Denver, Last of May, early afternoon
He wasnât worth it. Elizabeth Drystan stomped down the grocery store aisle, pushing her metal basket hard. The damn thing had a wonky wheel, of course, and Elizabeth reveled in the necessity of using force.
The man wasnât worth her heartbreak. Heartbreak? More like her heart had been ripped out, leaving a horrible, bloody, aching core. As a newly board-certified doctor starting a job in Denver Major Hospital next month, she knew her physical heart still beat. But, oh, her emotional one was shredded into pieces.
The jerk, Cassidy, had said she was âcrowdingâ him. He âneeded space.â Just when she thought she could plan the rest of her lifeâstarting with a wedding. After a year, Cassidy had broken their engagement. Because he needed space.
Elizabeth had told him to go to Wyoming.
And the inexplicable auditory illusionsâchanting, gongs and chimesâwere taking her to the edge of temper and sanity. Even now she had to block the sounds from her mind.
She took a corner fast and crashed into another cart. The jolt sang up her arms. She opened her mouth to spew and saw her twin sister, Bri, who was supposed to be in Swedenâpurple-streaked hair and all. Elizabeth burst into tears.
Bri reached for her, hugging and soothing. âI knew something was wrong. I had to came back.â
Elizabeth didnât care where her free-spirited sister had been, only that she was holding her. Her tears were dripping down Briâs fallen earbuds and she wondered if salt water damaged them. The silliness of that thought made her gasp, choke, and stifle the water flow. Digging into her cart for one of the already opened boxes of tissues, Elizabeth wiped her eyes and blew her nose. âGod, am I glad you came.â
Bri patted her on the shoulder. âI knew you were sad.â Her jaw tightened. âMan problems, right? That Doctor Medical-Prodigy-Slick-Hunk-Son-Of-A-Bitch. I told you he was an arrogant snob of a bastard. Finally showed his true colors.â
Elizabeth hugged her again. âIâm glad youâre here.â
âActually, Iâm back for good.â
That was startling and Elizabeth welcomed the distraction, even if she didnât believe it. âReally?â She stepped back to scan Briâs face under her spiky hair of brown and purple. There was an unaccustomed seriousness in her hazel gaze along withâ¦uncertainty?
Shrugging, Bri flushed. âNo place like home, right?â
âSo they say.â But lately Elizabeth had begun to feel a change of venue might be good. She could reconsider her decision about starting at Denver Major Hospital. Take a long break, call around to some of her other offers. Her feet were actually tingling. She wondered if that was what Bri called âitchy feet.â
âElizabeth?â Bri was smiling. âYou went away on me.â
That was usually Elizabethâs phrase to her twin.
After one last blow into her tissue, Elizabeth tucked it away into a plastic baggie in her purse, took out an antiseptic towlette packet, opened it and wiped her hands.
Looking amused, Bri rolled up her earbuds and slipped her player in her purse. âFeel better?â
âAlways, when youâre here.â
Bri looked away, then back, hunched a shoulder. âYou know why Iâve been gone. I had to see if other places were more accepting ofâ¦our talent.â
Elizabeth never wanted to talk about that subject. âThe folks will be glad to see you. They were hoping youâd come home for Dadâs birthday.â
âThis time the favors I called in were solid. Got here this morning. Everywhereâs been interesting. Denver and home is better.â
Touching the puffiness under her eyes, Elizabeth winced. âMy God, look at me, breaking down in a grocery store!â
Bri glanced around, âYou wouldnât be the first, and you picked an appropriate place. Supplies all around. Tiger Balmâs right behind your shoulder and aspirin on my side of the aisle.â Bri grinned. Elizabeth always thought Bri had gotten the prettier smile. Bri said since they were identical, Elizabeth had it, too. That wasnât true. Briâs smile was special. Maybe because she was such a free spirit.
ââScuse me,â said a tall, wiry black woman with salt-and-pepper hair, walking down the aisle. Her face showed irritationâthat part which wasnât covered with a package of frozen baby peas. âI need one of those instant ice packs.â Her visible eye rolled to other items on the shelves. âAnd one of those herbal sinus pillows, too.â