Orchard Valley Grooms (4 page)

Colby was smiling; he’d been smiling ever since he’d left the hospital. He wasn’t sure what had prompted him to invite Valerie down to the cafeteria. But he suspected it was because…well, because he enjoyed being with her. He’d never known a woman who was so willing to speak her feelings. She was direct and honest and, damn it all,
interesting.
It wasn’t that he found Sherry—or for that matter, Norah—boring. He enjoyed their company in an entirely different way.

But Valerie kept him on his toes. She didn’t take
anything at face value, but challenged and confronted until she was satisfied. He admired that. In fact, he admired
her.
But that wasn’t the end of it. This was a woman he could grow to love.

He’d gone off the deep end, he told himself. Worked too many hours without a real break. He’d listened to David Bloomfield once too often. There could never be anything between him and Valerie. She wasn’t what he needed in a woman; not only that, she’d never be content with life in Orchard Valley again.

He knew that as well as she did.

The next morning, with Norah at the hospital, Valerie felt comfortable about leaving for the first time since her arrival from New York. She desperately needed a change of clothes. She was still wearing the business suit she’d had on when she’d received Norah’s message two—no, three—days earlier.

She drove to the family home, down the mile-long driveway that led to the colonial house. She took a moment to glance at the hundreds of neat rows of apple trees, all in fragrant blossom. Then she hauled her suitcase up to her old bedroom, showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a soft blue sweater.

When Valerie returned to the hospital she felt a thousand times better. Norah was still asleep, curled up on the sofa, her knees tucked under her chin. She was so blonde and delicate that Valerie had an almost overpowering recollection of their mother. She came to an
abrupt stop. The words of greeting froze on her lips and she turned into the hallway.

Quietly she fought back the tears. She’d barely managed to compose herself before she saw Colby striding intently down the wide corridor, heading straight toward her, his face taut.

“Have you got a moment?” he asked stiffly.

“Sure,” Valerie said, puzzled by his obvious tension. “Is something wrong? Is it Dad?”

“No, this is between you and me.” Colby actually seemed angry. Furious, even, although he hadn’t raised his voice. This was certainly the most emotion she’d seen in him.

He marched toward the elevator, with Valerie following, and then down the narrow passageway to the back entrance of the hospital and the employee parking lot. He was several yards ahead of her.

“Where are we going?” she demanded. His pace was too swift for her to keep stride with him.

“Outside.”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, we already are.”

“I don’t want anyone to hear this.”

“Hear
what?
” she practically shrieked, losing her patience.

Colby whirled around to confront her. “I want to know
exactly
what you said to your father.”

Valerie was confused. “About what?”

“Us.” The simple little word resonated with anger, contempt, disgust.

Well, so much for her assumption that Colby Winston felt any attraction for her.

“Us?” she repeated. “Don’t be ridiculous. There isn’t any us.”

“That’s precisely my point,” he snapped. “Perhaps you can tell me why your father suddenly announced that you were falling in love with me—and that he expected me to
do
something about it.”

“He
what?
” she exploded.

“You heard me. What in the name of heaven did you say?”

“Nothing.” Except for the time she’d seen him yesterday evening, her father had been asleep. At least, his eyes had been closed and his breathing was shallow but regular.

“He knew we’d talked in the cafeteria,” Colby informed her coolly.

“He did?”

“He mentioned it himself.”

“Maybe Norah—”

“Norah, nothing. It came straight from the horse’s mouth. That and a whole lot more.”

Valerie frowned, staring down at the ground in an effort to think.

“Valerie!”

“I…thought he was asleep.”

“What did you say?” he demanded a second time.

She was flustered now, which happened so rarely that it unnerved her even more. “Uh…just that we’d spoken the other night and I…”

“Go on,” he insisted, his jaw muscles tightening.

“I, uh, have this tendency to talk when I’m upset. I don’t mind telling you Dad’s condition has really scared me. So if he’s asleep, like he’s been most of today, I sit by his side and tell him the things I’ve been thinking about.”

“Which included me?”

Reluctantly, she nodded. Rarely could she recall being more embarrassed. Color burned in her cheeks.

“Valerie, what did you say to him?” Colby asked for the third time. His voice was quiet but his face had sharpened with tension.

She closed her eyes. She didn’t remember everything she’d mumbled, but what she did recall made her cringe. She’d rambled on during those five-minute stretches, saying whatever came into her mind, and most of her thoughts seemed to concern Colby. Not for a second had she believed her father was awake enough to understand a word of it.

“I told him how impressed I was with you,” she began hesitantly. “Although I don’t know you well, I sense a strength in you. I told him how grateful I was to you because I’ve felt so helpless the last couple of days.”

She chanced a look in his direction but his expression was impassive. Not knowing what else to do, she continued. “In any family crisis there’s always one person who has to be strong, and everyone else leans on that person for support. I’m the oldest and I feel responsible for the others. But when I saw my father that first time, I just…couldn’t cope. It’s even harder for Norah.
I realized that the strong one in this situation is you. I told Dad that…and some other things.”

“What other things?”

It wasn’t getting any better. “That I…found myself attracted to you. Not physically,” she rushed to explain, conscious that she was lying. “I’m attracted to the emotional stability I sense in you. Only I didn’t say all that to Dad because I didn’t think he could hear me anyway.

“Was that so terrible?” she asked, when Colby remained silent.

“No,” he finally admitted in a hoarse voice.

“What did Dad say to you?” she asked curiously.

Colby’s gaze touched hers, then withdrew. “That you’d fallen head over heels in love with me. And that’s a quote.”

“What?” Valerie said incredulously. “No wonder you were so upset!”

“Upset’s not the word for it. I’m worried about how this is going to affect David’s recovery, especially since he seems to have all kinds of expectations now—expectations that are going to be disappointed. Eventually he’ll just have to realize you’re not the kind of woman I intend to marry.”

“Believe me, Dr. Winston, you have nothing to worry about,” she murmured, annoyed now. “If I
was
going to fall in love, it would be with a man who was a little more sensitive to my pride.”

“I apologize,” he said, shrugging indifferently. “Your father unfortunately read too much into your…remarks. I’m afraid you’ll have to say something to him.”

“Me?”

“You’re the one who started this.”

“Why can’t we just let the whole thing drop? By tomorrow he’ll have forgotten I said anything.”

“That’s not likely,” Colby said in a grim voice. “He asked me to bring a preacher so we could be married at his bedside.”

Valerie couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing. It was as though all the tension, all the waiting and frustration, had broken free inside her. She laughed until the tears streamed down her face and her sides ached, and even then she couldn’t stop. Clutching her stomach, she wiped the moisture from her cheeks.

“Colby, darling,” she said between giggles. “What shall I wear to the ceremony?”

Colby apparently didn’t find her antics humorous.

“I’ll want children, of course,” she told him when she’d managed to stop giggling. “Nine or ten, and I’ll name the little darlings after you. There’ll be little cheeses 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 obliged
to 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.

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 contents of several files to her. Even if she had to be out
of the office while her father was ill, there were still matters that required her attention. She’d spent much of the afternoon answering e-mails. Working out of the hospital waiting room wasn’t ideal, but she’d managed.

She was at a table in the cafeteria, reading over some notes on her laptop, when Colby arrived. As he pulled out a chair, she straightened, shut down the computer and closed it.

After a somewhat perfunctory greeting, Colby reached for the sugar canister in the middle of the table and methodically poured out a teaspoon, briskly stirring it into his coffee. “I wanted to apologize,” he began.

His words took her by surprise. “For what?”

“I was out of line, coming down on you the way I did about the marriage business. I should’ve realized your father was stretching whatever you said out of proportion. I took my irritation out on you.”

She dismissed his apology with a shake of her head. “It was understandable. As far as I’m concerned, it’s forgotten.”

His eyes met hers as though he couldn’t quite believe her. “You spoke to him?” he asked abruptly.

Valerie nodded, trying to conceal her amusement. “My poor father was distraught, or at least he tried to persuade me he was. But—” she sighed expressively “—he’ll get over it just as I will.” She fluttered her eyelashes melodramatically, teasing Colby just a little.

His eyes shot to hers, and a slow grin moved across his face, relaxing his features. “Disappointed, were you?”

“Oh, yes. I’ve always dreamed of a traditional white wedding gown—one that matches the sheets on my father’s hospital bed.” She smiled and relaxed, too, feeling at ease with him now. She’d been angry, but that was over, and she had to admit she actually liked this man. She certainly admired him.

Colby sipped his coffee, and once again she noted the lines of fatigue that marked his eyes and mouth.

“Rough day?”

He nodded. “I lost a patient. Joanne Murphy. She died this afternoon in surgery. We knew there was a risk, but…” He shrugged heavily. “No matter how often it happens, I never get used to it.”

“I’m so sorry, Colby.” Her hand slid over to his in a gesture of friendship and support.

His fingers gripped hers as if to absorb the comfort and consolation she offered. At the feel of his hand closing over hers, Valerie felt a thrill of happiness, and even more inexplicably, a sense of
rightness.
She didn’t know how else to describe it. Yet almost immediately, the doubts and uncertainties flowed into her mind.

They were friends, nothing more, she reminded herself. And very recent friends at that. Neither of them was looking for anything else. Neither of them
wanted
anything else. But if that was really the case, why would she experience this deep ache of longing? For one impulsive moment she yearned to throw herself into his arms, rest her head against his shoulder and immerse herself in his strength. Lend him hers.

Valerie decided she had to ignore these uncharacteristic sensations. She withdrew her hand, hoping he wouldn’t notice its trembling.

“I’d better get back before Norah wonders where I am,” she said firmly. Valerie knew she was a woman who needed to be in control, who looked at a problem from all angles and worked toward the most favorable solution. But Colby Winston wasn’t a problem to be solved. He was a man who left her feeling vulnerable and confused.

She was already on her feet, briefcase in one hand, laptop in the other, when Colby spoke. “Don’t leave…not yet.” His voice was low, hesitant.

Valerie stared at him, unsure whether to stay or go.

“Oh, never mind.” Colby shook his head, eyes suddenly guarded. “Actually, I should be leaving myself,” he said quickly, bounding to his feet. He drank down several gulps of coffee, then strode out of the cafeteria, with Valerie close behind.

“Colby.” She stopped him in front of the elevator. “What is it you don’t like about me?” The question was out before she had time to analyze the wisdom of asking.

“I do like you,” he answered, frowning.

“But you wouldn’t want to marry someone like me?”

“No,” he agreed calmly. “I wouldn’t want to marry someone like you.”

“Because?” Valerie wasn’t sure why she continued to probe, why it was necessary for her to understand his reasons. She only knew that she felt a compelling urge to ask.

“You have a brilliant future ahead of you,” he said, not meeting her eyes. “Your father’s proud of your accomplishments, and rightly so. I admire your drive, your ambition, your ability.”

“But.” She said it before he could. There had to be a
but
in there somewhere.

“But,” he said with the slightest hint of a smile. “I’m not interested in getting involved with an up-and-coming female executive. When I commit myself to a woman and a relationship, I want someone who’s more…traditional. Someone who’ll consider making our home and rearing our children her career.”

“I see.” He was wise to acknowledge that she wasn’t the type who’d be content to sit quietly by the fireplace and spin her own yarn. No, Valerie would soon figure out how to have that yarn mass-produced, then see about franchising it into a profit-making enterprise. Business was in her blood, the same way medicine was in his.

“I don’t mean to offend you,” he said.

“You haven’t,” she assured him, and it was the truth.

The elevator arrived and they stepped inside together. Neither spoke as Colby pushed the appropriate button. The doors silently glided shut.

Valerie wished they weren’t alone. It seemed so intimate, so private, just the two of them standing there.

“Valerie, listen…”

“It’s okay,” she said, smiling up at him. “Really. I asked, didn’t I? That’s how I am. You were honest with me, and I appreciate that. It’s true I’m attracted to you,
but that’s probably fairly common in our circumstances, since you saved my father’s life and all. Being attracted doesn’t mean I’m in love with you.”

“I know, it’s just that—” He broke off hastily, his eyes probing hers. “Oh, what the hell,” he murmured, the words so low that Valerie had to strain to hear him. Then his hands were taking hold of her shoulders and drawing her toward him. His mouth unerringly found hers and without conscious intent, she responded to his kiss, feeling none of the awkwardness she experienced with other men. The kiss was much like the man. Warm, deliberate, devastating.

She heard a soft moan from the back of her throat.

His head shifted restlessly before he released her. He dropped his arms, looking completely shocked. Valerie didn’t know what had distressed him most—the fact that he’d kissed her or that he’d enjoyed it.

“Valerie, I…” Her name was a whisper.

Just then the elevator doors opened, and Colby cast an accusing glare at the nurse who entered. Grabbing Valerie’s hand, he jerked her onto the floor before the elevator doors closed again.

“This isn’t CCU,” she protested, glancing around. Good grief, they were on the maternity floor. Down the hall, a row of newborns was on display behind a glass partition.

But Colby didn’t give her a chance to get a closer look. Still holding her hand, he led her to the stairwell. He held open the door, then released her and dashed up the steps. He was halfway up the first flight before he
seemed to realize she was no longer beside him. He turned back impatiently.

“Colby,” she objected. “If you want to run up the stairs, fine, but you’re in better physical condition than I am. I sit at a desk most of the day, remember?”

“I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“What, racing up the stairs?”

“No, kissing you!”

“It was nice enough, as kisses go,” she said, out of breath from the exertion, “but don’t worry, you won’t have to marry me because of a simple kiss.” The only way she could deal with this experience was to deny how strongly it affected her, push aside these unfamiliar, unwelcome feelings. She suspected that was how Colby felt, too.

“Our kiss may have been a lot of things, but simple wasn’t one of them,” he muttered.

“You’re worrying too much about something that really isn’t important.”

His eyes held such a quizzical expression that Valerie continued talking. “You’re tired, and so am I,” she said, making excuses for them both. “We’re under a great deal of stress. You’ve had a long, discouraging day and your guard slipped a little,” she went on. “My being so pushy didn’t help, either. You kissed me, but it isn’t the end of the world.”

“It won’t happen again.” He spoke with absolute certainty.

Pride stiffened Valerie’s shoulders. “That’s probably
for the best.” Colby was right. Her personality was all wrong for someone like him. A doctor’s work was emotionally demanding and physically draining; she couldn’t blame him for seeking a wife who’d create a warm cocoon of domesticity for him. A home filled with comfort and love and peace. Valerie couldn’t fault his preference. She wished him well and determined to put the kiss out of her mind.

The next afternoon, Valerie went downtown. The streets of Orchard Valley greeted her like a long-lost friend. She felt heartened by the sight of the flower-filled baskets that hung from every streetlight.

The clock outside the Wells Fargo Bank was still ten minutes slow, even after thirty years. When Valerie was thirteen, a watchmaker from somewhere out East had been hired to repair the grand old clock. He spent most of a day working on it, then declared the problem fixed. Two days after he’d left town, the clock was back to running ten minutes late and no one bothered to have it repaired again, although it came up on the town council agenda at least once a year.

The barbershop with its classic red-and-white striped pole whirling round and round was as cheery as ever. Mr. Stein, the barber, sat in one of his leather chairs reading the
Orchard Valley Clarion,
waiting for his next customer. Valerie walked past, and when he glanced over the top of the paper, she smiled and waved. He grinned and returned the gesture.

The sense of homecoming was acute, lifting her spirits. She passed the newspaper office, two doors down from the barbershop; looking in the window, she noted the activity inside as the staff prepared the next edition of the
Orchard Valley Clarion
. She hadn’t gone more than a few steps when she heard someone call her name.

She turned to find Charles Tomaselli, the paper’s editor, directly behind her. “Valerie, hello. I wondered how long it’d take before I ran into you. How’s your dad doing?”

“About the same,” she answered.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He buried his hands in his pants pockets and matched his pace to hers. “I haven’t seen Stephanie around.”

“She’s still in Italy.”

Although he gave no outward indication of his feelings, Valerie sensed his irritation. “She didn’t make the effort to come home even when her father’s so ill? I’d have thought she’d want to be with him.”

“She’s trying as hard as she can,” Valerie said, defending her sister. “But she’s stuck in a small town a hundred miles outside of Rome—because of that transportation strike. But if there’s a way out, Steffie’ll find it.”

Charles nodded, and Valerie had the odd impression that he regretted bringing up the subject of her sister. “If you get the chance, will you tell your father something for me?”

“Of course.”

“Let him know Commissioner O’Dell called me
after last week’s article on the farm labor issue. That’ll cheer him up.”

“The farm labor issue?” Valerie repeated, wanting to be sure she understood him correctly.

Charles grinned almost boyishly, his dark eyes sparkling with pleasure. “That’s right. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but your father would make one heck of an investigative reporter. Tell him I said that, too. He’ll know what I mean.”

“Sure,” Valerie agreed, wishing she knew more about the article and her father’s role in it.

“Nice seeing you again,” Charles said, turning to head back to the newspaper office. He hesitated. “When you see Stephanie, tell her hello from me,” he said over his shoulder.

“Of course. I’ll be happy to.” Thoughtfully, Valerie watched him walk away. Charles not only edited the
Clarion,
he wrote a regular column and most of the major features, like the farm labor story he’d just mentioned. Considering his talent and energy, she was surprised he’d stayed on with a small-town paper; he could have gone to work for one of the big dailies long before now. But then, these days, with major newspapers folding, maybe he’d been smart not to leave.

She found it interesting that he’d asked about Steffie. Several years ago, Valerie had suspected there was something romantic developing between them. Steffie had been a college student at the time and Charles had just moved to Orchard Valley. She remembered Steffie
poring over every article, every column, exclaiming over Charles’s skill, his style, his wit. To Valerie, it had definitely sounded like romance in the making. His comments about Stephanie now suggested it hadn’t been entirely one-sided, either.

But then, romance was hardly a subject she knew much about. So if there
was
something between Steffie and Charles, it was their business and she was staying out of it. She knew just enough about relationships to make a mess of them. A good example of that was how she’d bungled things with Colby.