never particularly cared to present a mature, career-woman image. She preferred to be herself, and herself was someone who could occasionally laugh.
“When are you giving me their phone numbers? A wise businessman knows when to call in reinforcements.”
“Maybe tomorrow,” she said with a smile.
Looking back at Anne, he asked, “She’ll be okay, won’t she?”
“She’ll be just fine.” She longed to touch him, but she didn’t. It wouldn’t be smart, and though she was rarely serious, she wasn’t dumb. Touching Ian Ryan would be a huge mistake.
Ian nodded and started to say more when the door to the room opened. Nurse Mary walked in, and it wasn’t sunshine she was spreading.
She glared at Anne. “What is that baby doing here?”
“You’re a nurse and you can’t tell that the baby is bonding with her mother?” Ian asked, a cold sneer in his voice. Allie had heard Ian be cold before, but never anything like this. She was glad it wasn’t directed at her.
“On whose orders?” the nurse demanded, not looking very intimidated.
“On mine,” Ian said, in a voice that said he was used to giving orders. “And if you have a problem with my sister spending time with her daughter before surgery, then you can call the physician in charge, at home, on a Sunday night, and we’ll see just who he’s annoyed with.”
“Babies don’t belong in the hospital,” the nurse said.
“Really? Would you like to explain that to the floor of new mothers you have in this hospital? Or how about the pediatric floor?”
“What I mean is they don’t belong in this section.”
“You’re telling me you never have pediatric orthopedic cases?” Allie asked innocently.
Mary pulled up her buxom self and glared at Allie. “You did this,” she accused, eyeing the baby sling.
“I believe you and I were speaking,” Ian said, trying to redirect the woman.
The nurse was not about to be redirected. “So, your calendar isn’t full enough, you have to take time out from seducing married men to smuggle babies.”
Allie felt Ian’s eyes burning into her. Damn the woman and damn Doctor Slimeball. Rather than let her distress show, Allie merely smiled. “Well, you know, seducing men is rather more my style, but sometimes a change of pace is nice.”
“Humph,” was the woman’s only reply as she stormed from the room. “Fifteen minutes until visiting hours are over and I expect all three of you to be out of here.”
“Well, you know how I hate to break the rules,” Allie said, her voice saccharine sweet.
The door slamming was the nurse’s only response.
“Would you like to explain?” Ian asked, his voice cold.
“No, I don’t believe I would,” Allie assured him.
She didn’t owe Ian Ryan anything. She’d moved to Erie to escape explaining things to three brothers, she wasn’t about to let Ian take their place.
“It’s hard to respect a woman who would chase a married man,” he said.
His voice let her know just what he thought.
Allie tried to ignore the pain that caused her. “And it’s hard to respect a man who would jump to conclusions based on one oh-so-very-pleasant woman.”
“I asked for an explanation and you wouldn’t provide me with one, so I’m left with just the accusation.”
“How do I refute the accusation? Even if I told you what really happened, the truth remains, I did go out with a married man. So you’re right, you’re just left with the accusation.” Allie took the sling off and handed it to Ian. “I trust you can get Ryane to sleep?”
He nodded.
“Fine. Bring her down tomorrow when you’re ready to come to the hospital.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Thank you,” Anne said. She glared at her brother. “I can’t tell you how much we appreciate all you’ve done. And I, for one”—she gave Ian another evil look—“know you must have some very good reason. If you want to talk about it, the offer still stands.”
Allie leaned over and kissed
“When are you giving me their phone numbers? A wise businessman knows when to call in reinforcements.”
“Maybe tomorrow,” she said with a smile.
Looking back at Anne, he asked, “She’ll be okay, won’t she?”
“She’ll be just fine.” She longed to touch him, but she didn’t. It wouldn’t be smart, and though she was rarely serious, she wasn’t dumb. Touching Ian Ryan would be a huge mistake.
Ian nodded and started to say more when the door to the room opened. Nurse Mary walked in, and it wasn’t sunshine she was spreading.
She glared at Anne. “What is that baby doing here?”
“You’re a nurse and you can’t tell that the baby is bonding with her mother?” Ian asked, a cold sneer in his voice. Allie had heard Ian be cold before, but never anything like this. She was glad it wasn’t directed at her.
“On whose orders?” the nurse demanded, not looking very intimidated.
“On mine,” Ian said, in a voice that said he was used to giving orders. “And if you have a problem with my sister spending time with her daughter before surgery, then you can call the physician in charge, at home, on a Sunday night, and we’ll see just who he’s annoyed with.”
“Babies don’t belong in the hospital,” the nurse said.
“Really? Would you like to explain that to the floor of new mothers you have in this hospital? Or how about the pediatric floor?”
“What I mean is they don’t belong in this section.”
“You’re telling me you never have pediatric orthopedic cases?” Allie asked innocently.
Mary pulled up her buxom self and glared at Allie. “You did this,” she accused, eyeing the baby sling.
“I believe you and I were speaking,” Ian said, trying to redirect the woman.
The nurse was not about to be redirected. “So, your calendar isn’t full enough, you have to take time out from seducing married men to smuggle babies.”
Allie felt Ian’s eyes burning into her. Damn the woman and damn Doctor Slimeball. Rather than let her distress show, Allie merely smiled. “Well, you know, seducing men is rather more my style, but sometimes a change of pace is nice.”
“Humph,” was the woman’s only reply as she stormed from the room. “Fifteen minutes until visiting hours are over and I expect all three of you to be out of here.”
“Well, you know how I hate to break the rules,” Allie said, her voice saccharine sweet.
The door slamming was the nurse’s only response.
“Would you like to explain?” Ian asked, his voice cold.
“No, I don’t believe I would,” Allie assured him.
She didn’t owe Ian Ryan anything. She’d moved to Erie to escape explaining things to three brothers, she wasn’t about to let Ian take their place.
“It’s hard to respect a woman who would chase a married man,” he said.
His voice let her know just what he thought.
Allie tried to ignore the pain that caused her. “And it’s hard to respect a man who would jump to conclusions based on one oh-so-very-pleasant woman.”
“I asked for an explanation and you wouldn’t provide me with one, so I’m left with just the accusation.”
“How do I refute the accusation? Even if I told you what really happened, the truth remains, I did go out with a married man. So you’re right, you’re just left with the accusation.” Allie took the sling off and handed it to Ian. “I trust you can get Ryane to sleep?”
He nodded.
“Fine. Bring her down tomorrow when you’re ready to come to the hospital.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Thank you,” Anne said. She glared at her brother. “I can’t tell you how much we appreciate all you’ve done. And I, for one”—she gave Ian another evil look—“know you must have some very good reason. If you want to talk about it, the offer still stands.”
Allie leaned over and kissed
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