Page 76 of Just One Kiss

His mother and brother had encouraged them to talk to each other, but they'd both managed to avoid that. He didn't want to hear what his father had to say, and he suspected his father felt exactly the same way. Which made him wonder again why he'd decided to come to a party where his father was the host, the center of attention, the leader of all men in the room.

There was only one answer—Hannah.

She'd be here. And since he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her all day, he had to be here, too.

He made his way up to the fourth-floor cafeteria, which had been beautifully decorated with holiday wreaths, a large Christmas tree, and buffet tables filled with food. An older man was playing holiday carols on the piano and there were at least thirty to forty people milling about. Some were in hospital uniforms, but most were in holiday clothes. There were also some kids in wheelchairs being entertained by a puppet show, with their parents and siblings sharing in the experience.

His gaze swept the room, settling on his mother and father. He shared similar features with his dad, Davis McKenna. They were both over six feet tall with brown hair and eyes, while his mother was a short, curvy blonde with light-blue eyes. His parents were laughing with their friends, Dr. Richard Peters and his wife, Cynthia. The Peters were also neighbors and would be attending his parents' Christmas dinner.

"Has hell frozen over?" a voice asked.

He turned around to see a look of amazement in his brother's eyes. "It might have," he admitted.

"I did not expect to see you here, Jake."

"It's been a while since I attended one of these." The hospital Christmas party had been part of his childhood. The tradition had actually been started by his grandfather, who had also been a doctor in Whisper Lake, before he and his grandmother had moved to a warmer climate. "Looks like you'll one day be carrying on this family tradition, Paul."

"One day," Paul murmured.

"Are you sure you don't want to work somewhere else for a few years? Get some big-city experience?"

"I'm considering all my options."

"I'll bet Dad is pressuring you to come here."

"More Mom than Dad," Paul replied. "Now that you're back, she'd like to have the whole family together again."

"You should make the right decision for yourself, not for Mom or for Dad."

Paul smiled. "I will. I'm not a kid anymore, Jake. I can see the benefit of getting broader experience before I come back here, but eventually I would like to settle in Whisper Lake. I got great care from this hospital, and I want to make sure that level of care continues for everyone who lives in this community."

He could hear the passion in his brother's voice and knew that Paul's career path came more out of his personal experience than just a desire to follow in his father's footsteps. Paul knew firsthand the healing power of medicine. And with his sharp mind as well as his kind, unselfish nature, Paul was going to make a great physician. "That makes sense," he said. "I would love to have you back here, but I just want what's best for you."

"I want the same for you, big brother. So, why are you really here? Does it have anything to do with one very pretty but stubborn redheaded nurse?"

"You think you know me so well."

"I do know you that well," Paul said with a laugh. "And Hannah just arrived with her mom and a little kid. We walked in at the same time."

His body tightened at that information, and he couldn't stop himself from looking around the room. When he saw her putting cookies on the buffet table, excitement rushed through his veins. She looked beautiful and holiday appropriate in tight black jeans and a bright-red sweater.

"You have it bad," Paul commented, his gaze not missing a thing. "So, what's the latest with you two?"

He forced himself to look back at his brother. "I don't know. It feels like two steps forward and one step back with Hannah."

"At least there's some forward progress."

"Some. I just want more, and I want it faster."

"That doesn't surprise me. You always want more, and you usually get it. I guess the question is—what does Hannah want?"

"She's fighting what she wants. But I'm working on her."

"Which is why you're here. Do you want to come with me to say hello to Mom and Dad?"

"I'll catch up to them later."

"All right. Good luck."

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