Tiffani had been right. His parents loved him. They had cared about him when he’d been a child and even now they called regularly. He just hadn’t returned the same treatment. They had asked for his forgiveness but he had yet to give it. They’d made a mistake, but their family had survived. What had he really lost? Nothing except a girl who he’d learned cared more about money and appearances than she did him. That wasn’t a bad thing to know before it was too late.
He’d accused Tiffani of doing the same thing, but she’d abided by his request to keep the clinic out of the media. She could have used it. More than once he’d given her the opportunity to use her knowledge of him personally for the sake of the campaign, but she hadn’t. She’d explained what had happened at the accident. The question was, did he believe her? But why shouldn’t he? Tiffani hadn’t lied to him before.
What had he done? He’d overreacted. Lost the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to him. She brought out the best in him.
Tiffani had opened her arms wide and taken him in when he’d needed her that terrible night. There had been no questions or condemnation, just a warm, safe harbor for his wounded soul. Even when he’d told her about what his parents had done, she’d seen the positive side. Pointed out what they had done right. Tiffani knew how to care and what had he shown her? Disdain. Scorn.
Shame filled him. He’d spent much of his adult life acting holier than thou. The very thing he despised. It was time to apologize. His parents were first on his list. Then with his heart in his hand he was going to ask Tiffani for forgiveness.
And pray hard she would give it.
* * *
Two days later, Rex gathered enough courage to call his parents and ask if he could visit. His mother sounded both surprised and overjoyed to hear from him. That weekend he showed up at their house on Saturday morning. He hadn’t even pulled very far into the drive before his mother and father came out to greet him.
As he put his helmet on the seat his mother embraced him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Honey, this is a real treat. We’re so glad to see you.”
His father gave him a bear hug, bringing Rex in close and gently pounding on his back. Guilt washed over him. All these years he’d been pushing his parents away with his attitude, and by refusing to see them more. Tiffani had faithfully visited her father regularly for all her adult life and had probably never once received the warm reception Rex just had. He promised himself he would do better about being a part of his parents’ lives.
“Come in and tell us all about what you have been doing.” His mother wrapped her arm around his and walked close as they entered the house.
It was nothing like the one Rex had grown up in. Where his childhood home had been spacious and two stories with a pool in the back, this one was bungalow-sized and in an established blue-collar area of the city. Just big enough for two. He had to give them credit for trying to live within their means. Even their car was a basic four-door and secondhand, from the looks of it.
His mother led them into the kitchen. The table was laid with his favorite meal. “You know I’m not much of a cook, but I tried.”
Rex gave her a hug. “It looks wonderful, Mom. Thanks.”
Her father chuckled. “She’s been working and worrying since you called.”
There was something to be said for being loved. Rex hadn’t realized what he’d had until he’d seen Tiffani’s father in action.
They took seats at the table and chatted about what was going on in their lives and his brother’s while they ate.
Then, as if his mother couldn’t stand it any longer, she blurted out, “Tell us about that billboard.”
“You saw that,” Rex said, his appetite dying.
“Hard to miss.” His father chuckled.
His mother’s gaze met his. “I was surprised. I never thought you’d agree to anything like that.”
“The person who talked me into it can be pretty persuasive.” Rex went on to explain his involvement in the campaign.
Both his parents looked at him, amazed.
“I knew the Royster business must have taken a toll on you but you never said anything, and, to be truthful, I felt responsible,” his father said.
“You weren’t. His family just didn’t want to accept the truth,” Rex assured him.
His mother’s eyes held a sad look. “We should’ve been more supportive during that time but we were afraid we’d make it worse.”
“It might have. I know I’ve been hard on you about what happened years ago. I was a kid only thinking about himself. I just want you to know that I’m grateful for your love. More than that, I appreciate you loving each other. Even though you’ve lived through tough times, you stuck together. You loved us. That’s to be admired. I’ve always known you were there for me, even when I didn’t show it.”
His mother was openly crying and his father had moisture in his eyes. His mother said between sobs, “We thought you’d never forgive us.”
“Thank you for telling us that. May I ask why you told us this now?” his father asked.
Rex gave him a direct look. “A woman.”
His father nodded sagely. “That’ll do it.”
There was a sparkle of interest Rex hadn’t seen in his mother’s eyes in a long time. “When do we get to meet her?”
“Soon, I hope. I have some groveling to do first.”
“It’s like that, is it?” his father said with a grin.
“Yeah, I messed up.”
“We all do that sometimes,” his mother whispered, wiping her eyes.
“It has taken me too long to figure that out. For that I’m deeply sorry,” Rex said, looking at his mother then his father.
As he was leaving his mother asked, “When’re you going to get rid of that motorcycle? It scares me.”
“Soon. I think it’s time I make some changes in my life.”
* * *
Tiffani stepped out of the taxi in front of the historic Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis. She had chosen to come by taxi so she didn’t have to worry about finding a parking place or waiting in line for a valet. She’d delayed dressing to the last minute, unsure if she wanted to even attend the cocktail party and dinner being held for the visiting accreditation committee.
Dr. Nelson had called and left a message at her office that she was invited to attend. She’d spent most of the last week and a half working on the campaign from a distance. She’d had numerous requests to interview Rex but she had declined them all. She wasn’t going to ask and he wasn’t going to agree.
She hadn’t spoken to or seen her father since her last visit. Unable to stand it, she had called the home and asked the nurse how he was doing. She’d been told her father had become increasingly difficult the first few days after her last visit but that he was more agreeable now. The nurse assured Tiffani she had done a good thing by making her father face a few facts.
Tonight Tiffani had dressed in a light blue dress she saved for special occasions. It fit well and she felt she looked good in it. Not that she would see anyone that mattered. Rex would certainly not be there. This type of dinner wasn’t his thing. She’d left her hair down and pulled it over to one side. Wearing it free was a habit now. Rex had been right. She had dressed to appear unapproachable. After Lou had dumped her she’d hidden behind her appearance, her job. Now she knew well what it was like to have a man truly appreciate who she was. The sad part was that she’d lost him, but she refused to let the lessons she’d learned about herself be overshadowed by negativity.
The time of the cocktail party had been arranged so that everyone attending could enjoy the Duck March beforehand. Twice a day, live ducks and their offspring, who had been trained in a unique tradition, trooped dutifully into the lobby of the hotel and swam in the beautiful lobby fountain. She’d seen it when she was a child but not recently. It would g
ive her something to smile about, something she hadn’t done since Rex had walked out her door. There was already a crowd forming along the red carpet stretching from the elevators to the fountain in the center of the lobby. All of this to watch five mallard ducks walk to a fountain for a swim.
Tiffani found an open spot near the fountain. A few minutes later the doors to the ornate elevator opened and out walked the ducks, followed by the Duckmaster. She couldn’t help but grin.
“They’re fun, aren’t they?” a voice she knew well said from behind her. Rex.
Tiffani’s insides quaked. He was here! And talking to her. “They are. I love them.”
The ducks waddled past them on their way into the fountain.
Rex came to stand beside her, just touching. It was like the sun burning brightly along that side of her body. He wore a dark suit and shirt and a conservative striped tie. The only omission to looking like a professional in the traditional sense was his hair. The edge that had always drawn her to him was still there, making her glow hot in her middle.
The ducks swam a couple of laps in a circle, climbed out of the fountain, shook off and gathered to make the march back.
Rex whispered in her ear close enough his breath brushed her hair. “Can we talk?”
Tiffani tingled all over. This was her chance to tell him how she felt. She’d made the mistake of trying to share her heart with the wrong person once, but she had no doubt Rex was the man for her. She met his gaze. “Please. I’d like that.”
Dr. Nelson said, passing them with a group of people, “Hey, you two. We’re going to the Rooftop Bar.”
“We’ll be along in a few minutes,” Rex said, taking her hand and heading in the other direction.
Hope flared in Tiffani. “Maybe we should—”
“We have more important things to do,” Rex said, hurrying her toward the lavish lobby stairs. He started up them.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” At the top he guided her along the hall, turned right at the end and a few rooms down stopped in front of a door. Putting the key in the lock, he opened the door wide.
“You were that sure of me?” Tiffani didn’t try to hide her suspicious tone.
His eyes took on a worried look. Was he anxious? Fearful she might reject him? She couldn’t think of a time she’d ever seen Rex anything but confident. Even when he’d been upset, having done all he could have for a patient.
“No, I was that hopeful. And we needed a quiet place to talk. You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to. And you’re free to leave anytime you wish.”
“I think I’ll take my chances.” Tiffani smiled and saw the tension in his shoulders ease.
She stepped to the middle of the room. It was decorated in a pale green. The walls, the window treatments, the carpet and the bedding were all a variation on the color, giving the space an elegant look. A large four-poster bed was the center of attention but there was a small sitting area near one window.
“Wow, this is a beautiful room. I’ve always wondered what one of the rooms at the Peabody looked like.”
Rex shrugged out of his jacket and walked to the sitting area, where he put it over the back of the small sofa. He loosened his tie and said, “Why don’t we sit? I need to say something to you.”
He didn’t touch her when she went past him. She took one of the two chairs and Rex sat on the settee, facing her.
“I have something I want to say first,” Tiffani said.
“My meeting, I go first.”
She sank back in her chair and put her hands in her lap. “All right.”
“I owe you an apology.”
That wasn’t at all what she’d expected.
“For how I acted about the accident being on TV,” he continued. “I know you were only doing your job. I trust you, and know you were telling me the truth about what happened. I’ve been so wrapped up in trying not to be who I used to be, I forgot to appreciate who I am now.”
Tiffani began to say something.
He put up a hand. “I’m not finished eating humble pie. I want to thank you for making me see what kind of parents I really have. I’ve let one part of their personalities overshadow everything about them, including the good. I went to see them the other day and told them how much I appreciate them.” He relaxed and watched her.
She waited for a few seconds. “May I talk now?”
He grinned. “Please do, before you explode.”
“I want to thank you. Because of you, I now see what my father was doing to me. How I was enabling him. I told him I wouldn’t be back to see him until he decided to take responsibility for himself. And about the accident being on the news, I’m sorry I hurt you. I didn’t intend to. I let the thought of a promotion get in the way. But it wasn’t worth losing you over.”
“You haven’t lost me.” Rex went down on one knee in front of her and took her hands. “I was afraid you wouldn’t forgive me.”
Raw emotion as sweet as spring water flowed from Tiffani. She cupped his face. “That would never happen.”
“I love you.”
She had no doubt he did. “I love you too.”
* * *
Rex lay back on the pillows piled against the headboard with Tiffani securely in his arms. He kissed her temple. His need for her had overwhelmed him to the point that talking was no longer possible. They had unfinished business. His future was with her and he needed to secure it.
“Shouldn’t we be thinking about going to the dinner? Dr. Nelson will miss us,” she murmured as she ran a hand over his chest.
“I don’t care if he does. I had more fun here with just you.”
“That was a nice thing to say. Speaking of nice things, I meant to tell you how handsome you looked in your suit. You cut a dashing figure.” She grinned.
“Don’t get too used to me dressing that way.”
Tiffani gave him one of those smiles he had missed so much.
“So have you heard anything about that promotion?” He needed to know. If she was moving he would be going with her, if she would have him. He would start his career over wherever she was.
“I got it.” Excitement filled her voice.
Rex was both glad and sad. He was pleased for her but he hated to leave his practice.
She was quick to say, “But I got a better offer today.”
Dared he hope?
She was already explaining. “Dr. Nelson wants me to come on board as the head of the Metropolitan’s PR department. He was so impressed with the campaign he said he couldn’t let me go.”
“Is that what you want? I’ll go wherever you are.” He meant it. Life without Tiffani would be intolerable.
“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever offered to do for me, but I couldn’t take you from the hospital or the clinic.” She gave him a teasing smile. “And all your fans. The billboard company said your picture has been the most successful they have ever had.”
“Yeah.” There was no note of enthusiasm in his voice. “At least I have some claim to fame.”
She kissed him. “You’ll always be the most wonderful person to me.”
“And you to me.” He held her tight, secure in the knowledge he would never let her go.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Susan Carlisle
CHRISTMAS WITH THE BEST MAN
STOLEN KISSES WITH HER BOSS
THE SURGEON’S CINDERELLA
THE DOCTOR’S SLEIGH BELL PROPOSAL
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from TEMPTED BY HER HOT-SHOT DOC by Becky Wicks.
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Tempted by Her Hot-Shot Doc
by Becky Wicks
CHAPTER ONE
THE RAIN WAS coming down harder than she’d ever felt it. Sharp, wet pricks to her bare arms sent mini-lightning bolts through Madeline’s flesh and deep into her bones as she hurried along the London cobblestones, holding her umbrella over her as best she could.
The bolts, of course, were mostly due to the man her agent had arranged for her to meet—America’s wealthiest and most inspiring flying doctor and a man most women would surely kill to meet—Ryan Tobias.
His name, now rolling around in her brain, sent further spikes of adrenaline through her body, along with the goosebumps now settling in with the cold. She’d left in such a hurry she’d forgotten her jacket.
‘Don’t be late,’ Samantha had told her. ‘He doesn’t like it when people are late.’
Redeeming the Rebel Doc Page 16