life.”
She stood so she could face him. She looked down at his handsome, rugged face. “I didn’t want to go home. I knew it would change me forever but it made me a better person. It’s the same for you. You didn’t want to come here and you’re probably struggling with the guilt that’s trying to bury you. You won’t regret coming back. I’m glad I did. I dropped out of med school but I wouldn’t change those last months of being with my mom for anything.” She’d change her father’s role if she could reverse time but Elijah didn’t need to hear that right now. “Your mother needs you. That’s all that matters; you’re here.” Though she’s not that impressed I’m here with you.
He swayed again as his eyes closed and he lifted a finger to point at her. “You’re a smart girl but you’re wrong about my mother. She doesn’t need me here.” He sighed and dropped his arm. “She never wanted me around.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
One of his eyes opened. “Have you not met the woman?”
“She’s the female version of my father.”
Wrinkles of surprise appeared on his forehead. “I don’t get what is up with you and your father. He’s a great guy.”
“Appearances aren’t everything.” She turned away slightly so he might mishear what she said.
It appeared he hadn’t heard her at all. “I like working with him. He’s confident and you need that to be a successful doctor.”
She didn’t want to start this conversation tonight. He was saying goodbye to his father tomorrow and now wasn’t the time. “I won’t argue with you. My dad’s a great doctor and he has earned his right to be confident about his abilities. Even at nearly sixty-five, I would have him over any doctor I know perform surgery on me if I needed it.”
Elijah leaned over the side of the bed, nearly falling off as he bent down. He caught himself and straightened, holding two crystal brandy glasses and a bottle of whiskey. He set the bottle between his legs and patted the bed beside him. “Sit. Let’s have a drink to our fathers and their greatness.”
He probably didn’t need any more, but she sat down beside him anyway and reached for the glasses. They were heavy, probably Waterford or something extremely expensive. She was tempted to tilt a glass over and see if Tiffany and Co or whatever was etched into the glass. Elijah began pouring so she focussed on not spilling. “Oh, that’s enough for me. Thanks.”
He poured double into his glass, put the top back on the bottle and set it down beside him. He held his glass up. “To greatness.”
Charity tried not to cringe when they banged glasses. She took a small sip, fire burning over her tongue and down her throat. She kept her mouth closed but couldn’t stop the cough that tried to escape. She set the glass down on the floor close to her so it wouldn’t get spilled. As she turned, Elijah dropped his back onto her bed and laid there, eyes closed, knees bent with his feet still touching the floor and his glass held perfectly in his hands. She watched the rise and fall of his chest and reached for his drink.
“I’m not asleep.”
“I know,” she whispered, thankful he let go of the glass so she could set both of them down on the dresser. She sat back down beside him and angled her body to face him, her legs criss-crossing under her.
His arm dropped to the side and his hand found hers. She liked the way their fingers intertwined perfectly together and how they looked. His long fingers, strong and decisive , made hers look feminine and small. Even his nails were perfectly even. Her eyes travelled over his wrist and up his forearm where lean tendons and muscles ran under his smooth skin. She was pretty sure she’d never been this fascinated with anyone’s arm before. It made her smile and double check that Elijah’s eyes were still closed.
It had been a very long time she had felt this vulnerable around a guy. It made her nervous, like a
She stood so she could face him. She looked down at his handsome, rugged face. “I didn’t want to go home. I knew it would change me forever but it made me a better person. It’s the same for you. You didn’t want to come here and you’re probably struggling with the guilt that’s trying to bury you. You won’t regret coming back. I’m glad I did. I dropped out of med school but I wouldn’t change those last months of being with my mom for anything.” She’d change her father’s role if she could reverse time but Elijah didn’t need to hear that right now. “Your mother needs you. That’s all that matters; you’re here.” Though she’s not that impressed I’m here with you.
He swayed again as his eyes closed and he lifted a finger to point at her. “You’re a smart girl but you’re wrong about my mother. She doesn’t need me here.” He sighed and dropped his arm. “She never wanted me around.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
One of his eyes opened. “Have you not met the woman?”
“She’s the female version of my father.”
Wrinkles of surprise appeared on his forehead. “I don’t get what is up with you and your father. He’s a great guy.”
“Appearances aren’t everything.” She turned away slightly so he might mishear what she said.
It appeared he hadn’t heard her at all. “I like working with him. He’s confident and you need that to be a successful doctor.”
She didn’t want to start this conversation tonight. He was saying goodbye to his father tomorrow and now wasn’t the time. “I won’t argue with you. My dad’s a great doctor and he has earned his right to be confident about his abilities. Even at nearly sixty-five, I would have him over any doctor I know perform surgery on me if I needed it.”
Elijah leaned over the side of the bed, nearly falling off as he bent down. He caught himself and straightened, holding two crystal brandy glasses and a bottle of whiskey. He set the bottle between his legs and patted the bed beside him. “Sit. Let’s have a drink to our fathers and their greatness.”
He probably didn’t need any more, but she sat down beside him anyway and reached for the glasses. They were heavy, probably Waterford or something extremely expensive. She was tempted to tilt a glass over and see if Tiffany and Co or whatever was etched into the glass. Elijah began pouring so she focussed on not spilling. “Oh, that’s enough for me. Thanks.”
He poured double into his glass, put the top back on the bottle and set it down beside him. He held his glass up. “To greatness.”
Charity tried not to cringe when they banged glasses. She took a small sip, fire burning over her tongue and down her throat. She kept her mouth closed but couldn’t stop the cough that tried to escape. She set the glass down on the floor close to her so it wouldn’t get spilled. As she turned, Elijah dropped his back onto her bed and laid there, eyes closed, knees bent with his feet still touching the floor and his glass held perfectly in his hands. She watched the rise and fall of his chest and reached for his drink.
“I’m not asleep.”
“I know,” she whispered, thankful he let go of the glass so she could set both of them down on the dresser. She sat back down beside him and angled her body to face him, her legs criss-crossing under her.
His arm dropped to the side and his hand found hers. She liked the way their fingers intertwined perfectly together and how they looked. His long fingers, strong and decisive , made hers look feminine and small. Even his nails were perfectly even. Her eyes travelled over his wrist and up his forearm where lean tendons and muscles ran under his smooth skin. She was pretty sure she’d never been this fascinated with anyone’s arm before. It made her smile and double check that Elijah’s eyes were still closed.
It had been a very long time she had felt this vulnerable around a guy. It made her nervous, like a
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