Page 41 of An Engagement for Erica

Tucker smiled. “That’s a good sign in my eyes.”

“It can be,” Dr. James said and took his leave.

Jesus, the guy’s facial expressions never changed.

Probably a good thing in his field of medicine.

Tucker walked back in and his grandfather had his eyes shut.

He sat back down to go through email while his grandfather rested. No reason to wake him.

“Are you going to work all night?”

He lifted his eyes to see his grandfather looking at him. “No,” he said, putting his phone away. “I thought you were sleeping.”

“I’ve been doing a lot of sleeping,” his grandfather said.

He moved his chair closer to hear him better. “You need your rest.”

“So do you,” his grandfather said. “What is your fiancée going to think about you working all the time and then being here with me?”

“What?” he asked.

“That pretty little lady that was here with you the other night. You were holding hands. I didn’t think I’d see the day that you were getting married. When’s the date?”

His grandfather had said he wasn’t even sure if Tucker was going to visit a few minutes ago and now he remembered Erica sitting here with him two nights ago.

And her holding his hand.

That had come as a shock but a welcome comfort at the same time when she’d reached for his fingers.

It felt as if every time he was getting close to her, something happened for it to be put on hold. Hence the Groundhog Day thoughts.

“Date for what?” he asked. Maybe his grandfather would say something else.

“The wedding,” his grandfather said. “She sure was pretty. I wish you’d told me you were dating someone, but I know we haven’t talked much. It’s giving me something to look forward to and the energy to get better. Need to see my grandson watching his bride walk down the aisle.”

“Grandpa,” he said. “Don’t focus on that.”

“I have to,” his grandfather said. “Sometimes you need a reason to fight. I’ve got mine now.”

His grandfather shut his eyes after that and was sleeping almost immediately.

What the hell was he going to do now?

“Visiting hours are almost done,” the nurse said, coming in. “I’m going to give your grandfather some medicine now to help him sleep through the night.”

“I’ll leave,” Tucker said. He needed to get on the road and get home and try to figure out what was going on.

He’d come back in the morning and see if he could talk to his grandfather after he rested more.

With any luck there wouldn’t be any confusion.

He was leaving when he saw Dr. James turn down a hall.

“Dr. James. I’m sorry to bother you.”

Erica’s father turned. “No bother. What can I help you with?”

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