The Very Thought of You (10 page)

“Does this story have a happy ending?” she asked, settling down in the bed.

“Maybe. That depends on you.”

“I'm intrigued.”

“Good. Close your eyes.”

Miranda did as he asked and her body went hot at the intimacy of hearing his deep voice in her ear.

“My great-grandfather Abraham Blackfox was an ex-slave and a mechanical genius. A very simple man, all he ever needed existed in a converted barn on the former plantation where he'd lived most of his young life as a companion to the owner's son, Collin Archer. The only time Collin ever left town was when he went to Philadelphia to collect a wife who had been chosen by his relatives. When Collin went to Philadelphia he took Abraham with him.

“No one knew the real reason why Collin took my great-grandfather with him. Some say to make sure he returned, others said he came as a friend and with the express purpose of keeping Abraham from being arrested by the sheriff who wanted to keep the former slaves from leaving Georgia. One thing that we do know is that something had changed. My great-grandfather received a clear deed to the land my parents' house sits on today, and moved off the plantation. Nine months after he married, his wife, Rebecca, bore Lucas Blackfox, a boy child who had distinct Archer facial features and green eyes. My great-grandfather continued to work in the converted barn and went on to invent many of the precursors to carpet mill machines still used today. And he did it all for the man who'd betrayed him and for the family which had once owned him.

“In my great-grandfather's generation, Collin Archer was one of, if not the wealthiest man in the southeast. His carpet products were shipped around the world. When he died, Collin left fifty percent of the company to Abraham Blackfox. The inheritance didn't appease my grandfather. He blamed Collin Archer for his older brother Lucas's disappearance and hated that the man's actions had unrightfully made him to be second in a time when the firstborn son inherited. So he negotiated with the Archers and struck a deal that led to the creation of Blackfox Trucking. My grandfather traded most of his stock in Archer Carpet for the money to buy a fleet of trucks and exclusive shipping rights to Archer Industries.”

At the pause in his voice, Miranda spoke up. “This is a sad story, Caleb.”

“It's not over yet. To this day Blackfox and Archer work together, attending meetings, and sit on the same community board, but never speak. My cousin Savannah is engaged and pregnant by Jack Archer and my grandfather would like nothing better than to throw him in jail while the other half of the family wants to brainwash her into leaving him.”

“I met your cousin at Kelly's school. She's sweet.”

“We all think that, which is why I'm trying to help her.”

“I feel bad for your family troubles.” Miranda squelched a yawn. “But what does this have to do with me?”

“My hope is that by reuniting my grandfather with his older brother, Lucas, we can start the healing process between our families. And you, Miranda, are the only one that can find him.”

C
aleb finished writing out a prescription, tore it from the pad and held it out to his patient's wife. “Give him plenty of fluids, rest and this prescription to lower his blood pressure and he should be fine in a couple of days. If not, make sure to call me or bring him back to the clinic.”

“Everybody at the lodge didn't have no problem with the little blue pill, doc. Why me? Just spice things up in the bedroom, you know?”

“If you want to spice things up in the bedroom, how about burning a candle or two, maybe picking up your socks?” his wife responded. “Just turning off the television would definitely get me in the mood. How can a wife feel sexy when you're shouting at those overgrown boys on the basketball court?”

Caleb shook his head and struggled with the urge to grin. This had to have been his third case this week. The little blue pills floating around in the marketplace these days had men thinking they were either supermen or having a heart attack.

“You might want to listen to your wife on this one, Mr. Baker. Viagra is a prescription medication and as you felt this morning, it can have some nasty side effects.”

“Thank you so much for taking care of him, Dr. Blackfox.”

He nodded. “The hospital pharmacy down the hall can fill your prescription. Remember to give me a call if you have any questions.”

As the husband dressed, Caleb departed and made his way back to his office in the main building. Once there, he took a seat behind his desk and put his feet up. It had been a busy morning filled with chest pains, stitches, high fevers and other ailments. It was the time of the season. Any day now the second wave of influenza and bronchitis cases would come into the emergency room, and until then he would spend the bulk of his day assisting at the hospital's free clinic.

Deciding to take a few minutes to himself, he twirled around in his chair and logged on to his computer. While he waited for all of his patient files for the afternoon to load, he leaned back in his chair thinking about Miranda.

Last night he'd told her about one of the most sensitive parts of his family history. Although everyone in town knew about the Blackfox family, not many knew the origin for the tension with the Archers. Switching over to his e-mail account, he clicked through the messages until he came to one from Gill.

Per your brother's request, I have attached all of the information the private investigators could find related to Lucas Evans Blackfox.

Moving his keyboard closer, he quickly typed in a forwarding e-mail address. By the time he had sent the message, another idea popped into his head.

Ten minutes later he hung up the phone, then leaned back in this chair and folded his arms behind his head with a grin.

Hearing a light tap on the door, he glanced up to see his friend and fellow colleague standing in the doorway. Grace Samson had been appropriately named, Caleb thought, as she gracefully handled her patients' recovery and rehabilitation.

“Got a minute to talk?” she asked.

He glanced at his watch and nodded. According to his schedule, he had a little under half an hour before his next appointment. “Yes, come on in.”

Grace took a seat in the chair and let out a big yawn. “Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night.”

Leaning forward, Caleb rested his elbows on the desk and smiled. “Missing our cantankerous patient already?”

“Funny, Blackfox. I accidentally volunteered to be on call for the high school football championship. Little did I know that the game would go into like triple overtime and on the ride back the bus got a flat tire. I didn't see my pillow until about four o'clock this morning.”

“I know how you feel.”

“Speaking about our mutual patient, how did his discharge go yesterday?”

“Contrary to his sister's belief, I think Darren wasn't all that eager to leave. I took Miranda to a two-hour lunch, and Darren had somehow managed to stall his exit for another hour. I honestly think he was waiting for you to walk through the door.”

“I told him that I wouldn't be here to kick him out of the hospital.”

“Guess he didn't believe you.”

She looked genuinely happy at Caleb's response. He shook his head. “I don't believe it. How does a domineering, stubborn, chauvinistic guy like Darren Tyler get a woman like you to fall for him?”

Grace paused and a frown graced her lips for a moment before she sighed. “The same way you convinced him to take you on as his doctor and got his little sister to go out with you.”

“He's definitely not as good looking.” Caleb laughed.

“But he's just as manipulative,” she countered.

Caleb drew in a sigh and rubbed his chin. She was right. He wanted to find his great-uncle just as much as his older brother. But the main reason he'd asked for Miranda's help was not because he knew she could succeed, but it would be an excuse for him to spend more time with her and Kelly.

“So what has he gotten you to do?”

Her eyes widened with surprise and then she shook her head. “In-home rehabilitative therapy.”

Caleb laughed until his eyes watered. The irony of the situation couldn't have been more apparent. While he was trying his best to carve out a place in the Tyler family, Grace had been given an all-season pass.

“Do you even offer that service?”

Grace sighed again. “Technically? No. I don't know what I was thinking.”

Caleb's eyes filled with laughter. “And that's why you're in my office.”

Grace crossed her legs, sat forward and cradled her chin in her hand. “He's a patient, Caleb. You know the rules—we shouldn't get involved with our patients.”

“Grace, he's really not your patient—he's mine. And I think that having you around is the best therapy the man can get. He's practically chomping at the bit to endure weeks of pain.”

“Be serious.”

“I am. I'm going to let you in on a little secret about Darren Tyler. He's tough on the outside, but a marshmallow on the inside.”

“So you're saying that he's all bark and no bite?”

“He'll bite you, but he won't be biting me. It doesn't take a medical degree to see the chemistry between the two of you. Just see where it goes.”

He hit the print key and reached over to grab the documents from the printer.

They both stood at the same time and Grace smiled at him. “I might just do that.”

Caleb reached for his stethoscope and draped it around his neck, then walked beside Grace down the hospital corridor. “And if you should decide to stop by at around five o' clock this evening, you should find your new patient conveniently home alone.”

She aimed a suspicious glance his way. “How are you going to get Miranda and Kelly out of the house without her protective older brother following you?”

“Oh, I plan to take the girls out to the one place I know Darren will not want to go.”

“And where on earth would that be?”

“106 Ashberry Avenue,” he declared smugly.

She came to a dead stop and Caleb did the same. “You aren't.”

“Oh, yes. The Tyler women and I are going skating tonight.”

Grace laughed and Caleb joined in. His heart lighter than it had been in years. His girl was back and he was going to show her a good time.

 

Miranda was awakened by the booming sound of a neighborhood teenager's amplified stereo driving past the front of the house. The sun had already risen, and it had been a chilly night but her sheets were damp with moisture.

She squeezed her eyes shut and groaned in frustration. It was Saturday morning, the only time that she was allowed to sleep in and the vehicle had managed to ruin the best part of her dream. For most of her adult life, Miranda had never been able to recall her dreams, but somehow since coming home, she could remember them with almost high-definition clarity. In fact, she vividly remembered most if not all of her dreams for the past two weeks. Last night, she'd covered half the positions in the
Kama Sutra
while making love to Caleb.

Rolling onto her side, she stared at the closed curtains while waiting for her heart rate to slow and the sexual tension in her body to dissipate. After managing to remain celibate for three years, why all of a sudden did her hormones kick into overdrive?

Who are you kidding?
A sigh escaped her lips. The dreams and the X-rated fantasies could only be attributed to Caleb. He was the only man who'd ever made her pass out from the sheer ecstasy of his lovemaking. Just the thought made her shiver. His late-night phone call hadn't helped her keep her emotional distance, either. Long after she'd agreed to help locate his missing uncle, she'd stared at the ceiling. Could she find him?

It made her more than a little uncomfortable looking for someone who so obviously didn't want to be found. It was her job to help people start over. Could she just as easily do the opposite? She had the resources and she'd had to do it before to triple check that the high-profile witness protection members could not be tracked down. It would take a few days and she would have to call in a few favors, but she would do it. She would find his great-uncle and return the favor. Nothing personal; Miranda Tyler repaid her debts.

Right,
the sarcastic voice in the back of her mind taunted.

Miranda closed her eyes momentarily, giving in to the temptation to linger in the memory of their last kiss. But the sound of her brother hobbling down the hallway reminded her that she had a long list of errands and tasks to accomplish that day.

Pushing thoughts of Caleb from her head, she rose from the bed, strolled over to the window and peeked out. The newspaper had already been delivered. Taking note of the increasingly cloudy sky, Miranda made a mental note to find her gloves as she pulled on her robe. After rummaging through her dresser for a fresh set of underwear and a change of clothing, she tiptoed down the hallway to the bathroom. A few minutes after brushing her teeth and pulling back her hair, she stood underneath the spray of hot water. Her nipples hardened and her belly tightened as she recalled part of a dream where she and Caleb had shared a steamy shower.

As much as she tried to deny it, she knew she'd never be fully over the man. When it was time for her to return to D.C., she wouldn't be able to go without leaving a bigger piece of her heart in his hands. Even if she didn't give in to the old feelings, the new ones would make leaving tough.

She finished her shower, turned off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. Ten minutes to the second, she emerged from the bathroom dressed and ready to go. She was just in time to move away and see a half-asleep Kelly stumble from her room into the hallway.

“I was going to run to the grocery store. Want me to wait for you?” Miranda asked, although she knew the answer. On the cusp of being a teenager, the grocery store was the last place the girl would want to go on a Saturday morning. Had she but mentioned the possibility of going to the library, electronics store, or a bookstore, Kelly would have broken her neck getting ready to go.

“Your brother ate my cereal,” she grumbled sleepily.

Miranda smiled at the statement.
Your brother.
Whenever Darren did something that Kelly liked, he was Uncle D. When he did something horrible, he was Miranda's brother.

“Okay, I'll get one box for him and another for you.”

“And orange juice, too, please.”

Miranda bent down and gave Kelly a quick hug.

“What was that for?”

“For being such a wonderful kid,” Miranda answered seriously. “You've been through more traumas in your short life than adults twice my age. You are truly amazing.”

“No.” Kelly shook her head. “Daddy's amazing. He's always been there for me, especially after Mom died. Even now I know that he's pushing hard so that he can come get me.”

The child's bright smile dimmed a little.

“What's wrong?”

“Is it true that when the trial is over I won't get to go home?”

Miranda nodded her head. “You can't go back, but you get to make new friends and make a new home with your dad.” She tried to put a positive spin on the situation.

“Does that include you and Uncle D?”

Her heart sank and for a millisecond Miranda wished Kelly wasn't so perceptive. Unwilling to give the child more bad news, she lied. “Of course not. One of the perks of working with your dad is that I get to continue contact with the people in the agency. We may not see each other often, but we can keep in touch.”

“So there's no chance that you could come with us? Maybe be my mom for real?”

“Oh, honey.” Miranda bent down and wrapped her arms around Kelly. Her eyes began to tear up.

“You do like my dad, don't you?”

“Of course I like your dad.”