stopped talking or she couldn’t hear him anymore. Don’t be afraid. Don’t say a thing. She opened her eyes after a while when she realized the car had stopped. He’d gone past the inn to the hospital in Leonardtown.
“I just want to make sure you’re all right.”
She wanted to tell him no, but she couldn’t. It took everything in her to draw the humid night air into her lungs. He let her out and ushered her through the emergency entrance.
A moonfaced receptionist manned the check-in counter. “May I help you?”
Tessa shook her head.
“Just tell her what happened,” Smith murmured.
The woman waited, then prompted, “Shortness of breath, pallor—maybe panic?”
“No.” If she didn’t recognize it, panic could not move from her nightmares into her life. She spent the sleeping half of her life afraid; she would not surrender the rest. She clutched the counter, feeling light-headed.
A few moments later a nurse coaxed her through the door to the cubicles. “Just come on back and we’ll talk.”
She didn’t want to talk—not to this stranger, not to Smith, not to anyone who didn’t get it. She did not want to hash it all out again. She was tired of trying to explain. “I don’t need to be seen.”
“Are you sure? You seem a little stressed.”
“I’m fine.” Her fists formed bone-white knuckles.
“Do you take medications? Anti-anxiety or . . .”
“I have a prescription for Xanax. I only use it when I can afford to be dopey.”
The nurse made a note. “Did something set off an attack?”
Tessa tensed. “There’s nothing wrong.”
“Any other meds?”
“No.” Not anymore.
“Why don’t I get a BP.” She removed the pressure cuff from the hook, but Tessa shook her head.
“I don’t need treatment.”
“Your friend seemed pretty concerned.”
Her friend? If he’d taken her home, she’d be calm already. “I need to go.”
“I’ll just send the doctor in.”
Tessa shook her head. “I don’t need to see him.”
“It’s a woman tonight. Dr. Gail Adams.”
Gender didn’t matter. Tessa pushed aside the curtain and headed for the door. “I don’t need to see her. Smith overreacted.”
“I’d recommend—”
“I appreciate it, but all I need is sleep.” Though she dreaded the thought. If she was no longer safe wide awake, what would the night bring?
The nurse sighed. “Come back if you change your mind.”
Tessa swept through the automatic doors and out to the front. As Smith rose to his feet, she strode past him into the night. She’d walk to the inn. It couldn’t be that far.
Outside he caught her arm. “Wait, will you.”
“Where’s the inn?”
“About three and a half miles.”
How had they gotten so far past without her noticing? “Which way?”
“Get in the car, Tess. I’ll take you.”
The stubborn set of his mouth said he would not let her go off alone in the dark. Wanting this over, she buckled herself in and rode silently. She got out at the inn before he could think of getting her door. Now leave , she thought.
“Are you going to talk to me?” He’d reached the inn door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He rubbed a hand over his face, clearly agitated. “Tess, if I—”
“It’s not about you.” In a real sense that was true.
“I don’t feel good leaving with no explanation.”
He should try living without one. “I guess I’m not a good double date.”
He held her gaze too long. She spun for the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.” If not for the labyrinth, she’d fly home and never see him again.
He didn’t move until she’d closed the door and climbed the stairs. After that she didn’t know because she didn’t look back.
CHAPTER
11
Bair had dropped Katy off when Smith got into the Rover. “All right?”
“Not really.”
“She didn’t seem ill earlier. But I guess things can just come on.”
“She’s not ill. She’s upset.”
“By what happened in the kitchen?”
“I kissed her.”
Bair
“I just want to make sure you’re all right.”
She wanted to tell him no, but she couldn’t. It took everything in her to draw the humid night air into her lungs. He let her out and ushered her through the emergency entrance.
A moonfaced receptionist manned the check-in counter. “May I help you?”
Tessa shook her head.
“Just tell her what happened,” Smith murmured.
The woman waited, then prompted, “Shortness of breath, pallor—maybe panic?”
“No.” If she didn’t recognize it, panic could not move from her nightmares into her life. She spent the sleeping half of her life afraid; she would not surrender the rest. She clutched the counter, feeling light-headed.
A few moments later a nurse coaxed her through the door to the cubicles. “Just come on back and we’ll talk.”
She didn’t want to talk—not to this stranger, not to Smith, not to anyone who didn’t get it. She did not want to hash it all out again. She was tired of trying to explain. “I don’t need to be seen.”
“Are you sure? You seem a little stressed.”
“I’m fine.” Her fists formed bone-white knuckles.
“Do you take medications? Anti-anxiety or . . .”
“I have a prescription for Xanax. I only use it when I can afford to be dopey.”
The nurse made a note. “Did something set off an attack?”
Tessa tensed. “There’s nothing wrong.”
“Any other meds?”
“No.” Not anymore.
“Why don’t I get a BP.” She removed the pressure cuff from the hook, but Tessa shook her head.
“I don’t need treatment.”
“Your friend seemed pretty concerned.”
Her friend? If he’d taken her home, she’d be calm already. “I need to go.”
“I’ll just send the doctor in.”
Tessa shook her head. “I don’t need to see him.”
“It’s a woman tonight. Dr. Gail Adams.”
Gender didn’t matter. Tessa pushed aside the curtain and headed for the door. “I don’t need to see her. Smith overreacted.”
“I’d recommend—”
“I appreciate it, but all I need is sleep.” Though she dreaded the thought. If she was no longer safe wide awake, what would the night bring?
The nurse sighed. “Come back if you change your mind.”
Tessa swept through the automatic doors and out to the front. As Smith rose to his feet, she strode past him into the night. She’d walk to the inn. It couldn’t be that far.
Outside he caught her arm. “Wait, will you.”
“Where’s the inn?”
“About three and a half miles.”
How had they gotten so far past without her noticing? “Which way?”
“Get in the car, Tess. I’ll take you.”
The stubborn set of his mouth said he would not let her go off alone in the dark. Wanting this over, she buckled herself in and rode silently. She got out at the inn before he could think of getting her door. Now leave , she thought.
“Are you going to talk to me?” He’d reached the inn door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He rubbed a hand over his face, clearly agitated. “Tess, if I—”
“It’s not about you.” In a real sense that was true.
“I don’t feel good leaving with no explanation.”
He should try living without one. “I guess I’m not a good double date.”
He held her gaze too long. She spun for the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.” If not for the labyrinth, she’d fly home and never see him again.
He didn’t move until she’d closed the door and climbed the stairs. After that she didn’t know because she didn’t look back.
CHAPTER
11
Bair had dropped Katy off when Smith got into the Rover. “All right?”
“Not really.”
“She didn’t seem ill earlier. But I guess things can just come on.”
“She’s not ill. She’s upset.”
“By what happened in the kitchen?”
“I kissed her.”
Bair
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