Emilia’s eyes grew large. “Horsey.”
“Your horsey. Come here. Let’s see how it goes.” He lifted Emilia onto the back of the animal and she took hold of the handles on the saddle. She pushed her little legs up and down in the stirrups and grinned up at Dillon.
Then she said, “Dr. Daddy! Horsey.”
The room went silent.
Stunned for the moment, Erika didn’t know what to say. But then she rushed to her daughter’s side. “Dr. Dillon, baby. It’s Dr. Dillon.” She cast a glance at Dillon and wasn’t sure what she saw in his face. He looked a little stunned himself.
“She’s been around Max and Alex and Kayla and hears them calling their dads Daddy.” Dillon assured her, “It’s an honor for her to call me that, Erika. Really.”
Erika’s fingers went to the locket he had given her. She looked around and saw her mother watching. Her mom would notice the locket and have questions.
Right now, Erika didn’t have any answers. Dillon had said it was an honor for Emilia to call him Daddy, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be her dad.
Chapter Thirteen
On Monday at lunchtime Erika gazed into the mirror in the employee’s lounge, fingering the locket around her neck. She hadn’t seen Dillon yet today. All morning she’d been in town, thanking business owners for their cooperation with the resort for Frontier Days.
Last night Dillon hadn’t been able to stay after everyone left Emilia’s party. He had to get back to relieve Dr. Babchek. But before he’d gone they’d found a few more quiet moments. The way he’d kissed her—
She thought again about how Emilia had called him Dr. Daddy. He’d brushed away the faux pas as if it didn’t matter. But it did to her. Was he ready for a serious involvement with her and Emilia? The locket told her he cared. They had to talk about it. Maybe tonight.
The door to the lounge opened and Erin entered. Two other employees from the front desk followed her. Checkout volume had been high today and extra staff had been assigned to the desk. Erika didn’t know Trina and Carrie well, but she’d worked with them at reception before being assigned to Frontier Days and the infirmary.
Although Erin approached her at first with a concerned expression and a glance over her shoulder at her coworkers, she attempted to smile. “Congratulations on Frontier Days. The word around the resort is you rock!”
“Zane Gunther rocks,” Erika replied, wondering why Erin’s smile was forced. “I think he’s the biggest part of the success of Frontier Days.”
Sidling over to Erin, Trina opened a compact, then peered into the mirror, her gaze meeting Erika’s. “You should take all the credit you can. I heard Grant has his eye fixed on you for guest room manager when this is all done. That is if you’re still around.”
Guest room manager? Erika had hoped for that promotion. Could the rumor be true?
“Why wouldn’t I be around?” Erika asked, puzzled by the odd note in Trina’s voice.
Trina and Carrie both pointedly stared at her locket. “Nice necklace,” Carrie said, as if that were an answer. “I heard Dr. Traub gave it to you.”
Erika’s gaze swerved to Erin’s. Could Erin have gossiped about her?
But Erin was already shaking her head.
“Oh, we didn’t find out from Erin,” Carrie revealed. “Word travels. There were a lot of folks at your daughter’s party. Besides, everyone saw you with Dr. Traub on Saturday night. We know what’s going on.”
Trina added, “Yeah, a girl has to take care of herself. You’ve hooked up with a good one. Past the necessities, you won’t even have to be concerned about your daughter’s college fund.”
Erika was too stunned to speak.
After Carrie applied makeup and dabbed on lip gloss, she concluded with an edge, “I bet you’ll soon have the earrings to match that diamond in the locket.”
Erin moved closer to Erika in support as if she wanted to say something but didn’t know what.
Sudden tears came to Erika’s eyes and she looked down at her purse, opening it and concentrating on some thing inside.
Finally Carrie and Trina finished at the mirror. With a last look at Erika, and a “See you later,” they left the lounge.
As if all her strength had seeped out of her, Erika dropped down onto one of the stools at the vanity. “Is that what everybody’s saying about me? They think I’m with Dillon because he can…take care of me?”
“They’re just jealous,” Erin told her. “You’ve done well here, from what I hear, and in a short amount of time. Trina and Carrie still check in guests, whereas you had a giant responsibility for Frontier Days.”
“That has nothing to do with Dillon.”
“No, it doesn’t. But the jealousy does. You are the one he noticed. You are the one he’s dating.”
Erika’s fingers clasped the locket again. “This locket…he gave it to me because we shared something special. It’s not a sugar-daddy gift. I don’t want someone to take care of me. I can take care of myself as well as Emilia. I’ve proven that.”
Erin sank down onto the stool next to her. “Do you love him?”
“Yes, I do. But the truth is, I don’t know how he feels about me. He was married. He had a little boy who died. I don’t know if he’s ready to jump into this relationship.”
“But you are?”
Erika sighed. “Yes. But not because he’ll take care of me.”
“Then you need time to find out how Dillon feels.”
“We don’t have that much time. He’ll be leaving at the end of the week.”
“A lot can happen in a week.”
Erika supposed that was true. She needed to cherish each day they spent together. She had to hope that Dillon was falling in love with her as deeply as she was falling in love with him.
Still the old insecurities nagged at her. What if he wasn’t?
Frozen in place, Dillon stood in the hall between his office and Ruthann’s, cell phone to his ear. “When did this happen? How long ago did Peter start having symptoms?”
Dillon hadn’t heard tears in his mother’s voice since a few months after his father had died. She’d been a rock since then, taking over the business, standing up for her right to love and marry another man. And now that man had just been transported to the hospital.
“This morning, about 5:00 a.m.,” she responded. “But he didn’t tell me about the chest pain right away. Men. Trying to be strong when they should be asking for help.”
“But he’s in the CCICU now?”
“Yes. They’re still evaluating him! They’ve been evaluating him for hours. I’m supposed to have a consultation with the doctor later. But Peter could be dying in there. Can you come? I know you could get information I can’t shake out of them. And you understand all that doctor talk. Besides, you’re my oldest and—”
Dillon didn’t hesitate for an instant. “Of course I’ll come. But I need to find someone to cover me here first.” Babchek had covered him most of the weekend. Would he want to take on more? If not, maybe he could recommend someone else. “I’ll be there, Mom, but I also have to book a flight out. I don’t know if I can get there before tomorrow.”
“Your brothers and sister are here. It’s not as if I really need you,” she assured him, her voice clearing, strength filling her words once more.
“You asked me to come and I will.”
“I know you and Peter have never really hit it off. But he said the last time he talked to you, you seemed different, more accepting of him.”
“We had a good conversation. I guess I’ve been realizing how happy he’s made you. That’s what’s important.”
“I don’t want to lose him,” she practically whispered.
“I know you don’t. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’ll leave a message on your cell phone when I figure out flight arrangements.” He wanted to say, Peter’s going to pull through this. You’ll be able to retire with him. You’ll have years of todays and tomorrows. But he couldn’t say that.
After all, he was a doctor. He knew what was possible and he knew what wasn’t. Until he saw Peter’s chart, he wouldn’t know exactly what they were dealing with. In his office now he took out a pad and pencil. “Give me the name of his cardiologist.”
His mother did.
“I’ll give him a call and find out anything useful.”
“Thank you, Dillon. I—” His mother’s voice broke.
He gave her a few moments, then he advised her, “Go sit with Peter as often as you can. He needs your strength and support. A wife can make a big difference in a husband’s recovery.”
“I’ll stick to him like glue,” she said with determination. After a pause, she said, “I love you, Dillon.”
“I love you, too, Mom.”
When Dillon closed his phone, he thought about leaving Thunder Canyon so quickly. Leaving Erika…and Emilia. Last night when Emilia had called him Daddy he’d gotten a glimpse of what the future could be. He was ready for it. Was Erika? Did she trust him? Were her doubts assuaged that he wasn’t a man like her father or Scott Spencerman? What would happen while he was gone? Would the bonds they’d established break away?
He didn’t know how long he’d be in Texas. He did know he had to make quite a few decisions while he was there…about his career as well as Erika.
Still upset from the conversation in the employees’ lounge, Erika moved through the central wing of the lodge to gather the Frontier Days posters. Trying to believe Erin’s words that Trina and Carrie were just jealous, she struggled to compose herself as she went from floor to floor with the expensive locket swinging at her neckline, reminding her that she had accepted the gift. A gift that could simply be a token from an affair. Doubts assailed her concerning her relationship with Dillon.
Returning to the main lobby for the final placard, her arms full, she intended to take the elevator to the storeroom beside the underground garage. But Erin came hurrying over from the desk, looking worried.
“I heard something I think you should know,” Erin said.
“More gossip?” Erika asked, frustrated by it all.
“No. I wish it was. One of the bellhops was called up to Dr. Traub’s suite. His orders were to collect Dr. Traub’s clothes and pack them in the suitcases in his closet.”
Erin’s words felt like a lethal blow to Erika’s heart. For a moment she couldn’t catch her breath.
“Are you okay?” Erin asked.
“No. I thought I’d have time to talk to Dillon tonight…that we’d have more time together this week.”
“Did you have a date tonight?”
No, they didn’t. She’d just assumed that they’d spend the evening together. So much for assumptions. “You’re sure about this?”
“I was right at the desk when the call came in.”
“I can’t believe this,” Erika murmured, the posters almost slipping from her arms.
Erin caught them. “Here, let me take these. Where do they go?”
“The storeroom downstairs. But I have to do it.”
“I think there’s something else you need to do right now. Go talk to Dillon.”
Could she face him when he hadn’t bothered to tell her himself? Was this the reason he’d given her the locket? A goodbye memento? Was he like Scott after all? For the past few weeks she’d begun to dream again. She should have known better.
Erika took a bolstering breath and squared her shoulders. “Thank you for telling me.” With a nod, she left Erin at the elevator and hurried toward the infirmary.
As much as Dillon’s leaving hurt, it would have hurt even more if Erika had found out after he was gone. Maybe there had been a message on her phone and she hadn’t heard it. Pulling it from her purse, she slid it open. No messages.
Had she been so very wrong about Dillon? The horse for Emilia, the locket for her—they must have been parting gifts and she hadn’t even realized it. How stupid could one woman be?
Erika hesitated only momentarily in the reception area. This wasn’t the time to waver. She unclasped the necklace from around her neck.
Clenching it in the palm of her hand, she headed to Dillon’s office, hoping he wasn’t already gone. He was on his cell phone when she walked in…without knocking. She wasn’t going to wait. She couldn’t wait. Her heart already felt as if it were breaking in two.
Dillon looked totally preoccupied with his call. When his gaze came to rest on her, there was something there she couldn’t read. Guilt? Regret? Was that all he was going to feel?
“Everything’s taken care of, Grant. Yes, I will. Thanks.”
He closed his phone and his eyes dropped to the V of her neck where the locket no longer hung.
She extended her hand and dropped the locket to his desk blotter.
His voice was clipped when he said, “It doesn’t look as if the chain broke.”
“No, the chain didn’t break. But I have to return it to you. I can’t accept a token from an affair that isn’t going anywhere. Obviously.”
“Obviously?”
“You’re leaving and you didn’t even bother to tell me! This is all my own fault. I knew you were going to leave. I even knew the date—October first. Were we getting too serious? Did you get shook up last night? Or maybe you’re just not ready to move on with me.”
“Are you finished?” he asked, looking wounded.
Wounded? Why would he look wounded? “There’s nothing else to say.”
He looked down at the necklace and then back at her. “There’s a lot more to say. But you’re never going to trust me, are you?”
“Trust you? You’re the one who’s leaving. And you didn’t even tell me.”
He appeared to be counting to ten. He appeared to be angry or frustrated or a mixture of the two. “That’s because I didn’t know I was leaving until about an hour ago. I didn’t want to call your cell phone because I wanted to talk to you in person. Apparently I didn’t get to you in time.”
Was he telling her the truth? But why—
He continued, “I’m going home because my stepfather had a heart attack. My mother thinks I can interpret what the doctors have to say and give her the translated version. She’s scared. She’s going to expect me to find a way to save him. Maybe I’ll be able to, maybe I won’t.”
“Dillon!”
“You sound shocked. As if I couldn’t possibly have a good reason for leaving. I can see now, Erika, you’re always going to doubt first and ask questions later.” He attached his phone to his belt and moved out from behind the desk. “Ruthann’s coming in. She’ll be here in about ten minutes. Dr. Babchek will be taking over the office until Marshall returns. I guess you’ll have to get your orders from Grant as to what you do next. Since I couldn’t get a flight to Midland tonight Dave Lindstrom is flying me down.”
“Dillon, I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions.”
“I’m sorry, too. Last night I decided I am ready to move on. But it looks as if you aren’t. I’ve got to go, Erika.”
He gave her one long last look before he walked out of his office, and out of her life.
Dillon stood outside the glass doors to his stepfather’s room, wondering when this man had come to mean so much to him. Had it been the day Peter had walked his mom into their garden and renewed his vows after twenty-five years? The day Dillon had invited Peter and his mom into his new practice to take a look at the facilities and his stepfather’s wide smile had sent a message Dillon hadn’t wanted to hear? Or had it been the day of Toby’s funeral when tears had rolled down his stepfather’s face, too? Maybe Dillon’s feelings for Peter had simply grown over the years because this man had been there year after year, looking out for all of them and they hadn’t realized it. At least Dillon hadn’t.
Just as he hadn’t realized the mistake he’d made with Erika. His head had been filled with the crisis here. When Erika had walked in, he’d been trying to figure out how he could bring her home with him. But she’d taken off her locket, practically thrown it in his face, and
his pride had taken over. He’d been hurt once before like this and he wasn’t going to let a woman crush him a second time.
Right. Texas pride at its finest.
As soon as Dave Lindstrom’s plane had taken off, he’d understood what a monumental mistake he’d made. Yes, his own history had come back to bite him. But in his moments of anger and disappointment, he’d forgotten Erika’s history. She had more than one good reason to doubt him.
Because he hadn’t told her he loved her.
Because he hadn’t told her he wanted a serious commitment. If Peter continued to improve, he could fly back to Montana at the end of the week and hopefully make everything right with Erika. He didn’t want to do it on the phone. He needed to do it in person.
Peering through the glass at Peter again, he saw his stepfather was awake. He pressed the button for the door to open and went inside.
In his early sixties, Peter was an average-looking man with a receding gray hairline and thinning hair on top of his head. He still looked wan but better than when Dillon had first seen him after his heart attack.
“I understand the procedure was a success,” Peter said with an attempt at a smile.
“It was a success if you listen to Mom and your personal chef and eat a healthy diet. Mom says she’s also going to hire you a trainer to make sure you exercise. Fancy equipment alone isn’t any good if you won’t use it.”
“She’s just mad because she bought me a Lifecycle last year and I wouldn’t get on it every day.”
“What about now?”
“Now I’ll do whatever she wants. I want to be around for thirty more years.”
“At least,” Dillon agreed and was embarrassed when his voice caught.
He was standing near the bed and Peter reached out and patted his hand. “Did I scare you, too?”
He looked his stepfather straight in the eye and told the truth. “Yes, you did. I didn’t realize how much I’d miss you if you weren’t here.”
“Well,” Peter said and then cleared his throat. “The wind seems to be blowing a new way between us. What’s happened to you?”
From Doctor...to Daddy Page 17