“Thank you,” Sky spoke softly.
Remington got up to leave. “Thank you for what you are doing for Charlie. And let me know if you need anything else. Just say the word, and I’ll make it happen.”
“All I have to do is just say the word, huh?”
A slow lop-sided grin appeared on Remington’s face. “It can’t be easy doing what you do even when you’re at the top of your game. I just witnessed it first-hand. In this case, your success will hopefully translate into my daughter’s success. So, yeah. You need it. Name it. It’s yours.”
His words lingered after he walked out of the door. You need it. Name it. It’s yours. Lost in thought, Sky sat down and leaned back into her chair while steepling her fingers together. It wasn’t easy to make a first, or second impression, but Remington Kneeland was doing a damned good job of it.
Chapter 10
Sky opened the door to Charlie’s room and found Remington asleep in a chair. The upper half of his body was draped over onto her bed while his head rested on his forearms. Over the past couple of weeks, it wasn’t unusual for her to find him like that. Day after day, as he waited for any sign of improvements, that’s where Sky found him—right by his daughter’s side.
He obviously loved Charlie with all of his heart, and his devotion is what dramatically changed her opinion of him. Remington was a hard man, but this situation had humbled him. She supposed it would humble any person. Still, Sky had had a chance to see him at his most vulnerable and his ability to not wave a magic wand and make everything better was clearly difficult, especially since that was how he seemed to solve most of his problems—maybe not with a wand but definitely with a phone call—except for when dealing with Bella. She drove him insane. There was still a lot of passion there. Sky wondered if maybe they had unfinished business.
It wasn’t often Sky was able to have an unguarded moment with Remington. However, watching him sleep when his facial features were relaxed was sobering.
I wonder what his lips would feel like on mine. Sky almost choked. She couldn’t believe the wayward direction her mind was going. She could not and would not lust after her patient’s father. She was a doctor, not some . . . whatever the word was for watching people without their permission. There was a reason she was in Charlie’s room, and it wasn’t to ogle her father.
Sky moved as quietly as possible over to her chart so that she wouldn’t wake him. There were a couple of things Sky wanted to discuss, but they could wait until later when he was awake.
Out of the blue, Remington spoke. His voice was raspy from sleep. “Any change?”
Sky jumped a little and placed a hand over her heart. “You startled me.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No need to apologize.” The intensity of his gaze caused a flutter in her stomach. Sky took a deep breath. The way she had been feeling lately around him had unnerved her. Without even trying, Remington seemed to be awakening something deep inside of her that Sky hadn’t even known existed. It wasn’t all physical. She wished it were. Sex was easy. Emotional entanglements were not.
Remington asked the question again. “Is there any change?”
Sky cleared her throat. “Every day, her vitals are getting stronger.”
“Will we be able to wake her out of the induced coma soon?”
“If she keeps improving.”
Remington rolled his shoulders. “This waiting is killing me.”
“I can only imagine.” Sky had an idea. She placed Charlie’s chart back on the wall. “Might I offer a suggestion?”
“If it’s to go home and get some rest, no. I’ve heard that suggestion and million times, and for the millionth and one time, I’m not leaving my daughter.”
The edges of Sky’s lips lifted into an almost smile. “I think we all have figured that out.”
His eyes narrowed. “Wait. Was that an almost smile, Dr. Kirby?” Remington wasn’t sure if Sky even knew how to smile.
“A smile?” She removed it from her face. “Definitely not a smile, but maybe a smirk.”
“A smirk?”
“Yeah, something that resembles a smile but isn’t exactly one.”
Remington had to admit it was better than her judgmental looks. They ate at him more so probably because of the guilt he was already carrying. “Okay, we’ll go with a smirk. So, the suggestion?”
“Right. Well, you look like a man who works out, and we have a gym for the physicians on the top floor of the hospital.” Sky tilted her head from side to side. “If you knew someone with a few connections, they might be able to get you access.”
He was surprised at her suggestion. It wasn’t as if they had any real conversation outside of Charlie.
His hesitation made Sky second-guess her offer. “Or, not.”
“No. I’m just surprised you would suggest it. I think it’s a great idea.”
“Blame Charlie that I did. She brings out my good side.”
“Okay, now that’s a real smile.”
“I’ll never admit to it.” Sky liked the way they bantered back and forth.
Remington was already thinking about how good it would feel to get in some exercise. “I could work out and still be close if Charlie.”
“Exactly. She will need you in tip-top shape when she wakes up.”
“A good run would definitely help release some tension. I think I’ll take you up on your offer.”
“Great.” Sky checked her watch. “I have another patient to see, but I can meet you by the elevators in about fifteen minutes.”
*****
Sky entered the empty gym with Remington following close behind. At least she thought it was empty until Noah walked out of the locker room. He spotted her immediately and made a bee-line directly for them.
She could see his mind making connections where there weren’t any as he looked between her and Remington. His grin had mischief written all over it. There was no way to avoid him, and it took no time at all before they were standing face to face. He leaned in to kiss Sky on her cheek, but she reared back just in time so that he caught nothing but air. “Hey, babe.” Noah played it off with a little laugh. “If I had known you were coming up for a workout, I would have waited for you.”
Sky hadn’t talked to Noah since the disastrous meeting a couple of weeks ago. She started to move past him, but he continued to block their path. “I think we got the timing exactly right. So, if you’ll excuse us.”
He didn’t move. His look was hard as he stared at Sky for no less than three seconds before speaking again. “I see you’re still angry.” Noah turned his attention to Remington. “Women. They certainly can hold a grudge unlike us. We can separate the differences between personal and professional. Anyway, I’ve put the messiness of that meeting behind me.”
Remington remained silent and watched the interaction between them. The tension was thick. They apparently had more than just a professional relationship. He wasn’t interested in getting into the middle of a couple’s squabble.
Sky refused to allow Noah to get a rise out of her. “Grudges are for people who hurt you. I don’t think about you—at all—as in never.”
Noah’s jaw clenched. His anger was building, but he wasn’t as good at hiding it. “Bringing non-personnel individuals into the gym is against hospital policy.”
“As a matter of fact, I do believe sleeping with nurses in your office is too. And trust me, I have the receipts to prove it. So, you really don’t want to go there.” This time, Sky pushed past him. “Again, please excuse us.”
Pissed and embarrassed, Noah attempted to grab her by the arm. “I’m not—”
He didn’t get to finish his sentence. “No. You don’t get to do that.” Remington growled as he caught Noah’s hand in mid-air. He held it in an iron grip causing Noah to wince in pain. “What you are not going to do is get physically aggressive with Dr. Kirby. Surgeon’s hands are essential, and I would hate to crush yours. She has asked you nicely t
o keep it moving. So, I suggest you do that before this situation spirals out of control real fast.” Remington hadn’t wanted to get involved, but the asshole left him with no choice. When it appeared that Noah got the message, Remington released him.
Noah’s face was completely red as he stepped away from Sky. He glared at her. “We’ll talk later.” Angrily, he marched past them and out of the gym.
Sky turned apologetic eyes to Remington. “Sorry about that.”
Remington wanted to release a bit of tension, but fighting wasn’t how he wanted to do it. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Something about the guy has always bothered me.”
“Let’s just say he’s a much better physician than he is a person.” If Remington only knew the whole of it, he would want to do a lot more than just hit him. He’d probably want to kill him. “Anyway . . .” Sky pointed. “You can change your clothes in the men’s locker room over there.”
Remington nodded as they moved in opposite directions.
*****
For the better part of an hour, Remington and Sky ran side by side on the treadmill in silence. Since they were alone, the only sound in the gym was the hum of the machines and their feet making a steady beat when they connected with the tread.
Out of the blue, Remington spoke. “What was that earlier with Dr. Bridges?”
“A mistake I wish I’d never made.”
“Ah. An ex. One reason why I’ve given up romantic relationships.”
“You too? Considering I have serious trust issues, a track record of picking the absolute worst men, and my insane work schedule, I’ve absolutely decided to give up romantic relationships.”
Remington chuckled. “You might have to do some work convincing Dr. Bridges of that.”
“You know what’s really insane about the entire thing?” Sky couldn’t believe Remington was so easy to talk to.
“What?”
“He doesn’t even really want me. I’ve never understood the male ego.”
“It’s not just the male ego. I would venture to say it is just egos in general. Bella’s was a doozy. When I asked for a divorce, she lost her shit. Not because she loved me, but because she wasn’t sure how to spin it to the press.”
Sky was shocked. She had read about their divorce in the tabloids. It was messy. “I thought she asked for the divorce?”
“Nah. It was me. I didn’t care how the machine spent it. I just wanted out. I was miserable, she was miserable, and I was tired of pretending for the cameras.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what went wrong?”
“Bella is an actress on and off the screen. She can turn into anyone and be whoever she needs to be to get what she wants. I met her at a charity event. She blew me away. I fell hard and fast. The woman had me thinking she really cared about finding a cure for Alzheimer's. A disease that affects my mother.”
“I-I’m really sorry to hear that.” Sky’s heart went out to him.
“Yeah, me too. Long story short. She was more interested in my pockets and my influence than me as a man. Found out shortly after we were married that she could care less about the disease and lacked even a hint of compassion for my mother. After the third movie and third affair with her co-star, I was done.”
“It took three times for you to be done? You have a high tolerance for pain and forgiveness.”
“I would do anything for Charlie. Including forgiving her mother.”
Sky had never met anyone who was willing to sacrifice for someone other than themselves. “Were you close to your parents?”
“Yes. Very. My parents are still alive. I don’t know how my father does it, but he has stayed devoted to my mother for 52 years. Her disease has progressed to the point that she doesn’t remember us, but he still visits her every day and brings along a single red rose.”
A lump formed in Sky’s throat. “That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. It sounds like something from a movie. Are you telling the truth?”
He laughed. “No reason to lie. I came to the conclusion that the kind of love my parents have is rare and impossible to duplicate. If I can’t have what they’ve got, I don’t want anything at all.”
“You’re fortunate to have had them for role models when it comes to relationships and love.”
“It didn’t help me in any of my relationships. I take it you didn’t any role models?”
“No. I can’t say I’ve ever seen a healthy relationship up close and personal.”
“In my case, it didn’t help me find one.”
Silence fell between them as they continued to run. Then, Remington blurted out his thoughts as if he was exhausted from holding them in. “I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself if Charlie doesn’t wake up. I’m not sure I’ll forgive myself regardless.”
Sweat was dripping down Sky’s face as she pressed the button to cool down. They were sharing some fairly intimate details about their lives, but she was surprised at this confession. “Can I be candid?”
Remington slowed his own machine. “It’s never good when a woman starts off a sentence like that. I’ll probably regret saying this, but yes.”
Sky patted her face with her towel. “It’s obvious you are devoted to Charlie. She can feel that energy. She knows you’re there. That goes a long way to help a person find their way to healing.”
For a moment, Remington looked deeply into her brown eyes and saw an honesty there. Then, slowly, he turned away and slammed his fist down on the dashboard. “I should have fought harder. I should have been around more. I thought I was doing what was best for her.”
Sky turned off her machine. “The ‘what if’ game is not helpful to you or her. We all make mistakes, and Charlie is going to need all of your strength.”
“My daughter hated me.”
“She doesn’t hate you. She might be pissed at you, but hate is a hard place to get to with a parent no matter how much they suck.”
“How do you know? Do you have children?”
“I don’t. But I know exactly what it’s like to be in a tug-of-war between two parents. I was pissed at mine for what they put me through. I’m sure you know that my father is a physician. He’s also a work-a-holic and an alcoholic. As far as my mom, she didn’t know she had a daughter until I graduated high-school. She went about her days constantly looking for the next man who was going to make her feel good about herself.” Sky shook her head. “It was disgusting.”
Remington looked on intently listening to every word.
Sky continued. She had never shared her personal life with anyone, but given how open Remington had been, she felt she could be too. She sighed. “I was around the same age as Charlie when my parents divorced. I was so angry at them, not for all the reality-show madness they put me through, but because they didn’t spend any quality time with me.”
Her words didn’t offer Remington a whole lot of comfort. “Given I was in China when this happened, just how is that supposed to make me feel better?”
She smiled. “Let me finish my story.”
Remington put his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Okay.”
“Anyway, both of my parents, to this day, are still miserable souls.” Sky stepped off of her treadmill and stood next to his machine waiting for him to finish his cool down.
“I think I feel worse.”
“You shouldn’t and here’s why.” Sky glanced up at the ceiling. “God, I can’t believe I’m telling you this. They are a hot ass mess. Not were, but are. Yet, I still love them very much.”
Remington pondered her words. “They couldn’t have been too bad, you seem to have turned out alright.”
“Hmm . . .” Sky thought about it for a second. “I’m not sure if that was because of them or in spite of them. They can’t see past their own needs and how their parenting affected my life. Seriously, they fought so much I’m not sure how they ever conceived me.”
Sky gave Remington a lot to think about
and hope for. If he got another chance with Charlie, he would certainly make the most of it. He finished his cool down and stepped off the machine. He gave her a sexy grin. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, you can have sex when you’re pissed. Sometimes, angry sex is the best kind.” He wasn’t sure why he’d said the words. But Sky’s reaction at the mention of sex was an interesting one. He couldn’t tell if she was horrified or mildly intrigued.
What was he thinking? Did he really want to unlock that door if she were mildly interested? It not only could but probably would turn into an unnecessary complication that Remington didn’t need. Still, he had to admit, sex was always an excellent way to release some tension. It was then that he noticed Sky in her little work-out shorts and fitted tee. She was not only his daughter’s doctor, but a curvy, voluptuous, sexy woman.
At the mention of sex, Sky noticed how his sweaty white t-shirt molded to his chest. She could make out every. Single. Muscle. His washboard abs looked as if they had been sculpted from clay, and those corded muscles in his arms looked strong and capable. To put it simply, the man was ripped. When Sky realized she was staring, she quickly glanced away. She didn’t know if angry sex was the best. But had a feeling that any kind of sex with Remington would probably rank pretty damned high.
An awkwardness settled between them.
Sky needed to back away from the edge of insanity before she crossed a line. She quickly changed the subject. “I need a shower, and my legs are not only on fire but feel like jelly.” She attempted a joke, and her laughter came out forced. “Remind me not to try and keep up with you.”
The mention of her legs sent Remington’s eyes directly to them. They were shapely and toned just like the rest of her. He wondered how they would feel wrapped around his waist. What the hell man? She’s Charlie’s doctor. He had to keep reminding himself of that. He cleared his throat and glanced away. “I should probably hit the shower too and get back.”
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