Ronald’s caregiver greeted us at the door wearing a set of pink scrubs. Glossy brown shoulder-length hair and curtain bangs framed a heart-shaped face. She looked thirty at most.
“He’s taken a turn,” the young woman said, appearing defeated. “I’ve tried everything to rouse him.”
He patted her on the shoulder. “You’ve done well, Kayla. I’ll take it from here.”
Kayla’s gaze flitted to me. “I can stay to assist you.”
“No need. Maya is here to help.”
Kayla’s hands curled into loose fists. “No offense, but Maya works security. What does she know about healing?”
“You’d be surprised.” He aimed a smile at me. “She’s a woman of many hidden talents.”
Kayla didn’t seem to appreciate his response. She appeared one jerky motion shy of kicking me in the shins. I wanted to assure her that I had no interest in the good doctor, but I couldn’t think of a way of sharing that information without making the moment more awkward than it already was. For an intelligent druid, Dr. Adam seemed oblivious to the hostile undertones. Typical man.
“Did you and Kayla date?” I asked, once she’d gathered her belongings and left the condo in a huff.
“No, why do you ask?”
“She seemed unhappy that I was staying with you instead of her.”
“Kayla is dedicated to her job. If she felt threatened, I’m sure that’s the reason.”
I doubted very much that was the reason. “Maybe you could try viewing her in a different light? She’s pretty, and obviously good at her job.”
He gave me a blank look. “View her in a different light for what purpose?”
Oh boy. “Dating her.”
The druid glanced at the door through which she’d departed. “I haven’t thought of her that way.”
“You should. I bet you have a lot in common.” If they played All Alike, they’d probably discover they were both raised by wonderful parents and had no emotional scars whatsoever. Two peas in an unimpaired pod. Lucky them.
“Differences can be healthy too,” Dr. Adam said. “Studies show that differences between romantic partners can be complementary and actually strengthen their relationship. They remain strongly connected while maintaining their individual identities.”
Vale’s ice-blue eyes flashed in my mind, and I immediately yanked down the mental curtain. Vale was not an option either. Besides, he was an insufferable demigod. Even if he was an option, our prickly bits would rub each other raw.
My vision shifted from Vale’s eyes to his broad shoulders. Suddenly rubbing each other raw didn’t seem as horrible as it sounded.
“No,” I said aloud.
Dr. Adam shot me a curious look. “Sorry?”
I cleared my throat. “Stubbed my toe.”
“Let me know if you need my healing hands. They’re available to you as soon as we finish with Ronald.”
As skilled as he was, Dr. Adam’s healing hands wouldn’t be enough to fix what ailed me. Even if I decided to practice my emotional exercises on him, it wouldn’t end well, and then what? We’d both be stuck on a small island, desperately trying to avoid each other for eternity. It wouldn’t be fair if he felt the need to leave the Neighborhood for a job elsewhere, and I couldn’t leave Evermore even if I wanted to.
Dr. Adam knocked gently on Ronald’s bedroom door. “Ronald, it’s Dr. Adam and I’m back with Maya August. You remember her, don’t you? Acting director of security.”
I stood awkwardly by the doorway while the druid checked Ronald’s vitals. I focused my attention on the various framed photographs on Ronald’s dresser. I wasn’t into elves, but it was a fact universally acknowledged that young Ron was a looker.
“He traveled a lot,” I said, noting a young Ron grinning for the camera at the mouth of a volcano.
“Yes, he’s shared amazing stories. He’s been to all seven continents.”
“Impressive.” I observed the nondescript elf in the bed. I would’ve bet good money he was a homebody. My instincts had grown dull on Evermore.
