Daddy On Call

“Sounds like she’d be better off remaining single,” Luke said.

“She recently came to that conclusion, too.”

He took another drink of orange juice, nearly finishing the glass. “If Carrie was living in Phoenix, what was she doing in San Diego?”

“She works for an advertising agency and had a chance to transfer. She’d broken up with Joel, but suspected that he wasn’t happy about the split. So she used the opportunity to put some distance between them. For a while it appeared that he’d accepted that the relationship was over. But apparently, he got wind of her pregnancy and that really set him off.”

“Is the baby his?” Luke asked.

“No. And she wasn’t cheating on him, either. She went to a sperm bank.”

When Luke didn’t comment, she let the subject drop.

“How’d you meet her?” he asked.

“I’m a social worker and counseled her at the shelter in L.A.”

In fact, Carrie had been her first project. No, that’s not true. Luke had been her first project.

At one time, and for the past twelve years, she’d thought she’d failed with him. But maybe not. It’s possible that he’d taken to heart some of the things she’d told him.

“It’s a good profession for you to pursue,” he said. “You always did have a thing for strays and underdogs.”

She supposed that was a result of growing up in the home of a minister and his wife. But Luke’s turnaround hadn’t been as easy to see coming.

“What about you?” she asked. “What made you decide to go to medical school?”

It wasn’t a tough question, but Luke wasn’t sure how honest he wanted to be.

Her brother’s death had been influential—but in a negative way. After Kami died, Leilani and her family blamed him. And when she returned to Hawaii for the funeral, she never came back to San Diego, never contacted him. Never answered his calls.

The guilt and grief threatened to destroy him, so he’d easily fallen back into his old lifestyle to escape. Only the drinking, carousing and fighting became worse than ever before.

Did he want Leilani to know all of that?

Did he want her to realize she and her family had been right about him all along?

He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “One night, I met a police detective named Harry Logan. The guy has a real knack with hard-ass kids and saw something promising in me. He took me under his wing, encouraged me to go back to school, then helped me get a job at a hospital. Medicine fascinated me, and I decided to become a doctor.”

“Harry must be a special guy.”

“He is. And there are quite a few young men in and around the San Diego area who consider him the father they never had.”

Luke was one of them.

His real dad had been an alcoholic college professor and had run off with a graduate student when Luke was just a kid. And his mom had never been able to recover from the emotional blow. At least not while he’d been in his formative years and could have used a functional parent in his corner.

He’d loved his mom—and the fact that he’d failed her when she’d needed him most would haunt him for the rest of his days. But when he was a kid, she seemed to think she was the only one who’d been abandoned and was hurting, so he’d found it easier to avoid going home.

By the time he’d become a teenager, they had moved to a run-down apartment in the inner city—not far from where Leilani’s aunt lived. And with no one to encourage him or keep him in line, he began hanging out with the wrong crowd.

Luke might have been a natural-born rebel, but he suspected that having a half-decent father probably would have kept him from getting into too much trouble.

When he met Leilani, she was a college-bound senior who’d recently moved in with her aunt. And his hormones had done what the teachers hadn’t been able to—got him to knuckle down and study.

Had Kami not died, Luke might have become a doctor anyway—because of Leilani’s influence. She’d believed in him and had made him want to be the kind of guy she could respect.

“Having a father to look up to is important for a boy,” she said now, obviously thinking about the baby her friend was carrying.

Leilani had always been compassionate, always concerned with the feelings of others. And Luke could see the grief and worry etched on her face.

He reached across the table and placed his hand on hers. “You can’t get personally involved like this. It’ll drag you under if you let it.”

Luke’s touch sent a shiver of heat up Leilani’s arm, and she nearly bolted. But before she could pull away or argue about her decision to get involved with Carrie or anyone else who reached out to her, Luke’s name blasted over the intercom.

“Dr. Wynter, dial zero-five-six. Dr. Wynter, dial zero-five-six.”

“Excuse me.” He stood, then picked up his tray. “I need to take that.”

Leilani watched him go, watched the way he swaggered out of the cafeteria with confidence and pride.

Just seeing him again had resurrected memories of what they’d once had and lost. What he’d thrown away by being negligent and acting carelessly.

When Kami died, she’d written Luke off as a delinquent, a lost soul. She now realized she’d been wrong. He’d managed to make something out of himself and earn a medical degree to boot. She ought to be happy for him, she supposed. And in a way, she was.

But that opened a whole new can of worms—night crawlers and squirmy critters sure to complicate her life and that of her son.

Seeing him again was a complication in itself, she supposed. A reminder of the secret she’d kept.

Danny had Leilani’s tan complexion, her dark hair. But he had his father’s eye color, a pretty emerald green. The shape, too. But more than that, he had Luke’s mannerisms—the charming smile, the single dimple in his cheek when he cracked a joke.

As she finished her tea and picked at the melon in her fruit cup, a group of nurses entered the cafeteria. After snagging their breakfast from the buffet, they chose a table not far from hers.

She ignored them until Luke’s name was mentioned.

“Guess who managed to get a date with Dr. Wynter last week,” a pudgy blonde said.

“Who?” the group chimed in harmony.

“Tori Claypool.”

“From the blood bank? How’d she do that?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. But apparently we’re not the only ones eager to find out why he was nicknamed Hot Lips.”

“You’d better be careful,” the blonde said. “You wouldn’t want to slip and call him that to his face. He doesn’t seem to have a sense of humor when he’s on duty, and I think Marge-the-Sarge is the only one who can get away with teasing him without making him angry.”

“It’s too bad he works nights and so many weekends,” a redhead added. “That’s so limiting to a relationship.”

“If you’re talking about concerts and evening activities,” the blonde said, “I’d be happy to spend a quiet afternoon at his place and show him the true meaning of a cheap date.”

Obviously, Dr. Luke Wynter was not only the resident E.R. doctor, but the resident heartthrob as well.

When Leilani had been in high school and had been dating Luke, she’d heard similar conversations in the girls’ locker room. She could understand why it would bother her then. But for some reason, she found a pang of jealousy even more unsettling now.

She tried to shrug it off and explain it away. After all, Luke was a handsome hunk who exuded raw sexuality. Obviously women still threw themselves at him.

While some things may have changed, others hadn’t. Luke still played the field and had his choice of eager women who didn’t mind being one of several.

Ready to escape the annoying chatter, as well as the green-eyed monster poking around in her chest, Leilani picked up her tray and put it on the shelf set aside for those that had been used. Then she grabbed her purse and headed for the lobby door.

She had better things to do than eavesdropping on a group of giggling post-adolescents. Besides, her car had been on the blink, so she and Danny had flown to San Diego. She’d had to borrow Addie’s Taurus and hated to leave her aunt without a vehicle any longer than necessary. In addition to that, she was eager to see Danny.

Aunt Addie was looking after him, and when Leilani had called last night to check on them, she’d learned that they’d made popcorn and were watching television. She’d promised her son a trip to the zoo today, but now she’d have to postpone it until tomorrow.

It was tough disappointing him.

And if she ever decided to reveal the truth about his father, she’d really disappoint him. Not because of who Luke was.

But because of what she’d told the boy about him.

Leilani parked the car in the underground garage, then took the elevator up to her aunt’s small apartment on the fourth floor and stepped into the hallway that bore the same blue plaid carpet she’d remembered. It was more worn than ever and, like everything else in the building, needed to be replaced.

Without any windows to air out the hallway, the scent of stale cigarette smoke had permeated drapes, walls and flooring.

At one time, the Eberly Arms Apartments hadn’t been the safest complex. But it seemed as though the tenants, at least the ones on this floor, had all been around for a while. Most of them were her aunt’s age and looked out for each other, which was comforting.

As she used her key and let herself inside, Danny jumped up from the sofa and rushed to meet her. “Mom, you’re back. Finally. When are we leaving?”

Excitement spread over his face, and his green eyes—so much like his father’s—glimmered.

She bit her lip, struggling to find words that wouldn’t disappoint him too badly, but failed. Instead, she ran a loving hand through his brown hair and offered him a bone-weary smile. “Just let me take a quick shower, honey. Then we’ll go. All right?”

His grin was worth the sacrifice of a few hours sleep.

As she started toward the guest bedroom she and Danny had been sharing, Aunt Addie stopped her. “Lani, you look dog-tired and ready to drop. Why did you agree to go to the zoo today? I’m sure Danny would understand your need for rest.”

“I know. He’s a good kid.” She cast her elderly aunt a smile. “But this is supposed to be his vacation, too. He’s really looking forward to visiting the reptile house and seeing the pythons and the rattlesnakes.”

“I’m sure they’ll be there tomorrow.”

True, but Leilani also wanted her son to get some fresh air and sunshine. While she’d been gone, she’d asked her aunt not to take him outdoors. She had no idea what she’d do if anything happened to him. The thought of losing him like she’d lost Kami was too painful to contemplate.

“How’s your friend Carrie doing?” Addie asked.

“She’s hanging in there.”

Addie clucked her tongue. “It’s a downright shame what happened to her. She’s better off without a man in her life anyway.”

Leilani found it hard to argue, especially with a woman who refused to remarry after a nasty divorce, a woman who still seemed angry with Leilani’s father for not allowing her to raise his children on the mainland.

But when Leilani’s parents died, their will had been explicit. Leilani and Kami were to live with their maternal grandparents on Lanai—an island not far from Oahu, where they’d been living.

“I’m glad you finally learned that lesson,” Addie said, as she opened the linen closet. She pulled out a blue towel and washcloth then handed them to Leilani.

“What lesson are you talking about?”

“That most men can’t be trusted. You’re better off this way.”

Leilani wasn’t quite sure what she meant. “Do you think that’s why I never married?”

“Well, you’ve had bad experiences with two young men. First with that hellion who was responsible for Kami’s death. Then that Navy SEAL who got you pregnant.”

Leilani glanced down the hall, making sure Danny wasn’t within hearing distance. “Danny’s birth blessed this entire family, so his father did us all a favor. And for what it’s worth, I’ve been too busy with work and trying to be a mother to my son to even think about dating. It has nothing to do with not trusting men.”

“Hmph.” Addie handed her the linens. “Nevertheless, I’m glad you haven’t tried to find that boy a step-father. He’s doing just fine without one.”

Was he?

She’d told herself Danny’s father wasn’t a man he could look up to, a man he could trust. But now she wasn’t so sure.

Of course, there were more reasons than that for keeping Danny a secret for eleven years.

First, she didn’t know Luke anymore. What if he let her son down? Or made promises he wouldn’t keep?

Second, she’d always preached the importance of honesty to her son. And the lie she’d told him about his father had been a whopper.

Perched on a hilltop that overlooked the Pacific, Oceana General Hospital was located about twenty minutes north of downtown San Diego. The large white stucco building had an old-world, Spanish style, with a flower-lined walkway and a stone-crafted water fountain bubbling at the entrance.

Luke liked the way the lights shined upon the water at night, which is why he chose to enter through the front door and not the emergency room.

After parking his SUV in the lot assigned to doctors, he pushed through the double glass doors into the lobby. He walked past the ladies dressed in pink who were members of the hospital auxiliary and headed down the walkway to the ICU. His shift would start soon, but he wanted to check on Carrie—again.

His interest in the beaten pregnant woman went against the grain, he supposed. Whenever any other cases had tugged at his frayed heartstrings, he’d always been able to successfully fight off the urge to get involved. So he didn’t know why he hadn’t done the same with this one.

Sure you do, an adolescent voice whispered.

He cursed under his breath. Okay, so it was Leilani who had the hold on him—her and that damn guilt he still carried.

Upon punching in the code that allowed him into the ICU, he proceeded to the nurses’ station, where he learned that Carrie had been assigned to Bethany Paige, an attractive redhead he’d dated a while back. The shifts were about to change.

“How’s Carrie Summers doing?” he asked.

Bethany arched a brow, obviously surprised to see him out of the E.R.

Okay, so it was common knowledge he didn’t often follow up on a patient.

He shrugged. “Ms. Summers is a friend of a friend.”

“Oh, yeah?” Bethany crossed her arms as though making some kind of assumption she had no business making. “Not much has changed. She’s having some intermittent contractions, but nothing productive.”

“Is she still unconscious?”

“Yes. There’s been some brain swelling, but Dr. Wofford has been keeping a close eye on it.”

“Good.”

Bethany blew out a sigh. “I hope they put away the guy who did this to her for a long time.”

“So do I.”

The brief relationship he and Bethany had shared was over, yet the memories, few that they were, filled the air between them.

“You know,” she said, “I don’t have any hard feelings about…well, you know.”

Luke smiled. “I’m glad. You deserve someone who can commit and give you the white-picket-fence dream. I’m afraid I’m just a loner at heart, a guy who thrives on working nights and sleeping days.”

“I’d thought maybe that might change—if you met the right woman.”

He tugged gently at a red lock of hair. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that. I’m too set in my ways.”

“Yeah, well thanks for being honest and up-front about it. I appreciate that.”

He let the curly strand go, losing the fleeting connection that reflected the intimacy they’d shared for a couple of weeks.

At first, Bethany had claimed she wanted a no-strings-attached affair, too. But as they spent more time together, she began to press for more, so Luke ended things.

Some men might have let it go on longer, but he’d learned a lot of things from Harry Logan, especially the meaning of integrity. Life was far less complicated when people were honest with each other.

“Will you mention to the night-duty nurse that I’d like to know if there’s any change in her condition?”

Bethany nodded. “Sure.”

Luke tossed her a thanks-for-understanding smile, then turned and left the ICU. He headed to the waiting room, where he expected to see Leilani. Maybe this time, he’d get a chance to tell her what he’d meant to say before.

When he paused in the doorway, he found her seated on the sofa, her shoes kicked off and on the floor, her bare feet tucked under her.

“Isn’t it time for you to be heading home?” he asked.

At the sound of his voice, Leilani looked up, uncurled her legs and quickly slipped on her shoes. “Sorry. I got a bit too comfy.”

“Good. You spend enough time here that you ought to make yourself at home.” He shot her a grin. “In fact, why don’t you come with me to the cafeteria? I’ve got a couple of minutes before I have to head to work.”

“Thanks, but I can’t.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I heard Dr. Wofford is going to be making his rounds soon, and I want to be here when he does.”

Something rigid inside him warmed and waffled, and he took a seat beside her.

“Is this all normal?” Leilani asked.

Luke didn’t want to tell her there was a chance Carrie wouldn’t wake up. Leilani was worried enough, and he didn’t want to add a stress about something that might not present itself.

He went on to explain some of the medical tests and treatments in layman terms. She seemed to appreciate the time he spent with her. More than once, he wanted to reach out to her, to take her hand, but he didn’t want to force an intimacy they no longer had.

Luke had never gotten the chance to tell her how sorry he’d been that Kami had died. And a part of him wondered if he’d ever be able to find forgiveness in her eyes.

He could understand why he might not.

Her brother’s death had been devastating, the details ugly. The poor kid had been young and as innocent as they came. When his death had been declared drug-related, it had cast a sordid cloud over his memory and had shamed his religious family.

Of course, Luke wouldn’t bring any of that up now, not at the hospital. Instead he would drive by her aunt’s house on his next day off and talk to her there.

Assuming, of course, that her aunt no longer had the shotgun she’d threatened to fire at him if he ever showed up at her door again.

Chapter Three

The next morning, when his shift ended, Luke stopped by the ICU again, and the fact that he did bothered him more than ever.

Why couldn’t he let Leilani go?

Damned if he knew. He might be a doctor, but he sure as hell didn’t know the first thing about curing a worn-out case of puppy love. Or whatever it was he still felt for his old lover.

Sympathy maybe?

A misplaced sense of loyalty?

After checking in on Carrie and hearing the latest, he went by the waiting room, only to see that Leilani wasn’t there. A sense of disappointment settled over him, which he found even more annoying.

He ought to be happy she was taking care of herself and getting some rest. That’s what he should be doing.

On the way out of the hospital, he walked through the lobby and kept his eyes peeled for Leilani on the outside chance she would be coming while he was going. And, much to his relief, he spotted her just outside the glass doors.

She wore a pale-yellow sweater and a pair of black jeans today. Her hair was loose and curled under at the shoulders. When she cast a friendly grin at the ladies dressed in matching pink smocks and seated at the information desk, greeting them warmly, he realized she was not only as lovely as ever, but she was just as kindhearted.

When her gaze landed on him, his pulse skipped a beat, then rumbled to life.

Strange how she could still have that effect on him.

As she drew nearer, he noted dark circles under her eyes.

“I was hoping you’d stayed home last night, but something tells me you didn’t get much rest.”

She shrugged a shoulder and offered him a shy hula-girl smile. “You’re right. I didn’t sleep well.”

He wasn’t sure where he wanted to go with that, since she was certainly able to determine her needs on her own. But neither could he completely ignore her statement. “Are you staying with your aunt?”

“Yes, we’ve been…” She cleared her throat. “I’ve been visiting her, and we’ve been catching up.”

“Does she still live at the Eberly Arms? From what I remember, it used to get pretty loud there.”

“It’s not so bad anymore, but last night Aunt Addie had a spell that worried me. So I woke up periodically to check on her.”

Unable to quell his curiosity—professional or otherwise—he asked, “What kind of spell?”

“She has diabetes and her blood sugar level dropped. It took me a while to figure out she needed a glass of orange juice.”

“Is she under regular medical care?”

Leilani nodded. “Yes, but since I arrived I’ve noticed that she gets a little…forgetful sometimes. I’m afraid she might not be checking her sugar level regularly or taking her insulin properly. So I have her doctor’s number and plan to give him a call once his office opens.”

They stood there awhile, sexual attraction—at least on his part—buzzing and sparking like a high voltage wire downed by a storm. Her scent, something floral and springtime fresh, mingling with buzzing pheromones, drew him to her. He tried his best to ignore it, but he wasn’t having any luck.

“Now I have another reason to stick around for a while,” she said, “so I called my office this afternoon and requested a leave of absence. I’m going to stay with Aunt Addie until I can be sure she’s following her doctor’s orders and until Carrie recovers.”

Luke didn’t mention that the jury was still out on Carrie’s full recovery. “By the way, I’m not sure if you’ve heard. Her boyfriend was arraigned and charged with attempted murder.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“There’s also been talk about taking the baby early,” Luke added, revealing what he’d learned earlier.

“Have they scheduled the birth?”

“No. They’re still waiting. At this point, each day the baby stays in the womb, the better chance he has.”

“I told you that Carrie asked me to look after him if something…happened to her.” Leilani tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing a pearl earring much like June Cleaver would have worn.

“You’ll make a great mom,” he told her, meaning every word.

Her lips parted as though she meant to respond, then she clamped them shut.

“How about a cup of coffee?” he asked. “Maybe breakfast?”

“No thanks. I’d better pass. Besides, your fan club probably doesn’t need to see us together.”

He shifted his weight to one foot and crossed his arms. “What are you talking about?”

Something that resembled humor glimmered in her eyes. “Several of the nurses think you’re pretty hot. And they’re eager to join the ranks of your notable conquests.”

He was aware of that, but for some reason it embarrassed him to have Leilani privy to idle chat, speculation and rumor. “I don’t make a habit of dating the women I work with.”

The humor disappeared from her gaze, and skepticism took its place. “Oh no?”

He doubted Bethany had been talking to anyone. The reason he’d dated her in the first place had to do with her ability to be discreet and the fact she didn’t seem to play the games some of the others did. “If there’s been talk, it’s not true.”

“Aw, come on, Luke.” She crossed her arms, facing off with him in a way that made her appear a lot taller than her five-foot-four stature. “I’m not buying that.”

“Why not?”

“I’ve kissed you before, Doctor. And I have every reason to believe your nickname wasn’t fabricated.”