by Molly Evans
Miklo carefully applied the neck collar to Trish while she still lay in Jeannine’s arms. “I’ll take her shoulders,” Miklo said, and gently moved the unconscious woman from Jeannine’s arms into his own. “Sweetheart, can you stabilize her head as we move?”
“Yes,” Jeannine said. She crouched beside them, and placed her hands on Trish’s head. “Ready. Count of three.” Other staff members moved in to help as well now that the immediate threat was resolving. The atmosphere of the ER had turned solemn as concern for a coworker took precedence over everything else.
“One…two…three,” Miklo said.
Together they lifted the unconscious nurse off the floor and placed her gently on the gurney.
Miklo touched Jeannine on the shoulder as they made their way through the crowded hallway to Radiology. “She’s going to be okay. I may have to take her to surgery, but she’s going to be okay.”
Tears flooded those beautiful eyes, and her chin trembled. “Thank you, Miklo,” she whispered as they hurried away from the ER.
Two days later Trish opened her bruised and swollen eyes for the first time. Jeannine was seated at her side and began to cry.
“You cried when she was unconscious. Now you’re crying that she’s waking up,” Miklo said, and shook his head with a teasing smile. “Some women just can’t be satisfied.”
Trish gave an indignant snort, and then winced beneath the bandages that covered the lower part of her face.
“Are you in pain?” Miklo asked her, and began to remove a piece of gauze.
Slowly Trish nodded.
“That’ll teach you to disagree with your doctor,” he said, but there was no heat behind the words. “We’ll get you something a little stronger now that we know you’re going to be waking up with an attitude.”
Jeannine sat on the other side of the bed and took Trish’s hand. “Your jaw is wired, so you can’t talk right now. Miklo said it’s only for a while. And your nose was broken, but he fixed that, too.”
Trish squeezed her hand tight around Jeannine’s and tears escaped her eyes.
“Do you remember anything?” she asked.
Trish shook her head.
With a sigh, Jeannine filled her in on the details of the event that had put her in hospital as a patient instead of a nurse.
Miklo listened to Jeannine’s soft voice as she filled in the missing details in Trish’s memory. He busied himself checking the dressings and assessing the suture lines, but everything was fine.
“There are several small sutures that will have to come out in a few weeks, but your surgeon did an excellent job, and they are almost invisible,” Miklo said.
Jeannine gave a watery laugh and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Your surgeon is very humble, don’t you think?”
“I’m glad you’ve decided to wake up. If you had stayed out any longer I was going to get worried. You took quite a wallop to the head, but nothing nasty showed up on CAT scan or MRI. Just a very severe concussion.”
Trish gave a thumbs-up sign, then let her arm drop onto the bed.
“She’s exhausted,” Jeannine said. “I think we need to get out of here and let her sleep.”
“Good idea.” Miklo followed her out of Trish’s room. Jeannine looked up at Miklo. Emotions that he didn’t want to have burned the back of his throat. He swallowed hard and pushed them back down where they belonged.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for her.” Jeannine placed her hand on his arm. “I’ve missed you.”
She turned away from him and it was all he could do not to reach out to her, not pull her into his arms and not admit to her the things he’d been feeling. He’s missed her presence at his side. It was that simple. Her humor, the way she didn’t take herself too seriously, and the glow of her eyes when she looked at him.
Though she wasn’t Greek, had not one drop of Mediterranean blood in her, there had been enough tragedy in her life to more than make up for it. The Greeks and Romans hadn’t cornered the market on sorrow.
Over the next several days, Jeannine spent as much time as possible with Trish. Utilizing a dry erase board, they were able to communicate, but mostly Trish listened to Jeannine recall interesting patients that Trish had missed.
On this day, Jeannine pushed a wheelchair into Trish’s room. “I’ve got the car out front. Oh, and I got you a high-power blender. Miklo said you’ll still be wired shut for another two to four weeks, so we’ll need to puree everything.”
Trish sat on the edge of the bed in her pajamas and robe, ready for her discharge home. “Pizza???” she wrote on the board.
“Ew.” Jeannine made a face. “Not sure how that will work, but we can give it a whirl, but fruit would probably be better.”
“Strawberry Daiquiri?” she wrote with a hopeful expression on her face.
“You’re still on antibiotics. They don’t mix well with alcohol, and I’m not sure that’s the best use of a fruit smoothie.”
Trish snorted.
“Ready?”
Trish shrugged, and Jeannine saw the fear in her eyes.
“Don’t be scared. I’ll be with you, and some of the staff are going to take turns checking in on you when I’m working.”
Trish nodded, scribbled on the board and turned it to face Jeannine. “Dr. Hottie.”
“No. Miklo and I aren’t seeing each other any more. You won’t have to worry about him taking up my time, if that’s what you’re concerned about.” She knew it was over. He had made that clear.
Trish shook the board at Jeannine and frowned.
“He can’t be with me for a variety of reasons.” Jeannine looked at Trish. “It just wasn’t meant to be between us, I know that now.”
Trish gave a snort and shook her head in disgust. She turned the board over and wrote a new message for Jeannine.
Behind you.
Jeannine’s eyes widened and she whirled around to find an amused Miklo leaning in the doorway.
“Spoiler,” he said to Trish. “No telling what I might have heard.”
“It’s not nice to eavesdrop on people,” Jeannine said with narrowed eyes, and tried not to react to his unexpected presence. But her heart tripped and her stomach clenched anyway. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you,” he said softly, the light in his eyes very different than the last time she had seen him.
“Well, I’m not working today. Trish is being discharged, as you know, and I’m taking her home, getting her settled in, and spending every moment I can with her until she gets her jaw unwired.”
“You’re a good friend.” His glance cut to Trish. “Shouldn’t be too much longer. I’ve made an appointment in the office for you for a one-week follow-up. Your prescriptions and discharge instructions are all here.” He handed the bundle of papers to Trish.
She took them and placed them on her lap and wrote on the board. “You’re an idiot if you don’t grab her.”
“You’re right,” Miklo said. “See you in a week.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THREE hours later Miklo pulled into Jeannine’s driveway, and she tensed. What the heck was he doing here? She’d only come home to get a few things, then she was heading to stay overnight with Trish. She had barely seen him over the last two weeks and had tried to put him from her mind.
Now she trembled as she walked to the door and opened it.
“Hi,” he said, and shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Hi.” She stood there with her hand on the door. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you.”
“Why? If something changed in Trish’s discharge orders you could have called me.”
Miklo frowned and looked away, clearly uncomfortable. “It’s not that. I was hoping we could take a tram ride to the top of the mountain, have dinner, and talk a while. Watch the sunset over the mesa.”
“That sounds lovely, but I’m spending the night with Trish.” She knew Trish would be fine overnight, but r
ight now she was a convenient excuse.
“I see.”
“Why don’t you just spit out what you want to say to me? You’ve clearly got something on your mind.” Like finishing her off forever.
“I do have something on my mind and had hoped to discuss it with you over dinner.” A small smile curve his lips upward.
“Why don’t you just do it here? Save yourself a few bucks and don’t waste our time.” Coldness pierced her heart, aching that Miklo felt the need to confront her this way when he could have just let things fade into nothingness between them.
Now it was his turn to frown. “Do what? I know you don’t like flying, but you don’t have a fear of the tram, do you?”
“No.” She didn’t smile, as her heart was breaking into tiny little pieces, though she had known her time with him was going to be limited. “Miklo. You’re going to tell me it’s over between us, as if I didn’t know that already. You don’t need to wine and dine me to break it off. I can handle it.” But could she really? Would hearing the words come out of his mouth make them any less painful than the speculation had been?
“You can handle it, huh?” he said, and strode closer to her, then closed the door behind him. One silent step at a time brought him face to face with her. His eyes glittered, and she wondered if it was from pain or amusement.
“Isn’t that what this is about?”
Slowly Miklo backed her against the wall and braced his hands beside her head, reminding her of the time that he had undressed her here after the Chocolate Fantasy Ball.
The pulse in her throat thrummed and her heartbeat echoed in her ears. Something wasn’t right. If he was going to call it off, what was he doing so close to her, looking so hungry for her? Why was his body so hot against hers? And, dammit, why did she have to react so strongly to him?
“This is what it’s about,” he said, and dropped his gaze to her mouth a second before his lips met hers.
Instant fire raced through her. Wild and untamed, it touched the very core of her as Miklo kissed her. Spreading his hands across her hips, he drew her against him, molding her body to his. The heat of him scorched her and made her want to forget a tram ride, dinner, and even Trish.
When he lifted his head, she couldn’t believe the desire smoldering in his deep brown eyes.
“Don’t play with me, Miklo. That I can’t take.”
“Did that feel like I was playing?” he asked.
Looking into his eyes, she searched for the truth. “Does this mean you’re not dumping me?”
“Yes, I’m not dumping you. But we do have things to talk about and the temptation to strip you naked will be much less if we go someplace public.”
“I see.” She could still feel the burning flame of his arousal pressed against her, but even she knew that desire was a long way from commitment.
Jeannine watched the lights of Albuquerque grow smaller and smaller the higher they rose on the twelve-person tram. “How high did the driver say this thing goes again?” she asked, and was glad she couldn’t see the ground below her.
“Don’t be nervous,” Miklo said, and squeezed her shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. “It’s the longest tram in the world, or so the brochure says. The peak of the mountain is over 10,000 feet.” He brought her against his side. “Sitting in the restaurant, looking down the mountain to the west mesa at sunset, is one of my favorite views in the world.”
“That’s saying something, considering how much you’ve traveled.”
“Yeah.” He focused those intense eyes on her. “It’s amazing what you have in your own backyard that you don’t see immediately.”
Jeannine could only imagine what he meant by that statement. The tram swayed in the light breeze blowing through the desert canyon. She was glad it wasn’t any stronger, or the swaying motion would have made her feel ill.
In a few minutes they were settled at a table facing the large windows to the west. “I see what you mean,” she said, and looked out at the magnificent colors across the west mesa. She looked around at the other patrons. Everyone seemed okay, and she gave a quiet chuckle.
“Are you looking for someone?” Miklo asked.
“No. I was just thinking that every time we’ve gone somewhere together there’s been some sort of medical emergency we’ve gotten dragged into. I’m just waiting for the next one.”
Miklo laughed and reached for his water. “That is kind of weird, isn’t it? But I don’t think we need one tonight.”
She leaned forward and motioned him closer. “What do you think of not declaring ourselves next time there’s a medical emergency?”
“Somehow I think neither of us would go for that.”
“You’re right.” With a sigh Jeannine looked at Miklo. “I think it’s time you tell me why we’re here,” she said, wishing with all of her heart that things could be different between them. Though she’d known from the beginning that anything between them would be fleeting, it hadn’t stopped her from falling in love with him. Sitting here with him now, she was no longer certain, but her lack of confidence in relationships didn’t give her any help.
“Tell me what’s going on.” Her voice was a mere whisper.
“I’m here on a promise.”
He reached out for her hand, but for once she derived no comfort from his touch. Inside she was cold, numb to the pain she knew was going to come.
“A promise? What kind of promise? That I won’t try to see you any more?” Her heart raced. “That I’ll forgo Greek food forever? What?”
“No. This.” Withdrawing his hand from hers he fished into his jacket pocket and removed a small box. After placing it on the table, he rose from his chair and lowered himself onto one knee. “This is the promise that started generations ago in my family and one I want to give to you now.”
“What are you doing?” she asked, and tried to pull him to his feet, but he remained solidly on one knee beside her, his strength surging through the contact of their skin, straight to her heart. “You don’t break up with someone on your knees,” she said, and tugged at him one more time.
“No, you don’t, which is why I’m in this position.” He sighed and his gaze focused intently on her. “For a man to do what I’m about to do, he needs an ability to understand women a little, have a humble spirit, and love in his heart. Until I met you, I didn’t know what those were.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her trembling knuckles.
Tears formed in her eyes as he spoke. No man had ever humbled himself for her. No man had ever understood her, and certainly no man had ever loved her.
“Having known those gifts that only come together once in a lifetime, I don’t want them, or you, to ever leave my life.” Miklo reached for the box on the table. “This belonged to my great-grandmother.” With hands that visibly trembled, he opened the lid to reveal the most stunning wedding set she had ever seen. “I love you, Jeannine. I would be honored if you would wear it and marry me.”
“No,” she said, and in some part of her numbed mind she heard the patrons around her gasp. Moving from her seat, she knelt on the floor beside him. “I am the one who would be honored to share my life with you.” Tears overflowed her eyes as they embraced in the middle of the dining room.
Applause erupted around them, but Jeannine didn’t care. “I love you, Miklo.” He didn’t respond, but the shaking of his body as he held her tight showed her the depth of his emotion. Pulling back, he slipped the ring onto her finger. She laughed as it flopped over.
“I’ll have it re-sized, and then it will be perfect on you.”
“I love it. It’s beautiful. Thank you.” Emotions she couldn’t name surged through her. Emotions she never thought she’d feel. Emotions she thought that had been long dead inside her now proved how very wrong she had been to allow her dreams to die.
“We’re going to have a beautiful life together,” Miklo said. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and helped her back into her chair.
“I can’t be
lieve you proposed to me!” She took in a few cleansing breaths and pressed her trembling hand to her forehead. “Despite what you said, I really thought you brought me up here to break things off with me.”
“You are the brightest light in my life, and I love you. I’m not dumping you ever.” He cleared his throat and held her hands in his. “When Darlene died, it nearly killed me. Losing the baby almost finished me off. Two months ago I would have said I didn’t need love or another person in my life, but now I know so much better. You helped me more than you’ll ever know.”
“Miklo, you don’t know how badly I want this, how much I want to share my life with you.” She hesitated, clenching her fist around the ring and searching his eyes. “But what about children? I don’t know whether I can get pregnant, let alone carry one to term. After all that’s happened to me, the doctors at the time weren’t very encouraging.”
“First we need to see what Mother Nature will let your body do before we get too concerned. And, secondly, I don’t want to marry you just to have babies. If Mother Nature decides we aren’t to have our own family, then we can adopt. There are plenty of children who need a good home, right?” He tucked her hair behind one ear.
“You’re right,” she whispered as her lip trembled. “I just never wanted to even think about…”
“When the time comes we’ll do more than think about it,” Miklo said, and kissed her.
Jeannine kept her fist clenched to keep the ring on as she threw her arms around Miklo’s shoulders and held him tight. “Let’s get out of here,” she said. Unable to keep her heart from beating madly, she gave in to the happiness that seemed to grow from within her. Miklo was a great part of that, but she’d learned that she could also create her own version of happiness. His presence in her life only made it that much sweeter.
“What did you have in mind?” he asked as they headed for the return tram back down the mountain.
“There’s a bottle of champagne waiting in my refrigerator. I think it’s time we opened it.”
“That’s a fabulous idea,” he said, and pulled her into an embrace she knew she would never tire of.
