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“Dr. Bancroft.” The dark-haired man spoke again.
People flowed in and out of the ER all the time. They tended to remember the doctor who treated them or their loved one, and often expected the same. Normally, he smiled and played along, but right now he had no patience for it. Look, old man, I don’t have time to reminisce about your kidney stones. “Have we met?”
The man extended a hand. “Luc St. Sebastian.”
Shit. He firmed his clasp and shook Arden’s father’s hand. “Good to meet you, sir.”
“Likewise. I understand you know my daughter.”
“I love her.” The words came out in a rush, with absolutely no positioning.
Luc’s smile turned strangely triumphant. “She was wrong. I am right. Children! When will they learn?”
“Excuse me?”
The man waved his hand. “Not important. Arden left for the airport an hour ago to fly home to Montenido. She was under the impression you were not interested in a relationship.”
“She’s wrong. There was a misunderstand—”
Luc closed his eyes and held up his hand, palm out. “I am not the one who requires an explanation. This would be best delivered to her. If you leave right now, you may be able to catch her.”
Nick bolted, then skidded back to the desk to get the box. It took an endless three minutes for the valet to bring his car around, and then a palm-sweating half hour to drive to the airport. He parked the Jeep in the loading zone and ran inside. A scan of the departing flights board narrowed the options to one. Wincing at the time, he jogged to the ticket counter and threw down his credit card, mentally tacking on the cost of getting his car out of impound. “Flight 217 to Los Angeles. No luggage to check.”
The friendly-faced islander gave him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, sir. That flight is closed.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. He sank his hands into his pockets to keep from pounding the counter, and his fingers encountered the box.
Fuck it.
“Put me on the next flight.”
Chapter Sixteen
Home never looked better than after five and a half hours on a sold-out red-eye. Arden trudged through her front door at six in the morning and inhaled deeply. She expected the scent of the ocean and the woodsy smell of the gnarled pines. Those were the perks of living along the coast just south of Montenido. The scent of fresh-brewed coffee came as a surprise, but that was the occasional perk of sharing the beachfront compound with her brother. He—and now Chelsea—lived in the main house next door, but clearly someone had neglected to buy coffee, and with the nearest Starbucks a good thirty miles up the coast in Montenido, a trek across the sand sometimes won out. She didn’t mind. The footprints ran both ways.
She parked her big wheeled bag at the base of the floating staircase leading to the second story, placed her carry-on beside it, plopped her purse on the first stair, and headed through the open living area to her kitchen. On the way, she kicked off her shoes and sank her toes into the shaggy extravagan
ce of the impractical white rug she’d fallen in love with at a Turkish bazaar three years ago.
Falling in love in Maui had proven even more impractical. The ache in her chest served as a constant reminder. Rafe strolled out of the kitchen holding two mugs of coffee. “Welcome home,” he said, and handed her one.
“Thank you.” She took the mug, inhaled deeply, and let the warm, caffeine-laced steam wake her foggy brain. “Coffee machine on strike at home?”
He smiled. “We were out. Chelsea stayed in Montenido last night for a thing at Las Ventanas. I figured I’d sneak over here and borrow a cup. I didn’t expect you back until tomorrow. You look wrung out.”
“Red-eye.” She lifted the mug and took a sip. “This will help.”
“No.” His eyes narrowed. “There’s something else. Something caffeine won’t cure.”
Now it was her turn to narrow her eyes. “Dad contacted you.”
“Mom contacted me. She told me you abandoned her in Maui. She thinks something’s wrong.”
“Yeah, she and Dad are going to have to deal with each other directly for the first time in twenty years.”
His lips quirked. “About time. Good for you. Why don’t you look happier now that you’ve removed yourself from the middle of that train wreck?”
“I’m perfectly happy.” Then, to her horror, she burst into tears.
