Count on Me (Bayview Heights Trilogy) (31 page)

His heartbeat hit double time at the meaning of her words. Slowly he walked toward her and pulled a light out of his pocket. “Fine. Let’s check your vitals. Look at my nose,” he said as he turned on the light and stared deeply into her eyes. “Eyes seem fine. More than fine. Beautiful as ever.”

His gaze roamed over her face. “Good color. Maybe a little pale.” Then, for the first time in almost ten weeks, he touched her. “What did you say was the problem, miss?” he asked hoarsely, his hand on her throat.

She grasped his wrist and slowly drew his hand down to her chest. “Right here,” she said, achingly. “My heart. It hurts. Badly.”

His eyes locked with hers. He opened his palm and pressed it against her. “How long has this been going on?”

“Nine weeks, three days and—” she checked the clock “—a few hours.”

The corners of his mouth turned up, and simultaneously he felt a hurt so deep it stunned him.

He untied the gown and slid it gently down her shoulders. The freckles he bared beckoned him. Leaning over, he placed his lips on a little patch he was particularly fond of. She startled, then grasped his shoulders. “Oh.”

“Something wrong, miss?”

“I’m, um, feeling weak,” she whispered.

“Then hold on to me.” He slid the stethoscope to the area over her heart as she clutched his upper arms.

“Hmm. Your heart rate’s up.” He studied her face again. “I’ll bet your blood pressure’s right off the charts.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“I wonder what’s wrong with your heart.”

“I know what’s wrong with it.”

He arched a brow.

“It’s broken.”

His throat clogged. “Zoe—”

She raised her hand and stopped his words. “The man I love broke it when he left me. And—” she smiled, though her eyes clouded “—I’ve found I just can’t live without him. Nothing’s the same. Everything I always loved—teaching, spending time with my friends, even shopping—aren’t any fun.”

“Wow, even shopping?” He picked up her hand and cradled it against his chest. “This is a very serious symptom.” He kissed her fingers.

“But I’m not sure I can help you. I haven’t been very reliable in that field lately. Maybe you need someone else. I can re—”

She leaned into him and looped her arms around his neck. “I don’t want anyone else,” she whispered. “Ever. I want you.”

There was only a moment’s hesitation before his arms closed around her. Both their hearts beat with a dangerous arrhythmia.

He buried his face in her hair. “I missed you so much.”

She hugged him to her. “I missed you, too. I need you, Kurt. Please give us another chance.”

“I can’t bear the thought of hurting you again. Letting you down.”

“None of that matters,” she said. “We just need to be together.”

Brushing back her hair, he asked, “Are you sure?”

She brought his hand to her heart again. “I’m sure. I love you. I’ll always love you.”

“I love you, too,” he whispered, his voice catching on the last syllable.

They held each other for long moments. Then she drew away. “So, are you going to take my case, Doctor?” Her brown eyes, shining with moisture like his own, were also filled with devilment.

“It looks that way.” Without releasing her gaze, he stepped back to the door and snicked the lock behind him.

Those eyes of hers danced.

“But I’ll have to spend a lot of time with you, miss.”

She shrugged, letting the gown slip an inch. “How long?”

“Oh, the next fifty or sixty years ought to do it.”

“Sounds good to me.”

He came closer. “Mmm, me, too. We’ll start with a thorough examination.” He reached for the gown.

“Now?” she asked huskily.

“Now,” he whispered in her ear. “And forever.”

“Can I count on that?”

He drew away. Looked deeply into her eyes. “You can count on that. And on me.”

“That’s all I need,” she said as she pulled him to her.

-o0o-

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed
Count on Me,
the third book of the Bayview Heights Trilogy which also included
Cop of the Year
and
Because It’s Christmas
. I think
Count on Me
tackled a difficult subject, just as the other two did, while focusing on the joys and heartbreak of teaching kids today in a modern high school.

First let me comment on the focus of the story—the romance between Kurt Lansing and Zoe Caufield. Kurt betrayed Zoe in the most elemental way a man can betray a woman. In the course of the book, he had to learn just how hard it is to win back the trust of the woman he’s never stopped loving. In turn, Zoe learns that her feelings for him haven’t diminished despite the mistake he made and that she can, indeed, count on him this time. The road to happiness was rocky, but worth the trip.

One of my favorite parts of this book is Caufield’s Chicks, the group of girl students Zoe is close to. They remind me of different students I had in my teaching career—ones I got close to and got involved (sometimes, too involved) with. I loved those kids as much as Zoe loves her girls, and they made my three-decade-long teaching career satisfying and worthwhile.

Last, I hope the message of this book was clear: with enough concern and caring, any problem—between men and women, between teachers and students, among friends and family—can be overcome.

Kathy Shay

o0o

Contact Kathryn Shay at
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Kathryn Shay’s Books available on Amazon:

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