Chapter 14
Jake
Within a week, I’d stepped into three new roles: friend to the most beautiful woman I’d ever met, cold plunge coach, and tyranny-disruptor sidekick (Ali’s words, not mine).
Every morning this week we’d met at the end of the dock and she cold-plunged in the lake. She probably didn’t need me out there “spotting her.” I could barely peel my eyes away from her. The plunging seemed to make her feel good, and making Ali feel good was just about all I could think about.
And I mean it was all I could think about.
Fantasies about her were creeping into my dreams. Into my day.
My mind wandered while talking to my patients’ humans.
Especially if they started to go on and on about their lives.
I would politely nod, all the while picturing Ali in a variety of different scenarios, usually naked.
Sometimes on her knees. Other times on her back.
I was always in control of my emotions and desires except when it came to her.
All my routines had been erased. And instead of doing what I would normally do to rebalance the situation, I’d sunk deeper into the depths of a crush.
It was Thursday, and since we only did a half day at the clinic on Fridays, Thursdays were either full, chaotic, and exhausting, or they were quiet as hell and boring. Today was the latter. Which was unfortunate because I needed a distraction. I needed managed chaos in the form of a busy clinic.
A busy clinic was easier than a quiet one. Especially with Sheila serving as the gatekeeper.
I knew how to help a pet bunny that had chewed through some wires.
A dog that got into the chocolate chip cookies.
A cat or a ferret that was vomiting inexplicably.
And slot those in between regularly scheduled checkups and vaccinations.
Sheila and I were built for those kinds of days.
And they flew by, leaving very little time to daydream and pine.
But today was not one of those days. We were light on appointments, and it seemed no one had a pet emergency on this particular Thursday. Sheila practiced her plank holds. Eric was hard at work in the back digitizing records. He’d had a wistful look on his face all morning.
Sheila popped up from the floor behind the reception desk.
“Rumor has it that Eric hit it off with the newest out-of-towner. Ali’s friend,” Sheila mentioned in a low tone as she took a swig from her water bottle. “Did you meet him? He’s a looker.”
“I did. I think his name is Misha,” I replied as I busied myself flipping through a stack of charts Sheila was readying for Eric.
“They’ve been the talk of the town all week. It’s exciting to witness a genuine love match like that!” she said with glee in her voice.
I felt tension build in my face.
“Love match? Sheila, they just met,” I said. “And Misha’s been gone since Sunday.”
Where was the fear and concern for sweet young Eric? Like they seemed to feel toward me with the prospect of a love match.
“But sparks were flying last weekend! It’s a match for sure,” she said. “Carol Lopez reported that they left the bonfire together last week after flirting and talking for more than an hour. Ahh . . . young love. We’re all rooting for them.” She sighed dreamily.
“But Misha doesn’t even live here. Isn’t everyone concerned Eric’ll get his heart broken?” The bitterness stung my tongue.
Sheila misunderstood my line of questioning.
“Aren’t you sweet to be so protective of Eric.” She smiled. “I guess we’ll see what happens.” She patted my arm, then dropped to the floor for another plank round.
No, it wasn’t sweet. It was resentment. The town was cheering on Eric and Misha, while they fretted about me and Ali? It made absolutely no sense.
“I need coffee.” And a change of scenery. “Want anything, Sheila?”
“Nah. Thanks. I’m good.”
I walked toward Eric’s workspace and asked him too.
I was resentful of the town’s acceptance of his potential with Misha, but I wasn’t going to punish the kid for it.
Although I could not suppress the inkling of jealousy that bubbled up seeing Eric smile at his phone, no doubt because of text messages with Misha.
Instead of giving me his drink order, though, he asked to tag along. “I could use a break,” he said.
“What time are you going to Cheers and Cheese tonight?” Eric asked.
It was the event Ali, Betsy, and Marjorie had coordinated to raise awareness for Kind Ridge Creamery—also to get rid of an overload of cheese that was accidentally ordered. The cheese calamity was already reaching legendary proportions among the town’s lore.
“Misha is so giddy about the event. He gets here this afternoon and is staying through the weekend again.”
The corners of my mouth lifted despite my frustration.
To be honest, the town didn’t dictate relationship compatibility. And the town’s concern for me wasn’t what was keeping Ali and me in the friend zone. That was all her. I felt the tension in my jaw soften slightly.
“You and Misha seem to be really hitting it off,” I said.
“I know. I’m obsessed. He’s really amazing, Jake,” Eric said.
I’d never heard Eric talk like this about anyone.
I thought of Eric as a kid, but he was only a few years younger than me.
But I guess because he was still figuring out what he wanted from life, I always saw him as much younger.
Or I just always felt older. Always felt like an adult even when I should have felt like a kid.
Eric looked down at his phone and smiled. Probably a new text from Misha by the look on his face.
“You seem happy,” I said.
“I’m sure I look like a walking version of the heart eyes emoji. My mom told me as much this morning. And maybe I am. He’s smart and weird and complex. Intense, in like, a really warm and magnetic way. He sees people, you know?”
“I only just met him myself, but I think he’s a really good guy. Ali thinks very highly of him. And he’s been a great friend to her. I think that says a lot,” I said.
Eric nodded. “Isn’t it incredible how these two have blown into our sleepy little lives here like dandelion seeds in the wind?” Eric asked.
“They certainly have stirred things up,” I agreed.
“So. What’s the deal with you and Ali?” he asked.
“No deal, really. We’re friends.” I shrugged.
“Right,” Eric said slowly. “Well, she’s lucky to have you on her side. Girlfriend’s been through it, according to Misha.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Classic story. She’s been told she’s too much by like, the world, and instead of finding space to let her be all that she is, she capped herself trying to be less.”
“Less what?” I asked, not fully understanding.
“Less spontaneous. Less . . . enthusiastic. Less . . . demanding. Less . . . ambitious. Less . . . maintenance. Less everything, Jake,” he said with a shrug.
“What? That’s ridiculous. What moron would want her to be less than who she is?” I stopped us on the sidewalk outside the café.
“Sometimes when women like Ali shine too brightly, the wrong people try to dim them. For some people, brightness is threatening,” Eric said, hands in his pockets, shoulders shrugged.
I tsked my tongue. “Fucking hell. That’s infuriating.
Her brightness is . . . it’s incredible.
It’s like the sun after a long gray winter.
I would never ask that of her.” All Ali’s passion, bold ideas .
. . God, even her humor. “All I think about is wanting to see more of her and learn everything I can about her—” I said and then realized I’d said it out loud. I awkwardly stopped myself.
“Now who’s capping themselves?” Eric asked with a knowing look.
“Ali should never feel like she has to conform to be loved,” I said, shaking my head.
“You’re right. And I think you should tell her that. Better yet, show her. Coming from someone who might know how Ali was made to feel, being seen and celebrated for all that you are is really special,” Eric said.
“Even if it’s coming from just a friend?” I asked.
“If that friend looked at me the way you look at Ali, then yes. That would be enough,” Eric said.
With that, Eric pulled open the café door and we stepped inside.
“Are you ready to save Lakeside, Dr. Elliot?” Ali said as she walked through my back door after a short knock on the wood frame.
We’d agreed to walk over to the town meeting together. We were presenting the Keep Lakeside Wild plan to the board before the Cheers and Cheese event started.
I was a little worried that everything taking place on one day would be too much, but it didn’t seem to faze Ali.
She had worked hard to build out the plan, research contacts, and interview people in town.
And she was a total professional organizing the event.
She delegated, problem-solved, and whipped it all together, never even breaking a sweat.
“All set. Wow, you look great,” I said. She’d donned a power suit and heels that left no question about who was in charge tonight.
“You don’t think it’s too much?” she asked, fidgeting with her lapel.
There it was. Her vulnerability. The wound she carried around.
“I really want to impress the board, but I don’t want to overdo it,” she said.
“It’s not too much. It’s perfect. You’ll have Asher eating out of the palm of your hand.”
“I don’t want that either. I want to impress them with my ideas. I want them to feel confident in my abilities,” she said earnestly.
“Hey,” I said, allowing my hands to land on her arms and wrapping my fingers just above her elbows. Firm. Steady. Like a coach would before sending a player onto the field. “You got this.”