They all had to admit, they didn't. Nikki, Meg knew, had tried. She'd visited one specialist after another, hoping to become pregnant, and treatment after treatment had failed. Meg answered, when there was a pause in the conversation. "We've talked about having children, but we've only been married a few years. We decided to wait a while."

  Heather grinned. "I'll go next. To answer my own question first, no, we don't have kids yet. As for what I've been doing this week, I'm working on a new project. Have you ever tried spinning wool? I love it. But I'm still learning. Most of my wool, I get from a friend who lives in upstate New York and raises sheep. It's decadent stuff. And I come and go here. I'd love to teach you all how to spin." She laughed. "Pierce says if I bring home another loom, I'll bankrupt him." She threw back her head, giggling. "But it's fun, I have to tell you. I love seeing things go from raw wool to a finished project. I'll make you each a tea towel if you like and bring it next time."

  "Next time?" Nikki echoed. It sounded hollow. "I'll do my best, Heather, but I can't promise. I work with Scott sometimes when he's on weekend call."

  "Oh, I see." Heather's face showed her disappointment.

  "Well, I spent the week visiting my mother in the nursing home up in Fredericktown," Hannah added uncertainly. "She suffers from dementia, and I think it helps her to have me there."

  "Married?" Mellie asked.

  Hannah shook her head. "Once. Not now. I rattle around in the house my ex left me. We're still friends, and he calls to see how I am frequently."

  Andrea snorted at that. "You're friends with your ex? That's a new one."

  "Yes." Hannah wasn't smiling now. "We are. We can't live together, but we make good friends. I spend most of my time visiting my mom. She gave up a career to take care of me when I was a kid. I feel like the least I can do is spend time with her now, when she needs me."

  Heather nodded sympathetically. "Perhaps we should get together sometime for lunch when you're home."

  Hannah appeared surprised. "That would be nice," she said quietly.

  Andrea exhaled in a long, exaggerated sigh. "Well, I suppose I'll go next. I spent the week traveling up to St. Louis to see a friend. Shopping is fantastic. The traffic is terrible."

  "Married?" Mellie asked, leaning forward with her chin on her hand.

  "Good Lord, no," Andrea said vehemently. "After number four, I was bored to tears with marriage and men. I took back my maiden name and decided to live life on my own. I did go ahead and marry Johnny. You'll remember him, Meg. He was the captain of the football team."

  Meg stared at her. The catty voice with which Andrea had delivered her bit of news was obviously meant for her, and the image of blond haired, blue eyed Johnny instantly sprang to mind. Meg was thoughtful for a moment before answering with a surprised nod. "Oh, yes, I remember him. The guy with the dark hair and brown eyes?"

  Nikki choked on her coffee, and Meg stopped to pound her on the back.

  Andrea scowled, staring back. "You always were blind as a bat, weren't you? I suppose your glasses are still thick as coke bottles."

  Indeed, they were thick, but Meg wasn't about to take them out to show her. She hoped to keep her contacts in until this thing was over. Instead, Meg ignored the question, asking Nikki if she was all right.

  "And what do you do, Meg?" Heather asked politely.

  Abby appeared out of nowhere with her arms full of plates, smiling, and set them down before each one. They were laden with a romaine lettuce salad with nuts and poppy-seed dressing, and a large slice of ham, bacon and spinach quiche. In addition, there was a small bowl of tomato bisque soup in a bread bowl. Sighs went up all around the table.

  "Save room, everyone," Heather added. The pastry chef made blueberry scones, with clotted cream, and chocolate tortes for dessert. He also made a sugar free version of each, if anyone needs it. I'm sorry, Meg. You were about to share where you work?"

  Assured Nikki was breathing all right, she met Heather's gaze. "I work with Nikki, in her husband's office. He has a busy office and a big practice. I've been there ever since I graduated from nursing school."

  "Why don't you work with your own husband?" Andrea's voice had not lost its rancor.

  "I like it where I am," she answered with a shrug. I worked there long before I met Matt. Office nursing is great, and you get weekends and holidays off. Not summers, unfortunately, but that's okay. It's so much better than doing twelve-hour shifts at the hospital. I think I would have liked that too, but Matt and I would never see each other if I did that."

  Nikki glanced up to see everyone's eyes resting on her and merely answered, "Dittos."

  Everyone laughed, and they continued to chat about their lives as they ate. The quiche was wonderful, but the dessert was just as Heather had said. Meg had just finished when she looked around her.

  They're just former classmates, she thought. It's just innocent chatter. So why did she have this hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach? She reached down to move her purse and felt it vibrate.

  Her phone. She reached down and retrieved it. There were several texts from Matt. Meg glanced down with dismay and began to type in an apology.

  It wasn't necessary. As she glanced up, she saw her handsome husband standing inside the front door of the restaurant, his eyes scanning the room. They lit on her with a frown, and she raised her hand and waved. She started to rise, but he put up a hand and moved forward toward the table.

  "Excuse me, ladies." He nodded. "Matt Hart. I hate to cut things short, but I need to kidnap my wife." He turned to Meg. "Sorry, princess. I've had an emergency come up with a patient and you two will be without wheels if you don't come with me now."

  "I could take her home," Mellie offered.

  But he didn't answer. Meg nodded. "Thanks, Mellie, but I'd better go." She gathered up her things, noticing Nikki did the same. "It was so good to see all of you." She glanced at each one around the table. "Take care. Heather, are you sure we can't pay—"

  "Absolutely not," Heather cut in, smiling. "This one was on me."

  "I have to run, too," Nikki echoed. "We rode together."

  Murmured variations of 'So glad you could come' came from around the table as Meg put her hand in Matt's and he leaned down to kiss her lightly on the mouth. She heard voices follow them as they left.

  "Did you see that? He kissed her," Mellie's voice wafted through the air.

  "And he called her princess. That's so sweet." Hannah's voice.

  "Wish my husband was so romantic," Amber sighed.

  A laugh from Heather followed, and Nikki leaned toward Meg. "Slow down. I can't wait to hear Andrea's comment," she whispered.

  She wasn't disappointed. A half-second later, they heard Andrea's voice, riddled with disgust. "Get a room."

  Chapter 5

  "Matthew Hart." Meg glowered up at him, ignoring the fact that Nikki was in the back seat. "You'd better be telling the truth about your patient and the emergency."

  A brow rose as he turned to glance down at her. "I am. You'd know that if you'd checked your messages."

  Meg's face adopted a penitent expression. "I'm sorry. I guess my purse shifted and I didn't feel it vibrate. I had just moved it when I felt the last one. There was so much chatter at the table…" she drifted off.

  Matt gave her a sidewise glance, before looking into the rear-view mirror.

  "Nicole, do you mind stopping at the hospital on the way home? This shouldn't take long."

  "Of course not," Nikki answered quickly.

  It was quiet in the car for a few moments. Suddenly, Nikki began snorting with mirth.

  "Oh, yes, I remember him," she mimicked Meg's earlier voice. "Wasn't that the guy with the dark hair and brown eyes? Meg, you know very well that Johnny had blond hair and blue eyes."

  "Yeah. I couldn't resist it. It was a dig at me."

  "I know. But I nearly choked to death on my coffee. Thanks for beating me on the back. You should have been there, Dr. Hart. It was priceless. But then Andrea had the gall to go and ask Meg about her wearing 'coke-bottle' glasses. I really wanted to smack her."

  "Johnny was the one I was dancing with at homecoming, when Andrea stomped my glasses into a-zillion pieces."

  Nikki stared. "She what? You never told me that."

  "I never told anyone. Except Matt. And my parents, but they didn't believe me. They just assumed it was my fault for leaving them in the chair. And, in a way, I suppose it was."

  Matt's glance at Meg was sympathetic. He didn't say another word, however, until they had pulled into the hospital parking lot. "Be back shortly. If I can't, I'll send someone out to tell you."

  "I have my…" she began digging in her purse, but he was already gone, "… phone," she finished, just after the car door closed.

  "Don't you just love being married to a doctor?" Nikki grumbled from the back seat. "This happens with Scott all the time, and it never takes 'just a moment'. She took out her phone and began entering text. Closing it a moment later, she giggled. "I told him to get his own lunch. I'll be home when I'm home."

  Meg laughed. "You did not."

  "Well, not exactly."

  It rang just then, and she swiped it across the front. "Hey there."

  "Hey, sweet cheeks. How did it go? As bad as you feared?"

  Nikki made a face as Meg began to giggle. Scott's voice carried extremely well.

  "It went well, I thought. Everyone seemed nice. Except for Andrea, but she was really only ugly to Meg. We're at the hospital, and I'm out front with her in the car. Dr. Hart had an emergency come up."

  "I'll come and get you. Stay put."

  Nikki glanced over at Meg, who nodded vigorously. "Go ahead. There's no reason for you to stay."

  "You sure? I hate leaving you."

  "Go."

  Nikki looked down at the phone. "Okay. We're directly in front of the ER entrance."

  "Be right there. Don't move an inch."

  Meg grinned as she hung up. "Sweet cheeks? At least he didn't call you that while everyone was listening.

  "Well, if it's any consolation, I'd rather be called princess than sweet cheeks."

  Meg stared at her a moment and suddenly began hooting with mirth. "I think I would too."

  Nikki groaned.

  "Why is it," Meg added, a moment later, "I feel uneasy around this bunch? Tell me. I'm completely baffled about feeling this way."

  Nikki's face became serious. "I'll tell you something, if you won't repeat it to anyone."

  Meg opened her mouth to speak just as her phone vibrated. "Hold that thought." Maybe he's coming back." Reaching down, she frowned at the screen.

  "It may be a bit. If you want to go home, I can call you."

  She stared at the floor on the driver's side, eyeing the clutch with distaste.

  "I'll wait," she sent back. Setting it down on the console, she scowled. "I hate manual transmissions. Anyway, spill it."

  Nikki leaned forward eagerly. "None of them are what they seem. That might be the reason you feel nervous around them."

  Meg stared back at her. "I don't understand."

  "Jenny, from the class a year behind us, called the other day. I don't know whether to believe it or not, but she told me some things."

  Meg turned around in her seat to face Nikki more comfortably. "What things?"

  "Mellie, for instance. Her husband apparently didn't come by his money honestly. He's had some bad business dealings, and—this is according to Jenny, mind you—he's had several threats made on his life. And more than once, he apparently got a threat that said Mellie would be kidnapped and killed if he didn't pay up. I don't know if it's true. Jenny swears it is."

  "How did she know that?"

  "She said Mellie told her."

  Meg shook her head. "It must have been awful to have threats like that hanging over her head. But if it's true, why does she stay with him?"

  Nikki held up both hands. "I don't know. I think I'd disappear."

  "What else have you heard?"

  Nikki scrunched up her face. "You sure you want to know?"

  "Positive."

  "Amber's husband is abusive to her. I know that for a fact. Scott saw her in the ER a few weekends ago. They did some extensive x-rays on her, and she has had several broken bones in the past."

  Meg's brow creased. "So that's what's wrong. I knew there was something."

  "Yes, I thought so too. But an abusive husband wouldn't likely let her teach piano in her home, would he? Usually, abusers try to isolate their victims."

  Meg leaned back, frowning. "Nikki, I don't know how much of this I believe."

  "Me, either. But I wanted you to hear the gossip, and I wanted to know what you thought. Although, Jenny swears the news about Mellie is not gossip. And I know the news about Amber is true. The ER has to fill out a report when they suspect abuse, and they decided to investigate. Her neighbor told them she swears after a piano student leaves, she hears a woman's screams, as if she's being beaten. She even says she's called the police several times. But it only happens when her husband's home."

  "Oh my gosh. Poor Amber." Meg's brows creased. "Why is it you hear all this stuff, and I don't?"

  "Because I'm a natural gossip, and you're not. And most of the time, I never get to talk to you alone. Either Scott or Matt are around."

  A knock sounded on the window, and both girls jumped. But it was Scott, who had come for Nikki.

  "Don't tell Matt any of this, okay? Because if he mentions it to Scott, he'll know I've been in the gossip circles. That's the thing he gets on to me for the most."

  Meg nodded as Nikki opened the back door. Scott leaned down so he could see her.

  "Want us to give you a ride home, Meg?"

  "No, that's okay, but thanks. He said it wouldn't take long."

  "Okay, if you're sure."

  "I'm sure."

  Meg watched them go, thinking about what Nikki had said Was it true? Any of it? She tended to believe the news about Amber more than the fantastic tale regarding Mellie. If so, either woman was in danger. The police had already been involved and wouldn't likely appreciate another call. Maybe she should tell Matt after all.

  She scowled. She hated it when someone gave her information like this and then asked her to keep quiet about it. Nikki should know better. On the other hand, Nikki had asked if she really wanted to hear it, and she'd said yes. A sigh escaped.

  She cried out in surprise as another knock on her window took place. Looking up at the person outside, she realized it was Sheila, one of the ER nurses.

  She opened the door.

  "Sorry, Meg. Dr. Hart sent me out to tell you it won't be much longer. He's wrapping it up."

  "Thank you. I appreciate you coming all the way out here to tell me."

  "No problem—" Sheila halted and looked up as the scream of an ambulance was heard. "I'd better go." She ran back toward the door and inside just as it arrived in the circle drive, followed by two police cars.

  "What in the world?" Meg said under her breath. The officers jumped from their cars and ran inside as the patient was unloaded through the ambulance doors. She leaned back, wondering if Matt would need to stay.

  It was an hour before the first officer came back out and retrieved something from his car. She wasn't close enough to see what it was, but a second later, he had gone back inside. And it was another half-hour before she saw her husband coming out. He was followed by the second officer and they paused, speaking for a few moments. Matt nodded and came to the car.

  "Sheila said you were alone in the car. Where's Nicole?"

  "Scott came and got her. And I knew you were busy. What happened?"

  Matt scowled. "A young woman was brought in, unconscious. She'd called 911. The police tracked her phone to her. By the time she made it to the ER, she was non-verbal. She tried to talk to the police, but she couldn't. All the officer heard was something that sounded like 'fire'. That's all."

  "Who called the police?"

  "Apparently, she did, before she lost consciousness. No identification on her. Nothing. She couldn't tell us her name. When the police got there, they couldn't find the phone, so there was no way to identify her. Caller ID got the name, but they don't know for certain it's her or that the phone belonged to her." He glanced down at Meg. "This is the stuff nightmares are made of. She was burned, badly." He sighed. "They're sending her to ICU until they can air-vac her to a burn unit, but I don't think she's going to make it."

  "Oh, Matt. I'm sorry you were there when they brought her in."

  He gently brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "My princess with the big heart. I knew I'd see stuff like this when I decided to be a doctor. It comes with the territory." He was frowning. "Are you hungry?"

  "No. But you must be."

  He shook his head. Starting the engine, he backed out of the space. "No. Right now, the thought of food is revolting."

  "I understand. We do still have Chinese at home. I can heat it up. But you need to eat, Matt. You sat outside the whole time at noon while I stuffed my face."

  "I wanted to be there in case you needed me. And it sounds as if I made the right decision."

  There was something in his voice that was melancholy, and Meg knew it wasn't just her meeting with the group he was concerned about or Andrea. She'd seen him before when tragedy had struck one of his patients. The girl brought into the ER was weighing heavily on his mind. Quietly, she reached over and rested her hand on his right thigh. "I'm very thankful you were there at lunch," she said softly.

  His response was to bring his hand down and give hers a long, gentle squeeze. He was quiet the rest of the way home, and Meg thought about what he sacrificed for her—for everyone—on a daily basis. He took the care of his patients so seriously. A pang of guilt shot through her for adding to it.

  He brought her into the house through the garage, and she took his hand, tugging on it. Locking the door between the garage and the kitchen, she brought him into the great room,

  He raised a brow, and his mouth lifted in a half-smile as she turned around to face the opposite way, leaving him in full view of her back. She slowly hooked her thumbs into her leggings and began tugging them downward. Bending over, she brought them down past her ankles and stepped out of them.

 

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