Emergency: single dad, mother needed Page 7

  “Really?” Gabe brightened. “That would be great.”

  Still somewhat confused by Gabe’s presence at her house this late, she went into the kitchen for the wine. Gabe took it from her fingers. “Do you have a corkscrew?”

  What was it with men needing to be in charge even of something as simple as opening a bottle of wine? Suppressing a sigh, she opened the drawer and handed him a corkscrew, then went to another cupboard for the wineglasses. Gabe deftly opened the wine and she waited while he poured.

  “Cheers.” He lifted his glass and she had to smile when she remembered how they’d done this same thing at his house with milk.

  “Holly.” Gabe’s expression turned serious. “I’m sorry about this afternoon.”

  “You are?” Her left eyebrow arched skeptically.

  He stared at her for a minute. “No, not really.” At her look of astonishment, he went on, “I mean, I’m not sorry I kissed you. Dammit, I’ve done nothing but dream about kissing you. But something happened—one minute you were in my arms, the next you were running as far from me as you could possibly get. I’m sorry for whatever I did to make you run.”

  “You didn’t do anything.” Holly carefully set her wineglass on the counter. How could she explain what she wasn’t sure she understood herself? “It’s me, Gabe. I don’t want to get involved with anyone from work.”

  He was silent for a moment. “So you’re telling me if I worked at some other hospital in the city, things would be different?”

  Spoken so bluntly, her reasoning did sound ridiculous. They both specialized in pediatrics, and there was only one children’s hospital in the Twin Cities area. But feelings and emotions weren’t always logical. She lifted a shoulder. “I guess. Yes, things might be different.”

  “So it was the driver honking at us that freaked you out.”

  His persistence was annoying but he deserved the truth. “Look, Gabe, I’ve had enough of gossip to last me the rest of my life.”

  “Gossip?” He took another sip of wine, gazing at her over the rim. “Because of Tom?”

  She sucked in a harsh breath when he nailed the truth.

  His eyes filled with compassion. He set his own glass aside and crossed over to her. “Holly, I’m sorry. What happened?”

  She didn’t want to tell him, but then realized if she did explain all the gory details, he’d understand why her request wasn’t unreasonable. “I was pregnant, about twenty-five weeks along, when the cramping pains started. At first I thought it was just that I needed to rest, but they got worse. I was at work, so I found myself a wheelchair and called Tom’s cellphone.”

  Gabe’s hands were suddenly holding hers, tightly.

  “He didn’t answer, and didn’t answer. So I called my doctor and she came running over to push me up to the labor and delivery area. My friend Lisa was with me, too. I kept calling Tom, leaving frantic messages as I knew he wasn’t scheduled to do surgery that day. As it happens, there is a whole suite of on-call rooms along the hallway leading to the elevators to go up to L and D. I could hear a cellphone ringing from one of the rooms and suddenly the door opened, and Tom was telling a completely naked, tiny blonde female OB resident how he had to leave.”

  Gabe’s hands tightened on hers, and he swore under his breath.

  “Looking back, the expression on his face when he saw me sitting there in the hall outside the call room was pretty comical. But then the pains got bad, really bad, and I was rushed past Tom into the delivery room. My daughter was stillborn. At twenty-five weeks, Kayla Marie was too young to live.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  GABE couldn’t believe Tom had been so cruel, so callous as to blatantly have had an affair where he worked. Where they’d both worked. And hearing Holly’s story made his suspicions about Tom’s infidelity prior to his marriage to Holly all the more damning. He knew he should probably tell her his suspicions yet at the same time there was no sense in hurting her any more. Not until he had proof. She’d been through enough pain.

  No wonder she’d freaked out when the car driver had honked his horn at them. Tom’s affair had been so public, he could easily imagine the extensive gossip she’d endured.

  Especially after giving birth to a stillborn baby.

  “I’m so sorry you lost your daughter.” He couldn’t imagine anything worse than losing a child. Especially now that he had JT. “Kayla Marie is a beautiful name.”

  “She was beautiful.” Holly’s smile was sad. “But you know what? I grieved more for her than I did for the end of my marriage.”

  “You had every right to be angry.” Gabe found himself growing more furious by the minute. What in the hell had Tom been thinking? Not only had Tom broken his vows, he hadn’t been there for Holly when she’d needed him most.

  “Discovering how Tom was having sex with a colleague while I was losing my baby made me vow to never get involved with anyone where I worked ever again.”

  The anguish underlining her tone tugged at his heart. He understood her logic but didn’t like the way she seemed to almost blame herself for what had happened. She deserved better. “Holly, remember how I walked out on your wedding?” When she nodded, he continued, “I had a huge fight with Tom that day, and the fight was about you.”

  “Me?” Her eyes widened.

  “I told him he didn’t deserve you. And in turn he accused me of wanting you for myself.” He stared into the bottom of his wineglass for a moment, wishing more than anything he’d told her his suspicions before, even without proof. Finally he dragged his gaze up to hers. “He was right. I did want you for myself. I barely held back from kissing you that night we danced, so don’t for a moment think I wasn’t tempted because I was.” His voice dropped to a husky note. “And I always thought you were too good for him.”

  A tremulous smile played across her mouth. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” He set his own glass aside and approached her, reaching out to tuck a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. Her skin was silky soft. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I still want you. More than I did six years ago. But things with JT…” He frowned, reluctant to tell her everything. “Are complicated.”

  “I see.” Although the puzzled expression shadowing her eyes belied her words. “Did you wait until JT was asleep before leaving him with a babysitter?”

  “Yeah.” He automatically checked his cellphone to make sure Marybeth hadn’t called.

  “And you came by this afternoon while he was gone on his trip to the farm,” Holly said slowly.

  He stared at her for a moment. Okay, he could see the pattern for himself, he didn’t need Holly to point out the obvious. Did you talk to the pretty lady? Is she going to come over? Damn.

  “Try to understand. JT’s been through a lot these past few weeks. After losing his mom, he’s going to be looking for another woman to take her place.” He spread his hands wide in a helpless gesture. “I don’t want him to get hurt.”

  The wounded expression in her eyes made him feel like a heel. “And you think I would?”

  “No.” What could he say to make her understand? Heck, being alone with Holly was making him doubt his own logic. “I was seeing a woman fairly seriously when Claire died. But Jennifer wasn’t happy when I brought JT home to live with me. And she didn’t want to continue our relationship once she knew I was serious about adopting him.”

  Holly sucked in a harsh breath. “Why?”

  He lifted a shoulder. “She didn’t want a ready-made family. But you know what’s funny? Like you, I think I grieved for JT’s loss far more than the ending of my relationship. JT was with me. He and I agreed to stick together. Nothing else mattered.”

  “She was an idiot.” Holly’s stout declaration made him smile. “She didn’t deserve you either.”

  “JT asked about you tonight as I was tucking him into bed.”

  A ghost of a smile tugged at her lips. “He’s sweet.”

  “He wants to know if you’ll come for
dinner.” He reached for her hand, knowing he was standing too close to the edge but unable to back away from the cliff. So he took a leap of faith and jumped. “Will you?”

  She bit her lip, hesitation in her eyes. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.” And he was. Sure that he wanted to spend more time with Holly.

  “Then I’d love to.”

  “Tomorrow night?” Tomorrow was Sunday, he’d have plenty of time to run to the grocery store for whatever he needed.

  She nodded. “Gabe, I’d never hurt JT.”

  “I know.” He couldn’t resist tugging on her hand until she moved closer. Wrapping his free arm around her waist, he pulled her toward him, bending his head to find her mouth with his.

  She melted against him and he deepened the kiss, reveling in the heady feeling of having Holly in his arms. He could easily get addicted to holding her, kissing her. For long moments he was lost in the sweet taste of her. As much as he wanted to push for more, to lift her in his arms and find her bedroom, he knew it was too soon.

  Breathing heavily, he broke off the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. “Holly, tell me to go home.” Ask me to stay.

  “Go home.” But her tone lacked conviction and she curled a fist into his shirt, as if she couldn’t bear to completely let go. “What if JT has another nightmare? He’ll panic if you’re not there.”

  She was right. As much as he didn’t want to leave, he knew she was right. And her concern for JT touched his heart. Holly was nothing like Jennifer. Hope swelled in his chest. This could work.

  “Tomorrow night,” he reminded her in a hoarse tone, willing his heart rate to return to normal. “Come early.”

  “All right.”

  He wanted to kiss her again, but forced himself to let go, to take a step back while he still could. She reluctantly let go of his shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles, and it took every bit of willpower he possessed not to haul her close and kiss her again. “Good night, Holly.”

  “Good night.”

  Leaving wasn’t easy. Yet even as he drove home, congratulating himself on being smart, Gabe acknowledged he’d taken a big risk in asking her to come for dinner. Imagining JT’s reaction was easy. The boy would make more out of the evening than he should.

  Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly. Everything would be fine. He’d just have to explain to JT that he and Holly were just friends.

  Yeah. He snorted loudly. Sure. Just friends.

  A friend with whom he wanted very badly to make love.

  Holly agonized over whether or not she was doing the right thing, agreeing to have dinner with Gabe and JT.

  Gabe’s concern for JT was humbling. As much as she resented being lumped in with the woman who’d been stupid enough to leave him when he’d provided his nephew with a loving home, she also understood Gabe’s caution was part of what made him a good father.

  How could she fault him for that?

  Her experience with her own father and with Tom had forced her to believe that most men were extremely selfish. Selfish when it came to sacrificing their family for their own needs.

  So far, Gabe’s actions proved he was anything but selfish. She admired his dedication to JT.

  Gabe had let her know that dinner would be ready at five-thirty in the evening. Earlier than she normally ate but she understood the time would suit JT. Just another example of how Gabe put JT’s needs first. At three-thirty, she headed over to Gabe’s house, with a container brimming with her mother’s home-made chocolate-chip cookies.

  “Hi,” Gabe’s gaze was warm, approving as he opened the door to invite her in.

  “Hi.” She handed him the container of cookies. “I brought dessert, my mother’s home-made chocolate-chip cookies.”

  “Excellent.” Gabe’s face lit up. “JT’s favorite.”

  “Is she here?” Holly heard JT ask, seconds before he came dashing across the room. “Hi, Dr. Holly!” He threw his arms around her waist in an exuberant hug.

  His enthusiasm dispelled her fears. “Hi, JT.” She bent over to return his embrace, poignantly aware of how much she’d lost when Kayla had died. “Hey, you look much better than the last time I saw you.”

  JT nodded and stepped back. Then he grasped her hand, tugging her farther into the room. “Do you wanna see my new truck?”

  “I’d love to.” She willingly followed him over to where he’d left a shiny black pick-up truck. Clutching a remote-control device in his small hands, he made the truck spin in a circle and race off down the hall. She laughed. “That’s awesome.”

  “Can I get you something to drink?” Gabe asked.

  When she glanced over at him, she noticed a guarded expression in his eyes. Her smile faded. Did he regret inviting her over? “Water would be fine.”

  “I bought some wine and soft drinks, if you’d prefer.”

  What she preferred was the grape juice and milk he’d offered her last time. At the very least she preferred a smile. But Gabe wasn’t smiling. “Maybe later.”

  “Look, Dr. Holly, watch this.” JT moved the levers on his remote control and the truck spun around again with such force the momentum made it flip over and over several times before smacking into the wall.

  “JT, remember I told you to be careful of hitting the walls,” Gabe warned.

  JT seemed oblivious, more worried about his truck than the wall as he hurried over. Anxiety laced his tone. “Uncle Gabe, I think it’s broken!”

  “Bring it here.” Gabe was calm, reassuring as he sat on the edge of the sofa while JT ran over with the truck. As their two heads bent over the toy, Holly was aware of how perfect they looked together. No one seeing how Gabe interacted with JT would doubt he was the boy’s father in every way that counted.

  Ridiculous tears pricked at her eyes and she quickly blinked them away.

  The woman who’d walked out on Gabe had to be as selfish as Tom had been. What difference did it make that she wasn’t JT’s biological mother? He was a precious child, a child any woman could love. Maybe raising children wasn’t easy but any woman would be lucky to have Gabe as a partner, as a father for their children.

  Wait a minute. The realization made her take a hasty step back, secretly glad Gabe was preoccupied with patiently trying to help JT fix his truck. She didn’t want a relationship with Gabe, did she?

  The image of the three of them together filled her mind. Her knees felt weak. Yes, she did.

  The enormity of what she longed for immediately made her wonder if there was a way to keep their relationship a secret at work. She wouldn’t want anyone to know. They would need to figure out how to hide their attraction for each other.

  Because she was very much attracted to him. Her intense response to his kisses only reinforced that she had no resistance to him. If Gabe hadn’t been the one to stop last night in her kitchen, to break off the kiss and to walk away, she knew exactly what would have happened. They would have made love.

  Every cell in her body ached to make love with him.

  “There, it’s all fixed,” Gabe was saying to JT. “Now, remember what I said, don’t hit the walls.”

  “Okay.” Relieved, JT came back to Holly. “Da—er—Uncle Gabe fixed it, see?”

  Had JT almost called Gabe Daddy? She noticed Gabe freeze in the act of heading toward the kitchen, his expression a mixture of alarm and pleasure when he glanced back toward JT.

  “I see.” She forced herself to focus her attention on JT. “He’s good at fixing things, I bet.”

  “He had to fix the clothes washer too,” JT confided. “But he said a naughty word. Davy at school said that same word and the teacher called his mom.” JT’s eyes were wide. “Davy got in big trouble.”

  She suppressed a smile. “I’m sure he did.”

  Gabe came back with her water. “I can’t say anything with Mr. Big Ears around,” he muttered under his breath, having overheard JT’s story about Davy.

  No kidding. She gratefully accepted the water, taking a
long sip.

  “I hope you like Mexican food,” he said, ushering her toward the sofa. “Because JT wanted enchiladas.”

  “Whatever you make is fine.” Holly was pretty sure she wasn’t going to be able to eat much anyway. Being here with Gabe and with JT, as if they were a family, was wreaking havoc with her nerves.

  What was she doing here?

  Could she trust Gabe not to hurt her?

  The way he trusted her not to hurt JT?

  She thought she’d be able to relax as the evening went on, but instead she became more and more aware of Gabe.

  His earlier aloofness faded. Now he was ultraattentive, touching her constantly. A hand against her back as he asked her if she wanted anything more to drink. The briefest squeeze of her hand as he drew her into the kitchen when dinner was ready.

  The barely suppressed heat in his eyes as he watched her across the table.

  She drank her wine, even though she knew she didn’t need the stimulant. Was Gabe sending her a silent message? Did he want her to stay once JT went to bed?

  Or was her imagination only playing out her own secret desires?

  JT seemed to be a well-adjusted little boy, considering how traumatized he must have been when he’d lost his mother. Obviously, living with Gabe over these past few weeks was exactly what he’d needed.

  The three of them played games after dinner. JT’s favorite was a board game where one player could bump another player off the board, sending them back to the starting place.

  JT enjoyed himself, but he was also a very bloodthirsty player. He bumped both Gabe and Holly off the board as often as possible. When he won, Holly lifted her hands in surrender, deeming him the expert.

  When it was time for JT to get ready for bed, he asked if Dr. Holly could tuck him in, too.

  Gabe’s guarded expression was back as they both took turns to sit on the edge of JT’s bed and give him a hug and a kiss before going to sleep.