The Very Thought of You Read online

  Chapter 2

  “I’m not taking sides,” Caleb Blackfox repeated for the third time in the last half hour. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. He took a drag of his coffee and looked around. Even after the million-dollar renovation of the hospital, no matter how many plants, how much music and bright color, the hospital cafeteria was still a cafeteria. What kind of drama would have his cousin sitting here now? Nothing could make a man turn backflips more than his little sister. Caleb closed his eyes and let out a mental prayer.

  Thank God his own little sister, Regan, had finally gotten married. Caleb didn’t have a gray hair on his head but everybody had predicted that all the men in their family would have their hair falling out because of his only sister. After spending years traipsing around the world for the state department, she’d settled into working on domestic assignments.

  His cousin Kevin wiped the cinnamon-roll crumbs from his mouth and sat forward. “Look, she listens to you.”

  “The hell she does. If Savannah had listened to me, she wouldn’t be about to elope with Archer.”

  “You talked to her?”

  “She asked me to recommend an obstetrician,” he said flatly.

  “And you did?”

  “What choice do I have? Yeah, I’m not happy that she’s about to marry the great-grandson of the man who almost destroyed our family. Yeah, I think she was wrong to hide the relationship from her family. But, what’s done is done and medically speaking the deed can’t be reversed. You might as well get used to being an uncle and calling your sister by the Archer last name.”

  “The hell I will. I don’t care if she marries him. Savannah and that baby will have Blackfox blood in their veins.”

  “And Archer.”

  Kevin’s jaw clenched. “Damn, you don’t have to remind me.”

  “That baby is either going to help this family heal or tear it apart,” Caleb stated.

  “At least you can get your head around her marrying the man.”

  He sighed as weariness seeped deep into his bones. “She loves him. Who are we to stand in the way of that?”

  Just the thought sent his mind hurtling to the past. It had been ten years and he’d still thought of her often. Ten years and still the mere sight of a woman who resembled Miranda ruined his day. He’d saved hundreds of lives, healed the sick, donated thousands to charity and confessed all his sins to Deacon James last Easter. Yet he didn’t think he’d ever get forgiveness from one woman.

  Man, she had a behind that could stop a man in his tracks. It had never failed to amaze Caleb that Miranda never noticed. He’d loved that about her, her intensity, her focus. They would walk into a room and he knew that all of his fraternity brothers were staring at the amazing girl he’d had on his arm, but she wouldn’t notice. Some things didn’t change. Nothing would have kept him from recognizing his first love in the hospital corridors. Her words—that she never wanted to see him again—had kept Caleb from approaching her. More than anything else he wanted to know when had she come home and why was she at the hospital? Caleb put those questions on hold and attempted to concentrate on his cousin’s conversation.

  “You’ll talk to her, cuz?”

  He shook his head. “I’ll give her my blessings. She’s a grown woman, Kevin.”

  “She’s my little sister.”

  Caleb finished off his soda. The entire conversation was a reminder of why he avoided family politics. He didn’t want to get involved. The only thing that mattered to him at the moment was finding out if the woman he’d seen exiting the elevator was also the first woman he’d ever loved. “I wish you luck, but don’t include me in any plans of yours. Thanks for lunch, but I have to get back to work.”

  Both men stood and after a quick hug, Caleb strode out of the cafeteria, took the stairs to the patient wings and went directly to the closest nurses’ workstation.

  “Good evening, Dr. Blackfox. Can I help you with something?”

  Caleb summoned a smile and stood over the attending nurse. “I just need to use your computer to track down a patient, if that’s all right.”

  “Of course. I have to see to Mrs. Brinkle’s medication. Take your time.”

  As he sat down in the seat and entered Miranda’s name, conflicting emotions of dread and excitement filled his mind. What if she was a patient at the hospital? What if she were married? But the excitement of seeing her again turned to disappointment when her name returned no results. Just to make sure he searched by last name.

  Darren Tyler—car accident—stable condition—fifth floor.

  Relief loosened every muscle in his body. She was okay. Caleb sat back in the seat and stared at the screen. Miranda’s brother was in the hospital. At that point, he should have cleared his search and returned to his rounds, but he didn’t. Caleb stared at the room number. This could be a sign. He’d spent years in the academic world and he’d been trained to look at facts, examine evidence and make diagnoses based on science. However, a decade of academics could never erase a childhood steeped in rich folklore, Baptist traditions and spiritual learning.

  In the Blackfox family, with its African and Native-American roots, when people spoke about their dreams everyone listened. Last week, during last week’s family bimonthly Sunday dinner, his grandmother had mentioned that she’d dreamed about deer running along the edge of the lake. The last time she’d had a dream like that his little sister had gone and brought home her future husband, Kincaid.

  A month ago, his aunt had dreamed about crabs. Although his colleagues could have chalked it up to midnight cravings, his mother had explained that it meant a long and difficult courtship for lovers. His own parents had puzzled over who in the family that could mean because no one else seemed to be in any kind of relationship. The mystery was solved a few weeks later with Savannah’s announcement that she was pregnant. His unmarried cousin had somehow managed to fall in love with not only the last man on earth, but the great-grandson of the man who’d almost single-handedly destroyed their family.

  So that brought him back to his present situation. Miranda Tyler was in town, in his hospital, possibly brought back to his life for a second chance. And here he was, a doctor who spent his life giving his patients a second chance. Didn’t he deserve one as well? Caleb stood up, adjusted his coat and headed for the stairs. Knowing Miranda as he did, and appreciating the fact that she probably would have changed very little in the time away, he’d need an edge to get close. Looking down at his badge, his mouth curled up in a grin.

  The next morning, Caleb exited the stairwell on the fifth floor and greeted the on-duty nursing staff. “Good morning,” he said cheerfully.

  Almost happy enough to whistle, he pulled out Darren Tyler’s chart and was reviewing it when one of his favorite nurses rounded the corner and maneuvered to take her place at the circular station.

  “Never really see you on this floor, Dr. Blackfox. Got a new patient?”

  Caleb cocked his head to the side and thought for a second. “Old friend, actually. Darren Tyler.”

  Peggy’s eyes widened. “You know him?”

  “I used to date his sister in college.”

  “You went out with Miranda?”

  “What’s so incredible about that?”

  “She doesn’t seem to be your type.”

  “Why wouldn’t she be my type?”

  “She’s nice and considerate. For example, she brought us a basket of cookies and gift boxes of bath stuff yesterday morning just to say thank you for taking care of her brother.”

  “What are you saying—that I’m not a nice guy?”

  “No. You just don’t seem to date real women. I’ve had the unfortunate luck to meet at least two of your ex-stalkers. Oh, sorry, ex-girlfriends.”

  “Rhonda was off of her medication that day.”

  “That woman needs a permanent prescription and an attitude drip. She lost it just because you didn’t drop everything to look at her throat.”

  “As you can see, Miran
da isn’t like that.”

  “She’s sweet and that brother of hers is something else. If I didn’t have that man of mine taking care of business at home, I’d be tempted.”

  “So Miranda visits in the morning?”

  “Yep. The first time she brought that cute little girl of hers. This morning she came by herself.”

  Caleb’s body froze. Little girl. The nurse’s words repeated in his head. The ache in his heart turned to a full-blown pain worse than any heart-burn he’d ever suffered through. Was she married? The thought of her having a family tore his gut. “She has a little girl?”

  “Her name’s Kelly. Cute as a button, smart as a whip and very well-mannered. And she’s a little computer whiz. Little thing showed me how to change the resolution on this monitor, so now I think we all have a better chance of not going blind.” Peggy shook her head and then snorted. “Kids these days are surfing the net and sending e-mail before learning how to ride a bike. Pretty frightening if you ask me.”

  “How old is she?”

  Helen frowned. “I think she told me she was ten or eleven years old.”

  A cold sweat broke out on his brow as his mind did an instant calculation from the last time he and Miranda had been together physically. The answer gave him a chill. Depending on the length of her pregnancy…“Did you say ten years?”

  “Yes. Why are you looking like you’ve seen a ghost?”

  “Just surprised. I just didn’t know that Miranda had gotten married.”

  “Well, she didn’t have a ring. Kelly didn’t talk about her father much, but you could tell she loves her momma.”

  “Well, if it’s okay with you I’m going to check on the patient.”

  “Be my guest. He just took a dose of meds, so he’s probably knocked out.”

  Caleb stepped into the room and looked down at Darren’s sleeping face. Even when the man had his eyes closed he could easily remember the last time they’d spoken. Miranda’s older brother’s harsh voice echoed in his ears.

  “Don’t you think you’ve hurt my sister enough, Blackfox? I always knew you’d show your true colors. You rich people don’t care who you hurt as long as you get what you want. Well, you bastard, you can’t have my sister. Now get the hell out of this house before I call the cops.”

  Hate. Miranda may have despised him for his infidelity, but Darren had hated him from the moment he found out that they were dating. No one was good enough for the man’s little sister, even a Blackfox.

  Caleb stepped aside and moved the blanket and hospital gown. He examined Darren’s chest, satisfied that the bruises there were healing. He continued to observe the man’s vital signs and looked down at his face. No matter how many times they’d fought, Caleb had always respected Darren. The man had only been looking out for his little sister. He’d done the same thing for his little sister, Regan.

  But no matter how much he and his brothers had tried to protect her, she’d still managed to get into trouble. Then Regan had grown up. He shook his head and smiled slightly. His little sister was grown up, married even, and if her new husband had anything to do about it, Caleb would soon have his first niece or nephew to spoil.

  “Dr. Blackfox, Miranda Tyler—the patient’s sister—was wondering if it was okay to come in.”

  Caleb lifted his head and swung his gaze around to collide with that of the woman who’d been his first true love.

  For a moment they stood frozen as several heartbeats passed; their eyes locked and bodies still. His vision was filled with the image of the last time they’d been together. Before the arguments, before her tears. He saw the sweet smile on her lips as he’d held her in his arms with the sunlight streaming through the open blinds of his downtown condominium.

  His fingers gripped the folder and pen in his hands as he remembered the smooth silk of her skin and the soft round curve of her belly. One of his favorite moments was when they’d lie in bed or on the sofa and he would place his hand on her stomach. No matter how stressed out he’d been with school, Miranda would calm him. She’d been his good-luck charm, his peace and his one weakness.

  The business outfit she wore, a black pantsuit and gray blouse, made her look more sophisticated, feminine and alluring. Then there were the high-heeled shoes that would bring her closer to his six-foot-three-inch height. He’d loved it when she’d worn her stilettos and he knew just how well she could maneuver with them when they were alone in the bedroom.

  A sigh of regret slipped through his lips. Now looking at her, he could see that she’d grown even more beautiful after all the years. His gaze moved to her reddish-brown hair and he couldn’t help but notice that she’d let it grow. Parted in the middle, side-swept bangs fell below her jawline, drawing his eyes to her delicate chin and bow-shaped lips. Her face had grown slender with the years, and her cheekbones were more pronounced. His eyes settled there for a moment as his body clenched with the memory of those lips. If he’d ever had a turn-on, Miranda’s lips had been the thing, besides his loving her backside. His oldest brother was a leg man. Not him. Caleb inwardly shook his head.

  His preferences started at her nice curvaceous backside, then moved to her mouth and ended with her eyes. Her eyes. He loved to watch the play of emotion in Miranda’s eyes. She’d had one of the best poker faces he’d ever seen, but it was all for naught because he could tell what she was feeling when he looked into her cinnamon brown eyes. At that moment they were darker than he’d ever seen them. And if he could guess, he’d say she’d been just as effected by his presence as he was by hers.

  Finally, when the silence began to border on discomfort, he smiled. “Miranda Tyler, as I live and breathe,” Caleb said warmly.

  Her brow rose and he glimpsed the slight formation of a smile on her lips. “Dr. Blackfox, what a surprise.”

  He maneuvered around the bed. As if it were the most natural thing for him to do, he swept her into his arms for a hug. And as her arms wrapped around his sides, his body relaxed in happiness. Even after all those years, they still fit together and she felt damn good. Taking a deep breath, Caleb reluctantly pulled away; but unwilling to break the physical connection, he kept his hands on her arms. Looking down into her upturned face, he grinned. “We had an agreement before I even took the first MCAT that you would only call me doctor at a very special time.”

  Blood suffused her cheeks and she looked away. A flash of triumph shot through his veins. She hadn’t forgotten. They’d known each other since junior high school, but everything changed in college. Back home she’d been the girl next door. All it had taken was the sight of Miranda in a tight skirt to bring him to his knees. Their first date had been a smoldering fire; their first kiss blew his mind. Whenever they’d been in the room together, sparks had flown.

  “That was a lifetime ago.”

  “But the Miranda I knew always kept her promises.”

  She shook her head and a slight smile curved her lips upward. “I haven’t been that girl in a long time, Caleb.”

  “Well, although I dislike the circumstances, I’m glad you’re home. Will you be staying for a while?”

  “I’ll be here as long as Darren needs me.”

  “He could have a pretty lengthy recovery,” he said in all seriousness. “I’m sure there’s someone waiting for you back north who won’t be happy to hear that.”

  She shrugged. “I’m on leave from work. I can be here as long as it takes for him to recover.”

  His eyes narrowed on her vague reply. As far as he could tell, Miranda had come alone. He’d taken in the lack of a wedding band the moment she’d walked into the room. That observation, coupled with her response, led him to believe that she wasn’t married or in a committed relationship. And having met her parents, he knew that if she’d had a child, she would have to have a husband. Unless…

  Caleb glanced around. A few of the nurses were milling about in the hallway and seemed particularly interested in what was going on. Without a doubt, all the hospital staff from the chie
f to the orderlies would know about the hug by the end of the day. The line between personal and private had been drawn long ago.

  Caleb made a point to look at his watch. “I’m due to go on a required break and was headed down to the cafeteria. Care to join me? We could catch up. The last I heard you were in New York.”

  She shook her head. “I spent a few weeks there for training, but I live in D.C. now.”

  “Nice. I look forward to hearing about what you’ve been up to for the past couple of years.”

  “I’m not so sure that would be a good idea.”

  Not wanting to lose the opportunity to question her about the little girl, Caleb quickly added, “I don’t bite and I don’t carry needles. If you don’t want to talk about your personal life, then we can discuss your brother’s condition.”

  “Of course. I could use a cup of coffee.”

  Caleb stood close to her in the elevator, and to Miranda’s surprise, heat trickled up and down her body. Miranda wanted to scream in frustration. It had taken her years not months to get Caleb Blackfox out of her system. Why in the world would she have a reaction to him now?

  Because I am an idiot, she told herself. It had to be. Coming back to Rome was taking a leap back in time, and she’d forgotten to bring an anti-idiocy jacket with her.

  “I’m sure that this was an unexpected inconvenience,” he mentioned. “I would have expected your parents to be here.”

  Miranda kept her eyes on direction markers in the hallway. There were signs for the emergency room, women’s wing, restrooms, surgery and finally the cafeteria. It came as second nature for her to observe and memorize her surroundings. And that training came in handy as a distraction from the man at her side. She’d never really been in a hospital. Lucky for her no one in her family had needed a visit.

  “Are your parents well?”

  Caleb’s question pulled Miranda from her thoughts. She turned her head to look at him. “They’re teaching high school in Ghana.”

  “For how long?”

  “It was supposed to be a year. The last time I spoke with them things were going so well that they may decide to sign on for another year.”