Prescription: Love

by Pamela Toth

  She selected a small square of chocolate cake with green frosting. “Fine, thanks. And you?”

  “Better now that I’ve seen you,” he replied.

  She flashed him a grin. “I suppose a bit of blarney is normal, considering what day it is,” she responded drily before she walked away toward their booth.

  Chris realized that he stared after her with a sappy grin on his face. He glanced around to see if anyone had noticed, but they were all busy having too good a time to pay any attention to one lovesick idiot with drool on his chin.

  When he got back to the booth, a couple more of the residents had left. Vadivu and Barb got up and grabbed their purses.

  “We’re going down the street,” Barb said to Zoe. “Do you want to come with us?”

  Zoe shook her head. “Thanks anyway, but I’m going home as soon as I finish my cake.” She poked at it with her fork. “Do you need a ride?”

  Vadivu shook her head. “Thanks, but we’re going with a couple of the interns,” she replied, shrugging into her coat. “I’m sorry to desert you two. Will you be okay?”

  “She’ll be fine,” Chris replied with a grin as he slid onto the bench opposite Zoe. He wasn’t sorry that the other girls were leaving. “I’ll watch out for her.”

  Vadivu seemed to hesitate, but then Barb grabbed her arm. “Come on,” she said. “They’re waiting by the door and I don’t want them to leave without us.”

  “Go,” Zoe said. “I’ve got my car.”

  With a last wave, the two girls hurried away. Chris was relieved. He’d been concerned that Barb might have a little crush on him, but obviously she just liked to flirt.

  Zoe shifted to the far end of the booth where she concentrated on the cake in front of her as though she were performing a heart transplant.

  Chris scooted down so that he was sitting across from her, hoping for a few moments of privacy before someone took advantage of the empty seats. As people had begun trickling out of the pub, newcomers kept replacing them, so the joint remained busy.

  “Would you like some coffee or tea with that?” he asked.

  Her expression softened. “No, but thanks for asking.”

  Chris stared at the curve of her mouth. Its shape fascinated him. He didn’t normally go around lusting after every pretty woman he saw, but something about Zoe had registered high on his lust meter since he’d first seen her strutting down the corridor in her doctor’s garb with her stethoscope hanging around her neck.

  He tried to focus on that physical attraction and to ignore the signs of strain on her face, but looking after people who needed a little tending was too deeply in-grained.

  “How are you really?” he asked in a low voice as he broke a soda biscuit in two and spread butter on half. The food in front of him had suddenly lost its appeal.

  She looked up again, her expression guarded, before returning her attention to her plate. She cut the cake into small meticulously even squares and then stabbed one of them with her fork. “I’m fine.”

  The rich sound of a bow being drawn across the strings of a fiddle sliced through the buzz of conversation. Applause greeted the bearded man standing in front of the bar wearing green suspenders with his work clothes.

  Chris and Zoe were both silent as the fiddler played a lively tune with speed and skill. As he urged his audience to clap along with him, two couples got up to dance.

  Under the cover of the music, Chris slid aside his unfinished plate and leaned across the table.

  “Something’s on your mind,” he guessed. “Are you thinking about one of your patients?”

  “I treat lots of patients.” She thrust out her chin in a gesture that was becoming all too familiar. “Is there a problem with something I did?” she demanded.

  “No, of course not.” He reached out to pat her hand, just as he might do with one of his sisters. The only trouble was that touching Zoe gave him a distinctly un-brotherly reaction. “It’s okay to care about your patients,” he said, “as long as you focus on the things you can treat and don’t get overwhelmed by those you can’t.”

  She pulled back her hand. “What makes women like Anna put up with that kind of abuse?” she asked sadly.

  Chris let out a sigh of frustration as the fiddle player switched to a ballad. The clapping died quickly as he continued to play.

  “Damned if I know,” Chris admitted. “I suppose she’s looking for someone special, just like the rest of us.”

  If his personal admission registered, Zoe didn’t let on. “Do you think Anna will be all right?”

  He couldn’t very well lie. “If she won’t accept help, there’s not much we can do,” he replied. “It’s possible that what happened to her was an isolated incident, an argument that got out of control.”

  Biting her lip, Zoe shook her head. “I saw the two of them in the hospital parking lot after the man who assaulted her picked her up.” A frown pleated Zoe’s forehead. “She seemed…intimidated by him.”

  Chris didn’t know what to say. “Let’s hope we don’t see her again in the E.R.”

  Zoe pressed her lips together firmly as she set her crumpled napkin next to her half-eaten cake. “You’re right, Dr. Taylor. It’s frustrating, but that’s all we can do.”

  He hadn’t meant for their conversation to take such a depressing turn, especially when everyone around them seemed to be having such a good time.

  “I thought we’d gotten past the formality, Zoe.” He tried not to let his frustration show. “You should know that you can talk to me about anything and I’ll try to help.”

  The annoyance in Chris’s tone startled her. He was just trying to be understanding, and she had retaliated by throwing up her usual defensive wall. It wasn’t his fault that she was struggling against her attraction toward him.

  “I’m s-sorry,” she stammered, taking the coward’s way out. “I guess I’m tired. It’s been a long day.”

  He slid to the edge of the bench. “Let me take you home.”

  “But you haven’t finished,” she protested, glancing at his half-full plate. “While I was talking your ear off, your food got cold.”

  He flashed the grin that she found increasingly difficult to resist. “I wasn’t that hungry.”

  Before she could think of a reply to his obvious fib, a couple walked up. Zoe recognized the woman, a pretty blonde, from all the publicity surrounding the rescue at the mine. Her resemblance to her brother was unmistakable and the man with her looked vaguely familiar, as well.

  “Hey, bro,” the woman said to Chris as she leaned down to kiss his cheek. “Sorry to interrupt, but there’s nowhere else to sit.” She included Zoe with a smiling glance. “Okay if we join you?”

  Chris made room next to him on the bench. “This is my bratty sister, Faith,” he told Zoe, “and her fiancé, Cam Stevenson.” He reached up to shake Cam’s hand. “This is Zoe Hart from the Golden State.”

  Faith stared at Zoe, making her wonder if she had green frosting smeared across her teeth. “Nice to meet you,” Faith said as she sat down next to Chris and Cam joined Zoe.

  Zoe studied Chris and his sister curiously. Good looks must run in the Taylor family. With her big hazel eyes and blond hair a shade lighter than her brother’s, Faith was as stunning as Chris.

  They appeared to be so easy with each other, their affection obvious. What would it be like to have someone who knew you almost as well as you knew yourself, but still cared for you?

  Zoe couldn’t begin to guess.

  “Do you work at the hospital, too?” Faith asked her after Cam had ordered a pitcher of beer from a passing waitress.

  “Zoe’s an OB/GYN resident,” Chris explained before she could answer.

  “You must be homesick,” Faith observed.

  Again Chris spoke up. “We keep her too busy for that.”

  “How do you like Montana?” Faith asked persistently.

  “What is this, twenty questions?” he demanded. “Give her a break.”

 
Faith turned to frown at him. “You didn’t mention that the poor woman was mute.”

  “I’m not,” Zoe said, looking at Chris. “I think Dr. Taylor is just in the habit of taking charge, but I’m perfectly capable of speaking for myself when I’m allowed the opportunity.”

  The waitress set a full pitcher of beer and two more glasses on the table. Cam’s wallet hand was faster than Chris’s. He handed her several bills.

  “You go, girl,” Faith told Zoe as Chris poured their beer. “It’s about time someone put my bossy big-deal brother in his place.” Eyes twinkling, she raised her hand, palm outward in a salute.

  As she and Zoe exchanged a high five, Cam snorted with laughter. He was an attractive man whose appearance hadn’t drawn a spark of reaction from Zoe, even before she’d noticed the adoring way he gazed at Faith or the ring that sparkled on her finger.

  “Hey, I thought men were supposed to stick together,” Chris protested. It was obvious that he was attempting to appear outraged, but the humor in his eyes gave him away.

  Cam spread his hands in a gesture of innocence. “Sorry, buddy. When I’m with two gorgeous women, there’s no way I’ll side with another guy.”

  The banter helped to relax Zoe. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” she replied, turning to grin at Cam.

  From the corner of her eye, she saw Chris’s smile fade. He couldn’t be jealous, so he must not like her being friendly with his sister’s fiancé.

  “That’s a beautiful ring,” Zoe said pointedly.

  Faith’s pride was obvious as she stuck out her hand.

  “It’s very unusual,” Zoe said. The round yellow diamond was surrounded by smaller white stones, like a sun with its rays. “Did you design it?”

  Faith touched the ring affectionately. “It was Cam’s idea.”

  Zoe had seen many lovely pieces of jewelry in the shops along Rodeo Drive, but none of them could out-shine such a loving tribute. “It’s beautiful.”

  “You must miss your family,” Faith said. “Are they back in California?”

  Zoe knew that Faith was just making polite conversation. “I do miss my parents, of course,” she replied. “But we e-mail and I talk to them on the phone.”

  The other couple appeared to be interested as they sipped their beer. “I really enjoy working at the hospital,” Zoe continued. “You’re lucky to have such a modern facility.”

  “Especially here in Podunkville,” Chris interjected, earning a frown from Faith, who jabbed him with her elbow.

  Zoe didn’t voice her agreement with his comment. “I feel very lucky to work with Dr. Chester in Labor and Delivery,” she added diplomatically, lobbing the conversation back to Faith. “Do you know her?”

  “We’ve met, although I have to confess that hospitals aren’t my favorite places,” Faith replied.

  “Wasn’t Olivia the reason you came to Montana for your residency?” Chris asked Zoe.

  “I was wondering what brought you here when there must be so many facilities closer to home,” Cam remarked.

  “I heard her speak at Berkeley when I was going to medical school,” Zoe explained. “I admire her work a great deal.”

  “Thunder Canyon has to be a change for you,” Faith said. “Are you adjusting okay?”

  Zoe wasn’t willing to deny the truth. “I must admit that there are things I miss about L.A.,” she admitted, trying to be tactful. “I guess I’m a city girl at heart.”

  Chris’s brows rose like two golden arches. “The smog, the crime, the traffic?” he guessed.

  “The culture, the amenities, the civilization,” she countered. “Sorry. I guess defending my hometown is a knee-jerk reaction.”

  “Zoe, have you had the chance to do much sightseeing yet?” Cam asked, turning to face her. “I’m from Denver and I thought I’d seen the best that Mother Nature had to offer, but I have to say that the scenery around T.C. is really wonderful.”

  Zoe attempted to appear regretful. “Between work and studying, I haven’t had much free time.”

  “Are you working tomorrow afternoon?” Faith asked.

  Zoe hesitated, unwilling to be caught telling an outright fib in case Chris happened to check the schedule. “I’m not sure,” she hedged. “I don’t think so.”

  “Great!” Faith exclaimed, clapping her hands. “We’re taking Cam’s son, Erik, ice-skating after school. You can come with us.”

  “Ice-skating?” Zoe echoed. Her mother had made sure that her education included piano lessons and gymnastics. She’d taken skating lessons, too, until it became clear that she possessed neither the talent nor the drive of an Olympic contender.

  “It will be fun,” Faith insisted, reaching across the table to grab Zoe’s hand. “Have you ever skated at an outdoor rink?”

  Zoe had to laugh. “Not in Southern California!”

  “Come with us,” Cam chimed in. “I’d love for you to meet Erik. He’s a great kid.”

  Chris hadn’t said a word. Perhaps he didn’t care for the idea of her getting to know his sister.

  “I don’t know,” Zoe mumbled, wishing she were able to read his expression.

  “I need feminine support,” Faith urged, squeezing her hand before letting it go. “I won’t take no for an answer unless you have to work.”

  Chris finally spoke up. “Zoe’s a beach bunny. She wimped out at the snowball fight at my place and I’ll bet she can’t skate.” He leaned toward her with a challenging expression. “Afraid of looking ridiculous?” he challenged. “I’ll bet you can’t even stand on blades.”

  “Snowball fight?” Faith echoed. “When was that?”

  Chris waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Not important.”

  There was no mistaking the gauntlet he’d tossed down. Wouldn’t he be surprised when she skated circles around him?

  “If you really want me to go, I’ll give it a try,” she told Faith. “Thanks for asking me.”

  When Chris arrived at the Gold Medal Ice Arena the next afternoon, he recalled his sister’s comment the night before.

  “You owe me, Topher,” Faith had murmured with a sly grin before he’d left the pub on Zoe’s heels.

  From his very first crush on Patsy McGee back in fourth grade, his sister had always been able to tell with laser-point accuracy whenever he had the hots for a girl. His only hope was that maturity and Faith’s own blossoming feelings for Cameron Stevenson had lessened her enjoyment in Chris’s discomfort.

  Now as he parked in the gravel lot, he was glad the weather had been cold enough to keep the outdoor rink open. Once the temperature grew too warm, the couple who owned the rink would close up until fall and hit the road in their RV.

  Chris got out of his car, hooking his old hockey skates over his shoulder, and looked around for Zoe and his sister. He didn’t see them, but the rink was busy for a weekday. He’d called a neighbor whose son was always happy to earn extra spending money by feeding Chris’s stock when he got held up.

  The covered warm-up shack was doing a brisk business renting skates, and customers were already lined up at the snack bar. Nothing much had changed since he was a kid. Colored lights were strung between poles that surrounded the frozen oval and music poured from the speakers.

  On the ice, a chunky woman in sweats blew on a whistle to signal the end of a figure-skating class. Half a dozen little girls in short skirts and mittens glided like ducklings to the exit, where their parents waited patiently on hard wooden benches. As soon as the ice was empty, a teenage boy drove an ancient Zamboni out to resurface it for the upcoming session. Chris still remembered the name of its inventor, Frank Zamboni, from a school report he’d once written.

  “Hey, Chris! Chris!”

  He turned to see Cam’s son, who was seven, waving wildly as he ran toward Chris, carrying brand new hockey skates. Walking behind Erik were his dad and the two women. Chris recognized Zoe instantly in her purple jacket as she and Faith chatted like old friends.

  When Zoe burst out laughing
, an icy finger of nervousness ran down his spine and he prayed that some unflattering story about him wasn’t the source of her amusement. He relaxed again when Erik reached him. As much as Faith enjoyed teasing Chris, she would never willingly hurt him.

  “Hey, buddy.” Chris reached down to ruffle Erik’s straight auburn hair. “Where did you get the new skates?”

  “My dad bought ’em,” Erik replied, almost dancing with excitement.

  Chris was relieved to see no permanent effects from Erik’s ordeal of being trapped in the abandoned mine.

  “Aren’t they cool?” he demanded, holding up the skates. “We got them at Faith’s store.”

  She worked part-time at her friend’s store, Extension Sports, when she wasn’t busy rescuing people.

  “Way cool,” Chris agreed, patting his own beat-up skate boot. “I’m jealous.”

  After losing his wife in a car accident when Erik was only four, Cam had been understandably afraid that something might happen to his son, too. Unfortunately, he’d been overprotective of Erik to the point of smothering him.

  Since the rescue, Cam seemed to be making a real effort to loosen up. Maybe he had come to realize that protecting Erik from every possible danger in life just wasn’t possible. Or maybe falling for Faith had made Cam a believer in second chances—as it had her.

  As Erik spotted a schoolmate and rushed over to show off his skates, Chris turned to wait for Zoe, who was picking her way across the gravel in sexy, high-heeled boots. Along with her fur-trimmed parka and knit cap, she wore a black turtleneck sweater and matching jeans that hugged her long legs.

  In the general chorus of hellos, he managed to touch her shoulder. She returned his wink with a cool smile, but he wanted to think that her rosy cheeks were because of him and not the chilled air.

  Even in the unforgiving afternoon light, her skin looked flawless. Her only makeup appeared to be a smudge of something to darken her eyelids and a sheen of gloss slicked across her full lips.

  Chris let the other three go ahead of him in line at the ticket booth while he hung back with her. “I’m glad you came,” he said quietly, letting his gaze play over her face. “You look gorgeous.”