The Bride Wore Red Boots (25 page)

Perry shuffled one more time back in Mia's direction, although nobody else would have identified it as a shuffle. “You asked about Miss Joely here. She's doing great. We all wish there were faster progress in that leg, but we haven't given up. The nerves are still healing. Meanwhile, I've come with some news. We've got a spot in the rehab facility for you, Joely. A month there and you should be well on your way to getting home. In fact, how would like to go home for your family's postponed Thanksgiving?”

Neither Mia nor Raquel gave her any chance to react. They pounced on the announcement like kids on birthday presents.

“Jo-Jo, that's fantastic!” Raquel jumped to hug her.

“I think it'll be so good, for you and for us,” Mia added. “And for Mom, to see you getting better. She's so worried.”

“I . . . would love that.” Joely took in the hugs and the congratulations, but she was far less excited than her sisters.

“I promise you're ready for the visit,” Perry said. “But you'll get tired. We'll work on some occupational therapy that'll prepare you for getting around in the car and at home. Then, you can go right to the new facility after that and that's where the real work will start.”

“I haven't been doing real work?” Joely joked.

“Prep work,” he winked. “For the hard core.”

“Great. Looking forward to it.”

Rory listened to the exchange carefully and then, surprisingly, picked up Joely's hand. “You'll get to meet Jack,” he said.

That simple promise brought the first true smile to Joely's face since being told she could go home. “You know what? I think I'm most excited about that.”

Raquel caught Mia's eye and gave a thumbs-up. Mia understood. Whatever brought light to Joely's eyes was a great thing.

“Mia?” Perry turned to her while Rory went back to the game with Joely. “I actually did come up here for another reason. I asked the desk to page me if you showed up to visit. I'd like to ask for a date.”

“Excuse me?” she exclaimed.

Everyone's head popped up. Perry laughed, an easygoing chuckle that diffused Mia's confusion. “Sorry,” he said. “I couldn't resist. I just wondered if you'd come and have coffee with me right now for just a few minutes. I'd like to talk to you about a couple of things.”

“Woo hoo.” Raquel raised her brows at both of them.

Perry's grin turned self-conscious, but he mostly ignored her. “Maybe your young charge could stay here, and I'll have you back in half an hour.”

“Would you mind, watching Rory?” Mia asked.

“Nah, we'll have a blast,” Raquel said.

Mia nodded, curious now about what this could possibly mean. “Okay, then. You've got a date.”

He nodded, pleased. “Excellent. Ladies, we'll be back shortly.

S
HE SAT ACROSS
from Perry in the cafeteria restaurant that served all buildings and sections of the VA campus. It was a modern, trendy place with California kitchen organic food and a decent grill. She sipped her latte and waited for him to pour two packets of sugar into his black coffee.

“I'm sure this seems pretty odd,” he said.

“No. Two colleagues meeting for coffee.” She smiled. “Happens all the time.” He cocked a brow and she laughed. “Okay, yeah. Unexpected. Not unpleasant.”

“I have two reasons for asking you to meet with me. The first concerns you. The second, your sister.”

Her nape hair prickled in a first mild note of alarm. “Okay.”

“The first is this.” He pulled a neatly folded sheet of paper out of his lab coat pocket and handed it to her. This is brand new. It was posted today. I had to sit on my hands to keep from telling you about it early, since I knew the position was opening.”

She unfolded the letter and read the job posting. When she finished she looked at him, stunned.

“Board certified, general surgeon? Seriously? Did you make this up?”

“I didn't, but if I'd thought I could ever get someone like you, I would have. The truth is, this is my department once Dr. Swenson, the man retiring from here, leaves. From the moment I read your credentials, I've known we could use someone with your drive and your expertise.”

She didn't know what to think. It was flattering, but the thought of moving back here to a tiny, relatively closed community and leaving New York, the place that had made her the doctor she was . . . The idea sat in her mind as ludicrous. And her heart pumped like it was running a marathon.

Gabriel.

Rory.

Joely.

The horses.

“I am so honored that you're thinking of me,” she began. “I don't have some of the other qualifications—orthopedic experience. Trauma.”

“Those are plusses, not requirements. If you had any interest in those fields you'd go after them in a flash. I have no doubt.”

The flush of excitement that came with a new possibility swept through her. The same flush she got when considering her next career path. Or the anticipation of a challenging case. The only thing that dampened it was the fear that this was just a little too good to be true.

“That's kind of you to say. I just don't know.”

“I don't expect you to know. I certainly didn't expect you to jump in excitement over something you'd never considered. But, when this came up, I thought of all that's going on with your family and that you might be considering coming back here at some point. It's just information.”

“This is very, very nice of you.” Her hand shook a little as she handed the paper back to him.

“No, keep it just for reference. If you do want to know more about it just give the number a call. Or call me.”

“No hard sell?”

“If you call for information, then I'll give you my sales pitch. What I will tell you, and don't repeat this, is that I'll have a lot to say about the person who's chosen. If you were to apply I think it's safe to say I could influence the other members of the selection committee.”

Flustered, and pleased despite herself, she shook her finger at him. “Why, Dr. Landon. That almost sounds like job fixing.”

“Not in the least. It's the closest you'll get to a hard sell today. I won't deny for a second that I would love to work with you. If you were interested, believe me, I'd do everything in my power to see that I got that chance.”

She let herself bask in the stunning joy of being so wanted. Such a completely different sensation than the one she'd had after losing the job in New York. Finally she shook her head and smiled.

“Okay, you'll have to let me be overwhelmed and think on this for a while. I truly am flattered. So. Let's go on to topic two. What about Joely?”

“Joely? Oh! It's not about Joely.”

“Really?”

At that his face did flush ever so slightly. “It's about Raquel.”

“What!” She grinned at him. “What about her?”

“I hope it's not presumptuous to say that I felt comfortable asking you this. Do you think she would ever consider dating an older man?”

“Hah!” Mia jumped to her feet, reached across the table, and gave him a light punch in the arm. “I knew it!”

“Does that mean you mind, or you don't mind?” He looked relaxed now that he'd spilled his secret, all traces of embarrassment had vanished.

“Perry, my new friend, if you can get Raquel the tomboy interested in anything besides her job, we'll throw you a party. How much older do you think you are?”

“I know for a fact because I'm shameless at sleuthing. She's twenty-four, I'm thirty-six.” He grimaced. “Sounds a little worse when you say it out loud.”

“Nonsense—Grandma Sadie was twenty years younger than Papa Sebastian. Believe me, you're fine. Just go in armed with patience—Raquel is a confirmed tomboy and numbers geek. When she dates it's to get into some sporting event. You'll have to convince her you're not out to be her pal.”

“I consider myself forewarned. Thank you, Mia. I should have gone right to her, but I didn't want to make it awkward for her to come around. Now that Joely will be leaving the hospital we won't be in such close quarters.” He pushed his chair back and checked his watch. “I have surgery in forty minutes, so I should go. He stood, circled the table, and held out his hand. “Thanks again. For not thinking this is absolutely ridiculous on my part. I promise you my next step is not a note with check boxes: ‘Do you like me, yes or no?' ”

She waved off his handshake and surprised herself by offering him a friendly hug. “I wish you luck. It's a long distance relationship, you know—even though we're all coming back more often lately.”

“I, uh, have family in Denver. I figure in a best case I might make trips that direction, too.”

“Then I definitely wish you success. This is how much fun all dates should be.”

“Oh really? Should I be taking notes?” Mia jumped at the sound of Gabe's voice.

She pulled away, laughing, from Perry's embrace. Gabe's movie-star features were frozen in bland friendliness, one brow arched, the corners of his mouth tilted upward in a meaningless smile.

“Hello, Lieutenant Handsome,” she said. “Guess I was caught red-handed.”

Perry offered a handshake, and Gabe took it, his features not warming. Mia's stomach flipped happily at the obvious jealousy.

“I'm off,” Perry said. “Good to see you, Gabe. Mia, you think hard about that offer. I want you.”

She almost lost it and let her laughter spill. The line couldn't have been more perfectly timed for misunderstanding. Just like Rory and the social worker that morning. Only suddenly, the day sparkled like a sunny Florida summer beach.

She giggled when Perry was gone. “Sit down. Stop looking like he kicked your puppy.”

“He was touching my girl.”

“No. Really, your girl—wait, is that what I am?”

“After last night?”

“Oh, yeah.
That
.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “I never got a chance this morning to tell you that last night was pretty cool. Anyway. I was the one who hugged him.”

“That's so much better.” He relaxed into the joking, and she reached across the table to take his hands.

“I like the jealousy,” she said.

“I don't have to be, though, do I?” He looked at their hands, a smile with a sheepish tinge playing at his mouth.

“You do not. Because . . . One, he offered me a job. Two? He likes Raquel.”

She loved how he could blush and laugh at the same time. All these things she was learning about him.

“I couldn't be happier to look like an idiot,” he said, and he kissed her.

“Y
OU REALLY ARE
not adept when it comes to sports, are you?” Gabe nearly tripped over Rory as he led the way through the back door, stomping snow off his boots. A little irony, he supposed, considering he'd just been ragging mercilessly on Mia for being uncoordinated.

“Give me a break. I played chess,” she said.

“I can play chess,” Rory added.

“I know. You're not bad either, for a football player.” Mia tugged his stocking cap over his eyes and Rory flailed his hands, laughing.

“I am a football player,” he said.

“Well, I really, really like Mia,” Gabe said. “But I can't lie. She is
not
a football player.”

“When you both bust your butts playing touch football next time, it's me you'll be coming to see. So I wouldn't be too mean to the doctor.”

“Bust your butts.” Rory's undulating, Elmer Fudd–like giggle spilled out like a rushing brook. “Bust your
butts
!”

He hung his jacket up on a hook and threw his wet mittens and hat in a basket as he'd been taught and scampered away, still chortling. Gabe was glad to see the little bit of silliness. Three days since arriving, Rory was settling in. He could charm the socks off any of the women in the house. He liked Skylar Thorson who'd come to play video games after school a couple of times, and who was teaching him to be comfortable around horses by letting him help her with horse chores. She also gave him little mini lessons that Rory talked about incessantly. He liked Cole and was enamored with Grandma Sadie, but the person he adored was Mia. And Gabe was in clear second place.

He liked the boy. A lot. Most of the time he forgot how much he could remind him of Jibril. The Jibril of the past, of course, since he would be seventeen or eighteen now, nothing at all like Rory. Gabe consciously refused to think about the letter he'd sent to Iraq. He seriously didn't expect it to bear fruit, so he concentrated on this child, growing ever more grateful for the chance to reconnect with a young person. He'd missed it.

He studied Mia as she removed her hat, jacket, and snow boots. She had the fluid beauty of a woman in total control of her body. Another gorgeous irony, since she couldn't catch a football unless tossed from fewer than twenty feet. He didn't care. She didn't need football on her resume. She straightened, looking like a ski bunny in her purple snow pants and thick white sweater. He wrapped his arms around her and pinned her to the wall with his body.

“Maybe after the
Phantom Tollbooth
tonight we can check on those mustangs again.”

Twice now they'd managed their tryst. He doubted anyone was fooled about mustangs or any other excuse, but the sneaking was a little bit fun. He kissed her, lingering over her sweetness, the scent of outdoors clinging to her.

In the main house the landline rang. He ignored it, and she delved deeper into his mouth with her agile tongue, rendering him all but indifferent to the rest of the world. He let himself grow drunk on her sweet wine taste and the little sounds of pleasure she couldn't keep to herself.

“Sorry to walk in on your, ahem, private love suite, but there's a phone call for you, Mia.” Harper grinned at them from the kitchen door, not sorry at all.

Gabe liked Harper, too. The dynamics blossoming within the family of sisters fascinated him. Harper was quickly becoming the heart of Paradise Ranch, with her mother's help and her grandmother's towering wisdom. The other sisters, Mia included, looked up to her now. Things were much different than when Gabe had first met them all two-and-a-half months before.

“I'll take it in the office.” Mia smiled, and he reluctantly gave her room to duck out from his hold. “I think you're the mustang I'll have to check on tonight.” she whispered into his ear as she left, her hair swinging around her shoulders.

“You've been good for my big sister.” Harper relaxed against the side of the door. “And I don't mean just a little bit good. I've never seen her like this.”

“Like what?”

“Happy and nice. Not nice to us so much as nice to herself. And happy. Did I mention that?”

“You did.”

“I don't know where you two will end up. Long term, I mean. I kind of know where you'll end up tonight.”

He squinted in embarrassment and scratched at his head, fluffing out the hat hair. “That obvious, huh?”

“I'm still in that stage myself—sneaking away with the guy I love. Be patient with Mia. On the other hand. If you aren't sure for any reason? She's crazy about you. And she's almost as crazy about Rory. Sometimes these things happen overnight—don't doubt it.”

“You've all accepted me pretty easily. I appreciate it.”

“Hah. That
was
easy. We liked you before she did.”

He hugged her on his way through the door and kissed her on the top of the head, feeling, finally, like he belonged.

He headed for the stairs and the guest room where he'd left his dry clothes so he could change out of winter long underwear and wet jeans. Rory was nowhere to be seen, so Gabe planned to head first for his room to make sure he was there. Such a domestic chore. He wondered for the first time what it would be like, checking on his own flesh and blood son or daughter. He didn't need one; he believed that. Rory was the perfect kind of child to make a family with—one who would have to go through The System otherwise. But the thought of biological kids no longer seemed unthinkable. A little girl like Mia. A little brother for Rory . . .

Whoa!

That was getting so far ahead of himself, or the times. But rather than make him recoil as it maybe should have, the thought of being with Mia forever, come what may, made him smile. Made him excited for the future.

His path took him through the living room and past the open door to Mia's father's old study—a dark navy and burgundy masculine space that hadn't been changed since Sam's death.

“This is very much a dream come true.”

He heard Mia's voice, breathless and charged with disbelief. He stopped, frowning. Gabe dealt every moment of his work days with privacy issues and handling peoples' sensitive personal information. He didn't hold with eavesdropping or spying. But some gremlin, fueled by the fantasies that had just been engulfing him, rooted him in place.

“Of course, I would love to talk with you. You know how I feel about that position.”

That position
.

There was only one “That Position.” The pediatric job at New York General. His heart began to race.

“I'm planning to return Friday of next week. Wouldn't that be soon enough? . . . I see. Wednesday at three o'clock . . . Can I call you back within the hour, Mason? I have some complications to smooth out here . . . No, no, just plans to reschedule . . . Thank you. I'll do that. I'll talk to you soon. Thank you again, so much.”

Gabe stood by the open door, his heart in his socks, watching her stare at the cordless phone in its cradle. He shoved down the desire to rush in, grab her into his arms, and beg her to stay. Instead, he turned from the doorway, pressed himself into the corner outside the office, and let his head fall back against the wall. Swallowing, he closed his eyes. Resentment, anger, and hurt burned through him like acid. He'd done it. He'd jumped in all the way, ignoring the inner voices that had cautioned him for the past month. He'd let himself believe that overcoming his fear of openness and commitment was the healthy way to move ahead.

He'd fallen for her. He'd fallen for the kid. He'd fallen for the whole damn family. But when it came down to the truth, it turned out the falling was one-sided. New York and big goals were, just as Gabe had always known deep inside, Amelia Crockett's true lovers. If that weren't the case, she'd be jumping at the new job she'd been handed, and choosing him over a career most of a country away.

His eyes stung, both with grief and anger. Pressing hard into their corners with his thumb and forefinger, he was working to control the emotions when he heard her gasp. He opened his eyes to find her beside him.

“Gabe?”

“Good news, I hear,” he said, as evenly as he could.

Her face fell. She bit her lip. “The pediatric surgery chief resident's position,” she said. “The person they hired was released from his contract today. Some cheating scandal in his recent school past. I . . . ” She met his eyes. “The job is mine if I go in and pass an interview with the selection committee.”

“Well, that's terrific, Amelia. I'm happy for you.” His tone was unfair, and her eyes filled with confusion.

“What's wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing. It sounds like your luck has changed. It's wonderful.”

She stared as if registering his annoyance for the first time. “My. That was convincing.”

“Honestly? I can't say I'm not a little shocked. You'll be heading out almost right away if I correctly understood the end of the conversation I stumbled upon.”

“If it's what I decide, I'll fly to New York for the interview tomorrow and be back before our Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. That's all it is—the interview. They just need it done before December first.”

“Friday. And when do you start?”

“Gabe!” She touched his arm. “I haven't taken the job.”

“Don't be ridiculous. Of course you have, or you will. It's your dream.”

“It is,” she said. “So why are you angry?”

He started to deny it, but she was so secure in herself, so single-minded about her dream that his resentment wouldn't let him wimp out.

“I'm angry at myself for thinking you might have considered this something that affected both of us. I realize now that I was presumptuous.”

“That is not fair.”

“No. It isn't.”

“Are you asking me not to go?” She firmed her lips.

“Of course not.”

“It sure sounds like it.”

He sighed. She was right. He didn't want her to go. He wanted to be more important to her than some job. She was also right that it wasn't fair of him at all.

“I'm sorry. You're right.” He tried to soften his voice. “I'm basing my feelings on a very short amount of time spent with you. I don't expect you to change your life for someone you've known a matter of weeks. That would be foolish.”

He couldn't read anything on her face. She stared at the floor, her hands in loose fists, her mouth still in a tight line of control.

“How can you talk like the past weeks don't matter? That I'm not considering everything we've gone through?”

“I know you care.”

“Then trust me. Let me see what they're offering.”

His anger deflated. His resentment dissipated. But the hurt remained, stinging like hell. He pulled her very gently toward him by one arm and kissed her on the brow.

“You're absolutely right,” he said. “Go. Follow your dream.”

E
IGHT YEARS OF
living in New York had given Mia a healthy respect and a reluctant love for the city. Truth to tell, she didn't spend that much time walking its iconic paths—most of her time was spent in the hospital or at the homes of her friends. Still, she'd never hated it. Until today.

Admittedly, it had been a little comforting to step back into her condo with all its familiar furnishings and the decorating she'd chosen. But it had also seemed empty and a little sterile, like a pretty museum room. She longed for a touch of warm knotty pine somewhere. And she'd slept fitfully after calling home. She'd talked to Rory and was assured he was fine, having a blast with Skylar's Border Collie, Asta, who didn't even mind Jack although she chased the barn cats. But she hadn't been able to reach Gabe. He never answered his phone, and Mia didn't know whether to be crushed or furious. Part of her knew just how he felt—he didn't want her to leave Wyoming. The other part of her wanted only his support in whatever she chose.

After the restless night, she'd braved the little coffee shop on her building's corner, standing in a cranky New York line and jostling for her turn to be served and fighting her way back out onto the street. Longing for one of Grace's gooey caramel rolls, she'd made her way to the hospital and visited with Brooke and Sam. They fussed over her and feted her with lunch and stories from the past month, but when she'd gone back to her office and greeted her colleagues, there were no hugs or back slaps. Then again, there never had been. She didn't roll that way in her professional life. Why in God's name would she notice it now?

She took an hour before her meeting with the committee to find some kitschy souvenirs for her family. She bought Rory an I Heart NY T-shirt to remind him of home, but the whole time she found herself hating the streets, the crowds, even the Christmas tree sellers taking up space on the sidewalks. She'd always thought the city way of selling trees to hold its own kind of charm. Now she wanted the real pines of Wyoming.

By the time she returned to New York General a familiar headache jackhammered in her temples. As she dug for her ibuprofen, it occurred to her she hadn't taken a single pill in nearly a month. But then she reentered her domain, this time not as a visitor but as a professional. Being back in her element eased her headache and relaxed her knotted shoulders. Familiar and safe, as her apartment had been, the hospital was one of her two havens in the hurricane that was New York. Finally, a tiny flutter of excitement swooped through her stomach. This was her part of the city.

Mason Thomas met her in the conference room and did, actually, offer a welcome embrace. Professional and appropriate. “Hello, Mia. We've definitely missed you around here. There's a little zing and spirit lacking when you're gone.”

“You've no idea how nice that is to hear. And I want to thank you for this second chance. I'll do my best to live up to your vote of confidence.”