Mendoza's Miracle

by Judy Duarte

  Before Javier got a chance to either give it some serious thought or to shake it off completely, the orderly pushed the wheelchair closer. “Do you need my help?”

  Javier would rather fall to the ground than to admit that he wasn’t able to do something so simple on his own.

  “No,” he said, his movements slow and deliberate. “I can do it.”

  As he turned so he could lower his backside in the chair, Leah asked, “Are your things packed?”

  “Not yet, but I don’t have much to take. My shaving gear is in the bathroom, and I’ve got a few things in that closet.”

  “I’ll get it for you.” Leah headed to the bathroom, where she picked up his toiletries. Then she went to the closet and packed the extra pair of pajamas Rafe had brought, along with a pair of goofy-looking socks that served as slippers.

  For a guy who’d always slept in the raw, the PJs were enough to make Javier feel as helpless as a child, which cast a dark shadow on his mood.

  After Leah placed the bag on the cart, she gathered the rest of his things, including the flowers Savannah had brought him the other day. The other floral arrangements he’d received after his transfer from ICU to the third floor had died and been thrown out long ago, but the potted plants still thrived.

  As Leah tiptoed to reach a philodendron from one of the shelves near the window, he watched her top pull up a tad. Too bad it wasn’t short enough to show some skin....

  Damn, it would have been nice to see her wearing that pair of tight jeans again, rather than those boxy scrubs. Still, she moved with a natural grace and style, no matter what she wore. In fact, there was something classy about Leah. And something sexy that the shapeless medical garment couldn’t hide.

  If the orderly and the candy striper hadn’t been in the room, Javier might have uttered something flirty again. But it was best that he didn’t.

  Once the cart was loaded and he was seated in the wheelchair, he was tempted to ask Leah if she would come to visit him in rehab, but the question seemed a little too…needy. A little too weak. And for a guy who’d held the world by a string just two months ago, he wasn’t about to do anything that made him feel any less of a man than he already did.

  Besides, he had too much on his plate right now to be thinking about romance.

  Yet he couldn’t help wishing that she would come by to see him on her own.

  Chapter Four

  After the orderly wheeled Javier to the rehab unit, Leah remained standing in his empty room, taking a moment to feel the loss of the man who’d just left.

  Talk about crazy. She rolled her eyes and started back to the nurses’ station, only to find the doorway blocked by a petite brunette carrying what appeared to be a box of chocolates.

  “Excuse me,” the woman said. “I’m looking for Javier Mendoza. I could have sworn his brother told me he was in three-fourteen.”

  “Up until a few minutes ago, this was his room. You just missed him. He’s been transferred to the rehab unit.”

  The attractive visitor knit her brow as though confused or disappointed.

  “That’s actually good news,” Leah said, offering some reassurance. “After he spends a week in rehab, he’ll be released from the hospital altogether.”

  The woman’s striking blue eyes, which had been enhanced by a thick application of mascara, lit up. “Oh. Then that is good news.”

  Leah scanned the well-dressed visitor, who was in her mid to late twenties, wishing she could find fault with her appearance or her style, but she couldn’t.

  “Can you tell me how to find the rehab unit?” the brunette asked. “I’ve been waiting to visit until the family gave the okay.”

  “It’s on the east side of the hospital. You’ll need to go down to the second floor, which is the only access from here. Then follow the signs. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding it.”

  Her perfect smile gleamed. “Thanks so much. You’ve been a great help.”

  “No problem.” Leah returned the woman’s smile, although her own fell short of sincere.

  As she watched the brunette turn and walk away, her hips swaying, her high heels clicking upon the hospital floor, Leah realized she was the second beautiful woman who’d come to see Javier in the past three days. And since Rafe had obviously orchestrated both visits, it seemed like a natural jump to assume they were both old lovers—or maybe even current ones.

  A green-eyed twinge, which felt a bit too much like jealousy, rose up inside of her, but she did her best to tamp it down. Why should she give a darn if women were clamoring for an opportunity to offer Javier some tender loving care?

  The only explanation she could come up with was that some transference was taking place, the psychological phenomena that occurred when a medical professional found him- or herself attracted to a patient—or vice versa. They often imagined themselves in love when it was just a fleeting attachment taking place. And she wasn’t going to fall into that trap.

  So she shook off those lingering, inappropriate thoughts and feelings, as she headed back to the nurses’ station, determined to focus on her work.

  She’d barely taken a seat behind the desk when the phone rang. She answered it. “Third floor nurses’ station.”

  “I’m sorry to bother you, but I just called Javier Mendoza in room three-fourteen, and he isn’t answering. I spoke to his brother last night and he suggested I stop by to visit. But once I arrived in the lobby, I realized that I should have called first and made sure that it was…you know, okay with him. Is now a bad time?”

  Probably, since the brunette who’d just come looking for him was probably arriving in Javier’s new room about now. But Leah wasn’t about to help the man juggle his lovers, so she said, “Mr. Mendoza has been moved to the rehab unit. It’s on the east side of the hospital. Take the lobby elevator to the second floor, then follow the signs.”

  “Thank you so much.”

  Something told her that Javier wouldn’t be anywhere near as thankful for her answer as the caller had been, but if he’d been dishonest in his relationships, then it served him right.

  As Leah hung up the receiver, she couldn’t help wishing that there really was a rehab nurse named Brunhilda—and that she’d been cracking her knuckles, waiting for Javier to arrive.

  Oh, for Pete’s sake. What kind of adolescent thought was that?

  Still, in spite of a decision to put Javier Mendoza out of her mind for good, she couldn’t help wondering how many women he’d been seeing.

  More than he could keep track of, no doubt. Before the tornado struck Red Rock, he’d probably had a different woman on his arm every night of the week. And if that were the case, Leah was lucky he was gone. She’d never trusted cocky, overconfident men who refused to make a commitment or to keep their promises.

  Just like Stephen Gardner, the man who’d broken Aunt Connie’s heart.

  When Leah was a teenager, Connie had spent a summer in San Antonio, where she’d met a handsome and charismatic attorney. She’d fallen hard and fast for him. And why wouldn’t she? The man had wined and dined her until she was walking on clouds.

  One night, she’d come home and told Leah how deliriously happy she was. “I’m calling a Realtor in the morning and putting my house on the market.”

  Leah had been thrilled, not only for Connie but for herself. She adored her aunt and hadn’t been able to think of anything better than having her nearby so they could see each other daily. But before Connie could list her condo in Palm Beach or give notice at work, Stephen had ended things—over the telephone.

  “I care for you,” he’d told her, “but I think it’s best if we take things slow.”

  Connie had been crushed, of course, but she’d decided to let him have a little space and time, hoping that he’d
come to realize what she’d already known—that their relationship was meant to be.

  Then, just days later, while Connie and Leah had gone out to dinner to celebrate Leah’s birthday, they’d seen Stephen out on the town with another woman.

  Connie was heartbroken, to say the least. And she’d immediately canceled her plans to move to Texas. When Leah had dropped her off at the airport, they’d both cried their eyes out—saddened by what would never be.

  And even now, years later, Connie was different—more somber. The whole Stephen thing had changed her.

  But enough of that. Leah wasn’t going to stew over the past, so she reached for the file of one of her patients. She wanted to double check the dosage of the new antibiotic Dr. Wang had ordered.

  Before she could open it, Brenna, the LVN, approached the desk. “Have you got a minute? I’d like to ask you a question.”

  Leah looked up from her work. “Sure. What is it?”

  “Do you know anything about Brice McNally, the new intern on the fourth floor?”

  “No, not really. Just that he came here from Johns Hopkins and that he’s supposed to be sharp. Why?”

  Brenna bit down on her bottom lip, then shrugged. “I don’t know. He…well, he asked me out. And I told him I’d think about it.”

  “Are you looking for advice?”

  Brenna nodded. “Yes, I guess so.”

  “For what it’s worth, I try to make it a practice not to date anyone I work with. It makes life easier that way.”

  “I had a feeling you’d say that.” Brenna blew out a wobbly sigh. “And you’re probably right. I need this job, and I don’t want to have any problems at work.”

  Leah studied the young woman, saw the dilemma in her eyes.

  “It’s just that…” Brenna shrugged a single shoulder. “He’s amazing, and I was so flattered when he asked me out. But I can see where things could get awkward. I’m not the only woman who’s interested in him. Know what I mean?”

  Leah nodded her agreement. Since she spent so much time at the hospital, both of her relationships had been with men she’d met on the job. And that’s what had made things a little more complicated when they hadn’t panned out.

  “Sometimes those workplace romances can turn awkward,” she said.

  Brenna paused a beat, then asked, “Have you ever had one?”

  “Yes, but it didn’t last very long.” About six months after Leah had landed the job at San Antonio General, she’d been attracted to one of the interns, too. They’d dated for a while, but the flirtatious doctor was too caught up in himself to settle down.

  “If the opportunity came up again, would you reconsider?” Brenna asked.

  “I actually did give it another try about a year ago, although that relationship bit the dust before it even had a chance to blossom.” Several months after the breakup, Leah had agreed to go out to dinner with a radiologist she’d met in the hospital cafeteria. The guy was solid, dependable and family-minded, but he was also incredibly dull, and she hadn’t been able to imagine living the rest of her life with him.

  Sadly enough, she couldn’t imagine living the rest of her life alone, either. But she’d come to think that having a husband and a baby might not be in her future. But that was okay. Her job and her patients had become her life’s plan.

  Brenna frowned, then shrugged again. “But what if I don’t go out with Brice, and he turns out to be…”

  “The one?” Leah asked.

  Brenna nodded.

  “That’s the risk you’ll have to take. I can only tell you what’s right for me.” And that’s why she needed to steer clear of Javier—and not just because he was a patient. She had reason to believe that he wasn’t the kind of guy to go the distance in a relationship. So Leah would be a fool to get involved with someone like him no matter how handsome he was, how charming his smile.

  At the sound of rubber-soled footsteps, Leah looked to the left and spotted Karen, the RN who’d been assigned to Javier’s room today, returning to the desk.

  “I’m sorry for taking so long,” Karen said. “First, I was at lunch, then I was called into an emergency situation in room three-twenty-one. What’s going on?”

  “Javier Mendoza has gone to rehab,” Leah said, “so his bed is now empty. But other than that, things have been quiet.”

  “Good.”

  Karen was clearly glad to know that the floor hadn’t been left shorthanded, while Leah couldn’t help thinking it was “good” that Javier was gone.

  Of course, she’d been left with a Texas-size hole in her day. And in spite of her resolve to steer clear of the man, the next morning, curiosity—or whatever else it might be—got the better of her and she decided to stop by the rehab unit during her lunch break to see how he was doing.

  Javier, his head still damp with sweat, had stretched out on his bed after returning to his room following a difficult workout. He’d done all the therapist had asked and more, hoping to shorten his time in the rehab unit and return home. He’d be in therapy for quite some time, but at least he’d be out of the hospital.

  Interestingly, his drive had returned, and he’d found himself pushing through the pain with a goal in mind. And that had felt good.

  He glanced around his new room, which was smaller than the one he’d had on the third floor. That didn’t matter, though. If all went according to plan, he’d be headed home in less than a week.

  As his gaze landed on the clock on the wall, he realized that Leah would be taking her lunch break soon. If he was still on the third floor, she’d probably stop by to see him on her way to the cafeteria. She’d tell him that another nurse would be checking in on him while she was gone. But instead of slipping off, she’d hang around for a while, refilling his pitcher of water, making small talk.

  He wondered if she was as dedicated to all her patients. Or if she’d found something special about him.

  Damn. He was going to miss her.

  But that wasn’t going to get him anywhere. He had a goal in mind now, and that was to heal as quickly as possible and get back on his feet. Even if Leah felt the least bit interested in him, there wasn’t anything appealing about a man who could barely walk on his own.

  Still, in spite of his determination to heal and get back into the swing of his life, he couldn’t help wondering what was going on back on the third floor. And wondering what Leah was up to.

  He missed her smile, the lilt of her voice, the glimmer that lit those pretty hazel eyes—a shade that turned golden whenever she wore a green top.

  The desire to see her again was hard to explain unless he admitted the obvious: he was missing Leah a hell of a lot more than he’d ever thought he would.

  “Hey, there,” a woman’s voice sounded from the doorway. But it wasn’t just any voice. It belonged to the nurse who’d captured his thoughts more often than not. And the dazzling smile she offered him was a far better gift than chocolate or flowers.

  As she entered his room, Javier’s mood lightened like a bouquet of helium balloons.

  “Hey yourself,” he said.

  Leah made a quick scan of his new surroundings. “Well, what do you know? You’re alone. I can’t believe it.”

  “Yeah, well, it seems that they don’t check on the patients nearly as much in here as they did on the third floor. Or maybe the nurses aren’t as competent.”

  “I wasn’t talking about the medical staff,” Leah said. “I expected you to have visitors. After all, I can’t count how many women called or stopped by to see you, even after you were transferred.” She wore a grin, but the way her eyes had flared, the tone of her voice…

  Was she jealous?

  Javier liked thinking that she might be, but he didn’t want to play games about something like that.<
br />
  “There couldn’t have been more than three,” he said, making light of the visits from Savannah and Maria, as well as the one from Jessica. “And they’re just friends.”

  At least, they weren’t any more than that now.

  “As soon as I get my walking papers,” he added, “the first thing I’m going to do is hunt down my brother and chew him out for sending every woman he meets to visit me.”

  The glimmer in Leah’s eyes softened, as though she’d taken some comfort in his explanation.

  “Nevertheless,” she said, “I have a feeling things got a little awkward for you yesterday.”

  A smile stretched one corner of his lips. “Just a bit. But I’ve always found honesty to be the best policy. So there weren’t any catfights, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  She eased closer to the bed, but not quite close enough. “I had a feeling you were a player in your pre-hospital days. So I’m sure you had no trouble soothing ruffled feathers—or rather, fur.”

  There it went again—that flicker in her eyes that seemed to chastise him for something she knew nothing about, something she thought he’d done, even though he hadn’t.

  “I dated two of those ladies,” Javier admitted. “And while it might appear that they didn’t know about each other, they did. I’ve always been up front and honest in my relationships.”

  “Which means what?” Leah asked, folding her arms in front of her as if protecting herself.

  “I dated Savannah in the fall and Maria was a summer fling. But I never made either of them any promises.”

  “So you only date one woman at a time?”

  “Usually. But if not, I’ve always told them that they weren’t the only women in my life. If they weren’t okay with that, then they’d find someone else.”

  “So you’re a commitment-phobe.”

  “Not at all. I just haven’t met anyone who made me want to settle down and have a serious relationship.”

  The truth of that statement struck something deep inside, something tender and raw. To be honest, and Javier wasn’t ready to open up that much to anyone, he’d been reevaluating his life over the last few weeks.