She had to get out of there before she said something she regretted.

Or before he did, because the intensity of his gaze was almost… unnerving. Just the sight of Javier lying in bed, watching her like that, as if he was going to slide over to make room for her to join him…

Oh, for the love of Pete. The man was recuperating from near-fatal injuries. He certainly wasn’t having those kinds of thoughts.

So why in creation was she?

Dear Reader,

I hope you like this new FORTUNES OF TEXAS series as much as I do. It was fun to return to Red Rock and revisit old “friends” as well as meet some new ones.

In A Real Live Cowboy, JR Fortune fell in love with Isabella Mendoza. I’d mentioned that she had a brother, Javier. So you can imagine how exciting it was to be able to tell Javier’s story and help him find his own happy ever after.

Of course, the poor man nearly died when the tornado struck Red Rock two months ago. The near-death experience and the long road back to recovery have taken an emotional toll on him, and the only bright spot in his day is when Leah Roberts, a lovely auburn-haired Florence Nightingale, enters his room.

As Leah’s handsome patient heals, he begins to revert back to the man he once was—the kind of man who could prove to be the worst thing to ever happen to her… or the best.

So sit back and enjoy the romance that’s about to unfold.

Happy reading!

Judy

About the Author

JUDY DUARTE always knew there was a book inside her, but since English was her least-favorite subject in school, she never considered herself a writer. An avid reader who enjoys a happy ending, Judy couldn’t shake the dream of creating a book of her own.

Her dream became a reality when Mills & Boon released her first book, Cowboy Courage. Since then she has published more than twenty novels.

Her stories have touched the hearts of readers around the world. And in July 2005 Judy won a prestigious Readers’ Choice Award for The Rich Man’s Son.

Judy makes her home near the beach in Southern California. When she’s not cooped up in her writing cave, she’s spending time with her somewhat enormous but delightfully close family.

Mendoza’s Miracle
Judy Duarte

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To the other authors who took part in this series:

Karen Templeton, Marie Ferrarella, Susan Crosby,

Nancy Robards Thompson and Allison Leigh.

Chapter One

Javier Mendoza might have been a little irritable and short-tempered with his family just moments ago, but all he really wanted was for them to go home and leave him alone.

When they finally got the hint and left his hospital room, he was relieved. That is, until they gathered out in the hall and began to whisper.

“Maybe it’s time for us to call in a psychologist,” his father said.

Luis Mendoza might have lowered his voice, thinking he couldn’t be overheard, but Javier wasn’t deaf.

He glanced at Leah Roberts, who stood at the foot of his bed. From the expression on his personal Florence Nightingale’s pretty face, he realized the comments they’d both overheard had struck a sympathetic chord in her.

“They mean well,” Leah said, her own voice lowering to a whisper so the family members who’d gathered in the hall couldn’t hear her words.

She was right. His father and siblings had held prayer vigils while he’d been in the ICU and had continued to visit regularly, even after his condition had been upgraded and he’d been moved to a regular room. He was grateful for their love and concern, of course, but there wasn’t anything wrong with his mental state. Dragging this whole thing out any longer than necessary wasn’t going to get him back on his feet any sooner.

Two months ago, a tornado had struck Red Rock, and in the blink of an eye Javier’s life had been permanently altered.

Of course, all he knew about that fateful day—and for the next three to four weeks after—was what others had told him and what he’d read in the old newspapers Leah had brought for him to read.

In fact, there was very little he recalled after the December day his brother Marcos had married Wendy Fortune. The two families had celebrated the Christmas holiday together, then the Atlanta-based Fortunes had planned to fly home to attend a New Year’s Eve party.

It had taken several vehicles to deliver them all to the airport, and Javier had been one of the drivers. The wind had kicked up and the clouds had grown dark, threatening to ground all the flights. So the travelers had hoped to get out of Red Rock before they were forced to wait out the storm.

Then the unthinkable happened. A tornado struck, killing several people and injuring others.

Javier, who’d almost gotten a one-way ticket to the Pearly Gates, had been one of the “lucky ones,” which was what more than one medical professional had told him. In fact, his injuries had been so serious that it had been weeks before anyone knew if he’d pull through or not.

He supposed he had his family’s prayers and the skill of one of the top neurosurgeons in the country to thank for that.

Still, he’d been in a coma for over a month, which had been medically induced for part of that time, and had finally regained consciousness in February.

His family and the many specialists who’d treated him had been relieved to learn he hadn’t suffered any lasting brain damage, although he’d suffered a lot of confusion those first few days.

His recovery was going to be far from easy. He still faced some physical hurdles, since multiple fractures in both of his legs would require extensive rehab in the facility attached to the hospital, but at least he’d be able to walk again. For a while, doctors hadn’t been sure.

Jeremy Fortune, Javier’s orthopedic surgeon, as well as a longtime family friend, had been honest about what the future would bring. The physical therapy would be grueling, but it was necessary for Javier to regain full body function.

“You’re young,” Jeremy had said. “And you’re strong. With rehab, you’ll eventually be as good as new.”

But Javier wasn’t convinced of that. He’d lost a lot of time, not to mention a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity that had slipped through his fingers while he’d been out of commission. And thanks to the blasted confusion—which was better but still lingered—there’d been countless other details and opportunities lost to him.

Sure, the brain fog had cleared some, and with time, he’d probably regain his physical strength. But deep inside, where no one could see, something had changed.

Javier was different.

His family seemed to think he was depressed. Okay, so maybe he was—a little. Who wouldn’t be?

For all of his thirty-one years, he’d relied on quick wit and keen business savvy to see him through. But after the injury and weeks of recovery, he feared the healing had stopped.

What if he never got his mental mojo back?

The question itself struck fear deep into his battered bones. And it was something he’d never admit to anyone, not even to a shrink.

Javier again looked at Leah, whose long, auburn hair was pulled back with a clip, whose expressive hazel eyes seemed to know what he was thinking and feeling most days without him ever having to say a word.

She was the only person whose presence didn’t make him want to scream. Maybe that was because she hadn’t known him before and didn’t have any preconceived notions of how he “should” react to things. Or maybe he just appreciated the fact that she didn’t walk on eggshells around him and act cheerful when she wasn’t.

Then again, she was a beautiful woman, inside and out. How could he not want to be one hundred percent whenever he was around her? After all, he might be wounded, but he wasn’t dead. And certain parts of his body weren’t in need of any rehab at all.

Leah made her way to the head of his bed and rested her hand on the railing. Her fingers were long and tapered, her nails neatly manicured. Her touch, as he’d come to expect, was light yet steady and competent.

He was tempted to reach out to her, to place his hand over hers. But before he could ponder the wisdom—or the repercussions—of doing so, she said, “I’ll ask them to continue their discussion in one of the conference rooms.”

That would help. “Thanks.”

She nodded, then left his room to join his family in the hall.

The last voice he heard was Leah’s saying, “Why don’t you come with me.”

As Leah led the Mendoza family past the nurses’ station, their footsteps clicking upon the tile floor, she said, “Javier was listening to your conversation, so I thought it would be best if you finished your discussion in private.”

“Aw, man.” Luis, Javier’s dad, raked a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean for him to overhear what we were saying. It’s just that we’ve been worried about him.”

Leah had been concerned, too. She’d noticed the change in Javier’s attitude whenever his family came to visit. She’d even asked him about it one day, although he’d shrugged it off as no big deal and then changed the subject.

“Being incapacitated is a big blow to a man like him,” Leah said as she walked along the hall.

They all nodded in agreement.

“It’s too bad you didn’t know him before he was injured,” Luis said.

Leah would have liked knowing him before. Even in his injured condition, she’d found him to be intriguing. And if truth be told, she stopped by to visit him even on those days when she’d been assigned to other rooms and patients.

“Javier is a contractor and a real estate developer,” Luis added as he strode next to Leah. “And he’s always been enthusiastic about whatever project he was working on. In fact, those deals always seemed to energize him. But now, if we mention anything about business or properties, he changes the subject.”

Leah had picked up quite a few details about her patient, including the fact that he’d been very successful with his land dealings and that he had a nice house in one of the better areas of Red Rock—custom-built just for him.

“He’s also a part-time musician,” Isabella, his older sister, added. “And he’s an athlete. He played both tennis and golf before his accident. But if we mention music or sports, he clamps his lips tight and his expression turns grim.”

“I’m sure, in time, he’ll play golf and tennis again.” Leah opened the door of the conference room that was located just beyond the nurses’ station and waited for Luis Mendoza to enter, followed by his son, Rafe. Next came Rafe’s wife, Melina, and Isabella.

“My brother has always been positive and energetic,” Isabella said. “So it’s heartbreaking to see him depressed.”

“I’m sure it is.” From everything Leah had gathered, Javier Mendoza was bright, ambitious and successful. She’d also overheard his family mention that he had an active social life and that he was one of Red Rock’s most eligible bachelors.

To be honest, if Leah had run into him before the accident—and if he’d given her the time of day—she would have found him more than a little appealing herself.

Actually, she did now—even when he was stretched out on a hospital bed or seated in a wheelchair.

“I’m an occupational therapist,” Melina said. “So I understand where Javier is coming from. I’ve worked with many accident victims, some of whom had to face the reality of never being the men or women they once were. It’s tough to face your own mortality and frailties, so Javier’s depression is only natural. Besides, he’s a competitor at heart. And he’s always prided himself on being the best. So dealing with his incapacitation—even one that’s temporary—is going to be especially tough for him.”

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Luis looked at Leah as though appealing for her agreement. “Don’t you think it would be good if he talked to a psychologist or a counselor?”

“Yes, I do,” she admitted. “And once he’s moved into a room at the rehab facility, he’ll have an opportunity to speak to a professional.”

“So you’re saying we should back off?” Luis asked.

If there’s one thing Leah had learned about Javier Mendoza, it was that he didn’t like to be pushed—whether it was to eat a bit more of his meal or to take some medication to help him sleep.

“I would wait a bit longer,” she said. “He has a lot to deal with right now. Time is really your best ally.”

The family seemed to ponder her suggestion, which she hoped was the right one. When Dr. Fortune ordered Javier’s transfer to the rehab unit, she’d be sure to mention the family’s concern in her report.

“You know,” Rafe said, “I’ve been thinking. We’ve asked his friends and business associates to refrain from coming to see him. After all, he was in a drug-induced coma for a month. And then they brought him out of it slowly. For a while, he suffered some confusion, so we knew he wouldn’t want to see anyone other than family. But maybe it’s time to let people know that he’d like to have visitors.”

“I don’t know about that,” Isabella said. “His mood is difficult enough for us to deal with.”

“I’m not saying that we should encourage everyone to visit, but what about one of those women he used to date?” Rafe reached for Melina’s hand. “My lady always puts a smile on my face.”

At that, everyone in the room broke into a grin.

Everyone except Leah.

Somehow, she didn’t like to think of the women Javier used to date before his injury and hospitalization. And why was that?

It wasn’t as though she had plans to date him herself. She’d never get involved with one of her patients.

Oh, no? a small inner voice asked. Then why did her heart drop each time she saw that Javier’s room had been assigned to another nurse?

She didn’t have an answer to that—only to argue that she’d grown fond of Javier. She understood the uphill battle he’d been waging and seemed to have bonded with him somehow.

The fact that he was not only handsome, but personable, and that she found him attractive had nothing to do with it.

That’s not true, that pesky little voice said.

As much as she wanted to object, to defend herself and her feelings, she had to admit that there was something about Javier Mendoza that called to her.

Something she couldn’t explain.

Javier had been surfing the channels on the television in his hospital room for several minutes, but he couldn’t seem to find any shows that interested him.

A tennis match only made him resent the fact that he wouldn’t be able to play for months, if not years. And the news stations reminded him of how much he’d missed during the time he’d spent in the ICU.

Hell, he could hardly remember what his life had been like outside these white walls, and as he thought of his hospitalization and the long road to recovery, frustration swooped down on him again like a hungry vulture unable to wait for his hope to completely expire.

With the dark shadow came the urge to throw the remote across the room, even though he’d never been prone to displays of temper. Instead, he placed his index finger over the red power button, shutting off the TV.

As the screen faded to black, Leah entered the room. Just the sight of his pretty nurse was enough to make his frustration ease and his mood take flight.

Talk about a nice diversion…

A grin tugged at his lips, softening what had been a grimace only moments ago.

At first glance, Leah, who stood about five foot four, wasn’t what Javier would call a striking woman. After all, he’d never seen her wearing anything other than hospital scrubs and a matching pair of Crocs on her feet. But with each passing day, as he looked beyond the loose-fitting clothing that masked her femininity, he’d found a lot to admire.

Her long, straight hair was a pretty shade of auburn, although she usually kept it pulled back with a clip or woven in a single braid. She wore very little makeup—if any. But she had such a wholesome beauty that she really didn’t need any of the usual female props.

He wondered what she looked like on her days off or when she spent a night on the town. In fact, he’d like to know a lot of things about her, like what her life was like outside the hospital.

Was she married?

He certainly hoped not.

As she moved through his room, he wondered if she was dating someone special. It was difficult to imagine men not clamoring to be her one and only. How many women were as comforting, as gentle, as sweet?

A couple of times he’d been tempted to ask if she was single and unattached, but he hadn’t, and he wasn’t sure why. He supposed he hadn’t wanted his nurse to know that he found her that attractive. If he hadn’t been laid up—and barely able to walk—it might be a different story. In fact, the old Javier wouldn’t have thought twice about asking her out. But he was a far cry from the man he used to be.

“I take it there’s nothing good on television,” she said.

“Nope.” He set the remote aside.

“The dinner cart will be here shortly,” she added.

“I can hardly wait.”

Catching his sarcastic tone, she turned to him and smiled. “You’re lucky. The food at San Antonio General is actually pretty good.”

Maybe it was, but his appetite had yet to return. In fact, the only reason he even looked forward to mealtime was because it helped to pass the time from morning to night, making him come one day closer to discharge.

But why focus on all that mundane reality when he had Leah with him?

“Hey, Florence,” he said, using the nickname he’d dubbed her with when he’d first began to see her as a woman and not as his nurse. “I have a question for you.”

“What’s that?” She neared his bed, checking the ice and water level in the small plastic pitcher that sat on his portable tray.

“What does your husband do for a living? Is he in the medical field, too?”

She paused as if his comment had thrown her for a loop. “My husband? I’m not married.”

Javier fought the urge to smile at that news. “Oh, no? I just assumed that a woman like you would have a man in her life.”

Her hand lifted to the boxy pink top she wore and she fingered the stitching along the V-neck.

Was she nervous? Off balance? Flattered maybe?

He liked to think so, even though he wasn’t in a position to follow through at this point.

Before either of them could speak, a woman’s voice sounded in the doorway.

At the cheery “Hello,” both Javier and Leah turned to see a tall, willowy blonde walk into the room carrying an arrangement of spring flowers that hid her face.

Savannah Bennett?

As the blonde lowered the multicolored blooms, he realized that’s exactly who’d come to visit.

“I hope you don’t mind me stopping by,” Savannah said. “I’d been wanting to see you for weeks, but I’d heard that your visitors had been limited to family members.”

No one had told Javier that only his relatives were allowed to see him, although he hadn’t much cared either way. In fact, he’d rather not deal with visitors at all—whether they be family or friends.

“But then I ran into Rafe at the grocery store this afternoon,” Savannah said. “He told me you were eager to have company. So here I am.”

Eager? That was a crock, and Rafe knew it.

More irritated at his brother’s interference than Savannah’s surprise visit, he forced himself to be polite. “Thanks for stopping by.”

He wondered if Savannah noticed that his tone lacked sincerity. After all, they hadn’t dated in a couple of months—well, make that four or five, since they’d split up way before the tornado had struck Red Rock.

Savannah had wanted more from him than he’d been able to give her—like a commitment. And while he’d made no bones about being a happy bachelor, she seemed to think that she was the one woman who would eventually change his mind. So there’d been a few tears on her part, but he’d suspected she would have been a lot more hurt and disappointed if he’d strung her along.

Of course, Rafe had no way of knowing any of that. Javier had never been one to kiss and tell—or to break up and vent.

Leah, who’d been standing by his bed, took a step back, as though trying to bow out graciously.

She wasn’t going to leave him alone with Savannah, was she? Not that it mattered, he supposed. It’s just that he… Well, he didn’t want Leah to go. Not when she provided the only upbeat moments in his day.

“Hey, Florence,” he said, trying to recapture the playful moment they’d been having—or that they’d been about to have before Savannah’s arrival.

Leah paused, her expression unreadable. “Yes?”

For a moment he was at a loss for words. But he wanted to let both women know he and the blonde weren’t romantically involved, at least not any longer.

“I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine,” he told his nurse. “Savannah’s a paralegal at a local law firm. Or she was, the last time we talked.” He turned to his unexpected visitor. “Are you still working for Higgins and Lamphier?”

Savannah nodded, her demeanor a bit stiff and a frown creasing her brow.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Leah said with a casual smile. Then she nodded toward the doorway. “I’d better get back to work and let you two chat.”

Javier could have argued, asked her not to leave. But then what? His obvious attraction to his nurse would have only complicated any future discussion he had with Savannah.

And his life was complicated enough as it was.

Chapter Two

As Leah slipped into the hall, a whisper of uneasiness breezed through her. She could have sworn that Javier had been about to ask whether she was single and maybe even… Available?

Okay. So maybe she’d only imagined that’s what he’d been getting at.

When it came right down to it, she wasn’t sure why he’d asked those questions or what he’d meant by them. The minute Savannah what’s-her-name had entered the room, their conversation had ended before it even had a chance to take off, so all bets were off.

And really, wasn’t she better off not knowing what Javier had planned to say next? The last thing she needed to do was to create any unnecessary workday drama.

Still, the line of questioning had taken her aback and made her face the fact that, in spite of her efforts to remain completely professional, she was growing a little too fond of one of her patients.

Of course, she would never act on her attraction. She was too committed to her job to let anything like that get out of hand.

As she made her way to the nurses’ station, glad to be back on the job and out of Javier’s room, she held her head high, her shoulders straight. Yet disappointment threatened to drag her down for the count. She was sorry about the way things had played out.

And why was that? she wondered.

Probably because she cared more for her patient than she should. So for that reason alone she really ought to be glad that Savannah’s arrival had interrupted their conversation.

And she was.

Yet she’d flinched when the beautiful blonde had entered Javier’s room, and she’d found her emotional reaction to the visit more than a little bothersome. After all, Javier was a handsome bachelor. He probably had a slew of women in his pre-hospital life. How could he not?

So why would one woman’s visit surprise her? And why would it leave her so unsettled, so uneasy?

She supposed that was because, at least up until now, only his family had come to see him. And she hadn’t given his love life much thought.

Well, now… that wasn’t entirely true. She’d thought about the women he might have dated in the past, but in all of her musings they’d been faceless beauties.

Of course, that was no longer the case. Now one of them had a face—a pretty one that suggested Javier liked tall, sophisticated blondes who dressed to the nines and were skilled at applying makeup and styling their own hair.

Leah clicked her tongue, scolding herself for making that kind of assumption. Maybe she was connecting all the wrong dots. How did she know that Savannah and Javier had actually dated? Hadn’t he downplayed that possibility?

If he had no idea whether she still held the same job, how could he and Savannah be romantically involved? Clearly, he hadn’t seen her in a while.

Leah’s uneasiness began to lift at that conclusion—until she realized he’d spent more than two months in the hospital. He’d also been in a coma for nearly half that time. And he’d suffered some confusion and memory loss when he’d first come to.

Then, to make matters worse, she remembered what his brother Rafe had suggested to the family earlier this morning.

So it was easy to conclude that Savannah’s hospital visit hadn’t been a coincidence. In fact, Rafe had set it into motion when he’d run into her at the grocery store earlier today.

It hadn’t taken much of a leap for Leah to realize that, even if Javier had made it sound as if he and Savannah were merely friends, that hadn’t always been the case. At one time, they must have been more involved than that.

As Leah took a seat behind the desk, she had to admit that she didn’t like the idea of Javier having a girlfriend, which meant that her feelings had grown to the point that they bordered on that fine line between sympathetic and inappropriate.

Bordered? She was afraid that she might have crossed the line already, and that she was more attracted to her patient than a nurse ought to be.

So the way she saw it, she would either have to request a transfer to another floor or fight her feelings so she wouldn’t compromise her professional ethics.

With the dilemma still weighing on her mind, she reached for a chart belonging to another of her patients and tried to pretend she was busy. Yet even though she studied the paperwork in front of her, her thoughts were a million miles away.

Okay, so they weren’t all that far away. They were just down the hall, with Javier and the attractive blonde who’d come to visit him. A frown slowly stretched across her face as she realized she had no one to blame for her green-eyed uneasiness but herself.

For some reason, while he’d been on the third floor at San Antonio General, she’d come to think of him as…

Well, unattached, she supposed. And even pondering his romantic status had been the first hint that her interest in him was out of line.

So now what? Should she request a transfer to either the obstetric or pediatric ward? That might help.

Trouble was, Javier’s mood lifted whenever she was around. And Margie Graybill, who worked the night shift, had told his family that Javier never cracked a smile, no matter how hard she tried to coax one out of him.

“You must have a special touch,” Javier’s father had said to Leah the other day. “His attitude is much better whenever you’re on duty.”

She liked to think that she had managed to reach him when other nurses hadn’t. So if she was one of a few who had the ability to draw him out of his somber mood, how could she ask for a transfer?

What kind of nurse would she be if she gave up on her patient when he needed her most?

Leah had lucked out. She’d finished the rest of her shift without having to go back into Javier’s room. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t aware of who went in or came out.

Savannah had left the hospital shortly after she’d arrived, which had pleased Leah more than it should have, especially since she’d made up her mind to maintain a professional attitude when it came to Javier. But there wasn’t anything remotely professional about the rush of relief she’d felt when the blonde had left his room after only a few minutes—five or six at the most.

Leah glanced at her wristwatch, realizing it was about time for the shift change. Thank goodness she didn’t have to work tomorrow. Taking a break from her handsome patient would help tremendously. She’d shake those inappropriate thoughts and feelings that surfaced whenever she was near him.

As she opened the last patient’s chart and prepared to make a note before leaving the hospital for the next couple of days, Leanne Beattie, the nurse’s aide who delivered meals to the third floor, said, “The guy in three-fourteen doesn’t seem to like anything we serve him.”

The guy in 314 was Javier.

Leah glanced up from the note she was writing, “What do you mean?”

“Well, he hasn’t eaten much of anything today. He didn’t touch his breakfast and only picked at his lunch. As far as I can tell, he left everything except the chocolate ice cream on his dinner tray. So I thought I should mention it.”

“Thanks, Leanne. Loss of appetite is a side effect of one of the new medications he’s on, so I’ll be sure to tell his doctor.”

Of course, the depression his family had been concerned about might also contribute to him not eating, although Leah wasn’t convinced that they were right. Whatever was bothering him only seemed to flare up when he had visitors.

But either way, she’d like to see him start eating better. He was going to need his strength when he moved to the rehab unit and his physical therapy became more vigorous than it was now.

On her drive home that night, she thought about her own dinner and what she’d like to eat. For the most part, she avoided red meat, fats and processed foods. But she’d had the munchies ever since she’d left Savannah and Javier alone in his room, so she decided to give in to temptation and pick up a cheeseburger and fries.

She didn’t allow herself those kinds of indulgences very often, but she figured the fast food would be filling—and it was better than fixing herself a salad with low-fat dressing, then popping open the freezer and wolfing down the rest of a carton of rocky road ice cream, which was what she’d probably end up doing when the veggies didn’t hit the spot.

And on a night like this, she didn’t think a salad was going to be enough to hold back temptation.

As she pulled into the drive-through of her favorite fast-food restaurant, she realized that people sometimes craved foods that they’d grown up eating. There were days when nothing else would do the trick.

At that thought, a game plan began to unfold.

She didn’t have to work tomorrow. Why not take lunch to Javier? She could pick up something tasty that was a change from the usual hospital fare he’d been served. Maybe that would spark his appetite and entice him to eat a full meal.

So the next morning, after cleaning her small apartment, she took a shower and slipped into her favorite jeans and the new black sweater Aunt Connie had given her for her birthday. Then, after applying a little makeup, brushing out her hair and pulling it back in a ponytail, she drove to the most popular Mexican restaurant in Red Rock, which Jose and Maria Mendoza owned.

Jose was related to Javier’s father, Luis, although Leah wasn’t entirely sure of the exact connection. They might be cousins, she supposed. Either way, it was probably safe to assume the entire Mendoza clan spent a good deal of time eating at Red.

Actually, she was surprised that none of Javier’s relatives had come up with the idea before. But she wouldn’t think about that now. Instead, she would surprise him by taking him lunch.

At a few minutes after eleven, Leah arrived at Red and parked her car out front. So far, not many people had gathered, but she knew it was only a matter of time before the lunch crowd would begin to roll in.

She’d only eaten at the restaurant once before, and that was several years ago. But she’d been impressed by the historic building, which had once been a hacienda.

The Mendozas had done a great job decorating with nineteenth-century photographs, antiques and Southwestern artwork that lined the walls.

In fact, while waiting for her order to be prepared, she might even sit in the courtyard, with its rustic old fountain, lush plants and the colorful umbrellas that shaded pine tables and chairs. There she’d listen to the soft sounds of mariachi music coming from the lounge, as well as the relaxing gurgle of the water in the fountain while sitting amidst the bougainvillea that bloomed in shades of fuchsia, purple and gold.

As Leah entered the door, a dark-haired hostess greeted her. “One for lunch? Or are you meeting someone?”

“Actually, I’d like to place an order to go.”

The woman reached for a menu. “Do you already know what you’d like? Or would you like to see what we have to offer?”

Leah took the menu. “I’ll need a moment or two to decide. But can you tell me if Marcos Mendoza is here today?”

Javier’s brother managed the restaurant. And if anyone knew what Leah should order, it would be him.

“Yes, Marcos is here. I think he’s in the kitchen. I’ll get him for you.”

From what Leah had heard, Marcos used to spend a great deal of time at Red, making sure that everything ran smoothly. But he actually kept a regular schedule now that he and Wendy had a new baby. Their little girl, who had been born a month early but was doing well now, was expected to be released from the neonatal intensive care unit soon.

Leah knew all this because she’d taken to stopping by the NICU to see Mary Anne Mendoza and the other preemies… and wondering what it would be like to have a baby of her own.

Sure, the neonatal unit housed the most seriously ill newborns, but while some didn’t make it, many of them did. And as a nurse she was proud of the success rate.

In fact, each year, the NICU staff put on a reunion party for the children who’d once been patients and who’d gone home healthy. The oldest were about ten years old now, and some of the parents had created play groups that were still going strong.

While waiting for Javier’s brother, Leah opened the menu and studied her options. Marcos might know what Javier would like to eat, but she planned to choose something for herself.

Who knew what might happen when she surprised him with his favorite Mexican meal. He might even ask her to join him for lunch. And if he did? She’d agree. Otherwise, she’d take her food home and eat it there.

“Can I help you?” Marcos asked upon his approach.

When she looked up from the menu and smiled, recognition dawned on his face. “What a surprise, Leah. I didn’t realize who you were in street clothes.”

“That’s not surprising. I practically live in scrubs.”

“How are things going?” Marcos asked. “I didn’t get a chance to stop by and see my brother last night. Wendy and I wanted to talk to the neonatologist when he made his morning rounds, so I had to work late to make up for being gone.”

Wendy, who’d once worked at Red, too, had been expecting a baby this month, but she’d gone into premature labor back in January. The doctors had managed to stave off her contractions, then they’d put her on bed rest. She’d eventually given birth at home in early February, which had to be a real worry for them. But the baby girl was small but healthy and now thriving.

At least, that’s the last Leah had heard. “Mary Anne’s still doing okay, isn’t she?”

“Yes, everything is great. She’s been gaining weight, and the doctor is pleased with her progress.” A broad smile told Leah that the new father couldn’t be happier.

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said.

“It was a little scary for a while,” Marcos admitted, “but we’re all doing great. In fact, now that Mary Anne is out of the woods, Wendy and I are settling into parenthood. We’ve even been thinking about having a party soon to celebrate our daughter’s birth.”

With the size of the Fortune and Mendoza families, that would probably be some party. And Leah couldn’t help but smile.

The two families had been through a lot lately, first with the tornado and Javier’s injury, then with Wendy’s baby. So now that everyone was on the road to health and wellness, they had a lot to celebrate.

“The hostess said you wanted to talk to me,” Marcos said. “Is everything all right?”

He was worried about Javier, Leah realized, so she shot him a smile to put his mind at ease. “Your brother is coming along just fine, but I have a feeling that he’s getting tired of the hospital food. So I thought I’d surprise him with something different for a change. Do you have any suggestions? What does he usually order when he comes here?”

Marcos chuckled. “I don’t suppose they’d let you sneak him an ice-cold beer and lime.”

“I’m afraid not,” Leah said, enjoying the brotherly humor.

“Well, he’ll be happy with the carne asada, which is what he usually orders.”

“Then I’ll take a plate to go.”

“How about you?” Marcos asked. “Aren’t you going to have lunch with him?”

The thought had certainly crossed Leah’s mind, but she wasn’t so sure it was a good idea any longer.

Marcos must have read her indecision, because he added, “My brother seems to really like you, and I’m sure he’ll be more likely to enjoy his meal if you share it with him.”

He had a point, she supposed. “All right. I’ll take the small chicken taco salad.”

She reached into her purse.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Marcos said, placing a hand on her arm. “Put your money away. After all you’ve done for Javier, this order is on the house.”

She wanted to object, to tell him she’d just been doing her job, that she’d fully intended to pay for lunch, that she hadn’t chosen the family’s restaurant hoping to get a freebie. But both appreciation and sincerity lit up his smile, so she released her wallet and thanked him instead.

“Is there anything else you need? Dessert maybe? Javier likes the flan. I can also pack up napkins, silverware—whatever else you might need.”

She was going to say that the takeout order was enough, then another idea struck. A good one.

“You know,” she said, “I just might need a little more help from you after all.”

When she told Marcos what she had in mind, he grinned and nodded his head in agreement. Then he turned to the hostess. “Give her whatever she wants.”

Five minutes later, as Leah waited for her order, she went into the courtyard to cut a few sprigs of the fuchsia-colored bougainvillea with the scissors the hostess had given her.

As she took the last cutting, she wondered how Javier would react to her surprise.

The man was a little moody at times and hard to read, so it was anyone’s guess. But the idea had certainly put a bounce in her step and a smile on her face. She just hoped it did the same for him.

Javier had just talked to Jeremy Fortune, who’d told him he’d be sending him to the rehab unit tomorrow or the next day, depending upon when they had a bed available.

“You won’t have to stay very long,” Jeremy added. “After you’re discharged, you can do the rest of your rehab as an outpatient.”

“That’s the best news I’ve had in months.” Javier blew out a weary sigh, glad to see some light at the end of the tunnel, even if he still had a long road to full recovery and a life he’d have to recreate in many ways. “You have no idea how badly I want to get out of here.”

“I can imagine.” Jeremy placed a hand on Javier’s shoulder. “You’ve been through a lot these past two months. In fact, if you ever feel the need to talk to a professional, I can refer you to someone.”

Javier stiffened and clucked his tongue. “Did my family put you up to that?”

“No, they didn’t. Do they think you need counseling?”

“It was suggested,” Javier admitted, before making his own opinion clear. “But I don’t need it.”

“I’m not saying that you do. Just know that it’s available should you change your mind. And that if you do decide to talk to someone, it wouldn’t be a sign of weakness.”

Maybe not, but Javier already felt like a ninety-pound weakling going up against a UFC fighter in a championship bout, and that’s what frustrated the hell out of him.

Still, Jeremy had a point—and Javier knew that his family had reason to be concerned, too.

“Well, I’ve still got several patients yet to see,” Jeremy said, “so I’d better finish my rounds.”

“I… uh…” Javier heaved another sigh. “I’m sorry, Doc.”

“What for?” Jeremy asked.

“For snapping at you.” Javier ran his hand through his hair, which was shorter than he was used to, thanks to the neurosurgery he’d had two months back. “I’ve been pretty quick-tempered lately, and you don’t deserve to be the target of my frustration.”

Of course, neither did his family. Maybe he really should talk to a counselor, someone he could unload on instead of the people who loved him the most.

“Don’t worry about it,” Jeremy said. “You’ve got every reason to be irritable. You nearly died, spent a month of your life in a coma, woke up in pain and confusion. And now that you’re facing some intensive physical therapy… It’s enough to make anyone touchy.”

Yeah, well maybe Javier had better figure out a way to shake that dark cloud that hovered over him. His future might be messed up, but he didn’t need to make everyone else’s life miserable, too.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jeremy said as he turned to go. Then he stopped in his tracks, allowing someone to enter the room.

But not just any someone. It was Leah.

What was she doing here? She was supposed to be off today.

She was definitely not on the clock since she was wearing regular clothes—a black sweater and jeans. Her glossy auburn hair had been pulled back in a soft, loose ponytail.

She’d draped a striped, brightly colored serape over her shoulder. What was she doing with a Mexican blanket that looked a lot like one his sister Isabella might have woven?

Leah greeted Jeremy first. “Hello, Dr. Fortune.”

“Do you need any help?” he asked. “It looks like you’ve got a full load.”

That was for sure. In one hand, she held a heat-insulated bag with the familiar Red logo, and in the other, she held a couple of sprigs of bougainvillea.

“Thanks for the offer, Doctor. But I’ve got everything balanced just right.”

As she placed the insulated bag on the chair near Javier’s bed, Jeremy stepped out of the hospital room and into the hall, leaving the two of them alone.

“What’s all this?” Javier asked.

“I decided to surprise you with a picnic.”

In the hospital? Was she kidding?

“I would have taken you out into the rose garden in a wheelchair,” she added, “but I figured this was better for now.”

“What’s in the bag?”

“Carne asada, rice, beans, chips, salsa, guaca-mole… And a taco salad for me.”

Javier didn’t know what to say. Nor could he get over the sight of her in a form-fitting sweater and a pair of tight jeans, rather than those blousy hospital scrubs he was used to seeing her wear. More than once he’d tried to imagine what she hid behind the loose-fitting fabric, but now…?

Dang. There wasn’t much need to guess. Denim didn’t lie. At least, hers certainly didn’t.

She draped the serape over the portable bed table. Next, she pulled out a small vase and filled it with a couple of sprigs of the bougainvillea that he suspected she’d found growing in one of the clay pots in the courtyard of his family’s restaurant. Then she placed it on top of the serape-covered table.

For a moment, he almost forgot that he was in a hospital—and that he’d been there for ages.

He nodded toward the Cinco-de-Mayo-style decorations. “That’s a nice touch.”

“I thought so.” Her smile nearly turned him inside out. He’d always considered her attractive when she’d tended him as his nurse, but now?

His head was almost spinning as he tried to take it all in, tried to take her all in. He’d never seen hair that color—a rusty shade of auburn—and wondered if she ever wore it loose and wild.

He’d only seen it pulled back and out of her face, but he could imagine it splayed across a white pillow…

Cut it out, he told himself. Thoughts like that weren’t going to do him any good in a place like this.

He was tempted to call her Florence, to try and put some lighthearted humor into the situation, but all he could think of was one of the oldies but goodies his dad used to play on the radio in the car. “Just look at her in those blue jeans, her hair in a pony tail.”

She could be Venus, as far as he was concerned.

He hadn’t even been alive when that song had first come out, but he was tempted to hum the tune or even belt out the lyrics—something he’d been known to do when the mood struck him.

And it was the first time the mood had struck him since last Christmas Eve, when he’d sung “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” just to make the kids laugh.

“I hope you don’t mind me bringing lunch,” Leah said.

“Not at all.” Heck, right now, he didn’t care if she poked him with a hypodermic needle. “It was a really nice thing for you to do. Thanks for thinking of me.”

How many nurses went above and beyond the call of duty like that?

He reached for the button that lifted the head of his bed higher, then adjusted the pillows so that he was sitting up.

As Leah removed the food from the red bag, he caught a whiff of beef and spices, of cilantro and chili, and his stomach actually growled.

“This is going to be some picnic,” he said as his eyes scanned the food she set out on the serape-covered table.

“Eating outdoors would have been nice,” she said. “But look at it this way, at least we don’t need to worry about avoiding ants or using sunblock.”

“You’ve got a point there.”

Moments later, with the table set, she pulled up a chair to sit beside his bed and they began to eat.

Javier stuck his fork into a piece of marinated beef and popped it into his mouth.

Dang. When was the last time he’d tasted meat so tender, so tasty?

After relishing another bite, he said, “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. How’d you come up with an idea like this?”

“It just struck me on the way home last night. You’ve been eating at the hospital for weeks on end, and while I think the food is pretty good, I can see where you might get tired of it.”

He’d gotten tired of just about everything in the hospital. Everything except his nurse.

“I asked Marcos which meal was your favorite,” she said, “and he suggested the carne asada. Would you have preferred the chile rellenos? Or maybe the tamales? He said you liked them, too.”

“No, this is perfect. If I’m still in this room tomorrow, maybe I can have someone at Red deliver us another meal. I owe you one now.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

That’s not the way he saw it. If not for Leah, he might have gone stir-crazy weeks ago.

They finished their meals in silence, but that didn’t mean Javier’s mind wasn’t going a jillion miles an hour—plotting and planning—much like it used to do before the injury.

Finally he said, “I’m going to be transferred to the rehab unit within the next couple of days.”

She paused, her fork in midmotion. Her pretty eyes, a whiskey shade of hazel, widened. Then she smiled. “That’s good news. You’re getting closer to being able to go home. I bet you can’t wait.”

He wanted to leave the hospital; that was a given. But he wasn’t keen on the idea of never seeing Leah again.

Why had she done all of this for him? And on her day off?

He could read all kinds of things into her effort to surprise him, he supposed. But he wouldn’t. Instead, he planned to enjoy the meal and the nurse who’d brought a bit of sunshine on a mundane day, the beautiful Florence Nightingale who’d provided him with a taste of the real world he was about to reenter.

Chapter Three

The next morning, while Dr. Fortune was making his rounds, Javier learned that he would be transferred to the rehab unit within the next hour or so.

After two long months, he would finally put that devastating, life-altering tragedy behind him. But leaving the third floor also meant leaving Leah.

He supposed he could always look her up after he was discharged from the hospital completely, but not until he was back on his feet and had a better grip on just who the post-tornado Javier really was—and where his future lay.

Still, he hoped to see her before he left, to say goodbye, to talk one last time. But he might not get the chance since Karen, one of the other third-floor nurses, had already come in and told him she’d been assigned to his room for the day.

Karen was nice enough, but she wasn’t…

Well, she wasn’t Leah.

Javier had just turned on the television to watch the midday news when his dad, Rafe and Isabella entered his room.

Determined to be a little more upbeat and better tempered than he’d been in the past, he greeted them, then reached for the remote and shut off the power to the TV.

“How’s it going?” his dad asked.

Javier gave them the good news that he was moving to rehab, which meant he was one step closer to being discharged and sent home.

“That’s great,” Isabella said.

Rafe and his father broke into smiles, too, clearly in agreement. Then his dad pointed toward the serape that was now draped over the back of the chair by his bed. “What’s that doing here?”

Javier smiled, thinking about the lunch he’d shared with Leah. “I had a surprise visitor yesterday and she brought that to me, along with some carne asada, which beat the heck out of what I’ve been eating.”

“So Savannah came by to see you,” Rafe said with a grin—no doubt pleased with himself for setting it all up.

“Yes, she came by. And she gave me those flowers by the window. But Leah’s the one who brought the serape and the food I hadn’t realized I’d been craving.”

“That was nice of her,” Luis said. “The entire nursing staff has been great, but I gotta admit, Leah’s one of my favorites.”

She was one of Javier’s, too.

“When will they transfer you to your new room?” Isabella asked.

“Probably within the next hour.” Javier studied his sister, with her long brown hair and big brown eyes. She was actually his half sister, a young woman he’d only met seven years ago.

Javier’s father had married young and divorced shortly thereafter. He’d been very involved in Isabella’s life, but when his ex-wife remarried and relocated to California, she took Isabella with her and disappeared under the radar for more than fifteen years.

Javier’s dad had been devastated to lose contact with his daughter, and even after he married Elena, Javier’s mom, and started a new family, he’d never forgotten his “little girl.”

When Javier was born, Luis had been thrilled to have a son. Yet he hadn’t made a secret of the fact that he would never truly be happy until Isabella was found.

Javier and his brothers knew they were loved, of course. And that they each had a secure position in the family. Still Javier had always gone out of his way to make his father proud and to fill the hole in his heart created by Isabella’s loss.

Deep inside, Javier had hoped that his achievements would enable his dad to forget Isabella and to get on with his life.

Of course, Luis had always been incredibly proud of Javier—of all his sons, for that matter. But he’d never forgotten his firstborn or given up hope that they’d be reconciled someday.

By the time Javier finally understood the depth of his father’s love for all his children, the need to win and come out on top had become so ingrained in his character that Isabella’s memory no longer had anything to do with it.

When Isabella finally reached adulthood and found Luis, the entire family welcomed her with open arms, including Javier, who actually liked having a big sister, especially one who was as artistic and talented as she was sweet. And he couldn’t imagine what their lives would have been like if she’d never come back home to San Antonio.

Isabella, who’d married J. R. Fortune a few years back, was a talented Tejana craftswoman, as well as an interior designer. So it wasn’t a surprise that the handwoven blanket had caught her interest.

“That’s amazing.” Isabella made her way to the chair and lifted the serape, carefully looking it over. “This is one of mine. Where did Leah find it?”

“I don’t know. My guess is that Marcos gave it to her when she was at Red. She brought that vase and the bougainvillea, too.”

If anyone thought the nurse had gone above and beyond, they didn’t say it, and Javier was glad. He’d been doing a little too much thinking about what might or might not be going on between the two of them as it was.

“I’ll have to ask Leah about it when I see her,” Isabella said. “Is she working today?”

“I think so, but I haven’t seen her yet.”

Javier and his family made small talk for a while, and he did his best to act interested in everything they had to say, especially about what was going on outside the hospital walls. Since he could finally see some light at the end of the tunnel, he was going to have to play catch-up if he was ever going to recreate—or, more likely, reinvent—his life.

Just as his family was saying their goodbyes, Leah entered his room.

She wore a pair of light blue scrubs today, so she was obviously working. And the fact that she’d made the effort to stop by to see him, especially when she didn’t have to, brought a smile to his lips.

The Mendozas greeted her, then excused themselves and headed for the door.

When they were gone, Leah said, “You have a nice family. They’re so loving and supportive.”

Javier merely nodded his agreement.

“I’ve noticed that you’re not always happy to see them,” Leah added.

A stab of guilt robbed him of his smile. “It’s not that I’m unhappy when they stop by.”

“Then what is it? Do you have issues with them?”

“No, it’s just that… I don’t know. I guess you could say that I feel as though I’ve failed them somehow.”

“How? I don’t understand.”

By not being at the top of his game…

By being flawed and less than perfect…

By him needing their help instead of it being the other way around…

Javier had always been the one to step up to the plate, the one who’d had money to loan, advice to give, but he didn’t feel like admitting any of those things. Instead, he said, “I guess it’s their sympathetic expressions that bother me. Sometimes, I wanted to climb the walls—and probably would have, if I could have gotten out of the damn bed.”

“They love you, Javier. You can’t blame them for being worried about you. First because they thought they would lose you, and now because they sense you’re wrestling with something.”

She was right on all counts, he supposed. But how did he admit that the struggle was in the realization that he was less than the best—something he wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to?

Competition and winning had always come easily for him, whether it was in academics, sports, business … or even romance. But now he wasn’t anywhere near as confident about anything, and that bothered him more than he cared to admit to anyone—even to Leah.

“Your family would like to help,” she said. “But they can’t unless you let them.”

He hated feeling helpless, something he’d felt ever since regaining consciousness. But instead of making that admission, he said, “Some roads are meant to be traveled alone.”

Leah eased closer to his bed and placed her hand on his arm. “Most of the time, it’s nice to have someone at your side or in your corner.”

Their gazes met and locked. For a moment, he wondered if she was offering her support even though he was about to leave her care. But before he could make any real assumptions, she withdrew her hand and took a step back, as if she’d realized that she’d overstepped her boundaries.

And maybe she had. Javier wasn’t up for a relationship until he was back on top, and God only knew when that would be.

While the patients ate lunch and Leah manned the nurses’ station, the call Javier had been waiting for finally came in. An orderly was on the way to get him and take him to the rehab unit.

Leah hated to see him go, but it was really for the best. Hopefully, she’d find the old saying to be true—out of sight, out of mind.

She took some comfort in that thought until another old adage came to mind. What if absence made the heart grow fonder?

At that possibility, she clucked her tongue, then told herself no. Once Javier was gone, she was determined to put him out of her mind and to focus on her work and the other patients.

Still, she was glad that she would be the one to give him the news that an orderly was coming to get him, even though it was Karen’s job to do that today. But Karen had taken an early lunch break and Leah was covering for her.

So she turned to Brenna, the LVN who was working at the desk with her. “I’m going to step away for a minute or two. Will you get the phone if it rings?”

When Brenna agreed, Leah went to Javier’s room, where she found him wearing a grimace as he carefully set aside a pair of crutches he’d been using for balance and then climbed back into bed. Earlier in the week, Dr. Fortune had surgically removed several of the pins that had held his broken bones in place until they healed, leaving some that would remain permanently. So now Javier could stand and bear his full weight, although it was still painful for him to do so.

“Are you okay?” she asked. “Do you need any help?”

“No… thanks.” His grimace morphed into a pain-streaked scowl, and his words came out in labored huffs. “I’ve… got it.”

She hoped so. He’d just started to use those crutches, thanks to the seriousness of his fractures. He’d been through a lot physically, so there were going to be some tough days ahead. She wasn’t sure if he carried any scars beyond what she could see, but she understood why his family had suggested that he get some counseling.

Since she’d already made a note of it in his chart, she wouldn’t bring it up to him again.

“Does your family know you’re moving to rehab today?” she asked.

“Yeah.” He shifted his hips in bed, lifting the sheets and moving his legs to get into a better position. As he did so, he stopped and closed his eyes for a moment, clearly dealing with the effort and pain. “I told them about it yesterday, although I wasn’t sure when the bed would open up.”

She watched him move again, straightening his legs out a little more.

“Do you want me to call anyone and let them know which room you’ll be going to?” she asked.

“No, that’s not necessary. They’re going to check with rehab before their next visit.”

She waited a beat before adding, “I’m a little envious of you and your family. I know there’s a downside to having so many people in your life, but there must be some wonderful perks, too.”

“Yeah, there are.” His expression softened, indicating that the pain he’d suffered from his trek to the bathroom had finally eased. “I take it you don’t have many brothers or sisters.”

“I just have one—a brother. But Justin and I aren’t very close.”

“Why is that?”

“I don’t know.” She moved toward the serape that was draped over the chair, then began to fold it so he could take it with him. “I suppose it’s because he’s nearly ten years older than I am. He also lives out of state, so we don’t see each other very often.”

“That’s a pretty big age difference. Is he only a half brother?”

Leah could understand why he’d think so. Javier wasn’t the first to make that assumption, especially since she and Justin didn’t bear much resemblance to each other.

“Our parents got married young,” she said. “They loved each other, but they separated and reconciled off and on for years. They finally got it together when he was nine, so they decided to have me.”

“It sounds as though your childhood was probably a lot happier than your brother’s must have been.”

“In some ways it was. But when I was four, my mom was diagnosed with cancer.”

“I’m sorry.”

Leah didn’t usually share that memory unless it was with a patient she wanted to help come to grips with his or her own tragedy, so she wasn’t sure what to say.

It had been a long time ago, but she still remembered that sad and lonely period in her life, even though she’d tried hard to put it behind her.

“My mom lived another four years,” she said, “although the last six months were especially rough.”

“I lost my mother last year, and it was tough on all of us. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for you as a child.”

“It was a sad time, but things happen that are out of our control. And to be honest, it was almost a relief when she passed. She’d suffered a lot, especially at the end.”

There’d been another good thing to come of it, she supposed. When her mom had been sick and in the hospital—the surgeries, the chemo, the radiation—Leah had grown close to some of the nursing staff, who’d offered a great deal of comfort and support to her mother, as well as to her. As a result, Leah had decided on a medical career while still a little girl. In fact, she’d never considered anything else.

“Were you close to your dad?” Javier asked.

One might think that would be the case, but that’s not the way it had worked out.

“My father never was very good at dealing with his emotions—or with anyone else’s. That’s part of the reason he and my mom had those marital troubles in the early years. So he found it easier to go to work than to spend much time at home.”

“He left you alone?”

“No, we had a housekeeper. But pouring himself into his business made it easier to deal with his loss and easier not to deal with mine.”

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