Can't Help Falling in Love (Memphis Moments Book 2) Read online

  Can’t Help Falling in Love

  Memphis Moments Book Two

  Annalisa Daughety

  ©2017 by Annalisa Daughety Alliston

  All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in the United States of America by Annalisa Daughety Alliston

  www.annalisadaughety.com

  This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are used fictionally or are products of the author’s imagination. All characters are fictional and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  About the Author

  Books By Annalisa Daughety

  Chapter One

  Emily Madden slammed on the brakes of her BMW, narrowly missing the truck in front of her. She resisted the urge to honk at the driver who’d come to a quick stop, but the car behind her wasn’t so polite. The shrill noise only added to Emily’s growing headache.

  This was shaping up to be one of those days where everything had gone wrong.

  Everything.

  If it weren’t for the fact that she had dinner plans, Emily would be at home in bed by now, ticking down the hours until it was a new day. But she’d promised Suzanne and Jade that she’d meet them for dinner, so after her shift at the hospital she’d headed to Bosco’s.

  Emily worked as a nurse at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a position she loved very much. Even before she began working there, she’d long admired their policy to never turn patients away because of an inability to pay. She knew firsthand the toll medical bills could take on a family.

  She pulled her car into the first empty parking space she found outside of Bosco’s, one of her favorite restaurants in midtown Memphis. Maybe a girls’ night out was just what she needed to turn this day around. She grabbed her purse and hopped out of the car.

  “Emily!” a voice called from across the parking lot.

  Emily turned to see Jade Denton slamming the door on her Prius a few rows over. She waited by her car until Jade reached her. “I hope Suzanne isn’t running late. I’m starving.”

  Jade chuckled and raked her fingers through her dark hair. “Actually, it’s just the opposite. She texted me as I was pulling into the parking lot to say she’s already inside and sitting down.”

  Emily raised her eyebrows. In the ten plus years she’d known Suzanne Simpson, she’d never known her to be early. Unlike Emily, Suzanne was rarely on time, much less early. It was one of the reasons they hadn’t lasted long as roommates at the University of Memphis. After one semester living in the dorm, Emily had moved into a sorority house and Suzanne had found an apartment. Despite their differences, they’d become best friends. Emily often joked that if they’d remained roommates, they probably wouldn’t be on speaking terms today. “Wow. Maybe she’s starving, too.”

  Jade shrugged and they hurried toward the restaurant.

  “It’s about time,” Suzanne said once they reached the table. She grinned, her blond ponytail bobbing. “I’ve been waiting forever.”

  Emily sat down. “Have I stepped into an alternate universe?” she teased. “One where you arrive early and I run late?”

  Suzanne beamed. “Nope. I got here as soon as I could after work because I have something super-important to tell y’all.”

  “I hope it’s that you’ve already ordered an appetizer, because I’m starving.” Emily grinned.

  Jade raised her eyebrows in Emily’s direction. “My guess is it has nothing to do with food.”

  Suzanne grinned. “I couldn’t stand the thought of telling y’all over the phone or by text. And I sure didn’t want you to find out on Facebook.” She held up her left hand and pointed at a giant diamond on her ring finger. “Nick asked me to marry him.” She paused dramatically. “And I said yes.”

  Jade squealed. “Oh, Suzanne. I’m so happy for you.”

  Emily sat in silence. Engaged? She liked Nick Taggart. In fact, she’d encouraged Suzanne to go out with him. But engaged? She looked up to see Suzanne and Jade both eyeing her expectantly. “Congratulations. Sorry. I guess I’m just a little surprised.”

  Jade laughed. “Where have you been for the past few months? Hiding under a rock? I’ve expected a ‘we’re engaged’ phone call ever since they went on vacation with Nick’s grandmother last month.”

  Suzanne had met Nick on an airplane last August and after a rocky start, they’d become a couple. He’d moved back to his hometown of Memphis where his elderly grandmother still lived and the rest was history. “I guess y’all have been dating for six months now.” Emily shook her head. “Where has the time gone?”

  Suzanne tossed her blond ponytail. “Well, I can tell you where your time has gone.” She grinned. “You’re always working, taking some oddball class, or traipsing off on an adventure.” She narrowed her eyes. “Where is it you just got back from—Flagstaff?”

  Emily laughed. “That’s right. There’s a hot air balloon festival out there. I’ve always wanted to go up in a hot air balloon.”

  Jade sighed. “Y’all make me feel like a big blob. One of you has gone off and met the love of your life, and the other is just back from some exciting quest.” She frowned. “And I’m just boring old Jade, working and trying to find homes for abandoned animals.” Jade worked at the Memphis Zoo, but her passion was rescuing dogs and finding good homes for them.

  Suzanne patted Jade on the arm. “Don’t be like that. You know God has big things in store for you.”

  At the mention of God, Emily shifted uncomfortably. Her two best friends were strong in their faith. In fact, they attended the same church. But Emily wasn’t so sure about her beliefs. She’d grown up in the church and her parents were both strong Christians, but she’d fallen away when she was a teenager and her life had spun out of control. “So, have you set a date yet?” she asked, hoping to steer the conversation in a different direction.

  Suzanne shot her a knowing glance. “Actually yes.”

  The waitress stopped by their table. “Do y’all need a few minutes?”

  Emily shook her head. “I think we’re ready.” They quickly placed their orders.

  “Okay, spill it,” Jade said once the waitress was gone. “When is the big day?”

  Suzanne smiled broadly. “Is a New Year’s Eve wedding way too corny?”

  “I think that could be fun,” Emily said.

  Jade nodded. “I agree. If you want to ring in the New Year by getting married, then that’s what you should do.”

  Suzanne clapped her hands together. “I’m glad y’all think its okay. I’m so excited.�
�� She plucked her phone from the table, her blue eyes dancing. “I’m going to run and call Nick and let him know that is for sure going to be the date.” She laughed as she stood. “He told me he would be okay if we got married next week.”

  As soon as Suzanne was out of earshot, Jade groaned. “It’s a double whammy.”

  “What do you mean?” Emily asked.

  “A wedding on New Year’s Eve? It’s like a single girl’s two worst nightmares all rolled into one.”

  Emily giggled. “Don’t be silly.” Although she had to admit, Jade had a point.

  “I’m just saying. What are the two worst times to be single besides Valentine’s Day? Weddings and New Year’s Eve.”

  “It’s not that bad. Besides, we’ll probably be in the wedding.” Emily moved her silverware out of the way as the waitress placed their food on the table.

  Jade placed her napkin in her lap. “Well, I for one am not going to go alone. Nope. No way.”

  “Oh? Any prospects I should know about?” Jade’s bad dates were legendary.

  She wrinkled her nose. “One of my coworkers set me up with her cousin a couple of weeks ago.”

  “Yeah? And how did it go?”

  Jade shook her head. “He came to pick me up but didn’t make it inside. He heard the dogs barking.”

  “What, he doesn’t like dogs?”

  “Oh, it’s worse than just not liking them. He was afraid of them. I tried to bring out a puppy I’d just rescued from over on Quince Road, and you would’ve thought I was wielding some kind of deadly weapon. Needless to say we didn’t go out again.” She brightened. “But the next date I have could sweep me off of my feet. You never know.”

  Emily hid a smile. She’d never met anyone who was more of a hopeless romantic than Jade. She never lost hope that Mr. Right was out there, no matter how many awful dates she went on. “True. You never know who or what is waiting around the corner.”

  ***

  Andrew Beckett whipped his old pickup truck into the visitor’s parking lot at St. Jude. He’d promised his sister Sarah that he’d be at the hospital fifteen minutes ago, but he was having a hard time adjusting back to Central Time. He’d been out of the country for work and gotten back to his home in southern Mississippi yesterday morning. Last night he’d made the five-hour drive to Memphis, and today he was totally exhausted from all of his travels. One look in the mirror this morning told him he could be the poster boy for jet lag. But nothing could keep him from surprising his nine-year-old niece, Mary Kate.

  A month ago, Mary Kate had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Mary Kate and Sarah had left their home in Laurel, Mississippi, and headed to Memphis. The whole family had been relieved when Mary Kate was admitted for treatment at St. Jude because of the hospital’s specialized treatment of childhood cancer.

  Mary Kate had taken everything in stride. Her main concern had been leaving behind her beloved dog, Ruby. Andrew had quickly offered to keep the dog until she was able to return home.

  At thirty-two, Andrew wasn’t ashamed to admit that his young niece had become one of his greatest inspirations. Any time he faced a challenge, all he had to do was picture Mary Kate and his problems suddenly seemed very small.

  He sat in the truck for another moment, wondering what to expect once he got inside the hospital. He’d always hated hospitals and wasn’t thrilled at the idea of one full of sick kids. But he’d left the country right after Mary Kate’s diagnosis and was anxious to see her and make sure Sarah was holding up okay.

  He grabbed the gift he’d brought and hurried toward the hospital entrance, ignoring the odd looks passersby shot his way. Being the center of attention always made him uncomfortable. He probably should’ve tried to wrap the stupid thing. And he would have if he’d had time. But he’d gotten to Memphis so late last night, he’d just fallen into bed. His flight out of Beijing had been delayed, and then he’d gotten stuck in Detroit of all places. After years of traveling he was firmly convinced airlines were in competition with one another to see which could find the most inconvenient routes for passengers.

  Beth used to think traveling through some random airport made trips more interesting. She’d always had a sunny outlook on things like that. When they’d gotten stuck in Dallas on their way back from a trip to Hawaii with her parents, she’d just laughed and told him to lighten up.

  “Great. I’m dating Pollyanna.” He’d let out an exaggerated sigh.

  Beth giggled. “Well, there’s no reason to be grouchy. Traveling is supposed to be an adventure. Which sometimes means getting stuck in strange airports.” She grinned. “It makes for great people watching.”

  He’d leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. “At least I have good company.”

  “I’ll always be your travel partner.”

  And she had been a great travel partner. Until a rainy night four years ago when everything had changed.

  “Let me get the door for you.” A woman who looked to be in her mid-fifties held the door open, a wide smile on her face. “Looks like you’re about to make someone’s day a little brighter.”

  He returned her grin. “I hope so.” He maneuvered through the door, a tight grip on Mary Kate’s surprise. He’d do anything he could to make today’s chemotherapy treatment easier. From what Sarah had told him over the phone, treatment days were long and brutal.

  Andrew couldn’t wait to see the look on Mary Kate’s face when she saw him and her gift. Sarah had given him explicit instructions on how to find them once he arrived at the hospital. It wouldn’t be long now. Lord, give me the right words to make this day easier on Sarah and Mary Kate. Be with the doctors administering Mary Kate’s treatment and heal her broken body.

  As he said a silent Amen, he rounded the corner.

  And knocked a pretty red-haired woman right off of her feet.

  Chapter Two

  Celebrities came to St. Jude on a regular basis. Emily had gotten used to seeing sports stars, musicians, and the occasional actor in the hospital. But she’d never been up close and personal with one.

  Until now.

  Face-to-face with Justin Bieber.

  Cardboard Justin Bieber.

  The life-sized cutout fell to the floor as strong hands reached to steady her.

  “I’m so sorry,” the man said. “I guess I came around that corner too fast.”

  She looked into his blue eyes, all too aware of his hands around her waist. “You know, you can let go of me now.”

  He dropped his hands and took a step back. “Sorry. Just trying to keep you from falling flat.” He grinned and picked the offending cardboard cutout up from the floor. “I guess even grown women have Bieber fever. He practically swept you off your feet.”

  Emily noticed a couple of people at the nurses’ station, watching the interchange with interest. She must’ve looked ridiculous. “Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”

  He drew his brows together. “Are you sure? Because you seem kind of mad. I didn’t mean to run into you. And I was only kidding about the Bieber fever thing.”

  “Just watch where you’re going. Next time it could be a patient or a volunteer.” She turned on her heel and headed in the other direction. She knew she’d been a jerk. But she didn’t care. Some people walked around giving no thought to those around them. Just because this guy was in some kind of hurry didn’t give him an excuse for not watching where he was going.

  “Who was that?” Charlotte Morrison walked up to Emily, a smile on her face.

  Emily shrugged. “I didn’t get his name. Just some guy who almost knocked me over with a cardboard Justin Bieber, no less.”

  Charlotte laughed. “I know. I saw. I also saw him catch you before you fell.” She raised an eyebrow. “Kind of gallant if you ask me.”

  Emily rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I have way too much going on today to worry about whether or not some random guy is gallant. Besides, I’m pretty sure only fairy-tale heroes are gallant. Not normal guys. At lea
st not the ones I meet.”

  “Whoa. Sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” Charlotte stopped walking. “Is everything okay?”

  Emily closed her eyes. She would’ve been better off to take a personal day today than to try and act like everything was fine. “Just a tough week, that’s all.” She managed a smile. “Sorry I’m so grouchy.” Today marked an anniversary that Emily would just as soon forget. But her calendar and her conscience wouldn’t allow it.

  “Everyone’s entitled to a grouchy day every now and then.” Charlotte grinned. “I’m pretty sure you have a patient in today that will make you feel better though.”

  Emily nodded. “You’re right about that.” All her patients were special, but every now and then one came along and absolutely captured her heart.

  Charlotte checked her watch. “Speaking of, I’ve got to run. Catch you later though? Maybe at lunch? I want to know what you’ve decided about finishing that degree. Classes just aren’t the same without you.”

  “Sure. Text me when you go on break. I’ll fill you in.” Emily was halfway through the master’s degree program at the University of Memphis to become a family nurse practitioner. Once started, the degree had to be finished within five calendar years. If she didn’t start back to school soon, that wouldn’t be possible.

  She watched Charlotte hurry off, stopping to greet a family along the way. She’d worked here for years, yet still marveled at the hope and happiness in the hospital corridors. There was a strong sense of team, not just with the staff, but also with the patients and their families. Everyone fought for the same thing—to beat childhood cancer.

  Emily pasted a smile on her face and arrived at the doorway of her patient’s room.

  And came face-to-face with Justin Bieber.

  Again.

  You have got to be kidding me.

  **

  Andrew had been worrying for the past several weeks that his abrupt decision to move to Memphis had been the wrong one. Big cities weren’t his thing at all, with all the people, traffic, and crime. But one look at the smile on Mary Kate’s face and he knew it wasn’t a sacrifice.