Private Partners (Doctors in Training 2)

She’d heard from Liam only once since he’d called Monday morning. He’d called Wednesday morning to reassure her that he was fine, and still in the process of taking care of his father’s affairs. He wasn’t sure when he’d get back to the States, nor had he decided at that time where he would go when he returned. Though she had assured him he was welcome to come back to her apartment to continue working on his revisions, she’d gotten the impression he’d pretty much decided to go to New York. She suspected he thought that choice would be better for her sake—but maybe he believed it was the best decision for himself, as well.

She would eventually grow accustomed to his absence again, she assured herself as she trudged up the stairs. After all, he’d spent only a little over a week with her. Soon it would seem entirely normal to come home to an empty apartment, to go for days or even weeks without hearing Liam’s voice. And maybe she would see him in the summer, after her Step 1 exam. Although, her rotations would begin early in July, so there wouldn’t be a lot of time to spare.

Vaguely depressed, she unlocked her door and walked inside.

She paused just inside her doorway, her head cocked, her instincts on alert. The apartment was dark and quiet, as she had expected. The light from the one lamp didn’t show anything out of place. There was no evidence that anyone had been inside the apartment while she was out—and yet, somehow, she sensed someone had been there.

Slipping out of her shoes, she tiptoed to the open bedroom door. The lights were off in the room, but the night-light in the attached bathroom provided just enough pale illumination for her to see the dark shape on her bed. Still making no sound, she crept closer.

Fully dressed except for his shoes, Liam lay on his side on top of the covers, as though he’d intended to lie down only for a few minutes. She could just see his face in the shadows. Even in sleep, exhaustion carved deep lines into his forehead and around his mouth. His breathing was heavy and even, telling her he slept so soundly that he was unaware of her presence.

Seeing him there, she realized that she hadn’t really expected him to come back, despite his indecision on the phone. She’d been prepared for him to call from New York to tell her he’d chosen to finish his work from his apartment there. She’d have been no more surprised had he called from Malaysia or New Zealand.

Yet he was here. In her bed. Only then could she allow herself to admit to herself how very much she had wanted him to come back.

He never stirred when she slipped into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth, nor when she stripped out of her clothes and donned her nightgown. Pulling a blanket from a shelf in the closet, she spread it over him, then climbed beneath it with him.

He roused a little when she settled next to him.

“Annie?” His voice was thick, the syllables slurred.

“Yes, it’s me. Go back to sleep.”

“Hope you don’t mind—I couldn’t go back to New York yet. Didn’t want to be alone now.”

She touched his face, her heart aching for him. “I don’t mind at all.”

His voice was growing fainter. “Didn’t want to leave things like they were. That stupid quarrel we had—”

“Shh.” Snuggling her head into his shoulder, she wrapped an arm around him. “Go back to sleep, Liam. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Okay.” He pulled her more closely into him. Barely a minute passed before he was deeply asleep again.

Anne lay awake for a while longer, staring at the darkened ceiling and listening to Liam breathe.

Liam was drinking coffee when Anne walked into the kitchen Friday morning. She wore a casual shirt and jeans, and her hair was still damp from her shower. She had applied a little makeup, not that she needed any. Apparently, she would be in classes all day today since she wasn’t dressed to see patients.

“Good morning, Annie.”

She smiled, though she searched his face as if gauging his well-being. “Good morning.”

He bent his head to brush a kiss across her lips, all he would allow himself because he knew she hadn’t much spare time. “Sorry I conked out on you last night. I meant to lie down for only a few minutes, but I guess I went unconscious. I barely remember you getting into bed with me. Or I suppose I should say, onto the bed with me. I didn’t even turn the covers back when I laid down.”

“You must have been exhausted.”

“I guess I was.”

She reached up to rest her hands on his shoulders, her expression somber now. “I’m so very sorry about your father. Are you okay?”

He gave her a gentle smile. “I’m fine. But thank you.”

“If you need to talk about it, I can skip classes this morning. Haley will share her notes with me.”

Touched by the offer, he shook his head. “No way. Have your breakfast and then go to class. We can catch up when you have a few spare minutes.”

“You’re sure? Because—”

“Annie,” he cut in, speaking firmly now, “I’m sure.”