His Temptation, Her Secret

“You look fine. You look better than fine.”

“Is it fancy?”

“Not really. It’s pretty down-to-earth.”

“Is it on an island? Do we have to cross the strait?”

As the door slid open, TJ turned his head from her and mumbled, “It’s in Whiskey Bay.”

“What did you say?”

He gave up the subterfuge. “I said it’s in Whiskey Bay.”

She stopped dead, her eyes going round as she stared at him. “What are you doing, TJ?”

“You might as well see the community.”

“Are you kidnapping me?”

“Of course not.”

Her gaze slid to the helicopter. “And if I don’t want to get onboard?”

“Then you’ll miss the ride of your life, a great seafood dinner and a chance to see where I live.”

CHAPTER FOUR

TJ had been right. The seafood dinner at the Crab Shack was terrific, and the helicopter ride had been the adventure of Sage’s life. It took only thirty minutes, and it was smoother than she’d expected. The altitude was low, and her view of the lights on the ground and the stars above had been amazing.

When they’d landed, she’d discovered TJ owned another vehicle. She didn’t know why that had surprised her, but it had. This one was a luxurious SUV.

As they drove along the coast highway through Whiskey Bay, he explained that having all-wheel drive came in handy when he wanted to take gravel roads. He liked to mountain bike, but he didn’t like taking his sports car off the pavement.

It made perfect sense the way he explained it. If you were a gazillionaire, why wouldn’t you have as many vehicles as your heart desired?

“See, it’s only about fifteen minutes from my place to the hospital,” he said as they turned into the parking lot.

He’d pointed out his driveway, which was close to the Crab Shack.

There was no pay kiosk at this hospital. As far as she could see, parking was free. She had to admit, it was a nice perk for patients and visitors.

“I think you’ll be impressed,” he said as he chose a spot.

“You’re not going to change my mind.” She wasn’t looking at the Highside Hospital to be impressed. She wanted to be in a position to advocate for St. Bea’s. Halfway through dinner, she’d realized she could do that better once she’d taken a look at the competition…and discovered its flaws.

“I’m looking for a conversation, not a debate,” he said.

“I don’t believe that for a second.”

They both climbed out of the SUV.

Both the parking lot and the entrance area were well lit. A few people entered and exited the building, some of them in uniform, some obviously visitors or patients.

The Highside Hospital sign was in stylized red lettering across the front of the building. Inside, the foyer was bright and expansive, with high ceilings and a view of some open hallways above. The colors were bolder than she’d expected. There were comfortable seating areas and a long reception counter with several available nurses, two of whom looked up and greeted them with a welcoming smile.

Before they made it to the reception desk, a slim, thirtysomething woman in a blazer and a straight skirt approached. Her brunette hair was neatly twisted into a braid. Everything about her projected a calm professionalism.

“Mr. Bauer. It’s so nice to see you here.” Her voice was friendly as she shook TJ’s hand. Then she looked expectantly in Sage’s direction.

“This is a friend. Sage Costas. Sage, this is Natalie Moreau, the assistant manager of patient care here at Highside.”

“It’s very nice to meet you.” Sage couldn’t help but wonder if TJ had called ahead, and she was about to get the full court press.

It wasn’t going to help him. She wasn’t going to be swayed by his connections to the bigwigs any more than she was by the big lobby.

“I’m sorry to drop in like this,” TJ said to Natalie.

Despite his words, Sage still suspected a setup.

“You’re welcome anytime,” Natalie told him.

“Sage has a nine-year-old son who is ill, and I was hoping we could show her the facilities.”

The concern that appeared on Natalie’s face seemed genuine. “I’m so sorry to hear that. I can show you around right now and answer any questions you have.”

“We don’t mean to interrupt your evening,” TJ said. “Perhaps one of the nurses might have time to accompany us—”

“Nonsense,” Natalie said, her tone going brisk. “You’re not interrupting at all. Why don’t we start with the lounge and restaurant area?”

She directed her attention to Sage. “There are several visitor lounge areas on the main floor, and two on each patient floor. There are patient lounges too, of course. But we want visitors—especially the parents of young children—to have some space to decompress.” She started to walk. “If you’ll follow me, I can show you where we converted the cafeteria into two spaces, a full-service restaurant and a grab-and-go coffee bar. Over the past four years, we’ve put significant emphasis on dining options for both patients and visitors. We’re particularly attuned to allergies and sensitivities. Our head chef has started several innovative programs, including using organic and local foods. We’re providing better nutrition, a more enjoyable dining experience and improved outcomes all around. It’s amazing how a nicely presented, delicious meal option encourages recovering patients to eat. Who could have guessed?” She gave a light laugh.