Chapter 3
Jaxon
Two Months Later
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Fucking pager! I reach over to grab my pager off the nightstand and realize it’s not my pager.
It’s my freaking alarm. Onnnnnn my day off.
This is just fantastic. I slap that fucker off, hating myself for forgetting to flick that switch, and mumble another fuck you as it falls to the floor.
Groaning, I roll over in bed in an attempt to close my eyes, just in case my exhausted body can sink back into the abyss of my dark room.
I tense and release my muscles, hoping it’ll help me relax.
I know it’s pointless a few minutes later.
Too used to being shocked awake by pagers and nurses shaking me from my few minutes of dozing before I’m needed again, I run my palms down my face, rubbing the scruff I so badly need to shave.
I practically face-planted into my bed after coming off of a forty-eight hour stint in the ER.
Someone called in sick an hour before my shift was over, so I got roped into stepping in.
It’s good money, and knowing that I’ll enter repayment over the next few months, I’m trying to save up every bit I can.
I can’t quite believe it. I finally finished residency.
The hospital has given me a choice of a position in either their Family Medicine or Emergency departments here or at their partnering hospital in Kittery.
Since they’ve had so many doctors retire over the past year, I get my pick.
To sweeten the deal, if I choose Family Medicine, I can still pick up shifts in the ER whenever I feel like it.
I have a week to come up with my answer.
In the meantime, I managed to snag an easy week since my residency just finished. I only have one shift in the ER.
I’m really thinking hard about the hospital in Kittery.
Everyone was great there while I filled in those couple of weeks, and it would give me a shot at finding her again.
Soft, milk-chocolate hued hair with sun-kissed highlights and deep golden brown eyes pop into my mind.
I rake my fingers through my locks and slip my hand behind my head on the pillow.
I hate that I didn’t find her right away after that case from hell ended.
And I hate even more that I failed to grab her or Colin’s number.
By the time the next doctor arrived to take over, all I had wanted to do was run.
I wasn’t in the headspace to handle anything else.
Not to mention, they’d all left. I guess I could’ve knocked on Jane’s door, but it was after midnight, and she’d just had that baby.
I knew without a doubt after that shift that OB wasn’t a permanent specialty for me.
I’m even hesitant to step back in if they ask me to fill in again.
I know what happened couldn’t be helped, and it’s not even the first time I’ve witnessed it, but damn did it fuck up the rosy glow of cherub cheeked littles for me for the near future.
Colin’s vet clinic. I sit straight up in bed.
Bingo. Why hadn’t I thought of that earlier?
Uh, idiot, you’ve been finishing up your residency, that’s why.
Typing up Colin’s name and vet clinic along with Kittery brings his info and picture right up.
I screenshot the number and address. I’ll call it in a couple of hours and see if I can snag a conversation with him.
Yeah, Kittery sounds better the more and more I think about it.
A sense of peace washes over me as I look around my room and imagine giving this place up.
A change of scenery would be welcome. My lease is due to be renewed or give notice within the next week, so it lines up perfectly with having to make the decision for where I want my future to start.
Stumbling into the kitchen, I slap a pod of coffee into the machine and let it do its thing while I get in a quick shower.
Between that and a quick shave, I feel semi-human again.
As I sip from my mug, I scroll through property listings in Kittery on my phone.
I think renting a tiny place for now is still my best bet, so I can get some of this debt out of the way while it’s still just me.
The number for Colin’s clinic pops into my brain again, and why the hell not? I push the call send button and listen to it ring.
“Amy’s Care Clinic, this is Brynleigh. How may I help you today?”
Brynleigh… Holly’s Brynleigh? I clear my throat.
“Hi, this is Jaxon Reyes. I was just trying to get in touch with Colin. We ran into each other a couple months ago, and I got pulled away before I could get contact info from him.”
“We wondered what happened to you. Not just Colin either,” Brynleigh notes, sounding slightly annoyed on her friend’s behalf. Dangit. I upset her.
“So, you’re Holly’s Brynleigh. I don’t know why I didn’t think to look up the clinic earlier. My residen-”
“Yes, I’m that Brynleigh, and you don’t owe me an explanation. I can definitely leave your details with Colin. Hopefully, we can count on seeing your face for drinks some night soon. I think you need to get reacquainted with a particular friend of mine.”
“How is she?”
“She’s good. The online dating thing around here isn’t really cutting it though.”
I choke on my gulp of coffee. Oh hell, why does the idea of another guy’s hands near her have me feeling a smidge crazy? She’s not even mine. But she could’ve been.
“So, she’s not spoken for yet? That’s good to know, thanks.”
“I wouldn’t wait long though. She’s a catch. Somebody is going to scoop her up, and you’ll lose your chance again, assuming she even looks your way after you just disappeared.”
“Brynleigh, who are you grilling?”
Oh thank fuck. Colin. I hear shuffling around the phone.
“Is this who I think it is based on the face my secretary is giving me and the bit I overheard?”
“That depends. Is there a decent number of people calling to find their long lost college buddy with the smoking hot friend?”
That earns me a chuckle.
“You’d be surprised.”
“Calling your office?”
“No, they’re not particularly that smart it seems, but there’s a decent number of competitors you might be going up against.”
“Hmmm… I’ll keep that in mind. Any worthy opponents?”
“Maybe one. It’s Tuesday. We should all do drinks at Phil’s. Typically the gals all meet at one of the houses, but perhaps–”
“On it,” Brynleigh chimes in from the background, clearly eavesdropping.
“You coming?” Colin asks me, the grin evident in his voice.
“Dude, Sydney’s going to be so proud of your matchmaking skills coming out to play,” I hear Brynleigh say excitedly. They have a bunch of meddlers in their group, it appears. I dig it.
“I’ll be there. Text me the time so I have your number.”
I hear a bell chime through the connection.
“Hey, gotta go. My next appointment’s here. See you tonight. Bryn will text you details.” He hangs up before I can say goodbye back. A few minutes later, my phone buzzes with a text from an unknown number.
Unknown: It’s Bryn. I’ve also attached Colin’s info below. Now you have two numbers and no excuses. Phil’s at six.
I save both numbers and send a quick thank-you back.
Tonight.
???
Holly
Buzz.
My phone lights up to the right of my planner just as I pick up the small stack of printed multiplication assignments to pass out to my third graders.
“Take one and pass the rest back, please,” I urge as I hand them to my kids in the front row seats.
A few groans waft up from the back of the room, but I ignore them.
If only they realized that these assignments are the ones they’ll be wishing they could have back in a few years.
“This is just review homework in preparation for the test on Friday. The back page is for extra credit. I’d like them turned in by Thursday.
That way, if someone needs any help, we are able to address it before the test. You have ten minutes before the lunch bell sounds.
That’s enough time to look through and get a couple of them done. ”
When I get resituated at my desk, I pull out the pile of spelling assignments to grade. My phone buzzes again, indicating the girls are likely blowing up our group chat.
Brynleigh: Change of plans tonight, ladies.
Sydney: Oh don’t tell me you’re sick.
Jane: Better not be, I got Mom to take Charlotte so that I can have a glass of wine and relax!
Ava: I’m in more of a margarita or daiquiri kind of mood tonight. Anyone else?
Me: What’s up???
Brynleigh: We’re going to Phil’s instead of my place. I need some bar food. Are you all okay with that?
Jane: Woooo!!
Ava: Affirmative
Sydney: Some loaded tater skins sound pretty good right now.
Me: I’m fine with whatever. I’m ready to see your faces!
Brynleigh: Six sharp! Get cute!
Sydney: You’ll get what you get.
Me: Oh Syd, you’re always cute.
Sydney: I’ll waddle my butt in there for you all.
???
The evening, April air invigorates my lungs as I step out of my SUV. Not only that, the smell of bar food has my stomach rumbling after my long day. That turkey sandwich didn’t fill me at lunch at all. I refused to snack this afternoon in anticipation of tonight though.
“Holly!” I hear Sydney holler from her side of the truck as she shuts its door, shakes her head, reopens it to grab her purse, then closes it again before Colin locks it. Colin nods at me in hello.
“Since you’ve got her, I’m heading in. Trystan, um, needed to tell me something.” He smiles at Sydney, and she blows a kiss back.
“Man, I am so forgetful tonight. These littles are already sucking the brain cells from me, and they’re not even here yet.”
I chuckle as I loop my arm through hers.
“You look adorable, if that makes you feel any better.”
“I’d prefer hot, or smokin’, or, well, anything else that doesn’t make me picture a chipmunk with its cheeks stuffed beyond acceptable capacity.”
“You don’t…look like a chipmunk,” I voice between gulps of air as I laugh. She cracks me up.