“I’m going to hide surprises in the trees so you can spot something new each time you walk through.”
Zoe lowered her voice to a stage whisper. “Like fairies?”
Abigail added one fairy to her to-do list.
“Maybe. You’ll have to look very hard, though. Fairies are the best at hiding.” Abigail wondered if her own child would be as bright-eyed and curious about the world.
Zoe did a happy dance that was sort of like running in place, until her nurse gently touched her head.
“We’d better let the artist return to her work,” the nurse suggested, winking at Abigail over the girl’s head. “Come on, sweetie.”
The two of them strode off down the hall. In the corridor beyond the lounge, Abigail could see another young patient in her bathrobe and slippers, ready for bed.
Night had fallen without any sign of Vaughn since they’d parted ways this morning—him for the OR and a scheduled surgery, her for the children’s ward. She’d been hurt at the time, feeling shunned because of his retreat after their night together.
Yet she’d known even then that her reaction wasn’t fair. She had put unrealistic expectations on him when he’d tried to make her aware that he had limitations when it came to connecting emotionally. She’d pushed for more, ready to move on from the disastrous night with her baby’s father. But that didn’t mean Vaughn had necessarily been ready for what had happened.
“Miss Abigail, are you done for the night?” Brandon called over to her, setting aside the buffer he’d been using to smooth out a rough patch in a peg.
The young man was twenty-four years old. The age her sister would never get to be. His revelation of his age—and the fact that his birthday had been just a few days ago—had been part of the reason Abigail couldn’t send him away when he’d offered help. There had been something bittersweet about playing big sister, teaching him something and sharing her craft. But she was glad she’d done it.
“I am.” She nodded, knowing she needed to go home and sleep. Put her feet up and take care of her body for her baby. “You’ve been an incredible help today.”
Another gift from Vaughn that he’d shared even though she hadn’t been particularly gracious. She promised herself to make it up to him. To do something nice to apologize. Over lunch today, she had finished her sketch of him—the one he’d caught her drawing that first day. She could make a present of that, maybe. They might not be lovers again, but perhaps they could salvage a friendship.
It surprised her how much that idea left her feeling hollow inside.
“Would you like me to come back tomorrow?” Brandon asked her as he straightened all the tools he’d been using, wrapping cords around the handles of small machines, brushing off the sawdust in his hand and tossing it in a waste can.
“I’m sure you have work you should be doing with your brother.” She didn’t want to take him away from his other duties, and she didn’t feel right asking him to work more hours if he didn’t allow her to pay him.
“I’ll split my time then. Half a day here, half a day there.” He laid a hand on the bark she’d carved. “I like working on something that will be in the hospital permanently.”
How could she argue with that? She thought it was one of the coolest rewards of her job, too.
“In that case, I will be grateful for whatever help you want to give.”
“Can I carry anything out for you? Help you to your car?” Brandon used a rag to wipe off the last blade she’d used before wrapping it on the leather case where she kept them.
“I’ll be fine.” She wanted to see if Vaughn was still in the hospital. Try to make amends for coming down on him this morning. “But thank you.”
Brandon scratched a hand under his ball cap, looking uncomfortable. “Doc C told me to make sure you didn’t walk out to the parking lot alone.”
Which made good sense. She was so tired she wasn’t thinking straight. But before she could offer an alternative—like having Security walk her out later—a familiar voice sounded from behind her.
“That won’t be necessary, Brandon.” Vaughn stood on the other side of the caution tape, his green eyes locked on her. “I’ll make sure Abigail gets home safely.”
Eight
Eyes gritty from the worst day he’d had on the job since returning to Royal, Vaughn followed Abigail’s car into downtown, making sure she arrived home without incident. She’d tried to wave off his insistence to accompany her into the house the first time she used the new alarm system, but in the end, she’d conceded. He had the feeling she’d only agreed out of concern for the safety of her baby, and not out of any romantic notions about him.
Which was fine. He didn’t deserve for a woman like her to think about him that way when he couldn’t even close his eyes to fall asleep while they shared a bed. But still, after the day he’d had, the knowledge that he’d hurt her added salt to the wounds he felt hours after he’d failed to save a gunshot victim.
In light of all that had gone wrong today, maybe it had been a mistake to stop by Abigail’s work site to see her, let alone follow her home. But after hearing those heart monitors go flat on his nineteen-year-old patient, making sure Abigail was safe had become a priority that somehow carried him through the rest of a gut-shredding shift.
Ahead of him, Abigail’s brake lights brightened. She parked in front of the bungalow as he pulled in the driveway behind her. He would simply walk her to the door, follow the instructions from the security company and make sure she knew how to arm
