as welcoming as cool air in a heat wave and for the first time since that awful moment when Walter had collapsed at her feet she felt her mood lift slightly. It was as if someone had taken off some of the weight she’d been carrying.
“No Pinot Noir. But there is homemade lemonade.”
“Oh, well, a guy can’t have everything. If you made it, I’m sure it’s good.” He loosened his tie with long, strong fingers, cool and composed, and she wondered if he remembered it had been Pinot Noir they’d drunk that night. “Where is the rest of my family?”
“They’re with your grandfather.”
“How is he?” His voice was gruff, those thick dark lashes failing to conceal the concern in his eyes. “Any change?”
“He looks frail. I hope the doctors know what they’re doing.”
“It’s a good hospital. And how are you?” He caught her chin in his fingers and turned her face to him. “You look like hell.”
“Is that your medical opinion?”
“It’s the opinion of a friend. If you’re asking me as a doctor I’ll have to bill you—” his hand dropped and he tilted his head as he calculated “—let’s say, six hundred dollars. You’re welcome.”
Her heart rate slowly returned to normal. “You trained all those years to tell people they look like hell?”
“It’s a vocation.” He was smiling, too, and that smile made her heart kick hard against her ribs.
“And there I was congratulating myself on looking good in a crisis.” She’d forgotten how easy it was to relax with him. He was easy to talk to and charming. And dangerously attractive.
“I have to go. I need to see Grams.”
“She won’t leave his side and she’s exhausted. She thinks you’re going to be able to perform a miracle.”
“I’ll go to her right now.” His hard features softened fractionally as he spoke of his grandmother. “You’re driving back to Snow Crystal?”
“I just wanted to see him for a few minutes, keep Kayla company and bring food.”
“You still haven’t told me how you are.” Sean’s gaze didn’t shift from her face. “You’re very close to Gramps.”
How was she?
The person she loved most in the world was in the hospital and the Boathouse still wasn’t finished and wasn’t going to open on time.
There would be no opening party. She’d let Jackson down.
She’d had bad days before, but this had been the king of bad days.
But Sean didn’t need to hear that. Their relationship didn’t involve cozy confidences.
“I’m fine,” she lied. “It’s different for me. I am not family. Although I’d also like you to perform a miracle if you have time.”
“I think my grandfather would be the first to dispute that you’re not family.”
“Walter would dispute anything. You know how he loves to argue. He is my perfect man. I love him so much.”
“Now you’ve broken my heart.”
She knew he was joking. Sean was too busy with his career to be interested in a relationship, and that suited her just fine.
“I will see you soon.”
“Are you safe to drive home?” He caught her wrist and pulled her back to him and just for a moment, standing toe-to-toe with him, she forgot the people around her.
“Of course.” She was torn between being touched that he’d noticed how badly affected she was and appalled that she was so easy to read. Why couldn’t she be cool and enigmatic like Kayla? “It has been a long day, that’s all.”
He gave her a long, searching look and then let go of her wrist. “Drive carefully.”
As she walked to the car, she congratulated herself on how well she’d handled that encounter. No one watching would have guessed that they’d once generated enough heat to melt a frozen ice cap.
They had their feelings under control.
There was nothing about Sean O’Neil that threatened her life here.
When it came to love, she was invulnerable.
“THE PRODIGAL GRANDSON RETURNS.” A familiar voice came from behind him and Sean turned to find Tyler standing there holding two cups of coffee.
He took one without invitation. “Didn’t realize the whole family was here.”
“They are now that you walked through the door and that’s Jackson’s coffee you’re drinking. You look like a banker, not a doctor. What happened to the scrubs?”
“I wear those when I’m operating. The rest of the time I wear a suit.”
“Why? So you can charge more?” The banter did nothing to disguise the tension in Tyler’s shoulders and Sean felt a rush of concern.
“This may come as a surprise to you given your TV viewing preferences, but most people don’t like doctors covered in blood.” He took a sip of coffee, coughed and handed it straight back to his brother. “That is disgusting.”
“Straight from the machine, the way you hate it. That’s your punishment for stealing something that wasn’t yours in the first place. Believe me, when you’ve been in this place all day it tastes like nectar.”
“How’s the leg?”
“Behaving. I never thought I’d say this, but it’s good to see you.” Tyler gave a laugh. “Listen to me, getting all mushy on you.”
“Yeah, suddenly I’m worried.”
“Don’t be. The only reason I’m pleased to see you is because now you can do the boring incomprehensible bit of talking to the doctors and I can focus my attention on more important things.”
“Would those more important things be female?”
“They might be. Was that Élise I saw leaving? Did you know she was with Gramps when he collapsed?”
“Jackson told me. She didn’t mention it.” Which, now that he thought about it, was a little strange.
What had they talked about?
All he could remember was the brush of her cheek against his, the silk of her hair and the scent that had slid into his veins like a drug. And the chemistry. Always the chemistry, simmering in the background like a summer heat wave.
The
