No Time to Lose [NOOK Book]

Read an Excerpt

Jamie shook off a wave of regret as she pulled into the parking lot at McGuireville Community Hospital. She found a space and parked the rental Mustang—red, of course.

Please have him be okay.

Resting her forehead on the steering wheel, she allowed herself a moment of weakness. What would she do if he died? The world without Jimmy Tanner was too scary to contemplate, even though he'd let her down all those years ago. Somehow, she'd always felt the world would continue to rotate on its axis as long as her daddy was in the engine-building shop. Maybe because that meant there was still a chance for things to turn out right.

Jamie straightened, reaching for her Detroit Pistons ball cap as she flipped down the vanity mirror on the visor. She smoothed her hair into a ponytail and twisted an elastic band to hold it, then pulled the tail through the back of her cap. She settled the brim low on her forehead. There. No one would remember her as a Poultry Princess now. And her mom wouldn't think she'd succeeded in molding her only daughter into a proper Southern lady.

She pressed the lock tab for the Mustang and hurried to the double doors. Raising her chin, she prepared for what was to come. A burly guy did a double take as she walked by then let out a low whistle.

Jamie ignored him. Glancing down, she realized her scoop neck T-shirt fit more snugly than she realized. Her clothes were normally chosen with care, sure to deflect rather than draw attention.

Jamie shrugged. Nothing to be done about it now. When she reached the information desk, the volunteer seemed familiar.

"Why, Jamie Lynn Tanner, I haven't seen you inages. Not since the Poultry Princess pageant ."

Jamie managed a smile. "I'm here to see my father. Is my mother already with him?"

"Yes, dear. The waiting room is on the second floor, to the right. Tom's upstairs, too ."

"Of course. Thank you, Mrs. White." Luckily, she'd remembered the woman's name.

"Certainly, dear. Your mother will be so pleased you're home. I'm sure she'll have you back wearing a dress in no time," she said, smiling.

Jamie suppressed a groan. That's what she was afraid of.

Choosing the stairs, she took them two at a time to make herself feel strong and in control. Because if there was one thing she felt around her family, it was out of control.
TOM TANNER GLANCED up from his cup of machine- dispensed coffee and stiffened. His sister, ubermechanic extraordinaire and their father's favorite, strode across rubbed him the wrong way. He responded in kind. "Hi, Metal Mouth ."

Amusement lurked in her green eyes, so much like their mother's. "Thanks, Boy Wonder." It was a back- handed reference to his childhood obsession with superheroes.

Tom slouched in his seat. Why did he feel like a gawky kid again? The answer stood before him in all her blonde perfection. Even in casual clothes and a ball cap, Jamie was clearly blessed with the good looks in the family. No wonder there hadn't been many left over for him.

"No problem, Your Highness," he said.

His sister flushed. Score one for the kid brother.

"Stop it you two," their mother scolded.

Shrugging off his irritation, he allowed himself to be the bigger person, as his mother had put it. His voice was husky when he said, "It's good to see you, Sis ."

And, surprisingly enough, it was good to have her back. He just didn't want her staying too long.

Jamie smiled, showing off her excellent orthodontia. She leaned down and hugged him quickly. "Hey, Tom. It's good to see you, too ."

He swallowed hard. Losing his sister had been wrenching. But having her back could destroy every- thing he'd worked for.

She straightened, addressing their mother. "How's Daddy doing?"

"They already have him up and around if you can believe it. I thought it was too soon after a quadruple bypass, but they start rehabilitation right away ."

"Probably for the best. You know Dad—he doesn't like to sit around much," Tom commented.

His mother straightened. "He's going to be taking it a lot easier. Isn't he, Tom?"

Tom would have preferred to face a pack of angry stock car drivers than face his mom when she'd made a decision. He knew when to admit defeat. If only tem- porarily. "Yes, Ma'am ."

"Jamie, the doctor should be done examining your father if you'd like to see him. We'll wait here. Your brother has a business proposition to discuss with you after that ."

"Mom ." Even he detected a whine in his voice. Here he was, a grown man and partner in a world-renowned performance engine business, and he was reduced to sniveling. He shot his sister a look. "Thomas Edward Tanner ."

That was all it took. Tom sighed. "Yes, Ma'am. Jamie, I'll talk to you over lunch ."

Jamie nodded, frowning.

Tom watched her ponytail swing in time with her confident stride. He had the feeling Cyclone Jamie was about to unleash her damage and it would be his career that took the hit.
JAMIE TIPTOED into her father's room. His eyes were closed and he was hooked up to all sorts of machines. She sat in the chair next to the bed, taking the opportu- nity to watch him, really noticing how much he'd aged in recent years.

His hair was mostly gray and his face rounder, yet more lined. Her heart ached at the changes in him. And for the fact that she'd been away so much during the last twelve years.

As if sensing her gaze, her father opened his eyes. "Jamie," he murmured.

She grasped his hand. "I'm here, Daddy ."

"Yes, you are." He tried to smile, but it was a pale version of his usual cocky grin.

"You scared me ."

"I scared myself. I'm glad you came. Your mother needs someone to lean on—I worry about her ."

"Daddy, she's one of the strongest people I know. But I'll do what I can.You just concentrate on getting well ."

"The old ticker's good as new. Maybe even better ."

"You just had a quadruple bypass. That's serious stuff. I'm sure your doctor is going to expect you to make some lifestyle changes ."

He grimaced. "Yeah, a social worker's going to talk to us about that. And a nutritionist. Your mother's already talking about getting a bunch of heart-healthy cookbooks ."

"Good for her. She'll keep you on the straight and narrow ."

"You know it." He rubbed her hand with his thumb.

"It's good to see you, Kitten ."

Her throat constricted at his use of his old pet name. "Yeah. Good to see you, too ."

I've missed you, Daddy. But she couldn't bring herself to say the words. Instead, she opted for a quick retreat to regroup. "I'm gonna let you rest. I'll be back later this afternoon ."

He nodded. His lack of protest bothered her. He was weaker than he would admit.
JAMIE PUSHED the lettuce around with her fork. She eyed Tom. His appetite seemed unimpaired.

"How's your chicken fried steak?" she asked.

"Excellent, as usual. The diner has the best food this side of Mom's table ."

"Their salads could use some imagination ."

"We have simple tastes here in Arkansas. You've gotten spoiled in the big city." His smirk told her he thought she'd always been treated specially.

She decided not to rise to her brother's bait. "Hmm. We best not debate who's more spoiled or we could be here for days. Dad's concerned about Mom having our support. It won't help if we're at each other's throats all the time ."

Tom sighed. "Yeah. Mom's worried about Dad and Dad's worried about Mom. And we're stuck in the middle ."

"We're their kids. That's where we're supposed to be. Besides, I think it's kind of cute ."

Tom snorted. "I take it you don't have anyone special to worry over you like that? Things didn't work out with Tiffany or Brittany or whatever her name was?" she asked.

"Nope. I'm married to my job. How about you?"

"The same." Except that her job would be nonexis- tent in a couple of months. Who knew sales of domestic minivans could take such a hit?

"I thought things were going to work out with you and that engineer ."

"I thought so, too." Her words were quiet, her hurt probably evident. It still stung to think she'd actually believed they'd had a shot at the white picket fence and two-point-five kids.

Jamie shrugged to defuse her vulnerability. "He couldn't figure out why I need to spend so much time helping out at the racetrack when I design engines all day. It's an outlet that keeps me sane, allows me to be hands-on in a way I can't be at work ."

"And his outlet?"

"Getting hands-on with a sweet young thing from the accounting department ."

"Ouch." Tom winced.

"It was almost a year ago. I'm over it ."

"Sure. He didn't deserve you anyway ."

Jamie hoped she didn't detect a trace of pity in his voice. She sipped her sweet tea, stalling for time. Finally, she phrased a question that nagged at her. "How is it that our parents, who have such a strong marriage, could produce two children who can't seem to get re- lationships right?"

"Hey, I didn't say I couldn't get it right. I just don't want to at the moment. My career's too important ."

"Yeah, you're a horrible liar, Tommy. Always were ." She was gratified to see the tips of his ears redden. They were back on solid, familiar ground.

"And you're a sanctimonious bi—"

She raised her hand, palm outward. "Ah-ah. You wouldn't want me to tell mom you're being uncoopera- tive, would you?"

He slouched in the booth, his glum expression so reminiscent of when he'd been a kid it almost tugged at her heart. Almost.

"D'you ever notice we both turn into ten-year-olds when we're together?" she asked.

"You mean you're not that way all the time?" His eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Let's make a real effort to act like adults. What's the business proposition Mom mentioned?"

"Promise you'll hear me out?"

"Sounds like you already know I'm not going to like it ."

"I've brought in a lot of new business lately. Tanner has never been busier and Dad's going to be recuper- ating for a few months. Or retiring completely if Mom has her way ."

"No way. Dad will never retire ."

"No, I don't think so, either. But this heart attack shook him up. And we have to cover for him for at least six months ." "So what's that got to do with me?" Jamie tried to keep her expression bland. But she held her breath all the same.

"Mom said something about your Michigan division shutting down. She thought you, um, might consider coming back for a while ."

Jamie raised an eyebrow. Her mother had always opposed her daughter working in the shop. That's why she left Arkansas in the first place.

"Under what terms?"

"Same terms that Dad offered when you graduated from college. I'll oversee the technical areas, you'll take some of the administrative stuff off my hands. And I'll build engines till Dad's back on his feet ."

No wonder her mother hadn't objected. It was the same crummy deal she'd been offered before—designed to keep her pushing papers and away from engine- building.

Jamie wadded up her napkin and threw it on the table. "Thanks, but no thanks." She started to rise, but Tom grasped her arm.

"Wait. Can't we talk about this? Compromise?"