by Ginna Gray
What they had wouldn’t last, no matter how deep their feelings went. It couldn’t. No matter what objections Julia had, once Quinton was out of the woods she would have to tell Mike the truth. He deserved that much.
But until then, she simply could not deny herself this little piece of happiness.
Snuggling her cheek against his chest, she closed her eyes and hugged him tight Oh, Mike. If only I could promise not to hurt you, she thought sadly.
Chapter Seven
The weeks that followed proved to be a period of extreme inner conflict for Leah. Never had she been so happy and so miserable at the same time.
She treasured every moment she spent with Mike. Even when she wasn’t with him, she went around with a tightness in her chest, a feeling of expectancy, just knowing that before the day was over she would see him, that he would look at her in that way he had that made her go warm all over, that he would take every opportunity to touch her and that before they parted he would take her in his arms and kiss her.
Mike made Leah feel things she had never experienced—giddiness and excitement, an almost delirious happiness. When they were apart she was filled with a constant, bone-deep longing to be with him, to see him, to touch him, to hear his voice. When they were together she felt more alive than she’d ever felt in her life.
He was a wonderful companion—intelligent, charming, handsome, good-natured. Beneath that affable charm and good looks was a man of substance, a man upon whom a woman could depend.
A man to whom a woman could entrust her heart.
There was also an innate, careless grace and sexuality about Mike that took her breath away. Every move he made seemed sexy to Leah. Just watching him walk down the hospital corridors elicited some very embarrassing fantasies that drove every other thought right out of her head. She was profoundly glad that her co-workers could not read her mind.
Mike was slow to anger, she discovered, but he was no pushover. He was a man of strong opinions and even stronger character, and when roused, his temper was formidable.
Also—perhaps most important of all—he made her laugh with his silly jokes and his devilish personality. Laughing, she had discovered, was something she had not done nearly enough before meeting Mike.
He made her feel special and cherished. And loved. And it was wonderful.
At the same time, however, anxiety and a sense of futility plagued Leah. In the beginning especially, she worried constantly that any day Julia would learn about her and Mike from someone on the hospital staff. Leah knew her stepmother would be livid and would not hesitate to make a scene.
However, as the weeks passed smoothly she realized how unlikely that was; Julia did not engage in conversation with people she thought of as underlings. Leah relaxed somewhat, but the possibility, though more remote, still hung over her like a dark cloud.
The situation had changed since she had promised not to reveal Julia’s secret. Mike had to be told the truth, but she didn’t want it to come from her stepmother in one of the woman’s hysterical rages.
In any case, Leah knew she should be the one to tell him. He deserved that much. And she was going to. But not yet. Not just yet.
The time wasn’t right, she told herself day after day, week after week. Quinton was improving, but he wasn’t out of the woods yet. When he was released from the hospital, then she would tell Mike everything.
Until then, she was determined to savor this time with him and enjoy every moment to the fullest.
Except when one of Leah’s expectant mothers went into labor or she or Mike had an emergency, they were together every evening. Mostly they continued to spend their after-office hours with Quinton, but two or three evenings a week, after visiting for a while with her brother, they went out together.
Invariably on those occasions the air between them vibrated with sexual tension. Every kiss, every touch, every look that passed between them, was rife with hunger and longing. Yet their evenings always stopped short of intimacy. Both their schedules were hectic and they spent the majority of their free time with Quinton. Even so, there had been opportunities. But Mike seemed determined not to rush her.
The sensible part of Leah was glad, even while the romantic in her yearned for more. Day by day she was falling more in love with Mike. She wanted to make love with him, longed to share the special closeness and intimacies that only people in love experience, but she knew it best not to take that step.
A part of her felt guilty even contemplating a physical relationship with Mike. She knew she didn’t deserve him. From the first she had deceived him on several levels. One day soon, she was going to have to tell him the truth, and when she did he would surely despise her. How much harder that would be to accept if they were lovers.
So she continued to bide her time and take each day as it came.
Sometimes, if one or both had a tough day, their dates consisted of merely eating dinner in the hospital cafeteria, then saying good-night with a passionate kiss in the parking lot. Other times they took in a movie or baseball game or some other form of entertainment. As often as not, however, they simply enjoyed each other’s company, either going for long walks or sitting at their table in a restaurant, talking until the place closed.
They talked about any- and everything—their struggles to get through medical school, their busy practices, particularly interesting or challenging cases they’d had, what they liked and disliked about St. Francis Hospital. They also discussed, and sometimes argued good-naturedly over, movies and books and music.
And, of course, they talked about family.
The last thing that Leah wanted to discuss with Mike was Julia. However, she was afraid it would seem odd if she didn’t exhibit at least some curiosity, so one evening over after-dinner coffee she forced herself to broach the subject.
“You never mention your natural mother. I, uh, I assume from that your parents are divorced.”
She had expected some sort of reaction to the question—a start, a frown, maybe coolness. But Mike didn’t so much as blink.
“Yeah, my mother walked out on Dad and me years ago, when I was five. At the time, Houston’s economy was in a real slump, particularly the building industry. New construction had all but come to a standstill, and R&R Construction, the company Dad and my uncle Reilly own, was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. So my mother bailed and married a rich man.” Mike shrugged. “I haven’t seen her since.”
“Do you remember her at all?”
“Not really. My memories of her are vague, just little fuzzy snippets really. And I don’t recall ever seeing a picture of her. Dad must’ve destroyed them all when she left. To tell the truth, I doubt that I’d recognize her if I ran into her on the street.”
For Leah, that bit of information was welcome, but at the same time disturbing.
Mike’s expression was neutral, showing neither sorrow nor anger, but the very matter-of-factness of his tone wrung Leah’s heart. How could Julia have done such a thing? A failed marriage was one matter, but to walk away from your child and sever all contact with him was unforgivable.
Tears stung Leah’s eyes as she placed her hand over Mike’s. “I’m so sorry. That must have hurt terribly.”
“If it did, I don’t remember it. Hey, don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Dad and I got along just fine on our own. He’s a super father and a good man. Even today, he’s still my best friend.”
“That’s nice.” She gave him a wan smile, but her heart ached for the little boy he had been.
“Yeah, it is. For eight years it was just the two of us, but he saw to it that I had everything I needed, materially and emotionally. Also, there was my uncle Reilly, Dad’s identical twin, and all their family, which includes doting grandparents, aunts and uncles and a passel of cousins, so I never felt lonely or neglected.”
“That’s good.”
“Hmm.” Mike fiddled with the handle on his coffee cup, and a tender look came over his face. “Then Tess came into our
lives.” He shook his head and chuckled at the memory. “After my mother walked out, Dad became something of a misogynist, but even he couldn’t bring himself to be rude to a pregnant woman.”
“You’re kidding. Tess was pregnant when your father met her?” Leah goggled at Mike over the top of her cup.
“Yep. Very pregnant. And a widow. Her husband had died not knowing he was going to be a father.
“At first Dad wanted nothing to do with her and he did his damnedest to avoid her. But he was too much of a gentleman not to give an expectant mother a hand when she needed one. Which turned out to be pretty often. Tess was alone in the world expect for her best friend, Amanda Sutherland. Actually, her name is Amanda McCall now. She’s married to my uncle Reilly, but she still uses Sutherland as her professional name.”
“Amanda Sutherland? The news anchorwoman on television? She’s married to your uncle?”
“Yep.”
“My goodness,” Leah murmured with a touch of awe. “You do have an interesting family.”
“If you think that’s something, Aunt Meghan, Dad’s baby sister, is married to Rhys Morgan.”
This time, Leah’s jaw dropped. A full five seconds ticked by before she could croak out, “The singing star?”
Mike nodded.
“Oh—my—word!” The drawn-out, breathless exclamation tumbled from Leah’s lips. Mike grinned at her astonished expression, but she didn’t care. She put her hand over her heart and let out her breath in a long sigh. “Rhys Morgan is an icon. I can’t believe he’s married to your aunt.”
“At the family gatherings, Rhys is just one of the guys. We tend to forget that he’s a superstar. Someday I’ll have to tell you about how he and Aunt Meghan got together. It’s a real doozy of a story.
“But then, so is Uncle Reilly and Amanda’s.” A wry look came over Mike’s face. “Come to think of it, none of the courtships of the Blaines and McCalls has been ordinary. Including Dad and Tess’s.
“As 1 was saying, Dad tried hard to resist Tess, but he didn’t stand a chance. He ended up being her Lamaze coach.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Nope. He even delivered her baby in the back of his Jeep while they were trying to outrun a hurricane. They were on their way to my grandparents’ home in Crockett when Tess went into labor. I wasn’t there, but from what I hear, Uncle Reilly was driving like a bat out of hell and cussing a blue streak, trying to get to the hospital, while Dad was in the back with Tess, delivering Molly.
“I think he was halfway in love with Tess before that, but when he put Molly into her arms, he completely lost his heart to both of them. He and Tess were married a few months later.”
Mike’s grin flashed. “I was thirteen at the time, and I got a terrific new mother and a baby sister all in one fell swoop. Man, I was in heaven.”
Moisture glistened in Leah’s eyes as she looked across the candlelit table at him. Her chest was so tight she barely choked out, “Oh, Mike, that’s such a beautiful story.”
“Every word of it’s true. Scout’s honor.” He held up three fingers and gave her a twinkling grin, and Leah chuckled, as she knew he had intended.
“Tess is the best thing that ever happened to Dad and me. Over the years she and Dad have given me a brother and another sister. I was almost Quinton’s age when Ethan was born, and in my first year of college when Tess had Katy. It was fun being the big brother and watching them grow up. I guess they’re partly the reason I went into pediatrics—they and all the other little ones added to our family over the years.
“Dad has two brothers and a sister, and they grew up with three cousins. Their childhood homes in Crockett are just a few hundred yards apart. As kids, the seven of them kept a path worn through the woods between the two places, and now the next generation of kids is doing the same.”
“That sounds like a wonderful way to grow up,” Leah said wistfully.
“Yeah. Even today, the McCall and Blaine cousins are all still close, so much so they might as well be siblings. Which isn’t so surprising, since my grandmother McCall and Aunt Dorothy, the cousins’ mother, are identical twins.
“Now Dad, Uncle Reilly, Uncle Travis and Aunt Meghan, plus all the cousins, have children of their own. At last count, during our annual family get-together at the grandparents’ home in Crockett last Christmas, there were twenty-one grandchildren ranging in age from three months to me at thirty. By now, there may be more on the way.” His teasing grin flashed again. “We’re a prolific bunch.”
“Twenty-one?” Leah repeated weakly, staring at him. “Oh my, that is a large family.” For the first sixteen years of her life, until Quinton came along, Leah had been an only child. She couldn’t imagine a family that size.
“Wait’ll you meet them. When we’re all together it’s bedlam, but it’s fun. The grandparents love it”
Leah gave him a wan smile but didn’t comment. She doubted very much if she would be around long enough to meet Mike’s family.
The thought brought a painful tightness to her chest, and she found herself battling a sudden urge to cry. To change the subject she asked, “Did your father’s company survive the recession?”
“Does a goose go barefoot? You bet. They went through some rough times financially, but they hung on and eventually the company prospered beyond Dad’s and Uncle Reilly’s wildest dreams.”
He went on to tell her about some of his father and uncle’s struggles all those years ago. With his sense of humor, Mike was a born storyteller who could make the most ordinary tale not only fascinating but amusing, as well. He also had a way of drawing out a person. There was some innate something about Mike that fostered trust. Before you knew it, your defenses were down and you were confiding your deepest secrets.
When he’d finished his hilarious stories about his family, without missing a beat he said, “So there. I’ve told you all the family secrets. Now it’s your turn.”
Leah’s instinctive reaction was to dodge the question. She had never discussed her childhood or the loss of her mother with anyone, not even Sandy. Some things were just too painful, too private.
These past few weeks, whenever their conversations had drifted in that direction she had managed to sidestep, either giving him a vague answer or changing the subject. She should have known that he would not let her get by with that forever. The look in his eyes told her evasion would not work this time.
“There’s not much to tell really. It’s very dull and boring.”
“I doubt that. Nothing about you could bore me. Anyway, turnabout is fair play. So, why don’t you start by telling me about your mother?”
Dismayed, Leah looked at him across the table, but she could see the steady resolve in his eyes. Sighing, she studied the coffee in her cup and searched for the right words. Finally she gave up and said baldly, “My mother died when I was fifteen.”
“Aw, jeez.” Mike flinched. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t realize. Look, if this is too painful—”
“No, it’s all right.” Leah ran her finger around the rim of her cup. He had given her an out, but oddly, she couldn’t take it. Now that she’d started, she felt compelled to finish. “Her name was Elinor. Dr. Elinor Albright. She was a neurosurgeon, a brilliant one. I suppose her love of medicine rubbed off on me. She was bright and skilled, a strong, beautiful, confident, capable woman. I loved and admired her very much.”
“Hmm. Sounds like my kinda lady. Which means, she sounds like you.”
Leah looked up and met Mike’s warm gaze. His smile was affectionate and teasing and made her heart do a funny little skip.
“I’ve always had a weakness for strong, beautiful women. That’s one of the reasons I’m so crazy about you.”
Leah stared at him. Mike always seemed to know exactly the right thing to say. Which was what made him so easy to talk to, to confide in. Although she knew it was probably foolish, she could feel the last of her reservations crumbling.
“Yes, well, not all me
n are like you. I’ve suspected for years now that Mother’s strength was what caused my father to divorce her.”
Mike couldn’t hide his astonishment, and Leah’s mouth twitched with grim humor.
“You mean, he walked out on a great woman like her?”
“Yes. Like you, I was young, only three when it happened, so I don’t remember the actual event, but for years I hated my father. For leaving us, but mostly for breaking my mother’s heart.”
“I take it that means you don’t hate him anymore?”
“No, I suppose not. As an adult I’ve come to realize that Peter Albright is one of those men who truly needs to be needed. It’s important to him that his wife be a woman he can pamper and spoil, someone who depends on him emotionally, financially, physically and every other way.”
Leah shrugged and her lips quivered in a wry, sad smile. “All my mother needed from him was his love.
“I think, because she was such a strong, self-sufficient woman, he thought she would weather their breakup with hardly a twinge, but he was wrong. Losing him devastated her. After he left, she never even looked at another man.”
And that explained a lot, Mike thought, studying the sadness in her eyes. He reached across the table and took her hand, squeezing it lightly. “Is that why you’ve never married? Because you don’t trust a man to cherish you for your strengths as well as your looks?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. It’s not a groundless fear, you know,” she argued, bristling slightly.
“Leah, not all men are like your father.”
“That’s true, but many are. I was even engaged to one back in med school.”
“Really?” That bit of information hit Mike like a kick in the stomach. Which surprised him. He and Leah were both in their thirties. Of course there had been other men in her life before him. He’d known that. Even so, he hated the idea that she had come so close to making a lifetime commitment to someone else. “So, what happened?”
Briefly, she told him how Lyle’s family influence had always paved the way for him, and how ill-prepared he’d been for the pressure of med school. “He hated it that I was at the top of our class and he was at the bottom. When he finally flunked out he broke off our engagement. I haven’t seen him since.”