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Surprised that he appeared to intend to remain, she looked up to meet his gaze. “I’m sure you have more important things to do than baby-sit an anxious woman.”
Alex didn’t think he’d ever seen a pair of softer, sadder eyes. “A knight would never desert a damsel in distress. And I’ve always wanted to play the part of a knight in shining armor,” he quipped, amazed by how much he wanted to remain and offer comfort.
Nina had to admit he appeared to be a man a woman could lean on. But she wasn’t in the market for a temporary hero who, in a moment of pity, was offering aid he would shortly bore of giving and regret. “I really will be just fine,” she assured him.
He saw the proud determination in her eyes. Tough lady. Still, he didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone. “I’ll just stick around for a while. See how the test comes out.”
“That’s really unnecessary.”
Alex knew when he was being told to get lost. He ignored the unspoken request. “I’ve got nothing pressing to do, and no one should face something like this alone.”
Nina tried to think only of Tommy. Her attempt didn’t work. She was acutely aware of Alex’s continued presence and knew that behind his polite facade he was studying her. She also knew he could tell by her clothing that she wasn’t one of the town’s aristocrats. He’s probably wondering how I ended up at a reception with the town’s elite, she concluded, her nerves growing brittle. “I didn’t crash the wedding,” she blurted. “I was supposed to wait tables, but when the lights went out we were all told the reception had been canceled but we were invited to share the food and drink. In fact, we were encouraged to stay.”
“But you didn’t stay,” he reminded her.
“I had pressing responsibilities.” Again she glanced toward the testing rooms.
Definitely the nurturing type, he mused. He’d always figured that was one of the primary qualities he’d look for if he ever changed his plans and decided to actually marry in order to produce an heir. However, at the moment, he wasn’t in the market for a wife. He was in the market for an accomplice. “What does Dr. Genkins think might be wrong with your son?”
“A brain tumor.” Every time she said those words a tremor of fear ran through her. She lowered her gaze to her hands clasped in her lap. “He’s only six. He’s too young. It’s not fair.”
The pain he heard in her voice tore at him. “He’ll be all right.” Who did he think he was, giving her that assurance? Alex chided himself. But he hadn’t been able to remain silent. The urge to soothe her had been too strong.
Her embarrassment about the wedding reception forgotten, Nina smiled gratefully. “I know you can’t know that for sure, but thanks for saying it. I needed to hear it from someone besides myself. I keep thinking that if I say it enough, it’ll prove to be true.” Unable to sit any longer, she rose and began to pace. “Of course that’s foolish. A person can’t will bad news to go away.”
“No,” he agreed, surprised by how pleased he was by her small show of gratitude. “But it can’t do any harm to hope for the best.”
Nina nodded and continued to pace. “My grandmother had a framed needlepoint on her wall. It was a proverb she’d heard or read somewhere, and it impressed her so much, she stitched it. She gave it to me when I married. It read Were it not for hope, the heart would break.” She told herself to shut up, but she’d been holding too much inside, and the strain had worn her down. Stopping in front of the plate-glass window of the room that faced the door through which they’d taken Tommy, she fought back tears of frustration and pain. “But hoping hasn’t done me much good. For two days I did nothing but pray and hope my husband would survive his injuries. But he didn’t.”
The anguish he heard in her voice made it obvious she’d loved her husband. Just another example of how painful falling in love can be, Alex mused. “I’m sorry,” he said solicitously.
Her mind returning to the days following Tom’s death, rage flared in Nina’s eyes and she swung around to face Alex. “Do you know that the drunk driver who caused the accident didn’t even get a scratch? He was tried for manslaughter and found guilty, but that was two years ago. I’ll bet he’s out on the roads again and will kill some other father or mother or child, or maybe a whole family this time.”
“Most likely,” Alex agreed.
Nina drew a terse breath. It would do no good to dwell on Tom or his killer. Right now she needed to focus her attention on Tommy. His pale, trusting face filled her mind. A tear trickled down her cheek. Nina quickly turned her back to Alex and brushed it away. She hated for anyone to see her cry, especially a stranger. Her jaw tensed with resolve. “I’ve got to believe that this time my prayers will be answered.”
Alex watched her standing rigidly. To lose both a husband and a child wasn’t fair, he thought grimly. But then, fate rarely was. That’s why he relied only on himself. Hearing a sharp intake of breath, he saw her stiffen. Looking beyond her, he saw Dr. Genkins coming out of one of the rooms and approaching.
“Tommy is still groggy from the sedation,” Dr. Genkins said, smiling encouragingly at Nina as he entered. “I told the nurse to stay with him for a few more minutes so I could speak to you alone.”
Nina had known the doctor all of her life. He’d been her pediatrician and now he was her children’s physician. Through the years, she’d learned to read him well. That he’d arranged to be at the hospital during Tommy’s examination had told her how worried he was about her son’s condition. Now, looking beyond his smile, she saw the results in his eyes. “It’s bad news.” The words came out shakily around the lump of fear in her throat.
Alex was on his feet. Nina Lindstrom had turned ashen, and he was afraid she was going to faint.
“Maybe we should sit down,” Dr. Genkins said. Although delivered in a fatherly tone, this was an order rather than a suggestion. Slipping a hand under Nina’s arm, he guided her to a nearby chair.
Alex remained in the background. Obviously the doctor had the situation under control. Nina Lindstrom’s wait was over, and he was free to go. But he didn’t like leaving her on her own, not with the news he was certain the doctor was about to deliver. Besides, he wasn’t busy. He might as well stay, he decided, and eased himself back into his chair.
“Tommy does have a tumor,” Jim Genkins told her gently.
“Is it malignant?” Just asking caused a rush of terror.
“We won’t know until the tumor is removed and the lab can examine it.” He smiled encouragingly. “But there is good news. I had Dr. Zycros, a very capable neurologist, come in and take a look at the scan with me, and both he and I believe it’s operable.”
Nina saw the slight tic in his left jaw. It was a sure sign he was holding back, not telling her everything. “You’re not being entirely honest with me. I need to know the whole truth.”
He took her hands in his. “The operation will be tricky, but Dr. Zycros feels there is no other choice.”
“None?” She looked at him pleadingly.
“The rapid increase in symptoms suggests the tumor is fast growing. It needs to be removed before it can do any damage.”
Tears of fear welled in Nina’s eyes. “Damage?”
“I know how you feel. It’s terrifying when any child is in danger, and hundreds of times more so when it’s your child. But I can assure you that I will do everything I can for Tommy.”
Nina’s throat was so constricted she could barely speak. She did manage to choke out an, “I know you’ll do your best.”
“I’m going to have my receptionist set up an appointment for you tomorrow. That will give me time to take another look at the MRI and consult with some of my colleagues. I doubt very much that their diagnosis will be any different, but I want to be certain we don’t have any alternatives.” He gave Nina’s hands a final reassuring squeeze. “Now, shall we go get Tommy?”
As he started to rise, Nina laid a hand on his arm, keeping him seated. “I don’t have much money right now. I’ve been out of work since the storm,” she said stiffly. “But I want Tommy to have the best of care. I’ll pay whatever it costs. It just may take a little time.”
Dr. Genkins patted her hand. “Don’t worry about the cost for now. We’ll work out something. You just think about your son.”
Nina nodded and forced her legs to hold her as she rose. “I want to go to him. He’s probably wondering where I am.”
“He was asking for you,” Dr. Genkins confirmed, holding the door open.
Alex watched Nina cross the hall with the doctor and enter one of the rooms. Again he told himself to leave. Again he stayed. He wasn’t certain why. Curiosity, he decided. A few minutes later Nina emerged with a young towheaded boy. Must take after his father, he thought. Grudgingly, he admitted that he wouldn’t mind having a son of his own. He just wasn’t interested in having a wife.
The boy stumbled, and Nina scooped him up in her arms. Alex frowned. She didn’t look much steadier than the child. In the next instant he was on his feet heading toward them.
“You’ve had a pretty bad shock. How about if I carry your son,” he said, starting to reach for the boy.
Nina’s hold on Tommy tightened. She knew it wasn’t rational, but as long as he was in her arms she felt as if she could keep him safe. “I can carry him.”
Alex read the fierce protectiveness on her face. “Then, I’ll walk along and open doors for you.”
By the time they reached Nina’s run-down Ford, Tommy was asleep, his head limp on her shoulder. She shifted his weight to a hip so she could hold him with one arm. Standing slightly tilted, she dug in her pocket for her keys.
Some women carry independence too far, Alex mused. Without asking, he lifted the boy into his own arms. “I’m not trying to steal him,” he assured her in hushed tones. “I just didn’t want you to drop him or pull a muscle.”
Nina drew a shaky breath and ordered herself to calm down. “Thanks.”
Tommy woke and lifted his head. Seeing Alex, fear spread over his face. “Mommy,” he called, attempting to squirm out of Alex’s grasp.
“You’re all right, son.” Alex tightened his hold on the boy to prevent him from falling.
“Just one second,” Nina said, turning the key in the lock.
Tommy looked over his shoulder. Seeing his mother, he stopped his struggle. Still, he studied Alex skeptically, as if not quite certain the man was safe to be with.
Alex had dealt with many tough, single-minded businessmen during his lifetime. He, himself, was considered one of the toughest and most single-minded, but the child’s stare had an intensity that unnerved him. “I’m Alex Bennett,” he introduced himself, feeling the need to say something.
Tommy’s eyes seemed to glaze over, and Alex realized the child had lost the fight to remain completely alert. Tommy was in a state of dazed exhaustion caused by the residual effects of fear and the drug the doctor had administered to calm him. He gave the child an encouraging smile and a wink.
Tommy continued to frown, clearly not yet convinced Alex was a friend, but having neither the strength nor the coordination to struggle.
“I’ll take my son now,” Nina said.
“I’ll set him in the car,” Alex insisted, seeing her own exhaustion etched deeply into her features.
Nina stepped aside and let him put Tommy on the seat and buckle the boy in. “Thank you again,” she said when he straightened and closed the door.
“You’re welcome.” Time to get back to his own problems, Alex told himself.
Nina noticed that his smile didn’t reach his eyes. They remained cool and distant, as if he found her an interesting specimen but wasn’t interested in getting too close. A mother with a child with a brain tumor wasn’t every man’s dream woman, she mused dryly, rounding the car and climbing in behind the wheel. And even if she’d been childless, she was certain she wouldn’t have been Alex Bennett’s choice for a companion. He traveled in a much more elite crowd.
Driving away, she glanced in her rearview mirror to see him heading back into the hospital. Again she wondered why he’d bothered to give her any of his time. “We must have been Mr. Bennett’s good deed for the day,” she said to Tommy.
When he made no response, she glanced toward him to see that he was again asleep.
Brain surgery! The thought terrified her. “We’ll get through this,” she said aloud, using the sound of her voice to give her courage.
* * *
Alex Bennett ordered himself to start thinking about finding someone else to play the part of his fiancée. Instead, Nina and Tommy Lindstrom’s faces haunted him. The mother had looked desperate. The child was clearly scared.
He had his own problems! he reminded himself. His grandfather was on the brink of death and expecting him to produce a wife-to-be.
The frown on his face deepened. Approaching the desk, he asked the nurse to page Dr. Genkins.
Chapter Three
Nina sat cross-legged on the floor of her living room. It was late afternoon. The sandwich Helen had insisted on packing for her when Nina had picked up the children was lying uneaten on a plate on the coffee table. Tommy had made a small attempt to eat his, but he’d only managed a couple of bites. Helen had been supportive, and at any other time Nina would have stayed with her during the afternoon, gaining strength from their combined hopefulness. But today she’d felt the need for some time alone with her children. She’d also sensed that Helen needed a little time on her own. Her mother-in-law had been as shaken as she had. So, leaving Helen to break the news to Ray, she’d left and come home.
Beside her, Pete was building with his Legos. Elizabeth had set out her toy tea service on the near end of the coffee table and was hostessing a tea party. She’d set places for Pete, her mother, Tommy, herself and her dolls, Sarah Jane and Mary Beth. Nina had provided juice in place of the tea, and there were homemade cookies provided by Helen Lindstrom for all.
Pete, who had already eaten his cookie, periodically stopped his building to take a bite out of Sarah Jane’s. Elizabeth, having finished hers, was nibbling on Mary Beth’s.
Tommy, still looking drained and pale from the trauma of the MRI scan, was lying on the couch watching television. He was only nibbling at his cookie, and Nina was certain his bouts of dizziness were getting worse.
A knock on the door brought a mental groan. She was not in the mood for visitors. All of her energy was being expended in not letting the children guess how terrified she was for Tommy.
A second knock brought her to her feet. Its firmness let her know that whoever was there was not going to leave.
As she headed to the door, it occurred to her that it was probably Ray and Helen coming to check on her and the children. And their company would be welcome. The children loved their grandparents, and both Helen and Ray were good at putting on cheerful faces for them in times of adversity. As for herself, having Helen and Ray here might help keep her mind from the more morbid paths it kept trying to follow.
In case she was wrong about who was on the other side, she opened the door only partially. A gasp of surprise escaped. Standing there, looking totally out of place in this low-rent district, was Alex Bennett.
“I thought I’d stop by and see how Tommy is doing,” he said, thinking she looked even more drawn and vulnerable than she had this morning. Clearly the strain of worrying about her son was wearing her down. That could be to his advantage, and hers as well.
“He’s fine. He’s watching television.” Embarrassed by how shabby she knew her apartment would appear to him, she continued to keep the door mostly closed.
It was obvious she didn’t want to invite him in, but Alex refused to be deterred from the purpose that had brought him here. “I was wondering if I could speak to you.”
Nina had to admit she was curious about why he was taking such an interest in her and her son. His manner wasn’t that of a man pursuing a woman he found attractive. He was polite but cool, almost formal. Her place, she told herself, was clean, and although the furnishings were not quality, they were functional. Still, she remained uncomfortable about inviting him in and continued to block his entrance. “What is it you want to speak to me about?”
“You mentioned to Dr. Genkins that you’d been out of work since the storm.”
Hope that he might have a job for her bloomed. “I worked at the Grand Springs Diner. It had extensive damage done to it during the storm and has been closed,” she confirmed.
Alex’s gaze narrowed in recognition. “Yes. That’s where I’ve seen you before. I knew your face was vaguely familiar.”
Mentally she patted herself on the back. She’d been right in assuming he’d never have given her a second glance if she’d simply waited on him the night of the canceled reception.
“I have a business proposition for you.” Alex glanced up and down the public hallway and frowned. “However, I prefer to keep my business private.”
Her hopes grew stronger. Maybe he needed a maid or a housekeeper. Either would suit her. Stepping aside, she allowed him to enter.
Alex passed her, then stopped short. “Are all of these children yours?”
Nina had been closing the door. Now she turned to find him surveying her brood with a stunned expression. Her shoulders stiffened defensively, and motherly pride glistened in her eyes. “Yes.”
Alex frowned at himself. “I’m sorry. That didn’t come out right. I was just surprised. I thought you only had the one child.” Try to be more diplomatic in the future, he chided himself. He wanted her cooperation. Making her angry wasn’t going to achieve that.
“You said you had a job for me?” Nina reminded him sharply. “Or has my having three children caused you to change your mind?”
For a moment he hesitated. Three children would be a shock to his grandfather. However, William had no need to know about the other two. “No. No, it hasn’t,” he replied. He looked toward the children and saw recognition in Tommy’s eyes. The other two were watching him as if fearful of trouble. Their mother’s curt manner was causing them to be apprehensive. He smiled at them encouragingly, but they continued to remain guarded. Great first impression you’ve made, he told himself dryly. Glancing back at Tommy, he saw the boy push himself further into the pillow, the anxiousness of his siblings registering on his face, as well.
“I’ve had a very long day, Mr. Bennett. If you would just tell me about the job…” Nina left off the “and leave,” but it was in her voice. She knew she should be grateful for any work, but she was tired, and his reaction to the discovery that she had three children was still grating on her nerves. His momentary hesitation hadn’t been lost on her, either.
Recalling that children were not good at keeping secrets, he asked, “Could we speak in private?” He read the refusal in her eyes. “Children sometimes repeat what they hear and this is a very personal matter. It involves my grandfather. He’s very ill, and I’ve come to ask you for a favor…a favor I’m willing to pay for.”
Nina had to admit the affection she heard in his voice when he spoke of his grandfather was genuine. That he had referred to what he’d come to ask of her as a favor intrigued her. She could think of no favor a person in her position could do for one in Alex Bennett’s position. It can’t do any harm to listen to what he has to say, she reasoned. “The kitchen is as private as you and I are going to get.” She looked to her daughter. “Elizabeth, keep an eye on your brothers.”
Elizabeth nodded.
Noticing the young girl’s shoulders straighten, and her manner become instantly adult, Alex experienced a sense of kinship. Like him, this child had been forced to grow up more quickly than others, accepting responsibilities beyond her years.
Pete was on his feet, moving toward his mother. Squatting to his level, Nina kissed him lightly on the tip of his nose. “Go back and build something really special for me. I’ll bring you another cookie.”
Remaining by his mother, the boy stared up at Alex anxiously.
“I just want to talk to your mother,” Alex assured him.
“Go on and play.” Nina turned Pete around and gave him a light nudge back toward his toys.
