a glance at Kaleb, who was sitting two rows to the left of her in the hospital’s large assembly room, which served not only as a staffing area in case of a city-wide emergency, but also a convenient place to hold meetings. Not everyone could attend at once, for obvious reasons, but the informational gatherings were taped so that staff who were on duty would know what was discussed.
Kaleb was looking at Dr. Druthers as if fascinated by every word that came out of the man’s mouth. She wasn’t fooled, though. She’d caught his attention shifting toward her more than once.
He had to regret this whole kite-making fiasco. She hadn’t talked to him since that day in the park almost a week ago, but she had seen him from time to time in the hospital corridors or striding back and forth between their building and the hotel. She’d forced herself to stay busy so she didn’t stare out of her office window at the road below. Still, she’d noticed him walking across the street toward the hospital more than once as his shift was ending. Watching for him had become almost a ritual. One she didn’t like, but couldn’t seem to break.
Before Maddy had time to avert her eyes, his head swung slightly to the right, and he caught her gaze. Again. This time one side of his mouth went up in that crazy sexy smile that made her squirm inside. She didn’t want to react. Tried to school her features into a completely neutral mask. But the corners of her own lips tipped. And not down, either. Nope, they went up as surely as that kite Kaleb had made.
She should be avoiding the man like the plague. And she’d tried to. It was obvious they were going to have to communicate on some level, because this kite was for Chloe. He was designing it, but surely he expected the little girl’s help in decorating it. Her smile widened slightly at that thought. She hoped the man liked froufrou, because her daughter loved ribbons and pastel colors.
But he was going to make it purr. She could not wait to see Chloe’s face when the little girl heard it. Her eyes stung, blurring her vision a little bit. And she couldn’t stop herself from mouthing “Thank you” to the man who was going to make her daughter a very happy girl. On Maddy’s birthday, no less.
His smile faded, his response a curt nod.
Maddy’s eyes widened. What was that all about?
Dr. Druthers started getting into the particulars about how the yearly festival at Fountain Park was going to benefit the hospital. The children’s cancer wing would be receiving the bulk of the incoming donations. The man motioned to someone and the lights went dim. On the screen toward the front of the room, images of children appeared one by one. Children who’d been through the cancer ward. The kids were in various stages of disease. Some had their hair. Some didn’t. Some were clutching stuffed animals or hugging Embry the Clown, the official mascot of the wing. Her eyes sought out Kaleb again, only he was no longer looking at her. Nor was his attention focused on the presentation. He was staring down at the floor instead.
Weird. She could understand doing that when the speech was going on. It had been rather dry. But to not look at the difference the festival was going to make in the lives of some very special children? That seemed rather callous.
Maybe he was just tired. Or maybe the sight of the kids in their “battle gear”—consisting of bald heads and IV ports—made him uncomfortable. She knew it did her. But she liked to put faces to the cancer fight. It made working with Kaleb worth all of the discomfort. Surely they could survive each other’s company for another week until this was all over with? Especially for a cause like this one.
A few minutes later, the slide show was over, and the lights came back up. But when she looked to see if Kaleb was still gazing at his shoes, the concierge doctor was nowhere to be seen. He’d evidently slipped out sometime between the discussion of childhood brain tumors and leukemia. Oh, well, it didn’t matter. She’d been inspired, even if Kaleb hadn’t. If he couldn’t bring himself to do his damnedest for the kids on that screen, then Maddy would have to have enough enthusiasm for the both of them.
When the meeting was over, she was one of the first people out of the room. She rounded the corner to find Kaleb standing over by the nurses’ desk, making small talk with a blonde bombshell. So that was why he’d left. He probably had a date with her and came out to close the deal. Only he wasn’t wearing his normal flirtatious grin. He’d sent Maddy more meaningful glances than he was giving that woman. Then the nurse came around the desk and caught him up in a hug.
Shock rolled through her system. Followed by disbelief.
Well, great. She wasn’t going to stand here and watch him pick up someone to pass the night with. Although the fact that he could kiss her as he had less than a week ago and then jump into the arms of another woman was a kick to her ego. He’d said there would be no more kissing between them, and he certainly seemed anxious to stick to his side of that bargain.
Well, fine.
She forced herself to walk past the desk, unable to watch them a second longer. When she got to the elevator, though, he was right behind her. She ignored him, stepping into the car with ten other passengers—all leaving the meeting. When he moved to stand next to her, she made it a point to stare at the numbers overhead. If she could just get through three more floors, she would get off and Kaleb would continue on his way down. And she wouldn’t have to see that damned hug replaying through her skull time and time again.
Her floor came and off she got. She pulled in a deep breath and was just getting ready to let it hiss back through her teeth when something touched her arm.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Was he kidding? Had the blonde turned him down or something? Well, if he expected her to step into the woman’s shoes, he was going to be sorely disappointed. “Of course. About what?”
“I know this competition thing could get awkward, and I thought we should clear the air.”
Oh...he was not! “Competition? I’m not competing with anyone.”
“Yes, you are. The kite festival?”
It took her a second to change tracks. “Oh. The kite festival. Of course.”
“What did you think I was talking about?”
Wow, she really was an idiot. And a pitiful one at that.
“It’s not important.”
“I would like to do good by Chloe for that contest—make the best kite we can.” He paused. “Unless you think the Space Needle isn’t something she would be interested in.”
Her icy heart thawed. “It would be the highlight of her year. Do you really think you can pull off winning?”
“No.”
The wind went right out of her sails. “Oh, of course, I don’t expect you to—”
His hand came out as if he was going to brush a strand of hair out of her face, but he put it back down. “I don’t want to win it on my own. I’ve been thinking. I really want Chloe to feel she’s had a part in making the kite. It would make me feel...I would like her to feel included. Are you okay with that?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, after that business at the park, I wondered if...” He paused again. “If you’d tell me to forget the whole thing.”
If she were smart, she might do exactly that, but Chloe was looking forward to working with Kaleb on it. “It doesn’t matter what I want or don’t want. Chloe would be devastated if I tried to keep her from that kite. I told her about it purring, and she can’t wait to hear it for herself. And to see it fly. So, yes, I’m happy to keep working together, until the festival is done. Then we can go our separate ways.”
“I’ll try not to make it any more uncomfortable than it has to be.”
“I’ve been uncomfortable before and survived with barely a nick.”
Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Matthew had given her more than one nick. Some worse than others. No, this would be