Doctor to the Rescue Page 17

  She smiled and folded arms across her chest. “Ian Shupe, you are absolutely adorable in a confounded state.”

  He blinked. She tugged her robe tight and slipped into her foyer, waving toward her country cabin-style seating. “You’ve obviously got something on your mind, so come on in and sit a bit.” She sat and motioned to the place across from her. Rather than sit, he took her hands and pulled her up and very close.

  The surprising motion made her gasp. He held tightly to her hand and gaze. “This might not be the time or the place, and I don’t mean to put you in a position of questioning my propriety, but I’ve just gotta get something off my chest.”

  “Okay. I’m listening.”

  “With your ears or your heart?”

  She blinked. “Both, if you want me to.”

  He nodded, then leaned in without reservation and kissed her softly on the cheek. His lips trailed a breezy path from her cheekbone to her ear. He tightened his hold of her and grinned. “I don’t kiss my friends on the cheek. Ever.”

  She squeezed his hands back. “Okay. So...”

  “So, I don’t know what else to say except I need you to hang in there with me.”

  She nodded. Then, to his surprise and delight, pulled her hands from his and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug so strong no distance remained between them, emotionally or physically. “Ian, I’m not going anywhere. Unless it’s with you.”

  “But I’ve been—”

  “I don’t care. None of that matters now.” She leaned into his embrace, his vulnerability, his strength. “I’m right here.”

  He folded his hand in a clutch and pressed it to his chest. “You’re right here, too. Deep in my heart.”

  If Mitch could hear this, he’d razz Ian big-time. Tell him to go audition for writing greeting cards or something. But Ian didn’t care. She needed to know how he felt. Last thing he wanted to do was lose her over a misunderstanding.

  He felt sudden moisture against his face. He leaned back. His chest felt cracked in two at her tears. “You’re crying.”

  She shook her head and smiled so sweet and so brightly, he wouldn’t have been surprised to see her silly bird-clock come to life behind her. “I’m happy. Overwhelmed with joy. Surprised. Scared, but willing. You don’t know how much I care about you, Ian. And Tia? She’s icing on the cake.”

  He smiled. “You seemed so unsure when you saw Clara at the door earlier. I needed to come reassure you.”

  She smiled. “Believe me, I’m reassured. I’m glad you’re reaching out to her. We had a heart-to-heart. She knows, well, that we’re slightly more than friends.”

  “I’m glad you could finally admit that.” He grinned. Wanted to kiss her for real. But it was late, the hallway dark. “So, forward?”

  Without hesitation, she hugged him. “Forward.”

  He gave himself over to the hug, surprised at the feelings that crackled between them. Took everything in him not to follow through on that kiss.

  He almost succeeded in resisting, too. Until she tilted her beautiful face up with the lush smile and killer eyes that got him every time. Why bother fighting it?

  Just as Ian dipped his head to kiss Bri, his pager went off. He seriously thought about tossing it in the lake.

  He sighed, taking in Bri’s ruddy cheeks and winsome eyes. He read the message of an incoming air trauma. “I can honestly say this is one time I wish I weren’t a doctor. Too many interruptions of important things.” He brushed a tender gaze along her face, down her chin and back up. “But I’m hoping you’ll give me a rain check of this very moment?”

  Her eyes looked both apprehensive and hopeful. “Maybe at the New Year’s dance?”

  Her words held question and answer, promise and faith, and he found himself peering past her long lashes and drawn to drown in the bliss of blue. Stunning shape and color, yes, but even more magnetic was the sensation that literal hope glittered at him through her lovely eyes.

  * * *

  He’d almost kissed her! Bri fairly floated to the doorway of her bedroom. She tucked Mistletoe’s blanket up under his chin and he fell instantly back to sleep. “You sleep as much as a newborn.”

  Her phone rang. She smiled to see Ian’s gorgeous grin gracing her smart screen. “Hello?”

  “Hey.” Bri could hear the smile in his voice. “I’m kind of in a bind. Clara has to answer the pages now, too.”

  Bri leaped up. “Oh! I’ll run and get Tia.”

  “Thanks, Bri. I knew I can count on you. If you would just take Tia to my house so she can sleep in her own bed? I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.”

  “I don’t know how you function, Ian.”

  “It’s called power naps. I slept for several hours today.”

  “Okay. That makes me feel better.” Bri slipped her shoes on and dashed across the trauma center lot, Ian still on the phone.

  “I want to make sure those coyotes don’t get ya.”

  She smiled. “I have a high-caliber flashlight. But I do admit I’ll be glad when I am able to drive again.”

  “A few weeks. In the meantime, feel free to crash at my place whenever I have to call you over to watch Tia in the middle of the night. Clean linens and extra blankets are in the second hall closet.”

  “I can manage. I see the helicopter approaching the trauma center, so I’ll let you go.” She hung up, realizing he hadn’t wanted to get off the phone any more than she did.

  Bri met Clara in the brick-lined asphalt driveway. Tia was asleep in her arms. “Thank you, Bri. I didn’t even think about this.”

  “Not a problem. I’m happy to help.”

  “On the upside, Tia has some nice new outfits and a few more noisy toys to drive her dad crazy with.” Clara carried Tia into Ian’s living room and set her on the couch.

  Bri smiled. “I guarantee he’ll send all the noisy toys to my house.”

  Clara grinned and threw her stethoscope around her neck. “Well, when you move in here after you and Ian get married, you’ll have your just revenge.”

  Bri felt her eyes bug. She shook her head. “I can see that Kate has gotten to you.”

  Clara peered out Ian’s back French doors. “There’s the chopper. I better get over there.”

  After Clara left, Bri went to move Tia to her room. She realized she couldn’t lift her safely with her arm, hence the reason Clara had carried Tia in.

  Bri pulled blankets and pillows out and made herself a pallet on the opposite end of the couch. Tia blinked groggy eyes at her, then snuggled up close, tucking her hair under Bri’s chin.

  As Tia’s tiny arms wound around Bri’s neck, maternal instincts roared to life in Bri. She kissed Tia on the forehead and smoothed hair out of her eyes. “I love you, sweetness,” she whispered.

  Tia’s arms tightened around her neck. “I’m praying hard for you to be my new mom.”

  Bri closed her eyes and hugged Tia tight, knowing she was praying the same exact prayer. Bri attempted to stay awake, but sleep beckoned and she drifted off, still snuggled with a little fairy girl.

  * * *

  Ian had never seen a more beautiful, touching sight. Bri slept with Tia next to her heart. Tia’s head rested on Bri’s shoulder and Bri’s chin against Tia’s head. They both slept deeply, Bri with a bit of a snore.

  He smiled. Took out his phone and snapped a photo. He’d make Bri a memory book for Valentine’s Day.

  He marveled at the closeness his daughter and Bri shared. Tia responded to Bri like no one else. Not even Kate had managed that kind of rapport in so little time.

  Ian reached a hand out and tugged a church bulletin from the Bible Bri must’ve brought over and left open. He noted the service times and his promise to Tia to help her make friends.

  Ian knew the Lord
was the best friend to have. In that moment, he determined in his heart to bring her to church, starting this Sunday. To make sure she grew up knowing God and having faith that would sustain no matter what. Ian settled back into his recliner, knowing there were only a couple more hours until sunrise. No sense in waking Bri now. He’d let her sleep.

  In fact, he felt drowsy, too. He leaned back and closed his eyes. A sound opened his eyes.

  Tia was awake and standing at the foot of his recliner. “Bri snores. I can’t sleep around it.” She scowled groggily.

  Ian chuckled. “Would you like to climb up here with me?”

  She blinked tentatively at the couch and Bri. Ruddy noises vibrated from her throat now. Tia looked back at Ian and nodded. “Yes. I’m a sleepy bug.”

  “That’s okay. It’s still early.” It was the greatest feeling in the world when Tia reached out her hands to be lifted up. He pulled her close and she didn’t stiffen. Better still, she rested her head on his shoulder. Within a few minutes, little snoring sounds breezed out of her, too.

  Ian smiled. Tia and Bri were so much alike he could see how people would mistake them for mother and daughter. Bri would make a wonderful, caring mom. And an amazing wife.

  Ian closed his mind from the thought, but didn’t dare give in to sleep. He held Tia tighter and relished the closeness while he could. It seemed she was warming up to him and trusting more. Hopefully this wasn’t just nighttime stupor and desperation for sleep that caused Tia to come close to him.

  He put his hand on her back and wished again like crazy he was a praying-out-loud kind of man.

  If you were, what would you say?

  The thought popped into his head. He cleared his throat and needed to get the words out.

  “I’d say thank you for giving her to me. I’d say watch over her and keep her safe. Let her know how much I love her.” He brushed Tia’s hair aside and breezed a kiss on her forehead.

  “Wuv you, too, Daddy,” Tia murmured in a groggy voice, and hugged him tighter around the neck.

  The worst day in the world could not strip Ian’s smile or stop joy from detonating inside. Three sweet words. “Thank you,” Ian said to them both.

  A sense of peace descended like the snow had last week over Eagle Point and all its farmland. God had taken his words like an offering and counted them as a prayer.

  Ian swallowed when Tia snuggled even closer. He wanted to pray aloud again, but didn’t want to wake her. In his head, he said, Thank You. Forgive me for my anger these past months. I was wrong about You. I want to know and love You rightly. To have a thankful heart instead of a hateful one.

  After praying, Ian wondered if he should have gone ahead and said it out loud. Tia needed to see him living for God.

  He’d picked up a Bible for himself when he’d gotten Tia one. Ian realized he’d been approaching God with the same mistrust Tia had for him. He’d been flailing against God, only no purple tutu. Just flat-line faith and doubt and disillusionment. He’d been swirling in it so long, he felt as if his life had turned into a toilet.

  I want to be the kind of man she can look up to. A man worthy of the honor and respect I see in Bri’s eyes, even when I’m grouchy. I really don’t understand why I do that. But I know I want to change. “And one last thing. When Tia’s sixteen, help me not punch out the first guy who shows up at the door. Amen.”

  Of all the things Ian was looking forward to, his daughter’s first date definitely wasn’t it.

  There was one date he was looking forward to, however.

  The New Year’s Eve bash in downtown Eagle Point, where he had the pleasure of accompanying the most beautiful woman in town.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Wow. Total stunner.

  Ian took in Bri’s sparkly silver-and-sapphire sequined dress when she answered the door the next evening.

  Kate had caught wind of Ian picking Bri up and had picked Tia up early from Bri’s, saying she wanted to take her shopping for a special New Year’s Eve dress.

  Ian had the feeling Kate was arranging a matchmaking plan, however. This time, he couldn’t say he minded.

  “Wow. Don’t you look handsome.” Bri ran a hand along Ian’s tuxedo lapel and met his eyes with a smile. “Very nice.”

  He smiled and ran his gaze from her classy coifed hair to her high-heeled shoes. No clue how she planned to dance in them, but the way they complimented her already attractive legs made him not care one iota. “Shall we?” He took her hand and led her down the steps.

  “Your hair is gorgeous like that, Bri.”

  Her cheeks tinged. “Thank you. Clara came over and fixed it for me.”

  “I knew she’d left a little early.”

  “I hope you all don’t get called in to work tonight.”

  “We brought some rent-a-docs and nurses in. No one in Refuge or Eagle Point wants to miss this night.”

  “I so wish Mama could see it. To know how two communities plus a military base and a Guard unit came together this week to save the lodge.” Bri’s eyes turned glassy and he knew she fought bittersweet joy and tears. He squeezed her hand, just now realizing he still held it on the way to his car.

  He helped her inside, tucking her black, fringy shawl over her shoulder so it wouldn’t get caught in the door. His fingers brushed her shoulder and their eyes met.

  He wasn’t in any hurry to move his gaze or his fingers. “You look lovely. Absolutely stunning.”

  Now her face flamed red. “Thank you. You’re quite the looker yourself, all gussied up in that tux.”

  He grinned the entire walk to his truck’s driver’s side and drove as slow as possible to the dance. Once they got among the crowd, everyone would swarm her since her lodge was essentially the reason for the party. So for the few moments’ drive into town, he wanted her all to himself.

  The crowd converged on their car as if they were Hollywood A-list actors and the crowd were paparazzi, minus the cameras. Instead of being inundated with flash photography, she was engulfed in hugs instead.

  Ian chuckled at the exuberance of the town. Since Kate and Tia weren’t scheduled to be here for another twenty minutes, Ian wove through the mingling crowd and took in all the merriment and sparkly decor.

  The band was gearing up to play, but for now lively carnival-style music blared from overhead speakers. Lights were strung from one end of the square to the other, and met in the middle over a huge welded truss that made the square seem covered in light. Faux ivory with white lights twined through it covered the brick columns in the square’s enormous octagon patio.

  As Ian approached what had to be a special children’s section, kid-friendly music thumped from speakers there. A smaller stage and a table with judging chairs sat in preparation for a kids’ dance contest.

  Meanwhile, several huge cardboard silver-and-gold stars leaned against the walls, where kids would run to them and spin them round and round. Then the announcer would choose a number and the child with that numbered star would win a prize. Ian smiled that there were enough stars to last the evening and enough prizes that all children would get at least one. Bri would love this. Ian peered around, but she had disappeared in the festivities.

  His phone vibrated. “Hello?”

  “Guess what?”

  Ian was surprised to hear Tia’s voice excitedly on the line. “What?”

  “I got fairy wings with my new dress! It’s rainbow and sparkly!”

  “How exciting! I’m sure you look lovely in it. I can’t wait to see it. Are you having fun with Kate?”

  “Yes, but I miss Bri and wish she was here.”

  He knew the feeling. He looked around, but she was nowhere in sight. “I gotta go,” Tia was saying. “We gotta get shoes.”

  “You have a new pair of sandals.”

  “
Not for me, silly. Kate needs shoes.”

  Ian knew about Kate’s shoe addiction and laughed. “Somehow I highly doubt that. But have fun shopping, anyway.”

  “We will. She says to hush and we’ll see you in ten.”

  Ian chuckled. “See you in ten.” Ian hung up and went to the food tables. Colorful appetizers and finger foods were displayed banquet-style on catering tables. “I heard they donated this food for free,” a pleasant voice said behind him.

  He turned, an instant smile on his face. Bri. She plucked an olive and a piece of cheese off his plate. “You weren’t planning to eat without me, were you?”

  He grinned. “I don’t know. I wasn’t sure I’d see you again this evening.”

  Mischief sparked in her eyes. “Are you kidding? I’ve been asked to dance by the cutest guy here. No way am I missing out on that.”

  He felt his ears grow warm. He looked around and feigned ignorance. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

  “You, silly.” She sidled up next to him and peered at his plate. “Whatcha got there?”

  “Caleb warned me about you.” He nodded to the clean plates. “How about you get your own?”

  She plucked an oval cracker and dipped it in a spoonful of soft cheese he’d put on his plate. “It’s more fun to share.”

  He swerved his plate away playfully. “You mean steal?”

  She giggled and went for her own plate, but his hand stopped hers. “Actually, I’d rather share.” He let her put items on his plate, then led her to one of several dozen white wrought-iron tables at the west end of the square. “Sweet tea?” he asked, the drink she liked.

  “You know it.” She tugged her shawl over her cast and smiled. He knew she had a follow-up appointment coming and hoped things were healing well. Seemed to be.

  Ian brought back their drinks and sat across from her, just then realizing how small the tables were. His knees brushed hers. “Sorry.” He gave her a wry grin but didn’t try to find a better way to sit. He loosened his tie and considered moving his knees, since the silky feel of her leg was wreaking utter havoc with his senses. “Where’s Tia?”