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At ten o’clock,Vivian grabbed her medical bag and tiptoed toward the front door. She was never going to sleep if she didn’t know for sure her patient was okay. She was very close to the front door. Two more steps…
“Viv?” Annie called from the kitchen. “I’ve just made hot chocolate. Want some?” Her sister appeared in the doorway, holding a mug.
“I’m going out quickly.”
Annie cocked her head. “What’s going on? You’ve hardly spoken at dinner. You seem… rattled, not something that ever happens.”
Resigned, Vivian rubbed her face. Annie wasn’t going to stop asking questions until Vivian answered her. “Janice O’Sullivan was at the hospital today, insisting I have a look at her godson’s foot. I thought he was a little boy. Turns out he’s a grown man.”
After a stunned silence, Annie burst out laughing. “Ah, I think I understand what’s going on here. He’s attractive, I take it? That would explain your whole manner.”
Vivian gnashed her teeth. She didn’t need any reminders of exactly how handsome Janice’s godson was. With dark blond, longish, curly hair swept back, blue Chris Pine eyes, a hint of stubble around his mouth, broad shoulders, muscled legs, he was drop-dead, toe-curling gorgeous. Not that she’d ever tell Annie that. “That’s not the point,” she finally got out. “He’s a big baby and a reporter to boot, she’d told me. I don’t know what he’s done to hurt himself; his foot isn’t even swollen. Probably looking for a story and wasting my time.”
Annie’s eyes widened. “Shame, Viv—don’t tell me you didn’t help him?”
“I asked the nurse to take him for X-rays and give him Tylenol, but apparently he left without waiting for it.”
“I suppose you did that ice-queen thing you do.”
“What ice-queen thing?”
“You know what I’m talking about. So, where are you going now?”
Vivian sighed. “I’m taking some pills and gel to Janice to give to him.”
Annie’s mouth twitched.
“It’s not funny!” Vivian turned around and stormed out of the house.
She dearly loved her sister and brother, but ever since they’d arrived in Marietta about a year ago, the three of them had moved into the house Annie had bought. The idea had been they would stay with Annie while the house was being renovated and turned into a B and B. She didn’t have a problem living with her siblings if only Annie would stop pestering her to date. Frankly, getting out of the freezing cold and cuddling up with a book in bed was infinitely more interesting, stimulating, and far less boring than dressing up after a long day at work, getting out in the cold again, just to listen to another man rambling about his misfortunes.
She was doing this for Janice, not the godson. The fact that he was ridiculously attractive had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Chapter Two
After tossing andturning for about half an hour, Aiden got up. He should’ve taken the damn pills. The throbbing in his foot wasn’t easing up. He’d waited until Aunt Janice went to bed before he’d put an ice pack on his foot, but he wasn’t going to fall asleep. Hopefully, there would be pills in one of the kitchen cupboards he could take for the discomfort.
He’d also made up his mind he was flying back to Portland tomorrow. This whole trip had been a ridiculous idea from the start. If Steward, his boss, hadn’t heard him repeating the words Valentine’s ball a couple of times while talking to Aunt Janice, he’d still be in Portland, chasing down meaningful stories…
Rubbing his chest, he switched on the kitchen light. The truth was, he hadn’t written a good story since… He didn’t know when. Whether he’d lost interest or whether he’d become so detached from the overload of pain and suffering around him, he didn’t know, but lately he hadn’t found anything even remotely interesting to write about.
His phone rang. It was Riley, his sister. Grimacing, he answered the call.
“Craig called you?” he asked.
“Aunt Janice actually. I heard about the beautiful, sexy doctor. Oh, and your poor ankle, of course.”
Opening cupboard doors, he cussed under his breath. “My ankle is fine. If I can just get some Tylenol.”
“Are you okay? You haven’t been yourself since… well, since the incident with that poor girl. I haven’t seen anything you’ve written in the paper for a while. Talk to me.”
Aiden sighed. “I’m thinking of doing something entirely different. Journalism has lost its appeal.”
Riley inhaled audibly. “Don’t you dare. Ever since I can remember, writing was what you’ve wanted to do with your life. You couldn’t wait to get started after your studies. I still remember how excited and bright-eyed you were when you got your job at one of the biggest newspapers in Portland.”
Grimacing, he poured himself a glass of water. There weren’t any pills; he’d have to try and sleep without them.
“Yeah, well, look how that turned out.”
