Gabe enjoyed being with Holly, no matter what they were doing.

He’d felt that way years earlier, before she’d married Tom, and somehow the passing of time hadn’t changed a thing. If anything, the desire to be with her only seemed to have grown stronger. Especially since their kiss.

Because she was free. No longer engaged to his friend.

But now he was the one with responsibilities. An emotional young boy, suffering nightmares and reeling from the recent loss of his mother. A boy who desperately needed a father to hold onto.

Laura Iding loved reading as a child, and when she ran out of books she readily made up her own, completing a little detective mini-series when she was twelve. But, despite her aspirations for being an author, her parents insisted she look into a ‘real’ career. So the summer after she turned thirteen she volunteered as a Candy Striper, and fell in love with nursing. Now, after twenty years of experience in trauma/critical care, she’s thrilled to combine her career and her hobby into one—writing Medical™ Romances for Mills & Boon®. Laura lives in the northern part of the United States, and spends all her spare time with her two teenage kids (help!)—a daughter and a son—and her husband. Enjoy!

Recent titles by the same author:

THE SURGEON’S SECRET BABY WISH THE FIREFIGHTER AND THE SINGLE MUM BABY: FOUND AT CHRISTMAS BRIDE FOR A SINGLE DAD HIS PREGNANT NURSE

EMERGENCY: SINGLE DAD, MOTHER NEEDED

BY

LAURA IDING

www.millsandboon.co.uk

EMERGENCY: SINGLE DAD, MOTHER NEEDED

Michele, I love you.

Thanks for being my sister and my best friend.

PROLOGUE

JT STOOD outside in the cemetery between his Uncle Gabe and his grandma. The man wearing all black except for a white collar was talking about what a wonderful person his mom had been and how much she’d be missed. He dug the toe of his shoe into the soft earth, sad because he already missed his mom. He had been waiting and waiting at Uncle Gabe’s for her to pick him up. But she hadn’t come.

Uncle Gabe said JT was going to live with him now. He was glad ’cos he liked Uncle Gabe but he still thought maybe his mom might come. They told him his mom was up in heaven but he didn’t know why they had to put her in the ground first. Maybe she’d be so good in heaven that God would send her back down to earth to be with him.

Grandma was crying. JT felt bad. He’d cried when they’d first told him how his mom had got hurt but now he couldn’t cry anymore. There was a heavy rock sitting on his chest, but he couldn’t cry.

He tipped his head back, looking up at the tops of the trees near the gravesite. Was his mom already up there, looking down at them? Uncle Gabe had explained all about how heaven worked. Uncle Gabe said that his mom would always be there for him, watching over him like an angel. JT wished she didn’t have to be an angel.

He wanted her to come back and be his mom.

Something small moved near the gravestones. It looked like a baby kitty, except the face had dark circles around the eyes. Not a kitty, but a baby raccoon. He watched the way the baby raccoon moved one way and then the other, as if it might be confused.

When the man in black stopped talking, the grownups came over to talk to Uncle Gabe and Grandma. JT ducked away when no one was looking. When he got close to the gravestone he discovered the baby raccoon on the ground was shaking as if it were scared.

Maybe Uncle Gabe would let him keep the baby raccoon as a pet? JT crossed over but the baby raccoon tried to get away, hiding in the grass. He quickly caught it in his hands, but it nipped at his finger. Surprised at the sharp pain, he let it go.

JT sucked the small drop of blood off his finger and watched the baby raccoon run away. Maybe it was too young to be a pet. He thought it must be a boy raccoon, lost and missing his raccoon family.

Just like he missed his mom.

CHAPTER ONE

One month later…

DR. HOLLY DAVIDSON hadn’t even hung up her coat on the back of her office door when her pager chirped. First day on the job as the pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Children’s Medical Center and she was more than a little nervous. She glanced at the text message: Stat ID consult needed in ED.

Okay. She blew out a breath. Guess she didn’t have to worry about keeping busy. Trying to ignore her sudden anxiety, Holly tossed her purse into the bottom desk drawer and then quickly headed down the hall toward the elevators.

Several people nodded or smiled at her as she passed them. The anonymity of working with a sea of faceless strangers was a welcome blessing after the speculative looks and abruptly dropped conversations she’d endured for the year after her divorce.

She jabbed the elevator button with more force than was necessary. Well, now things would be different. She’d come home to Minneapolis, Minnesota after five and a half years to make a fresh start, and to keep an eye on her ailing mother.

Keeping her chin up, Holly entered the busy arena of the ED. A couple of residents hovered around the central nurses’ station, laughing and talking with the nurses. She wanted to warn them not to mix business with pleasure, but doubted her wise advice would be welcome.

“Excuse me, I’m Dr. Davidson. Which patient needs an ID consult?” she asked the unit clerk seated like a queen on her throne at the center of the main desk.

“Just a minute,” the woman muttered, before picking up the constantly ringing phone. “Emergency Department, this is Susan. May I put you on hold for a moment? Thank you.” Susan didn’t seem at all frazzled as she glanced up at the list of patients. “ID consult? Mark Kennedy in room twelve.”

“Thanks.” Holly let Susan go back to her incessant phone calls and walked over to the computer terminal near room twelve, one of the many isolation rooms they had in the ED. She needed to get a little more information about her patient before she examined him.

She logged into the system, relieved her brand-new passwords worked without a hitch, and quickly entered Mark Kennedy’s name to access his current medical record information. He was a fourteen-year-old who’d just entered his freshman year at a boarding school. He’d been brought in for nausea, vomiting, severe headache and stiff neck, complaints he’d had for the past two to three days.

Bacterial meningitis? Or the less severe viral meningitis? She hoped the poor kid had the less serious type but was afraid it was more likely he had bacterial meningitis, given his history of being a freshman in boarding school. They needed a lumbar puncture to make a definitive diagnosis. Had one been done? She scrolled down to read the notes, seeing there was a notation about the LP being performed. The name of the ED attending physician, Dr. Gabriel Martin, registered just as a deep male voice behind her said her name.

“Holly?”

Her heart leaped at the familiar sound of Gabe’s voice. She had to brace herself before turning to face him, knowing the smile on her lips couldn’t possibly be reflected in her eyes. “Hello, Gabe. How are you?”

The shock on his face didn’t make her feel any better. “You’re back?”

“Yes. I moved home a few weeks ago. My mother has some kidney failure as a result of her diabetes.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, the awkwardness painful. Hard to believe they had once been friends. A friendship she’d helped to ruin, long before Gabe had walked out as the best man on her wedding day.

“It’s good to see you.” His statement was polite but the reserved apprehension on his face said just the opposite. “Welcome home.”

“Thanks.” She hadn’t been prepared to see Gabe again, assuming he’d moved on with his life and his career. Since he was still here at the Children’s Medical Center, his career obviously hadn’t changed. On a personal level, though, she suspected they were both very different from the carefree residents they had once been. She swallowed hard and looked over toward the isolation room. “Is Mark Kennedy your patient?”

“Yes.” Gabe appeared grateful to get things back on a professional note. “He’s a fourteen-year-old boy who just moved into a boarding school dormitory six weeks ago. His symptoms are pointing to bacterial meningitis.”

She nodded. “I agree, although we need to isolate whether the source is Neisseria or Streptococcus. I’m leaning toward the latter, since it’s often the cause of dormitory-related infections. Do you have the results of his lumbar puncture yet?”

“No.” Gabe glanced at the computer terminal, which still displayed Mark’s information on the screen. “When I reviewed his history and examined him, I requested he be placed in isolation. Several of the nurses may have been exposed, though. If he does have bacterial meningitis, they’ll need prophylactic treatment.”

“Of course. You’ll need treatment, too.” She turned toward the isolation cart, opened a drawer and pulled out a face mask, gown and gloves. “Have you started him on antibiotics yet?”

“No. I thought I’d wait for your recommendation first. Especially as I don’t know the type of bacterial infection we’re fighting.”

“Start him on broad-spectrum antibiotics,” Holly advised, trying not to notice Gabe hadn’t changed much. Tall, with dark brown hair, bright blue eyes and broad shoulders, he had a rugged attractiveness that she’d always been drawn to. Maybe there were a few more wrinkles around his eyes, but otherwise he looked good. Too good. Distracted, she focused on the situation at hand. “Mark has already had symptoms for almost three days. I’m worried he’s going to take a turn for the worse if we don’t get a jump on this.”

Gabe nodded, agreeing with her recommendations. “I’ll get the antibiotics ordered right away.”

“Great.” Once all her protective gear was in place, Holly stepped into the patient’s room, leaving Gabe to enter the antibiotic order in the computer.

“Hi, Mark. Mrs. Kennedy.” She felt bad for the patient and his family, and could empathize with how it must feel to end up with an infectious disease. “My name is Dr. Holly Davidson. I’m the infectious disease specialist here.”

“Yes, Dr. Martin told me he was calling in a specialist.” Mark’s mom looked upset, her eyes red as if she’d been crying. “Is my son going to be all right?”

“I hope so. We’re going to start treating him immediately.” She approached the bed, shifting her attention to the patient. Gently, she placed a hand on his arm. “Mark? Can you hear me?”

The boy was very lethargic as he opened his eyes and slowly turned his head toward her. “Yeah,” he whispered.

Her stomach clenched. The poor boy was much worse than she’d originally thought. There was no indication in the record that he was this out of it, so maybe his neuro status had only just started to deteriorate. “Mark, we’re going to need to start an IV in your arm to give you antibiotics.” As she spoke, his eyes slid closed and he didn’t respond. She hid a flash of panic. “Mark? Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” He answered without opening his eyes.

She felt for his pulse, reassured herself that it was beating steadily beneath her fingers. She turned toward his mother. “Mrs. Kennedy, Mark seems to be getting worse. I’m worried the infection is affecting his brain.”

Mrs. Kennedy’s eyes widened in alarm. “What does that mean?”

“Just that the sooner we can start the antibiotics, the better.” As she finished speaking, a nurse came into the room carrying IV supplies. As she finished her exam, the nurse prepared to place the IV catheter into the antecubital vein in Mark’s arm.

“Mrs. Kennedy, I’m worried about you and your family. If this is a bacterial infection, as we suspect, it’s highly contagious. You’ll need to wear a face mask to help protect yourself from getting sick.”

The woman paled. “Contagious? What about the rest of my family?”

“I’m afraid they may need treatment, too.” Holly made her tone as reassuring as possible. “The good news is we can treat all of you so you won’t get sick. How many siblings does Mark have?”

“Two younger sisters. They’re only five and seven, children from my second marriage.”

“All right, we’ll make sure everyone gets the medication they need. And we’ll probably need to tell the school too. His roommates may also need antibiotics.”

The nurse placed the IV in Mark’s left arm, the boy barely flinching as she slid the needle into his vein. Once the IV was running, Holly hurried out and grabbed more protective gear for Mark’s mother, helping her to put the items on.

The mask was the most important piece, and Holly reiterated the need to keep the face mask on at all times.

Gabe walked into the room, carrying the mini-bag of IV antibiotics. The nurse took the bag from his hands and hung it on the IV pole, reprogramming the pump accordingly.

“Please, take a look at him. I think his mental status is much worse,” she said in a low tone.

Gabe approached Mark, calling his name just as she had earlier. After a quick exam, concern shadowed his eyes. “He needs to be intubated.” He glanced at the nurse. “Melanie, will you grab the intubation bin?” He turned toward Mark’s mother. “Mrs. Kennedy, I need to put a breathing tube into Mark’s throat to protect his airway. He’s so lethargic I’m afraid he’s going to stop breathing. I’ve already made arrangements for him to be transferred to the PICU.”

Watching Gabe in action, Holly had to admit he was impressive. Especially the way he took the time to explain everything to Mark’s mother. Emergency medicine wasn’t her specialty and she stepped back to stay out of the way and to give him the space he needed to take care of Mark, but Gabe stopped her. “Holly, wait. I’ll need your help.”

“Of course.” Her earlier anxiety returned as she walked back toward the bed, watching Gabe set up his equipment with deft fingers. She placed a reassuring hand on Mark’s arm, hoping and praying that somewhere deep down he’d feel her touch. “Mark, we’re going to place a breathing tube in your throat. It will be uncomfortable for a few minutes, but then your breathing will be much better.” Mark didn’t indicate that he’d heard her but that didn’t mean much. He might not be able to make his muscles obey his commands.

“Help me position his head. With his stiff neck, I’m going to have trouble getting his head tilted to the correct angle.”

She understood Gabe’s dilemma, and moved over to help. The nurse sat next to Mark’s mother, who’d started to cry. Holly wanted to cry right along with her but focused instead on helping Gabe place the lifesaving breathing tube in Mark’s throat. Gabe’s face was close to hers, the worry in his eyes contagious.

“A little more,” Gabe said urgently, as he tried to slide the breathing tube down. “I can’t quite get it.”

Mark’s neck muscles resisted the movement as she struggled to tilt his chin toward the ceiling. She met Gabe’s eyes over his face mask. “I can’t move his head back any more without hurting him.”

Gabe nodded. “All right, then, we need a paralytic. There’s some succinylcholine in a vial on the table. Give him a milligram and see if that helps.”

Holly’s hands were shaking as she tried to draw up the medication. She hadn’t been this involved in an emergency situation since she’d been a resident. The medication would help relax Mark’s muscles, but it would also stop him from doing any breathing on his own. She injected the medication and shot an apprehensive glance at Gabe. “How long before it works?”

“Not long.” He met her gaze, as he gave Mark several deep breaths, using the ambu-bag. “Are you ready?”

She nodded. After the third big breath, Gabe set the mask and ambu-bag aside and she helped tilt Mark’s head back to the correct angle. This time she was able to give Gabe the extension he needed. He slid the breathing tube into place, and pulled out the stylet. “Hurry. Hand me the ambu-bag.”

After disconnecting the face mask from the end, she handed him the bag. He clipped a small device to the end of the endotracheal tube before connecting the ambu-bag, giving several deep breaths. The end-tital carbon-dioxide detector turned yellow, showing the tube was in the correct place. “Listen for bilateral breath sounds, just to make sure,” he told her.

She tucked her stethoscope into her ears and listened as he gave more breaths. She nodded and folded the stethoscope back in her pocket with a sigh of relief. “Sounds good.”

“Melanie, call for a portable chest X ray,” Gabe directed. “And get a ventilator in here.”

“We have the breathing tube in place, Mrs. Kennedy. Mark’s breath sounds are good. I know this is scary, but Mark is better off now with this breathing tube in place.” Holly did her best to reassure her.

“We’ll give him some sedation too, so he doesn’t fight against the breathing tube,” Gabe added.

“Thank you,” Mrs. Kennedy whispered.

Holly was glad to help. She reached over to hold the ET tube while Gabe secured it in place. “Nice job,” she said in a low tone. Gabe’s quick action had helped to save Mark’s life.

His eyebrows rose in surprise and his gaze warmed, lingered on hers. “Thanks.”

For a moment the years faded away, the easy camaraderie they’d once shared returning as if it had never left. She’d missed him, she realized with a shock. She’d missed Gabe’s friendship.

And more? No. What was she thinking? Taking a quick step back, Holly decided it was time to leave.

“I’ll check on the LP results,” she murmured, before leaving the room. Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw Gabe was watching her with a speculative glance.

Her stomach tightened as she let the door close behind her and began stripping off her protective gear. She and Gabe had grown close in those months up until her wedding. But that had been nearly six years ago.

She’d learned two hard lessons since then. Men couldn’t be trusted and never, ever mix personal relationships with professional ones.

Unfortunately, Gabe lost on both counts.

Gabe instructed the respiratory therapist on the vent settings he wanted Mark to be placed on and spent a few minutes reassuring Mark’s mother that they were doing everything possible for her son. He took the time to make sure Mark was comfortable and that his vitals were stable before he left the room. While stripping off his protective gear, he glanced around the ED arena, disappointed to realize Holly was gone.

He opened Mark’s electronic medical record and read her note. She recommended changing the antibiotics now that the LP results were back, confirming streptococcal meningitis. She went on to recommend prophylaxis to any exposed staff and for all of Mark’s immediate family.

He finished arranging for Mark’s transfer to the PICU, and then followed up with the nursing staff who’d been exposed to Mark before he’d been placed in protective isolation. He wrote prescriptions for Mrs. Kennedy’s family and one for himself.

Once he was caught up with his work, he went over to the unit clerk. “Will you page Dr. Holly Richards for me again?”

Susan, the unit clerk, frowned at him. “Holly who? You mean the infectious disease doctor? Dr. Davidson?”

Davidson? She’d changed her name from Richards to Davidson? Had she been wearing a wedding ring? He didn’t think so. The truth hit him like a brick between the eyes. Holly must have divorced Tom, taking back her maiden name.

Guilt burned the lining of his stomach as he realized her divorce might be a part of the reason she’d returned home. He furrowed his fingers through his hair, not entirely surprised by the news.

Damn. It wasn’t too hard to figure out what had happened. He’d bet his life savings Tom had cheated on her. The jerk.

Guilt swelled again, nearly choking him. He should have handled things differently. Why had he believed Tom when he’d claimed he’d changed? Tom had always been too much of a womanizer, and Gabe suspected Tom hadn’t changed, even after Tom had asked Holly to marry him. But he hadn’t had any proof, just the deep niggling suspicion that wouldn’t go away.

On the day of Holly and Tom’s wedding, he’d noticed Tom flirting with Gwen, Holly’s maid of honor, and confronted him. They’d argued bitterly. Tom had sworn he’d given up other women, promising he’d gotten them out of his system once and for all. Gabe hadn’t believed him, telling Tom how Holly deserved better. Tom had turned the tables on him, accusing Gabe of wanting to cause trouble as he desired Holly for himself.

The accusation had been painfully true. More true than he’d wanted to admit.

He’d known the wedding was a mistake, but had figured there wasn’t anything he could do about it. But as the hour had grown closer, he’d realized he couldn’t stay. Couldn’t stand next to Tom at the altar as his best man, watching Holly marry a guy who didn’t deserve her love. So he’d handed the rings to one of the other groomsmen and left the church. In some perverse way he’d hoped Holly would get the message and do the same.

But he’d learned later that she hadn’t walked away. The wedding had gone ahead as planned. She and Tom had moved to Phoenix, Arizona shortly after the wedding, so Tom could take a position as medical director of a large surgical intensive care unit while Holly had taken a critical care fellowship position.

Only now she was back, as Holly Davidson rather than Holly Richards. And she was an infectious disease specialist, not a critical care intensivist.

“Did someone page?” Holly asked, walking back into the arena. She’d come from another room, and he felt foolish for interrupting her while she was seeing another patient.

“I did.” He hated this feeling of unease between them. “When you’re finished, will you give me a call? I’d like to talk to you.”

“I’m ready. I just need to write my note.” She was looking at him with a puzzled expression, as if she couldn’t quite figure out what he wanted to discuss. No surprise, since he wasn’t sure what he was going to say to her once they were alone either.

Regret, mingled with guilt, continued to weigh on his shoulders. He couldn’t help feeling her divorce was his fault. Especially since he suspected Tom’s infidelity might have started before the wedding. Maybe he could have prevented her from marrying Tom if he’d really tried.

“I’ll wait.” Luckily, the ED wasn’t too busy. He’d seen and written orders on all the patients who’d been brought back so far. Mark was the only serious case needing his attention.

Holly strode to the closest computer and signed in. His gaze roamed over her familiar features. She was more beautiful than ever. Her shoulder-length dark hair framed a heart-shaped face. Her dark brown eyes were always warm and smiling.

“Has Mark taken a turn for the worse?” she asked, logging off the computer.

“No, I just sent him to the PICU.” He took Holly’s arm and steered her toward the physician lounge, grateful to find it empty. “And I changed his antibiotics, as you suggested.”

“Good. I’ll go up to visit him in the PICU later. I’m still very worried about him, I hope he turns around with the antibiotics soon.” She glanced around at the empty lounge, then back up at him. “So what’s up?”

He hesitated. There was so much he should say, but part of the problem was that he should have told her his suspicions a long time ago, even without proof to back up his claim. Yet just like all those years ago, the words seemed to stick in his throat.

She sighed and jammed her hands into the pockets of her lab coat. “You don’t have to do this,” she said slowly. “I already know why you left the church the day of my wedding.”

His mouth dropped open in surprise. Had Tom told her about their fight? If so, he’d no doubt left out key details. “You do?”

She nodded, finally bringing her gaze to his. “It was my fault. Because of the night I ruined everything by almost kissing you.”

CHAPTER TWO

THERE. She’d said it. Boldly brought up the night she’d crossed the line, ruining their friendship, forever.

After admitting the truth, Holly felt as if a huge weight had rolled off her shoulders. It was good to have everything out in the open between them. At first she’d been so angry at Gabe for walking out on her wedding, until she’d realized it had been her own fault.

Looking back, she realized she should have taken her subtle feelings toward Gabe, and his subsequent leaving of the church, as a sign. Especially after the horribly public and painful way her marriage had ended. Still, wasn’t it always easier to look back after the fact, to realize what you should have done?

“Holly, it wasn’t your fault at all.”

He was just saying that to be nice. The night she’d almost kissed him, he had been the one who’d pulled back, who’d stopped her from making a terrible mistake. She hadn’t even had a good reason, the situation hadn’t started out as anything more than two friends going to check out a band for her wedding. Tom had been called into surgery, so Gabe had gone with her instead. They’d crashed the wedding, had a few drinks and danced, deciding then and there to hire the band. She’d only intended to thank him for coming along. But the moment she’d looked up into his dark eyes the atmosphere had changed. Suddenly she’d wanted to kiss him. Had actually leaned toward him, until he’d pulled back, making her realize what she’d almost done.

Afterwards, she’d been horrified at her near miss. And, right or wrong, she hadn’t said anything to Tom. What could she say? That she’d almost kissed his best friend? She hadn’t, but being tempted even for a second was bad enough. She’d tried to brush the whole episode off as a foolish mistake, a result of too much wine, but that moment in time had bothered her long afterwards.

“When did you divorce Tom?” he asked.

Her eyes widened. Good grief, had the news of her divorce traveled all the way across the country? A note of panic laced her tone. “What makes you think I divorced him?”

For a moment he looked taken aback by her question. “Because you’re using Davidson, your maiden name.”

She let out an exasperated huff, realizing she’d overreacted. Thank heavens the gossip mill hadn’t reached this far. She didn’t want Gabe to know the gory details. “Not all women take their husband’s name,” she pointed out. After the divorce she’d wished she hadn’t, as changing her medical license in both the state of Minnesota and the state of Arizona had been a pain. “But you’re right. Tom and I split up almost two years ago.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

He was? She ignored the tiny pang of disappointment. “So am I. But I’m over it now.” She didn’t care about Tom anymore. Any feelings she’d had for him had been wiped out by his betrayal.

But she didn’t think she’d ever get over losing her daughter. The familiar wave of grief tightened her stomach. She’d wanted children so badly, had been so thrilled to become pregnant. Looking down into her daughter’s sweet, tiny face and knowing she’d been too young to survive had been heart-wrenching.

She’d never forget Kayla. Lost in the sorrowful memories, she belatedly realized Gabe was staring at her. With an effort she tucked her daughter back into a protected corner of her heart and glanced around. “I, uh, need to get back to work.”

“Wait.” He held out his arm, stopping her from brushing past him. “I’m sorry, Holly. You have every right to be angry with me.”

“I’m not,” she protested. His fingers were warm against her arm and she must be pathetic and desperate to wish he’d haul her close. She needed to get a grip on her emotions and keep a polite distance between them. “Honest.” She stuck out her hand. “Friends?”

He stared at her outstretched hand for so long she feared he wasn’t going to take it, but then his large hand engulfed hers, easing her inner tension. “Of course, Holly. I’ll always be your friend.”

“Good.” One could never have too many friends, right? She missed her friend Lisa from Phoenix, but somehow suspected Gabe wasn’t going to be able to fill that role. She shook his hand firmly, before stepping back. Nothing good would come of rehashing the past. Moving forward was what was important. Taking this position at the Children’s Medical Center was a huge step forward in her career. Now that she was here, she wanted to do a good job.

And if that meant working with Gabe on a professional level, then fine. No problem.

“Gabe?” One of the nurses poked her head into the lounge. “There’s a call for you. It’s JT,” she added when he looked as if he would brush her off.

He nodded and turned away. “I have to take this, Holly. Excuse me.” Without waiting for a response, he strode out to the closest phone.

Curiosity compelled her to follow him, shamelessly listening to his end of the phone call. “JT? What’s wrong?” He paused. “Another nightmare? Hey, it’s all right, buddy. I understand. I’m glad you called, see? I’m here at work. Everything is fine. I love you, JT.”

Holly sucked in a harsh breath, shock rippling all the way down her body to the soles of her feet. From the tone of his voice and the brief reassuring conversation it was easy to deduce JT was a young child.

His son. Gabe must have a son.

Which meant he was likely married, too.

A stab of disappointment pierced her heart, stealing her breath.

“Maybe you’d better let me talk to Marybeth, okay?” Gabe said in a cajoling tone. “Don’t worry, I promise I’ll run home to see you during my lunch-break.”

Holly turned away, feeling slightly sick. Why she was bothered by the fact that Gabe had a son and a wife, she had no idea. He certainly deserved to be happy. But she couldn’t help feeling as if the rug had been pulled out from beneath her.

Maybe because Gabe had a family.

And she didn’t.

For a moment she remembered the excitement of being pregnant, the thrill of carrying a tiny life in her womb.

But she’d lost her small daughter. And in almost the same moment had lost her husband.

No, a family wasn’t in her future.

She must have been standing in a daze because suddenly Gabe was back. “I didn’t mean to ditch you like that, but when JT has nightmares, he needs to talk to me right away.”

“Sure, I understand. Congrats.” She pushed the word through her constricted throat, trying not to dwell on the painful past. “On your marriage and your son.”

“I’m not married,” he said, a slight edge to his tone. “Marybeth is JT’s babysitter.”

He wasn’t married? Skeptical, she found herself wondering if he was really telling the truth, but then remembered how he’d referred to Marybeth by name. He hadn’t said maybe JT should let him talk to Mom, he’d said maybe JT should let him talk to Marybeth. The difference eased the tension in her chest.

“Sounds like you have your hands full,” she murmured. She wondered where JT’s mother was. Had Gabe gotten a divorce too? Did they share custody?

“Yeah, a bit.” He shrugged, although his expression was still troubled. “I’d ask you out for dinner, but I can’t leave JT home alone and his babysitter takes night classes.”

Dinner? As much as she was tempted, she knew seeing Gabe outside work was just asking for trouble. The last thing she needed was to be seen with one of her colleagues outside work. Still, it sounded as if he might need some help. And she was more curious than she had a right to be about JT’s mother. “It’s okay, but if you need help with JT, let me know.”

He flashed a lopsided smile. “Thanks. But I think I have everything under control.”

Of course he did. Gabe was always strong, and extremely competent. The way he’d taken control with Mark proved that. “See you later, then.”

“Take care, Holly.”

She turned away, heading back to her office where she’d left the list of patients she was scheduled to see.

The list was long, but that was all right. Better to keep busy than to wallow in the mistakes of the past.

Or to wish for something she could never have.

After he found someone to cover over his lunch-break, Gabe rushed home, knowing he didn’t have a lot of time. “Hey, JT, how are you?”

“Uncle Gabe!” The five-year-old threw himself into Gabe’s arms. “I missed you,” he mumbled against his shoulder.

Gabe closed his eyes, holding the little boy close. The poor kid had been through so much, yet he couldn’t keep leaving work every day either. “I missed you too, sport.” He hugged JT tight, then eased back to look into the boy’s eyes. “You had the bad dream again?”

JT nodded. “Wild animals came out of the woods and tried to bite me.”

Gabe didn’t understand this sudden fear of wild animals that JT seemed to have. But he suspected the real underlying factor was losing his mother. And worrying if he was going to lose Gabe too. “Last night, before you went to bed, I explained how I had to work today. Remember?”

JT’s lower lip trembled, his blue eyes wide. “I know, but when I had the nightmare, I forgot.”

“It’s okay.” He couldn’t be mad at the poor kid, after everything he’d been through. When his sister, Claire, had been killed in a car crash, he’d taken custody of JT. His mother, who’d recently moved to Florida and remarried, had offered to move back to help out in raising her grandson, but he’d declined her generous offer. After all these years, his mother deserved to be happy.

So he’d taken JT because there wasn’t anyone else. And he’d even gone as far as to apply for formal adoption. He’d managed to get things moving the week after Claire’s death but now they were waiting on DNA tests from the two men who, according to his sister’s diary, may be JT’s biological father. Despite the security he’d tried to give his nephew, JT had a deep fear of losing Gabe in the same abrupt way JT had lost his mom.

He’d hoped the boy’s nightmares would fade over time, but so far no luck. Of course, it had only been four weeks since the funeral.

“Everything all right?” he asked Marybeth, JT’s babysitter. The girl was a young college student who watched JT during the day and took a graduate class two evenings a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. He was lucky to have her, especially when she’d established a great rapport with his nephew.

“Fine,” she reassured him. “JT is always better once he talks to you.”

Crisis averted, at least for the moment. “Do you think he’s okay to attend his pre-school this afternoon?”

“Sure. I think he’ll have fun.”

“Okay, then. I’ll pick him up on my way home.”

“Let me know if you run into trouble, I don’t start class until six o’clock.”

“I will.” The few times he’d had to work late Marybeth had been more than willing to pick JT up after pre-school. He turned back toward JT. “I’m going back to work now, but I’ll pick you up at four. You know how to tell the time, don’t you?”

JT nodded with enthusiasm. “Yep. When the big hand is on the twelve and the little hand is on the four.” He hopped from one foot to the other, his earlier fears seemingly forgotten. “Me and Jeremy are going to play swords this afternoon.”

“Be careful.” Why did boys always want to play with weapons? Gabe figured he must have done the same thing at JT’s age, but it was amazing how almost anything he gave the boy to play with ended up as a sword, a knife or a gun, no matter how hard he tried to discourage it. Maybe JT could use the sword to kill the wild animals in his dreams. He pressed a kiss on the top of JT’s head. “All right, then. I’ll see you later, buddy.”

“Bye, Uncle Gabe.” JT’s face was relaxed and smiling, making him feel better about going back to work. As he strode to his car, he noticed he’d barely have time to wolf down a quick sandwich before seeing patients. But the potential indigestion from eating too fast was worth taking the time to calm JT’s fears.

Too bad he hadn’t been able to ask Holly out for dinner, but leaving JT wasn’t an option. The boy’s emotional status was still too fragile. Would probably be too fragile for a long time to come.

Yet after meeting Holly again that morning, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. Interesting how she’d assumed he’d left because of the moment he’d sensed she’d been about to kiss him when in reality it had been his own response he’d run from. She couldn’t know how close he’d come to crossing the line that night, too. Stepping back from her had been one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do.

Tom had been right during their argument on his wedding day. He had wanted Holly for himself. But that was then, and things had changed. He wasn’t just a single guy anymore, he had JT to think about now. The boy needed a home, stability. Besides, he wasn’t still hung up on Holly.

He’d moved on with his life, had been engaged to marry Jennifer before Claire had died. Their engagement had been broken off when he’d discovered that she hadn’t been at all willing to take JT in as their adopted son. She’d kept arguing that they needed to find JT’s real father, something he was trying to do. His plan all along, even once they found JT’s biological father, was to fight for sole custody of JT.

Forced to make a choice between Jennifer and JT, his young nephew had won hands down. And if the reality of living with a young boy day in and day out was overwhelming, he’d have to learn to deal with it.

He caught a glimpse of Holly leaving the ED and his pulse kicked up in awareness. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore his body’s reaction, telling himself it was only physical because he hadn’t been with a woman since Jennifer had walked out on him.

There were more important things to worry about than the last time he’d gone out with a woman. Right now, JT had to come first.

With everything that had happened in the past, he knew better than anyone that he and Holly could never be more than friends.

Holly spent the rest of the afternoon trying to keep her mind off Gabe and figuring out how to balance the stat calls with the scheduled patients she needed to see. At three-thirty, her mother called to let her know she was finished with dialysis. Holly had just finished seeing her last patient, so she readily agreed to drive her mother home.

The outpatient dialysis unit wasn’t far from Children’s Medical Center, so it didn’t take her long to get there. She tucked her mother into the passenger seat, and then headed to her mother’s house.

Hemodialysis treatments usually left her mother feeling exhausted, but that didn’t stop her from asking questions. “How was your first day at work?”

“Pretty good. Busy,” Holly answered as she negotiated rush-hour traffic. She cast her mother a quick glance. “I really like my job. I have many interesting cases.”

“I’m glad.” Her mother smiled faintly, her face pale. “I hope I didn’t take you away from anything important.”

She thought of Mark, the young boy whose condition was still so tenuous. “No, you didn’t. Although I do have a very sick young man in the PICU.”

“I’m sure you’ll help make him better.” Despite her mother’s reassuring tone, deep lines of fatigue bracketed her mouth. For a moment Holly felt a flash of resentment toward her father. Her father had been Dr. Kendall Davidson, the chief of neurosurgery and he’d died several years ago after a long night of surgery. Her parents had divorced when she’d still been in high school, a traumatic event when she’d discovered her father had been cheating on her mother. When his young lover had become pregnant, he’d filed for divorce.

She’d made peace with her past, except for rare moments like this, when resentment still burned. How ironic that by marrying Tom she’d made the same mistake her mother had.

Tom had seemed to want the same things she did, a loving home and family. Children in particular were important to her, she hadn’t wanted to put her kids through a painful divorce like she’d experienced.

After Kayla was stillborn, Holly had known there wasn’t anything left of her marriage to save. Wisely, Tom hadn’t bothered to put up a fight. To his credit, he’d made the divorce proceedings as painless as possible.

Pushing the memory aside, she pulled into her mother’s driveway and brought the car to a halt. After getting sick, her mother had finally given up her mausoleum of a house to move into the much smaller, more practical home located closer to the hospital. So close she could easily take a care-van to her dialysis appointments. Holly hurried around to open the car door. “Here, let me help you.”

Her mother leaned heavily on her arm as Holly guided her inside. After she’d got her mother settled on the sofa, covered in a warm, wool blanket, she went into the kitchen and threw together a light meal of scrambled eggs and toast, carrying everything out on a tray.

“Thanks, Holly.” Her mother’s grateful tone made her feel guilty for leaving during those years she’d been married to Tom. It was good that she’d come back home. Obviously her mother needed her.

“You’re welcome.” She leaned over to give her mother a gentle hug. “Is there anything else you need before I go?”

“No, thanks, dear.”

“All right, then. Call my cell if you need me.” Holly let herself out of the house, wondering if the time would come that her mother might need more full-time care. If so, she’d do her best to take care of her.

Family was important, even if her father and Tom hadn’t thought so.

Her pager went off and she paused in the driveway to glance at the display. The message wasn’t from work, as she’d expected, but rather from Gabe.

Please, call me when you have a minute, Gabe. He’d left his number on the text message too.

Was he still at work? Had something happened to Mark? With a frown, she flipped open her cellphone and dialed his number.

“Hello?”

“Gabe? It’s Holly. What’s wrong?”

“I picked up JT from his pre-school and something just doesn’t seem right. He’s running a low-grade fever and has chills.” Gabe sounded uncertain, not at all like his usual self. “I don’t think it’s serious, but I could use a second, unbiased opinion.” He paused and then added, “If you’re not too busy.”

She hesitated for the barest fraction of a second before she realized she was allowing her personal need to stay away from him to interfere with taking care of a sick child.

How could she turn him down? After all, she’d offered her help. “Of course I’m not too busy. I’ll be right there.”

CHAPTER THREE

HOLLY wasn’t sure what to expect when she arrived at Gabe’s house. Luckily, his directions had been easy to follow, but when he opened the door before she had a chance to knock, it was clear his usual calm composure had deserted him. He wore a haggard expression and his brown hair stood on end, as if he’d raked his fingers through it non-stop for the past few hours.

“Thanks for coming over.” Gabe stepped back to allow her to come in. “I’m pretty sure JT just has a virus, but I want to make sure I’m not missing something, like strep. I’ve peered down his throat so many times I’m starting to doubt myself.”

“That’s because you’re thinking like a parent, not like a doctor.” She’d seen plenty of stressed parents and those with medical backgrounds weren’t any different.

“Yeah, maybe.” He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I know I’m probably overreacting, but this is the first time JT’s been sick.”

“The first time, ever?” She was taken aback by the news, considering the boy was five years old. Most kids at least had the occasional ear infection or bout of flu before the age of five. “I’m surprised.”

She barely had time to notice the warm, welcoming earth tones of his living room before he dragged her down the hall to his son’s room. “I’d like you to take a look at him. My first instinct was to treat him with a pain med and wait to see how he does overnight, but he’s been so listless I’ve started to doubt my objectivity. Be honest. Tell me if you think I should take him into the clinic.”

“All right.” Odd, it wasn’t at all like Gabe to doubt himself. He was after all board certified in emergency medicine. Taking care of sick kids was his specialty.

But, then again, she’d made similar mistakes with horrible consequences. Assuming her cramping pains during her pregnancy had been from stress and not from placenta previa, a condition where the placenta broke away from the wall of the uterus prematurely. She’d down-played her situation and had lost her daughter as a result.

Even if she had gone to seek help earlier, there really hadn’t been a chance of saving the baby, not at only twenty-five weeks gestation. Still, her medical knowledge hadn’t helped her then.

Gabe’s might not be helping him now either.

He pushed open the door to a small, cozy bedroom. “JT? Hey, buddy, this is Dr. Holly. I’ve asked her to take a look at you.”

“Hi, JT.” She approached the boy, who was curled up on the bed.

“Hi.” His dark blue eyes, so much like Gabe’s, stared up at her. “I don’t feel so good.”

“So I hear.” She sat on the edge of his bed, noticing his face was flushed. She offered a reassuring smile. “Does anything hurt you?”

“My head hurts.”

“Hmm. How about your throat?” She felt his forehead, noting he was indeed running a slight fever but not one that was dangerously high. She trailed her fingers down to his throat. No swollen glands from what she could tell. “Can you open wide for me?”

Obediently he opened his mouth. “Ah-h-h.”

Using her penlight, she peered down his throat. No sign of any infection at all, from what she could see. Although maybe it was too early to tell. “Great job. How about your tummy? Does that hurt?” She gently palpated JT’s abdomen, and he didn’t wince, neither did she find any enlargement of his liver.

“No, just my head. The lights are too bright.”

Hmm. Strange that he would have photosensitivity. She spent another minute or so examining him, but didn’t find anything seriously wrong. His pupils were equal and reactive. Yet, like Gabe, she sensed something just wasn’t quite right. She glanced back at Gabe, who hovered over her shoulder. “You treated his fever?”

“Yeah, I gave him a dose of pediatric pain med right before you came over.”

“Good.” JT closed his eyes, either because the light was too bright or he was simply tired and falling asleep.

“He was fine at noon when I came home for lunch,” Gabe muttered. “Suddenly I pick him up from his preschool class and he’s running a fever and not acting at all like his usual self.”

“I’m sure it’s just a virus,” she assured him.

“So you don’t think I need to take him in?” Gabe asked.

She hesitated for a moment, and then shook her head. “No, I think I’d wait and watch him. If his headache persists tomorrow, though, I’d take him in. Kids do get headaches with fevers.” She rested her palm against JT’s flushed cheek for a moment, thinking how young and innocent he looked.

JT’s eyelids fluttered open. “You’re pretty,” he murmured.

His sweet expression tugged at her heart. It was no secret where the boy had gotten his charm. “Thank you.”

She glanced up to find Gabe watching her intently.

“JT obviously has good taste,” he murmured in a low tone.

Raising a brow, she didn’t try to come up with a response. Since JT was starting to doze off, she gently stood and tiptoed out of the room. Gabe followed her, softly closing JT’s door behind him.

By mutual consent, they moved into the living room so they wouldn’t wake him. Gabe’s expression held chagrin. “I suppose you think I’m an idiot for calling you over.”

“Not at all.” Holly subtly looked for pictures of JT’s mother, but didn’t find any. “I’m sure it’s not easy being a single parent.”

“No, it’s not.” Gabe dropped onto the sofa with a sigh. “I don’t know what got into me, but suddenly I was staring down at him, thinking the worst. And then I thought of how stupid I’d look if I took him in for nothing. But if you hadn’t answered your page, I probably would have risked it.”

“Hey, it’s all right. I really don’t mind.” She sat in the matching love seat across from him. “I know it’s none of my business, but where is JT’s mother?”

Gabe stared at his hands for a long minute, before lifting his head, his eyes dark with pain. “She died in a car crash less than five weeks ago.”

“How awful,” she murmured, thinking it was a good thing JT had someone like Gabe as his father.

“Yeah, it’s been a little rough, more so for JT.” Gabe abruptly stood. “Are you hungry? I made some spaghetti for dinner but JT wasn’t hungry. The least I can do is feed you for your trouble.”

His abrupt change of subject caught her off guard, but hearing that JT’s mother had died so recently she supposed she couldn’t blame him for not wanting to talk about it.

Gabe headed for the kitchen, leaving her little choice but to follow him. She knew being here with him was like tempting fate to repeat itself, but the spicy garlic and oregano scents drew her forward.

“Have a seat.” Gabe waved at the small, oak kitchen table. “This will only take a few minutes to warm up.”

Her stomach chose that moment to rumble loud enough for Gabe to hear. Leaving now that he knew she was famished would be too obvious, so she sat. “Guess I am a bit hungry after all,” she admitted with a sheepish smile.

Gabe flashed a grin and opened his fridge. “Let’s see, I really wish I had a bottle of fine Italian wine to offer you, but it seems all I have at the moment are two of JT’s favorites, grape juice or milk. Take your pick.”

She laughed. “Gosh, tough decision. I’ll choose milk.”

“Milk it is.” He pulled out the container and filled up a large glass, setting it in front of her. “The pasta should be done in a few minutes. At least I have home-made garlic bread.”

The butter and garlic scent was already filling the kitchen, mingling with the zesty spaghetti sauce. “Smells delicious. I had no idea you could cook.”

“Pure necessity for two bachelors living on their own.” Gabe stirred the sauce and then pulled out two plates. He dished out the pasta and sauce, adding a large chunk of fresh garlic bread to each serving.

Her mouth was watering as he set down her plate and then sat across from her. He lifted his milk glass and touched the rim to hers in a quick toast. “Thanks, Holly. I appreciate you coming to my rescue.”

She rolled her eyes in exasperation before taking a sip of her milk, suddenly glad they weren’t drinking anything stronger. The last time she’d shared a few drinks with Gabe she’d foolishly attempted to kiss him. “You and JT would have been fine. The worst thing that might have happened is that you’d have taken JT to the clinic for nothing more than a virus.”

“Maybe,” he conceded, his gaze holding hers. “But it was still nice to have someone else to talk to.”

The poignant sadness lurking in his eyes made her wonder if Gabe was still in love with JT’s mother. He’d claimed he wasn’t married, but did that mean they were divorced? Or was he a widower of only a month? If so, all the more reason to keep her distance from him emotionally. Gabe was in no position to start a relationship, even if she was willing to risk one.

Which she wasn’t.

“Eat,” he urged.

The sooner she ate, the sooner she could leave. She dug in, nearly closing her eyes in ecstasy when the taste of the tangy tomato sauce exploded in her mouth. “Mmm. This is divine.”

“Glad you like it.” Gabe grinned, and instantly the flash of sorrow was gone. “It’s an old family recipe from my mother’s side. She’s a great Italian cook.”

She widened her eyes in surprise. “I didn’t know your mother was Italian.”

“Absolutely.” Gabe gestured with his fork. “Her maiden name is Fanelli. She’s living with her new husband down in Florida.”

“And your dad?” she asked, before she could think.

His expression closed. “He’s been out of the picture for a long time.”

“I’m sorry.” She reached for his hand, realizing she’d touched a nerve. Yet it was a bit surprising to realize she and Gabe had something in common. Apparently neither of them had been close to their fathers.

He held her hand in his for a long minute. Her heart thudded in her chest as the light-hearted mood turned into something more serious.

“Uncle Gabe?” JT’s plaintive cry broke the moment. “My tummy hurts.”

“Uh-oh, maybe he’s going to throw up.” Gabe jumped up from his seat at the table. “I’ll be right back.”

Confused, she sat back in her seat, staring after Gabe as he disappeared down the hall to JT’s room.

Uncle Gabe? She’d assumed JT must be his son, but obviously the boy was really his nephew. Still, he was caring for JT, so he must have custody. She knew she should admire the close bond they shared, but couldn’t help feeling resentful.

Somehow it didn’t seem fair, that Gabe had the joy of love and caring for JT while she’d lost her daughter.

Gabe sat beside JT but the boy didn’t vomit. The bed was damp, though, so he helped JT change his pajamas and then stripped the sheets off the bed, replacing them with a spare set from the hallway closet.

“Hey, buddy, maybe you should try to eat. Your tummy might hurt because you’re hungry.” Gabe tried not to wince at the mountain of laundry growing larger by the minute. It seemed as if he had constantly been doing laundry since JT had moved in. Not that he was complaining, but in the battle between him and the washing-machine, he rarely emerged the winner. “I can make you some chicken noodle soup, your favorite.”

“No, I don’t think so.” JT scrunched down into the covers, blinking owlishly against the light. “Is the pretty lady still here?”

“Dr. Holly?” Unable to squelch a flash of guilt, he settled on the edge of JT’s bed. Since taking custody of his nephew, Gabe had never invited a woman over. Until now. Logically, he knew JT was too young to understand the potential implications, but he intended to set a good example for the boy, anyway. “Yes, she’s still here. Why, did you want to ask her something? Does your throat hurt now?”

“No.” JT shook his head. “But I like her. She seems nice.”

“She is nice.” Oh, boy. They were treading on dangerous ground here. Gabe tried to think of a way to prevent JT from getting the wrong idea. “She’s a good doctor. She often takes care of sick kids, just like you.”

“Oh.” He could see the wheels turning in JT’s mind. In a disappointed tone the boy asked, “She’s a real doctor?”

“Yep. She’s a real doctor, just like me. We work together at the hospital.”

JT bit his lower lip, his gaze wistful. “Do you think she’d come back and visit once I’m better?”

She would, he knew, if only for JT’s sake, but the knowledge made Gabe hesitate. He’d give anything to help JT deal with his nightmares. At the same time he wasn’t willing to start something he couldn’t finish. “I don’t know, she’s pretty busy. Why don’t you get some sleep, hmm?”

JT nodded, pulling his green and yellow stuffed dinosaur close, the one Claire had given him. The toy had been his constant companion over the past few weeks. Gabe brushed a kiss over JT’s forehead before getting up to leave.

“G’night, Uncle Gabe,” he whispered.

“Goodnight, JT.”

Outside JT’s room, he leaned back against the door and stared at the ceiling. JT was seeking a mother substitute because he missed his mother. As JT’s grandmother lived in Florida he didn’t get to see her that often. Obviously, JT approved of Holly.

He couldn’t blame the kid. He did, too.

Blowing out a heavy breath, Gabe dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck. There was no way to explain to JT that bringing a woman into the mix was the wrong idea. He knew from experience that not all women were willing to raise someone else’s son.

Heck, he was struggling a little with the reality of being a parent and he already loved his nephew.

It would be better for both of them if he and JT stuck it out alone. Maybe he should move to Florida? JT’s grandmother could fill the motherly role.

Using Holly wasn’t an option.

Strengthening his resolve, he hustled back to the kitchen, where he’d left Holly. When he walked in, the first thing he noticed was that she’d cleaned up his entire kitchen. Very nice, considering he wasn’t exactly a neat cook.

“You didn’t have to clean up,” he protested.

She lifted a shoulder, avoiding his gaze. “It’s all right.”

He hesitated, realizing Holly was upset. Was she upset that he’d put JT first, rushing off to take care of his needs? No, he couldn’t believe Holly was that much like Jennifer. She looked more upset than angry.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, as she carefully folded his dish towel and hung it on the drying rack.

Holly turned to face him, her eyes full of reproach. “Why didn’t you tell me JT was your nephew?”

Damn, he’d forgotten. He hadn’t wanted to push JT to call him Dad, not when he’d known him all along as Uncle Gabe. “JT is Claire’s son.”

His sister’s name caused her expression to soften. “Oh no, Claire? Claire is the one who’d died in a car crash?”

Holly had only met Claire once, so it wasn’t too surprising that she hadn’t jumped to the right conclusion right away. If he was honest, he’d admit he hadn’t tried very hard to clarify the truth either. “Yes. I took custody of JT the same day.”

“I’m sorry.” Remorse filled her face. But then she frowned, her expression more hurt than puzzled. “But, Gabe, why didn’t you tell me? You must have known that I’d assume JT was biologically your son.”

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.