Changing Lanes (The Lone Stars Book 3) (12 page)

Forty–five minutes later the party was in full swing. Laney couldn’t believe that Devon had pulled off something like this with one single text. Most of The Lone Stars football team was here and everyone had brought something. Someone had the presence of mind to bring tables, which now held food and mountains of toys.

“Dr. Nixon.” Alan Busque’s nasally voice called from behind her. Inwardly, she groaned. Alan was the hospital administrator and absolutely loathed all things fun. While she was sure he was excellent at something, though nothing came to mind, he was a huge, little—as he was all of five foot—pain in the ass. “Dr. Nixon, this is too much. Legally, we can’t have all of these people milling around. Our insurance doesn’t cover large gatherings, and how will the ambulances get through in case there’s an emergency?”

Laney looked up. “The emergency bay is on the other side of the building, and there are less people in the parking lot right now than if it was filled to capacity with cars. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

“I disagree …” His voice faded off as his eyes locked onto Sweet Louise.

Laney was noticing that the older woman had a huge effect on men. When she walked into a room, men climbed over each other to get to her. While she wasn’t beautiful by conventional standards, she exuded a banked sensuality reminiscent of Bettie Page and Raquel Welch.

Sweet Louise sauntered up to Alan and let her eyes rake over him. “Is there a problem here?”

“N–n–n … no.” He stammered and then licked his lips as he caught sight of Sweet Louise’s more than ample bosom.

“Thank goodness, I’d hate to think that a big, strong man such as yourself wouldn’t be up for a little fun.” She ran a finger down his tie and then grabbed the end and pulled him closer to her. “We need more ice. Think you could help me out with that?”

“We have a commercial ice machine in the kitchen.” He puffed out his chest importantly. “I can bring you all the ice you need.”

“When I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were a powerful man who gets things done.” Sweet Louise cooed. “And handsome too.”

Alan swiped a hand over his comb–over making sure the three hairs he’d swirled over his bald spot were still camouflaging it. “I can get you whatever you need. Just say the word.”

“Ice.” She mouthed. “Now.”

Alan swaggered off in the direction of the kitchen.

“How did you do that?” Laney had never met a woman with so much power over men. She really wanted to see how Sweet Louise would handle her father. It would be interesting.

“It’s all about attitude. Men have very fragile egos. Stoke it a bit. Works every time.” She nodded in Devon’s direction. “Except on him. He’s wise to my ways.”

“Devon is special.” Laney watched him signing a football for a little boy in a wheelchair.

Sweet Louise nodded. “He’s really into you. If you find that you don’t feel the same way, I’d appreciate it if you’d let him down easily. It’s been a long time since a girl has made him this nervous, and you rattle the hell out of him.”

Wow, no pressure there. She knew Sweet Louise was only being a good protective mother, but the smallest bit of anxiety balled in Laney’s stomach. Devon liked her and she liked him, well wanted to like him back, but it was too soon to tell.

“I make him nervous?” Laney never made anyone nervous. One of her gifts was putting people at ease, well at least, she hoped she put people at ease. Was nervous good?

“Child please. He’s so nervous around you he can barely speak. And getting ready to see you, he went through twenty outfits trying to find one that would impress you. For him, women have rarely been more than a past time, but with you he cares … a lot.” Sweet Louise patted her shoulder. “Be gentle with him.”

The pressure increased.

Did she care about him? Of course she cared, but more than care? She liked him yes, but more than that? She didn’t want to hurt Devon, but she wasn’t ready to commit to anything. She’d known him for all of forty–eight hours. Although, it did seem like she’d known him for longer. She still couldn’t remember where they’d met before.

Sweet Louise patted her shoulder. “You don’t have to decide now. You only just met. I’m his mother so watching out for him is in my DNA.”

“I promise. I won’t hurt him.” But that was an impossible promise. People hurt people everyday—sometimes intentionally and sometimes by accident.

“I’m off to take Lara back. One of the player’s wives commandeered her for a game of Uno, so now I need to steal Lara back before I’m usurped as Grandmother of the Year.” Sweet Louise was fairly glowing. She and Lara had become fast friends.

“Thank you for …” Laney gestured in Lara’s direction. “Everything.”

“You never stop being a mother even when your child is grown. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed being around a child. For them everything is possible. They believe in fairies and Santa Claus and monsters under the bed. I need that kind of hope and unwavering belief in my life. I need someone to nurture, and she’s in need of nurturing. So thank you for giving her to me. You don’t need to worry. I’ll take good care of her—”

“But she’s … she won’t” Laney’s voice cracked, “be around long.”

Laney’s heart broke at admitting it. She shouldered the burden of death every day, but she hadn’t thought about the effect on other people. Now it was too late. Clearly Sweet Louise was attached, and she would take it hard when Lara died.

“I know. But it doesn’t matter. I would rather have a few special weeks with her than never have met her at all. Love is funny that way. I would trade my life for hers, but it’s a mother’s curse at not being able to do that. So instead I’ll fill the days she has left with love because that nourishes the soul—hers and mine. When the day comes that we must say goodbye, I’ll hold her in my heart until I see her again in heaven. Everyone deserves to be remembered and loved after they are gone, and I will love Lara for the rest of my life.” Sweet Louise’s voice quavered but conviction shone in her eyes. She did love Lara—she’d known her for all of an hour and she loved her deeply and unconditionally.

Laney had never seen anything like it. Was this what love looked like? Her parents had loved her, but that love had limits—big glaring limits. As long as she did exactly what they wanted her to do, they showed her affection, but when she disappointed them, it was freezer city. With Sweet Louise there were no limits. When she loved, she loved completely and held nothing back. For Laney, that was both terrifying and hopeful. With her own children, would she love them wholeheartedly no matter what or would her love have conditions like her parents had for her?

“I’ve got to go find my Lara.” The older woman sauntered off.

Laney had only known Devon for a few days, but in that short time he’d changed her life. Lara now had a family, and she had one less worry. She’d love to repay the favor, but she had no idea how to help him.

“Penny for your thoughts.” Devon slipped an arm around her waist.

“I was just thinking that in such a short time, you’ve brought so much to my life. How can I ever repay you?” She owed him, and she didn’t like owing anyone.

“My friendship doesn’t come with strings. You owe me nothing. In fact, you’ve given my mother and me someone to care about. That’s a true gift.” He kissed her cheek. “But, if you’d let me buy you lunch tomorrow for your birthday, I wouldn’t complain.”

The bargain was still in her favor, but she wasn’t going to argue. “Done. But we have to eat here, and I don’t know what time exactly. I have a heavy patient load tomorrow.”

Spending time with him was easy, and he made her laugh. That was enough for now. She refused to over think it. Feeling or no feelings, she was going to live in the moment if it killed her. Devon was handsome, smart, attentive, and thoughtful. She could love him, might love him … someday.

Stop with the over–thinking it.

“I’m flexible.” He grinned. “I’m so flexible that I can put my legs behind my ears. Want to see?”

“Professional athletes are thirty–seven percent more flexible than the average person.” Spouting facts was second nature, and it was a relief that he didn’t mind.

“Wanted to let you know, the impromptu interview with Jason, Joanna’s husband, went well. I hired him at double his old salary. He cried, my mom cried, and I damn near cried. He’s a good man. I’m so lucky to have found him.” Devon’s hand slid down her back to rest on her butt.

“You’re hand’s on my butt.” He wasn’t handsy, precisely it was more about testing his boundaries.

He glanced down at his hand. “Well, what do you know … it is.”

“Are you planning on moving it?” Laney grinned.

“Nope.” Devon returned her grin. “I’m good.”

“Okay then.” She leaned closer into him. “I’m headed toward the food. Are there any ribs left?”

“A few. I’ve got more on the smoker.” He pointed to the smoker he’d hooked up to his Escalade and pulled over here.

“Do y’all tailgate often?” He’s put this together so fast that they must do it quite a bit.

“Yes. Most of the team members are also my friends. And Sweet Louise is kind of the team Mom. She organizes the players and their wives for charity events and things. She’s even got everyone organized now so that someone is with Lara twenty–four, seven. She will never be alone again.” Devon scratched the back of his head. “I hope that’s okay. She’s already talked the administrator into moving a bed into Lara’s room so she can stay there tonight.”

“Lara’s going to be so excited. She’s comfortable in hospitals, but I know she’s still scared of the dark.” She still couldn’t believe that Devon and his mother had done so much in such a short time.

“Does Lara need to stay at the hospital? Mom and I were thinking that we could bring her home … you know so she’d have some memories of home.”

Laney didn’t know what to say. It was one thing to talk about helping someone and another to bring them into his home—essentially give her a home.

“That’s nice.” Really nice. She’d have to look at Lara’s latest blood work and think about it. Certainly she had patients who lived at home and received out patient treatment, but Lara was a special case. “Let me get back to you on out patient treatment for Lara. Her disease is pretty aggressive.” She chewed on her upper lip. Lara had never had a good home and feeling like she belonged would go a long way in her treatment. There was something to be said for environment. Not that she believed giving Lara a home would cure her, but it might make her life better. “She’ll still need to come to the hospital almost everyday.”

“Think about it. Mom’s already talking about a pink princess room for Lara.”

“Are you okay with this?” Laney knew that his mother was, but it didn’t seem like she’d talked to Devon about his feelings toward her basically adopting a dying child.

“I think it’s wonderful. Mom needs someone to love, and Lara’s about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I’d love to bring her home right now. And buy her a puppy. She and a puppy could get into some serious trouble—it would be a blast to watch.” He sounded so sure.

Devon moved fast it seemed, in everything.

“You do understand that there isn’t a happy ending in Lara’s future.” It’s not that she wanted to rain on his parade, but he needed to face the facts.

“Yes.” Sadness crept into his eyes. “She won’t see Christmas, but that doesn’t matter. She’s here now and for as long as we can, she’ll know only happiness.”

Laney didn’t think that she’d ever met two such selfless people. “You’re a good guy.”

“No, I’m not. But I’m trying.” He sounded embarrassed.

“Yes, you are.” She was growing attached to Devon and she hoped that she could give him at least half of what he gave her in return. His mother’s words about letting him down gently played over and over in her mind.

Chapter 9

The next day Laney leaned heavily on the door to exam room six. It was all of ten forty–five in the morning and she was thirty minutes behind seeing patients, she had a leg cramp from this morning’s swim, and she was starving.

With all the strength she could muster, she stood upright, pulled up exam room six on her iPad, and scanned the patient information. It was a new patient with a referral from a hematologist. She checked his blood test results. Not good. He was all of ten years old. She closed her eyes, switched off her humanity, opened her eyes, and fixed on her polite doctor smile. She was a professional, and she would save his life.

Two hours later, she was ravenous, her leg cramp was worse, but she’d caught up with the patient load. Devon was meeting her for lunch in the hospital cafeteria across the street and she made record time down the stairs and across the street. She opened the double doors to the cafeteria and stopped dead.

Three of the four walls held giant banners proclaiming, “Happy Birthday Laney.” They were draped like enormous ribbons decorating a wedding cake. There was a huge multi–tiered cake and every single person in the cafeteria was wearing a pink party hat. Her smile was so bright that it hurt. This was her very first birthday party.

Devon stood next to the cake smiling like the cat that had eaten the canary. She looked around. Pediatric patients of all shapes and sizes were gathered in wheel chairs, standing, and seated. There was a clown making balloon animals, another doing magic tricks, and a third drawing caricatures. Where was the pony? That’s all this party needed.

Devon walked toward her. “I tried to get a pony but the health department has some issues with barn animals inside a cafeteria.”

It was like he’d read her mind. The man knew her better than she knew herself. That was both comforting and disturbing.

“This is wonderful.” She hugged him. He was too much. Her heart went into overdrive … and this was too much. He gave more than she could ever give back. It’s not that she didn’t want to, it’s just that she wasn’t as free and easy with her emotions as he was. Trust was a problem for her. Part of her wondered what Devon’s motives were. Clearly sex wasn’t it or they would have had it by now.

It’s not that she wasn’t grateful for the birthday, it’s just that this was a lot of pressure. She’d spent the better part of last night lying awake and thinking about Devon. His mother had asked her to let him down gently. This party was over the top. Anxiety made her palms sweat. She was seventy percent sure it was anxiety … okay fifty percent.