After taking Mr Jones to his room, getting him settled in, giving the report to the floor nurse and finally returning to the ER, Gina was wiped out. The energy she had spent on her first day on the job had drained her physically and emotionally. Just stepping into this hospital again had made her sweat. She’d done her student nurse training here and had bolted for Richmond, sixty miles away, the day after graduation. From there, she’d taken off and had never looked back. Until now. Until her father’s unexpected death had made it apparent that she’d had to come home. But being here was turning into a rope around her neck that was getting tighter and tighter.

Having been away from home for so long, she hadn’t realized that things had gotten as bad as they had until it had been too late. Now she was stuck in a quagmire of lifelong guilt, unexpected financial responsibility, and emotional upheaval. She didn’t want any of it, but there was no one else, unless she wanted to hand her mother over to the state of Virginia to manage, and that wasn’t going to happen. She’d just have to put her feelings aside and deal with it.

Leather briefcase in hand, lab coat tossed carelessly over his shoulder, Thomas approached the nurses’ station as he headed toward the door. “I thought you’d left already.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going into overtime on my first day. I wanted to see Mr Jones settled upstairs and helped him call his wife.” Collecting her backpack, she slung it on and walked with Thomas to the entrance.

“That was kind of you, and I wasn’t concerned that you were going over your time.”

“Thanks. He doesn’t have anybody to be with him right now, so I stayed a few extra minutes. His wife doesn’t see well enough at night to drive over here, so I talked to her for a few minutes on the phone.” Gina sighed, attempting to shake off the emotions of the day, and tried not see how they mirrored her own life. “I’m beat.”

“I’m sure it’s been a long first day for you.” Thomas held the door open for her.

“Yes, thanks.” She started across the parking lot. Humidity in the spring was always oppressive, and it pressed down on her now. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You’re walking?” he asked, his brows raised in surprise.

“Yes. Good exercise.” She started to wave, then hesitated as the frown on his face deepened. “What?”

“Gina, really, you shouldn’t walk alone at night. That can be dangerous around here.”

“It’s just a few blocks, Doc. I’ll be fine.” She lowered her hand and watched as he approached her. Even in the dark, his presence was almost overwhelming. The light from nearby streetlights created shadows on his face that hadn’t been there moments ago. The deep-set eyes were hidden and revealed nothing of his mood, and her heart beat a little quicker.

“Nonsense. Come on. I’ll give you a ride home.” He opened the door to his car and stowed his belongings in the back.

“Really, it’s just a few…” Her throat went dry at the thought of sitting in that little car with such a big man, even if it was just a two-minute drive.

“Then, if it’s close by, it won’t take any time to deliver you home safely,” he said. “I insist.”

By his tone and stance, Gina knew there was no sense in arguing with the man, and she was too tired to put up a fight. “Oh, OK. But I really would have been fine. I’ve walked this town since I was a kid, even at night.”

“Things have changed since you lived here. Even in the year since I’ve been here.” Thomas walked around his car. “We’ve had drugs and gangs infiltrate the schools. Kids are getting into that stuff younger and younger. Not long ago one of our physicians was going to the parking garage and was attacked with a tire iron.”

“Oh, my God. Is he or she OK?” Gina asked. “I had no idea stuff like that had been going on.” Things like that hadn’t happened when she’d been growing up. She’d obviously been way out of touch, more than she’d realized.

“It’s a him, and he’s OK. He’s back at work now, but he was beaten pretty severely.” Thomas opened the door for her.

Gina hesitated as she looked inside at the lush leather seats compared to her grungy scrubs.

“What’s wrong? Not afraid to ride with me, are you?” A smile twitched at the corners of his mouth.

“No, it’s not that,” she said, and gave him a sidelong smile.

“What, then?”

“I’m afraid riding in this car will ruin me for all other cars.”

Thomas laughed. “What do you drive?”

“I’m afraid to tell you.” She tossed her backpack on the floor.

“Gina, I’m not that judgmental.”

“OK. It’s a Ford. A really old one, but it gets me where I need to go.”

“Well, get in and enjoy the ride, even if it’s a short one.” He chuckled again as she slid into the leather seat with an appreciative groan.

“This should be illegal,” she said as he closed the door and went around to the other side.

“So, where to?” He looked across the narrow confines of the car and waited. Despite having never been in a car like this, she looked like she fit it perfectly. With her long legs stretched out in front of her and angled toward him, she looked like she could be in a car commercial. If it weren’t for the scrubs she wore.

“Oh, sorry. Take a left out of the parking lot,” she said, snapping her seat belt into place and settling into the seat. In minutes they arrived at her cottage. “Could you drive around the block a few times?”

“Why? Do you see someone who shouldn’t be there?” he asked and looked up the driveway.

“No. I just wanted to enjoy the ride a little longer. Riding in my car just won’t be the same.”

He pulled over to the curb and laughed out loud. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he zipped back onto the street. “Once more around the block, just for you,” he said. How often had any woman he’d known been made happy with a simple car ride? Never, was the simple answer.

Gina let out a giggle of pleasure that sent a shiver of reaction through him. Here, sitting in the car with nothing else between them, it was easy to forget the rest of his life. But a few minutes later he pulled back into her driveway and the momentary spell was broken. “Here you are,” he said, and parked the car.

“Thanks, Thomas. I’m sure I would have been fine walking—”

“But it’s better to make sure you got here in one piece. It was no trouble.” He glanced at her again, and she held his gaze and he felt himself reluctant to end their drive. “So how was your first day?”

Gina nodded and leaned her head back against the headrest. “Tiring, but good. I just feel so sorry for Mr Jones.”

“Yes, me too. But we’ll do whatever we can to help him. I’m sure you know that.” He hesitated just a moment. “And I do appreciate the correction you gave me. It’s easy to forget that a patient’s mental processes aren’t the same as ours.”

“Yes, it is easy to forget. I just hope there’s time for him.” She gathered her backpack from the floor and held it in her lap. “My father died of cancer recently, and by the time he was diagnosed it was already too late.” What had made her offer that information she didn’t know, but being in the car was like being in a secluded bubble where nothing else mattered. “Lord, I must be tired to talk about him.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Next time a patient like that comes in, ask to switch if you’re uncomfortable with the situation.” Thomas scanned her face, but didn’t see any obvious anxiety.

“It was OK.” Totally different types of men. Totally different types of situations. “My father and I were never close.”

Thomas watched the play of emotions across her face and wondered if she could really be as open and honest as she appeared to be. That would be such a refreshing change from the women in his social circles.

Leaning over, Gina reached for the seat belt fastener. Instead of releasing it, her fingers seemed to fumble and her hand started to sweat, slipping on the polished metal. “I can’t get it.”