“More than I can handle? Or want in my life?” Paige suggested.
Sheepish now, Chavella said, “That’s sort of what I was trying to say.”
Smiling, Paige gave her a gentle hug. “Don’t worry about me, Chavella. I’m not foolish enough to let myself fall for the good doctor. Just like he’s not about to get any serious ideas about me. This is more of a truce celebration. That’s all.”
Chavella released an obvious sigh of relief. “Good. If that’s all it is, then I’m happy you’re going. You deserve to go out and enjoy yourself. But do you think you will?”
Frowning, Paige asked, “Will I do what?”
“Enjoy yourself—with him?”
Paige let out a short laugh. “I’m going to try.”
*
“What kind of man is this Dr. Sherman anyway?” Gideon asked as he watched Paige dab perfume on her neck and wrists. “Seems to me if a man wants to take a lady on a date, he’d come to her house and collect her.”
Sunday evening had finally arrived and now as the time grew closer for her to meet Luke, she was growing ever more nervous. After considerable thought, she’d finally decided to dress in a purple-and-white sundress. At least the color went with her hair and the close-fitting style made it dressy enough to be suitable for dinner.
“Grandfather, things are different now than when you courted Grandmother,” Paige explained. “Besides, I wouldn’t feel right making Luke drive all the way out here when we’ll probably be having dinner somewhere in Carson City.”
Gideon frowned. “I would’ve driven around the world for your grandmother.”
Paige smiled at him. “That’s because you loved her. Luke and I are just coworkers and friends—sort of. I think he wanted to take me out just to make up for that little dustup we had a couple of weeks ago.”
Shaking his head, Gideon crossed to the refrigerator. As he pulled out a bottle of beer, he muttered, “The man must be blind.”
“Blind? Grandfather, the man is a doctor. He doesn’t wear glasses, so I’m sure his eyesight is perfect.” Just as everything else about him appeared to be perfect, she thought. Except his critical behavior toward her, and even that seemed to be a thing of the past.
Gideon twisted off the cap of the long-necked bottle and took a hefty swig. “You’re a damn pretty girl, even if you are my granddaughter. This doc would have to be blind not to notice.”
Paige had never gotten the feeling that Luke was looking at her like a woman—until that night he’d invited her to join him in the doctor’s lounge for a cup of coffee. Since then he’d been giving her glances that suggested he found her attractive. But so far, Paige didn’t put too much stock in the idea. In fact, she wasn’t going to let herself think beyond this evening. Luke was too complex for her to understand, so the best thing she could do was not even try.
“There are plenty of pretty nurses at the hospital, Grandfather. There’s nothing special about me.”
“Bah!” he scoffed.
Smiling, she tossed a lacy white shawl around her shoulders and picked up her handbag from the corner of the kitchen table. “I hope you’re not planning on drinking beer, then climbing into the truck to drive over to see Hatti while I’m gone.”
Frowning, he swatted a hand through the air. “I’m not bothering with that old woman this evening. The last time I saw her, she was whining and complaining about one thing or another. I don’t enjoy listening to that kind of negative stuff—it’s depressing as hell.”
“She wants your sympathy, Grandfather.”
He swallowed another mouthful of beer. “Well, what she’s gonna get from me is the boot.”
It was all Paige could do to keep from bursting out with laughter. “Don’t give me that tough-guy talk. If you thought she really needed you, you’d burn the tires off your truck to get to her house.”
He snorted. “You don’t have to worry about my tires burning off the wheels tonight. Me and Samson are going to sit on the porch and watch the sun go down. Then I’m going to fry us each a pork chop.”
There wasn’t any use in telling Gideon it would be better to give Samson dog food. He’d just remind her that quality of life meant a heck of a lot more to him than quantity.
She walked over and pecked a kiss on his leathery cheek. “Good night, Grandfather. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone—so don’t wait up.”
Paige was halfway to the back door, when he called out. Pausing, she looked back to see him studying her thoughtfully.
“Yes?” she asked.
“You talked about Hatti needing me. What about you? Are you starting to need this Luke Sherman?”
She thought about his question for a split second before she walked back to her grandfather and kissed his cheek again. “Now why would I need him? I have you, Grandfather.”
*
Luke couldn’t remember the last time he’d been nervous about dating a woman. He’d arrived in Carson City five years ago and since then the handful of dates he’d gone on had been little more than perfunctory outings filled with polite talk and zero chemistry. Even before he’d married Andrea, their dates had lacked excitement. Maybe that was because she’d done all the chasing and all he’d had to do was let himself be caught.
But Paige was different from any woman he’d ever met. He couldn’t treat her as though she was just any woman. She was too special for that. Now as he waited for her to arrive at the hospital parking lot, he realized his palms were damp and the need to get out of the car and pace was so strong, he could hardly make himself stay put.
You have to be one of the biggest fools to ever walk the earth, Luke. Didn’t Andrea teach you enough about women? It’s all about them and what a man can do for them. Not the other way around. Paige might seem sincere, but you don’t know what’s really underneath all that winered hair and silver gray eyes. She’s already divorced one man. Do you want to be number two?
Divorce, hell, Luke wanted to yell at the voice going on in his head. This outing with Paige had nothing to do with love or marriage. This was all about him finally meeting up with a woman who made him feel like a man. A complete man.
A minute later, he spotted Paige’s little blue compact wheeling into the parking lot and the nagging thoughts going on in his head suddenly vanished as he quickly climbed out of the car and went over to greet her.
“Am I late?” she asked, as he gave her a helping hand out of the vehicle. “I got stuck behind a wide load and ended up driving fifty miles an hour for most of the trip.”
“You’re right on time.” And more beautiful than he could’ve imagined, Luke thought. The few times he’d spotted her leaving the hospital after work, she’d always been wearing jeans or slacks. This evening she looked incredibly feminine in a close-fitting dress and strappy high heels. One side of her hair was pinned back with a glittery pin, exposing a dangling earring and a long line of creamy neck. Every male cell in his body was longing to take her into his arms and kiss her right here in the parking lot. “And you look very lovely, Paige.”
“I hope I look appropriate enough for what you had in mind.”
The things that were going through his mind at this very moment had nothing to do with her dress and everything to do with the soft curves beneath it.
“Perfect,” he murmured, then took her by the elbow and guided her over to his sleek luxury car. Once he had her settled in the seat, he punched a button on his key fob to start the car remotely. “Set the air conditioner to make yourself comfortable. I forgot something inside the hospital. I’ll be back in a flash.”
When he finally returned to the car and slid behind the wheel, she smiled at him and the warmth he saw on her face made his extra effort all worthwhile.
He handed her a clear box with a delicate orchid inside. “For you,” he said. “To go with your dress.”
Cradling the box with both hands, she stared at the flower as though she expected him to be giving her a snake rather than a corsage. “It’s lovely, Luk
e. But I…this really wasn’t necessary.”
“It’s a selfish gesture,” he said with a wry grin. “I’ll get to see you wearing it all evening.”
She didn’t say anything as she continued to stare at the flower and Luke wished he could see her thoughts. He’d wanted to make the evening special for her, but maybe she felt he was stepping out of bounds with the flower.
Oh, Lord, he couldn’t believe any of this even mattered to him. He’d spent the past five years convincing himself that he was finished with the dating game. With love and marriage and a house full of kids. That wasn’t for him. So why did it matter if Paige was pleased with him?
“What’s wrong?” he finally asked. “Are you miffed at me for keeping you waiting out here in the parking lot?”
Looking at him, she let out a soft laugh. “I always did want to give this parking lot a closer look. Especially since I’ve only seen it a few thousand times.”
Chuckling with her, he removed the box from her hands and opened the lid. “Here. Let me pin this on you and then we’ll be on our way.”
He positioned the flower to a spot on her dress just above her left breast and as he carefully fastened the pin through the fabric, she said, “I’ve never trusted a man to pin anything on me before. But since you’re an expert at stitching wounds I trust you not to stick me.”
Amused, his gaze lifted to hers and all of a sudden he realized their faces were only inches apart and her dusky pink lips were moist and parted and perfect for kissing. The urge to take advantage of the moment was so strong it felt as though a hand was at his back, pushing him toward her.
“I’ve had a lot of practice,” he said huskily. “But my patients are usually numbed and can’t feel it if I accidentally pricked them with the needle.”
Her eyes dropped to his mouth and a groan of longing very nearly slipped from Luke’s throat.
“Yes,” she murmured. “I—I’ve watched you do all that stitching.”
Desire drew him closer, until his mouth was only a scant distance from hers, but before he could make the final move to kiss her, the sound of nearby voices jarred his foggy senses.
Glancing around, he spotted a group of chatting nurses walking near the car. The disruption ended the ripe moment and Luke bit back a sigh of frustration as he settled himself behind the steering wheel.
“We’d better be on our way.” His hoarse voice sounded odd, prompting him to clear his throat. “I don’t want us to be late for our reservations.”
Before he could back out of the parking spot, she reached over and rested her hand on his forearm. Luke looked at her, then wished he hadn’t. The gentle smile on her face made him want to do more than kiss her. It made him want to love her.
“I just wanted to thank you for the orchid, Luke. It’s, well, it’s been a long time since a man has given me a flower.”
Yearning and regret twisted somewhere deep inside him. If he’d met this woman years before, when he’d been trudging through med school, she might have changed the course of his life, he thought. But he couldn’t go back and change things. All he could do now was move forward and hope he wasn’t making the same mistakes all over again.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve given one, Paige. So I guess you could say we’re starting out even.”
Chapter Seven
A half hour later, Paige found herself sitting at a round table covered with fine linen and set with elegant china. Two tall candles flickered in a breeze that drifted gently across the outdoor terrace. Above their heads pine trees whispered, while the soft tinkle of piano music drifted from the French doors connecting the terrace to the restaurant. Across the way, a portion of Lake Tahoe glistened in the waning light.
She tilted a long-stemmed glass to her lips and let the light, fruity wine slip down her throat. No doubt the bottle had cost more than several days of a nurse’s pay. As for the dinner Luke had just ordered for the two of them, it was a far cry from the simple pork chops Gideon would be frying for himself and Samson right about now.
This was not the sort of evening Paige had envisioned having with Luke. No, this was the sort of dinner dates she’d had with David, her ex. Before she’d learned about his mistress. Before she’d learned that everything about their marriage and their life together had been phony. But Luke had no way of knowing that. There was no way he could know that she’d once been married to a man with enough money to lavish her with anything and everything.
“You’ve gone quiet, Paige. Is something bothering you? If you’d rather have a table inside, I’ll have the waiter check to see if any are available.”
Shaking away her dark thoughts, she leveled a smile at him. He looked incredibly handsome tonight dressed in a patterned shirt of blues and greens and his sandy brown hair brushed loosely to one side. Without his lab coat and stethoscope, she could almost forget that he was a doctor who ran the ER night shift with an iron fist.
“This table is lovely, Luke. And being outside is wonderful. How did you know I’m an outdoor girl?”
“After you told me you liked living on your grandfather’s farm it was an easy guess.”
She glanced appreciatively around at the giant evergreens growing near the shoreline and the setting sun spreading a pink and orange glow over the deep blue water. “It’s incredibly beautiful here,” she said. “Do you come to this restaurant often?”
His lips took on a wry slant. “Rarely.”
“Then why did you bring me?”
“I wanted this evening to be special for you.”
Eating a couple of corn dogs sitting at a concrete picnic table would’ve been just as special to her, Paige could’ve told him. But she kept the thought to herself. She hardly wanted him to get the impression that she was ungrateful or hard to please.
“Thank you, Luke, for your thoughtfulness.”
Lowering her lashes, she glanced down at the white orchid. Its delicate petals outlined in lavender matched her dress perfectly and he’d pinned it to just the right spot. The memory of his hands brushing lightly against her was still lingering in her mind, making her wonder what it would be like to have those hands against her naked flesh. She wondered, too, if he would’ve kissed her if the nurses hadn’t passed by at such an inopportune moment.
“Well, it’s nothing like the hospital cafeteria, but it’ll do,” he teased.
The fact that he could lighten up from the dour, serious doctor she’d known for the past three years still amazed her. Had he always been different away from work? she wondered. Or was this a new Luke all the way around?
“When you’re off duty do you ever worry or wonder about the ER?” she asked.
“No. Dr. Stillwell and Dr. Bradley are both excellent physicians. I know they’ll take care of any situation just as well or better than I can.”
Paige doubted that. She’d never worked with a doctor who was more thorough than Luke. Many times she’d seen him correctly diagnose a patient’s problem without the aid of test results or MRI pictures. That was a natural-born instinct, rather than years of education.
“Do you think about the ER when you’re off?” he asked.
She thought of him. Aloud, she said, “I try not to. Everybody needs to rest their minds.”
The waiter arrived with their salads and as they began to eat, Luke asked, “So what do you do on your off time?”
She speared a leaf of spinach with her fork and wondered why she suddenly felt a bit self-conscious. She was proud of who she was and what she was. “Things that would be boring to you. Like feeding the chickens. Milking the goats. Hoeing the garden.”
He paused from his meal as he studied her. “It’s not easy to picture you doing those things, Paige. Especially the way you look tonight.”
She laughed shortly. “Grandfather can tell you how I look in a pair of ragged jeans with dirt under my fingernails.”
“Did you live on a farm before you moved in with your grandfather?”
It was a good thing Pai
ge didn’t have any food or drink in her mouth, otherwise she would’ve probably spewed everything over their beautiful table.
“Not at all. When I was born both my parents lived and worked in Reno. I was five years old when they got divorced. After that, Dad moved to Los Angeles and that’s where he still lives—with his other family. Mother lives up in Montana with her second husband. I see her occasionally. Dad only keeps up with a card or occasional email. Besides me, he has three other children. Two boys and a girl, all much younger than me.”
He downed a bite of salad before he asked, “Do you get along with your half siblings?”
Paige shrugged. “I scarcely know them. They’ve never shown much interest in getting acquainted. And considering the rather ugly split between my parents, I decided it was probably best to stay out of their lives.”
“That’s sad.”
“Hmm. Well, it’s better than creating a bunch of drama that none of us need. If they ever want to consider me a sister, I’ll be here. Otherwise, it’s just me and Grandfather.”
“Is he your paternal grandfather?”
“No. He’s my mother’s father. She never was all that close to Gideon. She always despised living in the country. I think that’s why she married my father at such a young age. She saw him as a way to get to the city and a brighter, faster life. I guess you could say I’m the opposite of her. Now.”
One of his brows arched in question. “What do you mean ‘now’?”
Thankfully the waiter chose that moment to arrive with the main course of their dinner, which consisted of braised salmon with mustard sauce and roasted potatoes drizzled with butter and parsley. The pause gave Paige a chance to think about how she was going to answer Luke’s questions without making herself look like an idiot.
Once the waiter had left the table, she was hoping Luke would move the conversation elsewhere. Instead, he was studying her with a look that implied he was still waiting for her answer.
Her Kind of Doctor Page 8