mint, and I hardly know Drake Devlin. I only dated him one time, for heaven’s sake.”
The nurse remained kneeling at the case, staring up at Katie. “You’re kidding. Well, you must have made one hell of an impression because he sure wants to make sure he gets a second date.” She grinned and caressed the velvety robe. “I think I’d be willing to give him a chance.”
“Whoever would have thought you were so materialistic, Linda,” Katie teased. After a shaky start, she and Linda Ring were becoming friends.
“Neither did I,” Linda replied wistfully, letting the satiny fabric of a soft blue negligee slide sensuously through her fingers and back into the case. Standing abruptly, she held up the robe, her chin tilted in decision. “Well, you’ll have to wear this at least, and the slippers. You’ve nothing else and this is an emergency. You can always return the rest, if you’re sure you really want to.”
“Linda, you’re not hearing me. I can’t wear any of this,” Katie protested, but the nurse had turned a deaf ear and was already deftly sliding Katie’s arms into the flowing sleeves of the robe, then tying the sash.
Katie sighed in resignation. “You’re taking advantage of my weakened state, you know,” she said. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to wear the robe, and prayed she didn’t soil it. Glancing down at her feet clad in the gold brocade, she guessed it would be appropriate to keep the slippers as a gift.
“There,” the nurse said, stepping back so Katie could view herself in the full-length mirror hanging on the inside of the closet door. “You look like you just stepped out of a dream.”
Katie stifled a gasp at the sight of herself in the mirror. A dream, all right. More like a nightmare. Her eyes were dull and hollowed beneath the bandage and there was an ugly bruise on her left cheek that was fast turning a ghastly yellow, still tender to the touch. She looked like the victim of a bad beating. Her new hairdo hung limp and lifeless, some of it matted—with her blood? “The robe looks great,” she said dryly. “I look like I died and came back to life—almost.”
“Well, you haven’t exactly been on vacation in Acapulco, have you? Not to worry. When you get back I’ll give you a shampoo. That’ll pick you up.” She knelt to sift through the case again. “Shampoo, soap, toothbrush, let’s see—comb, brush…just like he said; everything you need. A shampoo and a little makeup from his lovely case, and you won’t know yourself.”
“I’ll hold you to your offer, but I’ve got makeup in my purse and that’ll do just fine.” Despite her resolve, Katie couldn’t resist stroking the luxurious velvet that fell in soft, rich folds to the floor. Maybe, she thought, as Linda Ring helped her into the waiting wheelchair, it would be okay to keep a few of the smaller items. It really was thoughtful of Drake.
Thoughtful? No, Katie. The flowers were thoughtful. This robe, and what’s in that overnight case, looks more like a carefully planned trousseau for a bride.
Chapter 7
Other than the photograph of Katie Summers, which was now thumb-tacked to the A & R Realty calendar just above the red-circled “5” in the month of November, there were no other pictures in the man’s room—nothing to suggest family or friends—to indicate past. He’d had parents, of course, just like everyone else, but he rarely thought of them and when he did it was with the indifference one afforded strangers or, on occasion, contempt. Particularly for his mother, which was ironic since she was the one person in the world who absolutely adored him, for whom he could do no wrong.
He recalled her hugs, the way her soft, cushiony breasts would mash against him, and felt the same revulsion he had felt then. A silly, simpering woman, his mother. Not that he wasn’t always very careful about hiding his feeling; he wasn’t a fool, after all. She had her uses. He could, for
The nurse remained kneeling at the case, staring up at Katie. “You’re kidding. Well, you must have made one hell of an impression because he sure wants to make sure he gets a second date.” She grinned and caressed the velvety robe. “I think I’d be willing to give him a chance.”
“Whoever would have thought you were so materialistic, Linda,” Katie teased. After a shaky start, she and Linda Ring were becoming friends.
“Neither did I,” Linda replied wistfully, letting the satiny fabric of a soft blue negligee slide sensuously through her fingers and back into the case. Standing abruptly, she held up the robe, her chin tilted in decision. “Well, you’ll have to wear this at least, and the slippers. You’ve nothing else and this is an emergency. You can always return the rest, if you’re sure you really want to.”
“Linda, you’re not hearing me. I can’t wear any of this,” Katie protested, but the nurse had turned a deaf ear and was already deftly sliding Katie’s arms into the flowing sleeves of the robe, then tying the sash.
Katie sighed in resignation. “You’re taking advantage of my weakened state, you know,” she said. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to wear the robe, and prayed she didn’t soil it. Glancing down at her feet clad in the gold brocade, she guessed it would be appropriate to keep the slippers as a gift.
“There,” the nurse said, stepping back so Katie could view herself in the full-length mirror hanging on the inside of the closet door. “You look like you just stepped out of a dream.”
Katie stifled a gasp at the sight of herself in the mirror. A dream, all right. More like a nightmare. Her eyes were dull and hollowed beneath the bandage and there was an ugly bruise on her left cheek that was fast turning a ghastly yellow, still tender to the touch. She looked like the victim of a bad beating. Her new hairdo hung limp and lifeless, some of it matted—with her blood? “The robe looks great,” she said dryly. “I look like I died and came back to life—almost.”
“Well, you haven’t exactly been on vacation in Acapulco, have you? Not to worry. When you get back I’ll give you a shampoo. That’ll pick you up.” She knelt to sift through the case again. “Shampoo, soap, toothbrush, let’s see—comb, brush…just like he said; everything you need. A shampoo and a little makeup from his lovely case, and you won’t know yourself.”
“I’ll hold you to your offer, but I’ve got makeup in my purse and that’ll do just fine.” Despite her resolve, Katie couldn’t resist stroking the luxurious velvet that fell in soft, rich folds to the floor. Maybe, she thought, as Linda Ring helped her into the waiting wheelchair, it would be okay to keep a few of the smaller items. It really was thoughtful of Drake.
Thoughtful? No, Katie. The flowers were thoughtful. This robe, and what’s in that overnight case, looks more like a carefully planned trousseau for a bride.
Chapter 7
Other than the photograph of Katie Summers, which was now thumb-tacked to the A & R Realty calendar just above the red-circled “5” in the month of November, there were no other pictures in the man’s room—nothing to suggest family or friends—to indicate past. He’d had parents, of course, just like everyone else, but he rarely thought of them and when he did it was with the indifference one afforded strangers or, on occasion, contempt. Particularly for his mother, which was ironic since she was the one person in the world who absolutely adored him, for whom he could do no wrong.
He recalled her hugs, the way her soft, cushiony breasts would mash against him, and felt the same revulsion he had felt then. A silly, simpering woman, his mother. Not that he wasn’t always very careful about hiding his feeling; he wasn’t a fool, after all. She had her uses. He could, for
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