Caroline continued up the hallway and paused, peering through a doorway before entering. “Liam.” She sauntered into the room. “This is Cassidy Ryan.”
“Hi, Liam,” I said to the elderly man holding an empty cup of tea in bed.
“Cassidy.” A kind smile radiated across the room. “I knew you would be beautiful.”
I laughed. “Pardon?”
“When we spoke over the phone, I just knew. It shines through your voice.”
Caroline grumbled. “I think you’re being highly inappropriate, Liam.”
“Oh, hush, Caroline. At my age, I should be allowed to surround myself with beauty,” he said as another lady walked into the room. “Speaking of beauty. This is my nurse, Nora.”
Nora shook her head with a chuckle. “Liam, behave. You’re going make the poor girl think you’re a dirty old man and not the gentleman you really are.”
Caroline emitted an inpatient grunt. “Well, I’ll leave you all to get acquainted. Cassidy, there’s a copy of your employment contract in your room, along with a cell phone you must carry with you at all times.”
“Thank you, Caroline.”
With a curt nod, Caroline glanced around the room, in clear discomfort before scurrying outside. I’d become accustomed to the sights and sounds of various medical devices but understood how overwhelming it could be to those who weren’t.
Once Caroline disappeared, Nora slid a half-empty box of chocolates out from under Liam’s pillow. “That was close.”
“Just one more?” Liam’s hazel eyes pleaded with her. “Come on, I’m a dying man.”
“You’re going to get me fired,” she hissed as she held out the box. “I’ve got mouths to feed, remember?”
“Oh!” My heart lit up. “You have kids?”
“Two famished teenagers. Our food bill is ridiculous.”
Liam chortled. “I remember when my grandsons were like that. Always sneaking into the kitchen to raid the pantry—even in the middle of the night.”
“I’m pretty sure they still do,” Nora said. “Nancy is always complaining to Max about missing ice cream.”
“Does your family live close by?” I asked, envious that her role wasn’t impacted by having children.
“In Brooklyn. Liam flies me in and out so I can spend the weekends with my family. You’ll meet the weekend nurse on Friday.”
“She’s a witch,” Liam muttered, scrunching up the chocolate wrapper before handing Nora the evidence.
“No, she’s not.” Nora turned her gaze to me. “She’s just very…serious.”
Liam grumbled. “My daughter-in-law insisted we hire her.”
Nora laid her hand on Liam’s. “With your grandsons visiting every weekend, I honestly think you’ll be too distracted to care. And let’s not forget Master Harry’s first visit to Harlow Manor.”
Liam’s face lit up as he turned to me. “Harrison is my great-grandson. The newest addition to the Harlow family. I’ll be meeting him next week.”
My heart swelled. “You must be excited.”
Nora picked up Liam’s chart and wrote something down. “Ever since that baby was born, I’ve never seen him so happy. Even his health has improved.”
“The young ones keep us going.” I knew all too well.
“Indeed, they do. Without my grandsons, I think I would’ve left this earth years ago.”
“You sound close to them.”