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The moment her head hit the pillow last night, her dreams were sweet and plentiful. She woke this morning rested and more than revved up to see Thomas again.
Good grief the man knew how to kiss... everywhere.
Glad she got the chance to return the favor. How she loved how he felt in her mouth. The way she made him writhe with pleasure, how he begged for release.
She let out a long sigh at that mental replay and shuddered from delight.
Now, she’d have to stand outside for an extra few minutes to cool off, but how it would be worth it. Spending time with Thomas made the hours until their Sunday date this evening seem farther away than it had before they’d gone hiking.
Before they had breakfast together.
To be fair, Thomas was far more than his talented tongue. He made her laugh, kept up with her during the hike, and cherished her body like a worshipper at the altar. Plus, he intellectually challenged her without being intimidated by her knowledge base. Too many times, she’d dated guys, only to discover they couldn’t handle a smart woman, but not Thomas. If anything, he seemed more turned on by her brain as much as her body.
That made her want to spend more time with him.
A lot more time with him.
I love that about him.
Even though she’d said it to only herself, the word love caught in her throat, making her cough.
Love him? No way. No, this is like and a whole lot of lust.
She tossed back a mint and cleared her throat.
Besides, you can’t love someone who’s leaving.
But his words of promise gave her hope he’d stay.
A while.
That image settled her angst and allowed her libido to kick into high gear. She’d hoped to see him this morning at the hotel gym, but no such luck. With him working from seven last night until seven this morning, she figured he might be sleeping in.
“Mineral oil. Fiber One. Suppositories.” Carol’s voice floated around the pharmacy on this quiet Sunday. Only Lucy and another couple of women were in the store. The two others spoke quietly on the cosmetics row.
“Ms. Bingley, can you say that quieter please?”
“Oh, Dr. McMasters. Don’t worry about it. Constipation is a common side effect of pain medication.”
Peeking around the corner of the aisle, Lucy saw the local curmudgeon, his cane in hand. She debated on talking to him, hoping to convince him to come in, correct and close the charts in question, but when Ms. Bingley said enemas out loud, Lucy had to stifle a laugh and hid in the vitamin section.
“Ms. Bingley, please.”
See, this is why people know everything about everyone in town. Carol Bingley worked more efficiently than any gossip rag.
She dramatically sighed and put her hand to her chest. “I’m so glad you got your prescription situation figured out from a couple of months ago. I hated to think of you being miserable in pain.”
“Yes, thank you, Ms. Bingley.” He motioned for her to bag his things faster.
A little boy ran out away from the two women and right up to Dr. McMasters. He pointed to the man’s colorful cane and shouted, “Culebra! Culebra!”
Carol’s forehead puckered. “What did he say?”
“He said snake.” Lucy walked over and tilted her chin towards the head of the cane. A silver serpent sat on the head of it; an easy grip for Dr. McMasters’s gnarled fingers.
At first the doctor didn’t smile, but when the boy jumped up and down, making hissing noises, a smile cracked across his face. “Hiss, hiss, buddy. Yes.”
“A snake? That’s terrible, Dr. McMasters.” Carol’s eyes went wide and shuddered. “Wherever would you get such a thing?”
“Amazon. I get everything on Amazon.” Leaning against the counter, he handed the cane to the boy who stared at the snake with wide-eyed fascination. He pulled out his phone from his pocket, holding it up. “I can even order it on my phone.”
“Computers are amazing things.” Carol shrugged and scanned the remaining bowel products the man appeared to need. “I know they’ve made it easier for me to keep inventory.”
“I love them. Get to write to my son. He’s deployed right now. Get to see my grandkids every week.” He beamed. “Get to watch all my TV shows no matter where I am.”
“Computers are fantastic,” Lucy added, but Jade’s words replayed in her head.
He doesn’t like the computer.
And Flo’s.
He wouldn’t acclimate.
Seeing a bit of movement to her right, Lucy noticed two women smiling at her. They motioned the boy to join them.
Reluctantly, he gave the cane back and pointed to Lucy, taking her hand. He escorted her to the two women. “Es doctora, mami.”
“Mucho gusto.” Lucy extended her hand and each woman responded in kind.
The bell rang as Dr. McMasters slowly left. He walked with his cane and his careful gait and the large bag of supplies he’d purchased.
“Vroom. Vroom. Mama!” The child’s sweet voice called out. The same child she’d cared for a few days before. “Vroom! Vroom!”
The little boy drove it along any surface he could place it and next to him, two women talked back and forth about which over the counter medicine to get.
Lucy knelt to return the hug. “How are you?”
“I good. Better.” He wheezed before a hard, stridorous cough.
“You sure?” That doesn’t sound completely better. “I’m Dr. Davidson. Doctora Davidson. Trabajo en el hospital.”
“Ja, ja, la doctora.” The shorter of the two nodded and responded in kind. “He mejor. Better, but he have... have... como se llama ese silbido?”
“Silbido. Wheeze.”
“Sí, sí.”
“That should get better. He’s taking the medicine?” Lucy repeated the question in Spanish when the mother apologized for not completely understanding her.
“Yes. Sí. Hoy. Last day.”
“Okay, if he’s not better. No mejor el lunes. Come back to the ER. Urgencias.”
“Otra ves?”
“He’s been back already?”
The mother’s forehead furrowed. “Sí, but doctor see him. Say my son. Mejor.”
“Okay. Please come back if you need.”
The child held up his toy car for her to take. “Es amarillo.”
“It sure is yellow.” When Lucy held it, she realized it wasn’t an authentic Hot Wheel, but a plastic knock off. Most likely he’d gotten it out of a fast food kid’s meal and it certainly hadn’t held up like a metal toy. A long, rectangular piece was missing out of the side panel. “Donde? Where is this?”
“No sé.” The boy shrugged and took the car back. He ran toward the front of the store and the women quickly followed, waving over their shoulders as they stopped at the counter to pay for their items.
Pride swelled in her chest. It felt good that she could do what so few others here could. Granted, there wasn’t as much of a need for Spanish speakers in Marietta, but she couldn’t imagine how terrifying it had to be to go to another country for honest work and not be sure if anyone would understand what they said. That held especially true if someone ended up in the ER.
For the next few minutes, Lucy made her way around the store searching for nothing in particular. With Thomas sleeping in today, she simply wanted to be somewhere other than the ER, the director’s office behind a pile of files, or the Graff.
The front bell attached to the door rang as the child’s rapidfire questions went silent. Her phone beeped.
Checking it, she discovered a missed voicemail from the moving company informing her she’d have her furniture in seven to ten days. Again. Of course I will. “Great. Guess I need to stock up again.”
In the basket, she threw another bottle of her favorite shampoo, a pack of razors, deodorant, mouthwash, toothpaste. As she passed the family planning section, she eyed a colorful box of condoms.
The bell rang again, signaling another customer had arrived.
After yesterday, it was more than clear that Thomas and she were more than attracted to each other, but were they ready for that next step?
Intense foreplay was one thing, but sex?
Was that where she wanted to go with him?
She tried to mentally count the reasons why she shouldn’t.
He could still leave.
Then she reviewed the reasons why she should buy the box. There were too many to count, which put a wicked smile on her face. Still, him heading out in a few months bothered her.
But enough to walk away from him?
Could she risk her heart if he left when his contract expired?
Was he worth it?
She remembered the way his tongue danced over her body. When he said he’d read The Pluto Files.
Yep, it’s worth the risk.
But before she could place it in her bag, a snarky voice interrupted her thought.
“Big night planned?”
The box fell to the floor and landed behind her.
Taking a soothing breath in, Lucy exhaled as she turned. “Yes. Sunday. I’m going to dinner. With a friend.”
“With Thomas?” Jade picked up the box and appeared to inspect it. “Trojan Pleasure Pack. Forty count. Isn’t that a little ambitious, even for Thomas?”
Snatching the box away, Lucy tossed it back on the shelf. The heat of embarrassment radiated off her face. “Why do you care about this?”
“You’re brave. Most townies buy their condoms in Bozeman since Carol’s gonna tell everyone.”
Lucy nonchalantly scanned the store, hoping no one was within earshot, especially no one she’d treated in the past month and a half.
Oh, who am I kidding? Carol Bingley probably has microphones planted all around the store. The entire town will know about this by the time I get to work. “What? Now you going to tell me large isn’t the right size for Thomas?”
Jade cringed like she’d smelled something foul. “How would I know? It would be like knowing what size condoms my brothers need. Gross.”
“Well, that gives me all sorts of relief.” Lucy sarcastically replied, but honestly felt better hearing it.
“I thought about our conversation from the other day.”
“Great.” When Jade said nothing else, Lucy realized she’d leaned forward in great antici... pation. “And?”
“I screwed up. It’s mine to fix. I don’t need your help.” Dark circles of eye makeup sprinkled over the bags under Jade’s eyes as if she cried herself to sleep and hadn’t bothered to look in the mirror before going out.
Lucy couldn’t help but wonder what demons the woman appeared to be fighting to drive the batshit crazy look in her eyes.
Reaching out to touch Jade’s arm, Lucy insisted, “You do need my help if you want to keep this from blowing up in your face.”
Jade took a step back, out of Lucy’s reach. “See, that’s just it. I don’t want your help. I want to prove to Denver and Evan that I can do this job. That maybe they’ll consider adding a position I inquired about months ago.”
“Which is?”
“Nurse educator.”
Now we’re getting somewhere. “And you plan to fix this with the charts, how?”
“I’ll get Dr. McMasters to correct the charts like you said. Take them to his house if I have to, but I will get him to do it. Scream at the man if I have to.”
“Screaming at him. Jade, please. You’re going to get more flies with honey.”
“Or booze.”
Or apparently laxatives. “Great. Number seven thousand why it was time for him to retire.” Lucy put her basket down.
Jade counted off on her fingers. “Looks good on my resume, I can make my own schedule, I get to go to conferences, and arrange staff education.”
“What about the charting and the billing and the night shifts?”
“You can keep all that.”
“This isn’t apple picking. The good with the bad.” Lucy ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. “I’m only going to say this once. You have to work with me on fixing these charges and charts.”
“And what if I don’t? You’ll downgrade me to QA to go through those mountains of files in your office?”
“That’s no downgrade. They need a full-time person to get the hospital ready for inspection next year. Those charts are a full-time job.”
Jade flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I think I’d rather drill nails into my hands. People who do that job are tired or can’t work the floor anymore.”
“Or are really good with the fine details of it all.” Clenching her fists by her sides, Lucy mentally counted to ten to keep from screaming. “Jade, I’m trying here.”
“Why?”
“Why what?” Lucy threw her hands up in frustration.
“I don’t know why you’d want to. It’s no secret I’m a major pain in your ass and you’re trying to help me. Why?”
“Because I’ve read your file. You’re a damned good nurse with a lot to teach. The staff looks up to you and looks to you for guidance so I think proposing a nurse educator position is brilliant.” Clasping her hands in front of her, Lucy prayed for the strength to stay professional, but Jade had the perfect ability to strip away any patience Lucy had left. “I want you on Team Marietta. To help the hospital grow and flourish and whatever other plans the directors have, but I won’t, can’t, have you compromise the integrity of this facility with filing those charts without me helping you.”
For a moment, Jade stood there wide-eyed and still, but soon gave Lucy a slow clap. “Did you practice that speech in the mirror?”
“I give up.” Scooping up the basket, Lucy turned to walk away. “Do what you want with your life, Jade. Don’t say I didn’t try to help”
“Well, I’ll say it again. I don’t want your help.”
A sudden realization hit her in the gut. Ugh, she sounds like me when I talked to Thomas. For the first time, Lucy understood what Jade was all about.
I don’t want your help. How many times had Lucy said that to anyone who offered? She couldn’t even begin to count them all.
“Jade, I get it. You want to prove to everyone you can do this all on your own.” Lucy stuffed her hands in her pockets. “I get it.”
“Then let me do it.”
Carol leaned over the counter, her ear pointed towards the two of them.
“If she stretches her neck any farther to hear us, her head is going to fall off.”
Jade laughed. “She looks like she’s attempting to morph into a giraffe.”
“You ladies okay back there?” Carol called out.
“We’re good, Ms. Bingley.” Lucy waved. “Just getting a few things. Still got any of those lip balms?”
“Oh, yes, I do!”
“Be right there.” As Lucy began to leave, she stopped before passing Jade. “I know you don’t like me.”
“That is true.”
“But I will give you until Friday to get this cleared up. If you can’t do it, I’m going to go to Denver and Evan about it because if you won’t take my help, maybe you’ll take theirs.” Making her way to the front, Lucy placed her items on the counter as Carol said each item out loud.
“Shampoo. Is this any good?”
“I love that kind. Smells like lemons.”
“Not much for lemons.” Carol unscrewed the top and sniffed and put the cap back on. “Still not much for lemons.”
“To each his own.” Drumming her fingers on the counter, her nerves buzzed and her heart raced. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy could still see Jade milling about the store picking things up and putting them back.
“Razors. Toothpaste. Deodorant. Mints. We still have lip balm, two for four dollars.”
Jade slowly made her way to the counter, keeping Lucy on edge. Just the woman’s presence caused Lucy to go on high alert.
Good grief. After talking to her, I feel like I just poked a bear with a stick.
The tapping of nails on the counter caught Lucy’s attention. “What?”
Pursed lipped Carol waited for an answer when Lucy doesn’t remember hearing the question. “Dr. Davidson. Lip balm? How many?”
“Sure, sure, throw them in.”
“What flavors?”
“I don’t care.” Lucy snapped. “One of each.”
Carol’s lips pruned. “You don’t have to be rude.”
“Sorry, just have to go to the bathroom.”
“I get that. It’s all that coffee you drink.” She wagged a finger at Lucy. “If that’s everything, that’ll be—”
“Wait. Wait. Dr. Davidson.” Jade called out.
Lucy groaned. “What now?”
“You forgot something.” The large box of condoms appeared on the counter.
Carol raised an over plucked eyebrow. “Condoms?”
There couldn’t be a word in the dictionary that properly described the depth of Lucy’s embarrassment at that moment. What else could she do, but play along. “That’s very kind of you, Ms. Phillips.”
“I saw you looking at it in the back and realized you hadn’t picked it up.” Jade replied sweetly. “I’d hate for a single woman like you to be unprepared.”
Thomas’s words of badasses were replayed in her brain, but it didn’t do much to quell Lucy’s complete mortification.
“Did you need the forty count, variety pack, pro-phy-lac-tics, Dr. Davidson?” Carol enunciated each syllable with perfect church lady judgment.
When Lucy looked up, she half expected Carol to have on a white wig with tight curls and wear horned rimmed glasses like the Dana Carvey character on Saturday Night Live.
When no such costume appeared, Lucy said a silent prayer. “Yes, Ms. Bingley, please add them to my purchase.”
At least I might have a good laugh about this.
Some day.
Jade playfully patted Lucy on the back. “Okay then. Glad to help. See you at work, Dr. Davidson.”
If she doesn’t drive me out of town, she’s going to drive me mad.
“Evan.” Thomas took the seat across from his boss as the noises of the diner echoed around them.
“Thomas. What can I do for you?”
“Sorry to bother you on a Sunday morning, but I needed to talk.” Thomas coughed and tried to take a deep breath. His lungs constricted from the cold air and the oncoming virus he’d most likely caught a few night ago. He couldn’t exhale enough to let his lungs fully deflate. “I’ll be right back.”
After a quick trip to the bathroom and a dose of rescue medication, Thomas returned. “Is there anything in my contract about fraternization?”
“Not that I know of. Why, you and Dr. Davidson going to make it official?”
Thomas wished he could be surprised, but he should have known. “There really is no privacy in this town, is there?”
“No, sir. There isn’t.”
Flo arrived and placed an empty mug and a small pitcher of milk in front of Thomas before filling the mug just short of the rim. She narrowed his gaze at him. “Guess you don’t need a straw.”
Thomas chuckled. “No, ma’am. I don’t.”
She refilled Evan’s coffee with a promise to be back and get their order. As usual, the diner was filled to capacity with happy locals.
“You were saying about you and Lucy?”
Drumming his fingers on the table, the thoughts that he’d juggled the entire twelve-hour shift needed a sounding board. “Yes. We’re going out tonight. First date.”
“Need suggestions? Rocco’s is a good place for a first date. Romantic. Nice wine list. Serves a great chicken piccata.” Evan tilted his head. “Unless she likes a good steak or something fancier. Then I’d say the Graff.”
“I’ll be sure to remember those, but I’m not asking just about that.” His knee bounced in nervous tempo, his pride hanging on by a thread. “I’m having trouble in the ER.”
“What part?”
“The pace. The long hours. The swing shifts. I think I need to consider another job.”
“You’re leaving?” Evan said it louder than Thomas expected, lowering the sound in the room for a moment.
“No, no, not at all.”
The volume in the room went back up.
Thomas leaned forward. “I can finish my assignment, but I think you might want to consider another person for the job. Someone younger. Not as beat up as I am.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Thomas. I think you’re a great doctor.”
“I’m beating myself up on all these odd shifts. I can’t get my body clock right. I need a job where I work during the day, sleep at night.” Lifting his coffee mug sent a sharp pain down his arm. The thudding of his heart echoed in his ears. “I think there’s something we can do that will keep me here and benefit the hospital.”
Evan smirked. “You got it bad.”
“What?”
“Yep, you got it bad.” He motioned for Thomas to continue. “Tell me your plan and let’s see if we can all find a happy medium.”
By the time their date had arrived, Thomas couldn’t believe how fast Evan and Denver agreed to his suggestion. The preliminary contract sat on his bedside table and he’d made the decision to stay put.
To stay in Marietta, with Lucy.
Now all he had to do was tell her and hope it was exactly what she wanted as well.
