A Merger...or Marriage?

Anna closed the door behind the two men and he was suddenly aware of the elegant shape of her fingers against the wood grain and the soft tendrils of hair escaping her pins to curl at the base of her neck.

She had changed perfumes, he noted. In college she had worn something light and flowery that had always reminded him of a sunwarmed garden. Now her scent was slightly more bold—and a hell of a lot more sexy, he had to admit. It curled through the room, tugging at his insides with subtle insistency.

She turned to face him and for an instant, he was blinded by the sheer vibrancy of her smile. “Richard, I know I didn’t say this before, but it’s really wonderful to see you again! I’ve wondered so many times how you were.”

He found that hard to believe. She had to know where he was. If she had wondered so much, she could have found out as easily as sending a simple e-mail or making a phone call.

“I’ve been fine. Busy.”

Too busy to spend time mooning over the only woman who had ever rejected him, he wanted to add, but managed to refrain.

He was an adult, after all, something he would do well to remember right about now.

“Rumor has it you got married,” she said after a moment. “Any kids? I always thought you would make a wonderful father.”

“Did you?”

She either missed the bite in his tone or she chose to ignore it.

“I did,” she answered. “You were always so great with the neighborhood children. I can remember more than a few impromptu baseball games with you right in the middle of the action. You didn’t care how old the players were or anything about their ability level. You just tried to make sure everyone had fun.”

He was trying really hard to ignore the softness in her eyes and the warmth in her voice.

She had walked away from everything he wanted to offer her, without looking back. He had a right to be a little bitter, eight years later.

“So do you have any children?” she asked. She seemed genuinely interested, much to his surprise.

“One,” he finally answered, not at all pleased with her line of questioning. He didn’t like being reminded of old, tired dreams and newer failures.

“Boy or girl?”

“Boy. He’s just turned five.”

And he would be waiting impatiently for his father to pick him up if Richard didn’t wrap things up quickly and escape.

“I do the best I can with him, especially since his mother and I aren’t together anymore. The marriage ended right after he was born. I have full custody.”

He wasn’t sure why he added that. It wasn’t something he just blurted out to people. If they hadn’t been friends so long ago, he probably would have kept the information to himself.

Shock flickered in the depth of her blue eyes. “Oh. I hadn’t heard that part. I’m so sorry, Richard.”

He shrugged. “I’m sorry she’s chosen to not be part of Ethan’s life, but I’m not sorry about the divorce. It was one of those mistakes that make themselves painfully clear minutes after it’s too late to be easily fixed.”

“That doesn’t make it hurt less, I would imagine,” she murmured softly.

“No, it doesn’t,” he answered, his voice short. He regretted saying anything at all about Ethan and especially mentioning his failed marriage that still stung.

He gripped his briefcase, desperate to escape this awkwardness, but her words stopped him before he could do anything but put his hand on the doorknob.

“Can I ask you something?”

He eased his hand away, flashing her a wry look. “You haven’t seemed to have any problem asking questions for the last two hours. You’re amazingly good at it.”

“That was different. Business. This is…not.”

For the first time since the meeting she seemed to reveal her nerves weren’t completely steel-coated. Wariness flickered in her eyes and she appeared to be gripping a file folder with inordinate force.

He ought to just push past her and get the hell out of there but he couldn’t quite bring himself to move.

Instead, he shrugged. “Go ahead.”

“I just wondered about this…hostility I’m sensing from you.”

Apparently he wasn’t as good at concealing his inner turmoil as he’d thought. “I’m sure you’re imagining things.”

“I don’t think so,” she answered, her voice pitched low. “I’m not an idiot, Richard.”

Abruptly, suddenly, he was furious with her, as angry as he’d ever been with anyone. She had no right to come back, dredging up all these feelings he had buried long ago. The rejection, the hurt, the loss.

He had thrown his heart at her feet eight years ago. The hell of it was, he couldn’t even say she had stomped on it. That might have been easier to handle, if she had shown any kind of malice.

But he supposed that would have been too much bother for her and would have required her to care a little. Instead, she had politely walked around it on her way out the door.

And then she dared to stand here now and ask him why he wasn’t thrilled to see her!

This wasn’t personal, he reminded himself. Or if some part of him couldn’t help making it so, he shouldn’t let everything between them become about their shared past. He couldn’t afford it, not in his temporary role as hospital counsel.

“Why would I be hostile?” he said instead. “You’re only the point man—or woman, I guess—for a company trying to destroy this hospital and this community.”

She blinked a little at his frontal assault, but it only took her seconds to recover. “Not true. I would have thought as an attorney you could look at this with a little more objectivity than…” Her voice trailed off.

“Than who? Your family?”

She sighed. “Yes. They won’t listen to reason. Peter and David think I’ve betrayed the family name and Ella…well, Ella’s not speaking to me at all.”

He didn’t expect the sympathy that suddenly tugged at him, fast on the heels of his own anger. Her family had always been important to her. Sometimes he thought she placed too much importance on their opinions. She had always seemed painfully aware that she was adopted and struggled hard to find a place for herself among the medicine-mad Wilders.

As a single child himself, he could only imagine what she must be feeling now—alienated by her siblings and bearing the brunt of their anger over her role in the NHC takeover attempt.

On the other hand, he instinctively sided with her siblings in this situation, not Anna.

He pushed away the wholly inappropriate urge to offer her comfort. “How did you expect them to react, Anna? This hospital is in their blood. Your family is basically the heart of Walnut River General. Everyone here knows that. And the soul, the essence, of this place is the sense of community—neighbors reaching out to help neighbors. That’s what has made this hospital such an integral component to the quality of life in Walnut River. No one likes to go to the hospital, but the ordeal is made a little easier here when you know you’ll be treated with respect and dignity, often by someone who has known you all your life.”

She blinked with surprise. “Times change,” she answered. “The health-care industry is changing. Independent community hospitals just don’t have the competitive edge anymore.”

“Nor should they. It’s not about making money. It’s about helping people heal.”

“Exactly! And if Northeastern HealthCare can help them heal in a more efficient, cost-effective way and provide better access to cutting-edge procedures not currently available in this market, don’t you think that will be better for everyone in the long run?”

“Will it?”

“Yes!” she exclaimed. “Walnut River would be part of a powerful consortium of health-care providers. With that backing, the hospital can afford to bring in state-of-the-art equipment and the newest procedures. NHC is already talking about building a cancer treatment center so patients don’t have to drive twenty miles away for radiation treatment! And they’re talking about an entire renovation of the labor and delivery unit and an after-hours Instacare facility for parents who work during the day to bring their children to see a doctor….”

Her voice trailed off and color brushed her cheeks like the first hint of autumn on the maple trees along the river. “I didn’t mean to ramble on. I’m afraid I get a little… passionate sometimes.”

She obviously believed the NHC takeover would truly be best for the hospital. Richard had to admire her passion, even if he disagreed with it.

“You certainly are free to believe what you want,” he said. “And I’ll do the same.”

After a moment, she nodded. “Fair enough. But that doesn’t really answer my question.”

“What question would that be?”

She opened her mouth to answer but before she could, the boardroom door opened and Tina Tremaine, J.D.’s receptionist, stepped through.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I thought everyone was gone.”

“We’re just on our way out,” Richard answered.

“You don’t have to rush. Take your time. I only needed to make sure things were straightened up in here for a meeting J.D. has first thing in the morning.”

She smiled at Richard but he was surprised to see her smile disappear completely by the time she turned to Anna.

Anna didn’t seem to miss the sudden disdain in the other woman’s eyes. Her shoulders straightened and her chin tilted up slightly but she said nothing.

“We’re just leaving,” Richard said again.

“Fine.” Tina closed the door behind her, leaving behind a sudden awkward silence.

“Look, would you like to go somewhere? Grab an early dinner or something?” Anna asked.

He gazed at her, stunned that some tiny part of him was actually tempted, even though the more rational part of his brain recognized the absurdity of the impulse.

“That’s not a good idea, Anna.”

Somewhere in the depths of her blue eyes he thought he saw a shadow of vulnerability, just the barest hint of loneliness. But she mustered a brittle-looking smile. “Really? Why not? What could possibly be the harm in it? We’re just two old friends catching up over dinner.”

“Two old friends who happen to be standing on opposite sides of a corporate battlefield.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. That doesn’t mean we can’t be civil to each other! You were one of my closest friends, Richard. I told you things no one else in the world knows about me.”

You said you loved me and then you walked away when something better came along.

His bitterness again seemed to sweep up out of nowhere, taking him completely by surprise.

He thought he had dealt with all this years ago. He never would have guessed seeing her would dredge up all those feelings and make them fresh and raw all over again.

He chose his words carefully, not at all eager to reveal too much to her. “I’m sorry, Anna. Even if not for the gray area regarding conflict of interest ethics in seeing you socially, I have other plans.”

She froze for an instant and color climbed her cheeks. “Some other time then, perhaps. It was…great to see you again.”

She headed for the walnut-paneled door. As she reached out to pull it open, he thought she paused slightly. Her gaze met his and if he hadn’t known her so well years ago, he probably would have missed the flash of trepidation there.

He wondered at it for only an instant before he realized what must lie beneath her hesitation. Judging by Tina’s reaction in the boardroom just now, he was willing to bet Anna wasn’t at all popular at Walnut River General Hospital. The antimerger forces were vocal and vociferous in their opposition.

Again that unwanted sympathy surged through him. He might not agree with her position but he couldn’t argue with her convictions. She was only doing her job and she didn’t deserve to be mistreated by employees of the hospital who might oppose her mission here.

“I’ll walk out with you,” he said impulsively.

Her lush, delectable mouth opened a little with surprise, then she rewarded him with a glowing smile that made him far too aware of how the years between them had only added to her loveliness.

Much to his dismay, he suddenly felt a familiar clutch of desire twist his insides. He wanted to reach across the space between them and capture that mouth with his, to see if her skin was as silky as he remembered, if she still tasted heady and sweet.

He had been far too long without a woman. Between Ethan and trying to build his practice, he had little time or inclination left for extracurricular activity.

Maybe he needed to make time—especially since the one woman who stirred his interest in longer than he cared to remember was. Anna Wilder.

It was ridiculous for her to be so grateful Richard was walking beside her. What did she expect, that she would need a bodyguard to help her safely make it through the hospital?

She might be persona non grata around the hospital right now, but she couldn’t quite believe anyone would physically assault her to keep NHC at bay.

Still, she couldn’t deny she found great comfort from Richard’s calm presence as they headed for the elevator. She always had, she remembered now. He had been a source of strength and comfort through high school and college—the one she always turned to for advice, for counsel, for encouragement.

And more.

She pushed the memories away, refusing to dwell on them. She couldn’t think about them right now, when he was only a few feet away looking blond and dangerously gorgeous.

They paused at the elevator to wait for a car and stood in silence, watching the numbers rise. She was just about to ask him about his other clients when she heard a commotion down the hall.

“Hold the elevator. The trauma lift isn’t working.”

Anna sucked in her breath as the familiar voice rang through the hallway. Her insides knotted with dread but she had no choice but to turn her head.

She wasn’t at all surprised to see her sister working an oxygen pump as a team of medical personnel pushed a gurney down the hall. Anna had a quick impression that the patient was a middle-aged woman with her face covered in blood.

Ella faltered for just a moment when she saw Anna but she didn’t break her stride. “Have the ER hold trauma room one,” she told a nurse running beside them. “And alert the surgical team that we’ve got a femoral compound fracture and possible head trauma.”

She snapped out other commands firmly in a crisp, focused tone that reminded Anna painfully of their father, leaving no doubt exactly who was in charge of the situation.

She had never seen her sister in a professional capacity, Anna realized, as a mixture of pride and awe washed through her.

She always knew Ella would kick butt as a doctor. Seeing her in action was all the confirmation she needed. Ella was cool, composed and completely in control—all the things Anna couldn’t quite manage during her single year of med school.

Anna and Richard stepped aside to allow the team access to the elevator. Just before the doors slid closed, Anna’s gaze met her sister’s for only a millisecond.

Everything on the periphery seemed to fade, and for a moment Anna was ten years old again, snuggling in her sleeping bag in a tent in their big backyard next to her sister and best friend while the stars popped out, sharing secrets and popcorn and dreams.

Oh, Ella. I miss you so much, she wanted to whisper, but she could never say the words tangled in her throat, and in an instant, the doors closed and the moment was gone.

She fought back tears, praying her emotions wouldn’t betray her in front of Richard.

“Wow,” he said after a moment. “Hurricane Ella, as usual.”

“Right.” She didn’t trust herself to say more than that as a thousand different regrets pinched at her.

Their rift was largely her fault, one that had been widening for eight years since she left Walnut River, and it had become an unbreachable chasm these days.

If she had told Ella and their brothers about her job with NHC, her involvement in the merger might not have come as such a shock to the other Wilders. Instead, for two long years she had chosen the coward’s way, avoiding their questions when they asked about her work, offering them half-truths and evasions.

She had suspected exactly how they would react. She supposed that was the reason she had deceived them for so long.

“Not a good time for sisterly conversation, obviously.”

She wrenched her mind away from her guilt to Richard, who was watching her with entirely too much perception in his blue eyes.

She forced a smile past her aching heart. “Ella runs a mile a minute. She always has. When we were kids, she was always on the go. You remember what she was like.”

“I do. There was never a quiet moment with the two Wilder girls around.”

She forced another smile, though she had a feeling it was probably as transparent as it felt. She could only hope he didn’t see the hurt washing through her in fierce waves.

“You never asked your question,” he said.

She blinked at him. “Sorry. What question was that?”

“I don’t know. You said you wanted to ask me something and then we were sidetracked.”

She frowned, replaying their conversation of the past few minutes in her mind. Suddenly she remembered the direction of her thoughts and she could feel herself flush.

If not for the encounter with Ella, she might have made some laughing remark and changed the subject. But her emotions were too raw for equivocation and for some strange reason she decided to be blunt.

“I did ask you, but you didn’t give me a straight answer. I’m just wondering if it’s business or personal.”

“What?”

“The…hostility. Coolness, antipathy, whatever you want to call it. I’m just wondering if you’re angry because I work for NHC or if there’s something else behind it.”

A strange light flickered in his eyes for just an instant before his handsome features became a mask once more. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, the elevator arrived.

Only after they stepped inside and he pushed the button to return to the main floor did he turn to answer her.

“I suppose a little of both,” he said. “We were friends. You said it yourself. And for one night, we were far more than that. I guess I’m trying to figure out how a woman I considered a friend could turn her back on her family and this town.”

I didn’t, she wanted to cry. But she was already so tired of defending herself and her choices to everyone in Walnut River. Didn’t anyone think it was possible—just maybe—that she might have the community’s best interests at heart?

Richard certainly didn’t. She could see the censure in his eyes. She couldn’t argue with him. That was the hell of it. He had the right to his opinions and she suspected nothing she said would convince him her motives were anything other than crass profit.

The elevator arrived at the main floor and the doors sprang open. He walked with her through the lobby, past the censorious eyes and out of the hospital.

She wanted to thank him for providing a buffer, but she couldn’t figure out just how to put the words together.

“I’m parked over there,” he pointed.

“Oh. I’m on the other side. I guess I’ll see you around, then.”

“Probably not. I was only filling in temporarily today in the meeting. My partner is usually the one at our firm who represents the hospital. He should be back on the job tomorrow.”

She should be relieved, she told herself. The prospect of spending more time with this prickly, distant Richard who had once been so very dear to her was not appealing.

“Well, in that case, it was…good to see you today.”

“Right,” he answered.

She walked to her car, wondering why she felt worse leaving the hospital than she had going in.

Chapter Three

Twenty minutes later, Anna walked into her duplex apartment and was instantly assaulted by a miniature dynamo.

Her dark mood instantly lifted as if dozens of sunbeams had followed her home.

“There’s my Lilli-girl.”

Her tiny dog gave one short yip of greeting then did a standing leap on all four legs, jumping almost to Anna’s knees. She laughed at the dog’s antics and bent to scoop Lilli into her arms, all five pounds of her.

“Did you have a good day, sweetheart? I hope those two big monsters didn’t run you ragged.”

Lilli—short for Lilliputian—yipped again and wriggled in her arms maneuvering so she could lick eagerly at Anna’s chin with her tiny sandpaper tongue.

Anna smiled and cuddled the dog closer. What a blessing this duplex had turned out to be, one of the few bright spots in her life since she had been ordered by the NHC CEO, Alfred Daly to come home to Walnut River to wrap up the hospital merger.

She hadn’t been able to find a single hotel in town that would allow pets, but then she’d stumbled on this furnished place near the river that would allow a temporary lease for the short time she expected to be in Walnut River.

The duplex itself wasn’t anything fancy, just bare bones lodging with little personality or style. But it had a good-sized backyard for Lilli to play in, and the landlady had two gentle yellow labradors who already adored her little Chihuahua-pug mix and kept her company all day.

Yeah, Anna was paying an arm and a leg above her per diem for the few weeks she expected to be here. But she figured it was worth it if she didn’t have to kennel Lilli during her time in Walnut River or confuse her with a temporary placement with one of her friends or coworkers back in Manhattan.

She adored the dog and had from the moment she heard her tiny whimpering squeaks from a Dumpster near her subway stop in the financial district. Anna had been on her way back uptown on a cold dank January evening after working late and only heard the puppy by a fluke when she had paused for a moment to fix a broken heel on her shoe.

Another night, she might have been in too big a rush to investigate the sound. But that night, something had sparked her curiosity and she had dug through the Dumpster until she found Lilli, bedraggled, flea-infested, half-starved. The tiny puppy had looked at her with pleading dark eyes and Anna had been lost.

That had been six months before, just after her father died. She freely admitted that while dog ownership had been an adjustment, especially with her hectic schedule and the added complications of city life, she had never once regretted her decision to rescue the puppy. Lilli had brought boundless happiness into her world.

Not that her life hadn’t been fulfilling before, she reminded herself. She had carved out a comfortable life for herself in New York. She enjoyed her job and found it challenging and interesting. She had good friends in the city, she volunteered at an after-school mentoring program, she enjoyed a full and active social life.

Still, somewhere deep in her heart, she sometimes yearned for the comfortable pace and quiet serenity of Walnut River and she couldn’t deny that she missed her family, especially Ella.

She remembered the heated anger that had flashed in her sister’s eyes earlier at the hospital and hugged Lilli a little closer to her. She had ruined her chance for any kind of reconciliation with her family by deceiving them for two years.

Understanding and accepting her own culpability in the situation somehow didn’t make it any easier to endure.

She sighed. “I need a good ride to clear my head. What do you say, Lilli-girl?”

The dog gave a yip of approval and Anna smiled and set her down, then hurried into her temporary bedroom. The dog followed on her heels, then danced around the room impatiently as Anna changed from her business suit to lycra bike shorts and a matching shirt. The transformation only took a few moments, with a few more needed to change her work chignon to a more practical ponytail.

A short time later, they set off with Lilli in her safety harness, watching the world pass from her perch inside a custom-made basket on the front of Anna’s racing bike.