Christmas on 4th Street (Fool's Gold #12.5)

Her eyebrows rose. “Are they? I was under the impression they were thinking of a more permanent move. Maybe I misunderstood.”


Gabriel suspected the wily old lady didn’t misunderstand very much, which meant she had information he didn’t. His parents moving to Fool’s Gold? Was it possible? He tried to imagine what Gideon would think about it and couldn’t. Although he and his brother were twins, they were no longer close. Gideon had changed so much, he might welcome having family nearby.

“Noelle is very sweet,” she said, before sipping her drink.

Was that it? Did the mayor want to warn him away from Noelle? He turned the idea over in his head and found he was pleased that she had someone looking out for her. With no family around, she was on her own. He knew she had a lot of friends, but he wanted even more people on her side.

“She is.”

“The store is very special. But if you decide not to stay in the army, I don’t see you finding yourself in retail.”

“That’s true. It’s a nice break, though.”

“I’m sure it is. But you’re a doctor. It is in you to heal. Fool’s Gold’s new hospital is nearly complete. A state-of-the-art facility with a world-class trauma center.”

The statement was so unexpected, he was sure he looked like an idiot staring at her. “You want to talk to me about a job?”

“I want you to consider the possibilities. You might think we’re a sleepy little town, but we have more than our share of trauma victims. There are car accidents and sports injuries on the mountain in both winter and summer. We’ve already assembled an excellent team, including Dr. Simon Bradley. He’s a plastic surgeon who specializes in burn victims. We’re putting together a program to bring in patients from all over the world. Many of them will be from poor countries. We’re raising the money to help them here. It’s exciting work.”

“I’m not a surgeon.”

“Yes, I know. However your services are still very much needed. I would like you to meet some of the other doctors here in town. Get to know them. We’re also in the preliminary stages of putting together a search-and-rescue organization. We’re thinking that will launch in 2015. You would be a vital member of that team.”

He hadn’t seen it coming. An offer like this. Stay here? In Fool’s Gold?

“I can’t,” he said, coming to his feet.

“You don’t have to decide now,” she told him, still calm, still holding his gaze with hers.

But he wasn’t calm. His chest was tight and he felt the walls closing in on him. In the distance was the rushing sound of chaos, of the wounded. Only the mayor continued to smile at him. Which meant the only fiery noise was in his head and he had to get out of here.

“Thank you, but no,” he said, grabbing his coat.

“Of course. If you change your mind, I’m very easy to find.”

He nodded and bolted for the door. Before he got there, she called him again.

“Gabriel?”

Reluctantly, he turned back to face her.

“Tell Noelle to call me and I can help her find the very best trees.”

He swore under his breath. How had the old lady known about their tree search? How did she—

He didn’t care, he told himself as he ducked out into the night. The snow came down harder than before. It piled up on the sidewalks and coated the parked cars. It was the kind of night that drove most men indoors.

Not him, he thought as he shrugged into his coat. Tonight he would walk until he was too exhausted to remember anything. To do anything but fall into a bed and sleep without dreaming at all.

* * *

“You’re pouting,” Noelle said as Gabriel turned the truck at the stop sign.

“I’m not pouting,” he growled, keeping his gaze on the road.

“It seems like you are. And if that’s how you’re going to be, then take me back to town and I’ll drive to the trees myself.”

He continued through the intersection, then pulled to the side of the road. After putting the truck in Park, he turned to face her.

“You wouldn’t get ten feet up the mountain,” he pointed out.

“You don’t know that.”

One corner of his mouth turned up. “I’d take a bet on it.”

He looked tired, she thought, taking in the shadows under his eyes. He’d been quiet all morning, even as he’d given her the message to call Mayor Marsha about their tree search. They’d waited until Melissa arrived to head out, but he’d never seemed very happy about what they were doing.

“Aren’t you sleeping?” she asked, then took his injured hand in hers. His stitches were gone and the skin had mostly healed. “Does this still hurt?”

“I’m fine. I was out late last night.”

He’d gone out after he’d dropped her off? “Oh,” she said quietly, wondering where he’d gone and who he’d been with.

“Hey,” he said, touching her cheek. “Mayor Marsha dragged me to some bar for Irish coffee. That’s how I got the message for you to call her.”

“Are you mad about the trees? You’ve been really great to me and I don’t want to make you do something you don’t want to do.”