Page 55 of Sparking Sara

“A chivalrous fireman,” she fawns. “You really are the whole package.”

I see Ivy waving at me from across the restaurant and we make our way over.

Nora smiles and bats her eyelashes when I pull out a chair for her.

I lean over to kiss Ivy and shake Bass’s hand. “Aspen and Sawyer shouldn’t be too long,” I say. “Ivy and Bass Briggs, meet Nora Goodwin.”

We order some drinks and then I see a familiar face.

“Hey, Denver, nice to see you again,” Kyle Stone says, stopping at our table.

“Kyle, you, too. Guys, this is Kyle Stone. We met at Aspen’s wedding.”

“Dr. Stone,” Nora says in greeting.

“We’re not at work, Nora. Please call me Kyle.”

“I know your wife,” Ivy says to Kyle. “I met her through a friend of mine who’s married to her brother.”

“Lexi’s right over there.” He points across the restaurant. “Hey, you guys mind if we crash your party? We’ve got another couple coming as well.”

Ivy looks around the restaurant. “Do you think they’d mind?”

Kyle laughs. “We’re dining with the owner’s daughter, so no, I’m sure they won’t mind.”

He walks over to the hostess stand and then a few workers come over and push some tables together for us. Lexi comes over and introductions are made all around.

“Oh, here they are,” Kyle says, motioning for two people to come join us. “Everyone, this is Baylor and Gavin McBride. Lexi works with Baylor.”

“You meanfor,” his wife says.

He leans down and kisses her. “Just trying to make your job sound more important, sweetheart.”

Baylor swats Kyle. “Her jobisimportant,” she says. “I would be lost without her. She’s my right hand.”

“What is it that you do?” Nora asks.

“I’m a writer,” Baylor says.

Lexi guffaws. “Oh, please. She’s way too modest. She’s a very successful author of romance novels. She writes under the name Baylor Mitchell.”

“Wait,” Nora says, looking dumbfounded. “You’reBaylor Mitchell? Oh, my God, I love your books. I’ve read every single one of them.”

Baylor looks embarrassed and shoots Lexi a biting stare. “Thank you,” she says to Nora. “I’m glad you have enjoyed them.”

“Would you sign something for me?” Nora asks. “The other nurses at work will die. Theyallread your books.”

“Sure. What do you want me to sign?”

Nora looks around the table. Then I hand her a menu. “Here, how about this?”

“It’s a menu,” Nora says.

“Yeah, a Mitchell’s menu, signed by Baylor Mitchell.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s a great idea.”

As Nora chats up Baylor, Kyle asks me about Sara. I tell him she was moved to a rehab facility yesterday. He’s pleased. I get the idea he, like Dr. Miller, didn’t think she had a chance at any kind of meaningful recovery.

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