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Gabe stationed himself across from the women’s restroom. Zoe had to come out sometime.
When the door finally opened, Zoe stepped into the hall and Gabe met her in the middle of it. Despite the large area around them, the space seemed to zoom inward until it was just he and Zoe.
“Is it mine?” His words were low and harsh.
She nodded, before she looked away then back to him. “You don’t have to worry. I can take care of it. I won’t make any demands on you.”
Gabe’s head jerked back in disbelief. “What? Of course I’ll help. This is my child too.”
“It was an accident. I can take care of us.” Her hand brushed her middle. “You don’t need to feel obligated in any way. I just wanted you to know about the baby.” Her voice grew stronger and she tried to step around him.
He blocked her path. “Yes, I can tell how eager you were to tell me. Must have been damned near impossible for you to keep it a secret all these months.” He almost winced at the sarcasm in his voice. “You should have told me. Not blindsided me.”
Zoe put a protective hand on her middle. Her eyes turned sad. “I wanted to. Tried. Sorry.”
At the sound of footsteps, they both glanced up the hall in the direction of the committee room. It was one of the other members coming their direction.
“Please, let’s not make a scene,” Zoe begged.
Gabe took her elbow. He was gentle yet firm. “Come. We need to talk.” He led her to a small alcove some distance down the hall from the restrooms.
Bile rose in his throat as Zoe stepped as far away from him as the space would allow. Just months ago, she’d been so alive in his arms. He took a deep breath in an effort to regain control, perspective.
“This isn’t the time or the place for this.” The desperation in her eyes and tone was unmistakable.
He glared at her. “Would you have ever told me if you hadn’t had to? Did you really think I wouldn’t notice? Did you manage to forget I’ve seen all of you, knew your body down to the smallest detail?”
Heat filled her cheeks. It was plain she remembered as well as he did, perhaps more clearly.
Gabe watched her closely. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her hand went over her middle again. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. I take full responsibility. I just thought you deserved to be told to your face.”
“It seems to me that you could have at least picked up the phone and called.”
“I know I should have, but I just kept making excuses. Then I knew I was going to see you here, but you didn’t come to the dinner last night...”
The tension in his shoulders eased. She must be under a lot of pressure. Could he believe her? “I got stuck in surgery. Look, you’re right. Now isn’t the time for us to talk. We’re expected back in the meeting. When does your plane leave?”
“Just after the meeting.” Zoe glanced at the opening as if anxious to leave.
His voice softened. “You can’t change it?”
“No. I have to get home to see about my mother. Just being gone overnight has become a problem. I’ve got to go.” She shifted toward the opening.
“Okay. We’ll have to figure something out later. But we will talk.” He nodded his head toward the opening. “Why don’t you go back ahead of me? I’ll be along in a minute. I’d rather there be as little talk as possible.”
With a curt nod of apparent agreement, she slipped past him and hurried away.
He was going to be a father. Gabe’s chest had a funny ache in it. Was it joy? Being a father had never been in his plans. He’d always been so careful. Zoe had changed that.
He’d grown up without a father. That had been the deciding factor in his decision to forgo the family route. Yet now that his plans for his life had just been rewritten permanently, he was determined no child of his would grow up not knowing his father. Zoe could protest that he wasn’t obligated all she liked. If she’d thought that feeble opposition would make him walk off as if nothing had ever happened, she’d badly underestimated him.
More annoying still was his body’s reaction to her nearness. She’d been standing so close. Her soft floral scent still lingered in his nostrils. That fragrance would forever be hers. Memories washed over him. Zoe soft and willing in his arms. The sweet, lilting moan she’d made as they’d joined. It was a night he’d replayed over and over in his mind. Yet this wasn’t the outcome he’d planned. But one he would accept. Deal with.
In the last few minutes his world had altered irreversibly. In a few months he would be a father. Next month he would be in a new job. A very visible one. He needed to look professional, be in control of his life. Gabe took a deep breath, gathered his emotions. Life had just grabbed him by the tail.
* * *
Zoe made her way back to the conference room on weak knees. Gabe had been right. They didn’t need to return at the same time, especially after one of the committee members had caught them arguing. Had the woman overheard what they’d been talking about? Yet Gabe’s sensible suggestion that they enter separately troubled her. Was he ashamed of her?
Maybe it was best. They shouldn’t draw attention to themselves, so that they’d have to explain what was going on between them. All she’d planned to do was tell Gabe and now he knew. She didn’t expect anything more from him and had made that plain. They would part ways today and that would be it. He’d have his life, his career, on the West Coast and she and the baby theirs on the East.
Except Gabe had said he wanted to talk. Would he be making demands? She had been surprised by the ferocity in his tone when he’d stated he would be in his child’s life. Where had that come from? Especially after he’d told her he wasn’t interested in a family. It must have been the shock of learning he was going to be a father. That was all it was.
She had just settled her shaking body in the chair when the moderator called the meeting back to order. Gabe slipped into his chair a minute later with an apologetic nod in the chairperson’s direction. Zoe refused to meet his look, the one she felt on her. The rest of the day would be long. Picking up her pen, she doodled on a page of her agenda to keep herself from glancing at him. The few times she dared to look, his thoughtful light blue gaze was fixed on her. She still found him attractive.
At their lunch break, Gabe started her way but was stopped by someone asking him a question. That gave her the chance to grab her meal and hurry back to her place, avoiding interacting with him again.
By midafternoon the meeting was ending. Zoe hadn’t heard much of it. She had been busy berating herself for failing to think through the consequences of not telling Gabe sooner.
“Dr. Marks,” the chairperson said, and the room erupted in clapping.
Zoe’s head jerked up. What had just been said? She gave a half-hearted pat of her hands as she watched Gabe. He smiled, nodding, as he looked around the room.
His gaze met hers briefly before he said, “Thank you. I look forward to becoming the head of transplants at National Hospital.”
The earlier fluttering in her stomach took off like a covey of quail. Gabe would be moving to the East Coast. To the same area as her!
She stared at him in disbelief.
He shrugged.
The rest of the people in the room stood and gathered their belongings. Zoe didn’t move. She’d believed Gabe would be three thousand miles away when he’d talked about being involved with their child. Now he would just be down the road. He might want to see the baby not only during the summer, while taking a few weeks of annual vacation, but regularly. He could even want part-time custody. This situation was spinning out of her control.
By the time she pulled her thoughts together, the room was practically empty. Gabe was still being congratulated by a couple of people when she was ready to go. In a stupor of shock, she snatched up her purse and grabbed the suitcase handle, hurrying out, unable to think clearly. Gabe had upended her envisioned future as a happy single parent.
“Zoe.”
She looked over her shoulder to see him striding toward her, and walked faster.
“Wait up,” he called.
“I need to catch my plane.” She had too much to process. Needed time to think.
Gabe pulled level with her. “But we need to talk.”
“If you wanted to talk so badly, why didn’t you tell me you had accepted a job that had you moving for all intents and purposes into my backyard?”
His mouth gaped in shock as he grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop.
“Maybe because I was too busy trying to recover from the bomb you dropped on me.”
He did have her there. She inhaled and said on the exhalation, “I think we both need some time to consider what we need to do.” His touch made her tremble, triggering memories of his hands all over her that night. How was she supposed to think?
“I already know what I want,” he snapped. “I intend to be as much a part of my child’s life as possible.”
“Does it matter what I want?” Zoe jerked free, took hold of her luggage handle again and started out of the hotel attached to the airport by a tunnel that led under the street.
Gabe matched her stride. “You didn’t think I’d want to know my child, did you?”
“I thought you deserved to know he or she existed, but I never imagined you’d want to be involved as closely as you’re talking about.” She kept increasing her pace, lugging her bag behind her. “You made it perfectly clear you weren’t family material before we went to bed together.”
“Oho, so that’s it. You didn’t think I’d care about being a father. It so happens that now that I am one I intend to be one. You have a problem with that?”
“I don’t know. I might if you keep applying this much pressure all the time,” she hissed.
“If I keep... You’ve had months to adjust to having a child. I only just learned I’m going to be a father.” His frustration was loud and clear.
Guilt assaulted her. “I’m sorry about that. It wasn’t fair, but you can’t expect me to make a life-changing decision for my child while I’m on the way to the airport.”
They continued through the tunnel into the terminal. Gabe remained beside her, larger than life. Why couldn’t he give her some space? She was already tied in emotional knots. She needed to get away, get home and regroup.
Zoe had other things to consider besides Gabe’s newly found parental outrage. Her friend had just sent a text to say that her mom was anxious, constantly searching the apartment and asking for Zoe.
Her thoughts were too scattered. She needed to consider carefully everything she said or agreed to. What happened would affect her and her child forever. “Gabe, I’m not talking about this right now. You’re moving across the country and you need time to get settled into your new job before you agree to shoulder the responsibilities of fatherhood. Responsibilities you need to carefully weigh first. Meanwhile, I need time to handle other issues in my life.”
“Is there someone else involved here?” His question was a demand. “Are you involved with someone?”
“No, nothing like that.” She glanced at Gabe in time to see him visibly relax. What did it matter to him if she had a boyfriend—or a lover, for that matter?
He touched her elbow to steady her when she rocked back as they headed up the escalators to the security area. Heat zipped through her. “You need to hold the handrail.”
“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Pregnancy doesn’t make me feeble-minded.” She’d covered her reaction to him with feistiness she didn’t completely feel as she pulled her arm from his hand.
“Neither does it mean you shouldn’t be careful or unwilling to accept help.”
Zoe’s look met his. Gabe’s didn’t waver. He appeared sincerely concerned. She had to admit it was nice to have someone care about her welfare. So much of her life revolved around helping others, her patients and her mother. Being worried over was a pleasant change. They stepped off the escalator and continued down the concourse. “I promise I’ll be careful.”
She looked ahead. A young woman with a baby strapped to her chest was pushing a rented luggage cart piled high with bags. Standing on the front, holding on, was a boy of about four. Seconds before they passed Zoe, the cart wobbled and the boy fell backward onto the unforgiving floor with a sickening thud. The mother screamed as blood flowed.
Even as the accident registered in Zoe’s mind, Gabe was down on one knee beside the child. The boy’s screeching echoed off the high glass ceiling as the mother pushed Gabe’s shoulder in her effort to reach the boy.
He half turned, catching hold of her as he said in a level, calm manner, “Ma’am, I’m a doctor. Don’t move him. You could make it worse. What’s his name?”
“Bobby. Bobby’s his name,” the woman said between crying huffs.
“Bobby, hush. I’m Dr. Gabe. I’m going to help you.” Gabe continued to speak softly and reassuringly to the boy.
Zoe noticed a diaper bag sitting on top of the woman’s luggage pile. Grabbing it, she opened it and searched until she found a diaper. Laying it as flat as possible on the floor, she carefully slipped it beneath the boy’s head, then held his head steady to stop him from squirming.
Gabe nodded to her then said, “Bobby, I need to see if you’re hurt anywhere else. Your mom’s right here. She can hold your hand, but you must be still.”
The boy’s crying quieted, although tears continued to roll down his face.
A crowd circled them yet Gabe’s full attention remained focused on the child.
The mother moved to the opposite side of the boy, going down on her knees beside Zoe. Taking his small hand, she said, “I’m here, honey.” The baby on her chest started to cry and she patted her on the bottom. “Don’t cry, Bobby. You’re making me and Susie cry too.”
The boy gave her a sad smile. His chest shuddered as he struggled to stop sobbing. The mother’s eyes were wild with fear as she stared expectantly at Gabe.
“Bobby, do you have a dog?” he asked, reaching for and pulling his suitcase to him.
“Uh-huh.” The boy grew quiet and watched Gabe.
Nimbly, Gabe unzipped a side pocket and removed a stethoscope. “What’s his name?”
“Marty.”
“Marty—that’s a good name for a dog. Did you give it to him?”
Zoe shifted closer to the mother. Placing her fingers on the pulse of the boy’s wrist, Zoe checked his heart rate.
“One-ten,” she told Gabe. Thankfully it wasn’t very high.
Zoe looked up to see a security guard hurrying in their direction. When he arrived she said, “I’m a nurse and he’s a doctor.” She nodded in the direction of Gabe. “Call 911. This boy needs to be seen at a hospital.”
Thankfully the man didn’t waste time arguing and spoke into his radio.
Meanwhile Bobby was saying, “No, my mom did. I wanted to name him Purple.”
Gabe grinned. “Purple. That’s an interesting name. Is he a purple dog?” While he spoke to the boy in a low tone, Gabe listened to his heart, checking his pulse and looking into his eyes.
“There’s no such thing as a purple dog,” the boy stated. “It’s my favorite color.”
Gabe chuckled and patted Bobby on the shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll be playing with Marty soon.” He spoke to the mother. “I think he’ll be fine, but he may have a concussion and need to stay in the hospital overnight for observation.”
Blinking, she swiped away the wetness on one cheek.
“I’ll see that you’re taken care of. Don’t worry,” Gabe assured her.
Seconds later the emergency medical techs arrived. They relieved Zoe and she stood. Her hands were a mess and one of the techs handed her a wet towel to clean them.
Gabe had been tender with Bobby, even able to distract him, which was a talent in itself. He showed promise at being a good father. Caring concern was every bit as evident in his interaction with the boy and mother as it had been during the night they had shared. Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to accept him as part of her and the baby’s life. If he was truly serious about it. Her fear was that when reality set in he might change his mind. Right now, he was just being noble.
Gabe was busy giving the EMTs a report about what had happened when Zoe found her bag and headed to the nearest restroom to wash her hands. When she came out, Gabe stood nearby.
She checked her watch and shook her head. “I have to go. It’s almost time for my plane. I have to get home.”
