When He Returns

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  “Absolutely. It does make the night shift feel longer though, but given the alternative, I don’t mind.”

  “Do you get attached to the kids on your unit?”

  “It’s hard not to, to be honest. And their families too,” Sierra said between bites of her food. “But it makes it really hard if things don’t turn out well.”

  “You’re stronger than me. I don’t think I could ever do a job like that.”

  Sierra didn’t feel particularly strong when she was dealing with the loss of a patient, but she always knew that no matter how hard it was for her, it was way worse for the patient’s family.

  “Did you always know you wanted to be a nurse?”

  The simple answer was no, but for some reason, she didn’t want to give that answer. She wanted to share with him what had led to her deciding to become a nurse. Though she didn’t like thinking back on that time, the event had played a pivotal role in the direction of her life.

  Looking away from Dalton, she stared at his door across the landing. “You probably don’t remember, but not long after Ethan and I moved here to Winnipeg, I was attacked.”

  “Now that you mention it, I do remember something happening to you.” He paused, then said, “Not any specifics though. I’m sorry.”

  Sierra glanced at him again and, seeing the regret on his face, she gave him a small smile. “No need to apologize. I don’t really think much about it anymore either.”

  “Who was it that attacked you?”

  A knot formed in Sierra’s stomach as the memory fleshed out in her mind in a way that it hadn’t in years. She pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. “My dad.”

  There was silence for far too long before Dalton said, “Your dad?”

  She could understand his incredulity because he had Steve for a dad, and Steve would never raise a hand to any of his children the way her dad had to her. “Anyway, it was a horrible experience that ended up changing my life for the better.”

  “How’s that?” Dalton asked, his tone still unbelieving.

  “As a result of my dad’s attack, Ethan was given full custody of me. That was the best thing that ever happened to me. Along with that, after spending time in the hospital with Tami as my nurse, I decided that nursing was what I wanted to do too. I wanted to be there for children the way she had been there for me.”

  “I hadn’t realized all that you’d been through.” When she looked at him, he had a rather chagrined look on his face. “It’s become clear that I was fairly self-centered as a teen.”

  “I wouldn’t say self-centered, per se,” Sierra said. “Just focused on music to the distraction of everything else.”

  Dalton let out a sigh. “Still, I should have paid better attention to the world around me.”

  “I think you’re making up for it now,” Sierra said, feeling like he was definitely making up for the lack of attention he’d paid her as a teen.

  “Only because I don’t have music to distract me the way it did back then.”

  Sierra struggled to control the yawn that threatened to take over. The breakfast had hit the spot for her. She’d been hungry, but as was her habit after night shifts, she had planned to just fall into bed when she got home. That would have meant she wouldn’t sleep super well as her hunger would wake her earlier than she’d want to be up. Thanks to Dalton, however, that wouldn’t be the case that day.

  Dalton’s care touched her and made her feel special. He didn’t have to do any of this for her, and yet he did. She’d gotten so used to taking care of herself, that having someone else step up to do it, like Dalton, had filled her with gratitude…and so much more.

  After they finished eating, Dalton began to clean up the remnants of their meal.

  “Thank you so much for this,” Sierra said. “I’m going to sleep a whole lot better with a full stomach than I would have otherwise.”

  Dalton gave her a pleased smile, as if that was all that mattered to him. “Are you going back to the hospital later?”

  “Probably. Did you want to go too? Ethan’s in a private room now, in the new wing that Maya’s dad helped fund.”

  “I’d like to go, if you don’t mind the company.”

  “I don’t mind at all.”

  Dalton jumped to his feet then held out his hand to her. After the briefest of hesitations, Sierra placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet. The movement brought them close together, and Sierra held her breath as her gaze met Dalton’s. Her heart pounded at how close he was.

  She wasn’t sure what she expected to happen, but disappointment swept through her when he released her hand and stepped back.

  With a quick smile at him, she said. “I’ll text you when I get up, and we can arrange a time to head up to the hospital. It will probably be around three or after.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Dalton was looking at her with an expression on his face that she couldn’t decipher as he picked up the basket and said goodbye. She heard his door close just before hers did, and as she got ready for bed, she replayed the events of the morning. No doubt, in Dalton’s mind, his actions were just those of a friend, but to Sierra, it was hard not to imagine they were something more.

  If she’d had feelings for Dalton as a teen when he’d barely paid her any attention, her heart was sure to latch onto his attentive actions now. And that wouldn’t be good at all. Friendship was one thing, partly because it was easier to maintain long distance than any sort of romantic relationship.

  Thankfully, she was tired enough that she didn’t dwell on those thoughts once she’d fallen into bed. She immediately slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep and only woke when her alarm went at two. Groggy, she lay there for a moment, trying to remember why she’d set her alarm since she didn’t tend to do that after her last night shift.

  When it finally came to her, she stretched, her hands hitting the headboard of the bed, then she slid out from under the covers and headed for the bathroom. She shot off a short text to Dalton to see if he was available to leave around three, then took a quick shower.

  It didn’t escape her notice that she was taking more time than she usually did on her hair and makeup and then deciding what to wear. There was a part of her that really wanted to throw caution to the wind and just see where things would go with Dalton if he had a similar interest in trying a relationship, but she knew she couldn’t. She shouldn’t.

  For one thing, she needed a friend more than she needed a boyfriend. For another, if things should progress to something more serious than a friendship but then fell apart, it would make things awkward with the family. Not to mention, their lives were fairly incompatible on several levels.

  Sierra put back the pretty floral blouse she’d pulled out of her closet and exchanged it for a simple mint green T-shirt that still looked nice with her black capris but was more in keeping with her usual style. She wasn’t super hungry since she’d eaten the breakfast with Dalton before sleeping, and it usually took her a couple of hours after waking up to want to eat normally. However, she didn’t want to be starving as soon as she got to the hospital, so she ate a banana and then stuck a granola bar in her purse.

  Dalton’s knock came right at three, and when Sierra opened the door, she almost reneged on her decision to not view him as anything but a friend. The smile he gave her seemed warmer than usual, more than just friendly. Or was she reading more into it than was there?

  “Ready to hit the road?”

  Sierra nodded as she grabbed her purse and stepped out onto the landing with him. After making sure her door was locked, they walked down the stairs and out to the car, making small talk as they went.

  Dalton wore a pair of jean shorts and a button up shirt that was open over a T-shirt. Even casually dressed, he still looked well put together and absolutely nothing like his rock star persona. Which, given his desire to fly beneath the radar, was a good thing.

  It didn’t take long to get to the hospital, and Sierr
a was glad that instead of having to go to the ICU, they could go to the new wing of the hospital where Ethan was now in a private room. It felt like forever since the accident, and even longer since she’d been able to hug Ethan the way she wanted to.

  He was still suffering from some pretty serious injuries that were going to require additional surgeries followed by physio. It was going to be a long road for him and those who loved him, particularly Makayla. She had told Sierra she hoped to bring the kids up to visit Ethan now that he was fully conscious and in a room of his own. Sierra knew it was going to be hard for them, but it was important that they see their dad.

  When they got to the nursing station outside Ethan’s room, Sierra greeted the nurses working there. She only knew one of them from having been in the same nursing class. They hadn’t become friends, but they’d been friendly. The nurses greeted her with smiles and curious looks as they took in Dalton standing beside her.

  “The doctor is in there with your brother and sister-in-law at the moment,” one of the nurses said.

  Sierra frowned since Ethan’s doctor usually made his rounds earlier in the day. “Is there something going on?”

  Obviously sensing her concern, the nurse shook her head. “The doctor ended up with an emergency surgery this morning, so he’s a bit later than usual with his rounds. Plus, he wanted to make sure your sister-in-law was here so they could discuss the next plan of action.”

  Relief filled Sierra at the nurse’s words. “Okay. We’ll just sit in the waiting room until the doctor is finished.”

  The rest of their time at the hospital went smoothly, though Sierra hadn’t really thought about the fact that Dalton hadn’t seen Ethan since his accident. While Ethan looked better to her and Makayla, his appearance was still shocking to someone who hadn’t seen him on the first day. Parts of his head were shaved, and though the swelling had gone down, for the most part, the bruises were still clear on his face, their edges yellowing.

  Thankfully, Dalton had taken it all in stride, and he’d spoken with Ethan for a little while before they’d gone to get Makayla some food and coffee. It was nearly five by the time they left the hospital, and at Dalton’s insistence, they went for dinner at an Italian restaurant that wasn’t too far from the apartment building. It was fairly busy, and there was a bit of a wait, but Sierra didn’t mind since she loved the food, and waiting gave her more time with Dalton.

  Once they were seated in a booth near the back of the restaurant, the waitress came by to tell them about the specials and take their drink orders. As she sat across from Dalton, Sierra kept one thing at the forefront of her thoughts.

  This is not a date. This is not a date.

  But it really did feel like one, unfortunately. Even if she hadn’t had a crush on Dalton as a teen, the way they’d been hanging out together would have prompted those thoughts anyway.

  As they ate, they talked more about Jesse’s visit and what the other band members were doing. The one thing they didn’t talk about was Dalton’s plans for his future. It hadn’t escaped Sierra’s notice that it was something he seemed reluctant to discuss.

  Selfishly, Sierra wanted him to discuss it with her. She wanted to know if she was going to be losing the close friendship they’d ended up forming over the weeks he’d been there or if he was going to be sticking around. But she wasn’t going to force him into the discussion.

  After they were done, Dalton paid for their meal, and they left the restaurant, stepping out into the cooling evening air. With September just days away, the evenings were starting to cool down a bit. It amazed her how quickly the summer had passed by. It seemed like just a week or so ago that Danica and JD had gotten married, but they would soon be celebrating their two month anniversary.

  Once she’d parked back at the apartment, she went to get out of the car, but Dalton’s hand on her arm stopped her. It was still light enough that she could see him as she settled back in her seat. The expression on his face was similar to the one he’d had earlier, after their breakfast.

  “I want to talk to you,” Dalton said then hesitated.

  “You’ve been talking to me all evening,” Sierra pointed out. “Is there something wrong?”

  “Well, we’ve been spending a lot of time together.” Sierra nodded because they really had. “And the more time I’ve spent with you, the more I’ve gotten to know you, and the more I’ve realized how much I enjoyed spending time with you. You’ve become a really good friend.”

  Sierra dared not guess where he was going with this, so all she did was nod again because she felt the same way.

  His gaze moved away from hers as his brows drew together. Sierra felt his fingers tighten briefly on her arm where his hand still rested. She wasn’t sure if he was expecting her to respond, but she didn’t want to distract from whatever he was trying to say to her.

  Finally, his expression relaxed, and his gaze met hers again, direct and warm. “The thing is, I’ve come to realize that how I feel about you isn’t strictly as a friend. I mean…I really…care about you. A lot.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  The mass of nerves in Dalton’s stomach tightened as he watched Sierra’s face. He had a hard time reading her reaction to what he’d said, and he was regretting big-time having broached the subject with her. It was just that their dinner had gone so well, reinforcing how much he enjoyed being around her. And she seemed to have enjoyed being with him as well.

  But given her lack of immediate response, he clearly wasn’t very good at interpreting a woman’s interest. It was entirely possible she didn’t view him as anything other than Danica’s brother. A friend.

  She seemed to struggle for words, her brows drawing together as her mouth opened and closed a couple of times. Finally, she let out a sigh as she covered his hand with hers where it rested on her arm.

  “If this had been ten years ago, I would have been jumping for joy at the idea that you liked me.”

  Dalton wasn’t sure what to respond to first, so he decided to avoid the tough question about why she wasn’t jumping for joy now and delved into the past instead. “Really?”

  “Really,” she said with a rueful grin. “I had a major crush on you back then.”

  “Wow.” Dalton tried to think back to his interactions with her as a teen. “I had no idea.”

  Sierra gave a huff of laughter. “Well, you hardly noticed that I existed, so it’s no surprise you were clueless about my crush.”

  “I don’t know what to say about that except I’m sorry that my teenage self was so focused on music that I didn’t notice you.”

  Instead of agreeing with him, she just shrugged and said, “It was probably for the best.”

  “And now?” Dalton asked, curious if any of that teenage crush still lingered.

  “It’s definitely more complicated,” Sierra said, her gaze moving from him. “Have you decided what you’re doing for your future? Are you returning to Toronto?”

  Dalton wished he could tell her that he’d made those decisions, but he couldn’t. “I don’t know.”

  With his reply, he felt her hand slip off his.

  “My life is here, Dalton. I have no desire to leave Winnipeg.” She hesitated for a moment then continued. “I’ve always planned to follow what we were taught in youth group and by your parents.”

  “And that was?” Dalton asked because they’d been taught a lot of stuff, not all of which had sunk in for him.

  “That I’d never date a man I couldn’t see myself marrying. I don’t just date for fun.”

  Marriage. Dalton hadn’t thought that far ahead, but he could himself exchanging vows with Sierra. However, at the same time, he could see why he wouldn’t be someone she would want to marry.

  He moved his hand from her arm and reached for the door handle. “I’m sorry. I should never have broached this with you.”

  “Dalton, please wait.” This time it was her stopping him from leaving the car. “I don’t want this to affect our friendshi
p.”

  He turned toward her and gave her a smile he didn’t really feel. “It won’t. You’re important enough of a friend that I can’t imagine not having a friendship with you.”

  She stared at him for a long moment before saying, “Promise?”

  Her gaze was so earnest that Dalton had no choice but to agree. He couldn’t deny her anything, it seemed. “I promise.”

  “Seriously,” she said again, obviously not believing him. “I’m sorry this didn’t go the way you wanted, but you’ll thank me some day.”

  “Maybe.” No, he wasn’t sure he’d ever thank her for this, but he wouldn’t hold it against her either. He patted her hand. “I promise we’ll still be friends.”

  Dalton hoped he wasn’t lying because right then he was feeling a mess of stuff that he needed to sort through. Rejection wasn’t something he’d faced often in his life. His musical talent had guaranteed that it was rare for him to put something in front of someone and have them reject it. His fame had made it easy to surround himself with friends and, to some degree, women.

  And wasn’t it just a kicker that neither his fame nor his fortune drew Sierra to him. In fact, he had a feeling that those things actually repelled her.

  Hiding the turmoil within him, Dalton got out of the car and unlocked the back door of the apartment building, then held it for Sierra. As they walked upstairs, the conversation between them centered on their plans for the next day.

  “I have a couple of appointments tomorrow that might mean I won’t be able to make it up to the hospital.” Dalton had finally booked a driving lesson in the morning then an appointment with his counselor in the afternoon, but he didn’t give her any of the details. She already knew about his counseling appointments, and he didn’t want her to feel bad about not being able to give him any more driving lessons.

  “I think Makayla plans to bring the kids to the hospital at some point, so I’d like to be there whenever that happens.”

  “Do you think they’re ready for that?” Dalton asked as they reached the landing.

  Sierra sighed then said, “I’m not sure. I do think they need to see each other, but I hope Makayla prepares them for it. I suggested that maybe she should take a couple of pictures of Ethan to show the kids tonight so that they can react before they actually see him.”