Wild Promises (The Wilde Brothers #4)

Chapter 4

4

TORI

I had shadowed my dad at his practice the last few days, getting a feel for the place. It was well run after so many years of honing his skills, but he could use more doctors. The only problem was that he preferred to run everything himself.

He cleaned out a second office for me. I was drifting through my days, trying to find my bearings. Several times a day, I wondered if I'd made the right decision. It was such a big change to move from a big city's emergency room to a small-town practice.

Today, Dad finally gave me a few patients to handle on my own. I was used to seeing sick kids in the E.R. so I wasn't worried about my abilities, but I think my dad was worried I'd get bored and want to return to my old job.

The first patient was a little boy named Joey Wilde. My heart skipped a beat at his name. Which one of the Wildes had a child? I talked to Kylie occasionally but couldn't remember her ever mentioning a nephew.

Was it Xander's? He had the reputation of a ladies' man. It wouldn't surprise me if he had a kid. But we weren't that far estranged that he wouldn't have told me if he did.

When I opened the door to the exam room, Oliver and a little boy were sitting in the two black-cushioned chairs we provided.

Oliver's face softened when he saw me. "I heard you were back."

"I am." Then I crouched to Joey's level on the chair. "How are you, little man?"

He jumped to stand on the chair. "I'm not little."

"Sit down," Oliver prodded.

Joey jumped to the floor instead.

"Wow. You have a lot of energy. I'm guessing we're not here for a sick appointment."

Oliver gave Joey a look. "It's his annual exam."

"Perfect. Then we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other."

Joey frowned. "Why do we need to do that?"

"I want to get to know you so that the next time you come, it'll be like we're old friends."

Joey considered me for a few seconds, then nodded.

"So how are you doing? Are you sleeping? Eating enough? Getting exercise?"

I sat on the rolling stool and turned my attention to the laptop where I'd record his answers.

Joey was all too happy to recite his daily routine, ticking them off on his fingers. It was adorable and not something I ever had time for in the ER.

"Sounds like you're sleeping enough, eating a variety of different foods, and you're very active."

Joey nodded seriously.

I stood and patted the thin paper resting on the exam table. "You want to hop up?"

Oliver lifted him onto the table.

"Do you have any questions for me?" I asked Oliver.

Oliver pursed his lips. "I don't think so."

"Do I have to get a shot?" Joey's shoulders raised.

"Not today. As long as you've had a flu shot, you're good to go."

Oliver nodded.

"Perfect. Now what should I look at first, your ears or your mouth?"

"Sometimes Dad says I have a frog in my throat."

I nodded seriously. "I'd better take a look at that."

When he opened his mouth wide, I shined a light in it. "No frogs."

"Seriously?"

"You seem disappointed," I observed as I moved to his ears. There was the usual buildup of wax. Nothing that should bother him, and his ear canals were clear.

"Are those marshmallows?" Joey asked.

I laughed as I followed his gaze to the jar of cotton balls. "My dad doesn't allow any candy in here. It's not good for your teeth."

Joey frowned. "Your dad?"

"Her dad is Dr. Clark," Oliver said.

Joey considered that for a few seconds while I listened to his heart. I wanted to ask where Joey's mother was or, more importantly, who she was, but I didn't.

"Are you back for good?" Oliver asked me.

"That's the plan." I'd gotten more than my share of questions about that this week.

"It's good to have you back."

I smiled at Oliver. "It's good to be back."

"Have you been out on the slopes yet?" Oliver asked.

"No. But Xander invited me out tonight."

"You two kept in touch over the years?" Oliver asked as I motioned for Joey to lay down and swing his legs onto the table.

"Not as much as I would have liked." I suspected that Xander was upset I hadn't returned home like I'd promised. But plans change when you go to college, then medical school. I was resentful that he'd chosen to break off our friendship, but I was hopeful he wanted to resurrect it now. I could use a friend. "I planned to take over my dad's practice but got sidetracked for a bit. I learned a lot in the emergency room, but I missed this one-on-one attention. I want to have a relationship with my patients."

I helped Joey sit up so I could test his reflexes with my hammer.

Each time I tapped his knee, Joey giggled.

I couldn't help but feel that this was what I was meant to do. It was a slower pace in a private office, and here, everyone knew who I was. Not because I was dating a surgeon or that he was sleeping around with the nurses behind my back. Now that I was following my heart's desire, I was hopeful that my life was turning around.

I just had one unresolved issue, which was Xander Wilde. Hopefully, tonight, we'd resolve our issues and move forward together as friends.

"You're fit as a fiddle," I said to Joey, knowing my dad always ended an exam with that saying.

Joey jumped off the table. "You sound like Dr. Clark."

"That's my name too."

Joey's nose scrunched. "But you're a girl."

I couldn't help but laugh at his obvious confusion. "I'm his daughter. We have the same last name just like you and your daddy."

"Oh," Joey said, but I was positive he was still confused. "Mommy doesn't have the same last name."

I mouthed, "Sorry," to Oliver.

"You ready to get your ice cream?" Oliver asked.

"Yes!" Joey said, putting his hand in his dad's, and my heart warmed at their sweet interaction.

"We're happy you're home, and I hope we'll see you around," Oliver said to me.

"Thank you, Oliver."

They walked out of the room, and I let out a breath. Dad popped his head in while I was finishing my notes for Joey's appointment. "Can you do lunch in my office?"

"Of course. Be right there." The staff took a lunch break at the same time. That way, we didn't have to worry about squeezing in breaks around appointments, calls, and deliveries. I appreciated the time because nothing ever slowed down at the hospital.

I finished my notes, grabbed my packed lunch from the refrigerator in the break room, then headed to Dad's office. His name was written in script on a plaque outside his door. I couldn't wait until my name was up too. It was just a matter of time, because this was always our plan. I'd work with Dad until he retired, and then I'd take over the practice.

I closed the door, then sat in the chair across from him. "What's going on?"

"Are you planning on working here while you're home?" Dad asked, and I looked up in surprise.

"Of course. That was always our plan."

Dad winced, and I got a bad feeling. "'That was our plan when you were finished with your residency, but you stayed in New York. You said that was your dream now."

"I changed my mind. I know this is where I'm supposed to be." Maybe Dad wanted to give this a little time, or he thought that Hugh would try and convince me to return to New York. There was no chance of that, but I could be patient.

"I made other arrangements when it looked like you wouldn't be returning home to run the practice."

My stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

"I put out feelers for buyers. I got quite a bit of interest, and the money is good."

I opened my mouth, then closed it. "I thought nothing had changed. That I could walk back into the practice and pick up where we left off. But I guess I was presumptuous."

"I'm happy to have you home, and it's good to work together, but I'm counting on the sale to add to my retirement."

I couldn't afford to buy him out. I'd been paying off my student loans and not saving nearly enough to buy his practice. I didn't bother unwrapping my sandwich. I'd lost my appetite. What would I do now? It wasn't fair to ask my dad to change his plans, not when I'd thrown everything off course years ago. "I understand."

"I'm really sorry."

I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes, and I couldn't hide my disappointment. "I'm enjoying being back."

"Maybe whoever buys the place will want to keep you on."

There was a roaring in my ears. I planned on at least having a job here. What would I do if it wasn't a possibility? I'd be traveling to a hospital to work? That wasn't what I had in mind when I moved home.

"I know this isn't what you wanted to hear?—"

"If you're worried about me changing my mind, I'm not going to. Hugh and I are over."

"It's not about that. The plans are already in motion. I have several buyers interested."

"Are you sure they'll keep the practice open?"

Dad nodded. "That's what I'm going to talk to them about. I'll have them tour the place, and we'll sit down and talk numbers. They know that I want the practice to continue to be open. We're the only one in town. Urgent care centers pop up, but most people prefer going to their doctor versus an emergency room."

I had dreams of my name on the door. Now that wasn't a possibility. I'd lost my boyfriend, my apartment, and my dream job in the span of a week. When would things start to go my way?

I saw a bunch of emergency appointments that afternoon, and it was a whirlwind of tests and prescriptions for antibiotics. When I finished work, I felt like I'd made a difference. Parents preferred to see a doctor in a small practice rather than to drive to an urgent care center where they might wait for hours. I was pleased that I was able to handle more of these appointments.

I rushed home, reheating dinner since Mom and Dad already ate, then changed into warm clothes. I couldn't wait to see Xander again. When we talked on New Year's Eve, it was good to reconnect.

He'd been the one to stop all text communication before that, and I wasn't sure why. Was he angry because I reneged on my vow to return home after my residency? Was he upset I was dating Hugh? I didn't share much about my relationship with Hugh other than to say we'd moved in together, and my plan was to stay in the city.

I drove my rental to the lodge, knowing I needed to buy something now that I was living in a place where I could easily own a vehicle. I parked in the visitor space, then headed to the back of the lodge where I used to meet Xander.

I paused, looking around for Xander in his signature red ski-instructor jacket. He was seated at a picnic table talking to a woman who held her skis in her hands.

I was used to this scenario. Women flocked to him.

When he saw me approach, he jumped up to grab my skis, shooting the woman an apologetic look.

He turned my skis this way and that, then dropped them in the snow. "I can't believe you haven't updated your equipment."

"I haven't skied in years, so take it easy on me."

Xander shook his head.

"Is it so hard to believe that my lifestyle changed so much?" It felt good to talk with someone like this. When I was with Hugh, our conversation revolved around hospital stuff.

"You loved the snow and the outdoors. I never understood how you could live in the city."

"It was an adjustment, but I spent most of my time inside a hospital. It wasn't like I had much of a social life outside of work."

"Are you ready to get out there?"

"I can't wait." I also hadn't worked out much, so this was going to be interesting. I hoped I could keep up with a man who spent most of his time outdoors partaking in athletic activities.

We got on our boots and clicked them into place, then made our way over to the lift line. I knew without asking that he would take me to our favorite path. The one that meandered through the woods. It had always been a magical place for me, and the slow pace allowed us to talk to each other with ease.

We got on the lift. Then we were carried up. For the first time since I'd been home, I felt the tension in my body easing. "It feels good to be here like this."

"On your favorite mountain?—"

I touched his shoulder with mine. "With my favorite person."

Xander's expression was tight. "Now I know that isn't true, or you wouldn't have left me for so long."

"I'm sorry, Xan. Is that why you stopped responding to my texts? You were upset that I changed my plans?"

Xander was quiet for a few seconds, then nodded tightly. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry. But you know that things change, right? We grew up and wanted different things. Besides, I'm here now, and I'm really missing my best friend."

He smiled, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "I missed you too."

"No hard feelings?"

"Mmm. Maybe you should make it up to me." Xander turned on the charm.

I huffed a laugh. "How can I make it up to you?"

"Let me think about it."

I closed my eyes, resting my head on his shoulder. "It's good to be home."

A few seconds later, he touched the end of my hair. "We're descending."

I lifted my head, and he moved his arm so that we could disembark without getting tangled up in each other. I was pleased I remembered how to land on my feet and glide to the side so that the chair continued on its path. I remembered the way to our favorite trail. It was one that wasn't used often, especially in the evenings when it was dark.

But this time, as we skied over the familiar path, there were lights on the trees, guiding the way. "How long have these been here?"

Xander glided effortlessly next to me. "I just put them up."

"You did?" My mind was racing with possibilities. Was it related to an event at the lodge, or had it been for me?

"I wanted to make tonight special. It's not every night your best friend comes home."

I couldn't form a response because I couldn't imagine how long it would have taken him to hang these lights. It wasn't an easy project, especially if he was doing it himself.

"You want to go off-road?" Xander asked with a wink.

"Of course."

He led me through the woods. This part I didn't remember as easily. It was Xander who knew these woods like the back of his hands. He'd spent all of his time when he was a teenager exploring the property.

He didn't stop until we were at a clearing with a lookout. He'd even added lights to the trees here. I could see the lodge and, below that, the town itself. It seemed so far away, so small.

We unclipped our boots from our skis, and sat on a rock that was covered in a light dusting of snow. "This is gorgeous."

"I wanted to make tonight special for you."

"Are you afraid that I'll leave again?" I asked.

"It seems surreal that you're here at all. I'm sure your parents feel the same way."

"I suppose they do." I'd just have to prove to everyone that I was here to stay. There was no reason for me to leave. But the fact that Dad was planning to sell the practice had hovered on the edge of my brain all day.