15. Chapter Fifteen
“Wait!” Nadine calls after me. “How did your blind date go?”
“Since you love talking to Aunt D about my love life so much, you can ask her,” I say.
“She said you didn’t give her the deets yet.”
I face my receptionist, shooting her a wry grin. “Maybe this will teach you two to mind your own business from now on.”
She harrumphs and mumbles something about it being unfair and not being able to enjoy her daydreams without the details. I don’t think I want to know what that’s about.
“See you tomorrow.” I narrowly escape out the front door before she can stop me.
As I drive home, I think about what Nadine said. If I don’t call Darla soon, she’ll probably find a way to hitchhike to my house and demand all the details. Although I’d love to make her wait it out for setting me up with my neighbor, I don’t want Sunrise Springs calling to tell me my great-aunt snuck out.
I click her name on the touchscreen of my dashboard.
“Oh, so you do know how to use a phone,” Darla answers with all the sass of a strong Southern woman.
“Is that how you treat your great-nephew who has information you desperately want to know?”
She’s quiet for a moment, a rarity. “I’ll keep my trap shut for the next minute.”
I smile, knowing how difficult it is for her not to say what she’s thinking. “First, I want to know how you’re doing. Still no shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, or heartburn?”
“You quit your worrying. I’ve been given a clean bill of health. Sunrise Springs made me fill out paperwork because of the duck incident, and part of it required a medical professional to check me out. A strapping young EMT came flying up in an ambulance just for me. All the ladies were jealous. Maybe I’ll even get a date with Ed out of it…” She trails off. “Anyway, he took my blood pressure and listened to my heart and everything. Now that’s what I call a public service.”
I shake my head. “You know there’s such a thing as oversharing, right?”
“Not when it comes to family, dear,” Darla tuts. “Now, I’m going to shut my trap, and you can tell me everything. I want all the details.”
“Did you know that she’s Evie’s nanny?”
“Who?”
“Kelsey.”
“Kelsey works here at Sunrise Springs.” Darla sounds confused. Maybe she didn’t know after all.
“She’s also Evie’s nanny, a dog walker, and my next-door neighbor.”
“ You’re the hunky man that she works for next door?” Aunt D squeals like a schoolgirl. “Oh, this is too good. Just like the telenovelas.”
“She called me hunky?” I can’t hide the incredulity in my voice.
“Not in so many words. It was in what she didn’t say. You have to read between the lines.”
“I’m not sure what to believe with Kelsey. I’m pretty sure she hated me until the date.”
“But now?”
The question hangs in the air, the answer just out of reach. “I don’t think she despises me anymore, but that doesn’t mean she wants anything more with me.”
“Do you want more with her?”
That question might be even more difficult to answer. I’ve never denied Kelsey’s beauty, but I did stuff down every ounce of attraction I felt toward her for the last two years. It was easy to do when she always let her dogs in my yard and glared at me every time she saw me.
But the more I’ve been around her, the more I appreciate our banter. I give her an A for effort with the list of fictional doctors she calls me. When I push aside my pride at being referred to as evil villains or monsters, I can admit it’s actually hilarious. She’s witty and beautiful, and when I watched her walls fall the slightest bit Saturday night, it left me wondering what it would take to make the rest of them come crumbling down.
If they fell completely, I’m not even sure what I’d do, but I hope she lets me stick around long enough to find out.
“I’m not sure what I want,” I say, “but I have time to figure it out.”
“The clock’s ticking. I want more great-great nieces or nephews.”
I huff out a laugh. “Let’s just start with dating first.”
“Are you at least ready to admit that I’m a wonderful matchmaker?”
“It’s not that I didn’t think you’d be good at it, I just wanted to meet someone the old-fashioned way.”
“Technically, you met Kelsey when she moved in next door. There’s your good old-fashioned love story. Problem solved.”
“It’s not that easy, Aunt D.” I pull up in front of my house and put the car in park.
“Love is easy. It’s people who make it hard.”
“Some of us more so than others, right?”
I can hear the smile in her voice. “Congratulations, you’re learning to read between the lines.”
“I should get going. I just got home.”
“Tell Evie and Kelsey hello for me.”
Once we hang up, I grab my phone and walk toward the porch when I notice how many missed calls and voicemails I have. Twenty-seven. It was a hectic day in the office, so I didn’t get a chance to check my phone. I scroll through them.
That’s weird. They’re all from random numbers in the area. I’m about to play the most recent voicemail when an incoming call pops up.
I accept the call. “Hello?”
The lady on the phone explains why she’s calling. My eyes go wide at her descriptive word choices. Words that certainly aren’t worth repeating.
“I’m not available for any of the”—I drop my voice to a whisper—“ services you’re mentioning. Please don’t call this number again.”
I shake my head. Weirdest prank call of my life. I press play on the next voicemail as I unlock the front door.
A woman’s voice comes through the speaker as I step inside. “Hey there, gorgeous. I’m calling about your ad. I’m in need of an in-home exam, but only if you show up in your scrubs and nothing el—”
My face heats. I rush to exit out of the voicemail as Evie runs over to me. I drop my things and catch her in my arms. I know there will come a day when she’s not as excited to see me, so I never take times like this for granted.
“How was your day?” I ask.
“The best.” She spins, her arms spread wide. “I got an A-plus on my spelling sheet.”
“You know what that calls for?” I smile, knowing I’ll take her wherever she wants to go.
“Pizza?” Her eyes are wide as she bounces in excitement.
“You got it. Make sure you use the restroom and grab your coat. It’s a little chilly tonight.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” Evie salutes me and runs upstairs.
Kelsey steps into the room, and I turn to her. “You wouldn’t believe the number of calls I received today.”
“Oh?” She picks at her nails.
“There’s no other word to describe the voicemails besides disturbing .”
Kelsey wrings her hands. “I tried to stop it, I swear.”
“Wait.” I hold up my phone. “You had something to do with this?”
“Isn’t that why you’re talking to me about it?”
“I just wanted to talk to another adult about it.” I point upstairs and lower my voice. “Evie doesn’t need to hear what these women are saying.” I press play on the most recent voicemail and hand Kelsey my phone. She blushes and her eyes go wide with horror about halfway through.
“I think I’ve heard plenty.” Kelsey steps closer, peering up at me with her soft hazel eyes flooded with guilt. “I’m so sorry. I did something stupid when I was upset. I remembered about it too late to take it back.”
“What did you do?” I groan.
She pulls her phone out of her back pocket and scrolls for a minute before handing it to me.
My eyes gape at the screen as I look at an advertisement with my face and phone number. Doctor for hire. In-home visits only. Here to help with your every need.
It takes everything in me to stifle my laughter and keep a stone-cold expression. I thought she was funny before, but this takes it to a new level. I can’t laugh yet, though. She needs to sweat it out a little longer.
“I called the newspaper, and they’re going to put a redaction out, but you might want to change your phone number in the meantime.” Kelsey places her hand on my arm. “I’m really sorry. If I could go back in time and never send the email, I would.”
She bites her lower lip, waiting to see how I’m going to react. I’ve never seen her look this vulnerable. I’m sure she already felt awful the past few days, so I let out all the laughter I’ve been holding in until I can hardly breathe. Her expression morphs from scared to confused as she watches me.
“You’re…not…mad?” She pauses between each word like she’s tentatively testing the waters to see if I’m about to let out a roaring wave of anger.
“It’s hilarious.” I point at her phone again and chuckle. “Who even thinks of putting out an ad like that?”
“I was worried it might impact your business. If it does, you can dock it out of my pay.”
“I mean, it may not be the best for business, but if you’re already having the newspaper put a redaction out, there’s not much else you can do. Besides, maybe some of my twenty-seven callers have children they can bring into my office.” I smirk.
“This is not the reaction I was expecting.”
I step closer to her, our chests almost touching. “Game on, Anderson.”
“What?” Her voice is breathy.
My smile grows knowing that my nearness made her breathless. Maybe she doesn’t hate me as much as I thought. Or maybe that grocery store clerk was right about there being a fine line between enemies and lovers.
“You heard me.” I reach down, cupping her chin and tilting her head up to meet my gaze. “You just started a war.” I let go of her face and step back, crossing my arms and flexing my muscles in a way I know will have her staring. “Don’t worry. I won’t play dirty.” I wink. I don’t think I’ve ever winked at anyone in my entire life, but Kelsey Anderson has a way of making me react in ways that surprise even me.
She sighs, dragging her eyes from my arms back to meet my gaze. “I’m never going to live this down, am I?”
“Not if I can help it.”
Once Evie is fast asleep, I research prank ideas online until I find the perfect one for Kelsey. I order everything without a second thought, not caring that I’m throwing money out the window. It will be worth it when I see the look on her face.
“You have someone here to see you, boss,” Nadine says.
“I’ll be right up.” I rack my brain trying to figure out who could be here to see me. Tess stops by sometimes when she’s in the area, but she’s in Africa.
The last person I expect to see standing there is Kelsey. She’s in another one of her sweaters today—cream with a tiny black bow print. She starts rocking on her feet, and my heart drops into my stomach.
I rush over to her. “Is Evie okay? Did the school call you?” I pull out my phone but don’t have any missed calls from the school—or otherwise, thanks to my new cell number.
Kelsey grasps my forearms, “She’s fine. Sorry, I should’ve been clearer about why I’m here.” Her gaze drops to the floor. “I still feel awful about the ad.”
“That was you?” Nadine jumps out of her seat like she’s twenty rather than going on seventy. “Honey, don’t feel bad about that. You gave me the best laugh of my life.” Nadine smacks the desk with a chuckle. “I clipped the ad and put it on my fridge.”
I shoot a look at her. “I never took you for a traitor.”
“I’m team this girl here after you never told me about your date. I only know what Darla told me,” she harrumphs. “But that Kelsey must be pretty amazing for you to be tight-lipped all week.”
I feel the blush climbing my cheeks, silently begging Nadine to shut up. “Nadine, have you met Kelsey?” I gesture to her, and Nadine’s grin rivals the Joker’s.
“Well, I’ll be darned.” Her eyes move between us like a ball bouncing back and forth in a pinball machine. “She’s even more beautiful than I imagined.” She blows out a low breath. “She’s definitely out of your league, but she must like you to be stopping by so soon after the date.”
“Please stop talking.” I rub my temple before turning to face Kelsey, who looks highly amused. “If you aren’t here because of Evie…”
“Right.” She bends and grabs a bag off the floor. She hands me a food container. “I hope bringing you lunch makes up for the ad.”
I open the lid and my mouth waters. It’s the same Caprese chicken she made for me on her first day of nannying. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to.” She passes me a fork along with a fancy bottled water.
“This meal is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten, so thank you.”
Kelsey smiles, extending another container to Nadine. “I’m Kelsey. It’s nice to meet you…”
“Nadine,” my receptionist says, still smiling widely. “Thank you so much for the lunch, sugar.” Nadine waggles a finger at Kelsey. “I knew I liked you.” She points to me. “Maybe even more than Doc here right now.”
“Why didn’t I think of that one?” Kelsey tuts.
“One what?” I ask around a mouthful of chicken.
“Your nickname. I could’ve called you Doc.” I stare at her blankly and she rolls her eyes. “You know, like one of the seven dwarves.”
“I don’t think he’s a real doctor.”
She shakes her head. “You’re no fun.”
“After our date, maybe you should start calling me McSteamy.”
Kelsey places a hand on her hip. “I thought you said it wasn’t a date?”
“Uh—” I was just trying to joke around, and now I feel backed into a corner, unsure of a way out.
“Relax, Doofenshmirtz. It’s called a joke . Maybe you can learn how to make them one day.” She turns and reaches a hand out to Nadine, but she waves it off, rounding the counter and squeezing Kelsey in a warm hug.
“You come back anytime you want. I like seeing Doc all flustered.”
“I’ll make sure to do that.” Kelsey smiles. She offers me a quick wave. “See you later.”
Before I can wave back, she’s already gone.
Nadine is back in her seat, grinning at me when I face her. She points her forkful of chicken toward the door. “I like that one. Don’t mess it up.”
I’m not sure what it even is right now. A hatemance? A flirtationship? A deep-seated attraction?
But whatever it is, I’ll do everything I can not to mess it up.