Nursing in Northlake (At the Altar Book 9) Read online

  He sighed. “A man can hope.”

  “Ever heard the term ‘false hope?’ Because that’s what you have going on there. False hope.”

  “So what kind of questions can I expect?”

  She laughed. “You can expect every question you’ve ever imagined. And then add a few dozen or so.”

  “You’re kidding right?”

  “Kind of, but not really. They’re going to have questions about you. You married their daughter. They’re going to want to know everything they can learn.”

  “This is going to feel like torture, isn’t it?”

  Heidi grinned at him, reaching over to pat his thigh. “You’ll be rewarded with sex with their daughter tonight.”

  He sighed. “I wouldn’t get that if we didn’t go?”

  “Probably not. You wouldn’t have earned it, you see.”

  Slade groaned loudly, but followed the directions of the GPS out of the parking lot and toward Fort Worth. “Fine. I think.”

  “You may sing to me while we drive.”

  “I may?”

  “Oh yes. I like it when you sing to me.”

  “Is that a request or an order?”

  Heidi looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. “I’ve never given a doctor an order in my life! I know better.”

  “Sure you do.”

  When they pulled into her parents’ driveway, Heidi made a face. “Mark is here. He’s probably still laughing at us for getting married sight unseen.”

  “Last laugh is ours, though, because we’re a good match.”

  “Maybe we should pretend not to be.”

  “Not with your parents watching! No, I think we’ll just play it safe.”

  Heidi made a face. “But harassing my brother is so much fun.”

  “Nope. Not with me.”

  “Fine.” They got out and walked around to the back entrance that the family always used. She walked right in, calling out, “We’re here!”

  Her mom came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. She looked Heidi up and down as if trying to decide if she was all right, before grabbing her in a hug. “You’re really all right!”

  Heidi shook her head. “Mom, he’s a good man. I told you that.”

  “I know, but you were also refusing to come see me, so I couldn’t be sure.”

  “I wasn’t refusing to come see you. I moved last weekend, and I moved Miss Molly into the assisted living facility my nursing home runs this weekend. I really couldn’t see you before today. I’ve been really busy.”

  Her mother looked at Slade, looking him up and down. “You don’t seem like a social deviant.”

  “He’s not. I promise.” Heidi reached out to take Slade’s hand, wanting a show of solidarity for her family. “He even helped me move Miss Molly.”

  “Thank you for the dinner invitation, Mrs. Hart. It’s good to finally have a chance to get to know you.”

  Heidi waited for her mother to ask him to call her by her first name, but she didn’t. “Is Dad in the living room?”

  “He’s watching a movie.”

  “We’ll just go say hi to him.” Heidi dragged Slade toward the living room, wondering where Mark was. She knew he was there, just waiting to do something stupid, because that’s how brothers are.

  She sat down on the sofa with Slade beside her, waiting for her dad to pause his movie. “So, the prodigal daughter returns.”

  “Prodigal daughter? Dad, I saw you two weeks ago. It’s not like I left home to join the circus or something.”

  Her dad wasn’t paying any attention to her. His eyes were on Slade. “Tell me about yourself.”

  Slade shrugged. “Not a whole lot to tell. I was born and raised in Boston. My dad died when I was young, and my twin brother and I were brought up by our single mother, who is a nurse. She’s worked in oncology for as long as I can remember.”

  “Is that why you decided you want to be a doctor?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve known since I was a teen that I wanted to help people. I first thought I’d be an oncologist and do my own research on the side, finding the cure for cancer. I realized as soon as I started medical school that I preferred to be around patients rather than test tubes, so I decided on psychiatry. That only lasted for a few months. I find real joy in helping a woman bring a baby into the world, so I stuck with being an OB.”

  Her dad nodded solemnly. “Do you want kids of your own?”

  “At least a dozen.”

  Heidi gasped. “He’s kidding, Dad!” She hissed under her breath, “He’d better be kidding!”

  Slade grinned. “I’d like two or three. Preferably at least one of each.”

  “That sounds more realistic with Heidi for a wife.” Her dad leaned back, still studying Slade as if he was a specimen under a microscope. “Will you care if your wife works, or will she need to stay home?”

  “That’s up to my wife. I know her career is important to her. I can certainly support us if she wants to take a few years off to raise babies, but I wouldn’t have a problem hiring a full-time nanny either. Whatever is best for Heidi.”

  Her dad’s eyes narrowed. “You’re answering everything perfectly. Did Heidi quiz you before you came over?”

  “How could I have done that when I didn’t know what you’d ask?” Heidi asked reasonably. “He’s just a genuinely good guy, Dad.”

  “He’s a doctor. You hate doctors.”

  Heidi shrugged. “I’d never met a doctor like him. He’s pretty special.”

  “Probably only because you’ve never worked with him, so he can hide that side from you.”

  “Stop. He’s a good man. I’m glad I married him.”

  Her dad just nodded. “Okay. Heidi said you live in Southlake?”

  “I do.”

  “Any plans to move out of state?”

  Slade shook his head. “No, I really don’t think I ever will. When I finished med school, I thought about moving back to Massachusetts, but my life is here now. I have a practice that I love. I have an incredible wife. Why would I leave?”

  Her dad nodded. “All right. I’m not convinced, but eventually I might be.”

  “Trust me. He’s a good man. I’ve even been to his office and his patients and staff all seemed to like him.” She started to tell her dad how good he was on a mechanical bull, but that just seemed too fool-hardy. She couldn’t imagine him being impressed by that.

  Mark came in then, sitting on the other side of Heidi. “How’s married life?”

  “Fabulous,” Heidi responded.

  “Really? So your blind date marriage worked out for you?”

  “Better than anything’s worked for you.”

  Mark made a face at her. “Slade, isn’t it?”

  Slade nodded. “And you’re Mark, right?”

  “How’s marriage working for you? I see she’s still alive and all, but you don’t want to kill her?”

  Slade shook his head at his new brother-in-law. “Never occurred to me.”

  “Huh. I’d have killed her. I wanted to kill her when I lived with her.”

  “That’s the sibling thing. I kinda like her.”

  “No accounting for taste,” Mark mumbled.

  Heidi looked at her brother with a sweet smile. “Would you like Dr. Lachele’s phone number? I’m sure she could find someone even for you. She’s a miracle worker after all.”

  “That’s okay. I don’t need to pay to find a date or a wife.”

  “Of course you don’t.” Heidi kept the same sweet smile on her face, knowing it would annoy her brother.

  Mark backed off after that, and they had a nice visit with her family. Slade found that he liked them, much to his surprise. He’d expected to simply tolerate her family with the way her mother kept calling to make sure he hadn’t killed her.

  As they left, they both hugged her parents. “Thanks for supper, Mom. It was nice not having to cook.”

  “I won’t worry as much now. He seems like he’s a good man.”
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  “He is. I promise.” Heidi looked at her dad. “Less worried?”

  “Much. Don’t be strangers.”

  “We won’t.” They walked out to the car, and she collapsed in the passenger seat with a sigh. “That was nerve-wracking. Let’s not do family again any time soon.”

  He grinned. “Michelle and Seth were talking about driving up for Thanksgiving. No family?”

  Heidi shrugged. “I kind of liked Michelle and Seth. Sure, why not? What about your mom? When will I get to meet her?”

  “Maybe we can go to Massachusetts in the spring. It’s beautiful there. I try to go every fall, but I don’t think I can take the time off this year.”

  “Whenever you’re ready.”

  “I really am glad that’s over. Mark didn’t like that we were happy.”

  Heidi shook her head. “That’s not true at all. He just expected it not to work out, and he wasn’t sure how to react when it did. He’s a good brother, and he wants me to be happy. Of course, he has a peculiar way of showing it, but that’s just because he feels like he’s supposed to torment his baby sister.”

  “I’m ready to be home!”

  She nodded. “I’m exhausted. I feel like I could sleep for a week, and we have to go back to work tomorrow. I wish I could call in dead.”

  “But you won’t, because you have a better work ethic than that.”

  “No, I won’t. I just want to.”

  *****

  After work on Monday, Heidi walked over to the assisted living to check on Miss Molly. When she got there, she found Miss Molly at a table playing cards with a group of others, including Miss Opal.

  She waved and walked to the table. “How are my favorite people today?”

  Miss Molly shook her head at her. “Don’t try to lie to us, Heidi. We all know your favorite person is that new doctor of yours.”

  “How do you like it here, Miss Molly?”

  “You should have told me about this place years ago. I love it. I feel like you’ve been holding out on me and trying to keep me from being happy.”

  “I have been telling you about this place for six years!” Heidi responded indignantly.

  “But you never brought me here to see it. If you’d brought me here, then I would have known how wonderful it was. It’s your fault I’ve been alone for the past six years. Go away, Heidi. I don’t need you now.”

  Heidi shook her head, laughing. She leaned down and kissed Miss Molly’s cheek. “I’ll check on you later in the week.”

  Miss Molly’s frail hand came up and hugged Heidi close. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll always be here if you need me.”

  As Heidi left, she smiled to herself. She was both happy and sad. Miss Molly really wouldn’t need her anymore, and she’d miss their friendship, but she knew the older lady would be so much happier where she was. She was already blossoming. Heidi hadn’t seen Miss Molly made up with her hair fixed in years, and she’d looked like she’d spent at least an hour grooming herself. She was where she needed to be.

  She had just reached her car when she got a text from Slade. Delivery. Will be home late. Maybe really late, but she usually goes fast. Miss you.

  Heidi tapped out a quick response, exhausted enough to be just a tiny bit happy to have the house to herself for a bit. I’m eating tacos then. I’ll see you when you get there. Miss you more.

  When she got home, she ate her tacos then took a long hot bath. She didn’t know when to expect Slade, so she was going to plan for an early night. She wasn’t sure she could keep her eyes open anyway. They’d been going a mile a minute since the wedding, and she needed a couple of weekends to rest.

  *****

  Slade was home shortly after nine, and he was surprised to see Heidi already asleep. He smiled, tucking the covers around her more securely before showering and climbing into bed with her. He promised himself they would do nothing at all that weekend. If they received invitations, they would just have to ignore them. He and his wife both needed the time to rest.

  He pulled her against him, knowing by now he wouldn’t wake her if he did. She was a sound sleeper. He kissed her forehead and curled himself around her. He’d never dreamed married life would be so good to him.

  *****

  Heidi wanted to throw her phone across the room when it sounded the alarm the next morning. She’d gone to bed much earlier than usual, but it wasn’t early enough, and she was getting downright grumpy from lack of sleep. She stumbled into the kitchen and started the coffee pot, and then jumped in the shower.

  When she stepped out of the bathroom ten minutes later, Slade was standing there, holding out a cup of coffee as a peace offering. “Mornings are hard.”

  Heidi nodded, sipping on her coffee. “I could use another gallon or two of this stuff today.”

  “Me too. I was surprised you were already asleep when I got home.”

  “What time did you get here? I was in bed around eight. I was so tired I couldn’t keep my eyes open another minute.”

  “Just after nine, and you were out of it. Did you check on Miss Molly?”

  Heidi nodded. “She’s fine. She told me to go away and then said I should have told her about that place years ago, so she could be happy.”

  “Didn’t you?”

  “Oh, I did. You know Miss Molly.”

  He grinned. “I do know her, and I’m not disappointed in that.”

  “How’d your delivery go last night?”

  “Good. It was a boy. Both mother and son are doing well, and he had all ten fingers and all ten toes.”

  She smiled. “How much did he weigh?”

  “Seven pounds eight ounces.”

  “Healthy size.” She finished her coffee and set the mug on the dresser, taking the three steps it took to wrap her arms around him and rest her head against his shoulder. “I don’t want to do anything with anyone else this weekend. Just you and me. And I want to be home ninety-percent of the time.”

  “I was thinking that last night,” Slade said with a smile as his arms closed around her. “When I saw how tired you were, I knew that’s what you needed.”

  “And what do you need?” she asked.

  “I need a weekend at home with my wife. Hopefully, I won’t get called out all weekend. I’m back to having a bunch of patients due all at once.”

  “We’ll make it work either way.”

  She took her mug into the kitchen and poured another cup of coffee, sitting down at the table to enjoy it. “I’m on call this weekend anyway. I hate making plans for call weekends, because I never know when I’m going to have to start calling around for a replacement for someone.”

  “Then we’ll spend as much time as we can at home. I won’t even try to talk you into watching me ride a mechanical bull.”

  “I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest last time you did that. Let’s just never do that again.”

  “Aw. I like it.”

  Heidi sighed. “You’re a grown man now. Imagine the headline. ‘Idiot Doctor Falls Off Mechanical Bull and Breaks Neck.’ What would I tell your mother?”

  He shrugged. “My mom’s seen me do it. She reacted about like you did, actually.”

  “She’s a very smart woman. Neither of us want to see you break yourself for the entertainment of others.”

  “You have no idea how many hours I’ve practiced to get to where I could do that.”

  “I don’t think I even want to know.”

  Slade frowned. “Maybe it’s something you should know. It shows something important about me.”

  Heidi looked at him curiously. “What’s that?”

  “That if I see something I want, I make sure I get it, and it doesn’t matter what kind of personal sacrifice is required of me.” He drained his mug and set it on the table beside him. “And Heidi? I want your love for the rest of my life.” He got up and quietly left the house, leaving her staring after him, her heart pounding in her ears.

  She did love him, and
she’d have told him. Probably. She loved him, but she just didn’t know if she could trust him completely with her heart yet. She needed to figure that out. Soon. Because she had a feeling if she didn’t trust him soon, it would break his heart.

  Chapter Ten

  Heidi and Slade were both home early on Friday. Heidi sank onto the couch and rubbed the back of her neck. “Have you thought about dinner yet?” she asked, yawning. The week had just gotten more and more tiring. Miss Molly was fine, which thrilled her, but she really needed the weekend to just chill.

  He shook his head. “Why don’t we go get something to eat, and then we won’t leave the house again all weekend unless we just have to.”

  “You mean like for groceries?”

  He shrugged. “We’ll get them on our way home. We’re going to lock ourselves in, and unless someone has the audacity to go into labor, you and I are hiding from the whole wide world.”

  “You have no idea how good that sounds.” She walked toward her bedroom. “I’ll go change.”

  He shook his head. “Nope. We’re going to go eat in our scrubs.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we are too tired to care about doing anything else. We’ll go somewhere casual.”

  She considered for a moment and finally nodded. If he didn’t care that she was wearing her pink scrubs and had her hair in a ponytail, then she refused to care either. “Okay, let’s do it.”

  She took the hand he held out for her and they walked out to the car together. She didn’t even try to offer to drive, not because she’d given up on the idea, but because she was much too tired.

  They went to a chain restaurant and had just finished their meal when his phone rang. He sighed. “It’s the hospital.” Swiping his finger across the screen, he answered. “Dr. Henderson.”

  Heidi watched as he responded, wondering how long this delivery would take him. He quickly used the kiosk to pay while he was still talking. “On my way.” He frowned at Heidi. “We have two choices.”

  “Which are?”

  “You can come with me and drive my car home, coming back to pick me up when I’m finished, or you can wait for me there.”

  “I’ll wait.” She knew how he felt about his car, and really, she just didn’t want to try and drive as tired as she was.