Chapter 20
Regan
It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon when I meet Scarlet and Dusty at the park. Since I’ve been back, I want to make a point to be present with them and soak in these small moments.
Dusty tugs at my hand, his cheeks flushed with excitement. “Regan, will you play with me again?”
I smile, warmth bubbling in my chest. The thought of leaving him, missing these moments, makes me sad in a way I wasn’t prepared for. “Sure. But maybe we hit the park first? Pirates or hide-and-seek, then we do the picnic. Deal?”
“Yes!” he shouts before bolting toward the equipment.
Scarlet and I stroll behind at a slower pace. “So, how’s work been?”
“Oh!” I grin, remembering. “I haven’t told you. Next week, we’re doing a role-reversal training exercise. I get to mentor Brant.”
Scarlet grabs my arm, practically doubling over in laughter. “No way. Brant? Losing control? Oh my God, he's going to hate that.”
“I know,” I say, giggling with her. “It’s for a charity initiative, so he can’t even argue with it.” I’ve already been imagining the look on his face when I correct him, the way his lips will thin when he’s trying to stay professional.
“I love that for you,” she says, still chuckling.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
We both watch Dusty climb the ladder quietly.
“Would you ever consider staying here?”
I sober, then shake my head. But even as I do, something in me hesitates. It doesn’t feel so silly as it would’ve weeks ago. There’re a few things pulling at me here—Dad, Scarlet, Dusty… but New York is my dream.
“I don’t think so. I feel like I’ve always needed to earn my father’s approval outside his shadow. Being here… it’s still his world. I want to go back to New York. That position, I earned it.” But saying it out loud now feels less certain. Like I’m trying to convince myself as much as her.
“Have you been learning a lot during your residency?” she asks. “Different from the city?”
“Oh yeah,” I say, laughing. “Being a small town, it doesn’t have every facility imaginable.
Patients sometimes have to travel out of town to see specialists.
And also, the people here? They know everything about each other.
The gossip’s real, but… the care is real too.
That part, I’ll miss.” More than I thought I would.
A ribbon of sadness twists in me at the thought of that.
She nods, smiling. “And your dad?”
I pause, thinking of leaving him now and how that makes me feel precarious.
“If things keep going the way they are, I’ll miss him too.
We’ve made progress. It’s not perfect, but it’s something.
Still, this isn’t home. Not for me.” And that thought makes me sad, yet more wistful and determined for the city.
“Well, then, you better come back for holidays,” Scarlet says, mock stern. “I’m not above guilt-tripping.”
I laugh. “Of course I will. I’ll try. The position is demanding, and the schedule won’t be easy, but I’ll make it work.”
Dusty’s voice breaks through the air. “REGAN!”
I glance over and see him smiling and waving frantically from the top of the playground.
“Guess it’s time to play,” Scarlet says.
“For ten minutes,” I warn Dusty. “Pirates first. Then hide-and-seek.”
We storm the playground like we’re kids again. For a while, I forget about work, expectations, and whose approval I’m chasing. I’m just a girl in a park, shouting in my best pirate accent, “Prepare to walk the plank.”
Dusty squeals and runs.
Eventually, we switch to hide-and-seek. I slip behind a wide oak tree, leaves rustling above me. My heart pounds not from fear, but from how ridiculously fun it is to be silly.
“What are we doing behind this tree?”
A warm breath grazes my ear, and I whirl around, clutching my chest.
Brant stands inches away, with a lopsided grin.
“God, you scared me,” I whisper, half-laughing.
He reaches out, and his hand lingers on my arm. “Do you always hide out behind trees on weekends, Dr. Thomas?”
“I’m not Dr. Thomas out here.”
“Okay, well, how about Rae?” he asks, and something in his voice contorts inside me.
“That’s fine,” I say quickly. “I’m here with—”
“REGAN!” Dusty runs toward us, his eyes lighting up the moment he spots Brant. “You’re here too?” Brant lifts him with ease, spinning him into the air like it’s nothing.
“Are you coming to play hide-and-seek?” Dusty grins.
Brant winks. “Only if I get permission first.” He turns to me. And there it is… that look. The one that warms my insides. That makes me want him to play with us.
“What are you doing here, though?” I ask.
He gestures across the park. “I have Aria with me.”
I follow his gaze to an older couple stretched out on a blanket, their eyes on a little girl twirling around with a doll clutched in her hand. She’s talking expressively like she’s putting on a show.
“Is that your niece?” I ask.
He nods, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah. My sister’s pulling a double today.”
“She’s adorable.” I glance up at him.
“She is,” he says, watching her like she’s the only thing in the world. Then, quietly says, “Family’s everything.”
The way he says it hits me deep in the heart.
Because I know what he means. I see it in the way he looks at Aria, how his whole face softens.
And it makes me think of Dad and the years we lost. I’ve tried to prove I didn’t need his approval, that I could make it on my own.
But standing here, watching Brant saying, “family’s everything,” I wonder if I’ve got it all wrong.
I look away before he can see it in my face.
Just then, Scarlet saunters up, fake-annoyed but grinning. “Okay, rude. You ditched me for way too long.”
“Blame Brant,” I say, with an innocent smile. “He interrupted our game. I was winning, by the way.”
He raises an eyebrow. “You were not.”
“Was too.”
“You cheated,” he says, stepping closer, and his fingers brush my arm, barely there, but enough to set off a shiver I can’t control. “I saw you peeking around the tree.”
He smirks knowingly.
Before I can fire back, Scarlet peers over my shoulder. “Dusty, Aria’s here.”
Brant glances back at me and gestures with his head for us to follow. I watch Brant go after Dusty, trying not to let my pulse trip over itself.
We follow him, and as we near the picnic setup, I finally get a good look at his parents.
His dad’s tall, solid, with the same jawline Brant has, minus the slightly crooked nose that somehow makes Brant more attractive.
His mother’s already smiling at us, elegant and warm, like she’s been expecting us all along.
Brant gestures toward the couple. “Mom, Dad, this is Dr. Regan Thomas.”
His father studies me for half a second, then his eyebrows lift. “Thomas? As in… Fraser Thomas?”
“Yes. He’s my dad. Do you know him?”
His father lights up. “Oh, yes. We worked together briefly. Heard wonderful things about you.”
A flicker of surprise and warmth spreads through me. “That’s nice to hear. It's a small world.”
Beside me, Brant shifts his weight, and his jaw tightens slightly. He’s looking at the ground now instead of at his father, and there’s a tension in his body that wasn’t there a moment ago. Like he’d rather be anywhere else. I catch it right as his dad adds, “Didn’t realize you were mentoring her.”
The look he gets from his dad is priceless. Brant tenses.
“He’s been amazing,” I say before I can think better of it. “Knowledgeable. Supportive. I’m lucky to have him.”
Brant’s jaw tics, his gaze snapping to mine like he’s not sure whether to be flattered or furious. It’s intense, and it makes me clasp my hands tightly together.
“He’s a sweetheart. Would you like to join us for lunch?” his mom asks.
My first thought is to decline, but before I can speak, Scarlet jumps in. “The kids are off playing. Why not combine our picnics?”
“If you don’t mind,” Brant’s mom says, hesitant. “We don’t want to intrude.”
“Nonsense,” Scarlet says. “The more the merrier.”
I suddenly need space. A moment to think without his eyes on me. “I’ll grab coffees at the store.”
“I’ll help,” Brant adds.
Of course he will.
I force a smile as we walk off together, side by side but not touching. He’s looking straight ahead, like he’s trying just as hard as I am to keep things casual.
“So…” I glance over at him, smirking. “Didn’t tell your parents who you were mentoring, huh?”
He groans under his breath. “You loved that.”
“So much,” I say sweetly.
He throws me a sidelong look. “You’re evil.”
I shrug. “And you’re cute when you squirm.”
He stops short. “Did you just call me cute?”
Oh God, I just said that out loud. I scramble for something to deflect. “Don’t get a big head now.” We walk in silence toward The Cozy Point, but I can feel him glancing at me, so I take the occasional peek back.
“Of all places to bump into you,” I say. “A park? I’d never guess. But your family is sweet.”
“Yeah,” he says, nodding as we pass the bakery, where the scent of fresh bread is wafting through the air. “My sister’s a detective, and so is her husband. They both work crazy hours, so we all help where we can.”
“That’s…” I pause, the words catching because it’s nice that they share the load. It’s the kind of thing that makes me wish I had a sibling. “I'm happy for you. It’s great that you have an amazing support system in your family.”
But sadness creeps in before I can pull it back.
He looks over, brow furrowing. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Just…” I shrug. “Wish I had that growing up.”
He doesn’t respond right away. Just looks at me for a minute longer than necessary, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. But if I had to guess, I’d say he sees me. Like I really feel seen with him.
Then, as we reach The Cozy Point’s door, he places his hand on my lower back.
And it’s not an accident.
I feel it in every nerve ending.
He pulls the door open, holding it for me like nothing happened.
Like he didn’t just flip my world upside down with a single touch.
But the look he gives me as I pass?
Yeah. He felt it too.