The one bright spot in this hellscape of a day? The few minutes I spent with the sexy doctor after he saved my ass—and I kicked him in the head.
God, and I never thanked him for cleaning up the beach. Just let him walk away after we shared that one moment of connection. The one that left me wanting so much more than I can ever have.
Fuck. Gladys is right. Iamlonely. Touching him brought up so many feelings I thought I’d buried a long time ago.
Enough, Nat. He’s not interested, and it’s too damn dangerous.
But his hands. The way he set me on my feet like I weighed nothing at all…
He looked at me like he wanted more. Like hesawme.
I’m halfway to the cabinet with the bourbon when my phone rings.
“What’s up, Gladys?”
“Um…this is Bella. Aunt Gladys fell. She’s…she’s not right. She keeps talking about Uncle Donald. Like he’s still alive. Ithink she needs to go to the hospital. Do the ferries run this late? I can’t get her into the car by myself... I don’t know what to do. There’s no hospital here, right? No doctors?”
Gladys is all I have. The only person in this world who actually cares about me. If anything happens to her…
“Nat? Are you there?” Bella the hotshot corporate lawyer is gone, and in her place is a terrified little girl who needs her great aunt to be okay.
“There’s no hospital here, right?No doctors?”
Not officially. But I happen to know just where to find one tonight. Not that I ever bothered to find out what kind of doctor he is. But any medical training is better than none.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes. Maybe less. If anything changes, call me back.”
I hang up before she can say a word, shove my feet into my tennis shoes, and race out the door.
Please, God. Let her be okay.
The ATV headlights cut through the shadows between my house and the beach. I have to wind my way down the hill so the vehicle doesn’t tip ass over hood with me on it, and the extra few minutes almost kill me.
Doc is tending the fire pit when I come around the bend, but jumps up, then dives into his tent.
Shit. Of course a vehicle approaching at high speed would make him nervous. “Doc?” I call as I ease the ATV to a stop. “It’s Nat. I…need your help.”
He emerges slowly, a slight hitch in his step and a frown twisting his lips. “What’s wrong?”
I dig my fingernails into my palms until the pain helps me focus. “It’s Gladys. She fell. She’s…confused. Her niece is with her, but?—”
“I’ll get my bag.” He’s all business now, and in under ten seconds, he emerges from the tent with a canvas bag slung over his shoulder. “Did she lose consciousness?”
“I…I don’t know.” Shit. Why didn’t I ask? I scoot forward on the seat so Doc can squeeze in behind me. He’s warm. Solid.
“Is it okay if I hold on to you?” he asks, his lips close to my ear.
“Wha—yes. Of course.” The muscles of his forearm cord as I take off. “Bella called me a few minutes ago. I didn’t stop to ask. I just?—”
“You did the right thing.” I’m hyper aware of his presence against my back. Of the tight hold he has on me. Of how good he smells. Sweat and soap and wood smoke.
In the dark, it takes too long to make my way to the far end of the resort where Gladys lives. But Doc keeps me calm. Focused. He asks me questions. Her age. Her medical history. Her family. All things I know about her. And it strikes me that she knowsnoneof those things about me.
The lights of the quaint log cabin come into view. A pair of rocking chairs sit on the wraparound porch, waiting for someone to sit in them. I almost never come here. Gladys visitsme. I always thought it was because she liked the view from my place. But seeing those two chairs…one with a well-worn cushion, and the other brand new—yet covered with a layer of dust—it hits me. She visits me because this was supposed to be her happy ever after. Not the place she’s the most alone. God, I need her to know how important she is to me.
Doc slides off the ATV—but does he give my waist a little squeeze first? Or did I imagine it? I shouldn’t feel the loss of the touch, but I do.
“Bella?” I call as I climb the three steps to the front porch. “I brought a doctor!”
