Moonlight Over Manhattan(59)

“Hopefully. I don’t think it’s anything that requires more than a few days in bed and some antibiotics. Don’t let him order you around.”

“Would you like a drink or something before you leave?”

“By drink, do you mean alcohol? Because I could get behind that idea.”

Harriet removed a bottle of white from the fridge and lifted two glasses out of the cabinet.

The least Ethan could do was provide them both with a glass of decent wine. “You know him well?”

“Yes.” Susan took the glass from her. “He’s the best doctor I’ve worked with. Coolheaded. Smart. His brain works faster than anyone else’s. But those same qualities that make him the best doctor I’ve worked with, can make you want to strangle him outside work.”

Harriet blinked. “Excuse me?”

“He’s used to being in charge. Giving the commands. Sometimes he finds it hard to remember he has left work.”

Harriet thought of the first encounter they’d had and laughed. “That sounds right.”

“He’s compassionate too.” Susan had already half finished her wine. “A lot of doctors in his position get cynical, but Ethan is always the one who remembers there is a person under the problem.”

Harriet had a sudden burning need to find out more about Ethan. “Are you hungry? I made soup.”

Susan stared at her. “You made soup? It’s not from a tin or a carton?”

“Fresh. From real vegetables.”

“Hell yes.” Susan dropped her bag and walked to the kitchen, the wineglass still in her hand. “Do you have any idea how long it is since I had home-cooked food?”

“If you’re anything like Ethan, I’m guessing it’s been a while.” She wondered why it was doctors found it so hard to cook for themselves.

“It’s been too long.” Susan lifted the lid and peered into the pot. “That smells incredible. I’m going to buy a dog and have you come and live with me.”

Harriet grinned. “I don’t do dog sitting.”

“And yet you’re here.” Susan ladled soup into a bowl, and leaned forward to inhale. “Man, that smells good.”

“I’m doing a favor for my client.”

“And is your client the dog or the owner?” Susan put her bowl on the kitchen island and sat down.

“Both, but it’s the dog’s needs that come first for me.” Harriet put a fresh sourdough loaf in front of Susan and sat down next to her. “Originally I was supposed to be walking Madi, but she was very unsettled and almost wrecked the place so Ethan asked me to base myself here.” She told Susan everything.

“So you’ve been living here all week.” Susan finished the soup, eating as if she were starved. “That explains a lot.”

“It does?” Harriet took Susan’s bowl and filled it up again. The loaf of bread she’d baked that afternoon was already almost gone. Maybe she should set up a stall near the emergency room and nourish underfed doctors.

“Ignore me.” Susan all but snatched the soup out of her hands. “So when is Debra back?”

“Next week.” And then she’d be moving out and Harriet would never see Ethan again. It was something she found oddly depressing. “You eat quickly.”

“It’s one of the side effects of being a doctor. You never know when your meal will be interrupted so you learn to eat quickly.” Susan finished the second bowl of soup and sat back. “That was amazing. Anytime you want to invite me to dinner, consider it a yes from me. I’ll call the hospital and tell them Ethan won’t be in over the weekend. Hopefully by Monday he’ll be well enough to call them himself with an update. You’re sure you’re going to be okay here?”

“Yes. I feel better now someone qualified has taken a look at him. I was worried.”

“He’s going to be fine. Don’t let him take advantage of you.”

Susan left half an hour later, leaving Harriet alone in the apartment with Ethan.

Madi was asleep.

Her own room beckoned, the bed waiting for her.

Instead, she walked into Ethan’s room.

His eyes were closed, but she could hear the faint rasp of his breathing.

She touched his forehead lightly and discovered he was still burning up.

She walked into his bathroom and dampened a washcloth. The bathroom was sleek and masculine, dark gray tiles broken up by an entire wall that was mirrored.

Everything was neatly ordered. Nothing strewn about the place, as it had been in her own bathroom when Fliss was living with her.

She placed the cloth on his forehead but this time he didn’t stir.

Telling herself that the meds would take time to work, she curled up in the chair near his bed.

If he was going to die, it wasn’t going to be on her watch.





CHAPTER SIXTEEN


ETHAN WOKE COUGHING several times in the night and each time Harriet helped him to sit up, forced him to drink fluids and did what she could to bring down the fever. She’d never seen anyone so ill. Despite Susan’s reassurances, she didn’t like leaving him on his own for long.

She tried sleeping on top of her bed with her door open so that she’d hear him if he called for her, but then she found she was listening out for him all the time and wondering if he was still breathing, so she gave up on that and made herself comfortable in the deep armchair in the corner of his room.