Chapter 12
CLAY
“Big smiles, everyone,” I say through gritted teeth as I make my way across the grass, Kat and Rex in tow. Kat gives my arm a pinch while no one is looking, likely payback for getting her wrapped up in this charade as my fake fiancée for the hospital”s staff picnic. But I need this promotion and the board is here, so it”s showtime.
I wave enthusiastically to the directors gathered around the picnic tables, leading Kat and Rex right up to them. ”Lovely day for a staff bonding event, don”t you think?” Man, I sound cheesy. I’m not good at this.
I put my arm around Kat”s waist, getting a slight elbow in my ribs when I pull her too close. But she’s a good sport and plasters on a smile as I say, ”I”d like you to meet my beautiful fiancée, Kat, and my amazing nephew Rex.”
At this, Rex becomes shy for a moment and grabs onto Kat’s skirt, hiding half his face. I haven’t seen this side of him before. That would be a bonus if he stayed quiet for the entire day. Here’s wishful thinking.
“What a pleasure to meet you both,” Ms. Pembroke, the chairwoman of the board chirps in an overly enthusiastic tone. “Clay keeps his personal life private so we didn’t even know he had a family on the way.”
Kat touches her belly and eyes me cautiously. “Clay, sweetheart. What have you been announcing without my knowledge?” She mutters under her breath but loud enough that Ms. Pembroke frowns.
I squeeze Kat’s hand. “Nothing, darling. Honey bun.” I smile confidently at Ms. Pembroke and Dr. Arnold who joined us. “We’re not rushing an engagement because of any reason other than we felt it was right. We are getting older and yes, it would be nice to start a family, but we’re enjoying being uncle and aunt to Rex for now.”
Kat’s shoulders lower and her smile returns. “Yep, we adore spending time with Rex.” She pinches his cheek for effect.
He wriggles out from behind her skirt and yells, “Ouch! Don’t. Do. That.”
A trickle of nervous sweat dribbles down my back. This is not the start I was after. What’s with all the pinching, Kat? Sure, Rex has cute, chubby cheeks, but she hardly knows him enough to know how he’d react. I barely know him. We’re doing a terrible job of acting as uncle and aunt. Three minutes in and we suck, big time.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to—” Kat begins but it’s too late. Rex takes off running.
“Buddy,” I call. “Kat was just—” I turn to the board members. “Be right back.” I take off after Rex. He’s heading for the playground. Hopefully Kat will cover our blunder and charm the directors while I’m gone. I have the more difficult task of winning over a five-year-old.
The kid is quick.
I catch up to Rex as he reaches the top of the slide. He flashes me a mischievous grin. He’s not upset. He’s playing me. “Come and get me,” he challenges.
I chuckle at his antics, and climb the ladder after him, ready to fully embrace the fun uncle persona.
Halfway, I glance over to Kat and the others. Lance and Anna are there too. They’re standing in a semi-circle watching us. This is my moment. Show that I’m not all about work and know how to have fun, living a balanced life.
Rex launches himself down the twisting slide, and now it’s my turn.
I plop down at the top, my long legs bent to my ears. Wriggling to get comfortable, I acknowledge I’ve underestimated the squeeze factor here. Plastic edges dig into my sides as I slowly scootch downward like a worm.
My slacks inch higher and higher, and my underpants give me a wedgie. I wave nonchalantly to Kat like I’m having the time of my life. The slide narrows even more halfway down and my torso won’t fit. I strain, sucking in my gut desperately but that somehow jams me in tighter. I”m . . . I”m stuck.
Rex is below, shielding his eyes from the sun. “What’s taking so long?”
”Uh, a little help here?” I call in a casual voice. Inside I cringe as other kids Rex”s age point and openly laugh.
Even from afar, I notice Kat covering her mouth behind a polite hand. Wonderful. Of all the ways to impress the board. Will I need Nurse Anna to dislodge me from a tiny slide?
“Looks like you’re stuck, Uncle Clay.” Rex”s grin grows wider as he watches me struggle.
”Help a guy out and give me a push from behind?” My voice sounds uncertain even to my own ears.
In a flash, the kid is up the ladder.
I peek over my shoulder. ”A gentle shove in the back should do it.”
Rex positions himself in a horse position, gets a good grip on the metal bars, and then . . . bucks with all his might, slamming his feet into my back.
All of the air is knocked out of me.
He does it again.
And again.
“Dude.” I manage to hold up a hand. “I mean, kid, that’s enough help, thank you.”
Such a bad idea. I heard Liam call him Wrecking Ball Rex one time. Now I understand. I feel like a wrecking ball swung into my back three times over.
I need a new strategy. And quick.
I grab the material of my slacks from one side and thrust my thigh sideways.
It works, but my elbow cracks into the slide. “Argh! Funny bone. Not funny,” I whimper.
“Are you okay?” Rex’s cute voice asks from behind me. He actually sounds concerned this time.
“No. Not okay.” I double over into the fetal position and rub my elbow. “Flipping heck that hurt.” I peek up at Rex and hope he didn’t hear me. He better not go back home to Pam and repeat Uncle Clay’s phrases. I’ll get the sack and be demoted to Liam’s brother.
KAT
I smother a laugh behind my hand and focus on the man standing beside me. Clay didn’t offer their names, but I’ve been around hospital types often enough that I don’t think it will be a problem. Rex continues to try and help Clay out of the slide. The howls from Clay mix with Rex’s laughter and I almost lose my ability to appear nonchalant. I should probably be more concerned, but it’s too funny.
Grinning, I wave a hand toward the playset. “It’s wonderful to see them enjoying themselves.”
The older man nods, his mouth furrowed in a tiny smirk. “Yes. It’s...something.”
I swear he snorts out a laugh but is too polite to really let loose.
“He loves Rex.” I’m playing it up a little too much, but I might as well go all in. “We both do. He’s a handful, but we don’t mind a challenge.” There. Let them read whatever they want into that.
“Clay certainly is a team player.” The man looks at the woman and smiles down at her.
A pair of familiar faces appear to my right. I gasp and clasp a hand over my mouth. “Tim? Kayla?” I wave until I gain Tim’s attention.
His brow furrows and he cups Kayla’s elbow while leaning down to speak into her ear. They both turn and head my way. Kayla keeps pace beside Tim’s long strides, and my heart warms to see him up and walking with ease.
“What are you doing here?” Tim gives me a quick hug, but his body is tense, almost like he’s uncomfortable.
“Tim.” Kayla elbows him and shakes her head with a look of consternation. “Excuse him. He’s in a mood.”
“It’s not my fault.” His scowl eases a bit when Kayla rolls her eyes. He chuckles beneath his breath and takes Kayla’s hand. “Okay. Okay. I’m being a bear.”
“I told you that you didn’t have to come.” Kayla leans in close and whisper-shouts. “He’s antsy because no one here speaks his language and he doesn’t want to spend all day talking about every doctor’s worst day in surgery.”
“I’ve been told four horror stories so far.” Tim holds up four fingers and shakes his head. “Four. At this rate, I feel lucky to be alive but I’m concerned about anyone who goes to their hospital.”
“The statistics for doctor related deaths in surgery are quite low.” The man Clay left me with interrupts our conversation with a pleasant tone, but there’s a lingering note of steel in his eyes. “Oakridge is one of the best hospitals in the states.”
“Uh-huh.” That spark I know so well appears in Tim’s eyes. My cousin loves to argue. He lives for it, which is part of what makes him a great lawyer. “One of the best, but not the best. What would it take to put you at number one?”
The man splutters a bit.
Clay’s bellow of irritation causes my stomach to knot. I turn around and face the slide in time for Clay’s feet to hit the ground. He stands and straightens his shirt and tie, his face flushed bright red. He swings Rex off the slide as he zooms down, catching him before Rex knocks his legs out from under him.
“Again.” Rex bounces and laughs a big belly laugh that even Clay can’t resist.
Clay lowers Rex to the ground before his flailing feet leave bruises.
I can’t hear their conversation, but after a bit of chatter back and forth, Rex takes Clay’s hand and walks back over to where we stand.
Tim’s head jerks around and he gives Clay a long look.
“Tim, this is Clay.” I almost say ‘my fiance’ but bit it back at the last second while hiding my ring hand behind my back.
Clay doesn’t miss a beat but sticks out his hand. “Pleasure to meet you in person. I didn’t expect to run into Kat’s cousin today.” He’s open and curious as he stares at Tim. “You look just li—”
“Don’t say it.” Tim holds up a hand. “Nathan and I are twins. But that doesn’t mean we’re anything alike.”
Kayla makes a little noise in the back of her throat and wraps her arms around Tim’s waist. He moves an arm over her shoulders in such a natural reaction that it makes my heart ache for what I’m missing.
I try to avoid the feeling, but it roars up every time I look at Clay.
Clay’s smile stretches wide. “I was going to say that one movie star from Hero Rock. But yeah, now that you mention it, I see the resemblance to Nathan.”
Tim’s shocked laugh bursts out. The sound is so foreign and unexpected that I gape at him. Clay did that? Clay made the sulky and perpetually dour Tim laugh?
“That’s a good one.” Tim shakes a finger at Clay. “How are things on Nantucket?” He eyes me and all the laughter dies in an instant.
Clay’s doctor friends have wandered off to join more of their colleagues. I’m grateful for the reprieve but also anxious to have this day over with. The large field spread out all around is vibrant with freshly mown grass that tinges the air and lulls me into a false sense of security.
“No sign of Danny.” Clay slides his hand down his tie and straightens it again. The nervous energy radiating off him surprises me. Is he nervous because of Tim or that he’s not made the best impression on his colleagues?
A group of children run past us. One taps another on the shoulder. “Tag. You’re it.”
“No fair,” the boy shouts back. “You didn’t wait long enough to start running.”
“Clay?” Rex pulls on Clay’s waist. “Can I play?”
“Not now.” Clay motions at all the staff moving toward the side of the field. “We should join them.”
Tim’s gaze lands on me and I do my best not to fidget under his heavy look. There’s a reason he’s called a shark in the courtroom. One drop of nervous energy and he’ll be all over me with a million questions. He takes his time but eventually allows Kayla to pull him into motion. “What made you decide to come to this thing?” Tim waves one hand in a careless shrug. “Never known you to bother with social gatherings. You working for this hospital now?”
Caught. I’m stuck in the web of lies Clay and I created. If I tell Tim about the fake engagement, he’s as likely to storm off and confront Clay as he is to take it in stride and let it go. He’s overprotective to the point of annoying, but I love him anyway. “I came with Clay. I’m not working with the hospital, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet some new people. Maybe they can send some work my way.”
I talk too fast, the words tumbling over each other faster and faster until I’m out of breath.
Rex bounces up and down. “This is boring. I want to go play. Is there going to be food? I’m supposed to eat cuz of my d’betes.”
Kayla’s brows arch.
“Diabetes,” I clarify. Pam gave us a whole list of instructions. Things Rex could and could not eat. Thankfully I have some knowledge of the situation after years of billing and coding, and Clay is a doctor. Rex is in good hands. As long as we can keep him in sight and out of trouble.
We join the fringes and Clay lifts Rex onto his shoulders. “We’ll get you some food, little man. Don’t you worry about that.”
No. We have much bigger problems. Like getting out of here without everyone finding out this whole thing is a setup to make Clay look good. Sweat slicks my armpits and I’ve never been more grateful for strong deodorant and capped sleeves and I repress the sudden shudder twitching my shoulders. I wish I’d never agreed to this, but I owed Clay. And I can’t say I regret the time we spent together on the ferry, then the drive to the park. Even Rex’s constant chatter didn’t dull the pulses of attraction between us.