Epilogue
It’s been a busy day in the hospital, but things are finally winding down when the lead tech, Amy, walks into my office.
“Dr. Hart?” she says, waiting patiently for me to finish the case I’m working on.
Done, I spin my chair around to face her. I glance at the other chair in the room. It’s empty. Ethan’s at the other hospital across town today, and I miss him.
“What can I do for you, Amy?”
“There’s a patient here for you, Dr. Hart. He asked for you specifically.”
My eyebrows rise. It’s unusual in radiology to have patients request a specific doctor. “Okay. Where is he?” I push out of my chair and pull on my long white coat, its pockets heavy with my stethoscope and pens.
Amy follows me out into the hallway. “I had him stay in the lobby. Our waiting room is still pretty full. I swear the nice summer weather has made every single person go outside and break a bone today.”
I agree. It’s been nonstop X-rays for fractured bones for the past couple of hours.
“Anyway,” continues Amy, “you won’t be able to miss this guy. He’s tall, dark, and handsome.” She winks at me. “I wouldn’t mind if he requested to see me, that’s for sure.”
Rolling my eyes at her, I head for the hospital lobby. My curiosity has been piqued. Once I pass the coffee cart, I spot him. A man with eyes like emeralds stands by the sliding lobby doors.
Rafe.
I freeze, my heart pounding. I have thought about him so many times, wondering if he got out of the Starlight in time. Seeing him here, whole and unharmed, brings a sense of relief. It’s quickly followed by apprehension. What does he want? Money? Revenge?
Expressionless, Rafe watches me cross the room.
“What are you doing here?” I ask when I reach him.
Now that I’m up close, I see that he looks different from the last time I saw him. He’s gained some weight. The hollows of his cheeks and under his eyes are less pronounced. Clean-shaven, he has on a newish-looking button-down shirt and a nice pair of jeans. His hair is shorter than before. Most importantly, his green eyes are warm as he regards me.
Still uncertain of his motives, I ask, “Do you…need something?” Given that I’m not sensing Rafe’s usual hostility, I wonder even more why he’s here. Maybe something’s wrong. Is he sick and needs my help? Is it about Shelly? All the questions flood my mind at once. “Are you okay?”
Rafe’s face is relaxed, and his smile is the warmest I’ve ever seen. “Actually, I’m better than okay. I’ve made…some changes since the last time I saw you, and things are good now.”
“What are you doing here?” My forehead creases.
He gestures to a pair of upholstered chairs in the corner of the room. Following his lead, I sit next to him. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. Something that’s bothered me for a long time.” He pauses, running his hand over the back of his neck. “It’s about the night of the party. I was talking to Johnny the Shark. I didn’t really know him well. We’d only worked a couple of jobs together before he died.” Rafe checks to make sure I’m listening. “He must have seen us together because he asked me about you, Tiffany.”
“He did? He asked about me?” I point to myself.
“Yeah. He wanted to know about you and your mom. I didn’t know why he was so interested. I still don’t totally understand, but here’s where it gets weird. Johnny looked scared, the only time in my life I saw that man frightened. Even when he got shot later, he didn’t look like that. Only when he talked about you.”
“Why?” I purse my lips, thinking back to that night. Johnny had given me a strange look when I first met him. He had stared at my dress with an odd expression, almost like recognition, but he didn’t seem frightened. More like he was perplexed. “Surely, he wasn’t scared of me?”
“No.” A brief shake of his head. “He mentioned your dad.”
“My dad? My dad is dead.” I cross my leg over my knee and lean forward, listening intently.
“You sure? Because Johnny didn’t seem to think so.” Rafe looks around suspiciously and lowers his voice. “I can’t remember the exact words, but Johnny said something about if your dad ever found out where you were, he would burn down the world to get to you. That’s when he looked scared.”
“I don’t understand. What does it mean?” I ask helplessly.
Rafe frowns. “I honestly don’t know, but the way he said it stood out to me. I made myself remember all the details so I could tell you.” His hand rubs the back of his neck again. “I had a bad feeling about it. I’ve always thought I should warn you.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I shake my head. “You came all this way just to tell me that?”
“Basically. I felt like I owed you…you know, for the last time I saw you.” Rafe looks away.
“Oh, you mean the time you kidnapped me, blackmailed me, and forced me into an abandoned building that was about to be blown to smithereens? That last time?” I can’t keep the sarcasm from my voice.
Rafe has the decency to look ashamed. “Yeah, that last time.”
I’m silent, trying to puzzle out what he’s revealed. If only my mom was still alive to answer the questions about my dad, but, as usual, I’m on my own. Well, not totally on my own, because I have Ethan now and he’ll help me find any answers I need. I swallow down the anxiety that Rafe’s revelation has given me and lower my voice. “You know what’s weird?”
“What?”
“The money we stole from Johnny wasn’t enough for all my mom’s medical bills. When I tried later to pay the rest, the hospital told me the debt was settled. Someone paid the rest of it. I asked them who, but they looked and there was no record. It was like all that data had been wiped clean. At the time, I thought maybe it was Stewart.” I sigh, frustrated by all these unanswered questions. “Could that have anything to do with my dad?”
“Don’t know. It makes me wonder.” Rafe leans back in his chair, his bulky frame filling it completely. “We may never know. If someone had the power to erase the payment records, then they obviously don’t want you to find them.”
Staring at my hands clasped in my lap, I ponder what this all means. He stands, towering over me. “I’d better take off. I’ve got a flight to catch.”
“Where are you going?” I tilt my head, curious.
“Someplace warm.” He’s being deliberately vague, but I don’t blame him. Probably better for me not to know.
“Here.” He hands me a scrap of paper with some numbers scribbled on it. “This is my phone number. If you ever need anything, just call.” Rafe laughs, the sound almost lighthearted. “Not that you’re likely to need me, since your boyfriend fights like a ninja.” He rubs the side of his head. “I can still feel where he kicked me.”
“Sorry about that, but you did kind of bring it on yourself.” I stand and pat him on the shoulder.
He meets my eyes, his gaze steady. “I’m glad you have someone who will fight for you. We should all have someone who loves us that much.”
Without thinking, I hug Rafe, rising onto my toes and throwing my arms lightly around his waist. He goes stiff for a second and then relaxes, his arms winding around my shoulders. “Good-bye, Tiffany.” He squeezes gently before releasing me. “Take care of yourself.”
“Bye, Rafe.” I take a step back and watch as he walks away. The automatic doors open and close behind him, and I wonder if I’ll ever see him or Shelly again.
My phone buzzes in my coat pocket, startling me. I put it on vibrate earlier when I was with a patient. Fishing it out, I see that Ethan’s name flashes on the screen.
“Hey. You’ll never believe who I just saw,” I tell him as soon as I accept the call.
Ethan’s voice rumbling in my ear makes me smile. That’s all it takes, just the sound of his voice. “Who? Tell me. I’m on my way to pick you up. How do you feel about me making you dinner tonight?”
A glance at my watch shows my shift is over. “I feel all kinds of good about you making me dinner. I’ll tell you about my surprise visitor then.”
“Sounds good. I don’t have anything for dessert, though,” he warns.
With a wicked smile, I tap into my now-perfected flirt and purr into the phone. “Sure you do—me.”
“Mmm,” Ethan murmurs appreciatively. “My favorite. Be there in a minute. Oh, and Tiffy?”
“Yes?” I head back to my office to gather my things.
“I love you,” says Ethan.
“Love you, too.”
The End