Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“But don’t you want to go and get your shop opened? You can at least catch the after-work crowd.”
“If there were ever a reason to take a day off, last night was it.” He grabs his keys out of his pocket and jingles them. “I insist.”
“I mean, if you insist.”
“I do.” He offers me his arm. “I’ll walk you down.”
We leave the apartment—I double-check the locks on the doors—and descend the stairway. Maddox’s Rolls-Royce is still parked out front, and we get in.
He puts his keys into the ignition and the vehicle roars to life. Classical music comes through the radio.
A warmth fills my cheeks. “You kept the classical station on.”
“Of course.” He shrugs. “I’m dating a classical musician. I have to learn as much as I can about her chosen field.”
I wrinkle my forehead. “My chosen field is nursing.”
“One of your chosen professions, then. There’s not exactly a nursing station on the radio.”
I fold my arms. “Fair enough.”
The drive into town is smooth with very little traffic. Maddox pulls into the garage where he parks when he’s at Aces and, as always, jumps out of his seat as soon as we’re parked to open the door for me.
We take the elevator down to street level and walk to the front door of St. Charles General.
He wraps his arms around me. “Have a great day, baby. I can’t wait until the next time I see you.”
I squeeze his waist. “Me neither.”
“Maddox! Alissa!”
I break the embrace to see Dr. O’Rourke waving at us through mittened hands. He looks as gorgeous as ever, a scarf with thick stripes of blue and white around his neck and a dark overcoat over his medical jacket. I’d be staring at him if he didn’t pale in comparison to the man I’m currently embracing.
Maddox grins. “Harrison. Was wondering if I’d run into you.”
Dr. O’Rourke grins. “I see you two are still an item.”
“You could say that,” Maddox says.
Dr. O’Rourke elbows Maddox in the ribs. “This asshole isn’t giving you too much trouble, is he?”
“Not at all, Doctor.” I look up at Maddox. “I’ve found him quite charming.”
Dr. O’Rourke laughs. “Well, you’ll find out soon enough what a bastard he is.”
“Thanks, Harry,” Maddox says sharply.
Dr. O’Rourke’s eyes twitch. “I told you never to call me that.”
“I’ll stop calling you that when you stop antagonizing me in front of my girlfriend.”
I drop my jaw. His girlfriend?
My heart nearly explodes.
It’s silly. I’m acting like a schoolgirl. I might as well be doodling “Mrs. Maddox Hathaway” in my journal surrounded by little hearts.
“So you two are official?” Dr. O’Rourke asks.
“I suppose we are.” I squeeze Maddox’s hand and then give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “My shift’s about to begin. Have a wonderful day, Maddox.”
“You too, gorgeous.”
“You opening the shop today?” Dr. O’Rourke asks.
“Taking the day off.”
Dr. O’Rourke’s eyebrows fly upward. “Maddox Hathaway? Taking a day off? Losing twenty-four hours’ worth of profit?” He grins at me. “He must have it bad for you.”
Maddox just shakes his head. “Keep an eye on her, Harrison. Make sure she’s… Just make sure she’s safe.”
Dr. O’Rourke narrows his eyes. “St. Charles is extremely safe. Occasionally we get a patient who’s a little whacked in the head, but I always make sure the nurses are taken care of.”
“Good. Just… Just keep it up, then.” Maddox gives me one last kiss on the lips and then turns toward the parking garage.
I wave as he—my boyfriend—departs.
Dr. O’Rourke offers me his arm.
“Thank you.” He’s got magnificent biceps, and most nurses would kill to be in my position, but I feel absolutely nothing.
We take the elevator up to our floor. The second it opens, Dinah pounces on me.
“Alissa! Have you heard?”
I walk off the elevator. “Have I heard what?”
“It’s Lou!”
Oh, God. Did he have another cardiac issue? He flatlined just a few days ago.
“Is he…?”
“Oh gosh, no.” Dinah covers her mouth. “Sorry. I should have been clearer. We found a match for him. He’s going into surgery right now for the transplant.”
I drop my jaw. “No kidding. So he and Carol are both going to be all right?”
“They are. They could have years together once they’re both fully recovered.”
“And Carol’s recovering okay as well?”
Dinah nods. “Never better. She’s not young, of course, so they’re going to hold onto her for a few more days before they send her to rehab, but they brought her down to see him when they broke the news.” She hugs me. “Sometimes miracles do happen, Liss. Don’t ever forget that.”
I feel a warmth in my heart at her words, but only for a minute.
Because sometimes miracles do happen.
And sometimes the head of an innocent young woman ends up buried in a park.
Lou deserves to live. Carol deserves to live. And May deserved—past tense—to live.
Two of them rolled the dice and won. The other didn’t.