Loving Lizzy (The Serenity Mountain Series Book 6)

Chapter One

Lizzy sat back in her chair at Kassie and Chase’s kitchen table. She held her stomach and blew out a satisfied sigh.

“Wow, dinner tasted amazing. Can I get the recipe?” she asked.

“I’ll email it to you later. Do you feel up to a ride? I want to show you and Michael something.” Kassie questioned as she cleared the dishes and took them to the sink.

“Let me help you,” Lizzy implored.

“It’s plates and silverware. My hubby already cleaned the pans. One good thing about marrying someone from the military is they keep everything tidy,” her friend quipped.

She smiled. “Where did the guys go?”

“They went out onto the deck. I asked Chase to give me a few minutes alone with you.” Kassie took a seat next to her. “I’m concerned because you brush off our questions concerning your diagnosis. I know Michael’s worried, and you have an appointment coming up. After your confession when Maddie, Carol, and Victoria staged an intervention to get everyone talking again, we want you to know we plan to support you.”

“I appreciate it. Honestly, I apologize for my outburst. You, Catherine, and Samantha were working out your differences and I highjacked your meeting.” Lizzy refused to meet Kassie’s gaze.

Kassie took her hand and squeezed it. “You didn’t do anything wrong. We needed a wake-up call. All of us carried valid points but we took each for granted.”

“I must’ve sounded incredibly desperate. I don’t need you to feel sorry for me. I’ve gone through this before and will figure it out,” Lizzy told her.

Kassie cocked her head to study the woman beside her for a moment. Lizzy stared uneasily at her glass. “I’ve thought about this. When Catherine and I worked as nurses under you, you came to events and always stayed outside the groups. As if you attended for politeness rather than true friendship. You work on the mountain now. Michael cares for Em and most of our kids. We consider you part of our extended family. We run our facility differently. It’s not based on politics, money, or profit. We’ve got the legal and administrative stuff handled between Joe, you, and the lawyers. It allows us time to focus on patient care and provide a personalized experience. The staff has a support system. We handle any issues in-house, and I believe they thrive on how we’ve dealt with matters. It leaves you open to have friendships with anyone you choose, including us. I hope you’ll let us in.”

Lizzy’s gaze met hers, “Thank you.”

“Let’s get the guys. Emma’s with Nugget and Saint. He offered to bathe her and put her into pajamas while we took you into town. Whiskey’s meeting us.” Kassie rose from her chair and grabbed her purse. She waited while Lizzy picked up her things and they went through the kitchen to where the men sat in the corner of the deck overlooking the view.

Walking immediately into her husband’s arms, Kassie rested her head on his shoulder. Lizzy felt Michael watching her as she approached. She made no effort to reach for his hand as she stood beside him.

“If you want to follow us down, we’re headed to Samantha’s old place. Whiskey’s waiting for us there,” Chase informed the couple.

Michael’s brow lifted slightly at his friend’s statement before he turned and guided Lizzy back through the house and out the front door to their car.

“Did you enjoy dinner?” He attempted to make small talk.

“Yeah. Kassie’s a great cook. She must’ve picked up tips from Maddie. She brings meals over to Catherine and Kassie sometimes.” She gazed out the window.

“I thought Chase mentioned Maddie brought lunch for everyone a few times,” he told her.

“I think she includes all of us as a polite gesture. Why do you think Whiskey’s waiting for us?”

“I’m not entirely sure. Let’s try to keep an open mind. They went out of their way with whatever it is.” Michael entered the town, followed Chase’s truck to Samantha’s old house, and parked on the side street.

Kassie jumped out of the vehicle as her husband reached her door. Lizzy almost chuckled as she watched him shake his overprotective head at his self-sufficient spouse. Whiskey stood on the porch of the lovely Victorian home.

Lizzy never visited the house while Samantha lived there. From how the women spoke of the place, she began fixing it up shortly after moving to Serenity.

Whiskey nodded as they drew closer. He greeted them and pulled Kassie into a hug, whispering something in her ear. Chase smiled lovingly down at his wife as she giggled and laughingly pushed him away. Turning to Michael and Lizzy, he said “Hello.”

Whiskey walked through the front door and the group followed. The smell instantly assailed Lizzy’s nose. A mixture of lavender and citrus filled the air. She scanned the room half in surprise. The solid wood original flooring gleamed from the remaining sunlight streaming through the windows. He waited until they circled into the empty living room before he spoke.

“You’re probably wondering why I asked you all here. Samantha gave me this house in our divorce. I suffer from PTSD, and I like it better on the mountain. Kassie told me you might be searching for a house in Serenity and there isn’t much for sale. I’m moving to a different house and renovating it. I haven’t placed this on the market yet and Kassie thought you might want to consider staying here. If you decide you want to purchase it, we can go over those details, but in the meantime, you can rent it and get to know the town a bit better.”

Michael glanced in Lizzy’s direction. He walked toward her and took her hand when she stood rooted to the spot. “Thank you for considering us, Whiskey. Can we take a moment to check it out?”

“Take all the time you need. We’re going next door to visit with Jake. Carol moved back to her place and I’m taking him dinner,” Kassie assured them.

Michael waited until the door closed. “Shall we at least pretend you’re interested in touring the house? They went to all this trouble to help us,” he voiced his aggravation with her.

Ever since he’d learned of her diagnosis, Michael hovered around her, and she knew he feared she’d take off again. Guilt plagued her. She knew her actions after their son Conner’s birth seemed irrational to her ex-husband. At the time, it felt like the right thing to do. Now she realized how much hurt she’d caused him. With the looming doctor’s appointment ahead of them, she tried to keep her distance to avoid hurting him further. What if the test results came back and the cancer had spread? She closed her eyes, letting the pain wash through her. They finally found their way back to one another to face the possibility of being separated again.