hours before the start of her shift. She’d decided to come in early to complete some education modules that she hadn’t quite finished, since sitting around at home and thinking about Brock was driving her crazy.
She’d meant what she’d said about forgiving him for her own sake rather than his. But saying the words, and believing them deep down where it counted, was much more difficult. She’d wanted to find Chloe, since talking to her foster mother had always helped in the past, but Chloe, well on the road to recovery from her operation, was helping to set up a charity function at the local church. And Elana was scheduled to work.
Raine was in the arena, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw Elana. “What are you doing here? Did you get called in early too?”
“No, just thought I’d finish that disaster planning module that’s due the end of the quarter,” Elana said. She glanced around, hoping she wasn’t being too obvious. “Have you seen Brock?”
“Ah, yeah, in fact I have.” Raine’s expression was pained, and she grabbed Elana’s arm, tugging her intothe break room. “Look, Elana, I don’t know how to tell you this.”
Perplexed, she arched a brow. “Tell me what?”
“Brock’s here. In the cafeteria.” Raine’s eyes were grim. “I just saw him down there while I was getting lunch, and you need to know, he’s not alone. He’s sitting with—a woman.”
Elana’s heart stumbled in her chest. Brock was with another woman? She swallowed hard, feeling sick. She’d gotten the impression he wasn’t seeing anyone. That he’d given up on having a personal life at all. The stab of jealousy struck deep.
“She’s not at all the sort of woman I’d expect him to be with,” Raine continued. “She’s too young, rail thin, with stringy blonde hair. Pretty enough, I guess, if a guy is into the lost-waif type.”
Lacey. Irrational relief flooded her. Raine’s description fit Lacey to a T. “Was there a baby with them?”
Raine’s eyes rounded comically. “Oh, my God, you mean to tell me Dr Madison has a kid?” she squeaked.
“No, the baby is his brother’s child,” Elana explained quickly. “And I think the woman he’s with is Lacey, his brother’s girlfriend. Don’t you remember? They were at the clinic this past Saturday.”
Raine didn’t look entirely convinced. “No, I don’t remember. For your sake I hope you’re right.”
“Brock’s personal life isn’t any of my business,” she said, even though she knew she wasn’t being truthful. Because she did care if there was a special woman in Brock’s life. More than she should.
“Yeah, right.” Raine rolled her eyes.
Elana ignored her. “I think I’ll run down to check on them. It’s odd they’re here in the cafeteria.” She tried to sound nonchalant so Raine wouldn’t guess at how invested she was in Lacey’s situation. The poor girl had already been through so much.
A horrible thought hit hard. What if they’d found Joel? And he was right now a patient up in the ICU?
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Raine said.
Elana gave a distracted nod, turned and left. Thankfully she hadn’t swiped in yet to officially start work.
Bypassing the pokey elevator in favor of the stairs, she ran down to the cafeteria, not even realizing she was holding her breath as she scanned the crowd, looking for Brock. When she saw him sitting in a booth along the back wall, facing Lacey, she let out her pent-up breath in a rush.
She’d been right. He wasn’t with another woman. She frowned when she realized Tucker’s infant seat wasn’t anywhere in sight.
They were arguing, or, to be technically correct, Brock was arguing while Lacey just sat with her thin shoulders hunched defensively.
“Why are you being so stubborn?” he asked, clearly annoyed as he pushed a set of car keys across the table towards Lacey. “This is your chance to take a break, to do something for yourself. You know Tucker’s in good
She’d meant what she’d said about forgiving him for her own sake rather than his. But saying the words, and believing them deep down where it counted, was much more difficult. She’d wanted to find Chloe, since talking to her foster mother had always helped in the past, but Chloe, well on the road to recovery from her operation, was helping to set up a charity function at the local church. And Elana was scheduled to work.
Raine was in the arena, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw Elana. “What are you doing here? Did you get called in early too?”
“No, just thought I’d finish that disaster planning module that’s due the end of the quarter,” Elana said. She glanced around, hoping she wasn’t being too obvious. “Have you seen Brock?”
“Ah, yeah, in fact I have.” Raine’s expression was pained, and she grabbed Elana’s arm, tugging her intothe break room. “Look, Elana, I don’t know how to tell you this.”
Perplexed, she arched a brow. “Tell me what?”
“Brock’s here. In the cafeteria.” Raine’s eyes were grim. “I just saw him down there while I was getting lunch, and you need to know, he’s not alone. He’s sitting with—a woman.”
Elana’s heart stumbled in her chest. Brock was with another woman? She swallowed hard, feeling sick. She’d gotten the impression he wasn’t seeing anyone. That he’d given up on having a personal life at all. The stab of jealousy struck deep.
“She’s not at all the sort of woman I’d expect him to be with,” Raine continued. “She’s too young, rail thin, with stringy blonde hair. Pretty enough, I guess, if a guy is into the lost-waif type.”
Lacey. Irrational relief flooded her. Raine’s description fit Lacey to a T. “Was there a baby with them?”
Raine’s eyes rounded comically. “Oh, my God, you mean to tell me Dr Madison has a kid?” she squeaked.
“No, the baby is his brother’s child,” Elana explained quickly. “And I think the woman he’s with is Lacey, his brother’s girlfriend. Don’t you remember? They were at the clinic this past Saturday.”
Raine didn’t look entirely convinced. “No, I don’t remember. For your sake I hope you’re right.”
“Brock’s personal life isn’t any of my business,” she said, even though she knew she wasn’t being truthful. Because she did care if there was a special woman in Brock’s life. More than she should.
“Yeah, right.” Raine rolled her eyes.
Elana ignored her. “I think I’ll run down to check on them. It’s odd they’re here in the cafeteria.” She tried to sound nonchalant so Raine wouldn’t guess at how invested she was in Lacey’s situation. The poor girl had already been through so much.
A horrible thought hit hard. What if they’d found Joel? And he was right now a patient up in the ICU?
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Raine said.
Elana gave a distracted nod, turned and left. Thankfully she hadn’t swiped in yet to officially start work.
Bypassing the pokey elevator in favor of the stairs, she ran down to the cafeteria, not even realizing she was holding her breath as she scanned the crowd, looking for Brock. When she saw him sitting in a booth along the back wall, facing Lacey, she let out her pent-up breath in a rush.
She’d been right. He wasn’t with another woman. She frowned when she realized Tucker’s infant seat wasn’t anywhere in sight.
They were arguing, or, to be technically correct, Brock was arguing while Lacey just sat with her thin shoulders hunched defensively.
“Why are you being so stubborn?” he asked, clearly annoyed as he pushed a set of car keys across the table towards Lacey. “This is your chance to take a break, to do something for yourself. You know Tucker’s in good
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