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Paramedics rolled Marco off the plane on a gurney, but not before he thanked Lori again. Then she was permitted to deplane before the other passengers. The pilot expressed his gratitude for her care of the passenger, and Lori shook his hand. She was relieved that she had saved a life.
Lori had used her skill to yank Marco from the brink of death. If only she could have done the same for her father. But his situation had been different. She wished that she’d had a chance to avert disaster, like she had just moments ago, but reality was harsh. A life saved, a life lost—yet it was difficult to accept.
As Lori rolled her suitcase down the jetway, she thought of her fiancé—actually, former fiancé. It would be nice if that had worked out, but it had been doomed from the start. Matthew Carter’s role at the clinic as practice manager involved him in key administrative functions.
Lori’s father had hired him based on his impressive resumé and experience. After Matt had been on duty for barely a month, he had begun flirting. At first, it had been fun and flattering. But the relationship developed quickly. Matt endeared himself to Lori’s father, who began to trust and count on him.
That would have been fine, as Lori was pleased that her father had an employee he could rely on. It took a lot to run a major pain clinic, and she hadn’t wanted to see her father overworked. Matt’s role allowed Lori and her father to focus on the medical side of the business.
Matt was handsome, so it had been easy to fall for him. He was five eleven, fit and toned. His lean body and sexy blue eyes had captivated Lori. He had poured on the charm and courted her. It had been very romantic. Images of nights at his downtown condo reminded her of emotions that she’d rather forget.
The penthouse had an extra-large, city-facing balcony with floor-to-ceiling windows. The gorgeous night views had been the ideal setting for seducing her. Good wine and soft music completed the trap. Lori didn’t know why she thought of it that way.
It really wasn’t fair of her. Lori had agreed to marry Matt then hadn’t known why she wasn’t happy. She was thirty-six years old and hadn’t been married before. She attributed that to dedicating her life to a career. Sometimes it seemed as though she couldn’t have both.
It had seemed possible with Matt, because he had been immersed in the clinic like she was. They had that in common. But Lori’s attraction faded. The longer she was engaged, the more she wished for her freedom. But she tried to convince herself that it was her issue, that the relationship was basically sound.
Yet Lori hadn’t felt love like she should have. But what did she know? She hadn’t been in love, not truly. There had been some infatuations, a few relationships with possibilities. But not one of those had worked out.
It was her fault. She was too career-oriented, and any man she dated wanted more of her time—more of her, period. That hadn’t worked for her. The clinic came first, and her passion for medicine equaled her father’s. Dating was a distraction, and a serious relationship was out of the question.
That was the way Lori had thought until Matt became a part of her life. It had been time to face reality. If she wanted to marry, then she would have to compromise. There had to be a way to balance her life, and find happiness in the give and take with an intimate partner.
Guilt had riddled Lori. She had wanted to tell Matt it wasn’t going to work. Yet every time she had tried, he cut her off. He had talked her out of it, convinced her that they were meant for each other. But her heart told her otherwise.
When Lori’s father died, it had all been too much. After the funeral, she’d told Matt it was over. She couldn’t explain what was wrong, or why he wasn’t the one for her. He wouldn’t understand, anyway. So, she had shared her feelings, whether that made sense to him or not.
With the loss of her father, Lori hadn’t been able to deal with the failing relationship. She hadn’t had motivation to try and make it work. And hadn’t seen the point. She had told Matt that it was all too much. She had been devastated by her father’s death, and going on without him would be tough.
Taking over the clinic and surviving the grief was all she could deal with. Matt had been hurt and tried to argue Lori out of it. But that time she hadn’t budged. It was over, and they both had to face that. She didn’t have her father to lean on anymore. And she didn’t have a fiancé to give her emotional support.
Lori was alone, and that sucked. But she didn’t have a choice in the matter. There was one thing she knew for sure: she would keep her father’s dream alive. It had become her dream as well. She would get it together and make sure the clinic survived.
When Lori emerged into the waiting area, it was packed with people. In recent years, Matt had picked her up at the airport, but that was no longer the case. She wove through the crowd looking for a familiar face, then she saw him and waved.
It was of some comfort to see her uncle’s smiling face. Lori appreciated his support, especially during this period of grief. He had been gentle and caring, which was all she could ask for. When she got free of the tangle of passengers, she gave her uncle a hug.
Sheldon Marino was tall and strong, so much different than her father. He had dark hair and eyes and resembled his Italian father. Lori’s father had been blond with blue eyes, just like she was. The two had been half-brothers, and the difference in looks came from their heritage.
But Sheldon had been a part of Lori’s life throughout her upbringing. He was someone she could trust, and that meant a lot.
“Uncle Sheldon.” She kissed his cheek. “I appreciate you picking me up. It’s a madhouse here. I don’t have any other luggage, so lead me out. I need some air.”
“How was Houston?” Sheldon took the handle of her case to roll it out for her.
“For October, it was a little cool,” Lori said. “But I won’t complain about seventy degrees and sunny.”
“And how was the conference?”
“I managed to give the speech, if that’s what you mean.” Lori took a deep breath. “I’m glad it’s over. It was really hard for me to face an audience so soon after my father’s death.”
“I understand,” Sheldon said. “I still think you should have cancelled. You push yourself too hard.”
“I couldn’t do that,” Lori said. “My father spoke at that conference every year, and what he planned to share was important. I couldn’t let him down.”
Sheldon didn’t argue. It was touching that he cared about her. It seemed that after her father died, Sheldon had stepped up to take the fatherly role. Sheldon was fifty-nine, a couple of years older than her father had been when he passed. He did, indeed, seem fatherly.
When Lori stepped out to the sidewalk, the heat hit her. It had to be eighty degrees. “And back to the warm L.A. weather.”
