, God, she wouldn’t be the only one, would she?
Forty-five minutes later, after submitting her job application for the temporary third-floor medical/surgical ward clerk in HR and feeling very positive about it, Carey had found her way back to the modern and pristine classroom and took a seat. Several handouts had been placed on the tables. A dozen couples were already there, and more drifted in as the minutes ticked on. She glanced around the room, seeing a sea of couples. Oh, no, she really was going to be the only one on her own. How awkward would that be?
Fighting off feeling overwhelmed but refusing to be embarrassed, she glanced at the clock on the wall—three minutes to ten—and thought about sneaking out before the class began. She could learn this stuff online, and wouldn’t have to come here feeling the odd man out every week. But Joe had gone out of his way to get her enrolled, and Dr. Rothsberg was footing the bill. She went back and forth in her mind about staying or going, then Gabriella entered and started her welcome speech.
She’d sat close to the back of the room, and it would still be easy to sneak out if she wanted or needed to. But, wait, she wasn’t that person anymore, the one who let life throw her a curveball and immediately fell down. Nope, she’d turned in her victim badge, and Joe had helped her. She could do this. She forced her focus on the front of the class to Gabriella, who smiled and brightened the room with her lovely personality. The last thing Carey wanted to do was insult anyone, especially after Joe and Dr. Rothsberg had made special arrangements to get her here. But, oh, she felt weird about being the only single mom in the class.
“Why don’t we go around the room and introduce ourselves?” Gabriella said.
Soon everyone else would notice, too.
The door at the back of the class opened again. Feeling nervous and easily distracted, Carey glanced over her shoulder then did a double take. In came Joe, his heavy booted steps drawing attention from several people in the vicinity.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said to Gabriella, then walked directly to Carey and took the empty chair next to her. “If you don’t mind,” he whispered close to her ear, “I’ll pretend to be your partner today.” For all anyone else knew in the class, he could have told her he loved her. The guy knew how to be discreet, and from the way her heart pattered from his entrance he may as well have just run down a list of sweet nothings.
He’d obviously picked up on her anxiety the instant Gabriella had told her back in that hallway to be sure to bring her partner. He was here solely to spare her feelings.
Joseph Matthews truly was a knight in shining armor! Or in his case cargo pants and work boots.
As he settled in next to her his larger-than-life maleness quickly filled up the space between them. Warmth suffused her entire body. Being this close to Joe, having access to gaze into those rich brown eyes, would definitely make it difficult to concentrate on today’s lesson.
“You’re next, Carey. Introduce yourself and your partner,” Gabriella said, emphasizing the partner part.
Joe hadn’t meant to put Carey on the spot, but after seeing the panic in her eyes earlier, when Gabriella had told her to be sure to bring her partner, he couldn’t let her go through this alone. At first he’d wanted to run like hell when he’d shown her the classroom. Coming here had brought back more awful memories. He and Angela had actually started this class before she’d moved out.
Feeling uneasy as hell when he’d dropped Carey off earlier, he’d gone back to his work station, but had soon found he’d been unable to concentrate on the job. His mind had kept drifting to Carey sitting here alone, feeling completely out of place, and he couldn’t stand for that to happen. Besides, wasn’t it time for him to move on? Determined to put his bad memories aside once and for all—his divorce hadn’t been his fault—he’d made a decision. She shouldn’t have to attend this class alone. If offering her support could ease her discomfort, he’d take the bullet for her and be her partner. The woman had been through enough on her own lately.
“Oh,” she said, as if she’d never expected to have to introduce herself, even though everyone else just had. “Um, I’m Carey Spencer, I’m a little over three months pregnant, I, uh, recently moved to California.” She swallowed nervously around the stretching of the truth. Joe reached for her hand beneath the table and squeezed it to give her confidence a boost. “I’m a nurse by profession, a first-time mother, and...” She looked at Joe, the earlier panic returning to those shimmering green eyes. He squeezed her hand again.
“I’m Joe Matthews,” he stepped in. “Carey’s friend. Good friend.” He glanced at her, seeing her squirm, letting it rub off on him a tiny bit. “A really close friend.” Overkill? He gazed around the room, having fudged the situation somewhat, and all the other couples watched expectantly. “We’ve been through a lot together, and we’re both really looking forward to taking this class and learning how to be good parents.”
Okay, let them think whatever they wanted. His statement was mostly true—in fact, it was ninety-nine per cent true, except for the bit about being “really close” friends, though they had been through a lot together already. Oh, and the part about him ever getting to be a parent. Yeah, that would never happen. The reality hit like a sucker punch and he nearly winced with pain. Why the hell had he willingly walked into this room again? Carey’s cool, thin fingers clasped his hand beneath the table, just as he’d done to support her a few seconds ago. The gesture helped him past the stutter in thought.
He’d come here today for Carey. She needed to catch a break, and he’d promised the night he’d found her in the alley that he’d look out for her. If she needed a partner for the parenting class then, damn it, he’d be here.
“I’m a paramedic here at the clinic, so if I ever need to deliver a baby on a run, I figure this class will be good for that, too.” He got the laugh he was hoping for to relieve his mounting tension as the room reacted. “It’s a win-win situation, right?”
He shifted his eyes to the woman to his left. If taking this class together meant having to really open up about themselves, well, he was bound to let her down because he was far, far from ready to talk about it.
Carey didn’t know squat about his past, and if he had his way, she never would. Why humiliate himself again, this time in front of a woman he was quickly growing attached to, when once had already been enough for a lifetime?
