Chapter Five #2
She draped the strap of her canvas crossbody bag over her shoulder and cut long strides across the parking lot.
As she got closer to the edge of the rink, her steps faltered.
A sense of dread welled up in her chest as she surveyed the situation.
Burke sat hunched over on the ice, holding his forearm as Darby Jane clung to him, tears streaking her flushed face.
Jovi took a deep breath before unlatching the rink door and stepping tentatively onto the slick surface. She sensed concerned gazes following her as she walked cautiously toward Burke and Darby Jane.
“Miss Jovi, please help us,” Darby Jane wailed.
“I’m here, sweetie. What happened?” Jovi sank to her knees beside Burke. His eyes locked on hers. A mixture of shame and pain washed across his crimped features.
“I think I broke my arm,” Burke said through gritted teeth.
“Oh, dear.” Jovi scanned him quickly, from his scalp to the tips of his vintage ice skates, checking for other injuries. “Did you hit your head or injure anything else when you fell?”
Darby Jane’s wails grew louder.
“Baby girl, listen.” Burke pressed his uninjured hand to his daughter’s leg. “I’m going to be all right. Miss Jovi and these nice folks are going to help us.”
Darby Jane nodded, drew a ragged breath, then swiped at the tears on her cheeks with her mittens.
Poor thing. And Burke was so tender toward her.
He’d pushed his pain aside to comfort his little girl.
What a great dad. Jovi gave those thoughts a mental shove, then turned and smiled at the young couple still standing nearby.
“Do you think you could take her to get some hot cocoa? The coffee truck is open, and I heard they have fresh marshmallows.”
Darby Jane’s worried gaze slid to Burke. “Can I, Daddy?”
Burke’s lips twitched. “Absolutely.”
“We’ll take good care of her,” the man said, holding out his hand toward Darby Jane. “Come on, let’s get some cocoa. What’s your name?”
Once Darby Jane skated out of earshot toward the side of the rink with the couple and their child, Jovi focused on Burke.
Her training kicked in, and she searched his face, assessing him for any signs of concussion.
He still hadn’t answered her questions about what had happened.
Wow, those flecks of gold surrounding his irises were really something.
And how had she not noticed the small scar below his right cheekbone?
“Jovi?” Burke’s eyebrows slanted up toward his black knit hat. “Would you mind helping me up?”
She hesitated. “Before we move you, why don’t you tell me more about how you fell. Is it just your arm that’s injured, or is there anything else that hurts? I need to make sure there are no other injuries.”
His frown turned into a tight-lipped smile. “Darby Jane wanted to ice-skate. She’s nervous about starting school tomorrow, so I thought this might be a nice distraction. Until I actually started skating. Evidently using my arm to break my fall was also a poor choice.”
He winced again, cradling his arm to his chest.
“Can you wiggle your fingers?”
He slowly moved all five digits in his gloved hand. “Yes.”
“Any numbness or tingling?”
He shook his head. “No, but I’m getting chilly sitting here.”
“Makes sense.” She pushed to her feet. “I have a first-aid kit in my car. Sit tight, and I’ll run and get it.”
“So you’re certain it’s broken.”
She eyed his arm again. “I can’t say for sure without an X-ray. My plan is to splint your arm, then take you to the emergency room.”
“I can’t afford to have a broken arm,” Burke groaned.
Oh. Her chest pinched. A single dad with tight finances. Was that why he’d moved into Lois and Mac’s place? “I’m sure the folks at the hospital here will work with you to set up a payment plan.”
“No, it’s not that.” He blew out a long breath. “I—I’m supposed to write daily, lots of words on my book, but typing will be impossible now.”
So maybe the articles she’d seen on the internet about him being a famous author were correct. “Let’s not dive into the worst-case scenario yet. I’ll put a splint on your arm and drive you to the hospital to get an X-ray so we know what’s going on.”
He glanced over his shoulder toward the parking lot. “I can’t leave Darby Jane with a family we just met five minutes ago.”
“Of course not. But you might have to wait to see the doctor. What about leaving her with someone whose family has been feuding with yours for decades?”
A muscle in his jaw clenched as he attempted to stand. “Say more.”
“Wait. What are you doing?”
“I have to get off the ice. I’m freezing.” His broad shoulders trembled as he shivered.
She clamped her hand on his uninjured elbow to keep him upright. “My sister, Isabel, and her husband, Mason, live nearby. Their place is on the way to the hospital. I can text and ask if they’d watch Darby Jane for you.”
Burke hesitated. “She’ll need to eat supper soon, and she’s terribly allergic to cats.”
“I don’t know if they have kid-friendly food, but they’re definitely pet-free.” She walked slowly beside him as they made their way toward the edge of the rink. He smelled good. Like fresh air and laundry soap. She was tempted to loop her arm around his waist to give him extra support.
Stop. It. Now was not the time to admire his handsome features. Or the way his shoulders filled out his winter jacket. And she certainly wasn’t supposed to be staring at the muscle clenching in his angular jawline.
Jovi. Enough!
Once he was seated on the bench nearby, she reached into her bag for her phone. “Would you like me to check and see if my sister is available?”
“If it’s not too much trouble.”
Less than thirty minutes later, Jovi had splinted Burke’s arm and collected Darby Jane, and they were on their way to Isabel and Mason’s house.
“Thank you for your help.” Burke grimaced as he shifted in the passenger seat of her vehicle.
Jovi adjusted the buttons on the dash to amp up the defroster. “No problem.”
“That truck had yummy hot chocolate,” Darby Jane said from the back seat. “I hope the kids in my class are as nice as that girl.”
“I am sure they will be,” Jovi said, recalling Burke’s comment about Darby Jane’s worries over starting at a new school. “Folks in Evergreen usually have big hearts.”
“Even the ones who’ve been feuding for decades?” Burke quipped.
His comment punctured her statement, and the jovial atmosphere inside the car evaporated. Darby Jane took over the conversation, talking up her new school, reporting how many marshmallows she’d had in her hot chocolate, and asking lots of questions about Isabel and Mason.
When Jovi eased to a stop in front of her sister and brother-in-law’s house, she sensed Burke’s gaze on her.
Probably wondering about her family’s rift with his aunt and uncle.
Not that she had the time or the energy to try to figure out what the man was thinking.
She needed to concentrate on helping Burke see a doctor or a physician assistant and possibly get a splint or a cast. Then she’d go back to Grammie’s to search for the iconic salted caramel chew recipe.
If she could find it, surely she’d be able to come up with a plan to save the candy company.
And convince Mom and Dad not to sell the business that had become their family’s legacy.
* * *
Who knew they’d be such fantastic babysitters? This had gone much better than Isabel had expected.
“She is the most adorable thing ever.” Mason’s arm brushed against Isabel’s as he reached for the can of whipped cream.
She couldn’t help but feel a rush of warmth inside her chest at the sound of his low and rumbly voice.
When Jovi had asked them to babysit Darby Jane while she took Burke to the emergency room, she’d been unsure if Mason would even be willing as they were both so busy.
Would he be irritated that she’d put someone else’s needs first? Again?
All her worries melted away when she saw Mason’s face light up as he interacted with the little girl. He hadn’t looked that content in a very long time.
Over a shared meal of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, Isabel, Mason and Darby Jane had traded silly jokes and riddles. Darby Jane had charmed them both from the moment she stepped into their house with her soft Southern lilt and her Yes, ma’am s and No, sir s.
Isabel added a second scoop of ice cream to his bowl, then offered him a playful smile as she gently bumped her hip against his. “She wrapped you around her little finger in about three seconds.”
Mason set the can back on the counter, then pressed his palm against the small of her back, pulling her in close. She leaned into his touch. His lips brushed her temple. The warmth of his breath against her skin sent shivers down her spine.
“Maybe we need to think about having a little girl of our own.”
The spoon in her hand slipped and clattered on the counter. Her pulse sped. She turned and faced him, wide-eyed. “Are you serious?”
Sure, they’d agreed when they were still dating that they both wanted kids. Someday. But then their first pregnancy had led to heartbreak, and now he’d gone and turned her world upside down by interviewing for a job in another town.
He pulled away. Uncertainty flickered in his eyes, replacing the passion she’d glimpsed only seconds ago. “Don’t freak out.”
“I’m not.” Although the squeak in her voice said otherwise.
Was she freaking out? She tried to dispel her uneasiness by clearing her throat, but it didn’t seem to be enough. And yet, her skin tingled where he’d touched her, already protesting the void left by his absence.
“Can I have some sprinkles, please?” Darby Jane asked from her seat in the kitchen, watching as Mason added a large dollop of whipped cream on top of her ice cream.
After finishing her grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup without complaint, she had devoured a bowl of red grapes.
Now she leaned back against the chair and ran her fingers along the edges of the red-and-pink checkered placemat.
Mason gave her an amused grin. “Of course you can.”
He sent Isabel a sideways glance. His amusement vanished, and a muscle in his jaw twitched. “We have some, don’t we?”
Now who was freaking out?
Isabel gestured with her thumb over her shoulder. “They’re in the cabinet beside the stove.”
Part of her felt blindsided by this whole situation.
After all, they had barely spoken for almost a week, until Darby Jane’s arrival shoved aside any animosity between them.
Not only that, but Mason thought he was ready to become a father, thanks to one mealtime with a well-mannered child.
As if that was all he’d have to do. Show up for dinner and ham it up with the kid, while she did the rest.
Stop.
She couldn’t let resentment fester. They’d agreed to sit down and discuss his job interview tonight, but that hadn’t happened yet, not with Darby Jane’s arrival coinciding with his return from work. Honestly, she’d rather put off the discussion.
He had probably done well, knowing Mason.
He’d always been confident, articulate and so knowledgeable about the construction industry.
Still, the thought of uprooting and starting over somewhere new made her want to burst into tears.
It wasn’t just her work as Evergreen’s mayor.
She’d devoted her life to the place she called home.
Even if her family sold their candy business, she’d never planned on leaving Evergreen.
Yet she didn’t want to give up on her marriage either.
“Ready for dessert, babe?” Mason set a bowl of ice cream with rainbow sprinkles in front of Darby Jane.
“I’ll be right there. Just need to wrap up these leftovers,” Isabel said without meeting his gaze.
“Got it.” He grabbed two spoons and brought the bowls of ice cream to the table. “Here you go, Darby Jane.”
The little girl’s eyes widened with excitement over the treat. “Thank you so much. This looks yummy!”
“You’re welcome.” Mason reclaimed his spot across from Darby Jane and scooted his own bowl closer. “So tell me about Charleston, South Carolina. I’ve never been. What’s your favorite thing?”
While Isabel put away the remaining tomato soup, she half listened to Darby Jane describe a giant bridge near Charleston, her favorite beach and a lunch spot they went to after church services.
The only detail omitted was any mention of her mother or other family members.
Mason didn’t pry. He just listened while the sound of spoons clinking in their bowls punctuated Darby Jane’s vivid recollection of watching baby sea turtles hatch from their nest.
When Isabel looked up again, Mason raised his eyebrows, silently reminding her that what they were witnessing was the most adorable thing ever . She smiled at him before looking away again. He wasn’t wrong. She was adorable.
Maybe Darby Jane would become the bond between their families after all. But that didn’t mean Isabel was ready to move away or consider trying to get pregnant again.