Page 8 of The Specialist

“She has history. It makes her wary.”

“I don’t want to be part of her past. I want to be her future.”

He sighed. “It isn’t my story to tell. Raven told you to be honest with your feelings. Have you done that?”

“No. I worry if I do, she will refuse to see me. At least now, even if she suspects, she is part of my life.”

“You can’t keep going like that, Egan.” He paused. “She went through some bad stuff. More than once. I’m not sure she can risk her heart again. Even if she wants to.”

“No,” I said emphatically. “This is different.”

“I’m not sure she agrees.”

I rubbed my aching temples, not wanting to discuss it any further. “How is Raven?”

His woman had been stalked by a madman. A highly clever one. It took us a while to find the perp, and he had kidnapped her before we were able to identify him. We got her back safely, but Raven had found it hard to move past what had happened, and she and Damien had moved to the island, where she felt protected again.

“She is doing really well. The longer we’re here, the better she is. She’s busy with the children and teaching. She smiles all the time,” he said, his voice filled with affection.

“Have you asked her to marry you yet?”

“Yes. But we’re not in a hurry. My mom is having hip surgery in a few months and can’t travel until she heals, so we’re going to wait. I would really like her here for it. Raven is wearing my ring, so I’m happy. We’re committed to each other, and it’s a formality, really. She is already mine.”

“Lucky man,” I mumbled.

“Bring Sofia and come for a visit soon,” he insisted. “This place is magical.”

I hung up and sat lost in thought. It felt as if I needed more than magic to make Sofia love me.

I needed a miracle.

* * *

I dozed some, made up the waffle batter, letting it sit as I drove to get Sofia. She was waiting outside, under the entrance. It was overcast and drizzling, the gray of the day matching my mood. She was quiet as she got in the car, and I handed her a cup of coffee. “Decaf,” I explained. “So you can sleep after breakfast.”

“I’ll only take a nap,” she replied. “I’m off for the next few days, so I want to be able to sleep tonight.”

I glanced at her, something in her voice off.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded, her gaze focused out the window.

“Long night,” was all she said.

Needing to touch her, I reached over and wrapped my hand around hers that was resting on her thigh. I squeezed her fingers and began to pull back. She shocked me when she grabbed my hand, holding tight. I was even more shocked when I saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes that she tried to hide from me. I had rarely seen Sofia cry. Once when she’d treated Missy, Marcus’s woman, and listened to her ordeal, and once when Damien left. It hurt my chest to see her tears.

I held her hand in mine. “Did you lose a patient?” I asked quietly, knowing how deeply that affected her.

“No.”

I left it alone, knowing if she wanted to talk, she would. Back at the apartment, she showered and once again donned a shirt of mine. I made the waffles she liked, watching helplessly as she pushed them around her plate, barely tasting them. I was on edge after my conversation with Damien, and I leaned over, pushing her hair away from her face.

“You didn’t lose a patient, but something happened.” I studied her eyes. There was an expression on her face and a look in her eyes I had never seen before. “Tell me.”

“I helped work on a couple that came in after a car accident. Not my patient, but Dan needed another set of hands. The passenger died. The driver, Ann, survived.”

“Spouses?” I asked.