Chapter Seventeen

Now…

How long would the clinic keep her on hold?

Whitney tapped her fingernails against her desk, the urge to hang up overwhelming. She couldn’t put off scheduling the tests any longer, but she was hoping the clinic in town was booking several weeks out. Now that she was actually a step closer to the appointment, she needed a little more time to summon the courage to go through with the tests.

Not knowing the severity of her condition had given her at least a false sense of security. But there was no denying that her sight was getting worse a lot faster in the last few weeks, and no amount of painkillers was helping with the migraines.

“Hello, Ms. Carlisle, you still there?” a clinic attendant asked.

Barely. “Yes, I’m here.”

“Great. Sorry to keep you waiting. The soonest opening we had for an MRI appointment was in February…but I noticed a cancellation for tomorrow, so would that work for you?”

February or tomorrow. Wow, nothing in between, and neither appealed to her. February was too far away, but tomorrow was…tomorrow.

She hesitated. Putting this off would only make things worse in the long run. “Okay, yes. What time tomorrow?”

“Eleven a.m. We ask that you arrive fifteen minutes before your scheduled time.”

“Okay.” Whitney listened to the rest of the preexam instructions, then disconnected the call. Sliding her feet back into her ballet flats under her desk, she headed toward her boss’s office. She rarely asked for time off, so she shouldn’t be as nervous about it as she was.

What excuse could she give for needing the day off when they were right in the middle of contract negotiations with the producers and designing the calendar for the upcoming year? Admitting to a doctor’s appointment would cause concern, and a personal day always raised suspicion.

She paused outside the mayor’s office door that was slightly ajar. Hearing voices inside, she turned to leave, but she stopped at hearing Scott speak.

“I’m just not sure I’m ready to take over this responsibility yet.”

Whitney’s pulse raced, and she leaned closer.

“Of course you are,” Mayor Rodale said. “With your degree and experience, you are the most qualified candidate—it’s a no-brainer decision.”

“I’ve only been back here for six months…how will it look to the residents here?”

She held her breath.

“Everyone in town loves you. They love our family. They also see the need for some changes around here, and so do I.”

Shit. What was going on? Had Scott used her mistakes to steal her job? Or had the pitch presentation solidified him as a more capable head of marketing and tourism? Either way, it certainly sounded as though she was soon to be replaced.

“Whitney…um, I think they are in a private meeting,” Kim said behind her.

She turned quickly and hurried away from the door as Kim stepped forward to close it.

Obviously, the mayor’s niece knew what this private meeting was about. And she didn’t want Whitney hearing it. “Oh, yeah…I can talk to her later. It’s not important,” she said, rushing past the receptionist and back into her office.

At her desk, she forced several deep breaths.

Just relax. They can’t fire you for no reason or over a few mistakes.

Had Scott told his mother that she was sick? She never should have let her guard down and trusted him. How many times in her life did she need proof that she could depend on no one before she stopped taking chances on people?

She sat straighter and reached for her cell phone.

Forget taking the day off, she was now more determined than ever to prove she was still the best at her job. She’d get those contracts back to Race Across America by lunch and then design the entire calendar herself before she left for the day.

Dialing the medical clinic, she waited for the options.

“…to cancel an existing appointment, press two…”

Whitney pressed two.

…

Arriving back in town just in time for football practice, Trent grabbed his gear from the back of his Jeep and climbed out.

Wes’s truck pulled into the lot next to him, and he waited for his co-coach. “You made it,” Wes said as he got out and locked the doors.

“Yeah, the errand didn’t take as long as I thought it would.” Marla and Dr. Taylor at Rejuvenation had been relieved at the decision to hire a personal nurse for Lydia, and paying the full year’s cost had been more than appreciated by the senior facility. He felt really good about the decision. He just needed to find the best way to tell Whitney so that she didn’t freak out and get upset with him.

It had been a risk doing it without consulting her, but he hoped it was one of those times when the crime could be forgiven based on the sincerity of the intent.

“Hey, man, unfortunately I’m not going to need your help with the new location renovation after all,” Trent said as he and Wes crossed the football field.

Wes frowned as he readjusted the duffel bag on his shoulder. “Decided not to buy?”

“For now.” Eventually he’d still like to expand, but there was no rush now that he’d relieved some of Whitney’s financial burden a different way. “Just think it’s probably best to focus on the locations I have,” he said. He didn’t want to tell anyone where the savings had been relocated to. It wasn’t anyone else’s business.

“No problem. I totally get it. I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure when I was going to find the time. Melendez Cottages are taking more time and resources than I’d originally thought.”

“About the cottages, I have a favor to ask,” Trent said as they dropped the gear onto the field and opened the duffel bags.

“Name it,” Wes said, reaching inside for a stack of traffic cones.

“Angel’s boys are still struggling a little. Their father is making a ploy to get them to live with him in L.A., and I’d offered to help her with maybe setting them up with some part-time work here in town. Give them more motivation to choose to stay and also help her show the courts that they are doing well here.”

Wes glanced at him as he positioned the cones. “And you’re wondering if I could use a couple of apprentices?”

Trent nodded. “I’ll cover their wages. I’m not asking you to pay them.”

“Sure,” Wes said. “The Melendez Cottages are a no-go. I can’t have unskilled minors on-site at a job like that one. But I can give them some cleanup work around some local jobsites after construction is completed.”

“Thanks, man, I appreciate that.”

Wes looked like he wanted to say something but then got to work setting up the tackle dummy.

“What is it?” Trent asked as he helped.

Wes hesitated. “Look, it’s none of my business, man, but you seem to be awfully concerned with helping Angel out.”

Naturally, that might come across as suspect. Trent took zero offense at Wes’s non-direct questioning. “There’s absolutely nothing going on there.” He paused. “It’s a big brother relationship thing. I feel compelled to help her, that’s all.”

“And Whitney’s okay with all this help?”

He remembered the conversation in the Jeep the night of the Halloween party and nodded. “We’ve actually had the discussion. Everything’s cool. Whitney knows I’m completely devoted to her.” And he hoped his actions that day proved it to her even more. “But you’re right. I’ll back off a little. Angel’s not my responsibility.” The only person he felt a responsibility to was Whitney. Normally, he wouldn’t care what his helping Angel looked like to the outside world, but he never wanted to disrespect Whitney in any way, and if their friends were starting to look at Trent’s friendship with Angel sideways, maybe it was best to put some distance there.

Wes seemed appeased. “It’s your relationship, man. I just care about the both of you.”

He was lucky to have a friend like Wes. They all looked out for one another in their circle of friends. Trent fist-bumped his buddy. “I appreciate it.”

“I’ll ask the boys to stop by the office,” Wes said as the team started to arrive.

“Great. I’ll give Angel a heads-up.”

Trent greeted the boys as they geared up and scanned the field for Eddie and Liam, but he didn’t see them.

He checked his watch and gave them a few extra minutes, but the boys were a no-show.

Odd of them to miss a practice.

He reached for his cell phone and started to text Angel but then stopped. If any of the other kids missed practice, would he call their parents to check in on them? Maybe he was too involved with Angel and her family. He knew there was no attraction between them, but he also knew how things could and would be perceived.

He had to be careful there.

He put his cell phone away and blew the whistle hanging around his neck, catching the team’s attention. “Okay, guys! Bring it in!”