by RJ Nolan
“Riley, are you all right?”
She jumped but refused to look up. “I’m sorry.”
Sam joined her on the sofa. “For what? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Just bawled like a baby in the middle of a restaurant,” she muttered. She forced herself to look up and met Sam’s gaze. “I’m sorry for embarrassing you like that.”
“You didn’t embarrass me.”
“But the people sitting around us were—”
Sam snorted. “Like I give a damn about what some stuffed shirt thinks. There’s no reason to be embarrassed by honest emotion. It makes me want to cry just thinking about losing my mother, and I’m a grown woman.”
Emotion tightened Riley’s throat. Renewed tears threatening to fall, she looked away.
Sam slid across the sofa cushion, closing the distance between them. “Hey.” She gently turned Riley’s face toward her. “You love your parents and you miss them. I would think it was strange if that didn’t make you sad.”
Her tears flowed again.
Wrapping an arm around Riley’s shoulders, Sam urged her closer.
Riley rarely permitted herself to accept, or even expect, comfort of any kind. It was a lesson she had learned well. Yet an unexpected sense of peace stole over her as she took in Sam’s scent and warmth. She allowed herself to relax against Sam and then gave her tears full rein.
Sam’s hand trailed softly up and down her arm.
The impulse to wrap her arms around her and snuggle into her embrace washed over Riley. Struggling against the instinctive move, she pulled away. “I’m sorry.” She brushed at her tears.
Sam shook her head. “No more apologies. Okay? If you need to cry, you cry. My shoulder’s always available.”
Gazing into Sam’s caring silvery-blue eyes, Riley smiled. You’re an amazing woman. “Okay.”
“Good. Now dry your tears, then we’ll go back out and have our dessert,” Sam said.
“Dessert, huh?” Riley laughed, feeling surprisingly lighthearted despite the emotional upheaval. “I suppose it’s going to involve chocolate?”
“Oh, you’ve got that right.” Sam grinned. “Maybe I’ll even share.”
With you, maybe I can even eat it. Riley rose from the couch and held out her hand. With Sam’s warm hand wrapped firmly around hers, Riley smiled up at her. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 23
“Riley. Hold up,” Denny called.
Not now. The temptation to pretend she had not heard him was strong. Don’t be like that. You’ve hardly seen him. She stopped, allowing him to catch up. “Hey. How’s Jeremy doing?”
A brilliant smile took up residence on his face. “Growing like the proverbial weed. Only seven ounces to go before we can take him home.”
“That’s wonderful news.” She patted his shoulder. “I’m so happy for you and Carol.”
“Thanks. Got time to head to the NICU with me? I’ll officially introduce you to my son.”
Riley glanced at her watch. If she didn’t hurry, she was going to miss Sam. “Um… I stopped by the NICU last week and peeked in on him. Let’s wait until you get him home and I can see Carol too.”
“Sure. Come on, we’ll grab some lunch and catch up. I haven’t seen much of you the last two weeks, except in passing. I’ve stopped by your office several times to invite you to lunch. Where’ve you been hiding?”
Not hiding. Just with Sam. “Nowhere.” Feeling the heat rise up in her cheeks, she lamented her fair coloring. It made the faintest blush impossible to hide.
“Really?” Denny stared as if trying to read her thoughts.
Riley glanced at her watch again. “I have to go.”
He caught her arm before she could walk away. “Something coming in I should know about?”
“No. I’m meeting a friend for lunch, if I haven’t already missed her.”
“Anyone I know?”
“Denny.”
“You can’t blame me for being curious. I’ve never known you to have a friend show up during the workday.”
Riley curbed her impatience. Denny was her friend, and he was right, this was very unusual behavior for her. “Remember the police officer, Samantha McKenna? She’s here undergoing physical therapy.”
His eyes went wide. “Oh. When did you run into her? So you’re friends now?”
She glanced at her watch again and groaned. “I really have to go, Denny.”
“But I thought you said—”
Waving off his questions, Riley said, “I’ll talk to you later.” She headed down the hall at a fast clip.
When she spotted Sam standing with Tony outside the physical therapy department, she slowed her headlong pace. Not wanting to interrupt, she stopped a short distance away and leaned against the wall.
Just the sight of Sam brought a smile to her face. She’s not just beautiful on the inside. Until recently, she hadn’t allowed herself to appreciate how physically attractive Sam was. A sweat-dampened T-shirt clung to her body, highlighting broad shoulders, shapely breasts, and a flat stomach. Baggy sweatpants hid what Riley knew were trim hips and muscled thighs. Sam’s once super short hair had grown shaggy and covered any trace of the scalp injury. The bruises that had marred her face were long gone. Although Riley was too far away to see them, she had no trouble calling to mind the unique shade of Sam’s striking eyes.
Sam threw back her head and laughed at something Tony said. Her laughter echoed down the hall.
She’s beautiful. And straight. A moment’s regret at what could never be dimmed Riley’s good mood. Even if she was gay, she would never be interested in someone like you. Enjoy her friendship. When Tony disappeared back into the physical therapy department, Riley pushed off the wall and moved toward Sam.
“Hey, Riley. I didn’t expect to see you today.”
“Conference ended earlier than I thought. I figured I’d try and catch you and see if you wanted to grab some lunch.”
Sam’s smile brightened. “That’d be great.”
As they started down the hall, Riley noticed something was missing. “Where’s your cane?”
Footsteps sounded behind them.
“Tony said I don’t need it anymore,” Sam said.
“No, I didn’t.”
They both jumped at the sound of Tony’s voice, then turned to face him.
He held Sam’s cane in his hands. “What I said was: you don’t need it if you’re walking on flat surfaces, but if you’re going to be on uneven terrain or climbing stairs, take it with you just in case.”
Riley arched an eyebrow at her.
Sam flushed.
As if just noticing Riley, Tony smiled and turned his attention to her. “Hey, Dr. Connolly. How’s your shoulder doing?”
“Good, thanks to you.”
He cast a sidelong glance at Sam, then grinned. “So you know this big troublemaker, huh?”
“Troublemaker?” Sam crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m the perfect patient.”
Riley smiled up at her before asking Tony, “What’s she been up to?”
“We should get going.” Sam edged away from Tony.
Riley narrowed her eyes. What else didn’t Sam want her to find out? As much as Riley wanted to question Tony about Sam’s progress, she knew she couldn’t. Sam wasn’t her patient—and she was glad about it.
Tony grinned at Sam with a “gotcha” expression. “She’s a very compliant patient.” He held out her cane. “Mostly.”
Scowling, Sam took it from him. “One more week.”
“We’ll see,” Tony said.
A tech stuck his head out of the doorway and called to Tony.
“I’ll see you on Monday,” he said, pointing at Sam. “Good to see you again, Dr. Connolly.”
“You too, Tony,” Riley said. She waved as he went back to work.
“Sorry he held us up. Let’s get our lunch,” Sam said.
Riley followed her toward the cafeteria, but her thoughts were no longer on lunch. “
You’ve only got one more week of therapy?”
“Yeah. I’ve reached the point where I can do the rest of the rehab on my own.” Sam grimaced. “Or at least I will be if I can complete whatever torture test Tony comes up with next Friday.”
“Oh. I’m really happy for you.” While Riley was thrilled that Sam was doing so well, she was going to miss having lunch with her several times a week.
“Thanks. I have to admit when I started therapy seven weeks ago and could barely lift my leg, I was doubtful about Tony’s promise that he would get me back up to speed. But now,” Sam twirled her cane, “I can’t wait to get back to work.”
The blood drained from Riley’s face. Her steps faltered. No. It’s too soon. The mere thought of Sam returning to work made her insides clench. What if…? She shook her head, unwilling to even finish the thought.
Sam stopped. “What’s wrong?” She grasped Riley’s elbow and steered her over to the side of the hallway. “You’re white as a ghost. When was the last time you ate anything?”
Reaching inside for that place where she pushed her emotions to be able to work, Riley forced a neutral expression onto her face. “Sorry. I’m fine. Just thinking about a patient.”
Sam searched her eyes. “You sure?”
Unable to hold her gaze, Riley glanced away. “Yes. Let’s get some lunch before I get called.” As if the words summoned the deed, her phone buzzed. She pulled it off her belt, glanced at the screen, then at Sam. “I have to take this.” The trauma fellow wouldn’t be contacting her unless there was a major problem. She moved out of earshot. “What’s going on, Ken?”
“I’ve got a problem with Mr. Gardner, the amputation from yesterday. There’s no pulse in his left leg. Doppler showed no flow in the femoral. Looks like we’re dealing with an embolic femoral occlusion.”
“Have you called vascular surgery?”
“Yes. They should be here any minute.”
“I’ll be right there.” Riley shoved her phone back into its holder as she hurried over to Sam. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to run.”
“I understand. Go.” Sam tugged at the sleeve of Riley’s lab coat. “Just promise me you’ll get something to eat after you’re done.”
Warmed by the concern, Riley smiled. “I promise.” She gave Sam’s hand a quick squeeze, then rushed off down the hall.
Chapter 24
Sam drummed her hands on the steering wheel as she watched the entrance to the parking lot. She’d been pleasantly surprised when Riley called and suggested dinner to make up for their aborted lunch earlier in the day. After the fiasco at the public parking lot in the Gaslamp Quarter, this time Sam had picked a Chinese restaurant close to her apartment that had its own small parking lot. When she spotted Riley’s sleek Jag entering the lot, she got out of her car, waved, and did a quick scan of the surrounding area to make sure no one was lurking nearby.
Riley pulled into the spot next to Sam’s Challenger.
Sam hurried over and opened the car door. “Hi. Hope you didn’t have any trouble finding the place.”
“Nope.” Riley accepted Sam’s outstretched hand and allowed her to assist her from the low-slung car. “Just typed the name into my navigation system.” She glanced around. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in this part of North Park.”
I bet you haven’t. It was a working-class neighborhood with restaurants that catered to that clientele. Maybe I should have picked someplace more upscale. There wasn’t any valet parking or a maître d’ waiting inside to greet them. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “I…um, I hope this is okay. I know it’s probably not what you’re used to.” Everything about Riley screamed money—from her car and her condo, right down to the expensive dress slacks and silk blouses she always wore.
Riley’s brow furrowed. “Do you really think I care about how expensive a place is?” She took a big step back as if distancing herself from Sam. “Have I done anything to give you the impression that I’m some kind of snob?”
Sam flinched at the hurt in Riley’s voice. “No. It’s just…” Her gaze swept Riley’s car, then over to her own vehicle. The Jag stood out like a shining jewel amidst pebbles in the parking lot filled with run-of-the-mill cars. She shrugged, not sure what to say.
Riley stepped close to the Challenger and ran her fingers lightly across the rear quarter panel. “It may not look like the classic car with the same name that my dad worked on, but he would have loved your car. He would’ve much rather restored a muscle car than a sleek sports car any day.”
“Your dad worked on cars?” Sam couldn’t keep the incredulity from her voice. She had figured Riley’s father had been a doctor or lawyer or some other type of white-collar professional.
“He restored classic cars for a living. Started out working as a mechanic in a Ford garage during the day and restoring cars at night and on the weekends. Once the quality of his work became well known, he opened his own classic restoration shop. Even when he had full-time employees to work on the cars, you could almost always find him in the garage working right alongside them. When I was a little girl, I used to go to the shop every weekend. I loved working on the cars with him.” Riley smiled, her face glowing with the warm remembrance.
Wow. Sam tried to imagine Riley as a grease-stained child, working on a car. The image just wouldn’t form. She bit her tongue to keep from asking: so what happened?
“I probably had pretty much the same middle-class upbringing that you did.” Riley leaned against Sam’s car and sighed heavily. “At least until I went to live with my aunt and uncle.” She inclined her chin toward her Jag. “My uncle presented me with the car when I finished my trauma surgery fellowship.” Her gaze dropped. “It’s actually not what I would have picked for myself.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed anything.”
Riley shook her head. “I can understand you thinking otherwise. It’s okay.”
“No. It’s not.” Sam arched an eyebrow. “You know what they say about making assumptions.”
It took Riley a moment, then she laughed. “Well, in that case, I’ll let it go. If,” she laid her hand on Sam’s arm, “we have the dinner you promised. I’m starving.”
You always say that, but you hardly eat anything. “You’ll have lots of choices. They serve Chinese and Japanese dishes.”
“Both? Isn’t that a little unusual?”
“Yeah. The story goes that Mei and Takumi, the original owners, couldn’t come to an agreement on which type of restaurant to open. Mei was Chinese, and Takumi was Japanese. Takumi insisted it be Japanese, but I guess Mei was a pretty feisty woman and wouldn’t give in. Apparently at the time, it was a big family scandal. So this,” Sam motioned toward the restaurant, “is what they ended up with. It’s now a third-generation run family business. Oh, I almost forgot, they also have a small sushi bar.”
Riley’s eyes lit up.
Of course she’d go for the sushi. Sam hid her distaste. “Come on. I promised to feed you.” Feeling more confident of her choice, she led Riley across the parking lot to the restaurant. As they stepped up onto the sidewalk, she halted. There was something she needed to make clear. “Remember, I’m paying this time. For both of us.”
The last time they had met outside the hospital and gone to brunch, Riley had insisted on going Dutch. When Riley started to protest, Sam sent her a sharp look.
Riley smiled. “Okay.”
It wasn’t until they reached the entrance that Sam realized she had her hand resting comfortably on the small of Riley’s back. She looked at her hand as if it belonged to someone else. When did I do that? She chanced a look at Riley to gauge her reaction.
Riley met her gaze with a warm smile.
Sam lost herself for a moment in Riley’s vibrant green eyes. A strong urge to reach out and touch her cheek and see if it was as soft as it looked jolted Sam back to reality. What’s going on with you? You don’t mess with straight women. The realization of what she had almost done bro
ught a flush to her face, and she wrenched her gaze away. Opening the door gave her an excuse to take her hand from Riley’s back. She held open the door for Riley, then followed her inside.
“Officer Sam, to what do we owe the pleasure of seeing you twice in one week?” Mary stepped out from behind the cash register and gave her a quick hug.
She had given up asking the proprietor to call her Sam a long time ago. “I wanted to introduce a friend to your excellent food.” She inclined her head toward Riley and glanced around the small, packed restaurant. They were doing a booming Friday night business. She hoped it wouldn’t be a long wait. The restaurant didn’t accept reservations. “Could we get a booth if you have one?”
Mary smiled and gave a half bow. “For you, of course. One moment.”
It was only moments before Mary returned, led them to the far side of the restaurant, and motioned them to a large booth.
Sam caught Riley’s arm before she could slide into the booth. “We can’t take the family booth, Mary.”
Mary crossed her arms over her chest. “I insist. It’s the least we can do.” She pointed at the booth. “You’re adopted family. You sit.”
Sam glanced down into Mary’s dark, determined eyes. It had been a major battle to convince Mary that if she didn’t let her pay for her meals, she would stop coming in. She could bend about this. She bowed slightly. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.” Mary waited until they were seated, then offered menus. “I’ll get you some tea.”
* * *
“So if you don’t mind me asking, how did you get adopted by the family?” Riley asked as their petite hostess walked away. The more she learned about Sam, the more intrigued she became. Sam was proving to be a very special, caring woman.
Sam fiddled with her menu. Finally, she blew out a breath. “When they opened this location two years ago, I stopped by right away. I love Chinese food, and I live not too far from here.” She set her menu down. “Anyway, I got to know the owners—Mary, who you just met, and her husband, Kento. About six months after they moved in, they started having some trouble with the local gangbangers scaring off customers, demanding money, and vandalizing the place at night. So I started coming in once a week after work in uniform. I’d also drive by the place on my way home from work and after I’d been out for the evening. Rousted some of the bangers a couple of times and let them know I was keeping an eye on them. Just made my presence known.”
