Love in the Afternoon

by Alison Packard

  He heard the sound of rubber soles squeaking on the linoleum and turned to find a very short, dark-haired woman wearing scrubs walking toward them. She had a stethoscope hanging around her neck. As she drew closer Sean could make out her name on her hospital badge: Vihba Dalal, M.D.

  When the doctor halted in front of them, Lisa grabbed Sean’s hand. “How is Kayla?” she asked, squeezing his fingers so tightly he winced.

  “I have good news,” Dr. Dalal said in a lightly accented voice. “The X-rays show no broken bones, nor did she sustain any significant internal injuries.”

  “Oh, thank God.”

  “But she was unconscious,” Sean said, not as relieved as Lisa. Head trauma of any kind wasn’t good.

  “Ms. Maxwell regained consciousness in the ambulance,” Dr. Dalal said, looking at him. “She was cognizant and answered all the usual questions correctly. However, we will monitor her throughout the evening. She will have some pain and bruising due to the incident, but I believe I should be able to release her tomorrow afternoon.”

  “I want to see her,” Sean said.

  “She’s asleep right now and visiting hours are over.” Dr. Dalal’s eyes were filled with genuine compassion. “I know you’re worried, but trust me, there’s nothing you can do for her. It would be best if you went home and got some rest. You can visit her tomorrow.”

  Sean fixed the doctor with a stubborn stare. “I’m not leaving. I’ll camp out in this waiting room all night if I have to, but I’m not leaving her.”

  “Is there any way he can just sit quietly in her room?” Lisa asked. “I know Kayla would want him there.”

  Dr. Dalal hesitated a moment and then said, “We occasionally make exceptions. Wait here and I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thank you.” Sean turned toward Lisa after Dr. Dalal left the room. “I know you’ve been angry with me. It can’t have been easy for you to plead my case.”

  “Just promise me one thing,” Lisa said. “Don’t hurt her again.”

  “I won’t,” he promised.

  Lisa tilted her head and regarded solemnly. “I think you mean that.”

  “I do,” he said and for the first time noticed the dark circles under her eyes. “You should go back to the hotel and get some rest.”

  “Is that your way of saying I look like shit?” She gave him a wan smile. “I think I will go back to the hotel, but I won’t be sleeping. My phone has been vibrating like crazy. I have to go into publicist mode and handle the media.” She let go of his hand. “Will you call me if there’s any change?”

  “Yes,” he said as she rose from the chair.

  After she left, Sean unbuttoned the sleeves of his shirt and rolled them up to his elbows. He thought about finding some coffee but it would only make him more wired than he already was. Besides, he wanted to stay put until Dr. Dalal returned. He heard footsteps and when he looked up he was surprised to see his father walking toward him.

  That was odd. He’d assumed his father had gone back to the hotel after his driver had dropped him and Lisa off in front of the hospital.

  “How’s Kayla?” James asked after settling in the spot Lisa had just vacated.

  “Resting.” Sean leaned back against his chair. “No broken bones and no internal damage.”

  “That’s good news.”

  “How did you know what happened to her?”

  “I went down to the hotel gift shop to buy a candy bar. I saw the paramedics,” James said. “I didn’t know it was Kayla until I got back to my floor. I’m on the same floor as she is.”

  “The mini-bar is stocked with candy,” Sean said. “Why did you go to the gift shop?”

  “I’m not going to pay five dollars for a candy bar when I can get it for a buck-fifty,” James said with a wry grin.

  “You can afford a five dollar candy bar.”

  James shrugged. “It’s the principle of the thing. Besides, I hate being cooped up in hotel rooms.”

  “Is that why you’re here? Because you don’t want to go back to your hotel room?”

  James put his hand on Sean’s forearm. It was the first time in years his father had touched him. Strangely, it comforted him. “You needed me once before and I wasn’t there for you. But I’m here now.” James squeezed his arm gently. “I’ll stay as long as you need me to.”

  There was still a lot to resolve between the two of them. But his father had traveled across the country to talk to him. That was worth something. They were strangers, but it didn’t have to stay that way. A very wise woman had once told him that everyone deserved a second chance. She was right.

  “I’d appreciate the company.” He met his father’s moist eyes. “Dad.”

  * * *

  The first thing Kayla saw when she woke up was Sean sprawled in a chair next to her bed fast asleep, still wearing the clothes he’d been wearing when he came to her room—minus the jacket. The buttons of his white dress shirt were undone at the collar and the sleeves were rolled up revealing his tanned forearms. His face was relaxed, but judging from the angle of his head, he would probably wake up with a stiff neck.

  Like a dying woman thirsting for water, she let her eyes drink their fill of him. From the first moment she’d seen him on A New Dawn she’d been smitten. And she still was. That school girl crush ten years ago had turned into something so much more.

  Almost as if he sensed her watching him, Sean’s eyes opened sleepily and met hers. “You’re awake,” he said as he sat up in the chair and searched her face. “How are you feeling?”

  “Sore,” she admitted. “Like one giant bruise actually. But I’m not hooked up to anything that’s beeping so I guess I’m pretty lucky. Where’s Greg?”

  Sean’s expression darkened. “They took him to the police station last night. I imagine he’s still there. Hotel security said a detective will take your statement before we go back to L.A.”

  “He’s the stalker,” Kayla said, remembering the horrible scene in the supply room. “He did everything—the notes, vandalizing my car, the dead rat.” She shivered, wondering if she would ever be able to forget the malice in Greg’s eyes. “It was his way of paying me back for dumping him.”

  “He won’t be doing any of those things anymore,” Sean said grimly. “With your statement I’m sure he’ll get some serious jail time. Stalking aside, he kidnapped you and held you against your will. That’s a felony.”

  Plucking at the edge of the sheet with her fingers, Kayla managed a grin. “It’s my own fault I’m in the hospital,” she said, and saw the surprise on Sean’s face. “I was trying to get out of that damn supply room and accidentally brought the whole shelving unit down on top of me.” She couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony of it. “This is the second time in less than two months I almost got a concussion.”

  Sean smiled. “But this time there was no arguing about going to the hospital.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I hate hospitals.”

  “I seem to recall words to that effect.”

  “I hope I didn’t swear at the nurse.” She reached for the small remote lying near the edge of the bed and pressed the button to elevate the head of the bed so she was sitting up. “I’m pretty sure they woke me up a few times.”

  “Don’t worry. You were very cooperative.”

  “How do you…” She paused. “You were here all night?”

  “Guilty.” Closing his eyes, he rubbed his neck and grimaced.

  Surprised, Kayla tried to wrap her head around what this meant. When he’d walked out of her hotel room last night she was certain things were over between them. Now she wasn’t so sure. Nothing had changed, but he was here and he’d stayed all night.

  That has to mean something, right?

  “Where’s Lisa?” she asked when he opened his eyes and found her staring at him.

  “She went back to the hotel late last night. She’s handling the fallout. I’m sure there are a lot of people who want to know why you didn’t show up at the banquet, a
nd several hotel employees saw you being taken out by the paramedics. She wants to make sure the right information gets out to the media. She was shaken up last night. I’ve never seen her like that.”

  “Lisa has a big heart, but she doesn’t let a lot of people get close to her.”

  “You managed to. But that doesn’t surprise me.” Sean’s eyes shined with unexpected warmth. She tried to throttle the dizzying current running through her, but couldn’t. “I think you could soften the toughest of hearts.” She felt her face growing warm. “You’re blushing,” he said with amusement.

  Leaning forward, Sean rested his forearms on his knees. His amused grin faded as he held her gaze intently. Time seemed to stand still as he gazed deeply into her eyes. “I’m sorry, Kayla.”

  “For what?” she asked, hoping he wasn’t blaming himself for Greg’s actions. “What happened last night wasn’t your fault.”

  “I’m sorry for accusing you of using me to get to my father, and I’m sorry I said all those vicious things to you.” His paused. “You were right. I let the resentment I harbored toward my father blind me. And if I’m being totally honest, the day I walked into his kitchen and saw you two getting along so famously I was jealous.”

  “Jealous?” she asked. “Of what?”

  “Of the easy rapport you had with him, and he with you. For one brief moment I wished it was me instead of you sitting there talking with him so easily—so comfortably.” Sean’s eyes shadowed with sadness. “I was jealous because you have what I lost when my mom died. A loving family. But instead of admitting that to you—or to myself—I took the first opportunity I could to lash out at you.”

  “The audition.”

  “Yes. The audition. Even if my father had set it up it was no excuse to treat you the way I did. You deserved to go on the audition and you deserved to get the part. You’re an amazing actress. I can honestly say that working with you has made me a better actor. I just wish being with you had made me a better man.”

  “Sean…” she began, stunned not only by his apology, but at his high regard for her acting ability.

  “No,” he interrupted her gently. “I need to tell you this.” He paused and gave her a long searching look. “When I found you last night…”

  “Wait…you’re the one who found me?”

  “I saw Alamo with Rachel but I didn’t recognize him right away. When Lisa said you were missing I remembered who he was.”

  “But I never told you about him. How did you know who he was?”

  He shifted in the chair, looking slightly uncomfortable. “When we first started working together I looked you up on the internet. Just once,” he added quickly. “I wanted to see if you were dating anyone. But all I found out was that you’d broken up with Alamo a few months ago. There was a picture of the two of you at some event.”

  “You could have just asked me if I was seeing anyone,” she said with a grin.

  Sean’s eyes glinted with amusement. “The internet doesn’t ask questions.”

  “Or make assumptions.”

  “I’m glad I saw the picture. If I hadn’t I probably wouldn’t have figured out that Alamo had kidnapped you.” He reached for her hand, his warm fingers twining with hers. “I thought I lost you last night, Kayla.” His eyes held hers and were filled with such tenderness she almost couldn’t breathe. “And I swore to myself that if I got the chance I’d tell you exactly how I feel.” He lifted his other hand and touched her cheek. “I’m in love with you. And I’m pretty sure I know exactly when it happened.”

  “When?” she asked. Joyful tears filled her eyes. She blinked to keep them at bay.

  “The day of the fan club luncheon.” His fingertips lightly grazed her skin. She tilted her head, leaning into his soft caress. “You were so kind to Donna and Stephanie. You paid their registration fee and arranged for them to sit with us. You didn’t have to do that, but you did. Because that’s who you are.” He gazed at her with undisguised emotion. “How could I not love you?”

  “Do you know what I want?”

  “Whatever it is, I’ll try my best to give it to you.”

  “I want you to take me home. And when we get there I’d like to go to the guest cottage on your father’s estate.”

  Surprise flickered in his eyes. “Why?”

  “Because that’s where I realized that I’m totally and completely in love with you.”

  “You love me?”

  “How could I not?” she said softly and smiled. “Now, there’s something else I want. Something you can do for me right now.”

  “Name it.”

  “Would you kiss me?”

  Another heart-stopping grin curved his lips. “Sweetheart, that is one question where my answer will always be yes,” he said, then leaned forward to capture her mouth with his. His demanding kiss ignited a bone-melting fire that spread through her body and spilled into her soul.

  “I love you,” Sean whispered when they parted.

  Gazing into his eyes, her heart overflowed with happiness, and there was something more—a feeling of completeness she’d never experienced before. Just like her character Shay, who’d found her soul mate in Jared, Kayla had found hers in Sean.

  Life had imitated art in the best way possible.

  * * * * *

  Don’t miss Alison Packard’s next book,

  coming July 2013 from Carina Press.

  After eight years in Major League Baseball, Matt Scanlon’s life and career is in shambles, and he’s just been traded to the rival team he’s loathed his entire life. The only upside is publicist Kelly Maxwell and the combustible chemistry between them.

  The Winning Season

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  About the Author

  Alison fell in love with reading at a very early age. Her favorite grandmother worked for Scholastic Books, and every Friday would bring home a box filled with books she was able to buy for a nickel apiece because they were slightly irregular. In her early teens, Alison discovered Harlequin Presents romance novels at the library and read them voraciously. What she liked most about them? The exotic locales and happy endings, of course!

  When Alison isn’t working at the day job that pays the bills, keeps a roof over her head, and supports her book and chocolate habit, she spend most of her free time writing. But when she takes a break, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family and friends.

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  ISBN: 978-14268-9483-1

  Copyright © 2012 by Alison Packard

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  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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