Free Home to Harmony by Dawn Atkins Page B

clients.”
    “That’s certainly a big issue in Washington. How are you organizing the book?”
    “I’m using an extensive literature search, in addition to my own research. I’ve examined shifts in suicide rates, psychiatric hospitalizations, relapse rates, malpractice cases due to misdiagnosis and—” He stopped. “I’m boring you.”
    “Not at all. We have to get you unstuck.”
    “It’ll take more than a conversation for that, but thanks for—”
    “You said your research caused a stir? In what way?”
    He should end this, walk Christine out of his room—and his troubles—but he found himself wanting to answer. Her earnest concern touched him. “I was criticized extensively and from unexpected quarters.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I expected insurance companies to try to discredit me, but I was also attacked by colleagues I expected to support my theories. And, even worse, Nathan’s death occurred in the middle of the storm and it was used to defame me in the media.”
    “You’re kidding! That’s outrageous.”
    He shook his head. “I was portrayed as a self-named savior of psychiatry who callously ignored my stepson’s deadly drug use.”
    “But that’s so unfair.”
    “Fairness is rarely the point in these situations. The media exposure was torture for Elizabeth. Nathan’s picture in the paper, his death rehashed on TV over and over.”
    “Torture for you, too, Marcus.”
    “But Elizabeth was blameless. It was actually a relief when she asked me to leave.” He no longer had to wake up to her stricken face, the resentment in her eyes.
    “Jesus, Marcus. Look at what you’ve been through— Nathan’s death, a divorce, your work attacked. No wonder you’re stalled. You’re not a writer on retreat. You’re a refugee seeking sanctuary.”
    “That’s melodramatic. I’m hardly innocent here. I made mistakes. I should have shored up defenders before I released my report. I failed both Elizabeth and Nathan. I was arrogant and bullheaded and—”
    She put a finger to his lips. “You’ve been through hell. You get to feel bad about it. Really bad.” He couldn’t take his eyes from her face. She was so pretty and she smelled so good and he wanted to kiss the finger she’d pressed to his mouth.
    To resist, he gripped her hand and held it against his chest, though that only made him want to wrap her in his arms and hold all of her. “I don’t know why I told you all that.”
    “Because I asked.” Her eyes swirled with emotion. “Because you needed to talk to someone. I’m glad I was here.”
    Was she right? He’d talked with Carlos about what happened, but only superficially. Evidently, he was still in turmoil or he wouldn’t have told her the sordid details.
    “I know how it is to fail someone you love. I joke about it, but I’m really scared I’m losing David. This trip feels like my last chance. Part of me believes he could end up—” she swallowed hard “—like your stepson.”
    “David may look like Nathan, but he doesn’t act like him.”
    “You can’t know that,” she said, her eyes full of anguish.
    He knew then that he had to help her. “I’ll talk with David for you,” he said. “An informal conversation or two.”
    “Really?” A smile burst out on her face, a blaze of light in a dark room. “That would be wonderful. You have no idea what this means to me. I know he’ll talk to you. This is perfect.”
    She surprised him with a hug, swamping him in her spring sweetness. His entire body warmed to the contact, the flutter of her heart against his ribs. He raised his arms to return the embrace, but would that suggest more than he intended?
    Ah, hell. He encircled her with his arms and buried his nose in her curls to breathe her in, stealing a moment of pleasure for the lonely hours ahead.
    They stayed like that, wrapped in each other’s arms, for long seconds. It was a time-out for both of them…from loneliness, from doubt, from letting down a loved