by Robyn M Ryan
“You know, Cam really likes you, in his way—even though he can’t stop flirting with every female he sees. He came home bummed after that Thanksgiving celebration. Said that I should have told him you and the good doctor had gotten together.” She raised an eyebrow, silently waiting for Cassie to give details.
“Did he tell you about what he termed a ‘misunderstanding’ the night of your party?”
Amelie shook her head. “Not a word. What did he do this time?”
Cassie lowered her voice to a near-whisper. Amelie shook her head as Cassie recounted the evening’s events. “He doesn’t understand why I told him ‘not interested.’”
Amelie laughed. “I love my brother, but he needs to grow up. And yes, I’ve told him…many times. Even sent him a few mind messages.”
“One of these days, some woman will change his thinking,” she predicted. “He’ll clean up his behavior to prove he no longer lives up—or down—to his reputation. Whoever it is will knock him off his feet.”
“Just hope it’s sooner than later. You wouldn’t believe the girls I’ve run into looking for coffee first thing in the morning.”
“TMI—I think the warmups are about to begin. Want to sit with us?”
After the game, Cassie followed Lauren and other players’ families to the gathering area near the Suns’ locker room. Not interested in the variety of drinks and snacks offered, she leaned against the doorframe, watching the locker room door. He should come out before any players, right? Unless there’s an injury he needs to address…or something with the visiting team. Hope not.
She didn’t wait long. A bag slung over his shoulder, Tom’s gaze fell directly on Cassie as soon as he exited the locker room. Despite the exhaustion etched in his face, Tom’s eyes warmed her like the sun. Without thinking, Cassie dashed to his side and hugged him tightly.
“I’m worried about you,” she admitted in a whisper.
Tom dropped the bag to the floor and hugged her. “No need to worry about me. I’m fine.”
Cassie pulled back to meet his eyes. “Define ‘fine.’ You don’t look ‘fine.’”
“Just tired, babe. An intense…what? Sixty hours? I don’t know anymore.”
Babe. Cassie’s heart swelled when she heard that word. Like a girlfriend “babe?” Or exhaustion speaking? Don’t read anything into it…it’s just an expression. She stepped aside and held his arm. “Lauren drove Dave’s car, so you don’t have to worry about trying to squeeze into the Mustang—or rather Lauren and me squeezing into that back seat.” She offered a small smile.
“Good thought. My other transportation option would require an appearance at Center Ice…or Uber.”
“Your personal ride is waiting, doctor. You call, we come.”
They walked to the family room, and Lauren met them in the hallway. Cassie watched as her eyes examined Tom, then handed the car keys to her.
“Go out to the car—you look like you’ll fall asleep standing up, Tom. Dave shouldn’t take too long—he just sent me a text.”
“No argument. Thanks, Lauren.”
The fresh air revived Tom. He felt he’d fallen into a time warp where all sense of day or night vanished. He’d have to concentrate to name the date or even the day of the week. He looked at his hand locked with Cassie’s, fingers intertwined. My breath of fresh air…the one person I wanted to see when I opened the door.
Cassie beeped the SUV’s locked doors open, but he stopped her before she opened the back door.
“Let’s enjoy the cool breeze.” He leaned against the car and pulled her beside him.
“Feels wonderful after freezing my tush in the arena.” Cassie looked at him, and he read some hesitancy and concern in her expression. He brushed a stray hair away from her face.
“I could use that beach walk about now. Don’t forget, I owe you.” He saw the look of reproach that flashed across her eyes.
“That’s the last thing I’m worried about, Tom. You look super stressed and exhausted.”
“At this moment, you’re right. I just need some uninterrupted sleep.” His fingers lingered on her chin. “Not the first time, nor will it be the last. It comes with the territory.”
“I don’t know how you do it.”
“Adrenaline. When you’re constantly moving from patient to patient, you’re not aware of time...” Tom kissed her forehead. “Caffeine helps. And texts from a special girl help even more.” Tom watched Cassie’s cheeks redden. “My bridge to the outside world. Thank you for that.”
Tom watched Cassie’s eyes blink rapidly, then she cleared her throat before she spoke.
“How many people did you treat? I haven’t turned on the news or looked at anything since you and Andrew talked about the accident. Andrew said the driver of the truck may have been texting?”
“That’s what I hear. We had forty-to-fifty people come through the ER. Many children, families. Victims with severe burns were immediately routed to a different trauma center…Too busy to even process everything. Or think beyond a patient’s current status…Later, I’ll go on a tirade about distracted driving…So many children involved.”
Cassie turned toward him and held him as she leaned her head against his shoulder. “Not the time to think about that, Doctor Tom. Just the ones you helped.”
After only one date and the tragic days that followed, Cassie felt a definite shift in her relationship with Tom. Neither spoke directly about the change, yet Tom and Cassie had become much more than friends, more than two people testing the waters between them. She felt a deep connection to him, and she knew he sensed it as well. Just like we jumped off a cliff and swam to shore together. Does that mean we’re soulmates? Too much emotion packed into that evening and the days that followed? Don’t read too much into it—what we feel now may fade as quickly as it wrapped around us.
Tom said nothing—he didn’t need to. His eyes, affectionate gestures, and time spent with her spoke volumes—and no one else seemed surprised. Had they recognized the emotional pull between them before even she and Tom realized it? Though, she could wake up one day and find that their bubble had evaporated. Despite her fear that everything was an illusion, Cassie embraced the possibilities and shoved aside any hesitation. At that moment, she could not imagine a future without her doctor.
33
“Yes, I’ve explored all options for next year, Mom.” Cassie tried to keep the exasperation from seeping into her tone as she talked with her mother. She didn’t want to think about school. Not while her thoughts centered on her growing relationship with Tom. She released a sigh and continued, “I’ll study either communications or early childhood education in Tampa and continue working for Caryn and Andrew.”
“Cassie.” Her mother’s tone conveyed her disapproval. “That’s not our agreement. One year to determine what you want to study. Not one year plus part-time student while you continue to enjoy the perks of a gap year.”
She took a deep breath and concentrated on keeping her voice steady. “I plan to take a full schedule of classes. Caryn said they’ll work around my class schedule. If I can get the classes I need on Tuesdays and Thursdays, those will be my days off. If not, I’ll take early morning or evening classes. Lots of options.”
“Have you spoken to your father about this? Just because he bought that car, don’t assume he’ll pay the costs of studying in the states.”
“I’m not assuming anything. I’m saving money, a lot of money. Enough for at least two semesters right now. I’ll pay my own expenses.” Cassie glanced out the window, the blue sky above the pool beckoning her.
Her mother didn’t speak for a long moment. “You’re planning to do this independently?”
“Isn’t that the whole point of becoming an adult? To become independent?” Cassie paused for a moment. “Dad can start a college fund for Taylor.”
“Have you told him this?”
“Not yet, but I will. I’d wanted to surprise both of you once I started classes—but I’ll tell
Dad next time we talk.”
Her mother chuckled softly. “Congratulations, Cassandra. You became an adult when I least expected it.”
“Um…thank you?” Was that sarcasm or sincere? Hard to tell.
“I’m proud of you, Cassie. Just focus on your goal.” Cassie heard her mother clear her throat. “And don’t let your father off the hook so easily. You deserve the money.”
As usual, bitterness leaked into her mother’s tone. “Mom, please let it go. I don’t want to be in the middle any longer.”
“You’re the only thing your father and I have in common. You’ll always be in the middle. That’s just what happens after divorce…So, you’re definitely not coming to Vancouver for the holidays?”
“I’m not choosing one of you over the other. Not any longer. I’m not going on the cruise with Dad, and I’m not going to Vancouver. I’ll visit when I can spend time with both of my parents.”
Any good feelings Cassie experienced when her mother praised her “adulthood” evaporated. Nothing ever changes…probably never will. But I can and will remove myself from the negativity.
With the Suns in town for an extended December home stand, Tom tried to include Cassie in his post-game plans. If she stayed home with the twins, he arrived soon after the game with some food they could share—dinner for him; snack for her. When Cassie attended a game, they either had dinner at a restaurant between the arena and home—or picked up food and enjoyed it in Tom’s apartment. Occasionally, their schedules matched, and they enjoyed a movie, a drive along the coast, and once, even, that promised beach walk under a full moon.
He knew they had skipped right over the usual first dates and getting-to-know-each-other process. Went straight from maybe-more-than-friends to a couple…after just one official date. Maybe it’s because we live in the same house and I see her almost every day? Sometime during the past eight months, he’d stopped thinking of her as Jenna and Daniel’s nanny. He noticed the good-natured, optimistic, and down-to-earth woman…who just turned men’s heads wherever she went. He loved the untamed mass of hair that often cascaded over her shoulders, painted different colors of the rainbow according to her mood. She wasn’t a girlie girl, equally at home in cut-offs and T-shirts or brightly colored dresses and sandals. She didn’t care if the twins’ sticky hands grabbed her hair or flung a spoonful of food at her face, never showed a hint of frustration or irritation over Jenna and Danny’s games.
They double-teamed the twins one afternoon while Caryn and Andrew tackled Christmas shopping. During their nap, Cassie checked the pool before the scheduled swimming lesson. Despite the lanai, bugs landed in the pool drains regularly. Cassie used the net to skim the pool and check the drains.
“I can picture Danny popping one of those flies in his mouth,” Cassie said as she made a face.
“He’d probably swallow that instead of spitting it out.” Tom rose to help her, but Cassie waved him aside.
“I’ve got this. I always wanted to be a lifeguard and skim the pool.”
“Don’t let me get between you and your dreams,” Tom smirked, then ducked as she aimed the net toward him. Holding up his hands, he backed away, content to enjoy watching her. When she reached toward the middle of the pool, her cut-offs revealed more than she realized—probably?—and her tank top stretched across her chest. She has no clue how sexy she looks. He itched to slip his hands around her and “help” her move the net. Not a great idea when we’re taking care of the twins. He glanced at the monitor to distract his thoughts.
Cassie yelped, then laughed when she opened a drain cover. “You poor thing!” Tom stood, ready to remove the invader, but Cassie gently scooped a frog into her hands and returned it to the yard. “You thought I was afraid of a frog?” She laughed when she saw his expression.
He shrugged. “Guess not.”
Cassie walked around the pool to check the other drains. “Now, if I find a snake, come to my rescue.” Tom could see her shiver. “I hate snakes.”
“If we found a snake inside the lanai, Andrew and I would be double securing all entryways. Not Caryn’s favorite, either.”
“Exactly! And there are so many poisonous snakes in this area, I don’t want any near this house.” She checked the last drain, then returned the strainer to its hook. “You don’t keep an anti-venom supply in your apartment?”
“Eh…no. That’s something best treated in the hospital. Still, it’s highly unlikely you’ll encounter a poisonous snake or get close enough for it to bite. Most snakes don’t want to be near you any more than you want to see them.”
“Promise?”
“To my best knowledge. Stay away from the brush, especially near a lake…”
“Alligators in lakes, I know.”
“That, too. If you go rock climbing, wear gloves…”
“Not likely unless it’s indoors,” Cassie responded.
“And wear shoes. No running around the yard barefoot.”
“Seriously? That ruins my day—I love going barefoot.” Cassie tried to maintain a straight face, but when Tom raised an eyebrow skeptically, the laugher burst from within her. “Too many of those tiny thorns in the grass, anyway.”
Tom grabbed her as she walked past him, sweeping her into his arms. “You know what I think?” He stepped closer to the edge of the pool.
Cassie looped her arms around his neck. “You’re seriously not thinking about tossing me into that pool?”
“And if I am?”
Cassie tightened her arms around his neck and leaned to kiss him. “I can think of a few dozen better things to do.”
“Oh? Care to enumerate?” Tom murmured against her lips.
Cassie’s response was lost in the sudden burst of chatter from the monitor. Tom shook his head with a wry smile. “I call for a raincheck.”
“Me, too.” Cassie wiggled from his grip and slowly slid to the ground. “We have two munchkins waiting.”
34
Suddenly, it was the day before Christmas Eve. Caryn, Andrew, and the twins got up before dawn to fly to Toronto. Although both told Cassie she didn’t need to see them off, she threw on some clothes and met them in the great room. Caryn frowned at her while she completed her checklist.
“You didn’t need to be up this early, Cassie.”
She shrugged. “I wanted to kiss the twins and wish you all Merry Christmas. I’ll miss my love bugs.” She kneeled beside the two restless toddlers who surfed the edge of the sofa. “You have their winter coats and hats in your carry-on?”
Andrew pointed to the bag on his shoulder. “Next year, we’ll worry about snowsuits.”
“Please take a picture of their reactions to snow.”
“You bet.” Andrew focused on Caryn. “You’re convinced you brought everything you need?”
“Think so.” Caryn didn’t sound too sure.
“Remember, there are plenty of stores in Toronto in the unlikely event you forgot something.”
“You’re right,” she answered with a sigh. “This is one time I’m glad my dad has a private jet. I couldn’t handle the crowds at the airport.”
“Just keep that in mind the next time you feel they’re interfering.” Andrew spoke with a smile.
“Remind me.” Caryn walked to Cassie and hugged her. “Merry Christmas, Cass. We’ll probably look for you seventy times a day, but please just relax and enjoy the holiday with Lauren and Dave. You’ll find a few presents under the tree.”
“Call us if you need anything,” Andrew added.
“Everything will be fine,” Cassie said as Tom joined them. “Enjoy your Christmas.”
“You need help packing the car?” Tom asked.
Andrew looked around. “I think we’ve got most of it…just what you see here.”
“Why don’t you leave Jenna and Daniel with us?” Tom suggested with a straight face. He laughed when he caught the dark look Caryn directed toward him. “That would be a ‘No,’ I presume.”
“Maybe a ‘Hell, no,’ if y
ou consider two sets of angry grandparents,” Andrew said.
“Can we take Jenna and Danny and get them settled in the car seats?” Cassie offered. When Caryn nodded, she gathered Jenna in her arms while Tom picked up Daniel. Cassie showered kisses on the sweet girl as they walked to the car. “I’ll miss you big time.”
Tom opened the back door and strapped Daniel in his car seat, then reached for Jenna. Cassie watched him plant a kiss on each forehead before backing away and making space for her. Didn’t think it would be this hard to say goodbye for three days. Just three days, Cassie…no need to get teary-eyed.
She kissed each a second time while Andrew stowed the stroller in the back of the SUV. She backed away and concentrated on keeping her smile bright.
“Have a safe trip,” she said as Tom moved behind her to close the car’s back door. “Text us when you get there.”
Tom looked at Cassie as they walked back inside. Her hair was beautifully disheveled, and he noticed that she flicked tears from her eyes.
“I will miss Danny and Jen,” Cassie said. “I didn’t think I would get so emotional.”
Tom slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him for a quick kiss. “They squirm their way into our hearts.” Tom glanced at his watch as he opened the door. “Are you going to get back to sleep?”
Just the mention of the word caused Cassie to bite back a yawn. “Hopefully…what about you?”
“I thought I’d check in on my patients, then clear my schedule for the day. Do you and Lauren have plans?”
“Not today. Dave’s planned some kind of surprise for her. They’ll be out all day, maybe overnight. Big secret.”
“So, we’re home alone?”
“As it appears.” Cassie’s eyes danced with mischief. “Any plans for your free day?”
“I may have some ideas—if you’re interested in an adventure?”
