As he scrubbed, the memory of dark liquid eyes lingered. They'd made him feel twenty-five again, reminding him of the first time he'd looked into Lanni's eyes.
"Here are the X-rays." The technician’s voice yanked Cole’s attention back to the present and the image of the small chest area where the bullet had lodged. His stomach tightened. It was always this way when he worked on children. This time a five-year-old had found Daddy's gun and played “shoot-out” with his younger brother. He shuddered at the thought of anything like this happening to Kayla.
Cole pushed through the door and the anesthesiologist gave him a quick go-ahead nod. The rest of the team stood ready beside the operating table. The child's inert body was in his hands. As he picked up the scalpel, the Paiute prayer for guidance flooded into his thoughts. Surprised by the memory, he hesitated a moment. He'd banished the prayer the day Lanni died. Now it filled his mind, but instead of the usual bitterness it gave him a sense of anticipation he couldn’t explain.
*****
Three hours later, Cole stripped off his hospital garb and sagged into the nearest chair, grateful the employee lounge area was almost empty. He didn't feel like talking. His eyelids dragged like lead weights. He was too tired to make sense of the image which danced in the back of his mind – Lanni, as she'd looked before she became ill. The image shifted and changed into the startling face he’d seen earlier that night, Destiny Moon.
Abruptly, a shadow blocked the light. He lifted one eyelid a crack, saw Web's blond head, and grunted an acknowledgment of his friend’s presence. "Hi pal, what are you doing here?" It was well past midnight and Cole felt woozy. But he felt good, too. The child had survived the surgery, and every hour meant better odds for recovery. He’d check on his patient in a few minutes, then again in the morning.
Web's gaze explored the room. "Came to see the Miracle Man at work."
Cole chuckled. "Tell me another. What are you doing out at this hour? Somebody stand you up?"
"Looking for a certain resident." A flicker of impatience eased into Web's familiar grin.
"Your next ex-girlfriend?" The man's conquests were legendary.
"Me?" A practiced, wounded look. "I'm looking for true love."
"In all the wrong places. I know." Cole shoved to his feet. Six inches taller than Web's five-ten, he looked down at his friend. "I think I'll grab a cup of coffee before I check on my patient. Then call it a night." Although he didn't approve of Web's attitude toward women, Cole did enjoy the scoundrel's humor. "Join me?"
"No. Think I'll mosey upstairs. See if I can find Destiny." He gave a lecherous wink, grinning outrageously.
Cole paused. "Destiny?" Disappointment stung him as he remembered the luscious lady doctor coming out of Web's office. He should have known. “Unusual name," he remarked, forcing himself to relax, feeling conspicuous as he walked away beneath the weight of Web's shrewd gaze. Forget her, he told himself. If she had eyes for Web she wasn't for him.
He straggled downstairs to the cafeteria, filled a cup with coffee, then sipped the steaming brew as he scanned the room, searching for an empty seat. He made his way toward a free table in the back and sat down, grateful for the homey atmosphere. It could have been his parents' dining room, which meant it was nicer than most.
No, what seemed nicer than most was Resident Destiny Moon. She reminded him of Lanni, he told himself. That was the attraction.
Sleep pulled at his eyelids. The memory of Destiny's glowing face tugged at his thoughts. High cheekbones, a strong straight nose, velvety eyes that had seemed too open and honest to go for someone with Web's reputation. And her voice, smooth as brandy on Christmas Eve. He swallowed scalding coffee and sputtered, his throat on fire.
"You okay?" The dusky feminine voice slid over him like silk.
Destiny! "Yes," he gasped, his gaze traveling the length of her from feet to face, savoring the view. Had she been looking for him? The idea pleased him.
She was holding a tray loaded with a sandwich, soda, gelatin, and a banana. Pretty good lunch for the middle of the night. Images of Lanni seemed to merge with the woman in front of him. His mouth went desert dry. His pulse throbbed.
She set her tray on the table, tossed her lab coat over the back of a chair, and dropped into the seat across from him, her knee accidentally brushing against his. He gulped more hot coffee.
“Have a cold?" she asked, her tone sympathetic when he coughed.
"Coffee burn," he managed in a nearly normal voice.
"Here, have some Jell-o, it'll cool your throat." She held out a spoonful of shivering green. Their fingers touched, and the spoon catapulted into the air, then hit the floor with a thunk. A lime-green blob landed on the table's edge and slowly slid off like the ooze with which Kayla played.
"At least it matches the tile," Destiny murmured with no sign of embarrassment. The faint scent of jasmine wafted from her skin, as tantalizing as the lush mouth and dusky voice.
Cole bent to retrieve the spoon.
Whack. Their heads collided.
"Sorry," he murmured, feeling like one of the three stooges as he stood. "Thanks anyway, but Iive got a patient to see." The words were stilted and not at all what he wanted to say. He wanted to ask her out for breakfast, for dinner, for the rest of his life. Ridiculous!
One thing was certain, Destiny Moon lit up the night and made him remember when romance was in bloom. He glanced back, caught her frown of puzzlement at his hasty departure. Web had already staked a claim. And Colorado Jackson didn't need the headache of pursuing the same woman. No matter how attractive.
Even as he told himself that, he knew he'd ignore his own advice. Destiny aroused feelings he'd begun to doubt could ever exist again. He wasn't about to let her slip away--not for Web or anyone else.
*****
Destiny watched as Dr. Jackson rushed off. Why the mad dash? Did she have terminal coffee breath?
He'd avoided an introduction, then escaped her attempt to talk to him. Figuring fate, like her name, had brought them together, she'd given in to the urge to join him in the cafeteria. She got the feeling he was nervous around her, which made no sense at all. He was a hot-shot surgeon, one whom everyone liked – she'd asked around all evening – gleaning a few pertinent facts, like age and marital status. She'd even managed a quick run by the operating room to see him work. Wizardry in motion.
You'd never believe it the way he flipped Jell-o, she thought, a smile pulling at her lips. Something a sixteen-year-old might do, not this virile-looking man of thirty-five. Yet she found the quality endearing. It made him approachable, less like the arrogant God-like facades of other doctors. She hoped she'd never let her position go to her head.
Her grandmother, Sau-tau-nee, Willow Blossom, had been a medicine woman. From her, Destiny had heard wonderful tales of walking in her spirit form, soaring like the eagle, and gaining power – or what whites would call wisdom. But, her grandmother had said, there was always more to learn. And she'd warned Destiny about the mischievous Coyote. What was that trickster with his eternal grin up to this time?
The unexpectedness of the thought made her pause mid-bite into her turkey sandwich. She plopped it down on her plate. Too much mayonnaise anyway. Atherosclerosis. Inflamed gall bladder. Both waiting to happen. And Coyote would probably find something amusing about it all.
Thoughts drifting, she peeled her banana, then was yanked back to attention by the sight of Web in the doorway. Looking for her? She hoped not. After the electricity she'd felt around Dr. Jackson, Web and his games held no appeal.
He threaded his way around the tables and chairs to the seat Cole had just vacated. "So how's my favorite resident?"
"Tired." She concentrated on her banana.
"Breakfast at Harrah's would be nicer," he chided. "Belgian waffles, fresh melon, all you can eat."
"If you're trying to make me sorry I bought this, you're doing a good job."
His perfect smile bloomed. "So how does this sound? Olympic-size
d pool, frosty margaritas, a nap in the sun?"
She couldn't hold back a smile, the man was incorrigible. "I don't think I'd get much of a nap."
"Scout's honor." He gave a three-fingered salute. "I'll stay on my lounge pad, you stay on yours."
She hesitated. Her apartment was a disaster, and the air conditioning on the blink – again.
As though sensing victory, Web added, "If you want to sleep, you can sleep. I promise to let you have as boring an afternoon as you want."
She raised a warning eyebrow. "Hey, I'm into boring. Especially when I have to work again tonight."
"You really involved with a doctor?" Web asked, his eyes suddenly curious, his question taking her by surprise.
Her thoughts jumped to Cole. "Let's just say that I'm interested and so is he, but we haven't had much time together."
"How exciting." He winked, obviously not the least bit put off. "Oh, yes..." he pulled an envelope from his jacket and handed it to her. "This is for you. A reward for your dedication."
A job offer? She resisted the urge to tear it open. Not in front of Web.
"Go ahead. It's a good offer. I think you'll be pleased."
She raised an eyebrow, but her heart thumped happily. If he really was offering her a position, she'd be close to her people, the reservation, the desert, everything she loved. Including a certain, very appealing surgeon, Cole Jackson.
Destiny shook herself. Where had that notion come from? She didn't even know the man. "So how do you know what's inside a sealed envelope?" she asked.
An arrogant smile. "Board of Director's meeting. We discussed personnel, hiring, salaries, all that jazz."
The man was both a politician and a charmer. "Another title, Dr. Baker? I thought the Board of Directors was the Good Old Boy's Club, everyone a generation older than you."
"Honorary member." He winked. "Staff was invited to attend, in case there were any questions about the recommendations."
Destiny checked her watch, 4:00 a.m. Time to get back to work. "So I owe you a thank you?"
He leaned forward. "I'll swing by and pick you up outside the lobby at nine, when you get off. Then bring you back to get your monster this evening." He always referred to her Yamaha as the monster. "Think of it as a mini-vacation." The man was a born flirt. But Cole Jackson was his best friend. Perhaps she could get Web to fill in a few of the blanks on the intriguing doctor.
"I just want to sleep," she warned as she almost skipped across the room. A job offer! And she'd learn more about a certain delectable hunk.
It wasn't until later, when she was climbing into Web's Mercedes, that she realized she didn't have a swimsuit or sunscreen or a change of clothes, and she'd really rather go home. He dismissed her excuses with a casual air. "My ex-wife had a zillion swimsuits, left every one of them when she bailed. You can take your pick."
She shrugged and leaned back as the Mercedes eased out of the parking lot. On the periphery of her vision she saw the long-legged stride and rugged veneer of Cole Jackson. Her pulse raced. She jerked upright and the abrupt movement caught his attention. He stared, disappointment etched around his eyes.
With a curt nod, he turned away.
Her heart heard Coyote laugh and a sinking sensation hit the pit of her stomach. "Web, stop!"
Knowing she was about to make a fool of herself, she threw open the door and jumped out as he hit the brakes. "What the– "
"I can't go. I'm sorry." She slammed the door and slung her backpack over her shoulder.
"Wait a minute!" Astonishment colored his voice.
She shook her head. "You're a nice guy, a friend. That's how I want our relationship to stay. I'm sorry."
Shock faded to resignation and he teased, "You don't know what you're missing unless you try it out."
She shook her head again, smiling at her own foolishness. She'd had all the lessons she needed in casual affairs. "Thanks anyway, Web. See you tomorrow."
Walking away, she heard him rev the engine, heard the tires squeal as he ripped out of the parking lot. He'd be upset for a few days, then replace her with someone else, a new flavor of the month.
She glanced down the first row of cars, searching for Cole Jackson. Where'd he vanish to? Was Coyote still laughing?
Wandering around the parking lot made her feel conspicuous. She was about to give up when she spotted Cole behind the wheel of a sky blue Lexus, pulling out of a corner parking space.
"Wait!" she shouted, telling herself she was three times a fool as she sprinted forward, dodging Cole’s bumper as the Lexus screeched to a stop.
Eyes wide, he bolted from the car, radiating concern. "I could have run you over!"
She tried to slow the erratic beating of her heart. From a brush with his fender? Or from his proximity? "Sorry." The word came out a breathless croak. "I was afraid I wouldn't catch you."
Her words stalled whatever he'd been about to say. He stared at her. "Catch me? I saw you with Web." Questions lay in his deliciously blue eyes, sparkling like sapphires under the morning sun. Dressed in slacks and a short-sleeve knit shirt, he looked good enough for a GQ cover.
"He was – uh, just delivering a letter." She felt awkward. Cole hadn't introduced himself or asked her name--nothing to indicate any interest. If she waited for him to make the first move, she might be here until her next shift. "Actually, I was wondering what you’re doing here?” she blurted, readjusting her pack on her shoulder.
A smile tugged at his lips. “Just came by to check on a patient.”
“Have you eaten?” she asked.
The smile widened. "No. I was going to take a swing by the Lake, stop at one of the casinos, hit a buffet, come back and go to the gym. I have the day off."
She held out her hand. "I'm Destiny Moon. And no jokes about the name, please."
"Destiny," his voice softened as he murmured her name. It did funny things to her insides, sending shivers of delight down her spine. His grip was warm, strong, magnetic, like the pull of his eyes.
"Cole... Colorado Jackson." A brief grin flashed across his face like a shooting star promising only good things. "And no jokes, please."
She could get lost in that radiant smile, those wonderful eyes.
"Would you like to join me for breakfast?" he asked, the invitation sounding almost like an afterthought.
"You sure?" The idea that her attraction to the good doctor was only one-sided proved disconcerting. She withdrew her hand reluctantly and used it to shade her eyes.
Another broad smile cut across his face. She felt like a sponge, absorbing the warmth of his look.
"Yes," he stated emphatically.
*****
The short drive to Lake Tahoe passed in companionable silence. As he drove, Cole flicked another sidelong glance at Destiny. God, the chemistry! Like nothing he’d ever experienced, not even with Lanni. Mentally, he acknowledged the two women’s similarities – their coloring, their heritage – but he instinctively recognized the differences. Destiny exhibited more assertiveness. Did she feel the electricity sizzling between them? She must feel something, he reasoned, or she would still be with Web. The fact she wasn’t cheered him. "Do you want breakfast or lunch?"
"Breakfast."
Dusky bells. He wanted to hear more of them. "How far into your residency are you?" He already knew the answer, he'd talked to a friend in personnel.
"Only two months left." Suppressed excitement in her tone.
"What area?"
"Family Practice."
Lanni had been interested in medicine, in becoming a doctor, but she'd lacked confidence. Yet she'd taught him many valuable lessons, given him a sense of connection to the earth, to a way of life that called to his very soul. His parents had never understood his easy embrace of the tribe and their ways, and he could never explain, but they'd finally accepted it. In recent months they'd even urged him to go back out to the reservation, but something tightened in his gut every time he considered doing so. Not yet.
&nbs
p; "Where did you go to school?" he asked.
"New York." A heavy sigh.
"You didn't like it?"
"Couldn't wait to get out of there, leave the dirt and crime behind." A pause. "What about you?"
Cole shrugged, then caught her brief frown when he didn't say anything. Silence was something he'd gotten good at in the last two years. "You can ask me all the questions you want over breakfast," he offered as he pulled into a parking space beneath Harvey's. "But I may not answer every one."
Her laugh ran deliciously through him like hot cider. A whole carillon of bells. As he walked around the car to meet her on the other side, he realized he hadn't dented a fender, run over her foot, or done anything the least bit klutzy since he'd asked her out. Surprise. Surprise.
He gestured toward the elevator, then took her hand. Her warm, strong grip sent another delectable surge of heat through his veins. Cole found himself wanting to forget breakfast, forget everything but the woman beside him. Was her skin as soft as it looked? If he pulled the clasp from her hair would it fall to her waist, a cascade of silk he could slide his fingers through? He stifled a groan as he fought reawakened desire. He hardly knew her! Yet he ached to touch her, kiss her, lose himself in her.
No, not her, Lanni.
He pushed the thought away. She was not Lanni. She was quite different, in fact, at least four inches taller. Her stride matched his, and she bore herself with an air that was almost intimidating. Except maybe to another doctor, he thought with a smile. An arrogant bunch, us medicine men – and women.
The elevator doors slid quietly open and they were ushered to a cushy booth. All around them the clatter of one-armed bandits rang like a million unceasing doorbells, the setting far from intimate. "Why the smile?" Destiny inquired when seated across from him.
He offered a self-depreciatory grin. "I was just thinking how arrogant doctors can be... hope we haven't rubbed off on you too much."
"Well, if you haven't by now, you still may." She dug into her backpack and pulled out an envelope with the hospital logo.
Cole said a silent prayer. She would make an excellent addition to the hospital's slate of doctors. Web had to know that.
Dance With Destiny Page 2