Snodgrass, Catherine

by Another Chance AnotherTime (lit)

  Alec gave a light laugh. Here he was charging forward with plans, and he wasn't even certain of the lady in question. He was definitely obsessed.

  Alec secured the dead bolt and dragged himself to his bedroom. The big bed looked lonely. Sighing, he stretched out, tucked himself under the crisp sheets, and prayed sleep would be quick and without dreams of any kind.

  * * *

  Chapter Five

  The scent of flowers gave Dani the incentive to finally leave her tormented dreams behind and open her eyes. Momentarily blinding her, sunlight poured in from the open window. She blinked until the shock passed and then focused on her surroundings.

  Floral arrangements and plants covered her half of the room. In the single chair opposite her bed, a huge brown teddy bear waited with a red ribbon tied around his neck. Beside it someone had already helped themselves to a basket of fruit. Judging from the half-eaten apple perched on the table, Dani guessed the culprit was Renee.

  Renee never finished an apple. She would take exploratory bites until the skin was gone and then set the rest of the fruit aside.

  Dani rolled her head to one side. The other bed was vacant for now, which was probably a good thing. If the flowers were any indication, the room would turn into Grand Central Station once visitors were allowed. Dani would hate to put a stranger through that turmoil. It was often hard enough for her to deal with the lack of privacy.

  Oh, they meant well-her friends, family, co-workers, students. They came to her for advice, tutoring, friendship, to keep her company because they thought she was lonely living by herself. Their consideration touched her despite the irritation she often felt over the intrusion. It was for that reason Dani kept quiet. They were being thoughtful. How could she hurt their feelings?

  And if pressed to be honest, Dani would have to admit that ninety-nine percent of the time she didn't mind the company. It was just lately that she had begun to feel...trapped. As if she had no life of her own, as if they thought she had no life of her own.

  It was her own fault, really. She was the one who spent her time and energy on others, yet never once sought solitary activity, always on the go, always involved...with others. Dani supposed that was why her trip to Europe had been such a shock to them all. No one wanted her to go alone. Yet she had silently planned and saved for years. It was something she had always wanted to do. Nothing was going to stand in her way.

  Looks like the last laugh's on you.

  Dani sighed and pressed the button to adjust the bed to a more upright position. Infirmity was going to bring out the caregiver in everyone. The lack of privacy before was nothing compared to what would happen now. Perhaps the hospital would insulate her from being nurtured to death.

  As soon as the thought left her head, Dani scolded her insensitivity. One look around the room proved how much they cared. It was a treasure to be so well loved. How could she even think of hurting them? The answer was, she couldn't. Somehow she would indulge their need to fuss over her, and then rest after visiting hours were over.

  Dani peeled back the covers and made her way to the bathroom-a much easier trip this time. She avoided the mirror on her way in, but leaving...she had to look. She had to know just how bad her face was. Still, it took her what seemed like an eternity to pull her gaze from the sink to the mirror.

  The door pushed open. "It really isn't that bad."

  It wasn't necessary for her to look up to know who it was. Alec Edwards's voice would be forever ingrained in her memory.

  "I'm just nervous, that's all."

  "I understand."

  He walked up to her until he was so close Dani could have leaned against him as she had done the night before.

  "The stitches are there. You're going to see them. You have two slightly black eyes. And there is some swelling. You'll be sore for a day or two. Itchy as the healing progresses. But if you're expecting to see a hideous creation of Frankenstein when you look in the mirror, you're going to be disappointed."

  Those long fingers of his curled around her upper arms and quelled the fear that lay beneath the surface of her skin.

  "Trust me. Have I ever lied to you?"

  Dani laughed softly. "No, I don't suppose you have."

  When she still couldn't force herself to move, Alec braced her shoulders against his arm and lifted her chin gently on his fingers. Dani closed her eyes.

  "That's cheating."

  "Not to mention chicken," she replied.

  "I'll give you this one."

  The humor in his voice wrapped around her, bringing a smile to her lips.

  "That's more like it. Are you going to satisfy your curiosity, or do I take you back to bed? I don't want you jumping up and down all day trying to decide. And since I'm the doctor, I get to be the boss."

  Dani giggled. She didn't know whether he was being intentionally funny, or if that were his true nature, but at that point she didn't care. It put her at ease, enabling her to face whatever she would see in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, Dani lifted her lids. The black eyes dominated her face-not that they were truly black, but actually shadowed crescents. Tiny stitches were nestled in the creases on side of her nose. A dark line down the left side of her face caught her attention. Dani turned slightly. More tiny stitches dotted the skin near her hairline above her ear.

  Alec was right. It was hardly noticeable. Once the stitches were removed, no one would ever know. The ones along her breast didn't matter. If that scar bothered anyone who would ever get close enough to see it, then Dani wouldn't want that type of person in her life anyway.

  She smiled to herself. That was one heck of a character test.

  "Pleased?"

  Dani glanced up at Alec's reflection in the mirror and focused on the divot beneath his nose. It was all she could do to keep from turning around and pressing her finger into that tiny space.

  "Very." She shook the feeling away. "But, boy, is my hair a mess."

  Alec laughed, and turned her toward the exit. "Take care of yourself today, and I'll let you take care of that tomorrow. Come on, I have a surprise for you."

  "I hope you mean you're removing this blasted IV."

  "Soon."

  Dani let him lead her back to bed. The table was pulled over the end of it with a small bowl of red Jell-O waiting in the center.

  "Keep that down and we'll talk," he said, tucking her back in bed.

  Dani's stomach rumbled. "Strawberry?"

  "Is there any other kind?" He reached into the pocket of his lab pocket and whipped out a pink plastic spoon. "I made the ultimate sacrifice for you today to get you this. I had a banana split."

  Eyes sparkling, she slipped the spoon from his fingers. "Some sacrifice. You get ice cream while I eat Jell-O."

  "You're right. I owe you one. I promise that you can have all the ice cream you can eat if the Jell-O stays down."

  Dani scooped up a spoonful. "I've heard that lie from doctors before. And, besides," her tone turned solemn, "I would say that I am the one who owes you."

  Alec locked his gaze with hers. This had to be the most intimate conversation he had ever had with a woman, and they had actually said nothing. He felt like a fraud sitting here, knowing how much he wanted her. And, certainly, the last thing he wanted was for her to feel she owed him something. Gratitude was a disastrous reason for becoming involved with someone.

  So what could he do? He played out the ridiculous scenario in his mind.

  Excuse me, Dani, but you see even though I only met you last night, I find myself intensely attracted to you. I spend every waking hour thinking of you. Well, not every waking hour, but you know what I mean. All I want to do is hold you close and make love to you until we're both too tired to move.

  Alec nearly laughed out loud. That ought to impress the hell out of her. Not to mention send her screaming to the Ethics Council.

  Of course, he could simply just explain right now that he had lost his objectivity where this patient was concerned. Another doctor wou
ld be called in to replace him, and he would be free to pursue...

  God, what a predatory word! Dani wasn't game to be hunted. She was a woman to be-for lack of a better word-wooed. And leaving her to the care of someone else was out of the question. He would be insane with worry. That left him back where he started-in charge of her recovery and wanting her, with the extra complication of her feeling as if she owed him something.

  Dani paused, her spoon halfway to the bowl of Jell-O. "You're quiet all of a sudden. Is something wrong?"

  Nothing. Everything. Why did he want this woman, this stranger, so much? This compulsion was as nagging as his desire for her. If he didn't gain some perspective here, everything was going to blow up in his face.

  Before he could reassure Dani that all was well, Renee Spencer burst into the room.

  "You're awake!" She stopped in her tracks and clasped her hands under her chin. "Oh, thank goodness you're all right! Thank goodness!" Tears puddled in her eyes.

  Dani set the bowl back onto the table. Renee was emotional enough as it was, but for her to cry meant she had been pushed just a little too far over the edge.

  And who could blame her? They had been friends for life. The fear of having that connection severed and the isolation of having both of their parents clear across the country during this time would be enough to break anyone down. Dani couldn't say she would have been able to hold up.

  But what Renee needed right now was someone to lean on. Dani didn't know if she could be that person. The turmoil of emotions seemed too much to bear. She much preferred the peace of Alec Edwards's light-hearted banter.

  "I'll leave the two of you to visit," Alex said.

  Dani felt Alec's weight leave the bed. It was all she could do to keep from grabbing his hand to hold him in place.

  He tapped the bowl with the tip of his finger. "Try to eat as much as you can, but don't force it. I'll be back later." Alec turned a professional face to Renee. "I want Dani rested. Understand?"

  Her gaze bordered on defiance, and Dani braced herself for an argument. Instead, Renee broke eye contact and gave him a nod.

  Alec flashed a smile Dani's way. "I'll see you later."

  Renee swooped down upon her before Alec could clear the doorway and smothered her in an embrace that made Dani wince. Gently she extricated herself from the grip and pushed Renee at arm's length.

  Renee gasped. "I'm so sorry. I hurt you, didn't I? I'm such a dope. Are you in a lot of pain? Can I get you something? Do you need the nurse?"

  Dani was exhausted just listening to her. "I'm fine...really." She rolled the table to her, more as a barrier to protect herself from another hug than to reach her Jell-O.

  Calmer now, Renee eased onto the bed by Dani's feet. "You had us all scared to death. When the police came to the airport-"

  "That was really very sweet of you to plan a bon voyage party for me."

  "Don't try to change the subject on me, Danielle Morgan. I get to have my say here."

  Dani focused her attention on the bowl and spooned up a small portion. "I know. I'm sorry."

  "I came this close to accusing you of speeding." She measured an infinitesimal distance between her thumb and forefinger. "Then I found out you were stuck in traffic when the accident happened. Lucky for you there was a doctor, a plastic surgeon no less, in the car in front of you."

  "I don't speed."

  Renee tugged at Dani's toe beneath the covers. "You do speed. Everything you do is at warp speed. It's a wonder you haven't burned out long before now. Maybe this accident is a warning for you to slow down a little bit and start learning to relax."

  Dani didn't care to hear an old lecture. "I relax. I garden."

  Her friend snorted. "You water. Your grandmother planted the garden and your dad keeps it up. Face it. You're always on the go. I doubt you've ever really stopped long enough to enjoy life. For heaven's sake, Dani, you were going to do Europe in eight days. If I didn't know you better, I'd swear you were running from the law."

  Finally, the chance to tease and put an end to Renee's rambling dissertation. "Ooo, maybe I am. Maybe last night's accident was some big conspiracy by an underworld mobster to do me in. I'm actually a spy on my way to Europe to save the world."

  A steady stare was Renee's response.

  Dani giggled, licked her spoon clean, and pushed the rest of the food aside. "You asked for it."

  "Okay, you win. I'll let up. Obviously, having a serious discussion with you is out. How did you sleep last night?"

  The question sparked a deluge of memories and dampened Dani's humor. She stared inward while strange images flashed through her mind quicker than a slide show. She felt an overwhelming sense of loss, of isolation.

  Instinctively, Dani tugged the blanket closer and tried to hug her knees to her chest. The food table got in her way. She shoved it aside, but the stitches in her chest prevented the close contact Dani needed.

  Renee scooted closer. "What is it? You're scaring me."

  Not nearly as much as Dani was scaring herself. Yet, knowing that, she still could not shake the haunting pictures from her mind. She covered her hand over her eyes, and let them come.

  "I had dreams...nightmares, all night long. I can't even call them that because they seemed so real. Like they were really happening." She shook her head. "Had happened."

  Renee pressed her hand onto Dani's knee. "Tell me about them. Maybe that would help."

  How could Dani put into words everything she had seen? Nothing coherent fell into a logical sentence. There were places, but mostly it was the emotions that went with them-fear, loss, and inherent sadness. Dani didn't think there were enough words in the world to express how she felt in those strange places.

  "I remember a lot of columns. Tall white stone."

  "Ionic or Doric?"

  Dani dropped her arm and gave her friend a frustrated glare. "They could have been phallic for all I know. What does it matter?"

  "It will tell what place you were dreaming of. The south, Washington, D.C.-"

  "No, Renee...old. Long ago. Think Europe."

  Her shoulders sagged. "Go on. What else?"

  As quickly as the images hit her, trying to talk about them made them fade. "There was water. A lot of it. Dark blue. Sparkling."

  "Sounds happy."

  Dani shook her head. "But I wasn't. I was sad, lonely. Renee, I...died."

  Her friend gave her an indulgent smile. "I can understand you being frightened, but everything you've described is a good omen, not bad. Each facet you mentioned indicates rebirth, a recovery from illness."

  She rubbed a sudden chill from her arms. "Even dying?"

  Renee nodded. "Even that. Just like when you draw the death card in tarot. It doesn't mean death. It's means rebirth. If you like, I can do a reading for you."

  The last thing she needed was to be drawn into Renee's metaphysical schemes. "Did you call my mom and dad?"

  "Once I learned you were going to be all right. They were frantic with worry, but I convinced them not to jump on the next flight back." She patted Dani's knee. "You might want to give them a call just to reassure them."

  Dani gave an absentminded nod and reached for the phone.

  It was a quick call. Yes, she was fine. The other driver died on impact. It was his fault. There was no need to fly back. Stay and enjoy the new grandbaby when he arrived. She loved them very much. And by the time Dani replaced the receiver, all she wanted to do was cry.

  It was all too much emotion to deal with-her parents' worry, Renee's worry, the feelings stirred up by those images.

  "More Jell-O? It's starting to look a little runny, just as you like it." Renee offered the bowl and spoon.

  Dani shook her head.

  She sighed and set the items down. "Everyone's very worried. They've called. Some are in the waiting room. Would you like to see anyone right now?"

  "I think I'd just like to rest for a little while longer. You'll explain that to them, won't you?"

&nb
sp; "Of course. I'll tell them no visiting until tomorrow."

  She snuggled deep into her pillow and smiled. "But with all the wonderful flowers and presents I feel they are already here. Let them know that, please."

  Renee traced the waffle pattern in the white blanket. "Quite a few presents. Alec and I polished off a pound of chocolates this morning for breakfast."

  The image of the two of them mulling over which piece to attack next made Dani laugh. "Is that why you're looking so guilty all of a sudden? You didn't leave any for me."

  But Renee didn't laugh. Instead, she turned a solemn blue gaze her way.

  Dani's heart quickened in panic. Something was wrong. She now knew how Renee felt when she was hurt. Crawling forward, she grabbed Renee's hands in both of hers.

  "What is it? What's wrong?"

  Renee smiled. "Nothing bad. Dani..." She squeezed her fingers. "I've met someone. I've met the man I'm going to marry."

  Her face screwed up in confusion. "When?"

  Laughter bubbled from Renee's throat. "Last night. We spent the night talking. Just being together, nothing else. Oh, Dani, he's wonderful."

  Dani eased back into her pillows. "And how does he feel?"

  She shrugged. "The same."

  When Dani could do nothing more than stare at her, Renee laughed again.

  "I don't know how to explain it. I just know. Didn't you ever just know something?"

  "I suppose so." Her voice didn't sound convinced. It was hard to imagine that Renee, that anyone, could fall in love and plan a future in less than twenty-four hours.

  "Don't you want to know who it is?" Renee asked. "Or has Alec already told you?"

  Dani focused her gaze on Renee's happy expression. Alec...of course. No wonder Renee backed down when he ordered that Dani rest. And Renee had mentioned his name...how many times? Dani couldn't recall, and at that point didn't want to think about it.

  "Yes, Alec told me."

  Renee smacked the mattress with her open palm. "I'll have to get on him about that. He took all the fun out of it. Oh, Dani, it's all so wonderful. I'm so happy. Aren't you?"

  She rolled back into bed, tucking the covers up to her chin. "Of course."