Cedar Bluff's Most Eligible Bachelor (Cedar Bluff Hospital) (13 page)

“That must have been difficult for you,” Simon murmured as they headed out of the restaurant and back out to his car. “Did both of your parents have more children?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “I have three half-brothers and two half-sisters, but they’re all much younger than I am.”

“I bet that didn’t help in making you feel welcome,” he said astutely.

She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, pretty much. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t as if I didn’t have a good childhood, because I did. Yet once I moved out to attend college, I knew I’d never go back.” Which was why she was teetering on the brink of debt now. Between the car accident and moving to Cedar Bluff to start over, she’d used up the majority of her savings.

Simon drove to her apartment, pulling into the parking lot and then glancing over at her, his expression uncertain. “I had a great time, Hailey, and I have to confess, I’m not ready for the evening to end.”

She caught her breath at his frank admission. “I’m not ready for the evening to end, either. Do you want to come up for a bit?”

He stared at her for a long moment. “Yes. And I don’t want you to be offended, but I have an overnight kit in the trunk.”

Her jaw dropped open in surprise. An overnight kit? So he’d planned to spend the night with her again? She wasn’t sure if she should be flattered or upset. So much for thinking that they should slow things down a bit. “I honestly don’t know what to say,” she admitted.

“Don’t be mad,” he said, opening the driver’s-side door. “I wasn’t taking anything for granted, Hailey. I only threw some things together because I was hoping and praying you’d invite me up.”

She climbed out of the car and reached into the backseat for her crutches. “And if I hadn’t?”

He paused and shrugged. “I would have understood. It’s your decision, Hailey. I can’t say I wouldn’t be disappointed, but if you’ve changed your mind about this—about us—then I’ll leave you alone.”

The ball was in her court and for the life of her she couldn’t remember why she’d thought it would be best to slow things down. Maybe keeping her relationship with Simon on a professional level at the hospital was more difficult than she’d imagined but wasn’t being with him worth the effort?

Did she really want him to leave?

“Please don’t go,” she said, reaching out to him. He came closer and folded her into a warm embrace.

“Are you sure?” he murmured, trailing a string of hot kisses down the side of her neck. “If you need more time, I’ll understand.”

More time? Wasn’t it a bit late for that? They’d already made love once and she desperately wanted to be with him again. Had she ever felt this insatiable need with Andrew? If she had, she didn’t remember it.

Enough of punishing herself for the past. She wanted this. She wanted him.

“I’m sure. Come inside with me, Simon.” She flashed him a cheeky grin. “And don’t forget your overnight bag.”

He held her purse for her as Hailey opened her apartment door and flipped on the lights. Simon followed right behind her, carrying his small duffel bag.

For a moment there he’d prayed he hadn’t been over-confident in telling her about the overnight kit he’d packed. Thank heavens Hailey hadn’t taken offense.

“I’ll, uh, just be a few minutes,” she said, heading down the hall toward the bathroom. “Make yourself at home.”

He took her at her word, heading into her bedroom, tossing his bag onto the closest chair and setting her purse on the bedside table. In his duffel he had a change of boxers, his shaving gear and, of course, condoms.

Hailey had told him she was on the Pill, but he wasn’t about to take anything for granted. Considering he didn’t have to work until second shift the next day, he figured—or at least hoped—they could take their time and really enjoy themselves.

When Hailey emerged ten minutes later, dressed in a filmy nightgown that was so sheer it gave him an enticing view of her breasts, he nearly swallowed his tongue.

How had he gotten so lucky? Hailey was beautiful, sweet, sexy, smart and funny.

The whole package. Everything he’d always wanted in a woman. And more. For the first time in years he realized he could trust his gut instincts about her.

She wasn’t Erica. Not by a long shot.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said as he crossed over to meet her. He tossed the crutches aside and gathered her into his arms. Lifting her up, he carried her to bed.

“So are you,” she murmured, kissing his neck in a way that made him groan. She tugged at his shirt. “But I think you’re overdressed.”

“I think so too.” He set her down and then quickly stripped off his clothes. As he joined her in bed, her cell phone rang.

“Ignore it,” he whispered, suckling a rosy-tipped breast.

She gasped and arched beneath his kiss. “Okay.”

He lifted up the sheer fabric, desperate to see all of her. Every glorious inch. And when her cell phone started ringing again, he swore under his breath and levered up to grab her purse with the phone inside and hand it to her. “Shut it off,” he said huskily.

She chuckled and dug the cell phone out. She glanced at the screen. “That’s odd,” she murmured.

“What?” he could barely hide his impatience. He didn’t care who was calling, he wanted to make love to Hailey. Now. Without any more interruptions.

“Both calls are from an unknown number,” she said as she shut off the cell phone.

He froze, a chill running down the length of his spine. He swiftly took the phone from her hand, turned it back on and stared down at the screen.

The familiar words screamed at him.

Unknown number? Just like the non-stop hang-ups at both his home phone and his cell phone?

Dread twisted in his gut like a snake. This couldn’t be a coincidence. All the calls had to be from the same person.

“S
IMON
?”
Hailey put a hand on his arm. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

He pulled his gaze up from the phone to look at her. What should he tell her? He couldn’t be certain who the unknown caller was. Maybe the same telemarketers that hounded him were bothering everyone that owned a cell phone.

But even as the thought formed, he knew he was lying to himself. There was no way the caller was a random telemarketer.

Two years. He’d been in Cedar Bluff for
two years
. Surely Erica had moved on by now. No woman in her right mind would keep trying to track someone down for two years.

But then again he couldn’t say Erica had ever been in her right mind. She was far from emotionally stable.

His fault. This was all his fault.

“Simon?” Hailey said again. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

He slowly shook his head, knowing he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t explain and he definitely couldn’t stay to make love with Hailey.

“I’m sorry.” Regretfully, he pulled the sheet up to cover her bare breasts, before rolling off the bed and reaching for his discarded boxers. “I can’t.”

“What? You’re leaving?
Now?
” Her incredulous tone made him wince and he felt a hundred times worse than she could ever know.

He was screwing this up badly, and he knew it. But he needed to know if he was just being paranoid or if it was even remotely possible that Erica was the one calling him.

Calling Hailey.

The hairs on the back of his neck lifted and the sick feeling in his gut twisted to the point that he almost doubled over in agony. How could Erica even know about Hailey? Even if she’d found his address and his phone number, he’d never once taken Hailey to his place.

Was Erica following him again? The way she had back in Chicago? And if so, why suddenly start calling Hailey?

Was she going to start stalking Hailey the way she’d continually come after him? And ruin her career as well?

The very thought made him want to slam his fist through the wall. None of this was Hailey’s fault. None of it! Dammit, hadn’t he suffered enough? What more did Erica want from him?

Whatever it was, maybe he deserved it, he thought with a tired sigh. But Hailey sure as hell didn’t.

He glanced at Hailey, knowing he’d do anything to protect her. Because this was his mess to clean up, not hers. He needed to put an end to Erica’s out-of-control behavior once and for all.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, as he finished pulling on his clothes. “But I can’t do this.”

She wasn’t about to let him off the hook so easily. “What can’t you do? This? Us? Our relationship? Talk to me, Simon. You’re not making any sense. I’m sure whatever the problem is, we can work it out. Together.”

He reached for his duffel, steeling himself against the need to tell her everything. He shouldn’t have let things go this far. Not until he’d dealt with Erica. Dragging Hailey into the mix wasn’t fair.

How had he even thought he could have a future without settling the past, once and for all?

“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “But I can’t do this Hailey.” Not yet anyway, he thought to himself.

Her gaze narrowed. “You’re breaking up with me? Again? Just like that?”

“Yes.” He forced himself to look her directly in the eye and lie. “This isn’t working for me. I can’t see you any more.” The words felt like they had been wrenched out of him, each one more hurtful than the one before. But he was doing this to protect her. Because none of this was her fault.

“But—”

“Let’s not make this worse than it already is. I made a mistake. I have to go.” While she gaped at him, he quickly left, before she could say anything else.

And before he changed his mind.

Stunned, Hailey stared at the doorway long after Simon had closed it behind him.

Her thoughts swirled, a chaotic mass of confusion. What had she done to push him away? What had caused Simon to swing from one extreme to the other?

He was the one who’d taken her out to dinner. He was the one who’d told her he didn’t want the evening to end.

He was the one who’d packed an overnight bag!

Her heart squeezed in her chest, his words echoing over and over in her mind.

I made a mistake.

None of it made sense, but the loss devastated her. She buried her face in her hands, fighting tears.

She’d fallen in love with Simon. Forgiving herself for the accident had given her the freedom to fall in love. She loved Simon with a depth that she hadn’t felt for Andrew.

But obviously Simon didn’t feel the same way.

The ringing of her cell phone interrupted her pity-party. Sniffling, she reached for the instrument that Simon had tossed on the bed, suddenly hopeful. Was he calling her back to apologise? To explain he hadn’t meant what he’d said?

Unknown number
was displayed on her screen. Annoyed, she pushed the button to answer the call. “Hello?”

No response. But she could tell someone was on the other end of the line because she could hear breathing.

“Hello?” she said again. “Who is this?”

Still no response. She was just about to hang up when she finally heard a soft voice say, “Stay away from him.”

“What?” Hailey wasn’t sure she’d heard the female caller correctly. At least, she thought it was a female caller. “Who is this? What do you want?”

“Stay away from him. Or else…”

The softly spoken warning sent a fissure of apprehension down her spine. “Or else what? Are you threatening me?”

She listened intently, but all she could hear was the sound of a dial tone buzzing loudly in her ear.

The caller had hung up.

Hailey flipped her phone shut, feeling more confused than ever. She’d never in her life been threatened. Stay away from him? From who? Simon?

Of course Simon. And suddenly she knew why Simon had left so abruptly. Why he’d broken up with her out of nowhere.

Because he knew who the unknown caller was.

His former girlfriend, Erica. The one who’d cost him his promising career at Children First in Chicago.

Erica must be here in Cedar Bluff. And she clearly wanted Simon back or she wouldn’t have warned Hailey to stay away from him.

But the question remained. What did Simon want? Had he left her because he planned to go back to Erica?

Or because he’d given up on personal relationships for good?

Simon had stewed about the problem of Erica all night. And first thing in the morning, he’d known what he needed to do.

So he’d driven straight to the Cedar Bluff police station. But he hadn’t gone in. Instead, he sat in the parking lot, inwardly debating the best course of action.

He closed his eyes and pressed his fingertips against his pounding temples. He knew his story would sound crazy. Totally nuts. Not to mention he had absolutely no proof, other than his gut instincts telling him that Erica had found him.

What could the police do with an unknown number? Probably not a hell of a lot.

Years ago, when he’d first realized Erica’s attachment had grown to the level of stalking, he’d shied away from involving the authorities. Partially because he felt like an idiot. He’d been stupid enough to go out with her in the first place. And, besides, what guy couldn’t handle a woman who’d become a little too attached? He’d thought he’d had everything under control. His pride had prevented him from asking for help. Instead, he’d kept trying to reason with her, over and over again.

But that approach hadn’t worked.

So he’d simply done his best to avoid her, hoping the situation would resolve on its own. That she’d get tired of harassing him, coming over to confront him. Calling him.

And when that hadn’t worked either, he’d picked up and moved his entire life, breaking off all his friendships, not telling anyone other than his parents where he’d gone. Cedar Bluff had been the perfect place to start over. Small enough and remote enough that Erica would never find him.

Maybe he should have called the police. But even then he’d known that Erica might have been arrested. And considering her fragile state, emotionally and physically, wasn’t that adding insult to injury?

But now, two years later, the situation was well beyond the level of a nuisance.

For Hailey’s sake, he needed to report it.

With renewed resolve he climbed from his car and strode into the police station. The place was buzzing with activity. He asked to speak to one of the detectives, and was taken over to a small office no bigger than a broom closet.

Detective Arnold had listened attentively while he’d explained the entire situation from start to finish. Even to his own ears, the story sounded unbelievable.

At least the detective hadn’t laughed at him.

“So you think this unknown caller is this woman who’s tracked you down over the course of two years?” Arnold said, summarizing his story in one sentence.

“Yeah. I do.”

“Have you seen her in Cedar Bluff?” Detective Arnold asked.

“No. But I haven’t seriously looked for her either,” he admitted. Erica was pretty enough, with her shoulder-length dark brown hair and hazel eyes. She was rather tiny in stature, only five feet two inches tall and as thin as a rail. She wouldn’t stand out as noticeable in the crowd unless you were looking for her.

The detective scratched his chin. “I guess we’ll have to assume she’s here somewhere. Unfortunately, women change their hair color on a whim, so your description of her isn’t likely to do us any good. Maybe you’ve seen her but you just didn’t recognize her?”

“Maybe.” Simon had racked his brain all night, trying to think of anyone he’d seen around his neighborhood who looked even remotely like Erica. There hadn’t been anyone who’d even come close to fitting her description.

He’d wondered if Erica was working at Cedar Bluff, and had called the human resource office, asking about her, but he’d confirmed there were no nurses working at the hospital with that name. It wasn’t likely Erica could fake a nursing license.

But maybe she was working in a nearby nursing home?

“We can put a trace on your home phone number,” Arnold said, interrupting his thoughts. “But other than that, there isn’t much we can do. You might want to consider changing your phone numbers.”

Simon stared at the detective, his worst fears coming to fruition. “You need to understand, this woman is emotionally unbalanced. And she’s calling Hailey Rogers, the woman I’m—er—was dating.”

Arnold spread his hands helplessly. “Until you can give me something more to go on—a car, a place where you think she’s staying, something concrete—there’s nothing more I can do.”

“What about searching all the hospitals, clinics and nursing homes in the area to see if she’s working there as a nurse?”

The detective tapped his pencil on the table, looking thoughtful. Then he jotted down a few notes and slowly nodded. “Yeah, I can make a few phone calls. But in the meantime I suggest you pay attention to your surroundings. My guess is that she’s somewhere close by, watching you.”

Yeah. That’s exactly what he was afraid of. Simon let his breath out in a heavy sigh. “Okay, thanks. If I do see her, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“You do that,” Arnold said as Simon stood and walked toward the door. “And you might want to warn your lady-friend, too.”

Simon paused, swinging back to face the detective as the implication of that statement took a moment to sink into his brain.

Arnold was right. He shouldn’t have left Hailey without explaining what was going on. If Erica had gone so far as to call Hailey, there was no telling what else she’d do. He’d been so panicked by the thought of Hailey being affected by this mess that he hadn’t been thinking clearly.

“I will. Please let me know if you find anything out about Erica, too.”

“I’ll be in touch.”

Satisfied he’d done what he could, Simon left the police station and walked outside into the bright sunlight. He paused and slid his sunglasses on, sweeping a gaze around to see if he saw anyone. Of course there was no one in sight. Shaking his head at his stupidity, he slid into the driver’s seat of his car and headed back to the other side of town, toward Hailey’s apartment building.

He needed to take the detective’s advice to warn Hailey.

Simon pulled into the parking lot of Hailey’s apartment building, once again glancing around curiously as he walked up to the door.

Being on edge like this was already driving him nuts. He pushed the buzzer for Hailey’s apartment and waited for her to respond.

He hit the buzzer again and again, still with no response. The manager of the apartment building came out to get his newspaper, saw Simon standing there and opened the door. “Can I help you?”

“Have you seen Hailey Rogers in apartment 211?” Simon asked.

“She left about twenty minutes ago, wearing scrubs, so I think she was planning to go to work,” the elder man informed him.

“Okay, thanks.” Simon headed back out to his car, glancing at his watch. Ten in the morning. How long would it take her to walk to the bus stop? Would she still be there?

He drove the couple of blocks to the bus stop, disappointed to find that Hailey wasn’t sitting there, waiting. Maybe she was already at the hospital. For all he knew, she’d gone in early.

He relaxed, the tension easing out of his shoulders. The hospital was probably the safest place for Hailey right now. At least at work she was surrounded by plenty of people.

Besides, he sincerely doubted Erica would go as far as to attempt to harm Hailey. More likely she’d just continue to call her, doing nothing more than being a general pain in the ass. Erica was obsessed with him, not with Hailey.

He pulled over to the curb and called the hospital, asking to speak with Theresa. When the emergency department manager answered the phone, he quickly identified himself. “I hate to bother you, but would you mind telling me what time Hailey came in this morning?” he asked. “I want to come in to work on some paperwork, but wanted to wait until Hailey was finished with my office.”