"Where to, lady?"
She named an intersection near her hotel and sat back, her mind buzzing with the possibilities.
"Hey, you look like that singer!" the cabbie exclaimed, catching her attention.
She gulped and strived for nonchalance. "Yeah, I've heard that before. I wish."
"You can't sing?" he asked.
"No, not a note. If I could, do you think I'd come to this place?" she asked in derision, gesturing to the hospital they were pulling away from.
He chuckled. "I guess not. Those stars always have a special room, lots of service. Us poor schnooks make do with long lines. Ah, must be the life."
"Yeah," she agreed and stared out the window.
* * *
Toby Atkins dropped by Annie Summers's antique store. Sometimes Emma worked there on her days off from the café. He always told her she needed to do something fun on her off days. But she said she loved antiques.
He frowned. That was only one unusual thing about Emma. For a woman who was supposedly burying her sorrow, she was awfully jumpy.
Anytime he mentioned a stranger in town, she pretended not to listen, but she grew real still until he identified the person.
He figured she was a runaway. That'd be the lesser of the two evils, he reasoned. Because he also had a suspicion she might be the sweet young thing involved in a car theft con in some nearby towns.
But he couldn't believe that—not when he was around Emma, at least.
He wandered in and smiled at Annie. She was a single mother, pretty, sweet, but she didn't draw him like Emma did. "Emma working today?"
"Hi, Toby. Yes, she is, but she's gone to look at Mrs. Yardley's china. She wants to sell it and Emma knows more about china than I do."
"Isn't that strange?" he asked softly, watching Annie.
She looked away, rubbing a spot on the antique sideboard beside her. Shrugging her shoulders, she said, "Not really. A lot of people know more than you'd think."
"When will she be back?"
"Anytime now. She's been gone a couple of hours."
As if on cue, the front door jangled and Emma returned, her hands full of small boxes. Toby hurried over to help her. He stopped worrying about Emma's past. He was enjoying her too much in the present.
* * *
It wasn't easy to do, but Nick arranged a month's vacation for himself. Normally he would take a week when he was feeling burned out, and after a week, he was always back on the job, tending his patients.
This time, however, the vacation wasn't about burnout. It was about finding Liza. About getting his life back on track. About building his future with the woman he loved.
He'd cleared up the mess with Daphne. The P.I. he'd hired had found her and the little boy and taken pictures of the two of them. He'd also made pictures of a man, one Nick didn't know, with them. The boy, Timmy, looked like the man.
But Nick hadn't depended on what his eyes told him. He'd contacted his lawyer and had papers served on Daphne, demanding a paternity test. She'd agreed to the tests, but she pleaded with Nick not to sue her.
"Okay, I'll agree to no lawsuits. Just get the tests done."
"Why? You already know he's not yours," she snapped. "I don't want to go to the trouble."
"You'd prefer to go to court? To reveal what you've done?"
"Nick, you're being mean!"
"Yeah. So are you going to submit DNA for the boy?"
"Oh, all right!"
He'd gotten the results back on Tuesday. They were negative, as he'd expected. So he'd found friends to cover any patients who couldn't be cancelled or any emergencies that came up for the next month. He was catching a plane for New York City this evening.
He'd talked to Detective Ramsey but he couldn't give Nick much information. They'd traced the calls, but they'd all been from pay phones around the city. He suggested leaving a message on Liza's apartment phone, asking her to meet him.
Nick hoped so.
But he was considering hiring a P.I., too. Detective Ramsey had recommended a firm in New York City.
He hurried home after his last patient, excitement building in him. He'd told himself it would take time and require patience, but at least he was finally doing something to bring Liza back into his life.
The love he felt for her was as strong today as it had been the last time he'd seen her. He believed he was a one-woman man, and his one woman was Liza Colton. He'd revise his idea of the perfect future. If she wanted to continue with her career, he'd agree.
As long as she always returned when she finished singing.
That was the important thing.
Sixteen
Liza's indecision was immediately gone. She was going to Saratoga Springs to tell Nick that she was pregnant. She wasn't going to ask for more than he could give, but he had to know about their baby.
Her hand slipped to her stomach, cradling her secret. She'd been making plans in her head, dreaming of the perfect place to raise a child. A house in the country, or in a small town. Somewhere quiet but with cultural advantages. A place just like Saratoga Springs.
But, of course, she couldn't go there if Nick had other plans.
She dismissed the sadness that welled up in her. There were other small towns, and she'd find one.
She jumped up from the bed, then reeled back down. Fast movement and babies didn't seem to go together. Shaking her head, she rose more slowly the next time.
So. If she was going to go, why not now?
After looking up the number, she called the airlines and found one seat available in first class.
Pulling on jeans and a sweatshirt and throwing some clothes in a large shoulder bag, she hurried downstairs and hailed a taxi. In minutes she was on her way to the airport.
When she arrived, she heard the boarding call. "Last call for flight number 48 to Albany, Saratoga Springs and Burlington. All passengers must board now."
Liza raced for the gate weaving her way through the crowds. When she finally sat down in her assigned seat she was aware that her jeans weren't as comfortable as they used to be.
Would Nick be able to tell? Would he guess her secret before she told him? She chuckled at her ridiculous fears. She couldn't even tell when she looked in the mirror. But she spent the short flight obsessing on that anyway.
When the plane landed, she anxiously entered the airport. She had Nick on her mind. The excitement zinging through her veins was almost more than she could bear.
With no luggage to claim, she hurried down the hallway toward the front of the airport, where she'd find a cab. Though she was rushing, she automatically took in the people she passed. It had become habit.
Suddenly, she threw on the brakes as a tall, handsome man with a cleft in his chin hurried past.
"Nick!" she shouted, unable to keep quiet.
There he stood, a few yards away, with a suitcase in his hand. Suitcase? And he was headed for the check-in counter. He was leaving! No, no, he couldn't—
He barely slowed down, throwing a backward glance over his shoulder until he saw her.
He came to a complete halt, staring at her as if he thought she was an illusion. Then he hurriedly looked around him to see if they'd drawn any attention.
Liza's heart fell. He was worried about his reputation. Those awful stories in the newspapers must have caused him problems.
Even as she worried about his reaction, he reached her, but instead of pulling her into his arms, he stood, rigidly staring at her. "What are you doing here?"
She'd hungered for his kiss, his touch, every minute of every day. Apparently, that wasn't true for Nick. Had he already forgotten her? Did he not want her anymore?
"I—I came to see Bonnie. Do you mind?" Her voice was shaking as she waited for his response. She was so disappointed that he was staring at her as if he didn't know her at all. Damn it, he'd held her in his arms and made love to her so many times she'd lost count.
He was frowning more ferociously than ever. "No, I don
't mind," he growled. "Come on, I'll take you there."
"No, you were catching a plane. I don't want you to miss it. I can manage," she assured him, her heart breaking all over again.
Instead of answering, he grabbed her arm and started toward the exit.
"Nick! I told you I can manage. There's no need to—"
He just pulled her through the door to the pavement and hailed a cab, still saying nothing. Well, fine. She didn't want to talk to him either. Not if this was the welcome he was giving her.
* * *
Nick couldn't believe he'd found Liza without ever leaving town. Found her only to hear her say she was coming to visit Bonnie. Hell, he'd been going crazy, not knowing where to find her, yearning to talk with her…to touch her.
If he'd gone with his inclination, he'd have stood her up against a wall and made love to her right there in front of God and everyone. His need for her was so compelling that propriety wasn't important for him. But that need was so much more than sex.
He'd recognized things were different for Liza, as a public figure. And he'd promised himself he'd accept her life as his, doing his best for her, whether it was what he wanted or not. His dream was Liza. Nothing more. So he kept his hands to himself.
She sat next to him in the taxi, her arms folded across her chest, glaring at the back of the driver.
"Did you have a nice flight?" he asked stiffly.
She switched her glare to him. "Fine, thank you."
He ran his tongue over his lips, hoping to still the craving in his gut. The ride to his house had never seemed so long.
"Where were you going?" she asked, staring at the driver again.
He couldn't think of what to say. He wasn't ready to confess how much he needed her. Not in front of the taxi driver. "Uh, I had a consultation."
"For a patient? Tell the driver to turn around. You can still make your flight."
The driver automatically began slowing down to make a U-turn, and Nick ordered him to continue to the address given.
"But, Nick, you're a doctor. You can't—"
"I'll get someone else to cover it." Damn it, all he wanted was to get her to himself, and she kept trying to escape. Had he misjudged everything? Did she not care about him at all?
* * *
"I should have called Bonnie," Liza muttered. She was sure Bonnie would welcome her visit, even if Nick didn't. How could she have been so wrong about him? She'd believed he loved her.
Without saying anything, he took out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Bonnie? I'm coming home." After a pause, he said, "She's with me."
Liza watched his face, hoping his involvement with the phone would keep him from seeing her emotions.
"No, never. But I found her in the airport."
Then he handed the phone to Liza. She softly said hello into the receiver and Bonnie screamed.
"I'm sorry I didn't give you more notice that I was coming to visit you," Liza said.
"You know you don't have to give me warning, lovey. You're always welcome here. How far away are you?"
"A few blocks," Liza said. "I'll see you in a minute."
She handed the phone back to Nick with a murmured thank you. "Perhaps you can take a later flight as soon as you drop me off."
He didn't appear grateful for those words. In fact, his face looked sterner than ever, as if he were irritated by her thoughtfulness. Well, too bad. He obviously didn't want her in his house. She'd be sure she left before he came home.
She bit her bottom lip. She'd hoped she was coming home, that she'd never have to leave him. Not only would she have to leave, but she'd have to do so before he came back.
The taxi stopped in front of his lovely home. Before either of them could emerge, Bonnie flung open the front door and came rushing toward them. Grateful that someone was glad to see her, Liza slid from the taxi and held out her arms for Bonnie's welcoming hug.
All the way to the front door, Bonnie petted and exclaimed over her, telling her how glad she was to see her, how she hoped she'd make it a long stay, how much she'd missed her. All the sentiments she'd hoped to hear from Nick.
And he'd said nothing.
She heard him as he entered the house after her, but she ignored him. He could leave now. Then she could cry on Bonnie's shoulder because he didn't want her.
"Come to the kitchen, lovey. I made some cookies for Nick to take with him and there's plenty left over. You have eaten, haven't you?"
Liza shook her head. "I—I decided at the last minute and I didn't have time—" She must've caught the glare on Nick's face. "I truly have been eating. But I was in a hurry—"
"Now, Nick, don't you fuss at our Liza. She came home, didn't she? I'll fix you some soup and a salad. How about that, lovey? It won't take long."
"I'd love it, Bonnie." She smiled at her friend. "I've missed you so much."
Bonnie stopped to hug her again. "I've missed you, lovey," she assured her.
To Liza's surprise, Nick took her arm. "Fix her dinner, Bonnie, but while you're doing so, Liza and I are going to talk."
His grim expression didn't encourage her any. "But you've got to return to the airport to catch your flight," she insisted.
"What—" Bonnie started to say, but Nick stopped her.
"I'll explain later. Just fix the food," he ordered and pulled Liza after him.
She assumed they'd have their discussion in the den, but he headed straight for the stairs. "Why are we going upstairs?"
No answer.
"Do you want me to collect the things I left behind?" she asked. "You want to erase any hint of my stay? I'm sorry if I've inconvenienced you," she added with a definite snit in her voice. Which was his fault. He didn't have to act like all she'd been was a bother.
He pulled her inside his bedroom and slammed the door behind the two of them. Then, much to her surprise, he wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed her as if he wanted to consume her.
She didn't protest. In fact, for a moment, she forgot all about his bad attitude, since she was so grateful to touch him again. But when he lifted his head, her anger came back.
"Now are you going to catch your plane?"
"No, damn it, I'm not!" He lifted one hand from around her and reached inside his jacket pocket to withdraw his airplane ticket. "Here's the lousy ticket you're so interested in."
She frowned at him, not understanding.
"Take it. Read the destination."
Finally, she did so, still not understanding what he was trying to tell her. Between her heartache and being near him again, she wasn't sure she'd understand anyway.
"Your consultation is in New York City?"
"No," he roared, pulled her tighter against him. "There was no consultation. I was coming to find you."
"You were?" she asked in a whisper, afraid to believe what his words were telling her.
Something in her voice must have encouraged him. "You don't mind, do you?"
With her eyes wide as she devoured the softened expression on his dear face, she said, "No, but you said—"
"Well, damn it! What did you expect me to say? You said you were coming to visit Bonnie, not me!"
"But you were leaving!" she protested.
"To find you!" he repeated.
Realizing they were going in circles, Liza pressed her cheek against his heart, to give her strength, and said, "I wanted to discuss—to talk about the future."
Resting his head against hers, he whispered, "You are my future."
"Oh, Nick!" she exclaimed, tears filling her eyes. "Are you sure? You haven't known me that long, and—"
His lips covered hers again, until she had no breath at all, and no desire to change things as long as he held her in his arms.
When he finally lifted his head once more, he said, "Liza, don't leave me again. I can't survive if you leave me again."
"Oh, Nick, I want to stay forever, but what about…your child?"
"You read those lies?"
"H
e isn't your little boy?"
"No. Daphne just didn't want me to be happy. Even if he were, I wouldn't marry Daphne. Only you, sweetheart. I need you."
His kiss this time involved moving closer to the bed, as well as removing articles of clothing so he could touch her skin. Since she addressed his state of dress also, he felt sure he'd interpreted her reaction correctly. And thanked God for it.
Then they fell to the bed in frenzied haste, each acting as a starving person before a buffet, eager to touch and taste every inch of each other. "Oh, Nick, please!" Liza pleaded as she pulled him closer.
He couldn't resist any request from his beloved Liza. He made them one, his hunger driving him beyond belief. When they finally collapsed against each other, he held her in his arms, struggling to regain his breath. The joy of holding her, feeling her against him, believing they would be together only added to his satisfaction.
But he wanted it in words.
"Liza, I love you. Promise you won't ever leave me again."
Her silence wiped out all that satisfaction, all the dizzying happiness. "Liza?"
"Nick, I—I have to tell you some things."
He raised up on one elbow. "Promise me you won't leave," he repeated. She wasn't looking at him, which worried him even more. "Promise!"
"If you want me to stay, I'll stay."
"You know I want you to stay! Why do you sound like you don't want to?"
"I do!" she cried, meeting his gaze. "I do want to stay. I need to stay," she told him. "I love you, Nick. I'll always love you. But—but I have to tell you something."
"You can have your career, sweetheart. I won't hold you back. I'll do everything I can to help you."
"You want me to sing?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"You have a gift, Liza. I couldn't insist that you walk away from it. It's not my right. If I had my choice, I'd never want you to go anywhere, but you get to make the choices about your career."
To his surprise, she looked relieved. "I thought you might want—A lot of people like the fame that—"
He pulled her against him and kissed her deeply. "I don't care about the fame, sweetheart. I just care about you."
"Oh, Nick, I love you so much."
"I love you, too. Is that it? Have we finished talking? Because I have other things I'd rather be doing, like repeating what we just did. I have a lot of time to make up for."
The Doctor Delivers Page 16
