Almost Midnight (21 page)

Tanner grumbled. “You are going to pay for this.

Rafe laughed. “I charge bad patients like you double, you know.”

Tanner’s cell phone rang and Rafe picked it up. “Ah, Nurse Richards.”

Tanner’s brows rose. “Candy Richards?” he replied in astonishment.

Rafe nodded, his eyes twinkling.

Tanner swung his feet out of bed. “Give me that phone.”

Rafe pursed his lips. “Well, he’s had quite a few days, sweetheart. Being his doctor, I can’t rightly tell you, but if you would like to speak to the man himself, here he is.”

“Candy,” Tanner said, grabbing the phone from Rafe.

“You got the name right, Mr. Clearbrook. And anyone ever tell you that brother of yours is fresh?”

Tanner looked up at Rafe. “Oh yeah, I’ve heard much worse things about the man than that.”

Rafe stiffened. “What are you two talking about?”

“Have you heard from Hannah?” she asked.

Tanner paused. Every second of the day, he had wanted to call Hannah and ask her forgiveness for the stupid things he’d done, but as soon as he recalled the scene of her lovely body in the arms of Alex Richards, his thoughts of reconciliation were instantly squelched.   

“No, I haven’t called her. Is there anything else?”
Anything about Hannah?

The ulcer had only been an excuse not to call her. Like Rafe had said, it hadn’t been his appendix or anything that serious. His only consolation in not calling Hannah, was that Candy’s brother was working back in Chicago and wouldn’t be in Clearbrook Valley to visit anytime soon.

“I’m going to tell you a thing or two,
Mr. Clearbrook
.”

 Tanner’s muscles tensed. “Is she hurt?”

“Yes. You broke her heart. Hannah cried all night the day you left her at that grocery store.”

He swallowed. “For your information, I didn’t leave her. She left me.” 

He turned to see Rafe standing in the doorway, his brother’s hands crossed over his chest in mocking amusement.

“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Candy wielded the words like a razor sharp knife. “You used your power to stop Hannah from being hired at Reach Medicals. That was her ticket out of the pain of the past, so she could move forward. But oh no, you stuck your high falootin’ Clearbrook nose into her business and offered her a job as nanny instead, thinking your money was all that mattered. You may have given her the money to pay her bills, but you didn’t let her choose anything but you. That isn’t what I would call love.”

Inwardly, Tanner flinched. He knew she was right, but he couldn’t admit it. “I offered her marriage, Miss Richards. Marriage to me.”

Candy gave a scornful snort. “My, my, my, how thrilled she must have been to know that the man who pulled her dream job right out from under her feet was the same wonderful man who proposed marriage.”

A flushing heat crawled up Tanner’s neck.

“Did you ever tell her you loved her? Did you?”

No, he hadn’t. She hadn’t given him a chance. Or was he too afraid to utter the words?

“Ha! So you never told her you loved her, but you expect her to jump at the chance to marry you? Y-you deceived her.” Candy’s voice broke, and Tanner felt about an inch tall.

“You, Mr. Clearbrook, have lost the best thing that ever happened to you besides that little boy of yours.” 

Tanner began to squirm. “I admit I was wrong,” he said simply. “I was wrong to have deceived her.”

“Well, it’s a little too late for sorries now.”

“I suppose she told you about her relationship with your brother,” he snapped, not able to hold back his tongue.

“Relationship? So you don’t know, do you?”

Tanner sat up straighter. “Your brother did go home, didn’t he?”

 “My brother and I stayed with Hannah that entire night. Alex missed his flight. In fact, I don’t know why I’m even telling you this, but my brother took Hannah back to Chicago. Her apartment is subleased to someone else.”

Tanner felt the floor open up beneath him. “I don’t believe you. Hannah wouldn’t leave her mother. Besides it’s only been three days.” 

“Lorraine’s going to fly out there as soon as possible. She has a few loose ends to wrap up.”

Tanner groaned. His father would kill him. “Where’s Hannah’s mother staying in the meantime?”

“With me. And for your information, you also broke Lorraine’s heart since she had to choose between her daughter and Fritz. Lorraine also saved your hide, stopping Fritz from giving you a piece of his mind. Hannah’s mother didn’t want you to be blamed. And believe it or not, she felt bad about your ulcer. But it’s no excuse for what you did. And just so you know all the facts, Fritz wasn’t to say a word to you about Hannah or Lorraine leaving, or the lady would never speak to your father again.” 

Tanner had wondered why he hadn’t seen his father about lately. “I see.”

“I hope you do see,” Candy continued, “because I love my brother, but Hannah will never fall in love with him.”

“Why not?” Tanner asked in a chilly voice. “She certainly seemed to enjoy his affection the last time I saw them together.”

“You stupid idiot! She’ll never fall in love with Alex, because she’s in love with you. Though I have no idea why!”

And with those last words, the call ended.  

After a few long seconds, Rafe turned his amused gaze on Tanner. “Whewweeeee!  As Dad would say, I believe that little woman gave you the
what for
, big brother, didn’t she?”

“Shut up, Rafe. For once in your life, just shut up.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Hannah sat at her desk, trying to decipher the new software that had turned her office upside down since she’d arrived in Chicago three weeks ago. She’d been working like a dog until ten o’clock every night, and it seemed all she ever looked at lately was her computer screen and the four bare walls of her cubicle.

She felt guilty for leaving her mother the past few weeks, but it was her mother who had insisted that Hannah take the engineering job in Chicago. Though it had been a rash decision, Hannah thought it a good idea at that time. Her mother was feeling much better and would be moving to Chicago in another week, and everything would eventually work itself out. She hoped.

Hannah called her mother almost every day since she’d flown to Chicago. Although, Hannah had to admit, she was disappointed Tanner had never called.

However, just last week her mother had spilled the beans, telling her Tanner had been in the hospital for an ulcer. It had only been for outpatient care, but Hannah hated the thought of him in pain. Hannah knew he was in the best of hands with Rafe, and she also knew that if Tanner had wanted to call, he could have done so anytime at all. When Hannah called and asked Candy about Tanner, her friend confirmed the information, but otherwise said nothing about the man.

Hannah tried to convince herself that Tanner was out of her life now, and she was better off without him.

“Where do you want to go for dinner, Hannah?”

Hannah looked up from her keyboard. She’d made friends with her co-worker Annie Nelson the first day at work. Annie was just as sweet as she looked. Her innocent violet eyes and shiny, long black hair only added to her intrinsic beauty.

“I don’t care, as long as it’s not pizza. Having it at the office the last two weeks has made me vow never to eat cheese ever again. I like Chicago-style pizza, but enough is enough.”

Annie laughed. “No kidding. I was hoping you’d say something like that. Ellen told me to tell you that tonight’s little outing’s on the company. She made reservations for us.” 

Hannah chuckled, grabbing her sweater. Ellen was their boss and more of a mother figure than a tyrant. “An outing in Chicago could mean anything from a trip to the zoo to parasailing on Lake Michigan.”

“You were pretty close with that parasailing bit. We’re taking a cruise on Lake Michigan. Dinner and dancing.”

Hannah dropped back in her chair and groaned. “Not dancing? You’re out of your mind. I just want to eat, drink, and sleep. Sleep, do you hear me?”

Smiling, Annie pulled Hannah up by her elbow. “Don’t worry. We don’t have dates. No one is going to ask us to dance, and we can wear what we have on. I just wanted to see your face when I said the word dancing.”

Hannah eased out a smile. “Fine. I haven’t been out on Lake Michigan since I’ve been here. Alex tried to coax me onto his sailboat last weekend, but I have an idea he had more things in mind than sailing.”

Annie’s violet eyes twinkled. “You got that right. I pegged that man the moment I saw him the other day when he took you out for lunch. He likes you, Hannah, and if he can get you, he will.”

“But I’ve told him I’m not interested.” 

“Not interested doesn’t change the fact that he wants you,” Annie said as they walked past the cubicles.

Hannah clamped her lips shut as she headed down the corridor and into the crowded elevator with her friend by her side.

“Okay, tell me the truth,” Annie asked in a hushed voice. “Are you still pining for that millionaire?”

The question was loud enough for all heads to turn toward Hannah. She had escaped Tanner’s undeniable charm, but she wondered if she would ever escape her broken heart. Her face heated with embarrassment as she glared at her friend.

Annie gave a wry shrug of amusement.

After the doors opened, and they were well away from the crowd, Hannah turned to Annie. “I’m not pining away for Tanner. He deceived me. I don’t need any more of that in my life.”

Annie hailed a cab, ignoring the anxiety in Hannah’s voice. “That’s the problem. You haven’t got a life, Hannah. You need to move on. Get over it.” 

Get over it? Hannah’s heart felt cold. She had tried. Oh, how she’d tried. But it was impossible to forget.

She hopped into the cab with Annie, knowing her friend was right. She didn’t have a life. Here in Chicago, it was all work and no play, except Alex, and that didn’t count.

Hannah missed Fritz and his weasel-like ways. She missed Jeremy and his hugs. But most of all she missed Tanner. She missed his kisses. His smiles. His voice. The way he held her hand. She missed the man, even with all his flaws.

But she could never go back. He had never loved her and that had reduced the entire relationship to lies and dependence, something she would never go through again.

“I love the summer nights on the lake,” Annie exclaimed later. “Cool, but not so cool. Warm, but not so warm.”

Hannah let out an exhausted sigh. They had been out on the lake for a half-hour and the view was magnificent. A cool breeze caressed her face as she stood near the edge of the dinner cruise ship, watching the Chicago skyline blink against the sparkling water. “Cool? Warm? Really Annie, I don’t know how I would have survived Chicago without you.” 

Annie let out a giggle. “Hey, it’s in the blood.”

Hannah moved closer to her friend when the crowd from inside decided to move outdoors. The two women found themselves surrounded by a group of physicists from the nearby university.

Hannah rolled her eyes at Annie the minute the young men began to debate the height of the swells given off by the speedboat coming dead ahead.

“Looks like it’s coming straight for us,” Annie whispered excitedly.

A chilly wind lifted Hannah’s hair, and she pulled her sweater tighter about her neck. “Yeah, and it looks like he’s in one heck of a hurry.”  

“The idiot’s closing in on us,” one of the men called out. “What does he think he’s doing? The guy’s either crazy or drunk.”

Annie’s brows narrowed in concern at the oncoming speedboat. “Maybe we should step inside where it’s safer.” She grabbed Hannah’s arm and tugged her friend back into the dinner compartment. “I’m thinking that speedboat has some business here, and it doesn’t look friendly.”

Hannah agreed when she saw the boat slicing through the water. Inside the large cabin, she pressed her nose against the window to view the scene. The men were gathered around the side, shouting at the oncoming boat pulling alongside them.

“I think they’re right! The guy’s drunk,” Hannah said, wondering what the crew was going to do. “Looks like there are two of them. The captain’s out there now.”

Annie gasped. “Look!”

The group of students circled around the captain and the intruder, who was stepping from the speedboat, while cheers of “FIGHT” rumbled through the crowd.

Hannah’s eyes widened in fascination. “I thought this was going to be boring. But I can’t see their faces.”

Annie elbowed her friend. “Gosh, nothing’s ever boring in Chicago on a summer evening, Hannah. I thought you knew that.”

Hannah shrugged and was pushed further into the room when the crowd from outside moved toward them. Her back was pressed against the window and some man was standing on her foot.

She became increasingly uneasy. “I’m not getting a good feeling, Annie.”

Annie grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Me neither.” 

“Hannah Elliot, I know you’re here! Come on out!”

Hannah froze. Spasms of alarm rippled along her spine at the sound of Tanner’s voice shouting over the rumbling crowd. But it couldn’t be him. It must have been that second glass of wine.

Annie gasped and turned to her friend. “I can’t see the man, but don’t tell me that’s Alex?”

Hannah bit her lip, her nerves tensing. “No,” she groaned. “It’s not Alex.”

“Hannah, so help me, I’ll start throwing people overboard if you don’t show yourself!”

Hannah shrunk behind the man in front of her. What in the world did Tanner want with her now? Why was he here? Well, he could go jump in the lake if it was up to her. The nerve of him seeking her out in a public place to vent his anger. And how did he find her?

“Hannah, I’m waiting, and you know I’m not a patient man.” 

A hushed murmur swept through the crowd. The warning in Hannah’s head registered loud and clear.

Annie looked at Hannah, then stood on her tiptoes, her jaw dropping open in shock. “Goodness, whoever this man is, he’s a handsome devil.”

Hannah bent her knees a bit more. “For goodness sakes, don’t make a spectacle of yourself, Annie. Get over here.”