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you haven't had a vacation in years."
    He snorted. “A vacation? You call lying around at home with you and Maria hovering over me a vacation? Now, put me on a cruise ship with gambling and show girls...and I might consider it."
    Nicole and Dr. Kendall laughed together at his disgruntled tone. "Now that you're better, Dad, I'm going to start making rounds for you. I can look after things.”
    "Have you been out to the Four C, Nicky? Wyatt has been having some problems with one of his mares, and I've been keeping a close eye on her."
    Nicole slowly shook her head. She hadn't seen Wyatt in a couple of days, since their angry confrontation in the hospital waiting room. He had stormed off, and hadn't been back. She knew he checked up on her father, though. The nurse Nicole had spoken with the first night mentioned he had called several times.
    "No, I haven't. But I'll head out there today, all right?"
    He nodded, satisfied, and suddenly looked very tired. Dr. Kendall noticed as well and said, "Get some rest, Josh. If you want to go home next week, you better take it easy and prove to me you're up to it."
    "Whatever it takes to get out of this place," Josh muttered.
    "I'll be back to see you this evening, Dad," Nicole said as she pressed a kiss on her father's forehead. "I think Maria will be in this afternoon."
    He nodded and smiled before closing his eyes to rest. Blowing him another kiss, she followed Dr. Kendall. “Doctor, you're sure he'll be up to going home next week? He suddenly looked so tired."
    "Yes, but that's to be expected. It's very important for Josh to take it easy for several weeks."
    "Guess I'll be sticking around for a while, then."
    "Is that so bad?"
    "No, I love spending time with him. I just need to make some arrangements."
    “You’ll be the best medicine he can get. He perks up every time you walk in the room.”
    “Thanks.”
    He hesitated, then cleared his throat. “Listen, if you get bored while you’re in town…”
    "She won’t be bored,” a voice snapped.
    Nicole jerked her attention toward the door and saw Wyatt standing there, wearing the frown she'd grown so accustomed to in the short time she'd been back in Florida.
    "Hello, Wyatt," she managed to say.
    Wyatt forced himself to offer her a small nod of greeting, wondering why the hell he’d walked into the room and inserted himself into what had obviously been a private—intimate—conversation. The supposedly oh-so-professional doctor had been about to hit on his patient’s daughter. Yeah, Nicole was a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions. But damn it, there had to be something in the doctor rule book that said they couldn’t make moves on the vulnerable family members of their patients.
    "How's Josh?" he asked, not trying to hide his frown.
    “Better. He'll probably go home next week,” the doctor said. Then, saying he had another patient to see, he turned to leave. Wyatt noticed the intimate smile he gave Nicole, and the way he brushed his hand on her arm before departing.
    He nearly bit the inside of his cheek to force himself to keep his mouth shut. Telling himself it was none of his business, he sent up a silent prayer that she wouldn't be able to tell he was the least bit bothered by the other man's obvious interest in her.
    "Dad won't be back to work for a while," Nicole said when they were alone. "He asked me to check on one of your mares. I thought I’d come out to the ranch today if it's convenient."
    "Are you sure? I mean, if you and I can't hold a civil conversation, maybe I'd better make other arrangements."
    She drew a deep, visible breath, as if she’d been steeling herself for this conversation.
    Well, that was appropriate. So had he.
    "Look, Wyatt, I was tired and angry the other night. We both opened up some old wounds. I don't want to revisit the past right now, it’s just not the time for it.”
    He gaped. “You really think we can just ignore the past, that we have nothing to talk about?”
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