She let the curtain fall back. The cell phone on her bedside table buzzed and she walked over and picked it up. “Hello.”
“Morning sunshine. I need a favor,” Elena said.
“Elena I just woke up. Can we chat later?”
“No, we may not. I need your answer now or my whole day will be ruined.”
Caroline chuckled at Elena’s dramatics. Her best friend was prone to such acts most every day, but that was one of the reasons why she loved her, and it was easier to listen to what she wanted now than to deal with her mood later.
Caroline sighed. “Okay, what can I do for you?”
“See, that’s just what I’m talking about—that big sorrowful sigh. Well, no more. Dig out your prettiest little black dress and be ready by seven-thirty tonight. I found you a man.”
“Oh, Elena, I’m not in the mood for this today.”
“You’re never in the mood, and frankly you need to stop moping about that Matt guy. You hooked up one night and had a great time. Now it’s on to the next hot guy,” Elena half-scolded.
Caroline could picture Elena’s antics while she talked – hand on her hip or pointing her finger at her, scolding her as only her best friend could. “Elena, we didn’t hook up. It was only a dance and kissing, but…”
“No, buts about it. We’ll pick you up at seven-thirty.”
The line clicked off. Caroline stared at her phone, not quite believing that Elena had hung up on her. She shook her head and put it back in the cradle on the nightstand.
“But I don’t want to meet anyone new,” she said to no one in particular.
She threw on her robe and padded out to the kitchen. No sense trying to go back to bed now. She would only toss and turn. Once she was awake, that was usually it. She wasn’t one who could sleep the day away.
By the time she’d finished her coffee, some yogurt and toast, Caroline thought Elena could be right about Matt. It was time to go out and enjoy herself again. No sense waiting around for someone who wasn’t coming back.
Feeling a little better, she headed into the bathroom and turned on the water for a shower. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and scrutinized her looks. She thought her green eyes were her best feature and was glad to see there were no crow’s feet showing yet.
That’s one good thing, anyway. Not that I would do anything about them even if I had them.
She’d never had a problem with her weight; had kept the slim figure of her twenties. She had full natural breasts, not the plastic ones her ex-husband kept putting in all those wannabe models. When she thought about it, she should have seen her divorce coming, instead of being blindsided by Richard’s declaration that it was over. It didn’t surprise anyone that that her husband had fallen for a perky twenty-five-year-old.
Damn you Richard for putting me in this situation. Why couldn’t you be satisfied with me?
But did she really want Richard back? If she was honest with herself, she missed the security of being married more than the man himself. She was adjusting well to being on her own, but she hadn’t conquered her loneliness yet, although Elena was doing her best to alleviate that problem.
Caroline pulled her nightgown off and slipped into the steaming water. She stood there letting it pulsate over her body before scrubbing herself clean. Her hands roamed over her breasts and she closed her eyes, remembering the way Matt had kissed her. And oh, what kisses they were—so soft and sensual, sending chills up her spine.
Matt, where did you go? Were you only a dream?
Tears rolled down her face. She turned and faced the showerhead, letting the water wash them away before finally turning it off. She grabbed a fluffy towel and wrapped it around her body and another one for her hair.
If she was going to go out with Elena tonight, then she better go buy a dress. The one she had in her closet was sleeveless and out of season for the cool autumn air. She dried her shoulder-length hair, put on some make-up and got dressed in a pink sweater and tan slacks. She grabbed her purse and keys and headed out.
One of the perks of her divorce was the twenty-five million dollar settlement. Yes, guilt paid handsomely, although this was the first time she had gone shopping since the divorce. Sometimes money doesn’t always soothe the wound of betrayal.
She hopped into her fire engine red 525 BMW and headed downtown to her favorite boutique.
“Good morning, Mrs. Fleming,” Missy called out when Caroline walked into the store.
“Hi, Missy. How are you?”
“Good. What can I do for you today?”
“Seems like Elena has a hot date for me tonight,” Caroline said with a chuckle.
Everyone in town knew about her divorce. It’d been a hot topic for months among her socialite friends, many of them frequented this boutique. There was no sense in pretending that it hadn’t happen. Not much stayed secret and especially not juicy gossip like that.
“Oh, that’s great. What are you looking for today?”
“A little black dress with sleeves. Got any in yet?”
“Yes, we got a shipment of cocktail dresses yesterday. Should be a black one in the bunch. Let me check.”
Caroline browsed through the store, while Missy went to the back room.
Within minutes she was back. “Mrs. Fleming, I’ve put some dresses in the first dressing room for you. “Do you want help trying them on?”
“No, thanks, I can manage.” Caroline walked to the back of the store and went inside the first dressing room. There were six dresses hanging inside: a fiery red, a pale blue, a navy and three black ones. She immediately dismissed the red, the pale blue and one of the black ones without trying them on. Not her style at all, but the navy dress and other two black ones were possibilities.
Two hours later, Caroline walked out of the boutique with the perfect dress, shoes and clutch to the tune of $3,700 for her mystery date.
“That’s it. I’m going to have fun from now on. No more pining over Matt,” she whispered to herself as she put her purchases in the car.
She glanced at her watch, surprised to see how late it was. She didn’t have time to go home; she’d have to drive straight to the hospital. She was glad to have something else to think about for the rest of the day. Reading and playing with the kids in the burn unit always cheered her up.
When she got to the fourth floor, Heather was in the playroom with some of the children. “Hi, Heather. How are you today?”
Heather paused in her reading. “Hi, Caroline. I’m great. We’re just reading a new story.” She got up and then spoke to the children. “One minute, kids. I need to talk to Miss Caroline, okay? I’ll be right back.”
The kids all nodded.
Caroline looked at the kids. She got a sinking feeling when she didn’t see James. “Where’s James,” she whispered when Heather was close.
Heather shook her head. “He’s picked up another infection and he’s running a fever. The doctors aren’t sure he can fight off this one. I’m so sorry, Caroline. I know he’s one of your favorites.”
Caroline tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Poor little James. He’d been through so much in his young life and deserved a break. “Thanks for telling me. I’ll go see him now.” She walked over to the bookcase and grabbed a few books. She turned to the kids. “I’m going to see James. I’ll be back soon,” she said, before heading out of the playroom.
Caroline went back to the nurse’s station. Kathy Jenkins, her favorite nurse, was on the phone. She’d have to wait to see what precautions she’d need to take before going into see James. The last thing that little boy needed was exposure to any more germs.
Kathy hung up the phone and looked up. “Oh, hi Caroline. You heard about James?”
“Yes, Heather told me. What happened?”
“We don’t know exactly. He was doing better, but then wham. He’s evidently picked up some germ and it’s wreaking havoc on him.”
“Can I see him? I’d like to read to him for a bit.”
“You’ll have to wear the works, okay? Don’t want him to be exposed to anything else.”
Caroline nodded. “Absolutely. Where’s the gear?”
Kathy led Caroline down the hall to a private room. She pulled a gown, gloves and a mask out of the storage unit outside the room. “Here, once you put these on, you can go inside. He might be a bit groggy, though, from the meds.”
“That’s fine. I just want to sit with him for awhile and let him know I’m there.”
Kathy patted Caroline’s arm. “Thanks so much. That little boy really needs all the good things he can get these days. We’re worried his little body won’t be able to fight off this infection.”
Caroline suited up and walked into the room. The blinds were closed and the lights were dimmed. James looked so tiny in that big bed. He had an IV in his arm with two bags hanging from pole.
She touched his arm gently. “James, it’s Miss Caroline,” she whispered.
The little boy’s eyes fluttered open and he turned toward her voice. He gave her a weak smile. “Miss…”
“Shh…you don’t need to talk. I came to read to you. Do you want to listen to a story?”
James nodded his head and Caroline pulled the chair up beside his bed.
“Now, let’s see. Which book to start with.” Caroline began reading James’ favorite, “One fish, two fish.”
James watched her intently, but by the third book, his little eyes could no longer stay open and he slipped into sleep.
Caroline got up and rubbed his head. “Sleep well, my little angel. I’ll be back tomorrow to see you again.”
An intense swell of emotion made her eyes water. Her heart ached for the little boy. She blinked back the tears and walked out of the room, discarding her gown, gloves and mask in a specially marked hamper in the corridor.
“I’ll come by tomorrow to see him,” she said to Kathy on her way out.
“Thanks, Caroline. See ya,” Kathy responded.
Seeing James and how much he suffered put things in perspective for Caroline. She was being foolish pining over Matt, especially when there were other things she could focus on. She made a mental note to check on that shipment of books and games she’d ordered for the kids. This is where she could put all of her energy and make a difference. The kids were innocent and so open and giving. Their sweet little smiles and laughter brightened her days.
As she walked past the elevators on her way to the playroom, Heather came down the hall.
“How’s James?”
Caroline waited until Heather was closer before responding. Heather was a beautiful young woman with gorgeous hazel eyes and a giving personality. The longer Caroline volunteered with her, the more she liked her. Heather reminded her of Emily, and Caroline thought the two young women would enjoy meeting each other. She would have to arrange it the next time her daughter came home.
“He’s sleeping now. I read to him, but he just couldn’t stay awake. I feel so bad for him.”
“I know. It’s really sad. I hope he pulls through.”
Caroline nodded. “Me too. Are you on your way out?
“Yes, down to the cafeteria. I’m meeting my boyfriend for lunch.”
“That’s nice.”
The elevator dinged and doors swished open. When Caroline turned, she came face-to-face with Richard. He started off the elevator, but stopped short.
“Oh, Caroline?”
She gritted her teeth. She felt like she’d been sucker punched in the gut. Why did her ex-husband still elicit such strong emotions? She thought she’d let all that anger go, but here he was looking as handsome and dashing as ever.
“Richard, I thought I was meeting you in the cafeteria,” Heather piped in.
Caroline’s head swiveled between Richard and Heather. “This is your boyfriend?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, this is Dr. Richard Fleming,” Heather said.
Caroline shook her head. Why hadn’t she made the connection? She had forgotten that Richard said his new love interest’s name was Heather. She felt betrayed, in a weird way. She had been looking forward to getting to know Heather better, and now that was never going to happen. The last thing she wanted was to be reminded of the perky young thing that Richard had left her for every time she came to the hospital. She would have to work out a schedule so they didn’t overlap with the kids. “I know who he is. He’s my ex-husband.”
Richard got off the elevator. “I see you two have met.”
Caroline didn’t wait for him to say anything more or to see Heather’s reaction. She stepped onto the elevator and the door swished shut. What a fool she felt like. Did everyone in the hospital know that Heather was Richard’s girlfriend except her? “Damn it, Richard. You’re still screwing up my life even when you don’t try.”
Chapter 6
As soon as the plane landed, Matt flipped open his phone and dialed Dan’s number. “Hey, man, I’ve just landed. I should be there in a couple of hours.”
“Cool, I’ll have a cold one waiting for you,” Dan said.
“Sounds good. How’s my little buddies doing?”
“Oh, they’re great.”
“Good. See you soon.” Matt hung up the phone and waited for the plane to stop. Seeing his dogs was certainly high on his list, but he couldn’t wait to see Caroline, that is, if she would see him. He had no idea what she thought about his disappearing act, but he hoped that she’d give him a chance to explain. He’d thought about her the whole time he was in Boston. Two weeks had never seemed so long.
Now that his mother was doing well in rehab, and his dad had agreed with Kelly’s plan to build the addition, he wanted to move on with his own life. He knew Kelly was right. He’d been avoiding dating anyone seriously for quite a long time, but that was hopefully going to change.
Caroline, I hope you’re home tonight because I can’t wait to kiss those soft, full lips of yours.
***
At promptly 7:30, the doorbell rang. Caroline smoothed down her dress and opened the door.
Elena stood there with two men. “Wow, you look great,” she said, leading her guests into the house. “Caroline, this is Jim Evans and you know Dan.”
Jim extended his hand to Caroline. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I agree with Elena. You look stunning.”
“Hi, Jim. Thank you and it’s pleasure to meet you, too,” she said giving his hand a firm shake. She looked at Dan and greeted him as well.
“Can you boys excuse us for a minute?” Elena asked. She grabbed Caroline’s arm and dragged her toward the kitchen.
Caroline shrugged her shoulders at Jim and followed her friend. Elena was a man magnet. Caroline thought she looked a little like Dolly Parton, but not so top-heavy, but men loved her. She flaunted her sex appeal and enjoyed every moment of being the center of attention wherever she went. This was one woman who enjoyed being single.
“What do you think?” Elena whispered.
“Elena, I just met him.”
“Yeah, I know, but he’s not bad on the eyes, huh?”
Caroline chuckled. “You’re too much. Is that all you think about, what a guy looks like?”
“Of course, what else is there?”
“What about intelligence, wit, manners, ability to carry on a conversation?”
“Caroline, you think too much. Look at him. He’s tall, with a good build, nice hair and excellent teeth.”
“Okay, you’re right. He’s a hunk and I think too much, but…”
“Caroline, enough thinking. Turn it off for tonight and just enjoy yourself. Can you do that?”
Caroline chuckled. “Sure. Can we go to dinner now?”
“Yep, let’s go.
Dan Stevens, Elena’s flavor of the week, drove them to the country club and up to the front door. Actually, Elena had been with Dan for three weeks now. That was some kind of a record for her. Dan must be entertaining in more ways than one, or Elena would have moved on by now.
“I
’ll escort you ladies inside,” Jim said. He walked around the car and opened the door for Caroline, offering his hand to her and then did the same with Elena. He had a big grin on his face when he went inside with the two ladies on his arms.
“Be right there,” Dan yelled to receding backs, as he drove away to find a parking space.
“Elena has been talking about you for weeks. I’m glad you finally agreed to go out with me,” Jim said, while giving Caroline an appreciative glance.
“Gee, do I even want to know what she said?” Caroline asked. She glanced over at Elena, but her friend wouldn’t look at her.
Jim grinned, showing perfect white teeth. “Trust me, it was all good and may I say again how stunning you look.”
Caroline had picked the navy dress with the cinched waistline and cowl neckline for tonight’s date. It showed off her slender neck and small waist to perfection. The more she tried to downplay her sex appeal, the more she ended up creating the opposite effect. Every man seated in the bar seemed to have their heads on a swivel, gawking between her and Elena.
When they reached the hostess’ desk, Elena spoke first. “Party of four for Hartlet.”
The young woman looked at her reservation sheet. “Yes, of course. It will be my pleasure to seat you. Would you like to wait for your fourth or shall I seat you now?”
“Dan will be here momentarily. He’s parking the car. You can show him to the table when he gets in.”
“Of course. No problem. Please follow me.” The hostess took them through the restaurant to a table by the windows. As Caroline passed by the other diners, the men drank her in. Jim didn’t miss any of it and puffed out his chest a bit more.
“Please, allow me,” Jim said, pulling out the chair for Caroline.
“Thank you,” Caroline replied.
Jim went over and pulled out Elena’s seat as well.
“I just love a gentleman, don’t you Caroline,” Elena said with a wink.
Caroline just shook her head. She was saved from answering by Dan who joined them.
The waiter came over and took their drink order. “Would you care for an appetizer?”
Love by Moonlight (A Contemporary Romance) Page 4