Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
I fix up a tray with tea, all the trimmings, and a couple of cookies for her. Mam has a wicked sweet tooth. Once it’s all done, I carry it into the bedroom and set it all down on the table next to her bed, then dress her tea the way she likes it. After that, I hand her the mug and set the tray with the cookies down on her lap.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Mam says.
“You’re very welcome.”
She takes a sip as I perch on the edge of the bed and watch a couple of minutes of the garbage on television, which is just two women screaming at one another. Of course, it doesn’t differ much from today’s newsie talk shows, so there’s that.
“I am glad you’re here,” she says.
“I’m glad to be here too.”
“Your bedroom is still just as you left it.”
“I’m about to go get settled in.”
A knock on the front door draws my attention.
“You expecting anybody, Mam?”
She shakes her head. “Not that I know of.”
“It’s probably Mrs. Lund checking in.”
Jumping to my feet, I run to the door, and the moment I open it, my stomach turns over on itself as my heart falls into my shoes. Standing before me is the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. About six-four with hair the color of honey and eyes like brown sugar, the man has a chiseled jawline, high cheekbones, and sharp, rugged features. His shoulders are wide and his waist narrow. He’s trim, fit, and entirely masculine. The sleeves of his light blue button-down shirt are tight around his thick biceps and rolled up, revealing forearms corded with taut muscle. The man looks like he was chiseled from marble. A Greek god come to life.
“Hi,” he says. “I’m Dr. Collier.”
My mouth opens and closes, but nothing comes out. Instead, even though my brain is screaming at me to say something, I just stand here gaping at him like a freaking moron. His lips are full and bow-shaped, and I can’t stop myself from wondering how soft they’d feel against mine—or on other parts of my anatomy. As the silence between us lingers and grows more awkward, the corners of his mouth flicker upward.
“You must be Elodie,” he prompts.
My heart goes from my shoes immediately into my throat. This gorgeous man knows my name. How does he know my name?
“I—I am,” I say. “Yes. I’m Elodie.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” he says, his voice a deep rumble that slides deliciously across my skin, reaching down to my most intimate parts. “Your grandmother told me all about you. She’s very proud of you.”
“Uh. Hi,” I say lamely and immediately want to kick myself.
“I’m here to check up on her. Is she awake?”
“A house call? I forgot they still do that here.”
His smile nearly stops my heart. “Took me a minute to get used to it, too. But yeah, we do a lot of things differently here. Is Maryanne doing all right?”
“Uh. Yes. Of course,” I say. “She’s lying down in her bedroom. Please. Come in.”
Dr. Collier walks in and offers me a patient expression. As I watch him walk down the hallway toward Mam’s bedroom, I watch him go, my eyes lingering on his backside, which, judging by the way his slacks cup it, looks to be as perfectly sculpted as the rest of him. And when he disappears from view, I slap my own forehead and groan as I close the door, then disappear into the kitchen, praying the earth opens up and swallows me whole.
4
ETHAN
I’m fighting like hell to stop myself from looking over my shoulder at the girl who answered the door. It would be improper to get caught leering at her like some creepy old pervert. I’ve seen pictures of her. Maryanne has photos of Elodie all over the place. But those photos didn’t prepare me for how beautiful she is in person. The girl is absolutely stunning. Even that doesn’t adequately describe how gorgeous Elodie is. She’s ethereal and her beauty is otherworldly.
I know I shouldn’t be thinking of her in those terms—I’m forty-five and she can’t be more than twenty-two or twenty-three. She’s literally half my age. But the minute she opened the door, the jolt that hit me was like lightning being shot through my veins. I had to physically stop myself from getting a hard-on in front of her by biting the inside of my cheek hard enough that I thought I was going to draw blood. What a first impression that would have made.
“Dr. Collier,” Maryanne beams from her bed. “I didn’t know you were coming by today.”
“I had a little extra time, so I thought I’d drop by just to check on you. How are you doing, Maryanne?”
“I’m good, Doc. I’m stronger.”
“I have no doubt. You’re a healthy woman, all things considered,” I say. “But let’s not overdo things too soon, huh?”