Page 22 of Wilds of the Heart
“It wasn’t a date. It was just dinner with a friend,” I assured everyone staring at me.
The nurse laughed, handing Mimi the call button, and made his way out of the room.
“Seriously, you two. He’s young and handsome. Why not flirt a little with him?” Mimi looked perplexed. “Does your generation not understand how to flirt?”
The door opened, and Amelia rushed in with James and little Henry right behind her.
He was James’s little boy, and he happened to be the cutest one I’d ever seen.
“How’s Mimi doing?” Amelia asked me.
Mimi chuckled and shook her head, answering, “Mimi is doingjustfine.”
“She’s either Superwoman, or the drugs they’ve given her are spectacular,” I explained to my sister. “She’s trying to set us up with the nurse.”
“Both of you? That ought to make him happy.” James laughed and looked around the room. “Where’s Lucas?”
“Oh, I told him he didn’t have to come with me. There were some of his old high school friends at the restaurant, and I thought he could catch up with them.”
James and Amelia glanced at each other as if they were trading secrets.
Andthat...
That was what I wanted in a relationship. Those moments when you didn’t need to say anything, you could just read other’s minds. Kind of like how I felt when reading. The pages and I shared a special something as the words flowed through me and the stories came to life. I could see that same unspoken thing happen between Amelia and James.
“We’re just headed down to get Mimi a latte,” I told my sister.
“Great. I’ll come with you,” Amelia said, reaching for my hand to tug me out of the room. “Audrey was going to come with us, but a big group of customers came into the store, so she’s helping Dad.”
“Don’t forget some food,” my mom called after us.
When we’d made it the bank of elevators, Amelia stared at me. “So, how’d it go?”
“How’d what go?” I asked. “The reading? It was great.”
“No, what James told you. How do you feel about it?”
“Feel about what?” I shook my head.
Amelia’s eyes widened. “Oh, nothing. I thought that…” She scowled and pressed the elevator button. “Never mind what I thought. I probably got something confused.”
I narrowed my eyes at her as the elevator opened and we stepped inside. “Okay, what aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing. I don’t know a thing about a thing.” She shook her head, her dark hair falling around her expression.
Mae whistled. “Uh-oh. Somebody stepped in a big pile of it.”
The elevator chimed and spilled us into the bustling hospital lobby. “The nurse said it was on the first floor.”
Mae scanned one hallway while I looked down the other to see a huge gift shop.
“Found it.” Amelia clapped her hands and pointed.
“How did I not see that when I got here?” I chuckled.
The coffee shop didn’t look like a typical hospital café. It looked like an upscale roasting house, complete with velour-covered benches and a nook with books.
“What a fantastic idea.” Mae snapped her fingers. “I’m adding that to mine. Why did I not think about having a reading corner?”