One Sure Thing (Mamma Lou Matchmaker Series) (22 page)

Louise waited patiently for Raymond to return. A knock on the door drew her attention as it opened just a bit. Then it widened. She instantly brightened as soon as Hope appeared at her door.

“Hope,” she exclaimed with delight as she turned off the television to give Hope her undivided attention. “How sweet of you to stop by. How are you dear?”

Hope smiled and flipped open the chart as she approached the bed. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that question?”

“You will.”

Hope came closer to the bed and looked down into Louise’s bright sparkling eyes, “I was down in ER when I received a message that you wanted to see me. How are doing this evening Mrs. Gates?”

“Please call me Mamma Lou. I feel absolutely wonderful,” Louise said with exuberance. She had been more than delighted with the way things were going between Raymond and Hope in just two days.

“Good. That’s wonderful. It looks like all of your tests are coming back negative and your blood pressure is dropping nicely.” She looked up and examined Louise’s face, neck and arms. I see the rash from your hives has diminished considerably. Looks like we’ll have you out of here in no time.”

“What do you think about my grandson?”

Taken completely off guard by the bluntness of the question, Hope began to stutter. “Your grandson? Dr. Gates?”

“Yes, what do you think about him?”

“He’s fine. Fine, just fine,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Louise smiled knowingly. Hope looked at her questioning. “The whole hospital is buzzing about a budding romance between you and my grandson.”

“Really? Mrs. Gates…” she began.

“Please call me Mamma Lou.”

“Rumors circulate around this hospital all the time. I wouldn’t take whatever you’ve heard too seriously.”

The knock on the door drew both women’s attention. “Hello Mamma Lou.”

Louise beamed brightly, “Raymond, you’re back. We were just talking about you, Louise said as Raymond came into the room and stood by the bed. He leaned down to kiss Louise on the cheek then leveled his gaze at Hope and kept it there.” He placed the magazines she’d requested from the gift shop on her lap.

“So how’s the doctor business?” Louise asked breaking the thin line of tension swirling around the room.

“Good,” Raymond replied, his eyes riveted to Hope. “Hello again Hope.”

Hope blushed for no apparent reason. “Dr. Gates.” Hope cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Well, I’m going let you two have some time to visit.” She turned to avoid Raymond’s piercing gaze. “I’ll be back later.” She nearly ran from the room. Her knees wobbled, her palms were sweaty and her heart pounded.
Get a grip
, she warned herself as she hurried down the hall to the elevator.

Just as the doors began to close Raymond stepped on.

A groan escaped.

“Did you see your gift?”

“I thought we’d already discussed giving gifts.”

“You discussed it.”

Hope sighed heavily. “It very beautiful. But then you already knew that.” He smiled happily as she pulled the blue box from her pocket and held it out to him. “I can’t accept this.”

“I can’t return it. It’s already been engraved.”

The elevator stopped on the next floor and several visitors got on. Raymond and Hope stepped back as people piled into the front of the car. Raymond moved closer to her than necessary.

“Then give it to someone else. I’m sure there are any number of women who’d be happy to receive it,” she whispered trying not to draw attention to their conversation.

Raymond gasped playfully. “Are you implying that I play our game with other women?” A woman standing in front of Hope turned briefly and smiled.

Hope glanced sideways to see Raymond smile. His dimples creased as Hope’s heart fell. “I’m not implying anything,” she hissed. “And it’s not our game. You can play with whomever you chose. It’s none of my business.”

“Sounds an awful lot like you’re jealous,” Raymond said.

“That’s absurd,” she whispered louder than she’d intended. The woman directly in front of Hope stepped back further as more people got onto the elevator. She glanced back at Hope a second time. This time smiled openly.

“No,” he said emphatically, “now it definitely sounds like you’re jealous.” His smiled widened.

“Well I’m not,” Hope insisted emphatically. “I just thought that you might want to give it to someone you cared about.”

“I just did.”

The elevator stopped on the first floor and all of the passengers exited. Hope and Raymond were the last to leave. Slowly she stepped out. Her mind was still trying to process his last remark.

“Hope.”

She stopped and turned around. Raymond stepped out of the elevator as a number of other people got on. He walked toward her as the elevator doors closed behind him. The smile in his eyes was suspiciously like a man who had just opened his heart.

Hope looked away. The spasms in her stomach grew worse. Looking up into his eyes had been a mistake.

“We should talk.”

“I’m on my way out.”

“So am I.”

They walked out together.

Smoke blew from the open window. Watchful eyes observed Hope and Raymond come out of the hospital and began walking toward the parking lot. He flicked the lit cigarette from the window and got out of the car.

He hurried across the open parking lot and pulled his shirt down over his belt. He slipped easily around the side of the building and hurried up the steps.

At each level he stopped, opened the door and glanced around the parking level. On the third floor he grasped the door’s handle and prepared to pull when he heard a woman’s voice. He stopped and flattened himself against the door to listen.

He heard a car start and slowly opened the door to see Hope drive away and the man to whom she was talking step back into the elevator. He smiled. Perfect.

Chapter Seventeen

This was the day that Louise had dreaded. Today she was going to be discharged. Raymond and Hope had come in together and informed her of their decision to allow her to go home this morning. Although they came in together, she could tell that there was still unease between them.

Louise sat on the edge of the bed pondering what to do next. As far as she knew everything had been progressing just as she’d planned. Now, all of a sudden, nothing. Raymond and Hope seemed to have stalled. She needed to jump-start the relationship as soon as possible.

Her blood pressure was perfect and her heart rate was back to normal. There was no way she could develop another case of hives, Matthew and Ray had seen to that. They had taken her stash of chocolate candy and made her promise not to eat anymore. It was just her luck that years ago Ray and Joy had figured out her little secret.

Louise was thinking when she heard a soft knock at the door. “Come in.”

The door opened a woman peeked in. She smiled eagerly and asked to come in. Louise recognized her instantly.

“There’s no way that you couldn’t be related to Hope Adams.”

Faith came all the way into the room and closed the door. “Hello Mrs. Gates. My name is Faith Adams. Hope is my sister.

“I just knew it. I just knew it.”

“I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“Of course not, Sweetie. Come on in and have a seat.” Faith sat down in the chair next to Louise’s bed. Louise raised her eyes in a silent prayer of thanks. She knew that her prayers were going to be answered, she just didn’t know it would be this soon.

The two women settled into an easy conversation that center around music, food, travel and the weather. Faith told Louise about her nursing career and how happy she was to be working in the maternity ward at the hospital.

Eventually, the conversation turned from maternity and babies, to children to hers and Hope’s childhood. Faith told Louise how much they loved being raised by their grandmother.

“She sounds like a delightful woman. I’d love to meet her someday.”

“She is wonderful. You remind me a lot of her.”

“I take that as a compliment. Tell me about your parents.” Louise already knew some things about them because of the file she’d received from her private investigator.

Faith took a deep breath and poured out her heart. She was open in recalling of the events leading up to the day of their mother’s death. Louise was touched by Faith’s love of her sister and equally impressed by their devotion to each other.

Faith told Louise that Hope had been married before and was gun-shy when it came to romance, particularly with men of means. Louise’s brow rose with added interest. This was definitely not in the detective’s report.

“Was it a messy divorce?”

“The worst. Hope’s former father-in-law accused her of marrying his son, Nolan, for his money because they eloped and Nolan didn’t have a pre-nuptial agreement. Hope was devastated. Her lawyer had told her that according to the state’s divorce law, she could ask and receive half of Nolan’s assets.”

“How long were they married?”

“Eighteen months. But actually they were only together for about a year. As soon as Nolan’s father found out about the marriage he threatened to cut him from the will.”

“That’s horrendous,” Louise said in disgust. “I do hope that this young man stood up to his father.”

Faith shook her head no. “Nolan wanted the money too much.”

“Then I say good riddance to him.”

“Anyway, in the divorce settlement Hope only requested enough money to send me through nursing school. She didn’t even want her med school loans paid off. The only thing she thought about was my future and my happiness. So you see Mrs. Gates, Hope saved my life more than once. I owe her everything.” Faith stopped and glanced out of the window.

She cleared her throat. “That’s why I’m very concerned about Hope’s relationship with your grandson. Although I haven’t actually met him, I understand that he’s very nice, but I also understand that he has a reputation.”

Faith took a deep breath. “I don’t want Hope to get hurt. So if he just wants to play around I was hoping that maybe you could suggest he look elsewhere.”

Louise smiled at Faith’s attempt at courage. It was touching to see a younger sister protecting her older sister. “Faith I assure you, a lot of Raymond’s reputation is very well founded. I’ll be the first to admit that my grandson isn’t an angel. He has had his moments. But, in his defense, he is a very responsible man and he would never intentionally hurt your sister. If you’re asking me if his intentions are honorable, I would say yes. Raymond seems very fond of Hope.”

Faith smiled, nodded and stood. “Although,” Louise continued gaining Faith’s full attention, “I would like nothing better than for Hope and Raymond to be together permanently, they seem to be at odds at the moment. Do you have any idea what that might be?”

For the next fifteen minutes Faith and Louise put their heads together, planning, plotting and scheming. They developed what could only be considered a matchmaking blueprint.

Faith informed Louise that Hope had been ordered to attend the fundraiser and of her pending three-day vacation. Louise immediately assured Faith she would make sure that Raymond attended the upcoming event.