Mountain Song (3 page)

“I don’t understand,”
Claudia interjected. “Bea’s never had arthritis. I mean, she even won second
place in a seniors’ ski tournament a few years back.”

“Three years ago,”
Andy corrected. “As I said, Bea is in terrific health in many ways. Her heart
is strong, and she takes good care of herself. But this condition can develop
relatively rapidly. On average, patients who seek surgery progress to
debilitating pain and loss of function over two years.”

“You mentioned
surgery,” Claudia said quickly. Andy saw the hopeful light in her eye. “So
there is a surgical solution?”

“Well...” Andy
swallowed. From here the waters got rougher. “As I said, I don’t want to
overload you with details now. I just wanted to sketch out the problem. Tomorrow,
or when you’re ready, we can go into more depth.”

“But there
is
a solution,” Claudia insisted, her
voice rising slightly in pitch. Another man might have missed the fear that she
was hiding, the way she pulled her arms a little tighter to her body, the faint
tremor in her chin.

He’d been doing all
right there for a while. Until he saw Claudia’s vulnerability. But now Andy
felt that his control was slipping by the second. Below the surface, in the
dangerously roiling stew of his subconscious, he found himself responding to
Claudia’s voice, her scent, her smallest gestures.

And inexplicably, he
longed to offer her comfort. To take her in his arms and press that soft cheek
against his neck, wrap her hair in a coil around his hands and murmur that
everything was going to be all right.

Not the way a doctor
was supposed to feel about a patient’s family member. Even when things looked
as grim as they did now.

 
Besides, judging from Claudia’s reaction
to him, she was none too pleased to find that he was Bea’s physician. Or maybe
he was overreacting, maybe all he detected in her cool response was
indifference. She wore no wedding ring, but she was no doubt involved with
someone, or else playing the field, toying with the rich playboys who were so
plentiful in her family’s social circle. They probably tripped all over each
other to get close to her.

“There are...a number
of options,” he said, willing his voice to be steady and even.

“Please don’t be
offended by this question,” Claudia said. “But there are other physicians you
are consulting with on this case? Specialists?”

Andy suppressed a
mirthless laugh. Leave it to a Canfield to ask that question.

“I’m working with an
orthopedist, yes,” he said. “Highly respected. If you like, I’ll get you a copy
of her credentials.”

“That won’t be
necessary,” Claudia snapped, the worry in her eyes momentarily replaced by
annoyance.

Andy drew in a breath,
suddenly feeling even more exhausted than when he first entered Bea’s room. Maybe
there was another way. Someone else he could discuss the situation with. Surely
if Claudia was in Lake Tahoe, her father Jack couldn’t be far behind. They were
a tight-knit bunch, those Canfields.

“Look, Claudia. If you
would prefer, I can wait and talk to your father. You said he would be coming
out soon?”

Claudia was silent for
a moment, her emotions scrolling across her face unchecked. Surprise, then
mistrust flashed in her eyes.

“What haven’t you told
me?”

“Just...a few details
about Bea’s condition.”

“So she has this
osteoarthritis. It’s not fatal, is it?”

“No—”

“And I can discuss her
surgery with the orthopedist?”

As she interjected,
Claudia had unwittingly stepped closer, so that Andy could see the fiery glints
of gold in the irises of her eyes, detect the faint ghost of her scent. In the
hours since she’d applied it, the woodsy perfume had mingled with her own
scent, and the result was...intoxicating.

But that sort of
thinking was taking him down a path he was determined not to follow. The affair
that had nearly devastated him had been nothing but a brief diversion for
Claudia, a chance to see how the other half lived, to spend some time with a
boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Sure, she’d talked as though there were
something more, dangling the possibility of a future together like an exotic
trinket used to taunt a dirty street urchin.

He’d been confused,
swimming in a vortex of unfamiliar passions, ready to go anywhere she led,
commit to anything she asked.

But then she’d gone
too far.

A chill quenched the
sensations that seconds before had Andy’s blood threatening to boil. He laid a
hand firmly on Claudia’s arm, closing the gap between them by a few more
inches.

“Claudia,” he said,
his voice low and controlled. “There are some things you need to know about Bea’s
condition. And this time I’m afraid you have no choice but to trust me.”

CHAPTER TWO

Andy’s hand gripped
her arm. His strong fingers circled her wrist, the warmth of his touch melting
into her skin, while the rest of her body broke out in sudden goose bumps.

It was just that the
air conditioning was set too high, circulating cold, clinical air.

Yeah, right
.

Claudia wrestled her
arm back. Andy held on a little too long, his thumb glancing off in what was
practically, possibly anyway, a caress before releasing her. She resisted the
temptation to close her other hand over the spot where his fingers had rested,
to see if the burning trail of sensation was truly a figment of her
imagination.

He shouldn’t have
touched her. He should have known better. They’d met again by chance, by an
unfortunate caprice of fate. He wasn’t to blame for that, at least she didn’t
think he was. But he had no business reaching for her, no right to such
familiarity.

Not when his touch
brought reminders of other caresses, long past. Not when that single touch made
her feel more alive, more energized, than she had in a very long time.

Suddenly
self-conscious, Claudia jammed her hands into the pockets of her white jeans.
Pull it together
.
Ridiculous, to
be reacting this way. It was just that his touch was unexpected.

“Let’s go back inside,”
she said. “You can tell me whatever it is that you need to say in front of Bea.
I don’t care to keep things from her.”

Andy’s brows knit
together in a grimace of frustration. “Nor do I, Claudia, but there’s nothing I’m
going to tell you that Bea and I haven’t gone over already. Several times, in
fact.”

“Then I can just hear
it from her, can’t I?”

Andy clenched his
fingers into fists at his sides, then slowly relaxed them. Claudia could feel
the frustration in his gesture. Instantly she regretted her words. Like it or
not, Andy was Bea’s doctor, and it wouldn’t do to go around provoking him. Bea
would never have chosen him if she didn’t have total faith in him, if he wasn’t
the best available. Canfields always demanded the best—it was practically
genetic.

“Fine,” he said. “We’ll
do it your way. That’s the way you’re accustomed to doing everything, if I
remember correctly. Besides, I’ve got better things to do than stand here
arguing with you and my most difficult patient.”

Andy strode back into
the room, leaving Claudia to follow a few paces behind. Bea’s eyes fluttered
open as they took their positions on opposite sides of her bed.

“So?”

“Andy’s been telling
me a little about your osteoarthritis.”

Bea frowned. “A
dreadful word, that. I’ve just got old bones. I didn’t need any fancy diagnosis
to tell me, either, but I suppose we have to pay these shysters for something.”

“It’s just a little
more complicated than that,” Andy said, making minor adjustments to Bea’s
pillow and linens. Bea batted his hands away.

“Keep your hands to
yourself,” she admonished—and then winked at him.

Feisty or not, though,
her grandmother was 78 years old, flat on her back, the neckline of her handmade
batik nightgown barely visible under the white hospital sheets. For the first
time in her life, Claudia had to admit that Bea might be in over her head. Away
from her log cabin with its wind chimes and sun catchers and crystals and looms
and watercolors, Bea seemed to have shrunk and weakened, her hair whiter and
thinner than Claudia remembered, a few more wrinkles etched into her skin.

There was no way
around it: she was going to have to act as Bea’s advocate. She would be the
care-giver, and Bea would be her responsibility—a complete flip of the
roles they’d held since Claudia had been an infant nestled in Bea’s lap. It
practically broke her heart, but Claudia intended to do whatever was necessary
to ensure Bea’s well-being, even if it meant taking on Andy Woods.

“Good night, Queen
Bea,” Andy murmured, taking Bea’s hand.

Claudia backed out of
the way and watched as Bea clutched Andy’s hand in hers, then brought it to her
cheek for a fleeting kiss before she released him. And once again she felt the
little surge of jealousy. That touch, so small and yet somehow so intimate,
shared between two people who couldn’t be more different, but who had somehow
forged something wonderful between them. A touch that spoke volumes of their
friendship, devotion, love...

How long had it been
since Claudia had felt anyone’s reassuring touch? Yes, she saw her father all
the time, but at work they interacted as colleagues, working side by side. The
company was doing better than it ever had, and the work never seemed to be finished.
Claudia knew her father loved her, and sometimes he remembered to show it,
taking her out to lunch and ordering for both of them, so that for a few
precious hours she could feel like a little girl again.

Most of the time,
though, she felt as though the world was on her shoulders. At least there was
that one tender embrace at the end of every day to get her through.

“So, you’ll make some
time for our discussion soon?”

Andy was inches away,
staring at her expectantly, his expression neutral. She had to pay attention,
resist the fatigue that was threatening to overtake her.

“Yes. I’m here for a
couple of days, at least. I can’t stay too long. I’m afraid this wasn’t the
best possible timing for me, work-wise.”

“You’re working?”

The surprise in Andy’s
eyes seemed to be genuine, but Claudia bristled nonetheless. “Of course I’m
working. What did you think I would be doing, hanging out at Dad’s estate
riding ponies and eating bon-bons?”

“I only meant—”

“As a matter of fact I
have a great job, one that I happen to be very good at, where I can use my
training and education.”

“Good for you.” Andy
stepped back, edging toward the door. “Forgive me if that came out wrong. I
know you’re capable, Claudia. I’m glad you’re putting all that talent to good
use.”

“No...I’m sorry,”
Claudia said, aware too late that she’d come out with both barrels. “I didn’t
mean to get so defensive. The truth is...well, I’m working for Dad, and
sometimes people just assume—”

“—that Jack gave
you the job to keep you busy,” Bea piped up. “Well, let’s admit it, that’s just
what he did, honey. But you showed him, didn’t you, sugar? Andrew, this girl’s
turned that place around, got things moving like they haven’t since my own
father started the company. Do you know, she’s one of Canfield Inc.’s best
designers? Sales of her line have been simply soaring—”

“Oh, Bea, that’s
enough. I design uniforms, not Seventh Avenue couture.” Claudia felt a blush
warm her face and wished she’d never opened her mouth. “Andy, don’t let us keep
you any longer. And really, I’ll be much better when I’m rested. We’ll...have
that talk.”

“Where are you
staying?” Andy asked politely, his slow retreat bringing him to the door.

“At Bea’s.”

Another look exchanged
between Andy and Bea, another volume spoken without a single word,
communication that Claudia was not privy to. But Bea ducked her brows in her
best stern grandmother face, and Andy gave a small wave.

“No Late Show for you
tonight, Bea,” he said. “See if you can get that rest you were threatening.”

Alone with Bea finally,
Claudia dragged the orange plastic chair around so she could sit next to the
bed.

“You know, you didn’t
have to tell him all that,” she said wearily, sinking into the hard,
unforgiving contours of the chair.

“What, that your
father gave you your job? Or that you were good at it?”

“Either. Both. Any of
it. Oh, Bea, why couldn’t you have told me he was your doctor? Or even given me
a small hint that he was back here in Lake Tahoe?”

“Claudia.” Bea allowed
herself a sigh, a deep intake of breath let slowly out, as she closed her eyes
and sank even further into her bedding. “I told you why already. I made a
promise.”