Chapter Seven
Meghan
“A How-To book on conceiving? Really, Meghan?” Payton seethes as soon as I step foot inside Blossoms and Blooms on Tuesday.
I glance around at the laughing faces of my sisters and immediately start to giggle myself. “There’s pictures,” I reason through my laughter.
“I know,” she growls. “Grandpa showed me.” That makes everyone in the room laugh that much more.
“Did he tell you they tried the entire twelfth chapter? I bet it was dog-eared and highlighted, wasn’t it?” I sass, setting my purse down on the metal workstation that houses today’s lunch.
“He told Dean. And apparently went into so much detail that my husband had a nightmare last night. He dreamed about butter, Meghan, and had to eat his toast dry this morning.”
I can’t help it. I laugh. Hard.
“Clearly, I don’t need book help,” Lexi says, reaching for the slice of pizza that is sitting on a paper plate, which is balanced on her enormous belly. It’s not the first time I’ve wondered if my baby sister wasn’t carrying twins. Again.
“You could have written the book,” Jaime chimes in, rubbing her back and making her own basketball belly stick out that much more.
“The first chapter: My husband’s a hot, horny bastard that I want to have all the sex with all the time,” Lexi says between bites.
“He is pretty hot,” I tell her, which results in her waggling her eyebrows suggestively at me.
“Speaking of hot, why is it four hundred degrees in here?” Jaime asks, fanning herself with a paper plate.
“It’s a very comfortable seventy-two degrees, Jaime.”
“Hot. I have the air on already and the thermostat set to sixty-five.”
“Shut up, you do not,” Payton says, grabbing a slice of pizza.
“Hell yes, I do. It’s so hot. Ryan came to bed last night wearing socks, sweats, and a long-sleeved t-shirt.”
“Pour guy,” Abby says, sitting over by the cash register.
“Don’t feel sorry for him. He got me into this mess; he can deal with a little frostbite on his balls. And besides, he wasn’t complaining when I stripped him naked and climbed on top for a ride, which was wayyyyy longer than eight seconds,” Jaime announces just as a male customer walks through the door. He stops and looks at all of us, clearly considering making a break for it out the very door he just entered.
“Hi, sorry about that. I was just on lunch with my sisters. How can I help you?” Payton asks the gentleman who slowly approaches the counter.
“I need to grab some flowers for my wife.”
“Aww,” we all reply in a lovesick chorus.
“Yeah,” he replies as he looks around the counter. “It’s our second anniversary.”
“So sweet,” Jaime coos, her wide eyes and giddy smile focused on the customer.
“Are you looking to take something with you from the case or would you like a custom arrangement?” Payton asks.
“I’ll just grab something from the case. We’re meeting for lunch down the street in a few minutes.”
“Seriously, that’s the sweetest thing ever! See, some guys know chivalry isn’t dead!” Abby exclaims, her hands folded over her heart.
“Oh, knock it off. Levi dotes on your every breath. Besides, this guy knows that the quickest way to the sex is with flowers,” AJ replies, making the poor customer’s face turn beet red. “He shows up with flowers and they’ll be banging in the hallway before the front door is even closed.”
“Speaking from experience, again?” I tease AJ, all of us knowing full well that AJ and Sawyer get it on in random places throughout their house.
“Anyway, I’ll just take those dozen red roses over there,” he says, pulling his credit card from his wallet.
“Red roses? I mean, they’re all fine and dandy, but don’t you think it’s more fitting to go with something a bit more unique? You know, like your wife?” Lexi chimes in. She always hated it when her ex-husband would send her red roses.
“Excuse me?” he says, panic filling his brown eyes.
“Look at those beautiful calla lilies over there. I’d get up and show you, but I’m a big fat pregnant woman, and I might have to pee for the eighteenth time this hour the second I stand up.” The poor guy actually pulls at the neck of his shirt as if it were choking him.
“You can pick whatever you like,” Payton says, trying to reel this sale back in. “The calla lilies are gorgeous and very unique, but the roses are timeless and classic.”
“Umm,” he starts, glancing around from woman to woman. “Maybe…I’ll take the calla lilies?” It comes out a nervous question.
“Good choice, champ! She’ll be putty in your hands and you’ll be sexing it up in no time,” Lexi adds right before shoving more pizza into her mouth.
Payton grabs the vase from the case, rings up the sale, and sends the customer on his merry way. Before he leaves, he gives us all one more long, uncomfortable look and practically runs out the door. “I think that went well,” Payton grumbles.
“I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” This from Abby.
“He wouldn’t survive five minutes with Grandma and Grandpa,” Lexi adds, making us all laugh.
“No shit,” Payton says.
“I only have ten more minutes before I have to get back to the school,” AJ replies, and together we all gather around the pizza and dive in.
* * *
Tuesday afternoon proves to be much busier than normal. Two dental emergencies showed up at the office, and when that happens, Dr. Adams does everything he can to accommodate the added patients. A hectic afternoon transformed into an even busier evening. Tuesdays are our late night, as we schedule patients through seven o’clock. Tonight, we’re just doing everything we can to get all of our patients taken care of.
When the clock strikes eight, Patty is ready to take off, only a few minutes after flipping the closed sign and shutting down the front office. Erika, the part-time dental assistant who helps Nick with procedures, leaves with her a few minutes after that. And as soon as I finish tidying up my room, sterilizing my instruments, and get everything set for tomorrow’s round of patients, I’m out of here too.
At eight thirty, I’ve finally completed my tasks. My feet are starting to ache, even though I get to wear comfortable tennis shoes all day, and I’m pretty sure there’s a bottle of wine in my near future.
Tuesdays are always the hardest for me. Sure, every day can be labeled as difficult, but this particular day of the week is downright excruciating.
Every Tuesday, Josh would get home from work, start a load of whatever had the biggest pile in the laundry room, and cook dinner. After we were done seeing patients, I would go home to my warm, cozy house, where my fiancé had dinner ready. He would ask me about my day, share with me a few tidbits of his, and we’d enjoy dinner and a movie together.
Every Tuesday.
And now those days are filled with emptiness and a Lean Cuisine microwave dinner. The television is on, but I don’t pay attention. I need it for the noise. The distraction. The familiarity. The entire house is hollow, just like my soul. It died the day my best friend and lover was taken from me.
Blinking back tears, I make my way to Nick’s office. He’s been fighting with the computer software company since the final patient left, and it looks like he’s not done yet.
I knock on his door and wave when I see the phone plastered to the side of his face. He looks beat. Even though he smiles as soon as I step into his office, the smile doesn’t quite light up his hazel eyes the way it normally does. His dark hair is standing up, as if he just ran his fingers through it. It does nothing to change the fact that he’s a very handsome man.
My heart actually does this weird tap dance in my chest.
I push it away.
“Hey, are you done?” he asks, moving the receiver away from his mouth.
“Yeah, I’m heading out.”
“I’ll walk you,” he says, standing up. This is something Nick has always done on the late nights, especially when it’s winter and dark by now. He won’t let any of us leave alone.
“No, you’re on the phone,” I tell him, adjusting my purse over my shoulder.
“I’m on hold. I suppose Patty and Erika already left?”
“Yeah, they left together a little after eight,” I reply, offering him a small smile as he runs his big hand down his tired face.
“Shit. Okay, I can set the phone down for a few minutes and walk you out,” he replies, starting to set the receiver on his desk.
“No, that’s silly. You’ve been on hold forever waiting to talk to a representative. You know as well as I do that the moment we set the phone down and walk outside, they’ll pick up and then hang up because you’re not there.”
He gives me a look, one that says he totally agrees with my statement, but doesn’t like it. Nick is a great guy and always escorts his employees out at night. This isn’t sitting well with him, that I can tell.
“I’ll be fine. My car is literally right outside the back door. What could happen?” I ask, giving him a carefree, worry-free smile.
“Text me when you’re home safe,” he concedes, dropping back down into his chair.
“Will do, Bossman,” I salute.
Just as I go to wish him a goodnight, he starts talking to whoever finally picked up on the other end of the phone. I throw him another wave and head toward the back door, flipping off a few of the lights as I go.
When I slip out the door, car keys in hand, I notice how dark and quiet it is. The days are getting longer as summer approaches, but for some reason tonight, it just appears darker than normal. Maybe it’s the storm blowing in that has my hair swirling around my head and shadows dancing on the concrete. The rest of the businesses in the area are closed up, which leaves only Nick’s car and mine in the small lot.
As I approach my car, parking in the back row, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and a weird feeling sweeps through my body, making my blood run cold. I double click the key fob to unlock my door and pick up the pace. Just as my hand grabs the handle, movement catches out of the corner of my eye. When I turn, a strong arm wraps around my body, while the second wraps around my neck.
Gasping, I drop my keys and purse and reach for the arm that’s restricting my airway.
“Shhhh, don’t do anything that’ll get ya hurt, ‘kay?” the man breathes against my ear, making bile rise in my throat.
“What do you want?” I gasp, my nails digging into his forearm.
“Just some cash, sweet thing. You got anything good in that big bag of yours?”
Again, I wiggle in his grasp, trying to steal a full breath of fresh air. “Cash. I have a few…bucks.”
“Let’s bend down and get it, shall we?” he says, bending us both over and reaching for my purse. He sets it on my hood, and with one arm still wrapped around my neck, starts to riffle through my belongings.
As he holds me against his body, I can smell the alcohol on his breath and the gasoline on his clothes. His voice doesn’t sound familiar, but we have enough tourists who travel through Jupiter Bay that there’s no way of knowing everyone in town.
The stranger pulls my wallet from my bag and slips it into his shirt, tossing the rest of my belongings over my car and into the bushes. “You sure are a pretty little thing, aren’t you? You feeling lonely tonight?” he asks, sliding his nose down my jaw.
I’m going to throw up. My vision starts to blur, a combination of being short of oxygen and fear. I start to twist, ready to fight my way out of this situation, when I’m pressed hard against my car. My head slams into the unforgiving metal, which sends pain ricocheting through my body. Just as he starts to loosen his hold on my neck and spin me around, I’m falling. Falling to the ground, slamming my knees and hands onto the gravelly, cold asphalt.
I gasp for air, ignoring the ache in my knees and the burn of the exposed flesh of my hands. The sound of a grunt, followed by something hard hitting bone grabs my attention. When I glance up, I see the man who grabbed me on the ground, his legs and arms protectively, and slightly awkwardly, extended in front of him.
And there’s Nick.
Standing over the man, his fists balled up at his sides and breathing fire.
“Nick?” I whisper in a voice that doesn’t sound like mine.
As soon as he glances down at me, his eyes soften and his shoulders relax. That’s also when the man on the ground jumps up and tries to make a break for it. Nick reaches for him with reflexes so quick, I almost miss the movement. He spins him around and kicks out one leg, sweeping the man off his feet and sending him hurtling to the ground.
The man moans in pain. “You broke my wrist!”
“Your wrist should be the least of your worries,” Nick replies, his voice husky and threatening.
I watch as he holds the perpetrator down by applying pressure to the groaning man’s chest with his foot. Nick is still wearing his work attire, his tie loosened around his neck and the two top buttons popped open. He glances my way once more, his eyes full of concern and sorrow.
“Meg, are you okay?” he asks, the man twisting in agony beneath the pressure of his foot. I hear him say the words, but I can’t seem to open my mouth to reply. My heart pounds in my chest like a snare drum and my vision is a little fuzzy. I can’t seem to get enough oxygen in my lungs. It’s like I’m here, but not really. I’m floating around the scene, not in my own body. “I’m going to call 911 and as soon as the police get here, we’re going to get you checked out, okay, honey? Stay with me, Meghan.”
His voice is soothing and soft. It sounds nothing like the voice that spoke just a few moments ago when he was knocking the man to the ground and threatening to do more damage than a broken wrist.
My stomach lurches and I scramble for the bushes. Ignoring the pain in my knees and palms, I crawl past my car and lose whatever contents were left from my lunch with my sisters. My eyes burn from the tears, my throat raw from emotions. I can hear Nick talking, but don’t understand what he’s saying. I try to focus on the words, on his voice. After a few moments, my body starts to relax.
It could be five seconds or five hours later, the sound of an approaching ambulance fills the empty night. A car pulls into the lot, lights blinding and carrying a speed a bit too fast for a parking lot. But I don’t care. I don’t have the energy to move.
A minute later, he’s there.
By my side.
His eyes check me over from head to toe, surely taking in my horrible appearance and the pile of vomit just over my shoulder. “Hey,” he whispers softly, kneeling beside me and taking my arm.
“Hey,” I finally say, my voice dry and fatigued. Suddenly, I can’t keep my eyes open. Sleep is pulling me under, my body willingly following.
“No, no, no, Meg, you have to stay awake. I saw the blow to your head when you hit the car. You have to stay awake for a bit, okay, honey?” He cradles me in his arms, positioning me between his legs. Comfort wraps around me like a worn, familiar blanket from my past. It’s nice.
“I just want to take a quick nap,” I reason, my eyes already falling closed once more.
“Meg!” I hear moments before Levi drops to his knees in front of me, surveying the damage from tonight’s ordeal. “Jesus, Meggy. What the hell happened?” he asks, grabbing a little flashlight and shining it in my eyes.
“Stop that,” I grumble.
“We need to get you to the ambulance and checked out.”
“I need to go to sleep,” I retort, slipping back into the warm little cocoon I’ve created in Nick’s arms.
“No can do, sweetheart. You need to get checked out. You could have a concussion. The only place you’re going is to the hospital,” Levi says, taking my hands and making me wince. “And you need to get these cleaned up,” he adds when glancing down and seeing the damage to my hands.
“Come on, Meg. Let’s get you looked at,” Nick says, sweeping me into his arms and somehow standing up without needing assistance. Before I can even think about protesting, he’s walking me toward the waiting ambulance.
Levi’s friend Tucker is standing there, as we climb inside the waiting rig. Nick gently sets me down on the gurney, my body becoming stiff, sore, and protesting all movements. Levi grabs the blood pressure cuff and wraps it around my arm, while Nick hovers at my head. With the doors open, we have a front row view of the police as they place the cuffs on the man who attacked me, read him his rights, and slowly walk him toward the awaiting cruiser.
“How’s the head?” Tucker asks, writing stats down on a form on a clipboard.
“Sore. I think I’ll have a lump,” I answer, reaching up to gingerly touch the side of my head, wincing as my fingers connect with the swollen, sore skin.
“Definitely a nice little goose egg,” he replies with a smile.
I answer Levi’s questions as he gauges my injuries and helps get them cleaned up. “I think we need to go to the hospital. You have a slight concussion and should be seen by a doc. Plus, we want to rule out a brain bleed,” he says, reaching down and setting his hand on my knee in a comforting manner. When he does, I wince. “Sorry,” he adds, giving me a sheepish grin that I’m sure makes Abby’s knees buckle.
“Is it really necessary? To go to the hospital? I mean, I feel like I just need to sleep it off and be fine tomorrow.”
“Absolutely. I’d insist if it were any other patient, but because it’s you, I’m more than insisting. And I like my balls. One of your sisters would rip them off and toss them in the Bay if I didn’t make sure you were taken care of,” he replies with a wink.
I try to smile back, but it just hurts. “Fine.”
“I’ll go finish locking up and meet you there,” Nick says, slowly brushing hair off my forehead with his finger. When he does, it leaves a trail of fire against my skin.
“You don’t have to. I’m sure Levi has already called Abby,” I respond without moving. For some reason, I kinda like the way his finger feels. I kinda like it a lot. Way more than I should, that’s for sure.
“Texted her. She’ll meet us there,” Levi says, not even embarrassed that he probably broke some sort of confidentiality law or something.
“I’m going.” He’s firm and direct as he crosses his arms over his chest, daring me to argue further. But all I notice is the way his dress shirt molds to his arms, his muscles ripe and taut beneath the material.
Stop it, Meghan! He’s your friend. You don’t ogle friends!
Even if they do have arms that make your mouth water…
“You really don’t have to,” I reply, somewhat lamely. The truth is: I kinda want a friend with me right now.
He doesn’t reply with words, just gives me a look. It says, ‘Forget about it, Meghan. I’m going and that’s that.’
So instead of replying with my own words (because frankly, words hurt), I nod my head gently and relax on the gurney. Levi follows Nick out of the ambulance where they exchange a few words. I can’t tell what they’re saying, but when they both glance up at me, I know who they’re talking about.
Just as I’m about to ask what’s going on, Levi slaps Nick on the back of the shoulder and hops back into the ambulance. Nick hurries off in the direction of the office, and Tucker jumps in the front seat. “We’ll be there in a few minutes,” Levi says, taking a seat next to me.
“Did you really text her?”
“I had to. If she found out I didn’t, she’d have my balls. I did tell her just to come by herself until we know more. Hopefully, that’ll save us all at the hospital from being taken over by your bossy family.”
I snort a laugh. “Doubtful.”
“A guy could hope,” he replies with a shrug.
As the ambulance starts to move, I close my eyes, replaying everything that happened tonight. I was scared that he was going to hurt me. The thought of what could have happened if Nick hadn’t happened upon it outside makes my blood run cold.
It definitely could have been a lot worse than a few scrapes and bumps.
But there was something more I saw in Nick’s eyes tonight.
Guilt.
It’s that look that will haunt me later as I try to drift off to sleep.
* * *
“You’re all set, Miss Summer,” the blonde nurse says, while stealing a few appreciative glances at the man who’s quietly hovering in the corner of the room.
“Any other instructions?” Abby asks the nurse before I have a chance. Though, if I’m being honest, I’m very thankful someone is here to ask questions and hopefully remember all of the details and instructions they’re sending me home with. I’ve talked to the police, though I have to stop by the station tomorrow, give my formal, written statement, and collect my belongings.
All I want to do is go to bed.
“No, she should be set. Just make sure to take it easy for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours and acetaminophen for any pain.”
“Thank you,” I say, already swinging my legs over the hospital bed, thankful that the blow to my head didn’t result in anything more than a slight concussion.
“She’ll take plenty of time off. She’s taking the rest of the week.”
I glance over at my boss with my mouth gaping open. He appears all casual, leaning against the wall with his arms and ankles crossed, but appearances can be deceiving. Anyone who really knows him can see the storm clouds brewing, which makes his hazel eyes appear much darker, giving off a shadowy, brooding vibe.
“What? I can’t take the rest of the week off. That’s three days!” I argue.
“You will. It’s not negotiable.”
“Who made you the boss of me?” I ask with venom, my green eyes turning to little laser beams, focused directly on their target.
“Actually, I am the boss.”
“Only while I’m in the office. Outside of the office, I’m the boss. Me.”
Nick takes a step forward, and another. He keeps moving until he’s standing directly in front of me, his hands now firmly on his hips. “You’re my friend, Meghan. First and foremost, before my employee, you’re my fucking friend. And tonight was my fault, so you’re taking the next three days off with pay, all right?”
I gape up at him. “You’re fault? How was this your fault? You didn’t arrange for that lunatic to jump me for the twenty-three dollars I had in my purse, did you?”
“Hell no, I didn’t. But if I had waited until you all left before making my phone call, you wouldn’t have been hurt. What do I always say? Safety in numbers, Meghan. It could have been Patty, or even Erika who was hurt…” His eyes transform right before my very own. They change from dark and stormy to a lighter shade of green. I can see all of his pain reflecting in them. “But it was you.” His words are almost inaudible.
Reaching out, I touch his jaw with my hand. I’m not sure what made me do it, but it seemed right. He’s upset and blaming himself for something that wasn’t his fault, and the only thing I want to do is wrap my arms around him and take away that pain and blame. If he’s shocked by my touch, he doesn’t show it. Instead, I swear I feel him tilt his head ever so slightly and lean into it.
“This was not your fault, Nick. Nothing about tonight was your doing.”
He opens his mouth to argue, but I cut him off. “No. You don’t get to take the blame away from where it should be placed. It belongs on the man who came out of nowhere and tried to steal my money. The man who pushed me against the car and probably would have done something far worse if not for my friend, Nick, who arrived at the right time and pulled some of his karate chopping kung fu shit out and took the jerk down.”
His eyebrow rises and he gives me a smirk. “Karate chopping shit? Haven’t I taught you anything?”
“This is so hot. I wish I had popcorn. Lexi is going to be so upset she missed it.” Glancing toward the voice, I find Abby completely entranced in our conversation, eavesdropping like the meddling pain in the ass she is. Grandma would be proud.
Dropping my hand like I was burned, I take a step back, putting much needed space between my boss and myself. The man I suddenly feel like hugging. And maybe rubbing my hands over those little bulges on his shoulders. It’s like his shoulders have shoulders. Hard, muscular, lickable shoulders.
Anyway…
“You outta here?” Levi says, stepping into the small exam room and instantly heading toward my sister.
“I am.” Walking over to the chair that houses a bag containing my clothes, I grab my personal belongings and step toward the restroom.
“I’m going home with her,” I hear Abby say as I close the door, rolling my eyes.
It takes me a few minutes to get dressed, but when I’m comfortably back in my scrubs, I finally take a gander at my reflection in the mirror. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. I look like I took a two by four to the side of the head. The goose egg is a hideous shade of purple and protrudes from my head like someone stuck a ping-pong ball on my melon. My eye makeup is smeared, reminding me of an all-night bender from back in college.
“Nice,” I grumble, reaching for a paper towel to try to wipe away some of the black.
When I do the best I can (or more accurately, when I become too tired to worry about it anymore), I rejoin the party in my little ER room. “Well, what did you all decide on my behalf?” I ask, dropping down into the chair where my bag was sitting.
“I’m going home with you to make sure you follow instructions and don’t drop in the shower. Levi is going to have Tuck drop him off at the office to grab your car and take it home. Nick is going to his house to pace the floor and be pissed that he’s not at your place, taking care of you,” Abby says with a smile.
“I just said I’d be more than happy to stay with her since this was my…since I don’t mind helping,” Nick returns with a huff, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. “I mean, I’d stay on your couch, of course.”
“And while everyone would appreciate his offer, I don’t have anything going on and you’re my sister. Plus, Levi is coming over when he gets off work to check on you.”
Glancing Nick’s way, I find his attention locked on the floor. I get up and walk his way. “Thank you for caring enough to want to help. Abby won’t leave it alone until she’s completely basking in the Mother Hen role,” I reply, shooting for a bit of humor.
“I do not Mother Hen,” she huffs behind me, making both Nick and I smile.
“Well, if you’re going to be okay at home, then I’m good with that,” he whispers, his eyes dropping to my lips. Reflexively, my tongue darts out and wets them, his eyes dilate and darken.
“I’m going to be okay,” I confirm, and before I can stop myself, I step into his personal space, wrap my arms around his neck, and hug him, my cheek pressed against his shoulder. His arms meet at my back as he pulls me tightly against him, his head coming down to rest on my head.
It’s oddly comfortable.
And probably a little inappropriate, considering the work thing.
But neither of us seem to care.
As he said before: first and foremost, we’re friends.
“Thank you. For everything.” Emotions clog my throat and I have to blink back the tears. I’m not sure why I feel like crying, only that I do. Relief, maybe? The stress of the night finally catching up to me? A sense of gratefulness that I had someone who helped me, and family to help take care of me?
That right there is a big one.
I don’t have to be alone.
Abby goes to get her car, while Levi and Tuck take off to retrieve my vehicle back at the office, which leaves Nick and I standing just outside the Emergency Room entrance. He’s holding my tattered purse, in a completely masculine way, mind you. The image makes me smile. And remember.
Josh used to carry my purse.
Before I can rip off that particular scab of pain and start to bleed all over the concrete, Abby pulls up and grants me a mental reprieve. As soon as the car is in park, Nick walks to the passenger door and opens it. When his eyes connect with mine, they’re both weary and alive.
“Your chariot,” he says, giving me a little grin.
“Thank you,” I reply, stepping to the door. Before I climb inside, I throw my arms around him one more time and hug him. He doesn’t hesitate to comply.
“You’re welcome, Meghan. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Thanks to you,” I whisper, pulling back slightly. And because I have no control over my mouth, I lean upward on my tiptoes and place a gentle kiss on his cheek. It’s slightly scruffy from his five o’clock shadow, but I find the feeling a bit intoxicating and exhilarating. My lips start to tingle.
Without saying another word, or waiting for his reply, I slip into the passenger seat of Abby’s car. Nick hands me my purse and shuts the door. He steps away from the vehicle and watches as we slowly pull out of the circular drive and onto the street.
My eyes instantly close and the weight of the day starts to settle in. It’s almost midnight and my body is starting to shut down. It only takes a few minutes to arrive home, and with Abby’s help, I settle into my bed, ready to let this entire day just melt away.