“I was with you the entire night. I couldn’t have. Anything else?”
“He left High River General and started up a practice of his own.”
“Interesting.”
“Are you sure you had nothing to do with what happened to him?”
“I may have a brain injury, but I would know if and when I had someone beaten. I haven’t laid eyes on the man since that night at the bar. He probably had some real boyfriends waiting to tell him to leave their girlfriends alone.” Dane smiled at the thought. “Goodnight, Red. I’ll be in touch.”
Bates waited for Dane, the man he always referred to as Boss, in the heated comfort of the black SUV. He had kept the engine running, thinking that Boss’s visit with the fiery redhead would be short and to the point. Hand over the stuffed toy, tell the woman she was whacko, then say goodbye. Boss didn’t need a woman like that in his life. He needed someone calmer, kinder, and accepting. He should have known the doctor was trouble the moment he saw her hug Boss from behind and pull him into a game that lasted for hours. She had a stalker, a co-worker who didn’t take the hint that she wasn’t interested. Bates couldn’t blame the beautiful doctor for attracting danger, but he could blame her for asking Boss to come to her rescue. Boss didn’t need to prove himself a hero. Those who knew him and worked with him witnessed his heroics daily.
Bates remembered that night as though he were a fly on the wall, watching without being noticed. He kept an eye on Boss and the redheaded beauty who had grabbed his attention. Bates liked her. He had to admit for a few hours it was good to see Boss happy. Boss danced with her, drank with her, and he laughed. It had been a long time since he’d seen Boss laugh.
Their line of work had taken its toll on them, especially Bates. Boss promised Bates that he’d always have his six and he kept his word by hiring him as his right-hand man. In return, Bates made it his mission to keep a watchful eye on Boss and to keep him out of harm’s way, even if it meant running interference with a redheaded beauty.
Her stalker, Dr. John Sinclair, was relentless. Bates had to give him credit for not giving up. He smiled as he thought of him. Instead of leaving the bar with his tail between his legs, he kept coming back for more, thinking that he could get the better of Boss. Bates wouldn’t allow that. Instead, when Bates caught the man lurking in the shadows outside the bar, he made his move to teach the jerk a lesson. The doctor had a glass jaw, falling unconscious to the ground with one right hook to the face. Bates gathered up his crumpled form and stashed him in the trunk of his car. Knowing that Boss would be spending the rest of the night with the woman, Bates was free to carry out his plan. He didn’t take him far, only to the seediest part of Calgary where he dumped him in an alley without his wallet or his cellphone. What happened next was all up to the doctor.
The rear door to the SUV swung open. He heard Boss order the dog onto the back seat. The door slammed, and then the front passenger door opened, and a furious Boss dropped into the passenger seat.
“You have some explaining to do, my friend. Out with it now, or I swear I will beat the shit out of you when we get home.”
Bates was the bigger and stronger of the two men, although Boss was the dirtier fighter. Bates knew he could hold his own against his friend, and yet there was no way in hell he would ever hit back.
“I knew the woman was Val’s niece.”
“Her name is Jules.”
“After your accident, you were saying crazy shit while you were coming out of your coma. Sometimes you’d say the word red. And then you started talking about a woman. I put two and two together and figured it was the woman from the bar. She made you happy, Boss. I could see it that night.”
“She did. Keep going.”
“When I ran the background check, I recognized her right away. Val told us that she had one living relative, a niece, and they were estranged. I thought it would work.”
“What would work?”
“You and the doctor could reconnect once you got better.”
“Then why would you keep her from me?”
“You weren’t ready. And now. . .”
“Now?”
“She didn’t exactly fall into your arms, did she?”
Dane leaned back in his seat. He blew out in frustration. “No.”
“She’s not the one for you.”
“That’s not for you to say.”
“She doesn’t accept what you do. How can you want someone like that in your life? You’re a goddamned hero, and if she can’t see that, then you’re better off without her.”
“We have a child, Bates. It’s not that easy.”
“Get visitation rights. Val can watch her when you have her at the ranch.”
Dane shook his head. “I’m not going to be that kind of father. My parents dumped me on my grandparents. I’m not going to dump my daughter on someone else to raise.”
“Then you’d better take a good look at all your options. Find the one that is best for you. Then decide if playing daddy is your best shot.”
Only the glow from the fireplace illuminated Dane’s office. Lucky sat at his feet, content to chew on his elk antler. The crackling of the fire and the gnawing of Lucky’s teeth were the only sounds that broke the silence. Dane nursed a glass of Chivas while staring at the chessboard in front of him. He usually found comfort in working on various chess moves. The game appealed to him by teaching patience and strategy. This time there was no comfort to be found. Instead, his conversation with Bates replayed in his mind.
He thought about what Bates had said to him. Bates knew Dane better than anyone, and yet to hear him say that Jules was not the right choice for him niggled at him. He trusted Bates. Bates had always called the shots, found the right angles, and kept Dane right on target. He’d never offered life advice and had never asked for it in return. Instead, Bates looked after Dane, especially after his accident. He was there to help him clean himself up when a seizure resulted in a bloodied head and the indignities of losing control of his bodily functions. Bates helped him without complaint or causing him embarrassment—something Dane appreciated.
Dane got to his feet, making his way to the fireplace. Taking the poker he jabbed at the extinguishing logs, stirring up the embers before he added another one to it. He should go to bed. It was late, and he knew that he had decisions to make before sleep would come to him. He stared into the fire, lost in thought.
He had a daughter. Dane let the word sink in. Daughter. He was a father. Not according to Red. His DNA didn’t give him the right to call himself Becca’s father. Deep down, he knew she was right because his father was nothing more than a DNA donor. His mother, too, if he was honest with himself. Dane closed his eyes, remembering the day when his parents drove him out to this house and left him with his grandparents. He was five years old. Old enough to know then that he was unwanted. He remembered his grandfather arguing with his father, although the words they exchanged Dane couldn’t recall. Dane’s grandmother held him in her arms. She was the one who cried while telling him everything would be alright as he stared at his mother who sat motionless in the passenger seat of the car. Dane would never forget the lack of emotion his mother showed, as though she was dropping off an unwanted pet at the pound and not her child.
When a child knows he’s unloved and abandoned by his parents, the damage done can be everlasting. Fortunately for Dane, his grandparents gave him all of their love and more. They did their best to make him feel valued. Gramps taught Dane everything he knew about cattle ranching, shooting, and riding horses. Grams taught Dane how to cook, do laundry, and how to dance. “Someday you’ll want to sweep a woman off her feet, Dane, and dancing is the most romantic way to get to her heart, although knowing how to cook and clean will get you a gal, too.” Dane smiled, thinking of Friday nights with Gramps and Grams when they’d play their favorite music and Grams would take turns dancing wi
th her two favorite men. They were long gone now, their ashes scattered on the ranch, and their names etched on a stone marker near the house.
Dane owed Becca more than what his parents gave to him. She deserved to know that she had a father who would adore her and keep her safe. She would never have to wonder why she wasn’t good enough to love. How could he rationalize saving children around the world if he couldn’t look after his daughter? Walking away was not an answer. Even if Jules refused to let him be a part of her life, Dane knew that he wouldn’t let her keep him out of Becca’s.
While in Afghanistan, Dane had spent days spread out flat on his belly, unmoving, his scope to his eye, waiting patiently for his target. If he could do that, to make his kill shot, surely he could wait for Jules to change her mind.
Two weeks had passed without any contact from Jules. Val left several messages on Jules’ voicemail and even tried contacting her through the hospital. She wasn’t surprised, although she couldn’t hide the hurt she was feeling. Jules’ anger had always been a force of nature that left many quaking in her path. It had always been wise to let Jules make the first move in restoring things to the way they once were. Jules had a loving and caring heart. Val and Ned knew that pediatrics would be the perfect fit for Jules. She had more patience for children than adults, and she was more forgiving, too.
During that time, Dane looked after business. The mission he had been asked to accept was taken care of—another success. It was a small rescue mission, quickly done by eight handpicked men. Although he ran everything from behind his desk, Dane never lost contact with his unit. It was a stressful time for him, and Val knew well enough to leave him alone. Dane would emerge from his office once he knew everyone, his men, and the people they rescued, were safe. Val made sure she had fresh homemade baking waiting for him along with a pot of strong coffee.
Jules looked up from her desk to find Dane standing in the doorway, holding a cardboard tray with two coffee cups and a small paper bag. Lucky stood beside him, wagging his tail.
“Val told me that Ned used to come in on Saturday mornings to clear up his paperwork. She said that you most likely would carry on the tradition.” He nodded toward two empty chairs facing her desk. “Mind if we join you?”
Jules waved to the chairs. “Be my guest.” She closed the file she was working on and added it to a stack on the end of her desk.
Dane placed the tray on the desk before taking off his coat and Stetson and piling them on one of the chairs. He took his seat before Lucky sat at his feet.
“The muffins are from Val. Banana walnut.” Dane removed the lid from one of the coffee cups and offered it to Jules. “One cream.”
“Thank you.” Jules smiled before taking a sip of the hot beverage. “Did you garner how I like my coffee from Val’s file? You know the one that you didn’t look at?”
“If you must know, I didn’t have to look at a file. You put cream in your coffee when you visited my ranch. I remember everything about you, Red.”
“There’s not much to remember.”
Dane laughed. “You weren’t a good liar then. You still aren’t.”
Dane took the lid off of his coffee and took a sip. He placed the cup on her desk, then sat back in his chair. He watched her, taking in everything about her. This morning Jules wore a dark blue turtle neck sweater under her white lab coat. Her name badge hung slightly crooked on the left lapel. She wore her red hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. Teddy bear earrings dangled from her earlobes.
“What are you staring at?” His gaze caused her to shift uncomfortably in her seat.
“You don’t seem like the teddy bear earring type of woman.”
Jules gave him a wry smile. “Why, Gary, I thought you said you knew me.” Jules reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a stethoscope with red tubing and a teddy bear on the chest-piece. She placed it on the desk then pulled out an otoscope with the head of a panda, and ophthalmoscope with the head of a monkey. “Being in a hospital is stressful enough for a child. There’s no harm in adding some fun to an examination.”
Dane reached for the ophthalmoscope and looked through it. “I wonder if this monkey can see what’s going on in my head.” He placed it back on the desk.
“You don’t know?”
“No one seems to know. I’ve had all the scans, all the tests. I’ve tried every drug—Topamax, phenobarbital, medical cannabis, and countless others. The side effects are worse than the problem. At least they are in my case.” Dane gazed down at Lucky. “This guy has given me a new lease on life. I may not be able to control my seizures, but at least I don’t fall flat on my face anymore. Too many scars and I’ll scare the ladies off.” Dane looked at Jules and winked.
“Have there been ladies to scare off?”
“Are you asking as Jules or Red?”
“Is there a difference?”
“Jules is in a relationship, whereas Red likes to play.” He held her gaze, hoping she would say she was asking as Red.
She wouldn’t take the bait. As much as she wanted to know if there had been other women in his life, her feelings were still raw when in his presence. She didn’t want to know. Not yet.
“How’s Val?”
“I think you know the answer to that question. Don’t you think it’s time to make peace with your aunt? Life is short, Jules. You and I both know how short it can be.”
“I’m still mad.”
“Over what? That she’s working for me? She’s an adult. She can do whatever she damned well wants to do.”
“You don’t get it. You never will.”
“Maybe I won’t, but I know that Val and Becca shouldn’t be the ones you’re punishing. You don’t like what I do? Fine. I can live with that. Let Val back into your life. You came back here for her. Remember?”
Jules tore a piece off her muffin and put it in her mouth. She savored the taste. Jules had to admit that Val’s baking was one of many things she missed where her aunt was concerned. Dane was right. Maybe it was time to move on and call a truce.
“I’m picking Becca up from daycare when I’m finished going through these files. Would you like to join us for lunch?”
“I’d like that. How long do you think you’ll be?”
“About another hour. You can wait here if you’d like unless—”
“I can find something to do.” Dane stood up. “We’ll be back in one hour. Let’s go, boy.”
Dane headed out of the office with Lucky by his side. He pulled out his cell phone and made a call. “Hank, it’s Dane Andrews. I’m at the hospital, and I’ve got an hour to kill. I know it’s Saturday, but do you think you could swing by here? There’s something I’d like to run by you.” Dane pressed the call button for the elevator. “Thanks. I’m heading to your office now. See you soon. Hank? Let’s keep this between us.”
He arrived at her office door precisely one hour later. Jules tried not to stare at him. It was as though her eyes were no longer under her control. They roamed over his body, taking in every detail from the top of his perfect head of hair to the tip of his polished boot. The past five years hadn’t aged him, only added a softness to his brown eyes that made her want to melt into them.
“Are you ready?” Dane asked, fully aware that she was ogling him.
“Just finished.” Jules closed the last folder and added it to the pile.
Dane entered the office and made his way to the chair that held his coat and hat. While he put on his coat, he watched as Jules made herself ready. She released her hair from the messy ponytail and shook it free. Red hair fell in thick waves past her shoulders. She used her fingers to comb through her hair. Jules opened a desk drawer to fetch her purse. She opened it and pulled out her lipstick and applied the color to her lips without using a mirror. Dane marveled at her skill.
She caught him watching her. “Have you never seen a woman
apply lipstick?”
“Not like that.”
“I can do this with my eyes closed. During med school, my eyes were usually half-shut first thing in the morning. There was rarely the chance to look at a mirror. I’m sure there are things you can do with your eyes closed.”
“Quite a few things.” He knew she was playing with him, teasing him with double entendres. She was the Red he remembered from one night long ago when they used double entendres and knowing glances in a game that lasted for hours. “Where would you like to go for lunch?”
“Is your bar open?”
“Of course, it is.”
“Does it have a children’s menu?”
“We serve the best chicken fingers and fries in town.”
“Then let’s go there.” Jules picked up her purse and moved toward the door. Her coat hung on the back of it.
“Allow me,” Dane murmured as he removed the coat from the hook and held it for Jules to put on.
“Thank you.”
They left her office walking side by side, with Lucky walking slightly ahead of Dane.
“Have you given any thought to what I said earlier? About Val?”
“Yes, and I’ve thought about you, too.”
“And?”
“I’ve decided to call a truce. I may not like what you do, and it makes me angry thinking about it, but I want to get to know you. After all, you are Becca’s father.”
“Not just a DNA donor?”
“You’re still in that category. There’s room for improvement.”
“What about Val?”
“I’ll reach out to her. Soon.”
Becca ran to Dane and Lucky when she caught sight of them standing with her mother at the entrance to the daycare. “Dane!” she called. “Lucky! I missed you.”
“Dane’s taking us out to lunch. Do you like that?”
“Yes!” Becca squirmed while Jules tried to put her jacket on her. “Can we have ice cream?”
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