Nursing the Soldier's Heart. Merrillee Whren

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СКАЧАТЬ stood there staring at each other until Kirsten finally blinked. “We have rules here, very strict rules about people coming and going.”

      Brady gave her a lazy grin. “Ma’am, I apologize if I broke your rules, but my name was on the list at the guardhouse at the main entrance, and the lady at the front door here had my name, as well. She buzzed me right in.”

      “But didn’t she tell you to check at the nurses’ station for Cora’s room number?”

      “She did, but on my way in, I met, ah... Annie was her name. She had two cute kids with her. The little girl was quite talkative and said they’d been visiting my grandmother. They gave me her room number and directions to get here.” Brady could tell by Kirsten’s expression she didn’t have a response for his explanation. He took some pleasure in knowing he had her tongue-tied. “So you see I had no reason to check at the nurse’s station.”

      Tight-lipped, Kirsten nodded. “Please remember in the future to let us know you’re here. For security reasons, we like to know who’s in the building.”

      “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be glad to check in with you.” Brady saluted, hoping to get a smile out of her, but none appeared. “Since Cora’s sleeping, is there some place where I can get something to eat?”

      “Follow me.” Kirsten turned on her heel and proceeded down the hall.

      Brady followed. He’d better behave himself because he’d sure hate to further annoy the pretty nurse. His haggard appearance wasn’t going to win him any accolades. Nearly twelve hours of driving could take a toll on anyone’s looks. And he had to remember this wasn’t all about him.

      When she reached the nurses’ station, she stopped and turned in his direction. “Let me introduce you to the other late-shift nurse, Jen Chafin. Jen, this is Brady Hewitt, Cora’s grandson.”

      The other nurse, who was older and a little on the plump side but with a much friendlier demeanor, came out from behind the counter and extended her hand to him. “Hello, Mr. Hewitt. So glad you’re finally here.”

      Brady shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Jen. Please call me Brady since I’ll be hanging around here as long as Cora’s here.”

      “She’s a dear. We love her, but we’re eager for her to make a complete recovery and get back in her apartment.” Jen smiled.

      He was glad to see his grandmother had loads of friends, who, unlike him, had been there for her when she needed help. “Is there a chance she could lose her spot in the assisted living center?”

      Jen shook her head. “Not unless the doctor believes she needs to stay here, but that’s not likely. She’s making good progress.”

      Brady nodded. “Good.”

      Kirsten stepped behind the counter. “Brady would like something to eat. Should we send him to the cafeteria?”

      Jen glanced at the clock, then back at him. “If you hurry, you might find the cafeteria open. Turn left down this hallway and go through the double doors. Signs should direct you. If they’ve closed down, you can still get something from the vending machines there. You’re welcome to bring your food back to Cora’s room.”

      “Thanks.” Brady headed in the direction Jen had indicated, but stopped and looked over the counter at Kirsten. “Kirsten, I appreciate you letting me know about Cora. Have a good evening.”

      Brady didn’t wait for a response because he probably wasn’t going to get one. He was going to enjoy getting to know the by-the-rules nurse and see whether he could get past her defenses. A kind word was a better approach than his earlier criticism.

      Besides having to soothe the ruffled feathers of the pretty nurse, he had to figure out what he was going to do now that he was back in Georgia. He’d rather be someplace less crowded—someplace with lots of space to breath—but he’d been thinking about his own wants for too long. The time had come to put his grandmother first. That meant finding a permanent job and a place to live here. He wasn’t quite sure where that would lead him. Figuring it out was his first priority, not the attractive woman whose disdain challenged him to change her mind.

      But he intended to put his charm into full gear.

      * * *

      “Now there’s a fine-looking man, wouldn’t you agree?” Jen leaned on the counter.

      Kirsten shook her head. “If you like tattoos and the scruffy, unshaven look.”

      “I was concentrating on those golden-brown eyes and that tousled brown hair.”

      Shaking her head, Kirsten frowned. “He looks like he’s been sleeping in his clothes, and that tousled brown hair hasn’t seen a barber in weeks.”

      “Looks good on his six-foot-plus muscled frame.” Jen let out a low whistle. “I think somebody needs an attitude adjustment.”

      “I suppose you mean me.”

      “Uh, yeah.”

      Kirsten sighed as Jen came back around the counter. “I know I was rude, but he made me angry. He was impolite not to let us know he was coming or that he’d arrived.”

      “Did he tell you why he never responded to your messages?”

      Kirsten lowered her head and put a hand to her forehead. “He implied my messages were curt and unfriendly.”

      Shrugging, Jen frowned. “I thought you sounded okay when you left messages.”

      “Yeah, but you didn’t hear them all. Maybe my anger came through even when I was trying not to let it show.” Kirsten raised her head. “Oh well, he’s here now, so I don’t have to worry about it. I hope his presence will make Cora happy. That’s all I care about.”

      An unsettled feeling washed over Kirsten as she tried to concentrate on her work. She didn’t want to spend time defending her reaction to the smooth Mr. Hewitt. The man had waltzed in here thinking he could flash around his good looks and charm and make everything okay. Nothing about a cocky guy appealed to her, especially one with a plethora of military and animal tattoos decorating his arms. She suspected there were probably more that couldn’t be seen.

      Jen raised her eyebrows. “Did Cora seem happy to see him?”

      “Don’t know.” Kirsten shrugged. “She was sleeping, and he was sitting there beside her bed when I looked into the room. All that matters is Cora’s happiness.”

      “You’re right.” Jen nodded. “But I was thinking he might be a good candidate for your date to Annie and Ian’s wedding.”

      With incredulity screaming through her mind, Kirsten turned to Jen. “You’re joking, right?”

      “No, I’m as serious as can be.” Jen tapped her fingers on her keyboard. “Taking Brady would show your dad you can get your own dates.”

      “My dad would have a fit if I showed up with a guy sporting tattoos.”

      “And the plot thickens.”

      Kirsten shook her head. “There’s no plot, СКАЧАТЬ