A Kiss at the Mistletoe Rodeo
Auteur
Kathy Douglass
Lezers
16,5K
Hoofdstukken
13
Chapter One
“What do you think?” Katy, the assistant to the manager of the Bronco Convention Center, turned her wide eyes to Geoff Burris as her spirited tour came to an end. “It’s really something, right?”
The newly remodeled arena was state-of-the-art, and Katy had shown it off, everything from the bull and bronco pens to the dressing rooms for the contestants, the press booth, the VIP booths above the general seating, and even the areas for meet and greets with rodeo fans. The organizers of the Mistletoe Rodeo had thought of everything.
“Yes,” Geoff agreed. “Everything looks perfect.”
The inaugural Mistletoe Rodeo was scheduled to be held in two weeks. Amateurs as well as professionals would be showing off their skills in the three-day event. According to Geoff’s mother, the entire town of Bronco had been looking forward to the event ever since it had been announced that Geoff would be participating.
The young woman smiled brightly. She’d been beaming at Geoff ever since Chuck Carter, the manager of the convention center, had introduced them that morning. After shaking Geoff’s hand, Mr. Carter had returned to his on-site office, leaving Geoff in what he described as the capable hands of his assistant. Katy had practically glued herself to Geoff’s side as she’d spent the past forty-five minutes gushing about the venue to Geoff and the entourage of local and national press. Geoff was used to dealing with enthusiastic fans, but somehow, he’d expected things to be different in Bronco. After all, he’d grown up here. His parents still lived in the same house he and his three younger brothers had been raised in.
Geoff had been on the rodeo circuit for nearly half of his thirty-two years and had met with almost instant success as a bronc rider. Most of his time was spent on the road and away from his hometown, so he was glad to be back in Bronco for the next month or so. He’d missed home. He was looking forward to enjoying his mother’s cooking and catching up with old friends. It would be a welcome change to be around people who didn’t fawn over him, but treated him as one of the guys.
“This is a big deal for Bronco,” Katy added. “Having you and other big rodeo stars participate is going to do wonders for our town. I’m so excited I can barely stand it. My heart is practically jumping out of my chest.” She slid a hand over her tight sweater as if attempting to draw his attention to her breasts. To be fair, she had a nice enough figure, but he wasn’t interested. Not that he didn’t date. He did. Extensively. But he kept things casual and everything about this woman screamed Velcro. If he gave her even the slightest indication that he was open to seeing her, he’d never get away from her. Since he didn’t enjoy hurting people and did everything he could to prevent it, he had to keep everything between them strictly professional. He couldn’t even crack a smile for fear that she would take it as encouragement.
“I’m looking forward to it.” Although he knew that his words were being recorded, both by the journalists following him as well as the television crews who’d been on his trail seemingly forever—or at least since he won the state bronc riding contest in junior high—he meant every word he said. He was looking forward to participating in the Mistletoe Rodeo.
Acting as master of ceremonies as well as competing in the rodeo gave him the best of both worlds. He was able to participate in a sport he loved, and he was home for the holidays, something that was rare for him. He’d arrived in town two days ago. His brothers, who were also on the rodeo tour and would be competing in the Mistletoe Rodeo, would be arriving in about ten days. Geoff was looking forward to restarting their years-long ping-pong tournament they had with their father. Their father always won, but Geoff never gave up hope that either he or one of his brothers would dethrone him.
“How about we take a couple of pictures over there?” Curtis, the photographer for the Bronco Bulletin, asked, pointing at the stands.
“Sure.” Geoff quickly excused himself and then jogged over to the stands. “Where do you want me?”
“Climb up to the top. Then hold your arms out as if surveying the land or something. You know. Kind of master of all you survey.”
Shaking his head at the idea, Geoff jogged up the steps two at a time. When he reached the top, he spun around and posed as directed. Over the years, he’d done plenty of interviews and photo shoots, but he’d never quite understood being famous. It amazed him that people were interested in his life and had his pictures hanging on their walls. Of course, as a teenaged boy, he’d had his heroes’ posters on his bedroom walls, but that was different. Bill Pickett and Nat Love had been trailblazers. Legends. Bill Pickett had actually invented bulldogging, the skill of grabbing steer by the horns and wrestling them to the ground. And Nat Love was one of the most famous heroes of the old west. He, on the other hand, was just Geoff Burris, son of Jeanne and Benjamin Burris. Brother of Jack, Ross and Mike Burris.
Curtis took pictures from different angles, calling out instructions nonstop. Geoff was so busy listening to the photographer’s directions that he didn’t pay as close attention as he should have to where he stepped. One minute the bleacher was beneath his boot and he was smiling at the camera as directed. The next he was in midair, arms flailing as he tried in vain to regain his balance.
Geoff heard Katy’s bloodcurdling scream as he thudded onto the concrete floor. The fall knocked the wind out of him and he gasped, doing his best to suck in oxygen. After a long, nervous minute, he was able to breathe normally.
Then everyone began to talk at once as they ran over to him. Geoff tried to sit up and let them know he was okay, but as he raised his arm, intense pain forced him to stop.
“I called 911,” Katy said as she knelt by his side. “An ambulance should be here soon.”
“Thanks.”
“Can you stand?” Curtis asked, putting down his camera and extending a hand.
“I think so.”
Geoff tried to move his leg and his right ankle screamed in agony. As his adrenaline faded, he realized that his entire body was in excruciating pain.
“You should wait until the paramedics check you out.”
“Did you hit your head?” someone else asked.
“No,” Geoff replied. At least he didn’t think he did. It all happened so fast.
“What happened?” That question came from Mr. Carter, who’d apparently heard the noise and had raced into the arena, loudly demanding answers. People began to talk at once, saying what they’d witnessed or hypothesizing about the cause. The cacophony made Geoff’s head pound and he gave up trying to answer. There was nothing that needed saying at this point anyway. Most of the answers were self-evident. He’d fallen from the bleachers and injured himself.
The sound of approaching sirens temporarily silenced the growing crowd of onlookers.
Two EMTs arrived and jogged across the floor, pulling a wheeled gurney behind them. One, a woman with alert brown eyes, asked him his name.
“He’s Geoff Burris,” Katy said, taking his hand.
“Ma’am, would you mind stepping back?” the EMT said. “And we need for him to answer the questions.”
“My name is Geoff Burris,” Geoff replied.
“Can you tell me what happened?” the woman asked as her partner wrapped the blood pressure cuff around his biceps and expertly inflated it.
He moved his head to meet her gaze and a sharp pain between his eyes made him wince, reminding him to be more careful when he moved. “I was standing on top of the bleachers taking pictures. I thought the bleacher was longer than it was. I must have missed a step, and I fell.”
“I see.”
“I’m not hurt all that badly. I just got banged up a little bit. Give me a few minutes to shake it off and I’ll be fine.” After a lifetime as a bronc rider, he’d suffered his share of injuries. Most people in rodeo had. You couldn’t go to the hospital for every little bump or bruise.
“I hate to disagree with you, but you need to go to the hospital and get checked out.”
He thought about his mother hearing about him being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and cringed. Jeanne had always worried about her sons getting hurt in the rodeo. Although she’d always supported them in whatever they chose to do, he knew she would be happier if they’d become architects or accountants. She’d been thrilled when Mike told her he planned to become a doctor. That thrill had worn off when he’d told her he would be earning his medical school tuition by joining his brothers on the rodeo circuit. Of course Geoff had gotten hurt while taking pictures, something that was supposed to be safer than rodeo. This freak accident only bolstered his belief that he could just as easily be hurt crossing the street as being tossed from a bucking bronc.
“I don’t need an ambulance. I can call for a car.” He used his good hand to pull his phone from his back pocket. It had been smashed.
“Nonsense,” Mr. Carter said, coming to squat next to Geoff’s shoulder. Thankfully he’d stopped yelling even if he hadn’t stopped giving orders. “You take the ambulance to the hospital and let the doctors take care of you.” He then turned his focus to the EMTs. “And you get him there as soon as you can. Lights and sirens.”
The EMT who’d been taking Geoff’s vitals frowned, but otherwise didn’t react to Mr. Carter. No doubt he’d run into all types in his job. Geoff didn’t want to make things more difficult for the young man who was only doing his job, so he stopped protesting.
“Okay. Can someone grab my jacket?”
Mr. Carter snapped his fingers and Katy immediately began searching for Geoff’s belongings. Geoff was about to tell her to forget about it when she returned with the shearling jacket.
“Thank you,” Geoff said as he was assisted onto the gurney. In the blink of an eye, the EMTs had him covered with a blanket and strapped in. Geoff stared at the ceiling as they wheeled him through the center. When he started getting dizzy and his stomach lurched, he closed his eyes. Luckily the nausea vanished by the time he was placed inside the ambulance.
With the added advantage—if one could call it that—of the blaring sirens, the ride to the hospital was short and in no time Geoff found himself being transferred onto a bed in the emergency room.
The doctor, a man who looked to be in his early fifties and whose name tag identified him as Dr. Shaw, peered at Geoff over rimless glasses. “So, you had a bit of an accident at the convention center. I expected to have a few visits from you rodeo types, but not for a couple of weeks.”
Geoff wasn’t surprised that the doctor recognized him. His success on the tour brought plenty of endorsement opportunities ranging from belt buckles to shirts and ties. He’d recently done an ad campaign for BH Couture, a local boutique, and signed a sponsorship and advertising deal with Taylor Beef, another local business, and would be shooting some commercials while he was in town.
Geoff had been reluctant to advertise products when he first started out, wanting to be known for his exploits in the ring, not outside of it. But once he’d made a name for himself in his sport, his stance had changed. His name recognition had created more interest in rodeo, and he’d taken advantage of the opportunity to spread the word whenever and however he could.
The sponsorship opportunities were also very lucrative, which enabled him to help those he loved as well as support worthy causes. It was a win-win situation and the best use of his fame that he could think of.
“I’m part of the advance crew. I just wanted to make sure the medical staff was up to par,” Geoff said with a wry grin.
Dr. Shaw chuckled. “You could have just asked to tour the facilities.”
“I didn’t think of that.”
The doctor nodded and then, all joking behind them, reached out and touched Geoff’s arm.
Geoff sucked in a pained breath.
After attempting to manipulate the arm and shoulder, the doctor looked at Geoff with serious eyes. “I have a feeling you’re going to need surgery on that shoulder.”
“Surgery? Are you sure?” That would ruin everything.
The doctor made a notation on the chart. “I’m ordering X-rays to confirm my diagnosis, but yes, I’m sure.”
“What do you think is wrong?”
“Looks like you might have dislocated your shoulder.”
“That’s not a big deal. I’ve dislocated my shoulder a couple of times in the past. It just needs to be popped in.”
“Well, see, that’s the problem. If you dislocate your shoulder more than once, the ligaments need to be surgically repaired.”
“If I need surgery, how long will it take to recover?”
“Depends on how extensive the repair is.”
“What’s your best guess?”
“I’m not a surgeon, but ballpark... I’d say you’ll be in a sling for at least four to six weeks.”
“Four to six weeks! I’m participating in the Mistletoe Rodeo in two weeks.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.”
Geoff inhaled and the doctor raised a hand, stopping him from speaking. “Let’s wait and see what the surgeon has to say before you get all worked up, shall we?”
Geoff nodded. It didn’t make sense to get all stressed out when he didn’t know how bad things were.
The doctor examined Geoff’s ankle. “That’s probably just a bad sprain, but I’ll order X-rays to be on the safe side. And of course I’ll order a scan of your head just to be sure you don’t have a concussion. Sit tight and someone will be in to take you for your tests.”
Geoff nodded absently as the doctor left, preoccupied by thoughts of his injured shoulder. He couldn’t be laid up for a month. He had commitments to keep.
He was still brooding over the doctor’s words twenty minutes later when the curtain surrounding his bed was pulled back.
“I’m here to take you for your tests,” an orderly said, pushing an empty wheelchair up to the bed. “Are you ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied.
The young man looked at Geoff’s face and then his mouth dropped open. He pointed a finger at Geoff. “You’re Geoff Burris.”
“Yes, I am.”
“I’m a big fan.”
“Thanks.”
The young man stared at Geoff for a long moment. Then, as if realizing he had a job to do, he shook his head and helped Geoff into the wheelchair. The orderly talked excitedly about the upcoming Mistletoe Rodeo as he pushed Geoff down the hall to the radiology department. “I’m taking my girlfriend on the final night. We’ve already got our tickets. We’re both big fans and always watch when rodeo comes on TV, but we always wanted to see you in person. We’d been talking about taking a trip to see you on the road, but this is so much better. You’re still going to ride, aren’t you?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t want to let down my fans.” People were paying good money to see him participate and he wasn’t going to disappoint them. After years of performing around the country in stadiums filled with strangers, he wasn’t going to let a dislocated shoulder stop him from performing before a crowd filled with friends and relatives.
The X-rays and scan didn’t take long and soon Geoff was back in the emergency room cooling his heels. A little while later, Dr. Shaw entered. “What do you want first, the good news or the bad news?”
“How about you give me the good and we skip the bad altogether?”
The doctor shook his head. “If only it were that easy. But not hearing the report won’t change the facts. The good news is that your ankle isn’t broken. You just have a sprain. You should be back on your feet in a few days.”
“That is good news.”
“And there’s more. You don’t have a concussion.”
“That’s not surprising given that I didn’t hit my head.” No doubt his headache was the result of too many loud voices in the arena, coupled with the rush of adrenaline.
The doctor paused.
Geoff sighed. “I take it we’ve run out of good news.”
Dr. Shaw nodded. “I’m afraid so. You’ve done substantial damage to your shoulder and the X-rays confirm that you need surgery to repair the tendons. Lucky for you, Dr. Wilson, one of the best orthopedists in the state, is a part of our hospital system. I’ve already checked and he’s available to perform your surgery tomorrow morning.”
“Is surgery really necessary? Can’t you just give me a splint and some painkillers and let me go home?”
“That’s out of the question.”
“How about a cast, then?” He didn’t know how he would compete with one arm in a cast, but he’d find a way. What he wasn’t going to do was have surgery tomorrow or any other day.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Burris. I don’t think you understand just how much damage you did. If you don’t take care of this now, you’ll be in pain for the rest of your life. Not only that, but you won’t be able to perform at your current level. Is that what you want?”
Of course it wasn’t what Geoff wanted. He didn’t want to be less than he was. He knew that eventually Father Time would catch up to him and he’d lose his strength and the ability to make lightning-fast adjustments. Eventually someone would come along and knock him off the top spot. That was the nature of rodeo. The nature of life. But that time wasn’t now. He wasn’t going to allow a photo shoot gone wrong to derail him at the peak of his career.
“Fine. I’ll have the surgery.” But there was no way he was going to sit around and do nothing for weeks. For as long as he could remember, his father had told him that a man was only as good as his word. Geoff had made a promise to the rodeo promoters and he was going to keep it.
“Good.” The doctor handed Geoff some tablets. “Now that we’ve established that you don’t have a concussion, we can give you some medication for the pain.”
“Thanks.” Geoff didn’t like to take much, but he knew there was nothing manly or heroic about refusing medicine that could ease his pain. Besides, he couldn’t focus with his body in such misery. He swallowed the pills and hoped they’d kick in soon.
“I’ll have someone take you to registration so we can get you checked in.”
“I need to contact my parents, too.”
“We can do that.”
“Thanks.” Geoff would have preferred to go to his parents’ house where he could sleep in his own bed, but he knew it was probably best to spend the night in the hospital. That way nobody would have to drive him back here in the morning for surgery. Besides, he didn’t think he could stand looking in his mother’s eyes and seeing the worry there. He might be a grown man, but she still considered him and his brothers her babies.
Checking in took a bit longer than Geoff would have liked, and by the time he was escorted to his private room, the pain medicine had begun to kick in. On the plus side, he was feeling no pain. On the negative side, he was feeling a bit loopy.
The orderly wheeled him up beside the bed and then stepped back. Geoff attempted to stand when he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Careful. You don’t want to hurt your ankle. Let me help you.”
The feminine voice startled him. The orderly had been a man, so Geoff knew he hadn’t spoken. Geoff turned his head and stared at the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Brown skin and almond-shaped eyes that were at once intelligent and kind. High cheekbones. Full, kissable lips. As she wrapped her arms around him, helping him to stand on his one good leg while she steered him onto the bed, he knew she had to be an angel. An angel sent down from heaven to help him through the night.
He smiled. He liked the sound of that.
“You like the sound of what?” his angel asked. Her voice was melodic. Sweet yet sexy. The kind of voice that could talk a man into doing anything.
“Whatever you want, angel.” He sat docilely while she helped him into a hospital gown. Then he lay back against the pillow, and she covered him with the thin blanket.
“Just how much medicine did they give you?” that sexy voice asked.
“Not sure.”
“Well, you should be able to sleep.”
As she turned to leave, he grabbed her arm. “Stay, angel. Don’t leave.”
Nurse Stephanie Brandt looked at her patient. Although he’d been registered as Bernie Jefferson, she easily recognized Geoff Burris, champion rodeo star and hometown hero. Although she wasn’t a sports fan, you couldn’t live in Bronco, Montana, and not know of the living legend that was Geoff Burris. He was by far the most famous person to come from this Montana town and was the favorite son. Now that he was representing Taylor Beef, she expected to see his face on her television screen, billboards and print advertisement even more often.
And what a face it was. Geoff Burris was quite a handsome man. With clear brown skin, chiseled cheekbones and strong jaw, he was more gorgeous than the patients Stephanie ordinarily encountered. And his body! Words like muscular didn’t come close to describing it. He was tall and lean without an ounce of excess fat. Clearly being a rodeo star required more strength than she’d thought. He was obviously an elite athlete in his prime. While helping him change out of his street clothes and into his hospital gown, she’d seen firsthand just how fit he was.
The temptation to stroke her hand over the smooth skin covering his six-pack abs had been strong, but it would have been entirely inappropriate and unprofessional. And Stephanie was nothing if not professional. She was a nurse and he was her patient. As such, he deserved her best care—which didn’t include being gawked at like an animal in a zoo.
“What is it that you need?” she asked her sleepy patient.
His eyes had drifted shut. With apparent effort, he opened them and blinked several times before he managed to meet her eyes. “I need you, angel.”
Her heart lurched at his words, and it took all of her self-control to not melt into a puddle right then and there. She frowned at that thought. She wasn’t some groupie who got weak in the knees at some no doubt well-rehearsed, oft-repeated line. “What you need is rest.”
He reached out and grabbed her wrist with a speed that was shocking. “Don’t go, I need you.”
She gently unwrapped his fingers from her wrist and placed his hand on top of the blanket. “I have to go now. My shift is over. But don’t worry, you won’t be alone. There are other nurses who will take good care of you.” Though she didn’t know why, she added, “I promise to come back tomorrow and check on you.”
He nodded and his eyes closed again. “I didn’t know angels worked shifts.”
Since he’d already fallen asleep, Stephanie didn’t bother to reply. She didn’t know what she would have said anyway. After an unusually busy shift, she was exhausted and her brain was barely functioning. All she wanted to do was get home, heat up the leftovers her mother had insisted that she take home after Sunday dinner, and veg out in front of the television for a couple of hours.
Stephanie went into the nurses’ locker room where she changed out of her scrubs and into a comfy pair of jeans and a thick green sweater. She pulled on a matching green coat and wound a scarf around her neck before going to the nurses’ station and saying goodbye.
“Have a good night,” Tamara, her friend and favorite coworker, said, glancing up from a file and taking a sip of coffee.
“Thanks. You, too.”
Stephanie stepped through the hospital doors and was immediately hit by a blast of cold air. She sucked in a bracing breath. Montana might be among the most beautiful places in the country, and she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else, but she found the cold weather challenging. She wrapped the scarf more tightly around her neck and then put on her green fur-lined leather gloves before striding to the parking lot. As she neared her car, she spotted someone approaching her. The overhead lights provided decent lighting, but the figure was mostly in shadows. As the person got closer, Stephanie was able to make out the figure. Winona Cobbs. Stephanie had learned about the older woman last year when the Abernathys, one of Bronco’s wealthier families, were seeking information about Winona’s biological daughter who had been taken away at birth. Stephanie didn’t recall all of the details, but she knew it had been a big deal and that Winona had eventually been happily reunited with Dorothea “Daisy” McGowan.
“Hello,” Stephanie said when they were close enough to hear each other without shouting. “Do you need help?”
Winona shook her head. “I’m here to visit a friend.”
“Okay,” Stephanie replied and continued walking to her car, which brought her closer to Winona. When they were within inches of passing each other, Winona stepped in front of Stephanie and placed her frail hands on her shoulders. Her fingers might have been bony, but her hold on Stephanie was firm. Tight. “You can run, but you can’t hide.”
“I beg your pardon.” Stephanie stepped back and looked at Winona. Her eyes were clear and she didn’t appear to be under the influence of alcohol—or anything else. Still, her words didn’t make any sense. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Perhaps you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
“Oh, I know exactly who you are. I’m here to let you know it’s useless to resist. The rodeo rider has already lassoed your heart.”
Stephanie froze at Winona’s words and internally she shivered. Stephanie had never been a big believer in second sight or intuition or any other woo-woo things, preferring to trust in science and logic, but Winona’s words were a little bit uncanny. Unnerving. How had Winona known Stephanie had a rodeo rider as a patient? Geoff had been admitted under a false name to protect his privacy so she couldn’t have confirmed he was a patient by calling the hospital. Even if she knew Geoff had been admitted, there was no way Winona could have known that Stephanie and Geoff had met. This was all too weird.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Stephanie said, shaking her head.
“Oh, I think you do. But I guess you’re entitled to live in denial for a little while longer. Most people prefer it there. But you can’t stay too long.”
“What?”
Winona laughed. “Everything I’m saying will make perfect sense to you in a little while. Have a nice night now.” Without saying another word, Winona continued walking to the hospital, presumably to visit her friend as if she hadn’t just said the most befuddling thing Stephanie had ever heard.
Although the wind whipped through the parking lot, chilling Stephanie to the bone, she didn’t resume walking. It was as if the old woman’s words had left her spellbound. Sure, Geoff Burris was handsome. Stephanie had known that before she’d walked into his room. She’d seen his face on TV and billboards around Montana for years. But those images had failed to fully capture his good looks. More than that, they’d been unable to reveal his essence. Even with painkillers, he still possessed a certain magnetism that naturally drew people—and certainly women—to him. And when he had called her angel... Whew. Despite the cold Montana air swirling around her, Stephanie began to perspire. Of course he hadn’t meant anything by it. People said all kinds of wacky things when they were under the influence of painkillers. Besides, patients often referred to their nurses as angels, so thankful for the little things nurses did to make their recovery more pleasant.
So why was she standing out here thinking about him all the while freezing her butt off instead of getting in her car and driving home?
The wind blew especially hard, shaking Stephanie out of her stupor, and she jogged the rest of the way to her car. Once inside she turned on the heat and pressed her hands to her freezing face. What had possessed her to stand outside in the cold like that? Winona’s words may have been odd, but they held no more truth than a fortune cookie.
Grateful for the heated seats warming her chilled bottom, she drove to her house. Stephanie was one of five children and had grown up in a close, loving family. Though she enjoyed their company, and had enjoyed sharing a room with her younger sister Tiffany for most of her life, she liked having her own place and decorating it in her own personal style.
After parking in her driveway, she opened the door to her two-bedroom house. She’d grown up in Bronco Valley, but happened to luck out and find an affordable home for sale in Bronco Heights, the more well-to-do side of town. Stephanie liked bold, dramatic colors. The deep blue chairs and sofa with white accent pillows and throws combined with the blue-and-gray wallpaper generally made her smile and relax as soon as she stepped inside. But as she dropped onto the padded bench to exchange her boots for fuzzy slippers, the tension from the day didn’t slip from her shoulders.
As they had on the drive home, Winona’s words echoed through her mind, although Stephanie couldn’t figure out why she was giving them so much attention. Winona was known around town to be a bit eccentric. Although Stephanie had been raised to know better than to spread gossip, that didn’t keep her from hearing it. Or from observing people with her own eyes. Truthfully, given everything she knew about Winona, Stephanie wouldn’t be giving the older woman’s words a second thought if she didn’t see a little bit of truth in them.
Geoff might not have lassoed her heart; it took more than a gorgeous face and muscular body to do that. But he had definitely gotten her attention. And maybe she was a little bit attracted to him. But even so, they lived in two different worlds. He was a celebrity and she was a nurse. Just because their worlds had collided today didn’t mean there would be a long-term connection.
She was a simple girl living a simple life. Sure, she appreciated the finer things—dinner in a nice restaurant, a good bottle of wine and exquisite jewelry that she saw in the window of Beaumont and Rossi’s Fine Jewels. But when it came to her everyday life, she preferred spending a quiet evening with friends or family, soaking in her oversized tub while listening to her favorite singers, and watching sci-fi reruns on TV. She had no desire to live in the limelight.
Geoff’s life was nothing like hers. He was constantly photographed and followed by hordes of fans. He didn’t have any privacy to speak of. There was nothing quiet about his life. Not that it mattered. He was her patient. When he was released from the hospital, she wouldn’t see him again.
