Chapter 2
CHAPTER
TWO
Archer winced as he settled into the plush seat, but his heart raced at finally seeing the woman he had loved for the last eight years sitting across from him.
Her brows knitted together in anger, yet her soft brown eyes assessed his bum leg.
By the end of the meeting, he imagined she’d already have a care plan written in her head and a list of recommendations to aid him.
“Please accept my apology for the surprise visit. I returned to our hometown and saw the fliers for the Winters Foundation in the coffee shop. Imagine my surprise when I saw your picture in the pamphlet,” he said, chuckling.
“You have twelve minutes and thirty-seven seconds,” she reminded him sharply.
Archer’s hand nervously swiped over the scruff along his jaw. “I’m sorry for what happened on your wedding day. You deserve an explanation, and I hope you’ll allow me to give you one.”
“You and Jonah always stuck together. Do you have any idea how much time my Mama spent making the day special for me while she dealt with breast cancer? If he wanted out, Jonah had every opportunity,” she retorted.
“Yes, he did. Unfortunately, my best friend didn’t see past his own wants and needs.”
“What do you want, Archer? Did Jonah send you to plead his case after all this time? I don’t care about him anymore or what he has to say…”
“He’s dead,” Archer whispered. “Jonah succumbed to his injuries three months ago during our deployment. They’re scheduling a memorial later to allow family to come from out of town. Betty took it hard, especially since his dad passed two months prior.”
Candy deflated in her chair. She never returned home since she moved to Seattle to escape the small-town gossip, the stares, and the whispers behind her back.
Known as the jilted woman, Candy moved her mama to Seattle for treatment and loved it enough to settle there until she met pediatrician, Michael Harris.
She treated his wife, Lizzy, after her breast cancer surgery.
Then, Serenity Mountain became her home.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” she faltered.
“Your Aunt Karen placed flyers all over town. I have a sneaking suspicion she did it to prove you made a whole new life for yourself,” he said, smiling.
“They’re operating on my foot. Dr. Winters thinks it’ll give me more mobility, and I can lose the crutches.
Since I discovered the pamphlets, I can’t stop thinking about you. ”
“Did you need a good laugh?” she snarked. “Listen, you’ll receive excellent care here, but I can’t work with you. I thought you were also my friend, Archer. Jonah may have dumped me, but you disappeared, too.”
He stared at the scones, feeling deflated. After losing his friend, his mission to find Candace and ask her forgiveness grew stronger. She didn’t feel the same. “I understand.” Archer stood and weaved before getting his balance. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
Candy gripped the chair arm, refusing to help the man who conspired with his friend to leave her at the altar.
After hearing about Jonah’s secret affairs after the disastrous wedding, she knew she dodged a bullet.
Yet, Archer betrayed her by cutting her off completely.
A few weeks after the fiasco, Candy heard they enlisted and never saw them again.
She watched Archer leave without another word.
Placing her teacup on the plate, she waited for Kassie’s return, recalling the hurt from the past.
“I take it you refused his request?” Kassie asked.
“I’m sorry. Can you assign him to Terry?” she asked. “Did he tell you why he specifically wanted me?”
“He saw Chase a few weeks ago for a surgical consult and asked about you. We plan to set him up in one of the cabins after he stabilizes. Sometimes a familiar face aids in healing. Since you two seemed to know one another, his request didn’t come as a surprise.”
“I’m afraid we’re only acquaintances, and it’ll be best if he works with someone else,” she murmured.
Kassie put an arm around her and gave her a gentle squeeze. “Be careful. If the past can cause you this much pain, you haven’t let it go. I’ll assign him someone else and will do my best to keep your time limited in the PT area.”
“It’s not like I’ll see him in the amputee rooms. He said Doc plans on repairing his foot,” Candy said, rising and heading toward the door.
Kassie sent her a confused glance.
“What’s the matter?” Candy asked, seeing her expression.
“He’s not here for a repair. Archer’s scheduled for an amputation. His foot got injured when he attempted to save his friend during an explosion. Since then, he’s suffered frequent infections, and they need to amputate to keep it from spreading.”
Her heart fell into her stomach. She worked with veterans daily and saw the pain and anguish they went through. Candy didn’t wish for anyone to go through it alone. Could she put their differences aside to help a hero regain his life, even if she spent the last five years hating him?