Read Online Listen to the Shadows by Joan Hall Hovey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Joan Hall Hovey
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like my choices?”
He wasn’t going to make this easy. “Your choices are perfect, Drake. The clothes—everything is exquisite. And I’m genuinely flattered by your generosity. But I—I can’t accept these things.”
He frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Knowing she was hurting him and wishing that he hadn’t made it necessary, Katie explained as if speaking to a not-so-bright child that these were gifts a man might give to his wife, or perhaps his wife-to-be. “I’m sorry if you can’t accept my feelings about this, Drake,” she finished lamely.
After a lengthy pause, Drake surprised her by smiling. “But I do, Katie,” he said. “I do understand. I see I’ve put you in an awkward position, and I respect you all the more for your principles. I just wanted to do something special for you, that’s all. It’s because of me that you’re here, that you had that terrible accident.” He lowered his gaze. “It’s because of my not showing up to take you to that damned dinner that you were out driving in that storm,” he ended hoarsely.
Until this very instant, Katie had completely forgotten about the unkept dinner date. Poor Drake. He was miserable with self-reproach. She felt something melt within her.
“You’re blaming yourself for something you had nothing to do with,” she said softly. “And that’s silly. The accident was just something that—happened.” Fleetingly, dead eyes flashed in her mind. She blocked them out. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“Maybe not directly, but I still feel responsible. There’s a good reason I didn’t show up, Katie. It was unavoidable. I did try to call you, but the lines were down.”
“I knew there had to be an awfully good reason for you to miss such an important occasion, Drake. And believe me, there’s no need to explain.”
“But I want to. Please. Katie, I hope you don’t think I’m trying to buy your affections.” His hand went to his hair. “No, of course not,” she said, and hoped she sounded more convincing than she felt.
“Good,” he said, his face relaxing. “Because I wouldn’t do that. Do you know when you’ll be going home?”
Glad for the change of subject, Katie told him that if the tests came out okay, Dr. Miller had promised her that she wouldn’t have to remain in the hospital for more than another week or so.
“I’ll come and get you,” he said flatly, leaving no room for argument. “Now that you’re allowed visitors, I’ll be here as often as I can. You just be sure and let me know when you’re being discharged, okay?”
As he smiled at her, Katie was suddenly struck with the sensation of the room growing hotter, of the flowers on her night table smelling sweeter, heavier. “Drake, I…”
He reached for her hand. “No strings, Katie,” he said gently. “No pressure. I promise. I just want to be your friend. Will you let me?”
Despite not quite believing them, Katie was relieved at his words.
“Of course I will. Thank you, Drake.”
“Thank you, Katie. I was so damned scared that night—it was Dad. I thought I’d lost him.”
At that moment, a tall, slim gentleman with snowy white hair appeared in her doorway. Mr. Jackson, Katie’s art teacher, held a small bouquet of violets.
Chapter 9
Aside from his mother’s photograph, the only other item on Jonathan Shea’s desk was Katherine Summer’s chart. Jim had scrawled “for your information” across the top. Jonathan had read it with reluctance. All her tests were negative and that, at least, was good news. He supposed he should have followed up with a second visit as he’d promised, but there seemed little point. His one visit had done little more than upset and exhaust her. He’d been angry with her. Why in hell had he reacted that way? He didn’t even know the woman. She’d been right to accuse him of a lousy bedside manner, which was a gross understatement. He hadn’t wanted to leave. He was the one looking for therapy,
He wasn’t going to make this easy. “Your choices are perfect, Drake. The clothes—everything is exquisite. And I’m genuinely flattered by your generosity. But I—I can’t accept these things.”
He frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Knowing she was hurting him and wishing that he hadn’t made it necessary, Katie explained as if speaking to a not-so-bright child that these were gifts a man might give to his wife, or perhaps his wife-to-be. “I’m sorry if you can’t accept my feelings about this, Drake,” she finished lamely.
After a lengthy pause, Drake surprised her by smiling. “But I do, Katie,” he said. “I do understand. I see I’ve put you in an awkward position, and I respect you all the more for your principles. I just wanted to do something special for you, that’s all. It’s because of me that you’re here, that you had that terrible accident.” He lowered his gaze. “It’s because of my not showing up to take you to that damned dinner that you were out driving in that storm,” he ended hoarsely.
Until this very instant, Katie had completely forgotten about the unkept dinner date. Poor Drake. He was miserable with self-reproach. She felt something melt within her.
“You’re blaming yourself for something you had nothing to do with,” she said softly. “And that’s silly. The accident was just something that—happened.” Fleetingly, dead eyes flashed in her mind. She blocked them out. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“Maybe not directly, but I still feel responsible. There’s a good reason I didn’t show up, Katie. It was unavoidable. I did try to call you, but the lines were down.”
“I knew there had to be an awfully good reason for you to miss such an important occasion, Drake. And believe me, there’s no need to explain.”
“But I want to. Please. Katie, I hope you don’t think I’m trying to buy your affections.” His hand went to his hair. “No, of course not,” she said, and hoped she sounded more convincing than she felt.
“Good,” he said, his face relaxing. “Because I wouldn’t do that. Do you know when you’ll be going home?”
Glad for the change of subject, Katie told him that if the tests came out okay, Dr. Miller had promised her that she wouldn’t have to remain in the hospital for more than another week or so.
“I’ll come and get you,” he said flatly, leaving no room for argument. “Now that you’re allowed visitors, I’ll be here as often as I can. You just be sure and let me know when you’re being discharged, okay?”
As he smiled at her, Katie was suddenly struck with the sensation of the room growing hotter, of the flowers on her night table smelling sweeter, heavier. “Drake, I…”
He reached for her hand. “No strings, Katie,” he said gently. “No pressure. I promise. I just want to be your friend. Will you let me?”
Despite not quite believing them, Katie was relieved at his words.
“Of course I will. Thank you, Drake.”
“Thank you, Katie. I was so damned scared that night—it was Dad. I thought I’d lost him.”
At that moment, a tall, slim gentleman with snowy white hair appeared in her doorway. Mr. Jackson, Katie’s art teacher, held a small bouquet of violets.
Chapter 9
Aside from his mother’s photograph, the only other item on Jonathan Shea’s desk was Katherine Summer’s chart. Jim had scrawled “for your information” across the top. Jonathan had read it with reluctance. All her tests were negative and that, at least, was good news. He supposed he should have followed up with a second visit as he’d promised, but there seemed little point. His one visit had done little more than upset and exhaust her. He’d been angry with her. Why in hell had he reacted that way? He didn’t even know the woman. She’d been right to accuse him of a lousy bedside manner, which was a gross understatement. He hadn’t wanted to leave. He was the one looking for therapy,
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