help, that she’s defeated in her chase of me. She even promised to call the Mental Health Clinic in the morning to make an appointment.”
Kristi seemed satisfied with his response. “Well, I guess you know her a little better than I do, so you’re probably right.”
He reached out and held her face in both of his hands and gazed into her eyes. “Whatever she does after tonight, she’ll be just fine. But I really doubt we’ll see her anytime soon.”
She glanced down, then back at him. “Well, if she gets better with therapy, maybe it’ll be okay but for now, I’d rather she stay away.”
“I know what you mean.” He slipped his arms around her and held her close. Now he had his answer. She still needed some time, but it was clear she was willing to allow her feelings for him grow. That was good enough for him.
* * * * *
She stood in the doorway of her home, watching Wes as he left for the night. If not for the fact that she had to be at work by seven in the morning, she would have been tempted to ask him to stay the night.
But that would have brought about a set of problems, not the least of which was that her niece might not understand if she saw him there, especially if he came out of Kristi’s room. She didn’t want to be explaining that to Janie any time soon.
Then there were the neighbors, Mrs. Thompson being at the top of that list, who might not think it appropriate for her to have an overnight male guest with a small child in the house.
Not to mention the fact that although she wanted it, she wasn’t sure the time was right for them to take their relationship to that level. She’d know when that time came, but it wasn't there just yet. He seemed willing to wait, although she wasn’t sure how long.
When he was heading down the block and out of sight, she closed the door and locked it. The dinner dishes had already been washed, dried, and put away, so she could take her shower and go to bed.
Thirty minutes later, Kristi was sitting on her bed with her laptop, trying to read something on the Internet as she waited for her hair to dry. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate on catching up with her favorite blog, something in the back of her mind told her they hadn’t seen or heard the last of Liza. She supposed it could have been intuition but whatever it was, it wouldn’t leave her. Wes had been sure his ex would seek help, and maybe she would. Anything was possible.
Kristi had seen more than enough mental patients come through the hospital to know that the deeper the psychosis, the less likely they are to want or ask for counseling. Liza seemed to be in the latter group—someone with a deep problem. As a nurse trained not only to care for but to also care about people, she honestly hoped the woman would get help.
Still, that nagging in her brain bothered her. She supposed it was the way Liza’s eyes looked earlier that day. Yes, she’d nearly run the entire scope of emotions and there was a wildness in there as well, but the one thing that chilled Kristi’s spine most was the look of cold, calculated determination.
Chapter Nine
Three weeks had gone by without incident. Kristi was beginning to think they’d seen the last of Liza Hill. Only twice had she seen a car that looked like the woman’s, but neither time was it parked down the block from her house.
Finally able to relax a little, they’d spent more time together. Wes came by for dinner almost every night, a willing taste tester as Kristi tried out some recipes she’d found online. Some were delicious, some were good, and still others would never be attempted again.
Even Janie seemed to be feeling more at ease, allowing Kristi to close her bedroom door all the way. The child adored Wes, and she figured it was because the feeling was mutual. The night he told her that he wished Janie were his own child was when Kristi knew this was the man she would marry. It was also the first night she’d shared her bed
Kristi seemed satisfied with his response. “Well, I guess you know her a little better than I do, so you’re probably right.”
He reached out and held her face in both of his hands and gazed into her eyes. “Whatever she does after tonight, she’ll be just fine. But I really doubt we’ll see her anytime soon.”
She glanced down, then back at him. “Well, if she gets better with therapy, maybe it’ll be okay but for now, I’d rather she stay away.”
“I know what you mean.” He slipped his arms around her and held her close. Now he had his answer. She still needed some time, but it was clear she was willing to allow her feelings for him grow. That was good enough for him.
* * * * *
She stood in the doorway of her home, watching Wes as he left for the night. If not for the fact that she had to be at work by seven in the morning, she would have been tempted to ask him to stay the night.
But that would have brought about a set of problems, not the least of which was that her niece might not understand if she saw him there, especially if he came out of Kristi’s room. She didn’t want to be explaining that to Janie any time soon.
Then there were the neighbors, Mrs. Thompson being at the top of that list, who might not think it appropriate for her to have an overnight male guest with a small child in the house.
Not to mention the fact that although she wanted it, she wasn’t sure the time was right for them to take their relationship to that level. She’d know when that time came, but it wasn't there just yet. He seemed willing to wait, although she wasn’t sure how long.
When he was heading down the block and out of sight, she closed the door and locked it. The dinner dishes had already been washed, dried, and put away, so she could take her shower and go to bed.
Thirty minutes later, Kristi was sitting on her bed with her laptop, trying to read something on the Internet as she waited for her hair to dry. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate on catching up with her favorite blog, something in the back of her mind told her they hadn’t seen or heard the last of Liza. She supposed it could have been intuition but whatever it was, it wouldn’t leave her. Wes had been sure his ex would seek help, and maybe she would. Anything was possible.
Kristi had seen more than enough mental patients come through the hospital to know that the deeper the psychosis, the less likely they are to want or ask for counseling. Liza seemed to be in the latter group—someone with a deep problem. As a nurse trained not only to care for but to also care about people, she honestly hoped the woman would get help.
Still, that nagging in her brain bothered her. She supposed it was the way Liza’s eyes looked earlier that day. Yes, she’d nearly run the entire scope of emotions and there was a wildness in there as well, but the one thing that chilled Kristi’s spine most was the look of cold, calculated determination.
Chapter Nine
Three weeks had gone by without incident. Kristi was beginning to think they’d seen the last of Liza Hill. Only twice had she seen a car that looked like the woman’s, but neither time was it parked down the block from her house.
Finally able to relax a little, they’d spent more time together. Wes came by for dinner almost every night, a willing taste tester as Kristi tried out some recipes she’d found online. Some were delicious, some were good, and still others would never be attempted again.
Even Janie seemed to be feeling more at ease, allowing Kristi to close her bedroom door all the way. The child adored Wes, and she figured it was because the feeling was mutual. The night he told her that he wished Janie were his own child was when Kristi knew this was the man she would marry. It was also the first night she’d shared her bed
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