8. Daniel
EIGHT
DANIEL
As I stared at the blank shock written across the face that had haunted my dreams, I was torn between a desire to freeze the moment to drink in every detail of her messy bun and the long-lashed, fathomless dark eyes locked on mine, and a deep regret for my big mouth. I hadn’t meant to just come out with it like that. No matter what kind of fantasies I’d harbored about her taking one look at me and leaping into my arms, I’d known the likelihood of that was slim. Not with how I’d fucked up. But the moment I’d laid eyes on her everything had just crystalized.
Given that her expression didn’t change, I could tell I definitely hadn’t helped my cause. But damn, it was so good to see her. She looked good, with a trace of sun on those cheeks deepening her natural golden skin, telling me that no matter how hard she’d been working since she moved home, she’d still found some outside time. Everything in me wanted to pull her into my arms and kiss the bejeezus out of her. To erase the distance I’d been fool enough to put between us. But I’d sure as shit lost the right to do that, so I didn’t move.
Would this grand gesture I was making be enough? I’d changed my whole world to be here for her the way I should have in the first place. But what if it was too late? What if she’d moved on? What if there was some old high school boyfriend she’d reconnected with since she came back to Hatterwick? What if I’d potentially torpedoed my career and made this desperate move for nothing?
A host of what ifs threatened to drown me and had apologies and groveling on the tip of my tongue. But now was not the time or the place. As the silence spun out well past the point of awkward, I realized everyone in the room staring at me. Because, yeah, I’d just made that announcement in front of her entire staff, the couple of patients sitting in the waiting room, and Tank.
Brilliant job, LaRue. Way to torpedo your chances right out of the gate.
Before Gabi could say a word, the door behind me opened.
“Oh, thank God. You’re still here. We’ve got a problem.”
Dragging my gaze away from Gabi, I turned and spotted a middle-aged woman supporting a guy with a nail very obviously protruding through the top of his foot.
Gabi hurried past me and ducked under the guy’s arm on the other side, helping stabilize him. “Mr. Dees, I really hope you’re up to date on your tetanus shot.” Shifting her focus back to her staff, she snapped orders. “Justin, we’re gonna put him in one. Kristie, prep for extraction and disinfection.”
I felt terrible for the poor guy with the nail in his foot, but I loved seeing Gabi work. She was competence personified, and it was so very clear that this was what she was meant to do, where she was meant to do it. She’d told me that back in Louisiana, and I’d heard her, but I hadn’t truly listened.
Well, regret and I were becoming fast friends.
As all the medical staff disappeared to the back, I found myself left alone with a narrow-eyed woman I presumed was the office manager. Curiosity and suspicion warred in her pretty brown eyes. It was absolutely clear she wanted to know who the hell I was, and she didn’t trust me further than she could toss me.
I could respect a dragon guarding the gates.
“Right. We’re here to board up the clinic’s windows and whatever else y’all need.”
The woman—Nina, according to the nameplate on her desk—unfolded her arms. “Appreciate that. We’ve had a parade of patients all day and haven’t been able to get to it. There’s plywood around back and a toolkit in the break room.”
Tank jerked a thumb toward the door. “We’ve got a drill and stuff in the truck. You just let us know what else y’all need. We’ll get started on those windows.”
“Thanks, hon.”
Recognizing a dismissal when I saw one, I followed him back outside. While he grabbed the tools, I circled around to the back of the building. Sure enough, several half sheets of plywood leaned against the pilings. I hefted the first couple and moved around to the side where Tank waited.
He helped me lifted the first piece of wood into position, then let loose a low whistle. “Wooee. I don’t know what’s goin’ on between you two, but I’m guessin’ that did not go well.”
I knew how small towns worked. Given my declaration in there was gonna be all over the island in a matter of days—I was granting a little extra time on account of the fact that folks were surely busy with the incoming storm—I couldn’t say nothing.
“Nope. And that’s all on me.”
The big man leaned around me with the drill. “It’s a good thing Cap doesn’t know anything about this.”
The safest answer to that seemed to be a noncommittal grunt.
“What’s the story with you and Gabi, anyway?”
There wasn’t a chance in hell I was gonna tell this guy the full details before I’d had a chance to speak to her. But I could set the record straight on the generalities. “We had a prior relationship, and I fucked it up. Made the wrong choice. So I’m here to fix it.”
“Huh.”
We worked in silence for a few minutes, moving from one window to the next.
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I looked over at Tank. “Is she dating somebody? Am I too late?”
“Don’t know for sure. I haven’t heard she’s seein’ anybody. Mostly she’s been working since she got back on-island, far as I know. She’s been staying with Cap and her sister.”
A flicker of hope lit at that. Maybe it wasn’t too late, then. Assuming Tank was actually well informed, which seemed a safe bet. Firehouses were usually hotbeds of gossip.
By the time we’d finished protecting the windows and were ready to cover the door, the last emergency was hobbling out with his foot bandaged up. Tank and I stepped inside to find things being shut down.
“God willing, that’s the last patient of the day. Let’s shut it down. Y’all all need to get on home or wherever you’re riding out the storm. Both of you have your emergency kits to take home?”
“Yep. All set and ready to go. There’s one for you, too,” Justin announced.
“Thanks. But I’ll have access to everything, as I’m riding out the storm here.”
“Gabi, no! That’s crazy talk,” Nina insisted.
“After this morning, I feel it’s necessary. And it’s fine. This way I’ll be on-hand for any emergencies that arise.”
What had happened this morning?
“Are you even prepared for that with supplies?” Nina asked.
“I’ll get them sorted from home tonight and finish laying things in tomorrow after we set up the community center triage station.”
So now I knew where she’d be tomorrow. I filed that detail away. Maybe I’d come up with some means of damage control in the meantime.
“Now come on.” Gabi began herding all of them toward the back. “Y’all go. This is not up for debate.”
“So we’re good to go ahead and cover the front door?”
She sent me a long look over one shoulder. “Yes. We’ll lock it behind you.” Then she turned back to herding her staff.
Okay. I can work with this.
Jerking my head toward the front, I followed Tank outside to put the last cover in place.