Chapter 13 #2
David came in a few minutes later, the epitome of tall, dark and handsome—and ridiculously in love with his fiancée, Daisy, who would become his wife in September.
They’d postponed their wedding for a year after David’s dad had a massive heart attack last summer.
Fortunately, his father was doing much better now, and the happy couple was counting down to their big day.
Sometimes it felt like everyone Chloe encountered was happy and in love.
She’d never been in love with anyone, which had been fine with her until recently.
Now she felt lonely for the first time in a very long time.
David took a seat and gave her his undivided attention, the way he always did, as if she were the only patient he had. “How’s it going?”
“My hands have been pretty bad.”
Wheeling his stool across the exam room, he held out his hands to her. “Let’s see.”
Chloe put her hands in his and tried not to wince as he gently examined them.
“They do seem more swollen than they’ve been before.”
“And the meds are doing a job on my stomach.”
“That’s an unfortunate side effect. I want to start you on a steroid that will help.
It might make you a little puffy and bloated, but it should help with the swelling.
You’re apt to feel cured on this stuff, but just a heads-up that it doesn’t work forever.
As we’ve discussed, we’ll be adjusting and tweaking as we go. It’s a continuous process.”
“I’m willing to try whatever you think might help so I can keep working.”
David wrote the script and handed it to her. “Fiona might have to order it.”
“Such is life on an island.”
“Exactly.” He sat back, crossed his arms and studied her. “How’s your mental health?”
Unprepared for the question, she wasn’t sure how to reply.
“Have you told anyone about the diagnosis?”
“No.”
“It might help to confide in a friend.”
“I need to protect my business. I don’t want people not coming in because they’re afraid that cutting their hair will cause me pain.”
“Fair enough. Have you checked out the online support communities I gave you?”
“Briefly. They gave me new things to worry about.”
“Well, that’s not good. How about a professional? I can write you a referral to Dr. McCarthy. He’s a very well-regarded psychiatrist, and we’re lucky to have him in our community.”
Chloe’s brain had frozen on the word “McCarthy.” As in Finn’s father. “I, um… I don’t know about that.”
“I think it would help. Despite how it seems to you right now, RA isn’t a death sentence in most cases.
It’s a difficult disorder that requires intensive management, so it’s a big adjustment for patients to make after being diagnosed.
There’s no shame in admitting you need some help wrapping your head around it.
” He wrote something else on his prescription pad and tore off the page, handing it to her.
“Kevin’s number. I’ll put through the referral for your insurance in case you decide to give him a call. ”
Chloe took the paper from him. “I’ll think about it.”
“Go once. Do it for me.” His warm, caring smile had her smiling back at him.
“That’s very manipulative, Doc.”
“I know. I’m sorry, but I really think it will help you to find some acceptance and peace.”
Two things that had been in short order for her over the last three weeks. Denial wasn’t working, so why not try something new? “I’ll definitely think about it.”
“Excellent.”
“You’re very good at what you do, David.”
“Thank you. I don’t like to see anyone suffer needlessly, and I know you’ve been suffering these last few weeks.”
Chloe couldn’t deny that, so she didn’t try. “I’m very afraid of what the future will bring.”
“Which is understandable. Kevin can help. So can your friends. People care about you, Chloe. Don’t feel like you have to do this on your own.”
“I also feel guilty for freaking out about this when I know people get much worse diagnoses every day.”
“Don’t feel guilty. This is a tough one for you. It’s painful, and it threatens your livelihood. I totally understand the freak-out.”
His kind words had her fighting back tears for the second time in as many hours. “Your kindness and support mean so much to me.”
“I wish there was more I could do.”
Left unspoken between them was the reality that she might one day require far more specialized care than he could provide on their little island. She refused to think about that on top of everything else weighing on her.
“Knowing you’re close by helps.”
David walked her out. “Call me any time—day or night. You have my number. If you need me, call me.”
“I will. Thank you again.” Clutching the prescription and the paper David had given her with Dr. McCarthy’s number written on it, Chloe left the clinic and drove to Ryan’s Pharmacy.
Fiona, a stunning redhead with a porcelain complexion, was working alone at the pharmacy counter in the back and smiled when she saw Chloe coming. “Hi there.”
“How’s it going?”
“Getting busy again. I’ll be glad when Grace gets home to help.” Grace Ryan McCarthy, the owner of the pharmacy, was married to Evan McCarthy. They had been touring during the winter, in support of his music career.
“When do they get home?”
“In time for his cousin’s wedding next weekend.”
“Right. That makes sense.” Chloe handed over the prescription.
Fiona scanned it quickly. “I’ll have to order this from the mainland. Should be here tomorrow. I’ll call you when it comes in?”
“That’d be great. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
Chloe left the pharmacy and went next door to the grocery store to buy a salad for lunch. Lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t see the man coming toward her until she’d crashed into him, causing both of them to stumble and fall. She landed hard on her right hip, grunting from the pain of impact.
The scent of coffee had her staring at the coffee-soaked, faded denim crotch of the man she’d collided with.
“We really need to stop meeting this way.”
That voice. She looked up, and her gaze met Finn’s. He smiled, but it wasn’t the usual big smile that engaged his startling blue eyes. This one was sad, and it killed her to know she’d done that to him.
He stood and reached out to help her up. “You okay?”
She ignored his offer, but only because it would hurt her to have him pull on her hand. Not because she didn’t want to touch him. That wasn’t it at all. To her dismay, the hip she’d landed on didn’t want to cooperate and buckled.
Finn moved quickly to catch her before she fell again, holding her until she had her legs under her. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” His nearness had her heart beating so hard, she saw stars. Then she remembered to breathe. Her hip throbbed, letting her know she would pay for the fall all day.
“Are you sure?”
Chloe nodded and forced herself to let go of him, to step back, to let him go when that was the last thing she wanted to do. If she could’ve done anything she wanted, she would have rested her head on his chest and let him hold her for as long as he was willing. But that wasn’t an option.
An employee from the grocery store arrived with a mop and made quick work of cleaning up the coffee that had spilled on the floor.
“Let me get you another coffee,” Chloe said. “That was my fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“No worries. I’ll grab another. Can I buy you one?”
Wanting to prolong the encounter, even though she knew that wasn’t wise, Chloe nodded. “Sure. Thanks.”
“Right this way.”
She stepped gingerly on her right foot, trying not to limp as she followed him to the coffee bar where he poured cups for both of them, handing her one. Chloe stirred cream and a dash of sugar into hers. “You drink yours black?”
“Yep.”
“That’s kinda gross.”
His face lifted into half a grin. “So is all that crap you put into yours.”
Even in the midst of the busy store as they stood there making fun of the way they drank their coffee, Chloe felt the undeniable connection, the electricity in the air that sizzled between them any time he was close by—and even when he wasn’t. All she had to do was think about him to feel the zing.
“I’m sorry about last night,” she said softly.
“No need to apologize. But I do want you to know…” He glanced around them. “Not here. Let’s go outside.”
“I’m going to grab a salad for lunch.”
“Lead the way.”
He stayed with her as she visited the salad bar and then insisted on paying for her coffee and salad when they got to the checkout counter.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to.” He walked her to her car.
“What I wanted to say in there is that I feel like there’s something bigger than this happening.
” He waved a hand between them. “I know we just met and it’s none of my business, but I want you to know that if you need a friend—and only a friend—I’m here, and I want to help. ”
His kind words filled her with the now-familiar yearning he inspired in her.
What would it be like to have someone like him by her side to help her navigate the new reality?
He would be incredible and supportive and caring.
She’d known him a matter of days and already knew that he’d be someone she could count on.
She was so very tempted to unburden herself, but she couldn’t do that to him. Once again, it came back to fairness.
Chloe forced herself to look at him, not that looking at him was any kind of hardship.
“Thank you. That’s very sweet of you, and I appreciate it.
” The words she wanted to say were right on the tip of her tongue, burning to get out.
If the truth was all it would take to keep him close to her…
She realized she was staring at him, drowning in the blue of his gorgeous eyes, and looked away.
“I, um, I have to go. I have a customer at ten.”
His disappointment was palpable. “I guess I’ll see you around.”
“I hope so.”
He held the car door for her, waited for her to get settled and then waved as she drove away.
She hoped he didn’t see the tears running down her face.