Free Carol's Image by Maryann Jordan

she’s not as unaffected by me as I thought.
    The waiter came over and took their orders.
    “I’ll have the baked chicken with steamed vegetables,” she stated as she eyed the rolls the waiter had put on the table. Melted butter slid off of their sides, pooling in the plate under them. Chicken – 140 calories. Steamed vegies – 60 calories. I could have one roll. 120 calories without the butter. I could run more tomorrow.
    “I’m glad you ordered food and not just a salad,” he commented, unknowingly interrupting her calorie counting.
    She smiled, but once again it did not reach her eyes. Shrugging softly, she admitted, “I like to eat.”
    Tom, his eyebrow lifted in question, stated, “Well, I don’t know where it goes, ’cause you’re a tiny thing.”
    The smile left her face as she turned to look at the majestic view outside the window. He felt the loss of her smile immediately, wanting to do nothing more than have it back on her beautiful face again and directed at him.
    “Tell me about bein’ a nurse,” he asked, hoping to pull her out of her silence.
    Whipping her head around to look at him, the change in Carol’s demeanor was instantaneous. “I love it!” she said, her smile returning in its full glory. “I’ve been a nurse for about four years and it is everything I ever wanted it to be.”
    Tom, thrilled to have found the topic that sparked her obvious joy, prodded more. “What about the ER? Is that where you want to work or did you just get stuck there?”
    “Oh no,” she replied, placing her hand on his arm. “I think the ER is the most fascinating place to work. Every day is different. Every hour is different.” Feeling the strength of his arm muscles under her hand sent a spark through her, reminding her of their first meeting when he was injured. Jerking her hand back, she glanced into his eyes.
    He felt the spark as well, also remembering her touch when he was almost unconscious. He felt the loss of her hand and reached out to grasp her hand in his much larger one.
    “You were tellin’ me about the ER?” he asked, his fingers tracing gentle circles on her hand.
    “I love never knowing what will walk through the door. It really keeps me on my toes. And sometimes there is such a connection with a patient.” Looking deeply into his eyes, she said, “Like your friend’s wife, Jen.”
    “Do you often make a connection?” he asked, thinking about his accident. Does she recognize me? Does she realize it was my hand she was holding?
    “Well…there was one person, when I held their hand after they were injured, I felt a connection,” she spoke quietly, lowering her eyes, afraid to see what his memories were.
    “I was injured recently, and I swear to god, an angel held my hand,” he spoke, leaning so that his voice was just a whisper in her ear.
    Immediately raising her eyes to his, she barely spoke. “You remember?”
    Leaning further so that his lips were touching her ear, “Angel, I remember everything about you.”
    Sucking her breath in sharply, she turned her face so that her lips were next to his. “You thought I was an angel.”
    “No babe. I knew you were.” And with that, he completed the distance so that his lips touched her in the barest hint of a kiss.
    Eyes wide, she was stunned, then confused. “So is that what this is? Tonight, I mean? You wanting to thank me?”
    Placing his hand gently on her cheek, turning her face back to his, he replied, “Angel, I looked for you for weeks. I couldn’t get you out of my mind. And when I finally saw you in the ER, that was it for me babe. I was gonna move heaven and earth to make you mine.”
    She found that the warmth of his words wrapped around her like a blanket. Smiling, she allowed him to pull her in for another whisper kiss.
    The waiter arrived with their food and Carol found herself glad for the distraction. Focusing on the food, she was a master at eating small portions while making it look as though she was