“Um, didn’t you have a date with Ward last night?” River links her arm through mine, cocking her head. We’re not having this conversation out here.
“Yes,” I groan, as we make our way back to the med room. “It was after. Um, I let Ward back in the house, you know, like for a nightcap maybe, I don’t know. Then Nash showed up, and he was being such an asshole. I’ve never seen him like that before. Then we argued, and I left.”
River draws out the word “Right,” as if she, too, isn’t convinced by any of this. Neither am I. How did this become my life? “So what are you going to do?”
“Try to stop torturing myself,” I sigh.
River only nods as we tramp through the grass in silence before speaking up again. “Did you enjoy your time with Ward? Any sparks there?”
“Yes,” I admit.
“Then see where that goes,” River shrugs. “I don’t appreciate Nash stringing you along, and quite frankly, I’m on the verge of letting Fester run him over for it.”
A wet laugh leaves me. River is not always the warmest person, but she is there for the people who mean the world to her. I’m honored to call her my best friend.
“I’m terrified of Fester,” I whine. “Please don’t bring him around.” River introduced me to her bull, and though he’s been nothing but gentle, he’s massive. I’m not tempting fate by letting that big boy out of the gate. “I think you’re right. Even if it’s not Ward, it’s time I moved on from the past.”
“Well, here’s your chance,” River grins, just as Ward jogs up to us.
He immediately pulls me into a hug, squeezing me tight. “I’ve been looking for you. Wanted to make sure you were alright after last night. Your brother seemed pretty worked up.”
“Brother?” I nearly choke on the word. Of course Ward would assume that was my brother. I’d never named Beckett, only mentioned how close we were. “Um, Nash isn’t… He’s not my brother.”
“Oh,” he lets out a nervous chuckle, removing his cowboy hat to scratch the back of his head.
Placing a soft hand on his forearm, his eyes meet mine again. “Nash is an old family friend. Like a brother, I guess. I’m fine, though.”
“I’m glad.” Ward grabs hold of my hand, linking our fingers together. “Where are my manners? Hi, Dr. Thompson.”
“Ward, you can call me River.” My eyes gape, staring at the woman beside me. River doesn’t extend that courtesy to very many men. She spent too many years of her career battling for the respect of the MD that follows her name.
I decide to take that as a good sign that she approves of Ward. Approval I don’t need, but appreciate just the same.
“With all due respect, Dr. Thompson works just fine for now.” He flashes her a sheepish grin before River nods my way and wanders off.
We watch her go as a soft breeze blows around us. Nervous butterflies soar through my stomach. I’m not sure what to say to Ward. I feel terribly about Nash’s behavior, especially since I genuinely enjoyed my time with Ward on our date. He’d made me laugh and immediately opened up about his upbringing, goals, and childhood. It was refreshing not to have to extract information from a man.
“So what are you doing tonight?” he pulls my focus back to him.
Initially, I’d hoped to sit out by the lake and stare up at the stars, but with yet another storm rolling in, there will be nothing but clouds in the sky hiding them from view tonight. “No plans,” I answer truthfully.
“Can I cook you dinner?” My insides melt. Ward is so sweet.
Why can’t I give myself to someone like him?
Newsflash, Betty. You can.
“You sure you want to spend two nights in a row with little old me?” I huff out a quick laugh.
He bends low, softly pressing his lips to mine. “There’s nothing I want more than to spend my time with you.”
Chapter 14
Betty
I’d barely noticed the shift from spring to summer. How did April become July first? The heat and humidity are stifling. The air is so thick, it’s like a wet blanket smothering you the moment you step outside.
Typically, this horrid weather makes me never want to leave the air conditioning of my home, but the past few months have been magical. Perhaps when we allow ourselves to be happy and live life to the fullest, the little things that typically stand out to us simply disappear.
