Redeeming the Rebel Doc

by Susan Carlisle

  She was outside, admiring his patio and garden, when Rex returned. He wore his usual T-shirt and jeans. His feet were bare. Tiffani had never seen a sexier sight. She had to get beyond this fascination with him.

  “Would you like to eat out here?” he asked, joining her.

  She fingered a plant. “That sounds wonderful.”

  “Then you enjoy the sunshine and I’ll get us something to eat.” He went inside.

  Tiffani followed him.

  “I thought you were going to stay outside.” Rex looked up from where he was getting a frying pan out from underneath a cabinet.

  “I’d rather watch you.”

  Rex grinned. “In that case, I’ll try to put on a show.”

  He started by squirting oil into the pan with a couple of quick flicks of his wrist. Next he broke eggs with one hand while whipping them into a froth with the other. Tiffani wasn’t only entertained but impressed. Was there nothing the man wasn’t good at?

  “This might be the best omelet I’ve ever eaten,” she said a short while later as they sat across from each other at a café table tucked in a corner of the patio.

  “That’s the fresh herbs. Makes everything better. Eat up. We’ve got to go.”

  “You sure are excited about today.” Tiffani forked into her eggs again.

  “I rarely get a day that I just get to play. And to do it with a beautiful lady makes it extra-special.”

  That warm glow left over from the shower intensified again.

  Half an hour later they were going to her car, again parked in his garage.

  “Would you like to drive? It might give you more leg room,” Tiffani suggested, offering him her keys.

  “Sure. It’s worth a try.” He took them.

  Soon they were on the interstate. Rex was whipping her car in and out of lanes as they sped down the road.

  She held the handle of the door. “You do know this isn’t a motorcycle?”

  He grinned. “It’s almost as good. Drives like a go-kart.”

  Tiffani put a hand on the edge of the seat. “Great. Now I’m riding with a daredevil.”

  “Just sit back and enjoy the ride,” Rex said. “I’ve got this.”

  “I hope those won’t be famous last words.” She chuckled.

  Rex pulled off onto a city street and his pace slowed.

  “Are you a big Elvis fan?” Tiffani asked.

  “Who isn’t? But I’ll have to admit I came to it later in life.” Rex pulled into the parking lot across the road from Elvis’s home, next to the large one-level museum. “How about you?”

  “Yeah, I used to watch all his movies. Even sang along.” She hadn’t thought of that in a long time. She and her father had watched a number of them together.

  As they were getting out of the car Rex asked, “You want to see everything? Museum, house and plane?”

  Tiffani shrugged. “If we’re here, we might as well.”

  He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “That’s the spirit. You’re learning. After all, we’re in no hurry.”

  “I do have to see my father this evening.” The idea didn’t hold much appeal.

  “We can leave from here,” Rex said, as they headed toward the ticket building.

  * * *

  That wasn’t a good idea. She couldn’t take Rex with her when she visited her father. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll have time to run you home.”

  “I’d like to meet your father.”

  She couldn’t let that happen. “Didn’t you hear me when I said he doesn’t like doctors?”

  Rex pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick kiss. “I believe you told me you didn’t like doctors either. This morning in the shower you liked me pretty well, though, I thought.”

  She had. But just because she had changed her mind about one particular doctor it didn’t mean it would make any difference to how her father felt about them. For certain he wouldn’t like Rex even “pretty well” if he somehow found out Rex had spent the night with her.

  “Come on, we can discuss that later. Elvis is waiting.”

  “Don’t forget you agreed to pictures today.” At Rex’s snarl, she grinned.

  He paid for their tickets and they entered the museum. They walked from one exhibit to another, watching videos of Elvis in concert, studying his cars, before they moved on to where one of his many costumes was on display behind glass.

  “He dressed with flair,” Tiffani commented.

  Rex said as they looked at one display, “I remember my mom telling me about going to one of his concerts when she was a kid. She loved his music, still does. He would wipe sweat off with the bright colored scarf and throw it to the crowd. She got so excited when he came on stage, she made her way to within two rows of him, even though her seat wasn’t anywhere near the front. A security guard finally told her to go back to her seat. She used to tell us that story all the time.”

  Done in the museum, they boarded a shuttle that took them across the road to Elvis’s mansion. There they joined a small group of people waiting for a tour of the bottom floor of the house. Tiffani looked up at the tall columns of the brick antebellum-style house. “This had to be some place in its day.”

  When they were in the living room and the guide was telling them about the extra-long white sofa, Rex whispered in her ear, “I wish I had one like that. We’d have plenty of room.”

  Tiffani burned hot with memories and hissed, “Shh.”

  Rex grinned and hugged her close for a second. “By today’s standards, this isn’t all that large a place but at the time it must have been very impressive. Sitting up here on a hill with the white fence around it.”

  They strolled through the garden. Tiffani couldn’t remember the last time she’d just walked hand in hand with a man with no real destination in mind. She really did need to let go more. Plan less, enjoy more. They worked their way to the area where Elvis and his parents were buried and stood there for a few moments.

  “He really made his mark on the world, didn’t he?” Tiffani said in a low voice.

  “Yeah, he did.” Rex kissed her cheek. “Not unlike what you have done in mine.”

  She looked at him in wonder. “Have I?”

  “I’m riding around in a car, aren’t I?”

  “I guess I have.” For some reason, that really mattered to her.

  His smiling eyes met hers. “You’ve done more than that. It’s been a long time since someone has been there for me like you were last night. Thank you.”

  “You are welcome.” She couldn’t resist kissing him.

  They caught the shuttle back and went to visit Elvis’s private plane. The day had been a perfect one so far and she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather be with than Rex. She was having fun. Something she had little of in her life.

  The plane was decorated in the same style as the house, late nineteen-sixties and early seventies.

  Taking a seat, Tiffani asked Rex, as if she were conducting an interview and he was Elvis, “So, what was your favorite movie part?”

  “I liked Girls, Girls, Girls. Mostly because of the girls.” Rex gave her a wolfish grin.

  Tiffani laughed. “And your favorite song?”

  “Oh, there were so many.” Rex did a poor imitation of Elvis’s voice. “‘Blue Suede Shoes.’”

  “Your favorite place in the world?”

  “Graceland, of course.”

  They both giggled like kids.

  Rex took her hand and helped her down the steps. “I heard that they have a café here that serves Elvis’s favorite sandwich. Want to try it?”

  “What is it?”

  Rex rubbed his stomach. “A grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich.”

  Tiffani turned up her nose.

  “Come on, Tiff, where’s your sense o
f adventure?”

  Put that way, she wasn’t going to say no. “Okay, I’ll give it a try.”

  They walked to the small café. Lining the walls were pictures of Elvis in his signature jumpsuits with rhinestones and a large collar. They found a table and a young waitress took their order.

  Tiffani had to admire Rex. He was eager to try whatever came along. She’d spent so much of her life hesitating and questioning that it had never occurred to her she could live with fewer restrictions.

  When their sandwiches were delivered Rex grabbed his and bit into it. He nodded at her. “It’s really good.”

  She cut hers into quarters and picked up a section. Taking a tiny bite, she was pleasantly surprised. It was good.

  “Told you so,” Rex said, as he took another mouthful.

  On the way to the car she said, “Thanks for bringing me. It really was a lot of fun.”

  “I’m glad we came too.” In the car Rex turned to her. “What’s the address to your dad’s place?”

  A knot of panic formed in Tiffani’s stomach. She’d forgotten all about him saying he was going with her to visit her father. Somehow she had to convince him not to. “Why don’t you just head to your place? You don’t have to go with me. It really won’t be pleasant.”

  “Surely it can’t be that bad.”

  “You’d be surprised. Especially when he realizes you’re a doctor.” Why wouldn’t Rex just accept she didn’t want him to go?

  “We just won’t tell him. I’d like to meet him.”

  “Are you sure?” She didn’t know how to keep him from going without hurting his feelings. Neither did she want her day with him to end. But visiting her father...

  Rex met her look. “I’m sure. I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”

  “Head east on the interstate.” Maybe she could convince Rex to wait in the lobby or car while she just checked in on her daddy. The closer they got to where her father lived, the more nervous she became. What if he recognized Rex?

  He reached over and squeezed her hand. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll behave.”

  “It’s not you I’m worried about. It’s him.” She knew how her father could act.

  Rex pulled into a parking spot in front of the building. They walked together down the long hall. When Rex reached for her hand she pulled it back. Her father wouldn’t like that. Rex didn’t say anything but she felt more than saw his disapproval. Even so, it did feel good not to have to face her father alone for once.

  She lightly knocked on the door. There was the expected growl of, “Come in.”

  “Hello, Daddy.”

  “Well, it’s about time, baby girl.”

  Tiffani went farther into the room. “I brought somebody with me today.”

  Rex stepped up beside her and held out his hand. “Mr. Romano, I’m Rex. Nice to meet you.”

  “What’d you bring him for?” her father grumbled, ignoring Rex’s proffered hand.

  “He’s a friend and wanted to meet you.” She pulled a chair up close to her father and sat. “We’ve been to Graceland today.”

  “It’s the middle of the week. You’re not working on that awful campaign anymore? The one with the hospital?” he spat.

  Alarm seized her. She had to steer the conversation in another direction. “Yes, but not today.”

  Her father twisted up his mouth. “I still can’t believe you’re such a traitor...”

  Rex shifted behind her.

  “How’s your hand?” she said to change the subject. She could see the bandage needed replacing.

  Her father raised it. “It hurts worse than ever.”

  “Did you let someone change it?” she asked automatically, suppressing a sigh of frustration.

  “No,” her father whined. “Only you do it right.”

  “Then let me change it.” She went to the drawer where she stored supplies.

  * * *

  Rex couldn’t believe what he’d just seen happen before his eyes. Tiffani had morphed into a child. Where was the tough PR woman he knew? The one who faced each of his complaints head on? It was like she was at her father’s beck and call. Had she been taking care of her father for so long that she couldn’t see the change? Tiffani had a big heart, but her father was taking advantage of her.

  A loud intake of breath from Tiffani had him looking over her shoulder. Her father’s hand was an angry red, with the look of infection setting in. He would require more help than a bandage.

  “Daddy, have you told anyone how bad this is?” She glanced back at Rex.

  “Why would I tell anyone? You were coming to see me. Maybe if you came more often it wouldn’t have gotten so bad.”

  Rex was about to lose his patience. Nobody, not even her father, should talk to Tiffani that way. He went down on one heel beside her. “Let me have a look.”

  Tiffani continued to hold the man’s hand in her palm while Rex examined it. It was going to require an antibiotic to keep the infection from spreading.

  “What would you know about it?” her father snapped.

  Rex looked him in the eyes. “I’m a doctor.”

  Mr. Romano reared up in his chair. “What? Get out of here! Get out of my room! Leave my daughter alone, you quack.”

  “Now, Daddy, he’s only trying to help.” Tiffani nudged him back down in the chair.

  Rex hated to hear that placating tone in her voice.

  “Doctors took my legs and now this one will probably want to take my hand,” the old man ranted.

  Rex stood and focused on Tiffani. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

  “I’ll only be a minute,” she said over her shoulder.

  Her father’s face had turned red and he pointed toward the door. “Did you hear me? Get out! Leave my daughter alone.”

  Rex wanted to drag Tiffani away from the toxic man too. How had she lived with that hatred all these years? What must her childhood have been like? At least his parents hadn’t taken out their pain at losing everything on him or his brother. Instead, they had worried about how their children were being affected.

  He found one of the attendants and asked where to find the head of the nursing staff. Locating her, he identified himself and told her about Mr. Romano’s hand, then called in a prescription for him. Rex was waiting in the lobby when Tiffani came down the hall, her shoulders slumped. The smiling and playful woman he’d known earlier in the day had disappeared. By the glisten of her eyes she was on the verge of tears. Rex put his arms around her and gave her a hug.

  She buried her head in his chest. “I’m sorry. I should have insisted you not come in with me. He shouldn’t have said those awful things to you.”

  “You warned me. Don’t worry about it.” He tightened his hold for a second before he said, “I called something in for him. His hand should be much better soon.”

  “That’s if he takes it.”

  “The nurses around here know how to make that happen.” He turned her toward the door. “Let’s go home. We’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

  Tiffani looked at him. “Thank you.”

  “Not a problem.” Where she was concerned, it wasn’t.

  CHAPTER NINE

  BY THE TIME Rex had merged onto the interstate the sun was setting. “I didn’t even think about the fact that we’d be driving into the sun this time of day.”

  “It does make it miserable and dangerous,” Tiffani murmured.

  They were the first words she’d said since getting into the car. Rex was glad she was coming out of the stupor that visiting her father had put her in. “You hungry? We could stop and get something.”

  “Not really. The sandwich filled me up.”

  He grinned at her. “It was good.”

  “I had a good time today. Thanks for making me play hooky.”

&nb
sp; “I had a good time with you today too.” He took her hand and intertwined her fingers with his, lifting it with the intention of placing a kiss on her knuckles.

  A bang filled the air.

  “What the hell?” His look jerked to the road ahead.

  Before him a car spun around. Another hit it and sent it into the path of a transfer truck. It flipped and rolled.

  Tiffani released his hand and he quickly put it on the steering wheel. “Hold on.” Glancing into the rearview mirror, he saw a car coming up on him fast. He whipped into the next lane. Slowing, he just missed the truck jackknifing and came to a stop on the shoulder of the road.

  “Do you have a flashlight in here?” he asked, already opening the door.

  Tiffani didn’t immediately answer.

  “Tiffani!”

  “Uh, it’s in here.” She unlatched the glove compartment and pulled out the light.

  “I’m going to see who’s hurt. Call 911 and report the accident. Tell them I’m here. Then I want you to find me. Don’t get near any moving cars. Got that?”

  “Yeah. Be careful. I don’t want you to get hurt either,” she called as he hurried away.

  If they had been only a few seconds earlier it could be Tiffani and himself injured. His chest tightened. If he lost Tiffani... Had it come to that?

  Debris covered the road. He almost tripped over a bumper. It had turned dark and this was the one stretch of road with little lighting. His first concern was the car that had rolled over.

  Reaching it, he found a man struggling to get out. Rex went to his knees and shined the light on him. “I’m a doctor. Stay still, don’t move any more than you have to. Help is on the way. How many people are in the car?”

  “My wife. She’s unconscious. My son and daughter are in the back.” The man groaned.

  Rex’s chest constricted. Children. “I’ll check on them. You stay still.” He looked into the rear passenger window and was relieved to see two sets of wide eyes looking back at him.

  Hurrying, he went around to the other side of the car. The door had been crushed. The woman’s head was bleeding. Rex checked a pulse in her neck. It was faint but there. She needed medical attention right away.