his first day at the hospital.
And held it.
He enjoyed their conversations, enjoyed sitting with her in the break room while she grabbed a quick lunch.
Although he’d yet to ask her out due to finishing up his move, settling into his new job and home, working three of the four weekends he’d been in Memphis and having to go home the previous weekend for his parents’ anniversary, he’d planned to see if she was free for the upcoming weekend.
Not once had he questioned whether or not she’d say yes. He’d swear she was interested, that she enjoyed their light, fun conversations as much as he did.
Just the previous day, he’d asked her friend Rosalyn about her. Surprisingly, Rosalyn hadn’t been able to tell him much about Carly’s personal life. They’d worked together for five years, Carly didn’t attend any of the hospital’s social functions, rarely talked about family and never about anyone special.
None of their other co-workers had been able to tell him anything more.
He was a young healthy man who’d been used to an active social life since his divorce. Staying busy, active, was how he’d kept sane after Stephanie had left him. The fact his social life had been on hiatus from the move and job change was probably why he got so twisted up inside when he looked at Carly.
Although thinner than his usual taste, she was a beautiful woman, had a great sense of humor, and a quick smile.
When she smiled, his breath caught.
Rosalyn was right.
He had the hots for Carly.
Although he’d been in several relationships since his divorce, they’d all been light, fun, about mutual pleasure. From the moment he’d met her, Carly had tugged at something deep that made him question the meaningless relationships he moved in and out of with the ease of a broken heart that didn’t allow anything more.
Memories of the past hit him, freezing him in place and making him question his interest in Carly.
Was she playing hard to get? Had he misread her? Or was there something more going on?
“SORRY I TOOK so long to bring your medicine,” Carly apologized to the elderly man lying in the hospital bed.
Although partially dozed off, he wore a thick pair of glasses, along with oxygen tubing and a nasal cannula. He opened his eyes and stared in her direction, blankly at first, then with vague recognition.
Carly was used to that reaction. Wasn’t it one she saw with increasing frequency from her mother?
Just as she did at home, Carly pasted on her brightest smile.
“I don’t need medicine anyway,” the man muttered grumpily and without making eye contact.
“Your medicine helps keep your heart in rhythm and will help get you out of this place and back home soon.”
The man snorted. “I don’t have a home.”
Carly had been taking care of Mr. Taylor for three days, knew his personal history, and understood his frustrations that his family felt he could no longer live alone. With forgetting to eat and frequent falls, he couldn’t.
“That’s not what your daughter told me when she was visiting yesterday,” Carly reminded him.
“She lied.”
Carly handed him the plastic cup that held his pills. “You don’t live with her?”
He thought a moment, then shook his head. He didn’t say more, just took the medications.
“Is there anything else I can get you, Mr. Taylor?”
“A new body.”
Carly smiled. She’d heard that many times over the five years she’d been a nurse.
“I wish I could,” she admitted. She wished she could do a lot of things when it came to making someone well.
Especially with her mother’s Parkinson’s and dementia.
What she wouldn’t do for there to be a cure to such horrific diseases that robbed one of their mind and body.
She checked his vitals, made sure his nurse-call button was within his reach, and left his room to check on another patient.
Mrs. Kim. A lovely little lady who’d had a surgically excised abscess on her chest. Due to the amount of infection and her weakened system, she’d been admitted for a few days for intravenous antibiotics to make sure the infection was knocked and to build up her strength.
Mrs. Kim’s family had been taking turns staying during the evenings and night, but during the daytime her family worked and the woman was usually in her room alone.
Carly popped in frequently to check on her.
Most of the time the pleasant woman would be enthralled in whichever game show she was currently watching, but the vision that met Carly’s eyes had her pausing in the doorway.
Looking distraught, Mrs. Kim was crying. Stone was at her bedside, holding her hand, offering comfort. Carly couldn’t make out his exact words, but she could feel their soothing balm.
Could feel her own eyes watering in empathy at Mrs. Kim’s distress.
Mrs. Kim grasped his hand in hers and was voicing her frustration over the wound that refused to heal in her chest, over how it was keeping her from her very busy life, and how she missed her two cats.
Whatever he said, Mrs. Kim weepily smiled, pulled his hand to her lips and smacked a kiss there.
“Thank you.”
She said more, but Carly couldn’t make out the words, just saw the woman’s lips move and then Stone throw his head back and laugh.
A real laugh. One that reverberated through Carly. Made her long to share such a laugh with him.
How long had it been since she’d laughed like that? Carefree through and through? With all her worries set aside in the joy of the moment?
Since she’d felt any real, all-the-way-to-her-soul sense of joy?
No, that wasn’t fair. She was happy, appreciative that she had her mother to go home to every day. It was what she wanted, what she’d choose given the choice. Every day was a blessing and to be cherished.
She did cherish life. She was not just going through the motions.
Thinking she’d come back later to check on Mrs. Kim, she turned to go, but the movement caught Stone’s eye.
“Carly?”
Pasting a smile on her face, she stepped into the hospital room.
Ignoring
