The Long Way Home

He smiled to himself. This crew was a danger to sleeping travelers everywhere. If he didn’t know them, he’d be cringing.

“Here’s the packet with everything you’ll need for Gramps.” Maureen pushed her way back into his hotel room, shoving a manila envelope labeled in her big, bold handwriting into his hands. “The main thing to remember,” she said in that drill sergeant voice, “is that he has an MRI scheduled for Wednesday at the hospital. The home has a van that can take him, but he needs constant supervision, so it’s best that you go with him.”

“To the hospital?” He looked at her as if she was nuts—because she was if she thought he’d be any kind of help there.

“Yes, Bruce, to the hospital.” She stared him straight in the eye. “The Wallis Point Regional Hospital.”

He felt his jaw grinding. If he remembered correctly, Bunny Faulkner had worked there. The last person in the world who would want to see him.

He hauled his suitcase upright and unzipped it to find his toothbrush. It was best he got all the details out in front, now. “Does anyone know me at this nursing home of Gramps?” he asked as calmly as he could.

Maureen sighed. “I thought you said you were over it.”

He glanced sharply at her. “I don’t want it taken out on Gramps if somebody petty remembers the gossip,” he said quietly.

Her lips pressed tight together. She didn’t like what he was saying.

“Your friend, Natalie,” he remarked casually, as he rooted in the side pocket for his toothpaste, “gave me a strange reaction last night after I introduced myself.”

“That’s probably because you hit on her.” Maureen snorted. “I saw you come on to her. Way to be subtle, Bruce.”

He smiled and shook his head. He’d approached Natalie only because she’d been “hitting on him,” too. There had been an attraction across that crowded ballroom. He couldn’t possibly have mistaken that. “Do you expect me to be a monk?”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re here to take care of Gramps.”

Which he was going to do. Today. Today only. He’d thought about it last night and had realized what should have been obvious from the beginning: he had the cash, he could hire a great private nurse to give Gramps the extra-special attention that Bruce could not. And as soon as he got to this nursing home, he would make inquiries.

But Moe didn’t need to know that. It would upset her unnecessarily, and there was no need for that as she got ready for her honeymoon. He wasn’t that big a jerk.

Maureen’s phone chirped again, and she glanced at it. “The van to the airport is here. Bruce, I have to wrap this up.” She opened her purse and pulled out an envelope with a slip of paper attached by a paper clip. “Here it is. I went through hoops to honor your request not to stay in any of the family homes. I’ve been working the phones all morning to find you a rental that’s still open.”

He glanced at the bedside clock. “It’s 8:00 a.m., Moe.”

“And real estate never sleeps. Lucky for you I’m an insomniac, because this is beachfront. A private cottage.” She pressed the envelope into his hands. “Close to Gramps’s nursing home, so you can spend time with him without worrying about weekend traffic.”

The address was for an exclusive area on the water and accessible only by private road. He whistled, suddenly intrigued. “How did you manage this one?”

“I pulled in a favor. I didn’t particularly like doing it, which should show you how much I’m willing to go to bat for you.” She glanced at her phone, which was beeping again. “Look, I’ll call you from the road. I need to get everybody going.” She leaned over and half hugged him around the shoulder. “Take care of Gramps,” she whispered into his ear. “And thank you.”

As a rule, Coles did not thank each other. That meant she was seriously rattled about Gramps’s condition.

“He’ll be fine, Moe,” was all he said.

She nodded, her lips pressed together. “Please call me when you see him,” she said. And then she began marshaling her caravan down the hallway.

The poor kid would never enjoy her honeymoon. He fumed with his impotence in this situation. This made it all the more critical to hire somebody great—somebody capable—to protect and take care of Gramps for her.

Once Bruce was showered and dressed, he cleared out, repacking the few items he’d taken from his suitcase. Just another anonymous hotel room in another anonymous town. He’d have to look at the situation that way.

* * *

NATALIE WAS SLEEPING soundly when the phone she always kept inside her pillowcase vibrated against her cheek and jolted her awake.

Her first thought was that she was late for the class she’d volunteered to teach. Berating herself, and without looking to see who was calling, she muttered a greeting into the phone.

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.