Or had she been so exhausted she’d dreamed the whole thing?
No, if she’d been dreaming, James would have taken her into his arms and begged her to forgive his stupidity for leaving and her stupidity for letting him go, and of course he’d want their baby. Yeah, that was definitely dream stuff.
Last night he’d been angry.
Except she’d swear she remembered him brushing her hair away from her face right as she’d drifted off to sleep. That his warm lips had brushed her temple and he’d mumbled something under his breath.
She’d likely dreamed the whole thing.
She changed into fresh scrubs, pulled her hair back in a neat ponytail, and went to face the drama of having overslept on a busy Thursday morning.
She immediately bumped into Debbie. The nurse averted her gaze and seemed to be hiding a smile. A guilty smile.
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
Still not making eye contact, Debbie threw her hands up. “Hey, I had strict orders that you were not to be disturbed, no matter what.”
Strict orders? “From who?”
“The tooth fairy.” Debbie quipped. “Who do you think?”
“James?”
“James.”
James had been there and stuck around until Debbie had arrived. Which meant she hadn’t dreamed last night. He had kissed her forehead. Why? And what was it he’d said? Even fully awake, she couldn’t decipher his mumbled words.
“What’s that smile for?” Debbie smirked and Melissa instantly flattened her expression.
“Nothing,” she assured her. What was she thinking, smiling in front of Debbie? Her friend would gnaw on that like a dog on a bone.
“Yeah, right.” Debbie’s brown eyes rolled toward the ceiling.
Melissa started to respond, then remembered Cindy. “How’s Cindy this morning? I should go check her. Did James change her IV bag before leaving this morning?”
“Her bag is changed, and she’s much better.” James spoke from behind her, causing Melissa to spin toward him. She almost lost her balance, but recovered so quickly she didn’t think anyone noticed her lapse.
“I’m going to discharge her home,” James continued.
Discharge her? Was he making fun that she’d treated her office like a hospital?
Melissa eyed him suspiciously. “I thought you’d left.”
“I heard,” he commented dryly, his gaze traveling over her in a slow perusal.
She fought the need to fidget under his assessing stare. What was he planning to do, write a thesis on her midmorning appearance?
“I’ve got the urinalysis back on John Brown.” Debbie waved the chart she held, reminding them that she was there and privy to their conversation.
“Thanks, Debbie,” Melissa automatically replied, wondering what was wrong with John Brown.
“I think she was talking to me.” James smiled wryly, taking the chart and flipping to the lab section.
Melissa’s mouth dropped. Her nurse just gave a shrug and, suppressing a smile, returned to the nurses’ station.
“You’ve been seeing my patients?”
“Y