running around our happy home—Cheddar and Parmesan and—”
“I have absolutely no intention of marrying you.”
“Of course you don’t right now, but that’ll all change.” She enjoyed teasing him, and the laughter was a welcome release after the tension of the past few days.
“You’re not serious, are you?”
Valerie sighed deeply. “If you want me to say something to Dad, I will.”
“I think that would be best.”
“I’m really not so bad, you know,” she felt obligedto tell him. She was disappointed in his reaction, although she’d never admit it. If she was going to make a fool of herself over a man, she didn’t need to travel halfway across the country to do so!
“We don’t have a thing in common and shouldn’t pretend we do.”
“Well, but—”
“Let’s leave it at that, Valerie.”
His attitude hurt. “Fine. I’m not interested in you, either,” she muttered. Without another word, she turned around and marched back into the hospital.
The man had his nerve. He made a relationship with her sound about as attractive as one with a…a porcupine! Colby acted as though she’d purposely set a trap for him, and she resented that.
Norah was awake when she got back to the waiting room. Her younger sister looked up, smiling, as Valerie hurried in and began to pace.
“What’s wrong?” Norah asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee. She gestured toward the pot, but Valerie shook her head.
“Have you ever noticed how opinionated and high-handed Colby Winston can be?” she asked, still pacing furiously.
“Dr. Winston?” Norah repeated. “Not in the least. I’ve never known him to be rude, not even when someone deserved it.”
Valerie impatiently pushed the sleeves of her sweater past her elbows. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a man who irritated me more.”
“I thought you liked him.”
“I thought I did, too,” she answered darkly.
“Steffie phoned,” Norah said, cutting off Valerie’s irritation as effectively as if she’d flipped a light switch. “She got through to the nurses’ station here when she couldn’t reach either of us at the house or on our cells.”
“Where is she?” Valerie asked. “Is the transportation strike over?”
“No,” Norah replied. “She’s still trapped in whatever that town is. If she was in one of the big cities she wouldn’t be having nearly as much trouble. She asked about Dad, and I told her everything’s about the same. She sounded like she was close to tears.”
“Poor Steffie.”
“She said she’d give everything she owns to find a way home.” Norah sighed. “If something doesn’t break soon, I think Steff’s going to hike over the Alps.”
She’d do it, too; Valerie didn’t doubt that for a moment.
“I was with Dad earlier,” Norah said, changing the subject again. “He was more alert than before.”
Valerie frowned, well aware of the reason. Her dear, manipulative father seemed to think he was about to get his wish. Little did he realize she had no intention of marrying Dr. Colby Winston. Or that Colby was no more interested in her than she was in him.
Four
D avid Bloomfield’s condition didn’t change throughout the day that followed. Valerie saw Colby intermittently. He was in surgery most of the afternoon and came by, still wearing his surgical gown, to check on her father early that evening. Valerie happened to be there at the time, and she recognized the weariness in Colby’s face. Without saying anything to her father, she trailed Colby out of the room.
“What about a cup of coffee?” she suggested, and when he hesitated, she added lightly, “I thought you might like to know how I warded off the preacher.”
He grinned, then rubbed a hand across his eyes. “All right,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll meet you in the cafeteria.”
Valerie headed downstairs with her briefcase and her laptop. That afternoon she’d had her assistant e-mail the
“I have absolutely no intention of marrying you.”
“Of course you don’t right now, but that’ll all change.” She enjoyed teasing him, and the laughter was a welcome release after the tension of the past few days.
“You’re not serious, are you?”
Valerie sighed deeply. “If you want me to say something to Dad, I will.”
“I think that would be best.”
“I’m really not so bad, you know,” she felt obligedto tell him. She was disappointed in his reaction, although she’d never admit it. If she was going to make a fool of herself over a man, she didn’t need to travel halfway across the country to do so!
“We don’t have a thing in common and shouldn’t pretend we do.”
“Well, but—”
“Let’s leave it at that, Valerie.”
His attitude hurt. “Fine. I’m not interested in you, either,” she muttered. Without another word, she turned around and marched back into the hospital.
The man had his nerve. He made a relationship with her sound about as attractive as one with a…a porcupine! Colby acted as though she’d purposely set a trap for him, and she resented that.
Norah was awake when she got back to the waiting room. Her younger sister looked up, smiling, as Valerie hurried in and began to pace.
“What’s wrong?” Norah asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee. She gestured toward the pot, but Valerie shook her head.
“Have you ever noticed how opinionated and high-handed Colby Winston can be?” she asked, still pacing furiously.
“Dr. Winston?” Norah repeated. “Not in the least. I’ve never known him to be rude, not even when someone deserved it.”
Valerie impatiently pushed the sleeves of her sweater past her elbows. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a man who irritated me more.”
“I thought you liked him.”
“I thought I did, too,” she answered darkly.
“Steffie phoned,” Norah said, cutting off Valerie’s irritation as effectively as if she’d flipped a light switch. “She got through to the nurses’ station here when she couldn’t reach either of us at the house or on our cells.”
“Where is she?” Valerie asked. “Is the transportation strike over?”
“No,” Norah replied. “She’s still trapped in whatever that town is. If she was in one of the big cities she wouldn’t be having nearly as much trouble. She asked about Dad, and I told her everything’s about the same. She sounded like she was close to tears.”
“Poor Steffie.”
“She said she’d give everything she owns to find a way home.” Norah sighed. “If something doesn’t break soon, I think Steff’s going to hike over the Alps.”
She’d do it, too; Valerie didn’t doubt that for a moment.
“I was with Dad earlier,” Norah said, changing the subject again. “He was more alert than before.”
Valerie frowned, well aware of the reason. Her dear, manipulative father seemed to think he was about to get his wish. Little did he realize she had no intention of marrying Dr. Colby Winston. Or that Colby was no more interested in her than she was in him.
Four
D avid Bloomfield’s condition didn’t change throughout the day that followed. Valerie saw Colby intermittently. He was in surgery most of the afternoon and came by, still wearing his surgical gown, to check on her father early that evening. Valerie happened to be there at the time, and she recognized the weariness in Colby’s face. Without saying anything to her father, she trailed Colby out of the room.
“What about a cup of coffee?” she suggested, and when he hesitated, she added lightly, “I thought you might like to know how I warded off the preacher.”
He grinned, then rubbed a hand across his eyes. “All right,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll meet you in the cafeteria.”
Valerie headed downstairs with her briefcase and her laptop. That afternoon she’d had her assistant e-mail the
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