“I’m sorry,” she said after a brief, taut pause. She took a step toward him and laid a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. That was a terrible thing to say to you, especially now.”
He didn’t like seeing the tears gathering in her eyes, and knowing he was responsible for them. “It’s okay,” he said gruffly. “You’re right. I wasn’t particularly close to my parents.”
“Not through any fault of your own. You were only a child when your father left and your mother died. It was unforgivable of me to use that against you. I’m sorry.”
“I’m the one who should ask for forgiveness.” His stomach tied in hard knots, he reached out to brush a tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “You’re exhausted. It’s been a very long day and you’re trying to get ready for the test Friday. I promised you I wouldn’t add to your stress while I’m here, and what did I do? I snarled at you because your car broke down and you took care of it without my help. I’m sorry.”
She sniffled and shook her head. “I still shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.”
He forced a smile. “We could stand here apologizing to each other all night. Let’s agree to put it behind us, shall we? Why don’t you go freshen up and I’ll make you some chamomile tea to help you relax before bed.”
She nodded and drew a shaky breath, looking as relieved as he was that the quarrel was over—at least for now.
Fortunately, the car repairs were not extensive as Anne’s father had feared. Relieved that she wouldn’t have to deal with buying a new one until summer, at least, Anne drove a loaner car arranged by the mechanic until she got her own back Wednesday afternoon. Though he offered, she refused to allow her dad to pay for the repairs. She was still stinging over Liam’s words Monday evening, even though they had been almost formally polite to each other ever since.
It seemed to be the week for conflict. As Friday’s test drew closer, the tension in the study group mounted. They argued about the best ways to study for the tests, they disagreed on some of the slide interpretations, they even quarreled once about where they should meet to study. Saying he was tired of sitting in various kitchens, Ron suggested a coffee shop or the library, while the others asserted there were fewer distractions in someone’s home than in a public place.
Attempting to analyze was what going on with the group, Anne decided that burnout was taking its toll on them all. They hadn’t had a break since Christmas. The weeks had passed in a blur of classes, lectures, clinical lessons, study sessions and exams. The instructors were beginning to harp more and more on the looming Step 1 exam, which merely added to the dread already gripping the class. The students were all dazed and sleep deprived. It was no surprise they were so tense and snappy. Nor any wonder that so many relationships had suffered—marriages, romances, friendships, even study groups.
She tried not to blame her group’s problems solely on Ron and Haley—after all, they had all snarled occasionally—but she had to admit that Ron and Haley, in particular, were taking out their anxiety on each other. She still didn’t quite understand their relationship—was there an attraction, did they just rub each other the wrong way or did they simply not like each other? Whatever the issue, she wished they could set their differences aside long enough to get through the rest of the semester. She depended so much on the encouragement and support of this group; it already made her sad to think they’d be splitting up next year and going into separate rotations.
Thursday evening, the night before the test, was particularly distressing. None of them—with the possible exception of James—felt completely ready for the exam and they had several differences of opinion about what facts they should be focusing on in their studies that evening. Each had a different idea of what topics would be covered most heavily on the exam. They ended up splitting up early for the evening, each going to their individual homes to study on their own.
Sensing that Anne was upset, Liam was particularly supportive that evening. He kept fresh tea in her cup, saw that she had fruit to munch on for quick energy, even quizzed her on some practice questions. He didn’t even nag her—much—to get some sleep when he finally turned in after midnight, leaving her still awake, promising him she just wanted to look over “a few more things” before she joined him. It was after one when she finally gave up and succumbed to sleep.
As was her custom after an exam, she returned to her apartment drained and bone-tired, heading straight for her bed for a nap.
She woke to the scent of roses. Before she even opened her eyes, she inhaled deeply, letting the soothing fragrance waft through her. When she finally blinked and pushed herself upright, she was greeted with the sight of a dozen gorgeous orange roses in a crystal vase on the nightstand.
Delighted, she buried her nose in the cheery bouquet and inhaled deeply. Only then did she see the new dress she hadn’t yet had a chance to wear draped over the chair in the corner of the bedroom. A note lay on top of the draped skirt. A fancy night out or a casual night at home? Your choice.
She had to smile at his wording. He’d obviously made plans for the evening, but he wasn’t entirely sure she would be in the mood to go out. She picked up the dress and slipped into the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, she had freshened her makeup, pinned up her hair and donned the dress, accessorizing it with her grandmother’s diamond necklace. She wondered what Liam had in mind for the evening.
He waited for her in the living room. Dressed in a dark suit with a crisp white shirt and a deep red tie, he held a white rose in his hand. Her heart nearly stopped at the sight of him looking so very handsome.
He presented the rose with a little bow that made her come very close to a girlish giggle. “You’re wearing the dress. Does that mean you’re in the mood to go out?”
“I would love to get out,” she assured him. She assumed he would take the usual precautions about not being recognized. She thought the short hair, glasses and conservative suit would go a long way toward that end. He hardly resembled the wild-haired adventurer who was most often seen tramping through jungles and wading through muck.
She couldn’t decide at the moment which side of Liam she preferred.
He had made reservations at an exclusive and expensive Little Rock restaurant. They dined in a secluded, romantically dim corner lit only by the table’s candles and one ruby-shaded sconce light. Soft music filled the room, underscoring the suitably restrained conversations around them, making the dining experience even more intimate. This, he told her when she expressed her pleasure at this nice surprise, was the dinner he had planned to share with her on Valentine’s Day. She felt as though that holiday had been held over just for the two of them this year; she couldn’t imagine a more perfect way to celebrate.
Liam advised her not to order dessert at the restaurant, giving her a hint that there was more in store for her. Rather than taking her straight home after dinner, he drove across the Arkansas River into the city of North Little Rock, where he parked in the lot of a traditional Irish pub she had always wanted to visit, but had never found the time.
Stepping into the pub, which had been built in Scotand and imported to Arkansas, was like going back in time to their summer abroad. The gleaming woods, the amber pendant lights, the smells of stout and stew. The sound of Celtic music being played by a quartet in one corner, and of darts hitting boards in a back room. The conversation here was louder, more raucous than at the restaurant. The accents were more Southern than Gaelic, but Anne could still pretend they were back in Scotland.
She felt herself going rather misty and she blinked rapidly a couple of times before turning to Liam with a smile. “Let me guess. You want a Guinness.”
He grinned. “Of course.”
They jostled through a rather tipsy group to find a table near the window where they could watch pedestrians, cars and trolley cars pass outside. Liam ordered a pint of Guinness and chocolate mousse cake; Anne requested half a pint and bread pudding. They lingered over their desserts, laughing and talking and reminiscing, never once mentioning her classes or her squabbling friends or her family or their own uncertainties. Anne thought she knew now why she’d always found an excuse not to visit this particularly local establishment. She couldn’t imagine being there without Liam.
Their desserts were down to crumbs in the bottom of the serving dishes when she excused herself to visit the ladies’ room. She wasn’t gone long, but by the time she returned, some other woman had already invaded her territory.
Pausing across the room, she watched with narrowed eyes as an attractive young blonde with well-displayed assets flirted with Liam. Did the woman recognize him? Or was she simply making a move on a strikingly handsome male sitting alone in a booth—and not wearing a wedding ring on his left hand?