The Millionaire and the M.D. (4 page)

She lifted one shoulder. “You strike me as a man who does what he wants regardless of permission. Not a judgment, just an observation and none of my business. But Amy is. Like it or not your sister is having a baby. Make the best of a bad situation. It could be an opportunity for the two of you to get closer.”

Rebecca reached for the black-and-white photos she'd printed of Amy's baby and picked out the best one. She held it out to him. Gabe took it automatically, but when he looked down, all the teasing vanished from his expression. In its place was a bleak look that startled her. He looked as if he'd seen a ghost, and she couldn't stop the question.

“Gabe? What is it?” She wanted to hug him. The reaction was instinctive and unnerving.

He set the pictures on the exam table as if they'd burned his fingers. Bleak blue eyes looked into hers, and his mouth pulled tight. Paleness crept into his cheeks despite the healthy tan. “I have to go. Amy—”

Then he walked out as abruptly as his sister. Part of her wanted to go after him and demand to know why he'd looked like that. But the part of her in charge of self-preservation held back. She had the horrible feeling that something deeply and tragically emotional had put that expression on his face and whatever it was had everything to do with why he wanted no part of his sister's pregnancy. She'd stopped herself from following him because if he wasn't the unfeeling bastard Rebecca believed, she could be in a lot of trouble.

She'd been shattered twice and put herself back together. She didn't want to find out whether or not she had the emotional fortitude to do it a third time.

In the hospital cafeteria, Rebecca bypassed the steam table with the day's specials and the refrigerated ready-made sandwiches in favor of the salad bar. Then she grabbed a cup and filled it with ice and diet soda. After picking up her tray, she carried it around the corner and kept walking when the cashier waved her on. Complimentary meals were a perk, however dubious, of doctors on staff at Mercy Medical.

Rebecca glanced around the sparsely filled room where people in civilian clothes mixed with employees dressed in different-colored shapeless scrubs similar to her own royal-blue ones. It was nearly seven-thirty and dinner was over. The cafeteria would close in about half an hour. She spotted a nurse she knew from the E.R. and walked over to her.

Kate Carpenter was a beautiful brunette with big hazel eyes and a gift for connecting with the patients who came into Mercy Medical for emergency care. She was alternately tender and tough, depending on what was needed, and situations in the E.R. could get pretty intense. It was important to have someone who moved fluidly between people looking for help and the doctors who made the hard calls. Rebecca knew some of them weren't easy to get along with.

“Hi, Kate. Mind if I join you?”

Kate shrugged. “Sure.”

Rebecca sat down in the hunter green plastic chair across from her. “How's life in the E.R.?”

“Hectic. As usual.” Kate pushed away her plate and what was left of her salad. “How's your patient doing?”

“Elena Castillo. Mother and baby are doing fine.”

She'd gone into labor and come into the hospital through emergency. Kate was on duty and on the ball. She'd sent her straight up to Labor and Delivery. It didn't often happen, but sometimes an expectant mother got hung up with paperwork. Kate was good about making sure that didn't happen.

“Thanks for sending her straight upstairs,” Rebecca added. “There wasn't much time to spare. That baby was in a big hurry. Her last office visit was three days ago, and I told her then that she wouldn't need another one. I was sure the next time I saw her would be here.”

“And you were right,” Kate said with a smile that showed off her dimple.

“I love being right,” Rebecca agreed. “And now she has a beautiful baby girl.”

Kate cut her apple in half then in quarters. “Good APGAR?”

APGAR, an acronym for activity, pulse, grimace, appearance and respiration, was the test designed to quickly evaluate a newborn's physical condition post delivery. It was done at specific intervals.

“The one-minute APGAR was eight. Not bad for a forty-year-old mother's first baby.”

“Any reason she waited so long?” Kate asked.

“She didn't want to go the single mother route, and it took her a while to find the right guy.” Her friend didn't comment, and Rebecca noticed the pensive expression. “Speaking of babies, how's your little guy?”

“J.T. is perfect.” She smiled and the shadows in her eyes evaporated. “Getting too big too fast.”

Rebecca didn't believe she would ever experience those maternal feelings, and that made her a little sad. She believed that a child should have two parents in a committed relationship and since Rebecca wouldn't commit again, she wasn't likely to become a mother. She knew her friend was a single mother, but not much more than that. “What does J.T. stand for?”

“Joseph Thomas. After his father.”

“Joe—nice name,” Rebecca said. “What does he do?”

“He's a Marine Corps helicopter pilot.”

“A dangerous job these days,” Rebecca commented.

The shadows regrouped and gathered in Kate's eyes again. “Yeah.”

“Is he excited about being a father?” Rebecca asked.

Kate stirred her coffee without looking up and finally said, “He never responded to my letter telling him about the baby, so I'd have to say he wasn't happy.”

“Is it possible he didn't get the letter? Maybe—”

“I don't mean to be rude, Rebecca. But it's not something I'm comfortable talking about.”

“Of course. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be nosy. I just—I wish I could help.”

“I know and I appreciate it. That's just not a time in my life I want to dwell on. It's taken a while, but I'm okay.” She shrugged, but the troubled look in her eyes belied the words. “I have a beautiful boy and will always be grateful to Joe Morgan—”

“Morgan? His father's last name?”

She nodded and a smile curved up the corners of her mouth. “It's who he is. With him around there's never a dull moment.”

Rebecca picked that moment to glance over her shoulder and saw Gabe Thorne in the doorway looking around the room as if searching for someone. “Speaking of dull moments—”

“What?” Kate sat up straight to look over her shoulder. “Who's that?”

“Brother of one of my patients. President of T&O Enterprises.”

“Isn't that the company doing the hospital expansion?” At her nod, Kate continued, “He doesn't look like a happy camper.”

“No kidding.”

Rebecca could count on one hand the times he didn't look like he wanted to implode something. Right now wasn't one of them. But the few times she'd seen him smile or grin were pretty unforgettable. Like three days ago when he'd been annoyed by her optimism. One minute his grin was a wicked challenge, the next it was replaced by sadness brimming in his eyes. The man definitely got to her and that was unacceptable. She hunched forward, hoping he wouldn't notice her.

“He's a nice-looking man,” Kate observed.

“Nice-looking? If there was an APGAR for guys, he'd score off the scale,” Rebecca said.

“Oh, really.” Her friend's voice dripped innuendo like a leaky paper cup.

“What?” Rebecca stared at Kate. “I may be a brainer geek, but I know a good-looking man when I see one. But that's all there is to it.”

“If you say so.”

“What does that mean?” Rebecca asked.

“Nothing. But your body language is speaking volumes.”

“No way.”

“Oh, yeah,” Kate said, clearly enjoying this. “You could crawl under the table so he doesn't see you. Oops, too late. He just glanced this way and is now striding purposefully in this direction.”

The next moment Gabe stood beside their table. “Your answering service said I could find you here. Rebecca, I need to talk to you.”

“I was just leaving.” Kate stood and picked up her tray.

He seemed to realize his behavior was abrupt. “I'm sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt. Miss—”

“Carpenter. Kate,” she said.

“Miss Carpenter.” He nodded. “Don't leave on my account. I just need a minute—”

“No problem. I have to pick up my little guy. Bye, Rebecca.”

“See you later.” She watched her friend's back for a few moments. Anything to put off the reaction she knew was coming, the reaction that always followed when she was this close to Gabe Thorne. She braced herself and met his gaze while the hum of attraction vibrated through her.

Taking a deep breath, she said, “So, why did you want to talk to me?”

“Have you seen or heard from Amy?”

“No. Is something wrong?”

“I hope not,” he said grimly. “I'm afraid she's taken off again.”

I
t was a long shot that Rebecca had seen Amy, but besides his partner Jack O'Neill, the doc was the only other person in Las Vegas his sister knew. It was the only reason he was here when he wanted to be anywhere but looking into warm-brown eyes that reminded him of hot cocoa, a hot fire and hotter kisses. And wasn't it just more bad luck that those brown eyes belonged to a doctor. Doctors worked in hospitals. He hated hospitals. In fact, T&O would have passed on the Mercy Medical Center project if it hadn't included building two more campuses. Businesswise, it was an opportunity that would have been stupid to pass up.

“Are you sure Amy's gone?” Rebecca asked.

“She's not at the house and her things are gone. What would be your guess?”

Worry slid into those warm-brown eyes. “Did she leave a note?”

“No. Sorry to bother you, but I had to check.” He started to walk out of the cafeteria.

“Gabe, wait.” She was standing when he turned back. “What are you going to do?”

“Look for her,” he said simply.

“Have you called the police?”

He shook his head. “I don't think she's been gone long enough for them to officially look into it. But I can't sit around and do nothing.”

“Really? I should think you'd be relieved.”

He'd have thought the same thing. And he would be, if he'd put her on a plane back to Dallas. But he wasn't a callous bastard who wanted her gone at the expense of her health.

“I don't want her on the streets.” He turned away again and started toward the door.

“Gabe—”

He ignored her and kept walking even though he heard his name again. When the hospital exit was in sight, he felt a hand on his arm and stopped.

“Gabe, slow down. I can't keep up.”

“Then don't.”

“I'm going with you.”

She was breathing a little faster from hurrying after him, and he thought she was about the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. Even in her shapeless royal-blue scrubs she looked like temptation-in-waiting. The want and need he kept in check around her stirred and stretched and snapped at the confinement. Since he was looking at the catalyst for this uninvited reaction, a catalyst that was making him crazy, the solution was easy.

“No,” he said. “You're
not
going with me.”

She tilted her head slightly, confused and curious and so cute his chest hurt. “Just like that?” she asked.

“Just like that,” he answered.

“Look, you can't drive safely and look for her. You need another pair of eyes.”

He would agree if the big, beautiful pair of eyes he stared into right now didn't make him want things he hadn't wanted in a long time.

“I'll be okay.”

He walked out of the hospital and found his car in the circular portico out front. The BMW chirped when he pressed the button for the keyless entry, then he rounded the rear of the car, opened the driver's side door and got in. Just as he was putting the key in the ignition, the passenger door swung wide and Rebecca slid into the seat beside him.

“I'm going, too.” She met his gaze with a defiant one that said she wouldn't take no for an answer.

Since the alternative was ugly, he said, “Okay. You can come.”

It occurred to him that he was going to hell and had just taken the first step.

Gabe drove around for several hours through his own exclusive Spanish Trails neighborhood, surrounding areas and some of the rougher parts of town near Fremont Street. They checked the homeless shelters without any luck. Rebecca stared out the window and scanned alleys and sidewalks as they went by. She didn't say much, but his senses picked up every signal she gave off.

A single soft sigh slid up his spine and made his breath catch. The scent of her skin surrounded him, enveloped him, put a skip in his heart rate. A glance at her lovely, delicate profile fired his blood, sending a power surge to his brain that fried the rational circuits. And, not for the first time, he wished he'd locked his car doors when he'd had the chance.

He rubbed the back of his neck and felt her gaze on him.

“Gabe, let's take a break. You're tired and so am I.” As they exited the 215 Beltway at Eastern, she pointed across the street. “There's a diner. We can get a cup of coffee and something to eat and recharge our batteries.”

He knew she had a point when he was too tired to argue. “Okay.”

He made the turn onto Eastern, then a left into the parking lot. After exiting the car, he rounded the trunk to open the passenger door as she was sliding out.

“Oh,” she said, looking surprised.

“What?” he said.

“That's nice. Opening the door.”

He shrugged. “My mother had very definite ideas about how a lady is treated.”

“She trained you well.”

“Yeah.” When he saw her shiver against the chill January wind, he slipped his coat around her shoulders. “Let's go inside.”

They sat facing each other in a booth, and he realized riding around with her beside him was a walk in the park compared to looking at her directly. As far as he could tell she wore little or no makeup, and the utilitarian scrubs were functional for her work, but not especially flattering to her figure. Again he should be relieved. Yet he found himself desperately curious about what she would look like in something exquisitely feminine—or nothing at all.

Thank God a waitress appeared and handed them menus. “My name is Julie and I'll be your server. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Coffee,” Gabe said, and looked at Rebecca.

“Me, too.”

“Coming right up. I'll give you a few minutes.”

When she brought two steaming mugs, he ordered a ham sandwich. Rebecca took a pass on food since she'd eaten at the hospital.

When Julie walked away, they stared at each other across the table. Since he drank his coffee black, he couldn't even fill the silence with the activity of doctoring it up. Apparently, Rebecca took hers the same because she picked up the mug without adding cream or sugar and blew on it before taking a sip.

“So,” she said, meeting his gaze. “Your mother is responsible for your impeccable manners?”

“Yeah.” He'd expected her to ask about his sister, so the question surprised him. “She was a blend of tough and tender and I took the brunt of it.”

“And you mean that in the best possible way,” she said, her lips curving in a smile.

“Yeah. I do.”

He hadn't had anything but dark thoughts about Lillian Thorne in a long time. Usually his memories were clouded by pain and loss and a baby sister who came home from the hospital instead of his mother. Remembering the tiny woman who would twist his ear to make a point, then make him bend down so she could hug him with everything she had produced a warm feeling inside him.

“It must have been hard when you lost her.” Rebecca watched him carefully. “Bringing a new life into the world should be a happy time, and mostly it is.”

“But not always,” he said.

“No.” She set her cup down. “So do you have any idea why Amy left?”

“You may have noticed she's not a great communicator. But ever since the ultrasound she's been even more remote.”

Rebecca's eyes brimmed with sympathy and understanding. “Probably the reality of the situation is sinking in.”

“I guess.”

“But that wouldn't explain why she disappeared suddenly.

After coming to you in the first place, I mean. Does she know how you feel about wanting her to go home?”

Gabe felt the guilt twist inside him. “I'm not subtle.”

One corner of her mouth curved up. “I noticed.”

He remembered the last conversation with his sister, when he'd told her it would be best for her and the baby to go home, and that her father should know the situation. The last thing she'd said to him was, “Go to hell.” “I might have pushed her some.”

“I see.”

He wished Rebecca would read him the riot act, tell him he was a selfish bastard with the sensitivity of a water buffalo. Her quiet disapproval was so much worse and he didn't know why. He hardly knew her except that she'd shown integrity, caring and a strength that was immensely admirable and appealing.

He stared into the black circle of his coffee and remembered her letting it slip that Amy's pregnancy was at risk.
The baby is the most important thing.

The words raced through his mind. Hannah's words.

The woman he'd loved and lost. The woman who'd carried the child he'd loved and lost. The woman who hadn't survived to experience what she'd wanted most—to be a wife and mother.

“If anything happens to Amy…”

“We'll find her.” Rebecca reached across the table and squeezed his hand.

Gabe looked up and instantly saw the determination in her expression. Anyone would have said the same to him, but the conviction in her voice made him believe. He hadn't wanted her to come with him, but he was grateful she was here. He wasn't alone and it was the first time since…

The guilt inside him knotted at the warmth of Rebecca's hand on his own. But it felt so damn good, instinctively he turned his hand palm up and linked his fingers with hers. He'd been alone for so long, going through the motions of living without letting himself feel. The grief was so big there'd been no room inside him for anything else. Somehow that was shrinking, the shadows were lifting, but the uncomfortable sensation convinced him that change was not a good thing.

He slid his hand away from the warmth of hers and hated himself for missing it.

“Gabe?”

“It's my fault she left.”

“Has anyone ever told you that guilt is a waste of energy?”

He couldn't stop a smile. “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Were you a motivational speaker in between skipping grades in school and training to be a doctor?”

“No.” She frowned, then looked down as she removed her pager from her waistband and studied the display.

“What?”

“It's the hospital E.R.”

She pulled the cell phone from her scrubs pocket and hit the speed dial. “This is Dr. Hamilton.”

As she listened, the expression on her face turned grim. “I'm on my way.”

“What is it?” he asked.

“Amy. Las Vegas Metro Police brought her into the E.R.”

As a rule, Rebecca frowned on shoplifting. In Amy's case, the right and wrong of it blurred because of the baby. She was caught in a convenience store taking food. The police brought her to Mercy Medical because she was pregnant and had fainted. Her blood pressure numbers were not good, and if they didn't improve she and the baby could be in a lot of trouble.

Rebecca had the teen admitted to the hospital and from all reports she was resting comfortably in a room on the second floor, in the Women's Wing. Rebecca was on her way to check her out before going home. She grabbed the chart at the nurse's station and checked Amy's latest vitals. Satisfied that all was stable for now, she walked down the hall to see her patient. As she got closer, she heard conversation coming from the room and recognized Gabe's deep voice. They were arguing.

This was a hospital, not the
Jerry Springer Show.
Her patient needed rest. Rebecca moved to the doorway and stepped in. With her hair pulled back in a ponytail and wearing a shapeless hospital gown, Amy Thorne looked impossibly young and still pale. At the same time she managed to look defensive and hostile.

In navy slacks, wrinkled white shirt and striped tie loose at the neck, Gabe was still rumpled from hours of searching for his sister. Apparently, his temper was just as rumpled as his clothes. Rebecca could understand it. His sister was doing an admirable job of hiding any hint of remorse.

“What's going on?” Rebecca asked.

“Gabe's freaked out. It was just chips and a soda,” she told him.

Rebecca winced. If she was going to take food, something nutritious would have been preferable.

“It was stealing.” Standing by the hospital bed, Gabe loomed over his sister and glared.

“I was hungry.”

“There's a refrigerator full of food at my house, and no one would have arrested you for helping yourself,” Gabe said. “And it's more nourishing than chips and soda.”

Chalk one up for him, Rebecca thought. At least one of the Thornes was listening. If only that would solve all the problems. But there was a complex dynamic at work here and it was impacting her patient's health.

“Hi, Gabe,” she said meeting his gaze as she walked in. “Amy, how are you feeling?”

The teen shrugged. “Okay. Can I get out of here?”