Under the Knife

by Tess Gerritsen

  “Dr. Chesne?” A nurse appeared in the doorway. “Are you ready to go back to your room?”

  “Yes,” Kate answered. “I think I’d like to sleep.”

  “You do look tired.” The nurse glanced at David. “Maybe it’s time you left, sir.”

  “No,” said David, suddenly drawing himself to his full height.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m not going to leave. Not yet.” He looked long and hard at Kate. “Not until I’ve finished making a fool of myself. So could you leave us alone?”

  “But, sir—”

  “Please.”

  The nurse hesitated. Then, sensing that something momentous was looming in the balance, she retreated from the solarium.

  Kate was watching him, her green eyes filled with uncertainty. And maybe fear. He reached down and gently touched her face.

  “Tell me again what you just said,” he murmured. “That you have nothing to keep you here.”

  “I don’t. What I mean is—”

  “Now tell me the real reason you want to leave.”

  She was silent. But he saw the answer in her eyes, those soft and needy eyes. What he read there made him suddenly shake his head in wonder. “My God,” he muttered. “You’re a bigger coward than I am.”

  “A coward?”

  “That’s right. So am I.” He turned away and with his hands in his pockets began to wander restlessly around the room. “I didn’t plan to say this. Not yet, anyway. But here you’re talking about leaving. And it seems I don’t have much of a choice.” He stopped and looked out the window. Outside, the world had gone silvery. “Okay.” He sighed. “Since you’re not going to say it, I guess I will. It’s not easy for me. It’s never been easy. After Noah died, I thought I’d taught myself not to feel. I’ve managed it up till now. Then I met you and…” He shook his head and laughed. “God, I wish I had one of Charlie Decker’s poems handy. Maybe I could quote a few lines. Anything to sound halfway intelligible. Poor old Charlie had that much over me: his eloquence. For that I envy him.” He looked at her and a half smile was on his lips. “I still haven’t said it, have I? But you get the general idea.”

  “Coward,” she whispered.

  Laughing, he went to her and tilted her face up to his. “All right, then. I love you. I love your stubbornness and your pride. And your independence. I didn’t want to. I thought I was going along just fine on my own. But now that it’s happened, I can’t imagine ever not loving you.” He pulled away, offering her a chance to retreat.

  She didn’t. She remained perfectly still. Her throat seemed to have swollen shut. She was still clutching the little box of candy, trying to convince herself it was real. That he was real.

  “It won’t be easy, you know,” he said.

  “What won’t?”

  “Living with me. There’ll be days you’ll want to wring my neck or scream at me, anything to make me say ‘I love you.’ But just because I don’t say it doesn’t mean I don’t feel it. Because I do.” He let out a long sigh. “So. I guess that’s about it. I hope you were listening. Because I’m not sure I could come up with a repeat performance. And damned if this time I forgot to bring my tape recorder.”

  “I’ve been listening,” she replied softly.

  “And?” he asked, not daring to let his gaze leave her face. “Do I hear the verdict? Or is the jury still out?”

  “The jury,” she whispered, “is in a state of shock. And badly in need of mouth-to-mouth—”

  If resuscitation was what he’d intended, his kiss did quite the opposite. He lowered his face to hers and she felt the room spin. Every muscle of her neck seemed to go limp at once and her head sagged back against the chair.

  “Now, fellow coward,” he murmured, his lips hovering close to hers. “Your turn.”

  “I love you,” she said weakly.

  “That’s the verdict I was hoping for.”

  She thought he would kiss her again but he suddenly pulled away and frowned. “You’re looking awfully pale. I think I should call the nurse. Maybe a little oxygen—”

  She reached up and wound her arms around his neck. “Who needs oxygen?” she whispered, just before his mouth settled warmly on hers.

  EPILOGUE

  THERE WAS A brand-new baby visiting the house, a fact made apparent by the indignant squalls coming from the upstairs bedroom.

  Jinx poked her head through the doorway. “What in heaven’s name is the matter with Emma now?”

  Gracie, her mouth clamped around a pale pink safety pin, looked up helplessly from the screaming infant. “It’s all so new to me, Jinx. I’m afraid I’ve lost my touch.”

  “Your touch? When were you ever around babies?”

  “Oh, you’re right.” Gracie sighed, tugging the pin out of her mouth. “I suppose I never did have the touch, did I? That explains why I’m doing such a shoddy job of it.”

  “Now, dear. Babies take practice, that’s all. It’s like the piano. All those scales, up and down, every day.”

  Gracie shook her head. “The piano’s much easier.” Resignedly, she stuffed the safety pin back between her lips. “And look at these impossible diapers! I just don’t see how anyone could poke a pin through all that paper and plastic.”

  Jinx burst out in hoots of laughter, so loud that Gracie turned bright red with indignation. “And exactly what did I say that was so funny?” Gracie demanded.

  “Darling, haven’t you figured it out?” Jinx reached out and peeled open the adhesive flap. “You don’t use pins. That’s the whole point of disposable diapers.” She looked down in astonishment as baby Emma suddenly let out a lusty howl.

  “You see?” sniffed Gracie. “She didn’t like your pun, either.”

  * * *

  A LEAF DRIFTED down from the monkeypod tree and settled beside the fresh gathering of daisies. Chips of sunlight dappled the grass and danced on David’s fair hair. How many times had he grieved alone in the shade of this tree? How many times had he stood in silent communion with his son? All the other visits seemed to blend together in a gray and dismal remembrance of mourning.

  But today he was smiling. And in his mind, he could hear the smile in Noah’s voice, as well.

  Is that you, Daddy?

  Yes, Noah. It’s me. You have a sister.

  I’ve always wanted a sister.

  She sucks the same two fingers you did….

  Does she?

  And she always smiles when I walk in her room.

  So did I. Remember?

  Yes, I remember.

  And you’ll never forget, will you, Daddy? Promise me, you’ll never forget.

  No, I’ll never forget. I swear to you, Noah, I will never, ever forget….

  David turned and through his tears he saw Kate, standing a few feet away. No words were needed between them. Only a look. And an outstretched hand.

  Together they walked away from that sad little patch of grass. As they emerged from the shade of the tree, David suddenly stopped and pulled her into his arms.

  She touched his face. He felt the warmth of the sun in her fingertips. And he was healed.

  He was healed.

  * * * * *

  Deeply Moving

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  SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM

  Noah Scott’s inherited a fortune from his biological father, who was murdered. With his best friend Rachel’s help, Nick must find the killer, but will her secrets destroy their growing attraction?

  Read on for a sneak peek at

  HEIR TO MURDER

  the latest in New York Times bestselling author Elle James’s

  The Adair Affair series

  Tonight, Rachel would tell him the truth. If he couldn’t forgive her or trust her after that, well then, that was the end of the time she’d spend with him. She swallowed hard on the lump forming in her throat. She hoped and prayed it wouldn’t come to that. In the meantime, she would look her best to deliver her confession.

  In her bathroom, she touched up the curls in her hair with a curling iron, applied a light dusting of blush to her cheeks to mask their paleness and added a little gloss to her lips.

  Dressing for her confession was more difficult. What did one wear to a declaration of wrongdoing? She pulled a pretty yellow sundress out of the closet, held it up to her body and tossed it aside. Too cheerful.

  A red dress was too flamboyant and jeans were too casual. She finally settled on a short, black dress with thin straps. Though it could be construed as what she’d wear to her own funeral, it hugged her figure to perfection and made her feel a little more confident.

  As she held the dress up to her body, a knock sounded on the door.

  “Just a minute!” she called out. Grabbing the dress, she unzipped the back and stepped into the garment. “I’m coming,” she said, hurrying toward the door as she zipped the dress up.

  She opened the door and her breath caught.

  Noah’s broad shoulders filled the doorway. Wearing crisp blue jeans and a soft blue polo shirt that matched his eyes and complemented his sandy blond hair, he made her heart slam hard against her chest and then beat so fast she thought she might pass out. “I’m sorry. I was just getting dressed and I haven’t started the grill…”

  He stepped through the door and closed it behind him. “My fault. I finished my errands earlier than I expected. I could have waited at a park or stopped for coffee, but…I wanted to see you.”

  “Hey, yourself. I’m glad you came early.” And she was. The right clothes, food and shoes didn’t mean anything when he was standing in front of her, looking so handsome.

  He leaned forward, his head dropping low, his lips hovering over hers. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her…

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  Copyright ©2015 by Elle James

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  ISBN-13: 9781460390818

  Under the Knife

  Copyright © 2015 by Tess Gerritsen

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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