His Temptation, Her Secret

by Barbara Dunlop

  “I’m staying at the Bayside Hotel.”

  “Are you bragging?”

  He gave an exaggerated sigh. “I’m pointing out my geographic location. It’s downtown. It’s not even out of my way to pick you up tomorrow.” Before she could respond, he continued. “Logic and reason.”

  “And a little bit overbearing.”

  “Only a little bit. Eight?”

  She didn’t want to give in. It felt too much like giving up. “TJ...”

  “Eight it is.” He gave her shoulder an unexpected squeeze. “Lock the door behind me.”

  And then he was gone. And her shoulder tingled from his touch. And she wanted to be annoyed with him. But her heart wasn’t in it.

  * * *

  Eli seemed to rally in the morning but then faded in the afternoon. The nurses assured them it was normal. TJ made himself scarce for a while to give Sage time alone with Eli, returning to his hotel to touch base with his executive assistant.

  While he followed up with the most pressing phone calls, he couldn’t get Sage and Eli’s apartment off his mind. He understood that it was hard being a single mother. His own mother had struggled to raise him and his two brothers. There was no shame in financial hardship, especially when a woman was juggling both work and parenting.

  But Sage didn’t need to struggle anymore. She didn’t need to worry about money anymore.

  He wanted them out of that neighborhood. What was more, he wanted Eli in Whiskey Bay. He might not be feeling quite as hard-nosed about it after the past few days with Sage. But he was still determined to be part of Eli’s day-to-day life from here on in.

  He didn’t know how he’d pull it off, but he knew it would go a lot smoother if he could convince Sage instead of fighting her. As quickly as the thought formed, it also crystallized. If he wanted to win over Sage, he had to show her the possibilities. To show her the possibilities, he had to show her Whiskey Bay.

  Back in the hospital, Eli was still feeling low. He barely touched his dinner. And by six he was sound asleep.

  “Tomorrow will be better,” TJ said to Sage as she kissed Eli’s forehead.

  “He feels warm.” She drew back and cupped her hand on his head.

  “The nurse just took his temperature.”

  “We should ask her to recheck it.”

  TJ put a hand on Sage’s slim shoulder. “They will. They’ll monitor it all night.”

  “What if he gets a fever?”

  “You’re borrowing trouble.” TJ hated to see her stressing herself out. It wasn’t going to change the outcome. “We should get something to eat.”

  “I’d rather stay here.”

  “There’s nothing you can do while he sleeps.”

  Sage took Eli’s hand. “I know.”

  “There are absolutely no warning signs.” TJ wanted to take Sage’s hand. “It’s simply going to be a long road to recovery.”

  “I’m telling myself the same thing.”

  He moved so he was looking at her. “The best thing, the very best thing you can do for Eli is stay strong and healthy yourself.”

  She gave a ghost of a smile. “Stop being right.”

  “I can’t help it.”

  Her smile went wider.

  He was encouraged. “Let’s go get a nice dinner. You’ve got the nurses’ station on speed dial.”

  She arched a brow. “Are you mocking me?”

  “No, I’m trying to cheer you up. He’s doing great. You can afford to think positively.”

  She lifted Eli’s hand and gave it a light kiss. “I don’t want to jinx it.”

  “You can’t jinx it. There is no jinx it. Your IQ is in the stratosphere. You know worrying yourself sick will have absolutely no beneficial effect on Eli’s health.”

  She looked like she wanted to argue.

  “You got straight As in science.”

  She’d gotten straight As in everything.

  “It’s true that I’m not superstitious,” she said. Her shoulders relaxed.

  “I have a very nice restaurant in mind.” He had no intention of telling her the details, at least not until he had to.

  “Okay. You’re right. Dinner would be nice.”

  “Can you say that again?” he teased.

  “Dinner would be nice.” She smirked at him.

  “I do like being right.”

  “You have an ego, TJ.” She rose from the edge of the bed and gathered her purse.

  It was clear she was mocking him, but she could be right.

  He definitely liked to accomplish things. It felt good to succeed. And he liked to be the best he could.

  When he discovered he was falling behind in something, he took immediate steps to catch up. Take last year. He’d discovered he was getting out of shape, that both Matt and Caleb could outrun him.

  He’d hit the gym, started rowing and biking. He could now beat both of them in a five-mile run. He hadn’t thought about why it mattered to him. But ego would definitely explain it.

  “Seafood okay with you?” he asked as they made their way toward the parking lot.

  “Anything’s okay with me. But I can’t let you keep paying.”

  He almost laughed at that. “I’ve got a lot of paying to make up for.”

  “With Eli, sure. But not with me. You don’t owe me anything.”

  “Other than nine years of child support?”

  “I’m not asking for that.” Her tone was genuinely horrified. “I’d never ask for that. None of this has anything to do with money.”

  “I know it doesn’t.” How could he not know that?

  The fact that he’d found out about Eli at all was a bizarre coincidence. His anger still simmered when he thought about her secrecy. But now wasn’t the time to rehash her past decisions. The last thing he wanted to do was fight.

  “I won’t take your money,” she said.

  “It’s dinner, Sage. I’m buying you dinner. People do that with their friends every day.”

  “We’re not friends.”

  “Well, I hope we’re going to be friends. Things are going to be a whole lot easier if we’re friendly.”

  She didn’t seem to have a response for that, and they’d arrived at his car.

  “Are you afraid of flying?” he asked as they got inside.

  “No,” she said. “I mean, it’s not something I do. We’re hardly in a position to take sun vacations. But I’m not afraid of it.” Her tone turned suspicious. “Why? Why are you asking? Are you looking for genetic flaws?”

  “Genetic... No.”

  “I doubt irrational fears are inherited, anyway.”

  “I’m not looking for genetic flaws. You have no genetic flaws.” He pulled onto the street.

  “I have red hair and freckles.”

  “The freckles have faded.” He’d always thought they were cute. “And your hair’s not red, it’s auburn. It’s a beautiful shade of auburn. Do you know how much women pay to get that color hair? And you’re absolutely brilliant. What is your IQ, anyway?”

  “I’m not telling you my IQ.”

  “That high, huh?”

  “No, it’s not that high. It’s not anywhere near...” She blew out what sounded like a tired sigh.

  He let it lie as they zipped through the light traffic.

  Twelve blocks later he flipped on his signal and pulled up to the Brandywine Hotel.

  “Are we eating here?” she asked, glancing around at the brick-lined drive and the lighted gardens.

  “Not exactly.”

  He exited the car and came around to her door.

  “We’re walking?” she asked as she stepped out.

  The valet arrived, and TJ handed him the keys, giving the uniformed man his name.

  “Not exactly,” TJ answered Sa
ge, gesturing to the revolving glass door.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “There’s a helipad on the top of the hotel.”

  “A what?” She looked straight up the outside of the building. “There’s a restaurant up there?”

  “No.” He let her go first through the door. “That’s not a euphemism. I mean a helipad, a place where helicopters can land and take off.”

  “Why?” She looked perplexed.

  “You said you weren’t afraid to fly.”

  “You said we were going for dinner.”

  “We are.”

  She gave him a look that questioned his intellect. “In a helicopter? Are you showing off?”

  “No. I’m being practical.” He touched the elevator button.

  “This, I have got to hear.”

  “We’re going to the Crab Shack. It’s a great little seafood restaurant.”

  “By helicopter?”

  “It’s faster.”

  “Faster than what?”

  “Than a car.”

  The door closed behind him. He inserted a key card and pressed the button for the rooftop.

  She watched his motions. “Do you have a room here?”

  He glanced at the card before putting it back in his pocket. “No. I made arrangements earlier to access the helipad.”

  “You planned this?”

  “Yes, I planned this. Helicopters don’t just swoop in for me on a moment’s notice.”

  She was silent as the floors pinged by.

  “Is this place fancy?” she asked.

  “You look fine. You look better than fine.”

  “Is it fancy?”

  “Not really. It’s pretty down-to-earth.”

  “Is it on an island? Do we have to cross the strait?”

  As the door slid open, TJ turned his head from her and mumbled, “It’s in Whiskey Bay.”

  “What did you say?”

  He gave up the subterfuge. “I said it’s in Whiskey Bay.”

  She stopped dead, her eyes going round as she stared at him. “What are you doing, TJ?”

  “You might as well see the community.”

  “Are you kidnapping me?”

  “Of course not.”

  Her gaze slid to the helicopter. “And if I don’t want to get onboard?”

  “Then you’ll miss the ride of your life, a great seafood dinner and a chance to see where I live.”

  Four

  TJ had been right. The seafood dinner at the Crab Shack was terrific, and the helicopter ride had been the adventure of Sage’s life. It took only thirty minutes, and it was smoother than she’d expected. The altitude was low, and her view of the lights on the ground and the stars above had been amazing.

  When they’d landed, she’d discovered TJ owned another vehicle. She didn’t know why that had surprised her, but it had. This one was a luxurious SUV.

  As they drove along the coast highway through Whiskey Bay, he explained that having all-wheel drive came in handy when he wanted to take gravel roads. He liked to mountain bike, but he didn’t like taking his sports car off the pavement.

  It made perfect sense the way he explained it. If you were a gazillionaire, why wouldn’t you have as many vehicles as your heart desired?

  “See, it’s only about fifteen minutes from my place to the hospital,” he said as they turned into the parking lot.

  He’d pointed out his driveway, which was close to the Crab Shack.

  There was no pay kiosk at this hospital. As far as she could see, parking was free. She had to admit, it was a nice perk for patients and visitors.

  “I think you’ll be impressed,” he said as he chose a spot.

  “You’re not going to change my mind.” She wasn’t looking at the Highside Hospital to be impressed. She wanted to be in a position to advocate for St. Bea’s. Halfway through dinner, she’d realized she could do that better once she’d taken a look at the competition...and discovered its flaws.

  “I’m looking for a conversation, not a debate,” he said.

  “I don’t believe that for a second.”

  They both climbed out of the SUV.

  Both the parking lot and the entrance area were well lit. A few people entered and exited the building, some of them in uniform, some obviously visitors or patients.

  The Highside Hospital sign was in stylized red lettering across the front of the building. Inside, the foyer was bright and expansive, with high ceilings and a view of some open hallways above. The colors were bolder than she’d expected. There were comfortable seating areas and a long reception counter with several available nurses, two of whom looked up and greeted them with a welcoming smile.

  Before they made it to the reception desk, a slim, thirtysomething woman in a blazer and a straight skirt approached. Her brunette hair was neatly twisted into a braid. Everything about her projected a calm professionalism.

  “Mr. Bauer. It’s so nice to see you here.” Her voice was friendly as she shook TJ’s hand. Then she looked expectantly in Sage’s direction.

  “This is a friend. Sage Costas. Sage, this is Natalie Moreau, the assistant manager of patient care here at Highside.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you.” Sage couldn’t help but wonder if TJ had called ahead, and she was about to get the full court press.

  It wasn’t going to help him. She wasn’t going to be swayed by his connections to the bigwigs any more than she was by the big lobby.

  “I’m sorry to drop in like this,” TJ said to Natalie.

  Despite his words, Sage still suspected a setup.

  “You’re welcome anytime,” Natalie told him.

  “Sage has a nine-year-old son who is ill, and I was hoping we could show her the facilities.”

  The concern that appeared on Natalie’s face seemed genuine. “I’m so sorry to hear that. I can show you around right now and answer any questions you have.”

  “We don’t mean to interrupt your evening,” TJ said. “Perhaps one of the nurses might have time to accompany us—”

  “Nonsense,” Natalie said, her tone going brisk. “You’re not interrupting at all. Why don’t we start with the lounge and restaurant area?”

  She directed her attention to Sage. “There are several visitor lounge areas on the main floor, and two on each patient floor. There are patient lounges too, of course. But we want visitors—especially the parents of young children—to have some space to decompress.” She started to walk. “If you’ll follow me, I can show you where we converted the cafeteria into two spaces, a full-service restaurant and a grab-and-go coffee bar. Over the past four years, we’ve put significant emphasis on dining options for both patients and visitors. We’re particularly attuned to allergies and sensitivities. Our head chef has started several innovative programs, including using organic and local foods. We’re providing better nutrition, a more enjoyable dining experience and improved outcomes all around. It’s amazing how a nicely presented, delicious meal option encourages recovering patients to eat. Who could have guessed?” She gave a light laugh.

  As they walked, Sage took everything in. It was impossible not to be impressed. The furniture, the construction, the fixtures, everything was good quality and top caliber. Nobody they met seemed rushed or stressed. She knew it was a hospital, but it felt more like a hotel.

  They passed through a set of double doors.

  “This is a typical patient room.” Natalie opened a doorway. “The rooms are private, but the walls are retractable into quads. Occasionally, we have patients who prefer to be in a room with someone else, siblings after a car accident for example. The patient lounge areas provide another place for social interaction. On our pediatrics floors, there are playrooms instead.”

  “How do kids get to the playroom?” Sage asked.

&nbs
p; Eli was bedridden and likely would remain that way for some time to come.

  “They can walk, or use a wheelchair, or even have their beds moved for periods of time. Our staff-to-patient ratio is one of the best in the country, so there’s plenty of help for patients requiring assistance. The beds are fully automated.” Natalie used a remote control to demonstrate. “Each room has a fully capable entertainment and communications station.”

  Sage took in the wide screen on the wall and the keyboard on a rolling table. “Are you telling me patients can check their email and surf the net?”

  “They can. Obviously, many people are too ill to use all the services. But as they recover, we strive to make their stay as homelike as possible.”

  There were two armchairs with a small table between them in a corner by the window. The colors were warm, green and copper, even the floor was a faux wood grain. There wasn’t a speck of beige in sight.

  Sage could see why TJ liked the place, particularly when she considered the level of service he must be used to in his life. But she still wasn’t changing her mind. Eli was perfectly fine at St. Bea’s. He might not have internet access, but he had his mother, and that was far more important.

  “Can you talk about your oncology services?” TJ asked Natalie.

  “The best, most progressive in the country.” She sounded proud. “We attracted top-rated doctors and researchers. Is your son struggling with cancer?” she asked Sage.

  “Leukemia,” Sage answered.

  Natalie touched her arm in sympathy. “Do you have a prognosis?”

  “He’s just had a bone marrow transplant. At St. Bea’s.”

  “That’s encouraging.”

  “TJ was the donor,” Sage felt honor-bound to add.

  Natalie smiled. “How fortunate you were to find a match.”

  “He’s doing well so far. It’s a good hospital.”

  “I know some of the staff there. They’re very dedicated, with excellent clinical skills.”

  Sage gave a satisfied glance in TJ’s direction.

  “I’m interested in transferring him to Highside,” he said.

  “I’m not,” Sage said.

  “It’s a personal decision.” There was a slight rebuke for TJ in Natalie’s tone.

  “St. Bea’s is much closer to my house,” Sage said.