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He pulled me flush against him. “Then let’s go make some kids happy.”
Now he was speaking my love language. Who knows, maybe someday we would have our own children to make happy.
THERE IS NOTHING SEXIER THAN watching your man make a child smile and granting them their Christmas wish. With each child who sat on his lap, Tristan took the time to ask them questions about themselves. In turn, he listened intently to what they had to say. Some wanted to talk about school, others their pets. Some even asked about Santa’s reindeer and Mrs. Claus. I tried not to be jealous.
I loved watching all the children running around laughing and admiring all the decorations and festive lights in the “Santa’s Village” that was built near all the skiing equipment. It looked like a magical winter wonderland, complete with fake snow-covered trees and the scent of hot cocoa and freshly baked cookies for the kids. But being so near the skis reminded me I would never again see the ones Tristan had bought me. The sanitation department had basically laughed in my face when I’d called them to see if there was any way to find them. It broke my heart a little, and I dreaded having to tell Tristan. I knew he would understand, but it was a piece of our past we both loved.
I couldn’t think about it now. I had gifts to hand out to beaming children. And … I had some admirers. Several people shopping in the store had come by to say they’d seen the news report about me. The way they smiled and wanted to shake my hand and thank me for my bravery was disconcerting. You would have thought I was one of the celebrities living in Aspen Lake. These were the kind of people who ran in the same circles as the duke and duchess. The people who had thought I would become a model prisoner. And I know some of them were at the funeral and had looked down their noses at my elf costume. Now, suddenly, they were complimenting me on it. How could this be?
Whatever it was, I didn’t like it. Because I knew these were the same people who would eat my sister alive if they found out about Skippy. They were probably some of the ones who thought Jonathon had every right to cheat on Stella.
No doubt all the attention would die down soon. I realized how much I liked being thought of as a rebel. It was going to irk me if my pink elf costume became a trend in this town. All I was hoping for was some job security and the chance to be with Tristan. I was in no way going to start frequenting the country club. Tristan could golf there all he wanted, but I had to hold on to some principles.
With the last present gifted and the children gone, Tristan pulled me onto his lap and whispered in my ear, “What can Santa bring you this year?”
Oh, I had some thoughts. But I felt like I shouldn’t say them out loud. I knew we had an audience. Apparently, I had a new fan club. Or so I thought.
“Tristan,” Cordelia’s grating voice sent a shiver down my spine, and a feeling of dread swept over me. I wasn’t exactly sure why. But I doubted she regularly made an appearance at this event. Tristan made sure the press was never involved. He didn’t seek the glory of it. On the other hand, his parents were all about the nobility. At least if it made them look good. So, why was she here?
I sat up and straightened my elf hat.
Cordelia tsked loudly while taking in my costume. It didn’t faze me in the least bit. I knew she hated me. When she smiled at me, the fear crept in.
“Hello, Mother,” Tristan tried to keep it cordial since several people lingered about, carrying expensive outdoor clothing items that would soon be wrapped and placed under Christmas trees.
Cordelia kept toothily smiling at me like she was auditioning for a toothpaste commercial. “I heard the town’s new hero was here, and I had to come say hello.”
The pit in my stomach grew. I knew she was lying. The question was, why? But I would play her game for a moment. At least until I knew what she was up to. “I’m not a hero. I was just doing my job.”
Cordelia stepped onto the raised platform, among the cotton batting meant to look like snow, in what looked like leather riding boots. In fact, it looked like she was entering an equestrian event. “I hear it wasn’t your job at all, as you weren’t the doctor scheduled to work that shift.” Her toothy smile turned more sinister.
I refused to be intimidated by her. “As a doctor, I’m always on shift when someone needs help.”
“How noble of you. Especially since you performed such a risky procedure. A breech birth. That was very bold of you.”
“The baby was already coming, so I did what needed to be done,” I defended myself. Yes, a C-section is typically the best and safest way to deliver a breech baby, but I felt confident in my abilities, and the situation called for immediate action.
“Yes, you did.” She seemed way too happy about it.
This didn’t bode well for me.
“What do you want, Mother?” Tristan asked. The bite and warning in his tone were apparent.
She placed her thin hand with clawlike nails across her chest. “Like I said, I wanted to come say hello.”
Oh no—I was sure she was coming to say goodbye.
CALISTA
AFTER CORDELIA’S APPEARANCE, IT DIDN’T take long for Deidra to call. I knew right away from her trembling voice that the news wasn’t good—and why the pit in my stomach had remained.
I sat on Tristan’s office chair, gripping my phone tightly while Tristan paced in front of me, swearing.
“Honey,” Deidra croaked. “The board of trustees has turned this matter over to the general counsel.”
“What? Why do lawyers need to get involved? Are the Cavanaughs suing me or the hospital?” They’d seemed so happy and grateful last night. And their baby was healthy.
“It’s not the Cavanaughs. Some on the board feel you’re a liability for not only treating a patient while not on shift or on the hospital’s property, but for performing a risky procedure.” Exactly the words Cordelia used. “They say you’ve left the door wide open for lawsuits. Especially since this event has gone so public.”
