Myrna Mackenzie - Her Sweet Talkin' Man

“Branson blew up. He screamed and yelled. In the end he begged. I was…I was frightened, but I knew that it would be worse giving in than going forward. I left. Soon after that, the whispers started. Someone started a rumor that I was easy, that I would let anyone do anything, that I would sleep with any male who asked, that I was a tramp. Branson told them that I’d done things with him that I’d never done. Most people didn’t believe him, but a few did. That hurt so much that I went into hiding, which was the wrong thing to do. People took it as an admission of guilt. It took me years to win back my self-esteem. And then I met John. I had Timmy out of wedlock. The rumors started again, only this time I stared them down. The Carsons found me a good job here at the hospital, and I hold my head up high.”

“No reason you shouldn’t,” Ace said softly.

She realized that she’d made her last statement somewhat defensively, but that Ace hadn’t seemed to notice.

“Anyway, that’s my story, such as it is. I haven’t had contact with Branson for years. He’s spent a lot of time in and out of jail. He did have some conflict with the hospital once in the not-too-distant past. His wife had experienced complications of childbirth due to alcohol abuse, and the doctors were unable to save the baby, which was premature. Branson tried to sue, unsuccessfully. For the past year, he’s been in jail for burglarizing an auto parts store, so I have no idea what brought him here today or why he chose to approach me. What I do know is that I really had better get back to work now.”

Ace gazed down at her. She stood up and he stepped aside to let her past.

“Thank you for stepping in to help me,” she said, holding out her hand.

He stared down at her hand, and for a moment her palm tingled. Then he closed his fingers around hers. His hand was large and warm, but she didn’t feel threatened the way she had with Branson. Instead, she felt a desire to stay there connected to him. Quickly she withdrew her hand and turned away.

He fell into step beside her.

She glanced to the side and frowned. “I know I’ve twice looked like a helpless boob today, but I assure you that I can take care of myself.”

“I know that.” He continued walking by her side.

“I really don’t think he’s going to come back and bother me again.”

“Probably not.”

“The security officers took him away. He’s gone.”

“Looks that way.”

“Ace, you don’t need to escort me. I’m not going to get in any more trouble.”

He raised one lazy brow and she held back a smile. She couldn’t really blame him, considering the way the day had gone.

“I’m not normally this catastrophe-prone,” she promised, and this time she wasn’t sure whether she was talking to him or to herself.

He stopped, turning to face her, and took both her hands in his. “Everyone knows that. I can’t tell you how many total strangers have told me that you are the one responsible for this new wing. I believe the way they put it was ‘Crystal Bennett can turn on that smile and talk you into donating money you haven’t even started to earn yet.”’

She laughed. “Well, I’m not that bad—or that good—but we really did need this maternity wing.”

“The hospital didn’t handle births?”

“Of course they did, but everything was old, kind of cold and sterile. It’s very…well, it’s frightening when you have your first baby. Lots of the mothers are young. They’re scared. They need to know that their babies are going to get the best care and that they’re going to be born into a warm welcoming world. This new wing is designed to make having a baby much safer and less distressing.”

Ace gazed down at her with fierce blue eyes. “Is that how it was for you? Frightening?”

Oh, no. She hadn’t meant to bring out those protective instincts in him again. Even though she had been frightened giving birth to Timmy alone.

“I was a lioness,” she managed to say with a straight face.

He chuckled and brushed a finger across her cheek. “I’ll bet you were,” he said. “Now come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“I’ve been watching you all afternoon. It’s getting late, and you’ve been so busy that you haven’t eaten.”

“I’ll eat,” she promised, “but I’m still working. When it’s over, I’ll definitely be fed,” she said, lifting her chin as he gave her one of those I-don’t-believe-you looks. “Don’t worry about me. Like I told you, I know how to take care of myself. I’m used to it and I like it,” she said firmly.

“Oh, but it’s not nearly as much fun as having a gorgeous man take over for a while, Crystal.” A soft teasing voice sounded at Crystal’s shoulder and she turned to see Fiona Carson Martin smiling at her and Ace.

“Fiona,” Crystal said with a smile. “I’m glad to see you could make it. Is everything all right?”

Fiona laughed. “Yes, very all right. I’m sorry I was late, but I was almost ready to slip my dress on when…well, my husband can be quite a distraction.”

Crystal felt the warm color climbing her cheeks. She tried not to look at Ace, but couldn’t seem to help herself. He was smiling at her.

“Speaking of distractions, Crystal, why don’t you introduce me to your young man? He seems to be causing quite a stir. The family sent me over to find out his story. They all feel very protective toward you, you know.”

Honestly, could a woman get any warmer or pinker? “Mr.—Ace is a new acquaintance,” Crystal replied. “Fiona Carson Martin, meet Ace…” She looked up at him expectantly, waiting for him to fill in his last name.

For a moment there was silence. She thought she’d seen a muscle twitch in his jaw when she introduced Fiona, but that must have been her imagination. Nothing had fazed Ace today, not being trapped in an elevator or fighting off a violent lunatic. Why should he mind being introduced to a beautiful woman? For a second Crystal felt a pain in her heart. A ridiculous pain, she assured herself. Of course she didn’t care how Ace reacted to Fiona or any other woman.

She looked up at Ace, who still hadn’t spoken.

His frozen expression relaxed into a smile, almost as if he had willed it to please her. “Sorry, you caught me a bit off guard there,” he said. “My name’s Ace Carson, son of Ford Carson. Perhaps you know him?”

Suddenly Crystal couldn’t breathe.

Fiona blinked and looked as if she couldn’t think. But then, true to character, she managed to smile.

“Well, my goodness, isn’t this an incredibly interesting turn? And yes, I might know Ford,” she said. “You and Daddy talk often, do you?”

Her voice issued a challenge.

Ace gave her a long, slow and very cold grin. “Never met the man.”

Fiona nodded. “I see.”

“I don’t think you do.”

“You’re probably right.” She studied him for long seconds. “Just out of curiosity, how old are you?”

Crystal focused her attention on her friend, who looked as if her expression had frozen in place.

“Thirty-six,” Ace finally said, clipping off the words.

A bit of life flowed back into Fiona’s face and she shrugged. “Older than my oldest brother, Flynt. I guess that makes it all right. If it’s true.”

Ace didn’t respond to that. Crystal could see, though, that it didn’t make it all right with him. His eyes were hard, his jaw tense. Fiona could probably see that, too. She never missed much.

“Would you like to meet Daddy?” she asked softly.

For a minute Crystal thought Ace wasn’t going to answer. Then he shrugged. “I’ll meet him.” Which wasn’t quite the same as saying he’d like to meet him, Crystal couldn’t help noting.