Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)(19)

Sharon returned sometime later. “So how’d it go?”

“Great.” The nursery was almost silent. “What time is it?”

Sharon glanced at her wrist. “Three. I’m surprised you stuck around this long.”

Libby blinked. “I’ve been here for three hours?” Sharon had been in and out. Libby had noticed her several times but hadn’t paid her much attention.

“Three hours,” Sharon repeated.

Unbelievable. Libby had no idea where the time had gone.

“You did a great job,” the nurse said, and gave Libby’s shoulder a reassuring pat. “I hope you’ll come back.”

“I will.”

“There’s a sign-up sheet on the other side of the door. We’d love to have you return soon.”

Libby filled her name in on the clipboard and then left. Walking back to her condo she had the urge to talk to someone. She knew Robin would be busy, but she reached for her cell anyway.

“Prosecutor’s office,” her friend answered curtly.

“It’s Libby. I just finished rocking babies at the hospital.”

“What?” Robin demanded impatiently.

“I told you this morning I was going to volunteer at the hospital, remember?”

The line went silent. “You rocked … babies?”

“Yeah, for three hours. It didn’t seem nearly that long, and it was so … so peaceful.”

Again the line went silent. “Let me get this straight. You spent the last three hours rocking newborns.”

“I loved every minute.”

Robin snickered. “I’m worried about you, Libby. Very, very worried.”

Chapter 7

Libby arrived to volunteer again at the Seattle General nursery a couple of days later on a Wednesday afternoon. She slipped on the drab blue gown just before Sharon stepped into the room.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” the head nurse said. “The morning volunteer canceled and I’ve had my hands full.”

Sharon definitely looked like she could use a break. “By the way, did you see Dr. Stone?” she asked. The question had an expectancy to it, as if Libby was supposed to have met up with the good doctor.

“No.” Libby noticed that he hadn’t shown up at the gym the last couple of mornings, either, which was fine by her.

“He asked about you this morning.”

“He asked about me?” Her stomach tightened with a sense of dread. If Dr. Heart of Stone sought her out it couldn’t be for anything pleasant.

The last time she saw him at the gym she’d purposely looked elsewhere for fear that he would assume she was watching him. He’d ignored her, too, and she’d been grateful.

In fact, Libby and the physician hadn’t spoken once since their awkward encounter in the hospital elevator. As far as she was concerned he had issues. Yet in Libby’s mind she’d built it up to so much more. She didn’t want to think of him, but she found that he often occupied her thoughts, which irritated her no end. She couldn’t imagine what she’d done to cause him to be so curt with her.

“Dr. Stone asked when you were going to volunteer next,” Sharon said.

Libby wasn’t sure what the inquiry meant, but clearly it was not a good sign.

Sharon looked away and appeared slightly uncomfortable. “I might have mentioned you were on the schedule for today—hope that’s okay.”

“Oh.”

“I hope you don’t mind.”

“I … no, that’s fine.” If he wanted to clear the air then perhaps it was best to do it now.

“Usually I keep that sort of information to myself,” Sharon continued, “but it’s so unusual for Dr. Stone to express interest in someone here at the hospital that I was taken aback.”

Maybe the negative vibes coming off him hadn’t been directed at her.

Already Libby’s stomach was in knots. She had such little experience in male/female relationships that she wasn’t entirely sure what to make of this. Although she was in her late thirties, she felt so socially inept sometimes, and this was definitely one of those times.

Robin hadn’t given her any clues about her new love interest, either. The two of them were quite the pair. Libby suspected that was what made them such good friends. Robin had also been married, but her marriage had failed a couple of years after she learned that her husband had a gambling problem. She never spoke of Kyle or any of the relationships she’d had since the divorce.

“If I see Dr. Stone, you wouldn’t mind if I mentioned you’re in the nursery, would you?” Sharon asked.

Libby hesitated, unsure she was up to a showdown.

“What’s the matter with you two?” Sharon demanded. “The minute I mentioned his name you tensed up. What gives?”

“I’m not entirely sure. He doesn’t like me.”

Sharon frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous. He wouldn’t be asking about you if that was the way he felt.”

“Then by all means, tell him.” Libby rubbed her open palms together, incapable of hiding how nervous she felt.

“He does this, too, you know?” Sharon said.

“I’m sorry. Does what?” He’d intimidated other women?