practice. The long hours with my own patients, covering for the senior partners when they wanted time off, handling extra hospital shifts or rounds. It all added up and when Jessi moved here I realized if something didn’t change, I’d end up like our father.”
“So that’s why you moved here?”
He nodded. “I was looking into positions when Michael suggested I come on as his partner so he could spend more time with Jessi and the twins. It was perfect. It gave me a less stressful work environment, and enabled me to be close to my nieces.”
“I don’t think this is going to turn out as well as things did for you.” She frowned and dug her fingers into the fabric of the sofa. “I’m a terrible mother.”
He piled the last of the French toast onto a plate, then set the tongs aside before going to her. “You’re not. You’re raising a wonderful little girl. You’ve worked with her to begin her education, and she’s further along than most children her age. That’s something to be proud of.” He laid his hand over hers.
“Look at her room. Does that look like any little girl’s room you’ve ever seen? She doesn’t have any friends. What kind of mother does this to her child?”
“You’re doing what you think is right by her. That’s all any parent can do.”
“Maybe you and Ryan are right. Maybe I need to at least travel into town to socialize Abbi. Or maybe I should consider going to Cheyenne like my parents asked. It might be the only way for me to put the past behind me.”
“Come here.” He placed his hands on her hips, drawing their bodies so close they were almost touching. “Facing the past is the best thing, and once you do that you can begin to make a better life for you and Abbi. I can help you with that…if you’ll allow me.”
“I admit I miss having a life. Going to Express Ohh’s to satisfy my coffee addiction…then I always used to browse the Happy Ever After Bookstore for the newest read. Seeing friends…going to the different activities at the lake, skiing, and snowboarding in Jackson Hole. I want Abbi to experience all the things I did growing up.”
“Then let me help you give them to her. Take this ride into town with me, it’s the first step in getting your life back. Then maybe we can go to the Halloween festival at the lake, I’m sure Abbi would love it. She can experience the carnival rides, all the delicious food, and you can see no one blames you. All while I’m by your side.”
“Why? Why do you want to help us?”
He caressed along the curve of her hips, gently, so as not to scare her off. “Have you ever felt a connection between someone you just met…but you knew they were special?” She froze at his touch, tentative, nervous. “That’s how I feel about you and Abbi. Last night, sitting in front of the fire, I got to know you more than anyone else in my life. I told you things Jes or anyone else doesn’t even know.”
Her heart skipped a beat, and fear tightened her stomach. She had a feeling she knew where this was going, but it excited and terrified her. “What are you saying?”
“That you are special to me and I want to see where this goes. I won’t pressure you, but you’re not going to be able to push me away like you tried to do yesterday.”
“Like yesterday?” Her brows squinted together in confusion.
“When Michael said I was doing this out of charity, you were ready to send me on my way. The only thing that stopped you was that Abbi needed medical attention.” He paused as if waiting for her to deny it before he continued. “You’re frightened, and I understand, but I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Isn’t that what they all say? No one scares their prey by telling them what they’re going to do to them.”
“Is that what you think, that you’re my prey?” He leaned down until he could press his forehead against hers.
“No, I just meant…” She kept her hands on the sofa, her body trembling, even though she
“So that’s why you moved here?”
He nodded. “I was looking into positions when Michael suggested I come on as his partner so he could spend more time with Jessi and the twins. It was perfect. It gave me a less stressful work environment, and enabled me to be close to my nieces.”
“I don’t think this is going to turn out as well as things did for you.” She frowned and dug her fingers into the fabric of the sofa. “I’m a terrible mother.”
He piled the last of the French toast onto a plate, then set the tongs aside before going to her. “You’re not. You’re raising a wonderful little girl. You’ve worked with her to begin her education, and she’s further along than most children her age. That’s something to be proud of.” He laid his hand over hers.
“Look at her room. Does that look like any little girl’s room you’ve ever seen? She doesn’t have any friends. What kind of mother does this to her child?”
“You’re doing what you think is right by her. That’s all any parent can do.”
“Maybe you and Ryan are right. Maybe I need to at least travel into town to socialize Abbi. Or maybe I should consider going to Cheyenne like my parents asked. It might be the only way for me to put the past behind me.”
“Come here.” He placed his hands on her hips, drawing their bodies so close they were almost touching. “Facing the past is the best thing, and once you do that you can begin to make a better life for you and Abbi. I can help you with that…if you’ll allow me.”
“I admit I miss having a life. Going to Express Ohh’s to satisfy my coffee addiction…then I always used to browse the Happy Ever After Bookstore for the newest read. Seeing friends…going to the different activities at the lake, skiing, and snowboarding in Jackson Hole. I want Abbi to experience all the things I did growing up.”
“Then let me help you give them to her. Take this ride into town with me, it’s the first step in getting your life back. Then maybe we can go to the Halloween festival at the lake, I’m sure Abbi would love it. She can experience the carnival rides, all the delicious food, and you can see no one blames you. All while I’m by your side.”
“Why? Why do you want to help us?”
He caressed along the curve of her hips, gently, so as not to scare her off. “Have you ever felt a connection between someone you just met…but you knew they were special?” She froze at his touch, tentative, nervous. “That’s how I feel about you and Abbi. Last night, sitting in front of the fire, I got to know you more than anyone else in my life. I told you things Jes or anyone else doesn’t even know.”
Her heart skipped a beat, and fear tightened her stomach. She had a feeling she knew where this was going, but it excited and terrified her. “What are you saying?”
“That you are special to me and I want to see where this goes. I won’t pressure you, but you’re not going to be able to push me away like you tried to do yesterday.”
“Like yesterday?” Her brows squinted together in confusion.
“When Michael said I was doing this out of charity, you were ready to send me on my way. The only thing that stopped you was that Abbi needed medical attention.” He paused as if waiting for her to deny it before he continued. “You’re frightened, and I understand, but I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Isn’t that what they all say? No one scares their prey by telling them what they’re going to do to them.”
“Is that what you think, that you’re my prey?” He leaned down until he could press his forehead against hers.
“No, I just meant…” She kept her hands on the sofa, her body trembling, even though she
Similar Books
