wasn’t for him.
Besides, a relationship with Kate would never work, even though he was attracted to her. He genuinely liked her, and he didn’t want to be the guy who’d set her up for another break-up. He gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles white. He would have to put her out of his mind.
Adam cursed under his breath. The hell of it was, if he’d met her a few years ago, before he’d become cynical and cold in matters of the heart, he would have pursued her in an instant.
Dana and her shrewd perceptiveness at choosing Kate popped into his mind and his mouth curled sardonically. He had to give his sister more credit. Not only did he find Kate attractive and interesting, he’d been stunned at the surge of jealousy he’d felt when he heard Ben’s message.
It scared him.
Actually, Kate Moore scared him.
Chapter 5
The sound of the phone the next morning jarred Kate from her restless sleep.
“Doc, I’m sorry I’m calling so early, but I need to see you.” Ellie sobbed. “I told my grandfather I want to get an abortion and he said he’ll never forgive me if I do.”
It took Kate a few seconds to register Ellie’s words. She’d been in the middle of a strange dream where Simon and Miranda were having boisterous sex on a desk in a classroom full of children, and a maitre d’ donning a mask was shouting, “ Bravo. A+!” while Kate sat in the corner of the room wearing a white dunce hat. In the distance, past the schoolyard, there was Adam, garbed in medieval finery, galloping towards the school on a white stallion.
“Doc, you up? Please, I need your help. I don’t know what to do.”
The dream faded as Ellie’s words registered. Kate sat up and rubbed her eyes, glancing at the clock on her nightstand. It was eight o’clock in the morning.
She cleared her throat. “Can you meet me at my office in an hour?”
“Yes. Thanks, Doc,” the teen replied gratefully. “I’ll take a cab. Grandfather had to go out this morning.”
“No problem. I’ll see you soon.” She would have liked to talk to Edward privately, as she always did when he drove Ellie to her appointments. She’d have to call him later.
Within forty-five minutes she was parking in front of her office a few blocks away.
She saw Ellie standing outside the building, and Kate felt a strong tug of compassion for the girl. She greeted her warmly and led her inside.
After listening to Ellie, Kate came to sit by her on the couch, and placed an arm around the girl’s frail shoulders.
Ellie’s grandfather, Edward Ryerson, hadn’t known how to deal with his problematic grandchild, and had sent her to Kate for help. He’d heard about Kate through a family friend and had booked the first appointment in a gruff, desolate voice that had touched Kate deeply.
Ellie was a textbook case. She hadn’t been prepared for her parents’ deaths. The news of their plane going down had devastated her and after she went to live with her grandfather she had nothing but anger and despair in her heart. Kate had made a lot of progress with the young girl in the past year, but every once in a while, Ellie back-stepped and Kate had had to step in for damage control. In this case, Ellie had gotten involved with a seventeen-year-old boy who got her pregnant, and left.
Ellie left after an hour and as Kate walked out to her car her cellphone rang.
“Where are you?” Barbara cried. “I’ve been calling your place all morning.”
“I’m leaving my office. I had to see someone. It was urgent.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you, but I’ve been trying to reach you the past couple of hours, and it’s pretty urgent, too.”
Kate felt a rush of alarm. “My cellphone was turned off. What is it? Is it the kids? Mom?”
“No, no, don’t panic. It’s Adam Tyler.”
Kate froze. Adam? “What about him?”
“I’ll tell you what about him, but first, why did you leave last night without so much as a good-bye to me?”
“You were
Besides, a relationship with Kate would never work, even though he was attracted to her. He genuinely liked her, and he didn’t want to be the guy who’d set her up for another break-up. He gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles white. He would have to put her out of his mind.
Adam cursed under his breath. The hell of it was, if he’d met her a few years ago, before he’d become cynical and cold in matters of the heart, he would have pursued her in an instant.
Dana and her shrewd perceptiveness at choosing Kate popped into his mind and his mouth curled sardonically. He had to give his sister more credit. Not only did he find Kate attractive and interesting, he’d been stunned at the surge of jealousy he’d felt when he heard Ben’s message.
It scared him.
Actually, Kate Moore scared him.
Chapter 5
The sound of the phone the next morning jarred Kate from her restless sleep.
“Doc, I’m sorry I’m calling so early, but I need to see you.” Ellie sobbed. “I told my grandfather I want to get an abortion and he said he’ll never forgive me if I do.”
It took Kate a few seconds to register Ellie’s words. She’d been in the middle of a strange dream where Simon and Miranda were having boisterous sex on a desk in a classroom full of children, and a maitre d’ donning a mask was shouting, “ Bravo. A+!” while Kate sat in the corner of the room wearing a white dunce hat. In the distance, past the schoolyard, there was Adam, garbed in medieval finery, galloping towards the school on a white stallion.
“Doc, you up? Please, I need your help. I don’t know what to do.”
The dream faded as Ellie’s words registered. Kate sat up and rubbed her eyes, glancing at the clock on her nightstand. It was eight o’clock in the morning.
She cleared her throat. “Can you meet me at my office in an hour?”
“Yes. Thanks, Doc,” the teen replied gratefully. “I’ll take a cab. Grandfather had to go out this morning.”
“No problem. I’ll see you soon.” She would have liked to talk to Edward privately, as she always did when he drove Ellie to her appointments. She’d have to call him later.
Within forty-five minutes she was parking in front of her office a few blocks away.
She saw Ellie standing outside the building, and Kate felt a strong tug of compassion for the girl. She greeted her warmly and led her inside.
After listening to Ellie, Kate came to sit by her on the couch, and placed an arm around the girl’s frail shoulders.
Ellie’s grandfather, Edward Ryerson, hadn’t known how to deal with his problematic grandchild, and had sent her to Kate for help. He’d heard about Kate through a family friend and had booked the first appointment in a gruff, desolate voice that had touched Kate deeply.
Ellie was a textbook case. She hadn’t been prepared for her parents’ deaths. The news of their plane going down had devastated her and after she went to live with her grandfather she had nothing but anger and despair in her heart. Kate had made a lot of progress with the young girl in the past year, but every once in a while, Ellie back-stepped and Kate had had to step in for damage control. In this case, Ellie had gotten involved with a seventeen-year-old boy who got her pregnant, and left.
Ellie left after an hour and as Kate walked out to her car her cellphone rang.
“Where are you?” Barbara cried. “I’ve been calling your place all morning.”
“I’m leaving my office. I had to see someone. It was urgent.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you, but I’ve been trying to reach you the past couple of hours, and it’s pretty urgent, too.”
Kate felt a rush of alarm. “My cellphone was turned off. What is it? Is it the kids? Mom?”
“No, no, don’t panic. It’s Adam Tyler.”
Kate froze. Adam? “What about him?”
“I’ll tell you what about him, but first, why did you leave last night without so much as a good-bye to me?”
“You were
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