Checking his knee for unusual swelling, Kelly closely eyed the area. Puffiness was present, but it didn’t look infected. She pressed lightly. He winced simultaneously. “On a scale from one to ten, ten being the worst, how bad is the pain?”
Looking worried, he frowned. “I’d say about a nine, Dr. Charleston. What do you think it is? It went away and now it’s back.”
“Don’t know yet. X-rays were negative the last time. Brace yourself so I can recheck the knee.” Using as light a touch as possible, her fingertips felt all around the lumpy flesh. “Did you somehow fall on your knee or possibly twist it?”
Kevin shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. Everything with my knee is the same as it was last time.”
“That’s what has me stumped. I don’t want to do another X-ray unless it’s absolutely necessary. Who came with you today?”
“My dad’s out in the waiting room.”
“Okay. We’ll get him in here. I’ll be right back. Lie back and stretch out as much as you can. Try to relax your knee and be careful to keep the emphasis on comfort.”
Outside in the hallway, Kelly summoned Anthony Wheeler, a dedicated male nurse who’d just come out of another treatment room. “Anthony, please bring Mr. Maize back to room three. Also ask Anna to pull Kevin’s last X-ray for me. I want to take another look at it. I’ll be in Dr. Quinn’s office.” Anna Lockart ran the front office.
“Stat, Dr. Charleston,” Anthony said cheerfully, giving her a bright smile.
Kelly walked to the end of the hall and lightly knocked on the open office door belonging to Dr. Jacoby Quinn. “J.Q., I want to confer with you. Is now a good time?”
“Sure, Kelly, come on in. What’s on your mind?” Jacoby gestured for Kelly to take a seat.
Kelly sat down in one of the leather wingback chairs located in front of his beautiful desk. She got right into the dilemma she was faced with, sharing with her colleague all the important details she had on Kevin Maize’s past and present medical history that pertained to his knee. “He was in here six months ago with the exact same symptoms. I thought tendonitis may be the culprit, but I’m not sure what it is. I’d like a second opinion. You’re one of the best orthopedic surgeons in the house.”
“I need to review his records and X-rays before I come in and take a look-see.”
“You’ll have them shortly. I already requested his last X-rays to be pulled.”
“I like the way you work. You’re very good at anticipation, Kelly.”
“Thank you.” A light knock on the door kept her from saying anything more.
Freshly showered, seated in the leather recliner inside the master retreat, Houston flipped through the Houston Chronicle. He was saddened by the vast increase in crime. The thriving city had grown by leaps and bounds and people from all over the world were making Houston their home. Growth was more than likely responsible for the rise in crime. He also remembered a time when the fourth-largest city in the United States had suffered an economic meltdown, causing crime to increase then, too. As of late, things had really changed for the worse in the Bayou City.
Looking over at the phone on the end table, Houston stared at it like he wished it would finally ring. He had put in several calls to Kelly, phoning both the residence and cell phones. She had yet to return a single one. Five days had lapsed since the family dinner.
Feeling disappointed surprised him. He also felt a bit of desperation, a totally foreign emotion for him. Houston had phoned Kelly back to let her know he was available to escort her to the awards dinner. After much serious thought, he had also made the decision to ask her to join the birthday cruise celebration.
According to Austin, passage on the cruise needed to be booked very soon. With only a few premier cabins left, and the trip just a couple of weeks away, the travel agent needed a final cabin-count as soon as possible. The group was interested in balcony accommodation/suites so they had to move pretty quickly. If Kelly declined the invitation, Dallas would then have to book a single-supplement for Lanier.
Houston was very much aware that Kelly might not think it a good idea since she’d already made comments about his offer to escort her Saturday evening.
Although Kelly had told him she’d let him know her decision regarding the event, he hadn’t heard from her. Maybe she had decided not to go. It wasn’t like her not to return his phone calls. Houston hated to admit it, but he was starting to feel like some women probably felt when he was direct about his lifestyle.
Seconds after Houston thought of calling Kelly one last time, before he could pick up the receiver, the phone rang. He sighed when he heard her voice. “You finally got my messages, huh?”
“Only minutes ago. I’ve been too busy to check my voice mail. Before we get into why you phoned me, I plan to go to the awards ceremony. Are you free to attend?”
“That’s one of the reasons I phoned. I’m all yours that evening.”
Kelly chuckled softly. “You mean to say you have other reasons? I’m all ears.”
Houston swallowed hard. “I have something pretty important to ask you.”
Kelly was positive no proposal of marriage was forthcoming so she simply nodded. If it were to happen, she’d never make it to the altar. Dying from a state of shock over Houston’s desire to get engaged would definitely make it impossible for her to walk down the aisle. Knock off the sillies, she quietly told herself, laughing inwardly.
Houston wished Kelly was there in person, but she wasn’t so he’d have to try and effectively make his case over the phone. “Mom’s birthday is just around the corner. My brothers and I decided we’d surprise her with a cruise to Cozumel. No specific dates are pinned down yet, but we’re looking at sailing within the next couple of weeks. To get the kind of cabins we prefer we have to book right away. I’d love for you to join us for the celebration. Do you think it’s a possibility?”
Kelly’s immediate reaction was to stick her finger into her ear to see if she’d unwittingly allowed a wax buildup. She couldn’t possibly have heard Houston right. Either her ears were clogged or the brother had suddenly taken ill.
Houston dealt with dead silence for several seconds. “Kelly,” he said softly, “did you hear me?”
“Heard you talking but didn’t quite comprehend the gist of your message.”
“My mother’s birthday, four-day cruise—and I invited you to join us.”
A cruise with her and Houston sharing the same cabin? Utterly unbelievable.
There had to be a catch somewhere, Kelly mused. Houston wasn’t into second dates, let alone serial dating. Yet he’d already invited her to dinner. That alone made her sure they wouldn’t share a cabin. In his mind, they were working on becoming friends. Despite all of that, Kelly wanted to accept his offer. She saw being at sea with Houston and the other Carringtons as a magical holiday in the making.
Perhaps she should take some time to give more thought to his proposal, but she saw no use denying herself anything she wanted. Intentional or not, Houston’s guard was coming down. She hoped it would up and disappear altogether. “I’d love to go.”
Shocked but delirious with Kelly’s response, Houston smiled broadly. “Great! You and Lanier can share a cabin if you don’t mind, out of respect for our parents. Dallas and I are bunking together.”
Kelly battled hard to hold back her derisive laughter. It didn’t surprise her that she was so right-on-the-money about the cabin. Was Houston getting too predictable? She hoped not. Predictability could bore her to tears. Even as the thought passed through her head, she knew boredom with him would hardly occur. There was nothing humdrum about him. Houston was the most fascinating man she’d ever made the acquaintance of.
“The trip is on me, Kelly. I’m happy you’re coming along.”
Kelly turned her mouth down in a slight frown. “I’ll pick up my own tab, thank you. That way, neither of us has to feel obligated. Who knows, you and I just might meet our soul mates aboard the ship. At the very least
, we may run into someone attractive, interesting or possibly both. It’s good we keep our options open.”
With no intention of responding to her maddening remarks, Houston thought it best to ignore them. The cruise was an exclusive event and that bit of information would be made crystal clear to Dr. Charleston long before they sailed off into the sunset.
“I’m going to e-mail you the details about the awards event. My schedule is crazy for the entire day, but I’ll do my best to get everything out to you shortly. I’ll meet you at the Hyatt on Saturday, but I don’t recall the time. I’ll include it in the note.”
Taken aback by Kelly’s remarks, Houston had to bite down on his tongue to keep from blasting her with a sharp retort. “From your front door to the Hyatt and back to your door is my plan. I’m your escort from the beginning of the evening up to the end. Hope to talk with you later on. Have a great day.” Without waiting for the counterprotest he was sure she was ready to launch, he disconnected the line.
Kelly trying to meet him at the Hyatt bothered him terribly. He attempted to dismiss it from his mind, along with the remarks she’d made about them possibly connecting with soul mates. As he got up and went into the media room to watch film from an old basketball game, he fought hard to smother the inward seething.
Thoughts of Kelly with another man, especially on something as romantic as a cruise, weren’t the least bit pleasant. In fact, Houston suddenly realized he’d have trouble thinking about her with any man, period, intimately or otherwise. His brothers’ remarks suddenly rang loudly in his ears again. Austin and Dallas had warned him about the possibility of someone snatching her up if he didn’t get his act together.
The entire basketball team thought Kelly was superhot, so Houston had hard evidence that other men found her sexy and beautiful. It wouldn’t stun him if she was asked out by one of his teammates. Max Sheffield was gone on her, too. If Max wasn’t in a long-term relationship, Houston wouldn’t put it past the wealthy entrepreneur to try and wine and dine Kelly. The owner loved beautiful, intelligent women. Kelly stacked up.
The players called Kelly the Sienna Splendor behind her back, but it was done with admiration and affection for the woman who’d already softened hardened male hearts. No one had approached her on a personal level, but the facility gym had buzzed with her name the day the players had come in to clean out lockers.
If the team ever saw Kelly with him at a social function, he knew his teammates would automatically assume they were in a relationship. Since Houston hadn’t been seen with the same woman twice, it would be an easy call to make. He hadn’t clarified his short-lived liaison with Kelly to any member of the Cyclones, yet he was positive they’d respect him enough to steer clear of her if they began dating exclusively.
Houston leaned in and landed a soft kiss on Kelly’s cheek. Standing back, he allowed his eyes to rove over her full length, glad Saturday had finally arrived. He hadn’t seen her for an entire week. “You look marvelous, lady. Love the dress, love the color…and I absolutely love how it accentuates your well-toned body. It’s a sparkling winner.” He extended his arm for her to take. “I’m honored to be your escort for the evening.”
Kelly looked beautiful and enchanting. Very chic and sophisticated, the floor-length, low-backed, plunging neckline, midnight-blue sparkler was designed by Maggy London. Dark blue and silver evening slippers and matching clutch were nice accents. Diamond oval-shaped studs sparkled on her ears and a one-carat oval solitaire on a nearly invisible gold wire graced her neck. Houston felt completely bowled over.
Kelly smiled up at her handsome date. “I’m pleased you initiated it.” Her eyes drank in his elegance—his scrumptiously gorgeous body was draped in a Ralph Lauren designer traditional black tuxedo and complementary accessories. “You look similar to how I’ve imagined you all day long. But I have to admit that you’ve far exceeded the sensational images I’d conjured up. What cologne are you wearing? The delectable scent is manly and hypnotic. So seductive. I like it.”
“Thank you. I’m Ralph Lauren all the way this evening, from head to toe. It’s Polo Black. Since I dressed in the same color, I thought it was a good fit.”
Houston opened the car door for Kelly and stood there until she was seated and buckled in. He then walked around to the driver’s side and settled down inside.
Because Kelly hadn’t decided to attend the event until the last minute, there’d been no time to purchase a new gown. Her closet held a variety of appropriate choices in evening apparel from formals to after-five attire in both dressy and casual-dressy, so she hadn’t had to fret. As a doctor, Kelly was invited to many social events throughout the year. Her practice also held a formal black-and-white winter ball annually.
The dinner hour was seven o’clock but the cocktail reception was slated for six. The hardest part for her had been to call her parents to let them know she’d be in attendance, only after she’d taken care of the RSVP with the committee.
Even the strongest of women had an occasion to become weakened by emotional stress. Inside the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kelly and Houston were seated by a greeter. The pretty young woman had shown the striking couple to a table very close to the reserved head table for the honored guests. The premier spot was close enough to hear and see everything happening onstage.
Several other reserved front-row tables were filled with the Charlestons’ constituency. Kelly was relieved that she hadn’t been seated at the head table even though she also felt a little slighted. It was hard for her to act pretentious and she wouldn’t indulge in that kind of behavior this evening. Kelly vowed to keep it real. It allowed her to be comfortable right where she was. Still, she knew she’d be far from relaxed in the company of the award recipients. Tension already had her in its clenching grip.
Looking worried, Houston covered Kelly’s hand with his. “Are you okay?”
Kelly nodded despite not feeling so hot. Her nerves were on edge and nothing she’d done so far had calmed the jagged edginess. “I’ll be okay. Thanks for asking.”
Houston eyed her closely. “Why don’t I believe that?”
Her hackles rose and then fell, all in the same second. Taking out her frustration on Houston over her dilemma wasn’t fair. He’d done nothing except offer to escort her to something she knew she should attend, yet clearly wasn’t happy about.
“Hello, my darling Kelly,” a sweet, slightly raspy voice cooed.
Kelly didn’t need to look up to know the voice or to identify the soft, warm hand on her shoulder. “Mama Tilley,” she cried happily, getting out of her seat to greet the older woman. “Papa Joseph, you’re here, too. Why am I so surprised? You both look wonderful. Your new haircut has slashed away a few years, Mama Tilley. You’re hot.”
Mama Tilley laughed. “Thank you, dear child. I try to keep myself up.”
Kelly hugged and kissed the two people who meant the world to her, the understanding souls who’d gotten her through some pretty rough preadolescent and teenage spots. These people loved her unconditionally and she loved them back with the same pureness and intensity. They had taken care of Kelly, living in the Charleston home as full-time caretakers until she’d gone off to college.
Papa Joseph took Kelly into his arms and squeezed her tightly. “How’s my beautiful girl? Look at you! You’re stunning.” He then noticed Houston, immediately recognizing him as the power forward for his favorite team. “Houston Carrington, what an honor to see my favorite Cyclone. I couldn’t have dreamed up meeting you this evening. It’s a pleasure to be in your company. I’m Joseph Rose and this is my lovely wife, Tilley. We began taking care of Kelly when she was six. We’re also very proud of her.”
“Thank you for your kind remarks, sir. Kelly is a force to be reckoned with. There are a lot of things about her to be proud of.” Houston got to his feet and extended his hand to Papa Joseph. “Mr. Rose, I’m just as pleased and honored to meet you and Mrs. Rose.” Houston then pulled out two chairs for the Roses
to be seated. Once everyone was comfortably settled, he sat back down.
Kelly reached over and gently touched Mama Tilley’s smooth, tawny-brown face. Inside her chest her heart danced over the kind remarks Houston had made to Papa Joseph. “I’m glad we’re seated at the same table. I’m more comfortable now.”
Mama Tilley nodded and smiled. “I’m sure your parents are responsible for the seating arrangements. I’m just so happy you’re here, child. Wasn’t sure you’d show up.”
“I sometimes forget how well you know me. Because of the positive influences you’ve had on me, I couldn’t stay away. It wouldn’t have been right,” Kelly remarked.
“Praise God,” Papa Joseph commented. “You always did try to do what’s right.”
Houston looked on as Kelly interacted with the older couple. He could easily see her fondness for Mama Tilley and Papa Joseph. There was still a lot he didn’t know about her, but something constantly urged him to stick around and find out all there was to know. It was risky. But then again, living life was one huge risk.
Chapter 6
Kelly and Tilley engaged in quiet conversation while Houston and Joseph hit it off exuberantly, talking about sports and the other Carrington sports heroes. By the look on the older man’s handsome but weathered face, Kelly could tell he was in seventh heaven over his good fortune. Never in Joseph’s wildest dreams had he thought he’d meet and spend time with one of the starting five for the Texas Cyclones.
“How’s your health, Mama T?”
Tilley smiled. “Losing fifteen pounds has been a miracle cure for my blood pressure. My doctor has taken me off the meds controlling it. It feels good to be thinner.”
“That’s good news,” Kelly gushed. “Glad your BP is under control.”
“Me, too. Thank you.” Tilley nudged Kelly, nodding toward Houston. “Are you two in a relationship?” she whispered. “If so, why don’t I know about you and him?”
Kissed by a Carrington Page 8