Love on Call: A Sweet Fake Fiancé Romantic Comedy

Chapter 7

CLAY

The sun glares down on the resort’s poolside as I sit on a padded deck chair, the cool breeze offering a momentary reprieve from the summer heat. My laptop rests on my lap, and I squint at the screen, trying to make sense of the jumble of emails that have flooded my inbox. Looks like it’s been a busy week at the Oakridge hospital. Even here on Nantucket, my role as a pediatric surgeon doesn’t seem to care about vacation time.

Around me, the clear waters of the pool shimmer invitingly. Families and couples swim and splash about with laughter and playful chatter creating a soothing soundtrack to the day. It’s moments like these that make me appreciate the simplicity of life on this island.

A high-pitched voice pierces through my concentration. “Clay, come play with me.”

Rex, the Energizer Bunny that he is, hovers by the side of the pool, his arms flailing out of the water for attention. His brilliant blue eyes emanate enthusiasm, and his soaked hair has gone into wild ringlets.

A smile tugs at my lips as I shut my laptop and shove it away from me. Rex is a handful, but he’s also totally impossible to turn down. I hurl myself out of my chair and march to the pool’s edge, where Rex is practically buzzing.

“All right, buddy,” I say with a grin, “what are we playing today?”

Rex’s face lights up as he launches into a detailed explanation of the game he’s concocted in his five-year-old imagination. I nod along when in reality I have no idea what he’s saying. The game seems to involve pirates, treasure maps, and an imaginary sea monster for good measure.

As Rex wraps up his exhilarating explanation, he looks at me with an expression that clearly expects my approval. “So, which one do you want to be?”

“Sea monster!” I lift my arms and roar before plunging into the pool.

I’m enveloped in icy-cold water and find his little legs underneath and proceed to tickle his feet. Muffled laughter fills my water-logged ears.

I thrust my body upward, kick to the surface, and flick my hair from my eyes.

He”s trying to swim away but his little arms don”t give him much speed. Looks like the superpower sunscreen has washed off.

“I’ll count to ten,” I call across the pool.

Pam laughs from her deck chair. “He’s going to need you to count to fifty.”

“Looks like it.”

Just as I start to forget about work and emails, my iPhone sings out an old ring tone I’d selected—the one that reminds me of my first Nokia.

This snaps me back into reality. I reluctantly freestyle to the edge of the pool, hoist my body out of the water, and check the caller ID, but the call drops off.

I dry my hands and click on the screen again. It’s a colleague from the hospital.

I grunt at the inevitable interruption to my vacation.

I return the call, and Theo wastes no time in getting to the point. “Clay, I’ve been hearing more about the Head of Pediatrics position you”re applying for.” His voice takes on a serious tone.

I swipe water from my brow and plonk myself on the deckchair. “What’s up?”

“Well . . .” Theo sighs. “The board has traditional values. It’s composed mostly of older members and they tend to favor applicants who are seen as family-oriented.”

I sense where this conversation is heading, and a knot forms in my stomach. “And?”

“And . . .” There’s a brief pause. “You’re a fantastic surgeon, Clay, but they might not take you seriously because of your age. And you’re not married or settled in a stable relationship. The job is demanding, and they prefer someone who has a supportive spouse behind them. Being a family man could significantly boost your chances.”

I let out a long breath. “Right. Well, I can’t get a spouse overnight, can I?” I huff. “Doesn’t this breach some kind of discrimination rule?”

“It’s not in writing or a requirement. It’s an unsaid thing.”

It’s frustrating that my qualifications and experience might not be enough to secure a position I’ve worked so hard for. The reality of navigating hospital politics isn’t as straightforward as saving lives in the operating room.

As I end the call and push my phone away, a cloud of doubt hovers over my head.

“Clay!” Rex calls behind me. “Your turn to be the pirate.”

I rake a hand through my hair and roll the tension out of my shoulders. I need to be present in this moment and enjoy time away from work.

I return to playing with Rex in the pool, but my thoughts remain tangled in the complexities of work and personal life.

I am a family man. I value my relationship with my parents, my brother . . .

I lift Rex onto my shoulders, his giggles echo through the air.

. . . and this kid—part of my newfound family through Liam’s marriage.

Rex momentarily distracts me from the uncertainty that now lingers in the background. Nantucket’s serene surroundings offer a temporary escape, but the challenges of the real world are never far away.

KAT

“Grrr.” I growl at the computer screen and curl my hands into fists. “Don’t do this to me.” The black screen flickers and hope flutters briefly in my chest before the laptop makes a whining sound and shuts itself off. The urge to shove it off the table rushes through me and my hands shake as I fight through the surge of anger.

“All I want is to get back to normal.” Heat races through my body. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Getting angry at inanimate objects. Great. Now that’s the perfect end to this crappy day. I blow out a tight breath through pressed lips and flex my fingers. I’ll try again tomorrow. There are plenty of jobs out there for medical billing and coding in a home setting. I was in the middle of applying to one when the computer went crazy. “Time for a break.”

I could use a cold dip in the pool. A swirl of excitement tickles my stomach as I remember dunking Clay during the party. Things kind of spiraled after that. With so many of us around, we ended up playing water ball and Nathan and Preston challenged Clay and Liam to swimming challenges. I think those were more to wear out Rex than anything as the kid tried his hardest to be included in every single game. By the time I went back to my unit, the poor kid was asleep sideways on a lounge chair.

Grinning, I change into a blue swimsuit and sling a towel over my shoulder. Late afternoon sunlight spills across the path and brings new color to the roses. Most of the guests should be on their way to dinner, leaving the pool for me. I’m not in the mood for mindless chatter and noise. I stop at the gate and listen. Silence.

It’s easy enough to slip through the gate and lock it behind me, then slip quietly into the empty pool after tossing my towel on a chair. The cool water washes away my annoyance, and I dip under the surface, swimming across the pool length without coming up for air.

Goosebumps pop on my arms when I break the surface.

“Having fun?” A male voice drifts from the table to my right.

I scream and kick off from the wall, sending a wave of water over my shoulders.

“Kat, it’s me. Clay.” Clay jumps out of the shadows and holds out his hands. “Sorry. I’m so sorry. I thought you saw me when you jumped in. I waved and you looked right at me.”

My muscles spasm as the rush of fear ebbs. I gasp for breath and swipe a hand down my face. “I didn’t.” I still can’t catch my breath, so I stop talking and bob in the middle of the pool, kicking my feet to stay afloat.

Clay moves to the edge of the pool and sticks his feet in the water. “Guess we can call that payback for dunking me.”

“No way.” I shake my head and swim closer. “You took five years off my life. That deserves another dunking.”

Before I can react, Clay shucks his shirt and slides into the water without making a splash. Perfect teeth shining, he holds out his arms. “Go on then.”

He’s messing with me. He has to be. But the look in his eyes says he’ll let me dunk him if it’ll make me feel better. I cock my head to the side and examine him. “Let’s make it interesting. If I can beat you to the other end of the pool, I get to dunk you.”

“And if I win?” His smirk widens, crinkling the edges of his eyes and causing butterflies to swarm in my middle.

I smack the top of the water with my palms and push aside the fluttery feeling he’s created. “Then you can dunk me. Fair enough?”

He flips onto his back and floats past me. “Let me think about it.”

So infuriating. I grab his ankle and jerk him back. “The offer expires in five seconds.” I move to the edge of the pool and line myself up for a race. “Four seconds. Three. Two.”

“Okay. Okay.” He grumbles but is still smiling when he moves into position beside me. “Winner gets to dunk the loser.”

“Agreed. First one to touch the opposite side of the pool wins.” I settle into position, one hand on the edge and my feet against the wall.

Clay mimics my position. “On my count of three. One. Two.Three.”

We kick off at the same time, our bodies slicing through the water with ease. Clay’s strong, and his powerful strokes propel him ahead of me in the first few seconds. But I’m no quitter, and being behind doesn’t mean I’ve lost. I cut through the water, using all the skill I’ve gained in twenty plus years of Nantucket summers and swimming against my cousins. Water sluices over my head when I come up for air and I catch Clay three strokes before we reach the edge. I’m not going to lose. With another surge, I inch past him and slap the wall as his hand comes up from the water.

I give him enough time to take a breath before I put both hands on top of his head and push him under water again.

His arms wind around my waist and he pulls me down with him, dragging water up my nose before I figure out what he’s doing.

I slap at his shoulders and push away from him. Bubbles erupt from his mouth and when I look down, he’s laughing up at me.

The look in his eyes is too soft, too enticing. I can’t trust it. I can’t trust him. The knowledge sits heavy as lead. I fight the feeling as I unwrap Clay’s arms from my waist and return to the surface. He’s right behind me, his presence comforting even as it disorients me. “I have to go.” I stomp up the steps as I grab my soft, fluffy towel scrubbing it over my body, then wrap it around my torso.

“Is something wrong?” Clay’s quiet question reaches deep and releases the tension coiling through me.

I start to shake my head but stop and turn away. “I just forgot that I need to go to Ellie’s.” It’s a lie. I don’t need a thing except to get away from Clay. “I wanted to pick up some muffins for breakfast.”

“Kat.” Water hits the concrete with a heavy splash, followed by the sound of wet feet slapping. “I’ll come with you.”

“You do—”

Clay cuts me off with a hand on my arm. “I promised Tim I’d look out for you. You told him I’d go with you if you left the resort.” He snatches up his shirt and yanks it over his head as I try not to watch the play of muscle along his back.

Why did I say that? I wasn’t thinking straight. Or maybe I thought Clay wouldn’t follow through. Either is possible, and both are proving false. Yet more proof that I can’t trust myself or my judgment.

He tugs the shirt down and slides his feet into a pair of flip flops. “Okay. Let’s go.”

“Clay.”

“Nope. If you’re about to tell me that I don’t have to go with you because Ellie’s is right down the street, let me save you the trouble.” He stops at the gate and holds it open for me. “Do you need to stop at your unit first?”

I’m pretty sure my mouth is hanging open, but I’ve lost all ability to close it. This guy. Who is this guy?

A quick smirk flashes over his face while the fading sunlight brightens his eyes to a deep golden brown. “You’re not getting rid of me.”

“Fine.” I manage to snap my mouth closed and walk past him. I’m not angry, but it helps me focus to stay a step ahead. Clay is the kind of protective that can be appreciated. It doesn’t feel oppressive, and I like knowing I can turn my head and see him keeping watch.

I stop at my unit long enough to throw on a shirt and shorts, then we make our way past the resort sign. Downtown Nantucket is in the distance. It’s a short walk to Ellie’s bakery although once I pass from sandy paths to normal streets, my shoulders hunch forward and my hands curl into fists. I halfway expect Danny to jump out at any moment and make more demands. I won’t fall apart this time. I won’t let him get to me like that. If only saying it made it true.

Clay moves to my side and slides his hand down my inner arm until our fingers brush. My hand shakes from the pressure of holding it tight and I breathe out a quiet sigh as I unfurl my fingers and Clay twines his hand with mine.

“You’re going to be okay.” He whispers low but insistent in my ear. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

I want to believe him. The fact that I was instantly attracted to him makes me suspicious, though. I trust him enough to walk me to Ellie’s and keep me safe from Danny. I don’t trust him enough to hand over my heart. I may never trust anyone enough for that.

I drop Clay’s hand the minute we make it to Ellie”s bakery.

“We’re supposed to be dating.” Clay grips the door handle and pulls it open for me. “Shouldn’t your family think so too? What if Danny talks to one of them and they admit that we’re not?”

“They won’t.” Water drips down my back from my wet hair and the rush of air conditioning when we step into the shop causes a shudder to rattle my spine. “None of them will talk to Danny.”

The reminder of our fake relationship freezes my emotions until my entire body feels cold as ice. That’s why Clay held my hand and why he’s been so attentive. He’s pretending.

I’d forgotten about that part of our conversation with Danny. So all of this was for show.

The reminder hurts even as it brings me back to reality.