Lisa tried to get Mary Bea back down on the table, but the little girl fought her all the way. Finally Lisa managed to get her flat on her back, although she couldn’t remove Mary Bea’s arms from around her neck.
The surgeon had obviously had a great deal of experience with reluctant children and managed to examine her quickly and surely. She had just finished when the nurse entered the room with the results of the blood test. The surgeon studied them for a moment, then turned to Lisa with a solemn smile.
“It’s my opinion that your daughter has an inflamed appendix that needs to come out as soon as possible,” the surgeon said.
Daughter! Nick’s heart almost stopped at the word. Mary Bea wasn’t his daughter. His daughter had died in a hospital just like this.
“She’s our niece,” Lisa corrected when Nick couldn’t find the words with which to speak.
“Is her mother available?”
“No, but we have permission to seek treatment.”
“Good.”
Nick drew in a long breath as the surgeon explained the procedure to them. She reviewed the risks of the surgery, which seemed to include a myriad of horrible possibilities, including death. Nick had second, third and fourth doubts about letting them operate. What if something happened to Mary Bea? Once again, he found himself fighting an urge to sweep Mary Bea up in his arms and take her as far away from the hospital as possible.
He knew he couldn’t do that. Mary Bea was very sick, and she needed treatment. He just couldn’t stand the thought of losing her, too.
“I don’t want to wait,” the surgeon said. “There is always a danger of rupture, which can cause a lot of other problems.”
“Then let’s do it,” Nick said.
“Can I stay with her?” Lisa asked.
“Yes. I’ll have the nurse give her a mild sedative now, so we can ease some of her distress. Then we’ll take her up to surgery. As soon as it’s over, I’ll let you know how it went.”
“Will she be okay?” Lisa asked, sounding as desperate as Nick felt.
The surgeon smiled at them both. “There’s always a risk, but I think she’ll be fine. I really do.”
Nick let out a breath. “Thank you.”
“I’ll be back with the medication,” the nurse said, as all three of them left the room. “Do you think we’re making the right decision?” Lisa asked.
“Yes.”
Lisa nodded. She put her hand around Mary Bea’s wrist, touching the bracelet with her fingers. “Goodness, this feels so hot. I guess Mary Bea’s body heated it up.”
“It felt that way when I took it out of your purse.”
“I don’t remember it ever being so warm.”
“Maybe it’s the magic. I pray it is. I’ll believe anything if it will help Mary Bea,” he said defiantly, daring her to contradict him, but for once Lisa didn’t argue.
“I guess I will, too,” she said simply.
The nurse came back a few moments later with a hospital gown that was way too big, and a needle that looked just as bad. Mary Bea seemed resigned to being stuck again, and within a few minutes, she became drowsy.
“I’m sorry, I’ll have to remove the bracelet as well,” the nurse said.
Lisa took it off of Mary Bea and slipped it onto her own wrist. Then she kissed Mary Bea on the cheek and whispered in her ear. “I’ll be here when you wake up, honey. Just take a nice nap, and you’ll feel better.”
Nick kissed Mary Bea, then put his arm around Lisa as an orderly took their niece up to surgery.
He turned Lisa into his arms as soon as they were alone, and she slipped her hands around his waist, resting her head on his chest. Nick hadn’t held her in such a loving, tender way in a very long time, and he’d missed it. He felt his emotions threatening to spill out, all the love and anger and fear coursing through his body like an onrushing wave. She’d been his wife, his lover, his best friend. How had he lost her? Why?
Lisa slowly lifted her head and looked at him. Her own eyes were wet with moisture, her face pale and tense.
“I can’t believe we’re here again. I didn’t think I’d ever be in this position again.”
“You were great. “”After a few anxious moments,” she admitted. “You kept me on course.”
“You did the same for me.”
She sighed. “Now we wait.”
“Yeah, we wait.”
“Are you going back to work?” Lisa asked as they walked out of the Emergency Room and down the hall toward the main bank of elevators.
“No, I’m staying here with you.”
“It will be nice to have company.”
“Even mine?”
“Especially yours. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“Me either. I…”
“I guess I’ll call my mother and see if she can pick up Dylan from school and wait at the house for Roxy to come home. We should have asked the doctor how long it will take.”
“I’m sure we can find a nurse or someone to tell us that.”
The elevator doors opened, and Nick stepped inside. He was surprised to see Lisa still standing in the corridor. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I—I just remembered. I was supposed to fax something to Raymond this afternoon.”
“He’ll have to wait,” Nick said, feeling a surge of satisfaction.
Lisa slowly walked into the elevator. “I’m sure he’ll understand.
He’s really a great guy. “
Chapter 19
“I do not understand why Elisabeth hasn’t sent me some copy,” Raymond said, checking his watch. It was almost four. He had faxed her the information just after ten. Surely, she had something by now.
Raymond stood up and looked out the large window behind his desk, while Paul Evans, one of his senior account executives, sat quietly in a chair, obviously not sure how to reply. Elisabeth was, after all, not just an employee but Raymond’s fiancée. Raymond knew the other staffers had grown wary around her, seeing her as an extension of him.
He also knew Paul would love a shot at the Nature Brand account, which created his current dilemma. Did he wait for Elisabeth to come home? Or did he bring Paul in on the account? He felt torn between loyalty to his fiancée and loyalty to his company.
“I’m sure Elisabeth will fax you something soon,” Paul said casually.
“She’s very reliable.”
“Yes, she is,” Raymond admitted, without turning around. His mind focused for a moment on the sight before him—downtown Los Angeles, tall skyscrapers, narrow streets, traffic, smog, excitement, even a little danger, everything he loved. He’d grown up in the nearby San Fernando valley, in the backyard of Hollywood and Beverly Hills. His father had worked in special effects for MGM studios, and he’d spent hours watching his father create magic with his camera It was probably one of the reasons he’d gone into advertising, another way of creating magic.
There was no doubt that L.A. was where he wanted to spend the rest of his life. He loved the flash of this southern California city, the weather, the movies, the fantasy women haunting the streets for their chance at a part in a movie, the clothes, the jewelry, and the money.
Most of all he loved being a success, dining with powerful people, being invited to premieres, living the good life. And he wanted that good life to continue. He wanted the Nature Brand account, yet he’d lost an entire day because of Elisabeth.
He couldn’t stop the surge of anger that filled his body. It occurred to him that Elisabeth hadn’t called him once since she’d left. He’d called her—every damn day.
He turned around and found Paul watching him with a speculative glint in his eye.
“I want you to work up some more ideas for me, Paul, and they have to be better than the last ones. Monty thought they sucked. And I’ll need them by tomorrow night, because I have a lunch meeting on Wednesday with the Marketing VP. at Nature Brand.”
Paul straightened in his chair, trying to look unconcerned, but Raymond knew the younger man had been longing for this opportunity. He was a young hotshot eager to make his mark, and Paul wouldn’t care if he left muddy shoe prints all over Elisabeth’s back in the process.
Elisabeth would hate him for bringing Paul in on the account. She’d already had a couple of run-ins with Paul and found him to be arrogant and unprincipled. At the moment, Raymond was more concerned with whether or not the younger man could come up with some dynamite copy.
“I’m not taking this account away from Elisabeth,” Raymond added. “But she’s in a difficult situation right now, and I think we should support her.”
“Whatever you say, boss.” Paul leaned forward in his chair. “By the way, I have a friend who just got a job at the Wickham agency. She’s only working in the mailroom, but sometimes interesting information comes in the mail, if you know what I mean.”
Raymond understood exactly what Paul was trying to say. He’d never stolen from a competitor before—at least not blatantly. Still… no, he forced the thought out of his head. He didn’t need to cheat to beat Beverly.
“I think we can win this one on our own without any help from a clerk in the mailroom,” Raymond said.
“Sometimes it’s good to know your enemy.”
“That’s true. Ask Connie for my file on Nature Brand on your way out,” he added.
Paul stood up and sauntered out of the office, standing a lot taller than he had when he’d walked in. Raymond stared down at the papers on his desk, knowing there were other matters that needed his attention.
The phone rang, and he smiled. Elisabeth. He eagerly reached for it, without waiting for his secretary to pick up. “Raymond Curtis.”
“Hello, this is Rachel Carstairs.”
Raymond sighed at the sound of his wedding consultant’s voice. “Hello.”
“Elisabeth was supposed to come in at lunch today for her final fitting,” Rachel said. “I hope she’s not ill.”
“No, she had to go out of town unexpectedly.”
“Oh, dear. We really need to take care of this as soon as possible.”
“I’ll have her call you.”
“Please do. And what about the invitations? I know Elisabeth wanted to handle that herself, but she did promise to give me the list so I could double-check the numbers.”
“I’ll have her call you,” Raymond repeated somewhat helplessly.
Mrs. Carstairs didn’t say anything for a moment. “Very well. I won’t take up any more of your time, Mr. Curtis. Have a nice evening.”
“You too,” he muttered as he hung up the phone. He might as well go home and have that nice evening, since he wasn’t accomplishing anything here. Or maybe—maybe he should drive down to San Diego and surprise Elisabeth. He pushed the button on his intercom. “Connie? I need to track down the address of Maggie Scott,” he said, pulling out the note Elisabeth had left for him with the phone number. “She lives in Solana Beach, and I know if anyone can find her, you can.” He sat back in his chair with a satisfied smile. He’d never liked to wait. Taking action was much more his style, and that’s exactly what he was going to do.
Maggie heard the sound of her own voice coming over the answering machine, requesting her to leave a message. She checked her watch. It was almost four. Lisa and Nick were probably picking the kids up from their various activities.
“Hi, it’s Mom,” she said cheerfully. “I just wanted to see how everyone is doing. I love you guys. I’m blowing you a kiss. Here’s one for Roxy, my smart teenager, who I hope isn’t giving Aunt Lisa any gray hair. Here’s one for Dylan, my big boy—don’t watch too many video games. And here’s one for Mary Bea, my sweet baby. Love and hugs to all of you …” Her voice caught in her throat as she thought about the kids and how much she missed them, but she wasn’t just doing this for herself—she was doing it for them, too. If Keith was still alive … “Anyway,” she said, knowing she was running out of time. “Lisa, I hope it’s okay that you stay with the kids. If it’s not, make Nick stay. I hope you guys understand. I have to do this. I’ll call again when I know more. Bye.”
Maggie hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and headed toward the winery entrance where Jeremy was waiting.
He sat on a bench outside a train station. This particular winery was built on top of a hill, and a small open air train took visitors up and down to the winery. Since it was a Monday, the visitors were sparse, and aside from the ticket taker, Jeremy was the only one in sight.
He smiled when he saw her, that slow, knowing smile that made her heart catch, her stomach clench and a thrill rundown her spine. She was becoming addicted to his smile, to the look of desire in his eyes.
With him she was simply a woman and not somebody’s mother. It had been a long time since she’d felt that way. Not that she didn’t love her kids, she told herself again. But somehow in the hoopla of marriage and kids, she’d lost a bit of herself, and she was just now getting it back—with Jeremy, a handsome stranger. Who would have thought she could have attracted a man like him?
Jeremy stood up as she approached. “Ready for more wine?”
“You might have to carry me before we’re through.”
“Promise?”
She laughed at his devilish smile. “I weigh more than you think.”
“I’m stronger than you think.” He playfully flexed a muscle as he winked at her.
“You are so great. Why hasn’t some woman snatched you up before now?
There must be something you’re not telling me, some deep, dark secret of why you’re still available at the age of what—thirty-three?”
Jeremy shook his head. “Hey, I’m only thirty. Don’t age me like that.”
Thirty? He was younger than her by a year. Younger. She suddenly felt the gap was about twenty years instead of one. She’d been married. She’d had children. A lifetime of experience separated them.
Jeremy’s eyes turned serious. “What’s the problem? You don’t like thirty-year-olds?”
“I’m thirty-one.”
“Ooh, an older woman.”
Maggie tried to smile but couldn’t. She took her ticket out of his hand and walked over to the train entrance. “We better go. It’s getting late, and I want to check this place before it closes.”
Jeremy stepped into the waiting train and sat down across from her.
They were both silent as the train lurched out of the station, then up the hill to the winery. “Do you really think a year makes that much difference?” Jeremy asked.
“No, of course not.” It wasn’t the year, it was everything else he didn’t know.
“Something is bothering you.”
“It’s not. I’m just moody. See, you’re starting to get to know me, and the bloom is already off the rose,” she said, drumming her fingers on the seat beside her.
Jeremy got up and sat down next to her. Before she could say another word he leaned over and kissed her. It was a hot, lush kiss, more potent than the wine they’d tasted earlier.
Jeremy’s hand worked its way inside her collar, his fingers warm against her skin. She moaned as his tongue slid into her mouth, tasting him as he was tasting her.
“You’re driving me mad,” Jeremy whispered, as he bit down gently on the tip of her earlobe.
Maggie closed her eyes against a bolt of sensation that hit every erogenous point in her body, leaving her tingling, wanting.
When she opened her eyes, Jeremy was staring at her. “I want to make love to you.”
“There are things—”
He cut her off with a finger against her lips. “That I don’t know about you. There are things you don’t know about me. For instance, I really enjoy making love.” l|
Maggie swallowed hard. “That’s—that’s good.”
“It can be really good. Especially with a woman who is willing to explore.”
“Explore what?” she asked, feeling both excited and dismayed by his titillating words.
“Explore the ways a man and a woman can find pleasure.”
“Would these ways be painful?”
He smiled. “Am I scaring you?”
“You’re turning me on,” she admitted. “But I’m not— I’m not all that experienced.”
“You don’t have to be experienced, just attracted, interested willing. You know I want you,” he said bluntly. “You know I came with you because I want you.”
“Yes.” Maggie licked her lips, then gasped as Jeremy’s tongue followed the same motion as hers.
He trailed his lips down the side of her face, her neck, her collarbone. He undid the top button of her dress so his tongue could drawl a swirl of pleasure along the curve of her breast, until she wanted to rip her shirt open so he could have better access to the parts of her that wanted his greedy, hungry mouth.
The train jerked to a stop. “What—what happened?” Maggie gasped.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure we’ll get going in a moment.”
Maggie looked around. They were halfway up the hill, not a soul in sight. “How long do you think it will take before we start moving?”
“A few minutes probably.”
“I feel so vulnerable.”
“Don’t think about it. Think about this.” He kissed her again, his hand moving against her chest, unbuttoning two more buttons on her dress. His hand slipped inside, cupping her breast. After a heart-stopping moment, his fingers pulled aside the lacy cups of her bra and caressed her bare skin.
Maggie would have gasped with pleasure, but Jeremy’s mouth made a mockery of every other kiss she’d ever received. His fingers worked magic against her breast. She completely forgot about where they were and put both arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
His mouth left hers, and she almost begged him to come back, until she felt his fingers unhooking the front clasp of her bra. His mouth replaced his fingers in the valley of breasts, the curve of one, then the other, finally settling in on the center of her being, feeling, tugging, tasting, sending electric shocks throughout every part of her body.
And she wanted more. Maggie shamelessly pressed his head against her breast, and when his hands slid up under her breast, she welcomed them, yearning for his touch.
Maggie ran her hands through his hair, loving the feel of his mouth on her breast, his hand on her thigh, slipping inside her panties. She did gasp then as his fingers found her hot spot, as he caressed, first slow, then fast, until she felt herself losing control.
“Don’t stop,” she whispered.
And he didn’t, not for several mind-blowing minutes of pleasure that left her shaky and breathless. He lifted his head and smiled at her.
She felt a little embarrassed that it had all been for her.
“I had a good time, too,” he said with a smile, reading her mind.
“Not as good as me.” She suddenly sat up, hooking her bra, fumbling with her buttons, as she realized where they were. “I can’t believe you just did that, and I let you. Anyone could have seen us.”
“No one did.”
“I know, but—but I’ve never done anything like that before. I feel wild.”
“Oh, man, I wish you hadn’t said that. It makes me wish …” He took a deep breath and let it out.
“Maybe I could help you.” She put her hand on his thigh, and he jumped.
She smiled, feeling a delicious sense of power now that the tables were turned. “I want to be fair.”
“Hey, it’s broad daylight.”
“That didn’t stop you.”
“Well, it’s going to stop you,” he said, removing her hand from his thigh. “Unless you want to end up completely naked on this bench.”
“Mm-mm, I have a feeling you could make me forget just about anything.”
His eyes darkened, and his breathing grew ragged. “Damn. Damn. Damn.
I wish to hell we were in a nice private bedroom right now.”
“No one can see,” she teased, repeating his own words.
“Okay, let’s do it.”
His hand moved to his belt buckle and Maggie felt a rush of excitement,