“She’s my patient.”
“You’re off duty. There are others who can take care of her.”
She stared at him a moment, then jerked her arm free. “That’s where you’re wrong. When it comes to people I care about, I’m never off duty.”
Which slapped him right at the heart of the matter. Just how much did she care for him? Because she never seemed “on duty” when it came to their relationship.
“Don’t go.”
She paused, her hand on the screen door handle.
“I need you here,” he admitted. “We need to finish our discussion.”
Her chest expanded, then fell. “I’ll be back in a few hours. We’ll talk then.”
With that, she left.
Rage filled James. How could she walk away in the middle of a conversation about their future?
Because her future was here, in Sawtooth, where everybody knew everybody and you couldn’t turn around without someone knowing what you were doing.
The barely visible view from the deck no longer impressed him. Now the dimness only offered a bleakness he refused to bear.
No way was he going to sit in this house alone tonight while she left him.
Melissa grabbed her black bag off the kitchen counter where she’d set it when she’d come home. Her gaze landed on the steak and salad fixings James had left out for her. Her stomach churned.
He was leaving.
Had she somehow known this was coming when she’d ignored her symptoms week after week? When she’d confirmed her pregnancy? Had she known that she would lose James?
He hadn’t taken her news well.
Had she really expected him to? Apparently she had. Deep inside, she’d thought he’d warm to the idea. That, really, James liked kids, would make a wonderful father. She’d known he would need to get over the initial shock, but she’d hoped, expected he’d realize what a blessing her pregnancy was.
But he’d told her he was moving out before she’d told him her news.
It wasn’t the baby driving him away. It was her.
Her legs threatened to buckle. James would be packing his things and leaving. No more nights of lying in his arms. No more mornings of waking up with the pillow next to her imprinted with him. No more breathing in his musky scent. No more James.
She leaned her head against the refrigerator. She didn’t have time to dwell on this. Not right now.
Wilma Barnes and her daughters needed her.
She got her keys out and on the way to her car hit the garage door button. The door immediately ground open.
Despite knowing she had to go, her heart and body protested. She needed rest. And James.
Truth be told, she wouldn’t be sleeping even if she had stayed at home. Not with visions of his reaction playing in her head. Did he plan to stay the night? Have one for old time’s sake and then leave tomorrow? Or would he be gone when she got home?
Fighting tears and hating her hormonal state, she stuck her key in the ignition and started her car.
Her car do
or opened, causing her to jump.
“Move over. I’m driving.”