THE FALL

by Marie Force

  "You must be hating that you can't run."

  "I am. I feel all cooped up."

  "How was the weekend on Block Island?"

  Caroline chewed on the inside of her cheek as she tried to find the words to tell her mother everything that had happened. "It was great. The party was fabulous."

  "Now tell me again who had the party. I can't remember what you said."

  "Smitty's friend, Ted Duffy's parents and grandparents." Caroline's stomach fluttered as she said his name. "They've been married forty years and sixty-five years."

  "You don't hear that every day, now do you?"

  "No, it was quite a party." Caroline paused, inhaled a deep breath, and took the plunge. "Listen, Mom, there's some stuff I need to tell you—nothing bad—it's just—"

  "What, honey? Are you all right?"

  "I've had a crazy couple of weeks, and I want to tell you about it, but it's going to sound so nuts."

  "Just tell me, Caroline. You're making me nervous."

  "It's nothing to be nervous about. It's good news, the best news. I've fallen madly in love with the most amazing man. I can't wait for you to meet him."

  "You mean Smitty, right? The man you've been seeing?"

  "No, Mom. Not Smitty. Ted."

  "Smitty's friend?"

  "Yes," Caroline said in a whisper. "I know how it sounds, but you just can't believe what's happened." Caroline spilled out the whole story to her mother, culminating with the news that she and Ted were engaged. "Mom? Say something. Please."

  "I don't know what to say, Caroline. You're telling me you're engaged to a man you've known for two weeks and you've come between him and his best friend. What am I supposed to say to that?"

  Caroline wanted to weep at how seedy it sounded.

  "After what you went through with Brad, I just can't believe you'd risk your heart like this again."

  "I'm not risking my heart. When you meet Ted you'll see why I love him so much. It's so different than it was with Brad. I've never felt as cared for and as cherished as I do now. Being with him makes me feel like anything's possible."

  Her mother sighed. "You're a grown woman, Caroline, so all I can do is tell you to be careful. I don't want to see you hurt again."

  "He'd never hurt me. He's the most wonderful person I've ever met."

  "What does he do?"

  "He's a pediatric oncologist, and he cares so much about the kids he takes care of. He's just, well… He's perfect. I know you're going to love him."

  "When do we get to meet this perfect doctor of yours?"

  "Soon. We'll come home in the next few weeks when he can get away."

  "Let me know, honey."

  "I will. Be happy for me, Mom. I've never been happier in my life. I need you to be happy for me."

  "I want what you want, Caroline. You know that. I just hope you're being careful."

  "When you meet Ted, you'll see that you don't need to worry."

  "I'll look forward to meeting him. How's your book coming?"

  "I've got three chapters done. I'm feeling good about it so far."

  "That's wonderful. I can't wait to read it. Can I tell the family you're engaged?"

  "Sure," Caroline said, realizing that would make it official. "I'll give you a call when I find out what Ted's schedule looks like."

  "Sounds good. I love you, Caroline. I'm glad to hear that happy sparkle in your voice again. It's been too long."

  "Yes," Caroline agreed. "Yes, it has. I'll talk to you soon."

  * * *

  Ted walked in just after nine to candlelight, soft music, and the smell of something mouthwatering cooking on the stove.

  "Oh, you're home!" Caroline started down the stairs wearing a pale peach dress.

  Ted tossed his keys on the counter and met her on the stairs. She was one step above him when he hooked his arm around her neck and kissed her with a day's worth of pent up passion.

  He urged her back up the stairs.

  "Are you hungry?"

  He nodded but kept moving them toward his bedroom.

  "I made linguine with clam sauce," she said against his lips.

  "Mmm, I love that," he whispered as he lowered her onto the bed.

  "So do you want to eat?"

  "Eventually."

  Her laughter was soft but shifted quickly to a moan when he turned his attention to her neck.

  "I couldn't wait to get home to you."

  "Have you been speeding again?"

  Nodding, he unbuttoned her dress and eased it down. He nuzzled her breasts and kissed her everywhere but where she wanted him most. "What did you do today?"

  "I can't talk when you're doing that," she panted.

  "Tell me or I'll stop," he teased.

  "I worked on the book." She arched her back. "Made dinner."

  "What else?" He rubbed his lips lightly over her nipple.

  She gasped. "Ted…"

  "What else?"

  "I, um, I told my mother we're engaged."

  For that, she was rewarded.

  "Do you want to eat now?"

  "No, no," she sighed. "I want you now."

  * * *

  They made it downstairs to eat at ten thirty. Caroline wore a blue and white striped robe of Ted's, and he had pulled on shorts. The candles on the table were burned down almost to nubs by the time she brought the plates over from the stove.

  He reached for her hand and kissed the palm. "I've never done this."

  She sat down across from him. "Done what?"

  "Come home to someone and had dinner here like this."

  She smiled. "How do you like it so far?"

  "I could get used to it very quickly."

  "That'd be all right with me."

  He tugged her chair closer to his. "You're too far away over there."

  "How did everything go today?" she asked, taking a sip of the wine she had poured for them.

  "It was hectic because of the two unplanned days off, but thankfully there were no disasters. I was relieved to hear we haven't lost anyone since Pilar on Friday, which is a good stretch in light of the month we've had. I missed her memorial service yesterday, so I'll have to give her parents a call this week."

  Caroline squeezed his hand. "Maybe your string of bad luck has come to an end."

  "God, I hope so. This clam sauce is amazing, by the way."

  "I'm glad you like it."

  He took a sip of his wine and found his thoughts drifting to something else that happened during the day.

  "What're you thinking about?"

  "I got a call today from a hospital in New Hampshire. They're looking for someone to head up their pediatrics department."

  "Does that happen often?"

  "About once a week. Sometimes more."

  "You're in hot demand!"

  He shrugged. "I never even return the calls." He poked at the food on his plate and looked up at her.

  "What's on your mind, love?"

  "Lately I've been toying with the idea of doing something different."

  "Really?"

  He nodded and told her about the conversation he'd had with Parker on the way home from Block Island.

  "I agree with him. You can't let the expectations of your father and grandfather dictate how you run your career."

  "I'm not looking to do anything right this minute, and it won't necessarily be the New Hampshire thing, but I might start returning some of the calls. Would you hate to live somewhere like New Hampshire?"

  "Would you be there?"

  He smiled. "Yeah."

  "Then New Hampshire sounds perfect to me."

  "Don't you prefer the city?"

  She shrugged. "We can always visit. Are you really thinking about giving up oncology?"

  "I think I am. The other day when I talked to Parker about it… That was the first time I've actually said it out loud. Don't get me wrong. I love it. I love the kids and most of the parents and the people I work with. When I first started, I used to think I
just needed time to get some legs under me. I figured once I got used to it I could cut back on the hours. But it's been six years and nothing's changed. If anything, the commitment's gotten bigger as I've earned some rank and seniority."

  "You're not doing this for me, are you, Ted? Because I don't expect that."

  "I'd be lying if I said you didn't factor into it a little. But I'd been thinking about this even before I met you. So mostly I'd be doing it for me. I want to have more of a normal life. And now that I have you, I want so many other things—things I've never really wanted before. I want to be a father and coach T-ball and have tea parties with little girls who look just like their mother. I'll never have that kind of life in this job."

  She laced her fingers through his. "Do you think you'd be challenged enough as a regular pediatrician?"

  "That's my greatest fear. I imagine it'll be like going from a freeway to a dirt road."

  "I'll bet the twists and turns you'll encounter along the dirt road will surprise you in ways you can't even imagine right now."

  "Do you think so?"

  She nodded.

  "How'd you get so wise?"

  "I'm not wise."

  "I say you are." He leaned over to kiss her. "So is this engagement of ours going to be a long one or a short one?"

  "Well, since it's been such a long relationship, I see no need to delay the wedding."

  "Wise and funny," he said, laughing. "Do you want a big wedding?"

  She shook her head. "I almost had that once before, and I have no interest in doing that again."

  "You do know that this time it would actually happen, right?"

  "Yes, but I'd rather have something small—just our immediate families and a few close friends. Could we do that?"

  "Baby, we can do whatever you want. As long as when it's done you're Mrs. Duffy, I couldn't care less how it happens."

  "You don't have any preference on how we do it?"

  He held her hand against his lips. "Just one."

  "What's that?"

  "Soon. I want it to be soon."

  "Soon is good." She gazed at him. "My mother wants to meet you."

  "We could go to Saratoga Springs next weekend if you want. Since we can't exactly go to Newport this weekend, I told Roger I'd be on call. Next weekend I'll meet the parents."

  She exhaled a long deep breath. "This is starting to feel real."

  "It is real, and you're going to be my wife as soon as we can make it happen."

  "Your wife," she sighed. "I like that. When are you going to tell the guys?"

  His smile faded. "I'm trying to figure out the best way to do that. I talked to my mother today, and as much as I wanted to, I couldn't bring myself to tell her. I so was pissed off with myself about that. I love you so much, Caroline. I want everyone to know."

  She got up and slid onto his lap.

  He wrapped his arms around her.

  "Remember the other day when I said I'd felt this way before?"

  "Vaguely," he joked.

  "I was wrong." She brushed her thumb over his cheek. "This is different. It's more."

  "Caroline," he whispered as he buried his face in her hair.

  "It's fire and passion, but it's also peaceful and easy and calm." Her lips found his in a light, undemanding kiss. "It's more than I've ever had before, and it's everything I've ever wanted. When the time is right for you to tell the people in your life, you'll know it. In the meantime, I'm not going anywhere."

  "You stop my heart."

  "And you fill mine. To overflowing."

  He stood up and carried her back to bed.

  Chapter 28

  Parker stared into the mirror for a long time before he reached for a towel to wipe the last of the shaving cream off his face. He ran a comb through his dark hair and brushed his teeth like this was any other day, and not, potentially, the most important day of his life. Knowing he wouldn't be able to focus on work, he had decided to stay home and had given his assistant strict instructions to forward any personal calls to his cell phone. All he could do now was wait. And hope.

  He got dressed and went downstairs to brew a pot of coffee. When Gina had been his client, she could never meet with him before nine thirty because she had to put her sons on the school bus. With any other client, that detail wouldn't have registered with Parker. With her, though, every detail had registered.

  A check of his watch told him it was eight thirty. He pictured her walking two boys with backpacks to the corner—yes, he had driven by her house, but only once and just so he would know where she lived and be able to picture that much of her life. Then he remembered it was the middle of the summer, and he panicked. What if they were somewhere on vacation?

  Forcing that unpleasant—and unimaginable—thought from his mind, he pictured her having a solitary cup of coffee in a bright, sunny kitchen. Or maybe she had popped in an exercise video or was sleeping in. One thing he was quite certain she didn't do—thanks to the settlement he had brokered with her slimy ex-husband—was work. Parker had seen to it that she didn't have to.

  Her ex was a successful sales rep for a pharmaceutical company and made plenty of money. Parker smiled with satisfaction at how much of that money the bastard now had to fork over to her every month. She had earned every dime of it, Parker thought, remembering her humiliation over her ex-husband's many affairs. Any man who would cheat on her was a fool, and Mark Mancini was definitely a fool. Parker thanked God for that since Mark being a fool had led him to Gina.

  When his cell phone rang Parker almost spilled his coffee in his haste to answer it.

  "Hello?"

  "Hey, boy-o, what's going on in Boston?" his father asked in his usual booming voice. "Too busy to call your old pop?"

  "Hi, Dad. Can I give you a call later? I'm waiting for an important call."

  "Sure thing. I just wanted to check in before I leave for Rio tonight."

  "Going by yourself?"

  "Of course not," James King scoffed.

  "I should've known," Parker said. "Don't marry this one, okay?"

  "No chance of that. You'll be glad to know I've finally learned my lesson on that front."

  "And none too soon," Parker mumbled.

  "I'll let you go, but don't be a stranger, huh?"

  "Call me when you get back," Parker said as another thought occurred to him. "Hey, Dad, do you have a number for Smitty in Australia?"

  "I'll have Janet e-mail it to you," James said, referring to his assistant.

  "Thanks. I'll come down to see you when you get back from Rio."

  "I'll look forward to it."

  "Bye, Dad."

  Parker had no sooner ended that call when his cell rang again. This time he checked the caller ID and saw it was Ted.

  "Hi," Parker said.

  "Hey, isn't today D Day?"

  "Yep."

  "What time are the flowers being delivered?"

  "Nine."

  "How are you holding up?"

  "Great. Perfect, in fact."

  Ted laughed. "Whatever you say. If I wasn't in clinic this morning I'd come hold your hand."

  "If you weren't in clinic, I'd let you."

  "Hang in there, man. She's going to call."

  "I hope you're right."

  "Hey, um, are you busy for lunch tomorrow?"

  "No, I cleared the afternoon to go to Newport. I take it this means you aren't going?"

  "No coverage."

  "That sucks. So why are we having lunch? What's up?"

  "I'll tell you tomorrow. Call me in the morning?"

  "All right."

  "Good luck with everything today, Parker. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you."

  "Thanks."

  * * *

  Caroline sat on the countertop in the bathroom and watched Ted shave.

  He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "You're making me nervous."

  "You're so rough with that razor. I can't believe you haven't cut yourself."

>   "Why aren't you sleeping in? If I didn't have to go to work, I know where I'd be right now."

  "I'd rather watch you shave," she said, reaching for her birth control pills.

  He dabbed some shaving cream on the end of her nose. "Why don't you quit taking those?"

  "Now?"

  "Why not? We're getting married soon, and let's face it, I'm not getting any younger."

  "But," she sputtered. "Shouldn't we at least talk about it?"

  "We are talking about it."

  "You can't throw this at me before coffee."

  "Okay, then I won't throw it at you." He cajoled the pill pack out of her hand and tossed it into the trash. "Two points."

  "Ted…"

  He kissed her. "Relax, honey. It's not going to happen overnight." He rinsed the last of the shaving cream off his face, acting as if they hadn't just had a life-altering conversation. "What are you going to do today? I feel bad you're trapped here while I'm at work."

  She shrugged and tried to move on from what had just transpired. "I don't mind being trapped here. It's good for Cameron to have my undivided attention."

  He scowled at her and combed his hair. "As long as he keeps his hands off you, he and I'll get along just fine."

  "I want you to read what I've done so far."

  "Really?"

  She nodded.

  "I'd love to. I'm dying to read it, but I didn't want to ask."

  "You could've asked." She reached up to caress his smooth cheek. "Mmm, bring that over here."

  He complied by rubbing his cheek against hers before he kissed her. "I've never enjoyed shaving quite this much before."

  She followed him into the bedroom to keep him company while he got dressed. "So what have you got going today?"

  "I have to check on a couple of patients on the in-patient floor first thing. Then I'm in the clinic all morning followed by rounds in the afternoon."

  "I'm trying to picture you in your doctor mode," she said, buttoning his shirt.

  "Why don't you come with me and see for yourself?"

  She looked up at him. "I could do that?"

  "Why not?"

  "I'd love to!" She clapped her hands with delight. "I can be ready in ten minutes with a shower."

  "That I'll need to see to believe."

  Sure enough, as he downed a cup of coffee in the kitchen, she hobbled down the stairs ten minutes later wearing a pink top and matching skirt. He poured coffee into a to-go mug for her. "Why don't you bring your laptop so you can work in my office while I'm in the clinic."