Thin Ice (22 page)

"Damn right I did. You won't tel me anything about what's going on inside your head, or what your life is like beyond the confines of this hospital. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were born the day I met you for al I know about your past."

"Could you two keep it down? I can hear you halfway down the hal."

Emily and Eric whipped their heads around, but Sarah was already gone. Silence reigned as their tempers chiled.

"We need to talk,” Eric said.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Then you need to listen. I want an hour of your time, Emily. Alone.

Away from Robbie. Away from the hospital. Just you and me, one on one, across a table, on a park bench, in your car or mine, wherever. We've got some issues to deal with and I'm tired of having to second guess your feelings across a phone line."

"Forget it. I'm not about to dump my child with a sitter just so you can lecture me about how I choose to run my life."

"I think you owe it to me to hear me out, Emily."

It was the wrong thing to say. Emily had spent the last ten years It was the wrong thing to say. Emily had spent the last ten years making sure she didn't owe anybody anything. “Owe you? You think I owe you something? Just because you got my car fixed?"

"Of course not!"

"Or is it because you stil haven't cashed my check for Robbie's hockey equipment? Or maybe because you spent half the night in the ER when I asked you to go home? Or, I know, how about because we slept together and—"

"How about because I love you?"

Chapter Sixteen

"I told her I love her."

"That's wonderful! When did she cal?"

"She didn't. I went to see her at work. I couldn't wait."

"Oh, Eric. You didn't."

"I couldn't help it, Miranda. I hadn't seen her in almost a week. We were talking every night on the phone. I miss her."

"How did it go?"

"We fought. Why did you have to tel her about the car?"

"We fought. Why did you have to tel her about the car?"

"I thought she knew. You let me think she knew."

"Oh. Sorry."

A pause.

"So ... what did she say?"

"About what? She had plenty to say about a lot of things."

"Oh, no, Eric. You didn't tel her you loved her just to shut her up, did you?"

Silence.

"Eric?"

"I'm here."

"What happened when you told her?"

"Al hel broke loose."

"I can imagine."

"No, it realy did. They caled a code blue and she went racing down the hal. I didn't stick around."

"Speaking of sticking around, I heard you closed Hooligans Thursday night. That's not like you, Eric."

Thursday night. That's not like you, Eric."

"I met someone I wanted to talk to."

"Kim told me she saw you leave with a woman."

"Kim needs to mind her own business."

"We wives have to stick together, you know that. Who was she?"

"A friend."

"Did you spend the night?"

"You're not my keeper, Miranda."

"Then why did you cal me? I could have happily lived the rest of my life without this conversation."

Eric sighed. Women. Sometimes he didn't understand them at al. “I caled because ... oh, hel, I caled because I want to know what I should do now."

"Same thing as before. Give her time."

"I'm going crazy, giving her time."

* * * *

Emily sat in the middle of her bed, glued to the game, and strained for a glimpse of Eric. Vancouver was winning, 5-3. Eric had been for a glimpse of Eric. Vancouver was winning, 5-3. Eric had been helped off the ice after someone had high-sticked him in the face, and it had taken considerable wilpower not to get in her car and rush to the arena.

But then the screen flashed a close-up of him seated on the bench with a towel pressed against his cheek. Shortly thereafter he returned to the game. Miranda had told her the more determined players often played while injured. Eric definitely fel into the “more determined” category. Not only when it came to hockey, but when it came to causing havoc in her heart.

How about because I love you?

Damn him. How could he have done that to her? Flayed her heart wide open like that with six simple words?

She wanted to strangle him.

She wanted to believe him.

And that scared her like nothing else could.

* * * *

Eric looked in his rearview mirror, eyed the two-inch dogleg shaped cut on his right cheekbone, and wondered what Emily would have to say about it. Probably nothing good.

It had been an endless two days and nights since he'd told her he It had been an endless two days and nights since he'd told her he loved her. Admittedly his timing had been off, but he knew she'd heard him. Her face had gone soft, and for a heart-stopping moment he'd thought she might open her arms to him.

But then the world had come crashing in on them. The next thing he knew, she'd flown past him and down the hal without a backward glance. He didn't object to that, but it bothered him to no end that he hadn't heard from her since. What kind of woman let a man hang like that, twisting in the wind, after he'd told her he loved her?

Miranda didn't have a clue as to what was going on with Emily. To hel with biding his time. Tomorrow night the Saints played again, then on Saturday he left for Chicago for the first round of the playoffs. Tonight was the only chance he'd have to see Emily before another week went by and he'd be damned if he'd spend it going crazy with wondering what went wrong.

"Eric!” Robbie grinned up at him, a bundle of excitement in his Batman pajamas.

"Hi, Sport. Thought I'd drop by and see what you and your Mom thought of the game the other night."

"Robbie? Who is it?” A young female voice caled out.

"It's Eric, Melissa."

"What's he doing out at this ... oh, helo.” Clearly she'd expected to find another eight-year-old standing on the doorstep.

find another eight-year-old standing on the doorstep.

Eric smiled, reigning in his surprise at finding Robbie with a sitter while Emily's Suburban sat in the driveway. “Helo. I'm Eric Cameron. Is Dr. Jordan in?"

"I'm sorry. She's not here right now."

"She's out with Dr. Caldwel,” Robbie piped up.

Emily was out on a date? “Wil she be back soon?"

Uncertainty flashed across the teenager's face. “It's hard to say."

Eric bit back the impulse to ask where they'd gone. He could see himself bearing down on their table in some elegant, dimly lit restaurant. He wouldn't be responsible for his actions after that.

"Wanna come in and wait for her?” Robbie asked.

"Robbie..."

"It's okay, Melissa. Eric's our friend. Mom won't mind, honest."

Eric wished he could be so sure. But he wasn't about to pass up a chance to spend some time with Robbie. He'd missed the boy.

After a moment, Melissa stepped back. “Okay. You can come in.

But you're not staying up past nine,” she warned Robbie.

It was after eight. If Emily wasn't back in forty minutes, he'd leave.

It was after eight. If Emily wasn't back in forty minutes, he'd leave.

“Thank you,” Eric said, and stepped inside.

"Al right!” Robbie grabbed Eric's hand. “C'mon. I gotta show you something. Mom bought me a new computer."

"Robbie, wait. Did you dry your ears out after your bath?"

Stil holding Eric's hand, he roled his eyes. “Yes, Melissa."

"You know I have to ask."

"What was that al about?” Eric asked when they were in Robbie's room.

"I get infections if I don't dry my ears. Wanna see some realy cool dinosaurs? Mom got me this great new game."

"I thought your birthday was in September."

"It is. She said she wanted to give me the computer early, though, so's I can use it for school now."

The last Eric had heard, Emily had planned to wait until Robbie's ninth birthday to give him the computer. Why the sudden change in plans? Was she feeling guilty about dragging him away from the game? Or had she decided since his Mites League season was over, she'd channel his energy into something more educational?

Eric had regretted having to miss Robbie's last game.

Disappointment sliced through him now at the thought of Emily Disappointment sliced through him now at the thought of Emily moving forward without him. They'd talked of Robbie's future often those nights he was on the road. He'd come to enjoy being her sounding board.

For the next hour or more they played computer games. The telephone rang, but Melissa answered it. At nine-thirty, she came upstairs, looking agitated. “Bedtime, Robbie. Lights out in ten minutes. Go brush your teeth."

"Aw, we were just gettin’ started."

"Wrong, kiddo. You're just finishing up. You should have been in bed half an hour ago."

Eric smiled, grateful for Melissa's interruption. An hour of hunting for dinosaurs was enough for one night. He wondered if Melissa would ask him to leave now that Robbie was going to bed. He wouldn't blame her if she did, but he didn't enjoy the idea of lurking outside in his car like some jilted, jealous lover.

"Mr. Cameron? Could I ask you a favor? I caled my mom and she said it was okay to leave Robbie with you if you wanted to stay and wait for Dr. Jordan."

"Your mom?"

"She takes care of Robbie during the day."

"Oh, Anna.” So this was one of Augustus’ four daughters. “Sure.

"Oh, Anna.” So this was one of Augustus’ four daughters. “Sure.

So you're leaving?"

"My ex-boyfriend caled ... that was him on the phone ... and uh...” her cheeks pinkened “...wel, we broke up three weeks ago, but he asked if he could come over tonight, so I wondered if it would be al right to leave Robbie with you so I can see him. Otherwise I'l have to wait until tomorrow. He's not alowed over when I'm babysitting."

Eric smiled. She'd made it sound like she'd have to wait an eternity.

He sympathized completely. “I'd be happy to stay."

She beamed. “Thanks."

* * * *

Emily sank deeper into the plush leather of the Lincoln Town Car, stretched her legs, and leaned back against the headrest as she fought the urge to fal asleep for three straight days. It had been a helish night, one she wouldn't have wished on anyone.

"Thank you for waiting, Augustus. I know how you hate to miss Letterman."

"No problem, my dear. I had some reading to catch up on. Besides, Anna would boil me alive if I left you alone downtown at this time of night."

Emily squinted at the clock on the console. Two-ten. She'd been on Emily squinted at the clock on the console. Two-ten. She'd been on the go since five-thirty the previous morning. After putting in a ful day's work, she'd spent two hours with Robbie trying to figure out the new computer Brian Parker had sold her, then joined Augustus for their weekly visit to Harmony House.

Normaly they were there from eight to eleven, holding a free clinic for the ever-changing residents of the shelter. But tonight as they were leaving a woman had come in, clearly in need of more than routine medical care.

Earlier that evening she'd attended a dinner party with her attorney husband. In the car afterward, he'd attacked her, accusing her of smiling too much at his coleagues.

Caling her vile names, he'd beaten her savagely, then ripped open the low-cut cocktail dress he'd insisted she wear that night. When he'd paused to fumble with his pants before “giving her what she'd been asking for al night,” she'd hit him over the head with an ice scraper and scrambled out of the car.

The police had found her stumbling barefoot along the side of the road. They'd brought her to Harmony House when she'd refused to give her name or press charges against her husband, but insisted she couldn't go home or to a hospital. Her husband was too wel-known.

"I couldn't leave her."

"I know you couldn't, dear. That's why you're so wel liked at the

"I know you couldn't, dear. That's why you're so wel liked at the shelter. The women know you care."

"It's more than that.” Emily wouldn't have admitted even that much had she been in a stronger frame of mind. But this was Augustus.

Her friend, her mentor, the man who joined her in the work that gave her a good part of her own peace and strength. Working with the women at the shelter reminded Emily weekly of how far she'd come; how very much she had to be grateful for.

"Her situation was too much like my own,” she whispered, remembering her instant recognition of the fear and desperation in the woman's eyes.

Augustus was silent for a moment. “I've wondered about that.” When he continued, Emily realized Anna hadn't betrayed her secrets. “I noticed right away you had a special empathy for your patients at the shelter."

Augustus had been volunteering at the shelter for years before Emily had come along. From what she understood, he'd started the practice as a favor to a friend, long since repaid. Six months after joining his staff, Emily had asked if she might occasionaly accompany him. Since then it had evolved into their Wednesday night “date,” but she'd never discussed her reasons for wanting to help him.

"It happened a long time ago, Augustus."

"That may be, but I sense it's not over yet."

"Excuse me?"

"May I speak bluntly?"

"Of course."

"I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you that Anna and I share confidences. We care for you as if you were our own daughter, and Robbie our grandson. When you're troubled, we're troubled. That's why this recent ... difficulty you're having concerns us."

Emily wasn't sure what to say. “It hasn't affected my work...” she began, but Augustus was quick to reassure her.