Harlequin Medical Romance November 2020--Box Set 1 of 2 by Alison Roberts

Author:Alison Roberts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

“TODD, CAN YOU hand me another ornament, please?” Ayanna said from the top of a ladder in the hospital’s glass-walled atrium. Beside her was a towering artificial spruce. It was a yearly tradition here at Seattle General now that December first had arrived, though the addition of the handmade ornaments from childhood cancer patients around the country was new, as were the gifts being left beneath the tree by staff to give to be distributed in the children’s wards.

Both ideas had been Ayanna’s, to help boost the hospital’s standing as one of the city’s top philanthropic organizations. So far, the tree and the gifts were proving immensely popular, with many people stopping to take photos, even though the final decorations were only now being put up. “How about one from Indiana? I don’t think that state’s represented here yet.”

“Uh, will Ohio do?” a familiar male voice said from below, and Ayanna froze. She glanced down to see Max holding up a brightly painted glass globe with the name “Justin” scrawled in red and green across the middle with rainbow glitter around the edges. Each child was encouraged to make the ornament their own. “It looks like it would fit the space you’re filling.”

“It does. Thanks. What are you doing here?” she asked, taking it from him to hang on the branch she’d chosen. He was right. It fit perfectly. Ayanna climbed down and matched his grin with one of her own. “No patients this afternoon?”

“Finished my rounds early.” He took her arm to steady her as she slipped her shoes back on then walked across the atrium with her to see how the trees looked from a distance. “A day without many neurological emergencies is both rare and much appreciated.”

“I bet.” She squinted at the tree, searching for any bare spots or clumps of decorations. The silver and gold garlands caught the sunlight filtering in through the glass atrium above and twinkled nearly as brightly as the white fairy lights strung through the branches. People riding up and down the escalators behind the tree seemed appropriately awed, she noted. However, there was one area where the décor wasn’t quite balanced.

Ayanna held up a finger to stop Max’s continued explanation about his day, then called across the space, “Hey, Todd? Can you please spread out those ornaments a bit more so they’re evenly spaced? No. Not there. A bit more to the left and up about three branches. Yes! Good. Thanks.”

Satisfied, she turned back to Max. “Are you ready to go now? I’ve got some time yet until things are done here in the lobby. We still need to hang the mistletoe and add lights and garland to the rest of the room.” She narrowed her gaze on him. “Don’t suppose you’d want to help, would you?”

“Eh, I don’t want to get in the way,” Max said. “I’m sure I can find something to occupy my time until you’re ready to leave.”

Ayanna opened her mouth to tell him he wouldn’t be in the way at all but was cut off by the sound of shattering glass.

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