all told him
he was an ass to turn his back on the beautiful actresses at his
beck and call. Specifically Melanie Masterson, his latest and
longest-lasting relationship. Melanie desperately wanted a
reconciliation, but only, he thought, because being on his arm
benefited her career. But he was finished hanging on to Melanie or
any other woman in a futile search for the normalcy he’d
experienced only once before. With Holly.
He wasn’t a man prone to believing in omens,
but a month ago he’d dreamed of Holly—which wasn’t unusual since he
dreamed of her often. But this time had been more vivid. In the
dream, it was Christmas Eve and they sat in his house, opening
gifts they’d bought for each other with their hard-earned money.
Feeling warmer and more content than he could ever remember, he’d
drowsily reached for Holly only to find Melanie in bed beside
him.
The shock to his system had been greater
than if he’d crawled into a cold bed all alone. It was a wake-up
call he’d taken seriously.
So now he entered the office that had once
belonged to Holly’s father and glanced around, noting that although
much was the same, such as the old doctor’s diplomas and the
black-and-white photos, Holly had added her own touches too. Aside
from the Christmas tree in one corner, tinsel draping the walls and
decals on the windows, there were more permanent fixes. She’d
painted the place a cheery yellow color, a corner of the waiting
room held a large toy box and a shelf filled with children’s books,
and an array of magazines lay on the center table.
Doc Evans had a great bedside manner, but
he’d never updated the decor. His daughter had. Dylan wondered if
the old man had lived to see it. Today Dylan had learned that the
dad Holly adored had passed away last year, and right now her mom
was out of town visiting her sick sister. Dylan hadn’t been here to
cushion the loss of her father. Had anyone? he wondered. The
thought caused a cramping in his gut.
How many other major events had he missed in
her life? And was it too late to even approach her now? So many
questions.
“Can I help you?” a red-haired woman he
didn’t recognize asked, interrupting his thoughts as she grabbed
her coat from one of the hooks in the hall.
“I’m looking for Holly—I mean Dr.
Evans.”
Without looking up, the other woman shrugged
her coat over her shoulders. “Dr. Evans is in the back, but we’ve
seen our last patient for the day unless it’s an emergency. Is it
an emergency?” As she spoke, she finally glanced into his face for
the first time. “Oh my
God
! You’re him! I mean, you’re
Dylan North. The actor.”
Used to this reaction, Dylan merely treated
her to his stock fan smile and reached out a hand in greeting.
“Pleased to meet you.”
She pumped his hand with enthusiasm until he
thought his arm might fall off.
He eased his hand out of her grip. “And you
are? Your name, I mean?”
“Oh, sorry,” she said, her cheeks turning as
red as her hair. “Nicole. Nicole Barnett. Oh my goodness, I can’t
believe you’re standing here.”
She gushed like every other fan he met, and
though Dylan understood the reaction, he hoped that the more time
he spent here, the more people would get used to him and treat him
no differently than anyone else. Funny how after craving the
spotlight, he now wanted the ordinary.
But Nicole continued to ramble in the face
of idol worship. “I’d heard you were in town, and of course Holly’s
been talking about you, but I didn’t think I’d meet you in person.
Oh my gosh, this is so exciting.”
“Holly’s been talking about me?” His heart
rate kicked up a notch. That his return was on her radar had to be
a good sign.
“Your return is all anyone can talk about.
Our patients keep reminding her that you two used to be an item,
not that she
wants
to remember….” Nicole’s voice trailed
off as she realized that in her excitement, she’d slipped big-time.
“I’m sorry. I
he was an ass to turn his back on the beautiful actresses at his
beck and call. Specifically Melanie Masterson, his latest and
longest-lasting relationship. Melanie desperately wanted a
reconciliation, but only, he thought, because being on his arm
benefited her career. But he was finished hanging on to Melanie or
any other woman in a futile search for the normalcy he’d
experienced only once before. With Holly.
He wasn’t a man prone to believing in omens,
but a month ago he’d dreamed of Holly—which wasn’t unusual since he
dreamed of her often. But this time had been more vivid. In the
dream, it was Christmas Eve and they sat in his house, opening
gifts they’d bought for each other with their hard-earned money.
Feeling warmer and more content than he could ever remember, he’d
drowsily reached for Holly only to find Melanie in bed beside
him.
The shock to his system had been greater
than if he’d crawled into a cold bed all alone. It was a wake-up
call he’d taken seriously.
So now he entered the office that had once
belonged to Holly’s father and glanced around, noting that although
much was the same, such as the old doctor’s diplomas and the
black-and-white photos, Holly had added her own touches too. Aside
from the Christmas tree in one corner, tinsel draping the walls and
decals on the windows, there were more permanent fixes. She’d
painted the place a cheery yellow color, a corner of the waiting
room held a large toy box and a shelf filled with children’s books,
and an array of magazines lay on the center table.
Doc Evans had a great bedside manner, but
he’d never updated the decor. His daughter had. Dylan wondered if
the old man had lived to see it. Today Dylan had learned that the
dad Holly adored had passed away last year, and right now her mom
was out of town visiting her sick sister. Dylan hadn’t been here to
cushion the loss of her father. Had anyone? he wondered. The
thought caused a cramping in his gut.
How many other major events had he missed in
her life? And was it too late to even approach her now? So many
questions.
“Can I help you?” a red-haired woman he
didn’t recognize asked, interrupting his thoughts as she grabbed
her coat from one of the hooks in the hall.
“I’m looking for Holly—I mean Dr.
Evans.”
Without looking up, the other woman shrugged
her coat over her shoulders. “Dr. Evans is in the back, but we’ve
seen our last patient for the day unless it’s an emergency. Is it
an emergency?” As she spoke, she finally glanced into his face for
the first time. “Oh my
God
! You’re him! I mean, you’re
Dylan North. The actor.”
Used to this reaction, Dylan merely treated
her to his stock fan smile and reached out a hand in greeting.
“Pleased to meet you.”
She pumped his hand with enthusiasm until he
thought his arm might fall off.
He eased his hand out of her grip. “And you
are? Your name, I mean?”
“Oh, sorry,” she said, her cheeks turning as
red as her hair. “Nicole. Nicole Barnett. Oh my goodness, I can’t
believe you’re standing here.”
She gushed like every other fan he met, and
though Dylan understood the reaction, he hoped that the more time
he spent here, the more people would get used to him and treat him
no differently than anyone else. Funny how after craving the
spotlight, he now wanted the ordinary.
But Nicole continued to ramble in the face
of idol worship. “I’d heard you were in town, and of course Holly’s
been talking about you, but I didn’t think I’d meet you in person.
Oh my gosh, this is so exciting.”
“Holly’s been talking about me?” His heart
rate kicked up a notch. That his return was on her radar had to be
a good sign.
“Your return is all anyone can talk about.
Our patients keep reminding her that you two used to be an item,
not that she
wants
to remember….” Nicole’s voice trailed
off as she realized that in her excitement, she’d slipped big-time.
“I’m sorry. I
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