AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her aunt was fishing to find out if she knew Egan’s plans. Since she didn’t, Alana just shrugged. That gesture seemed to be all that was needed to get Loralee to continue.
“Of course, I can understand why Egan would be hesitant to show up,” Loralee continued. “Tilly doesn’t know the details of how and why Jack died.”
The last part was true. Tilly didn’t know, and as far as Alana knew, neither did anyone else in town other than Egan, Loralee and her. And Loralee only knew a fraction of it because in the horrible hours after the notification, Alana had mentioned that Jack had been on a non-duty visit to see Egan. Her aunt had kept that detail to herself.
“Jack wouldn’t have been in that awful place if it hadn’t been for Egan,” Loralee added.
No shrug from Alana this time. She couldn’t sit still and just ignore her aunt’s bashing of Egan. “If Jack hadn’t been there, it’s just as likely he would have been in an equally awful place or worse,” Alana pointed out. “He was a Combat Rescue Officer, and he stood by their motto ofthat others may live...to return home with honor.”
Loralee would have almost certainly pointed out that Jack hadn’t been on duty that night, that the visit to the area had been a personal one. To see Egan. But Alana cut that off by standing and checking her watch.
“I need to get a few things done before my next appointment,” Alana said. She went to her aunt and kissed her cheek.
Like her feelings for Colleen, Loralee was a mixed bag of emotions, too, but Alana still loved the woman and was beyond thankful that she’d taken Colleen and her in after their parents had abandoned them.
Loralee gave a little huff but stood, too, and returned the cheek kiss. When she pulled back, she touched Alana’s hair and gave a thin smile. “All right. No more talk of Egan. But before I go, please tell me you’ve given up on that virtual dating stuff.”
Alana returned the huff, added an eye roll because this was old territory. On the plus side, unlike the rest of the town, her aunt believed she should move on and start seeing other men. She just didn’t think it should happen virtually but rather with men Loralee herself had handpicked.
Men that her aunt considered safe so they wouldn’t end up like Jack.
Alana agreed with some of that. It’d been hell worrying every night and day if her husband would be hurt or killed, but safe wasn’t at the top of her list.
A tingle was, though.
Not necessarily a tingle caused by Egan, but Alana wanted that all-consuming feeling of giddy happiness where she could believe that all things were possible. If that came with someone safe, then it would be the perfect package, but Alana wasn’t holding her breath.
She walked Loralee to the door, gave her another kiss and then headed in the opposite direction to prevent her aunt from launching into more of the dating chat. Loralee took the hint and went toward the exit. Alana ended up at the vending machines to see if elves had magically appeared and left anything other than the usual.
They hadn’t.
And she mentally kicked herself for forgetting to bring the tuna salad sandwich she’d left sitting in her fridge at home. She didn’t want to hit the diner just up the street because at this hour, it’d be jammed. Ditto for the small hospital café. Besides, the selection there was usually nothing to excite her taste buds. Unfortunately, the pickings were slim in that area for the vending machines as well.
Alana started with a bottle of water and then shifted to the middle vending machine, knowing the one on the end would contain only coffee and someone’s really bad interpretation of hot chocolate. Over half the selections were sold out, though, and after she ruled out anything chocolate-and sugar-based, that left her with trail mix. She had to battle the machine, thumping it a couple of times before it coughed out the little bag.
And four Milky Way bars.
Alana sighed. This had to be some kind of cosmic joke, and there were likely four riled customers who hadn’t gotten the candy they’d paid for. She gathered up the stash, intending to leave the candy at the nurses’ reception desk when she spotted Dr. Abrams making his way toward her.
“Is Mr. Donnelly okay?” she immediately asked.
He made a so-so motion with his hand. “He’s making some progress. That’s why I wanted to see you. Have you got a minute to talk some things over?”
“Of course.” Balancing the water, candy and trail mix in her hands, she followed him when he started walking.
“I was just in with Derek, and we were discussing some options,” the doctor went on. “And your name came up.” He glanced at her vending stash and smiled a little. “Am I cutting into your lunch?”
“Not exactly. Vending machine hiccup.” Alana looked for a place to ditch the candy, but there wasn’t an available table, chair or windowsill in the hall so she just kept moving. “How’d my name come up? Is there something I can do to help?”
“That’s what I’m hoping,” he said, clearly answering her last question but not the first.
He opened the door to Mr. Donnelly’s room, and when Alana stepped in, she saw Egan standing by his father’s bedside. Egan’s head whipped up, his gaze zooming to hers, but she didn’t notice any “I’m happy to see you” glint in his eyes. There was a slight tightening of his shoulders, though.
“Alana,” Mr. Donnelly said from his bed.
Oh, mercy. She had never seen him like this. Just the opposite. Normally, he looked like the tough, rugged rancher that he was with a side order of intimidation that came from being a tough, rugged,powerfulrancher. And one of the richest men in the county.
She’d always heard that he was a fair man. Unless you crossed him, that is. Or if you messed with his family in any way. Then, Derek Donnelly was known to wield that power and smash you like a bug.
