Chapter 35
Around six-fifty I put the address Tyler had given me into my phone and drove to the nursing home where he worked.
The moment I got out of the car, I noticed the tangible chill in the air. Fall was approaching, and I was already dreading the colder weather. Up in the mountains, it was a few degrees colder than the San Diego seventy I was used to.
I hadn’t brought a jacket, so I hurried up the front walk of the nursing home, eager to get inside where it would be warmer. It was a cute place with an exterior made of warm brown stucco and red brick.
As I stepped inside, welcomed by the warmth from the heaters, I approached the check-in desk.
“Hi, I’m here to see Tyler Caldwell,” I said to the receptionist.
Before the woman could even respond, Tyler came around the corner, his face lighting up with a smile at the sight of me.
“Hey, Hope,” he greeted warmly. “Thanks for coming.”
“Hi, Ty,” I replied, returning his smile, though it was a bit strained.
“Let’s go outside. It’s nice out,” he suggested. I wanted to disagree, but I bit my tongue and nodded, following after him.
We walked through the nursing home past tables of older ladies and men playing board games and cards, while some watched a show on a flat-screen in the main area.
I reluctantly stepped back out into the cold, and Tyler led me down a little paved walk that went through a small garden area. It was nicely kept, with trimmed hedges and flower boxes. We strolled along the path in silence until we found a bench, and Tyler gestured for me to sit.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” He looked at me expectantly, and I hesitated.
“It’s about the date we had,” I began.
He looked at me with concern. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no, everything’s fine. It’s just…” I took another deep breath, trying to steady myself.
“I need to preface that I had no friends when I came here, and you and Macey welcomed me with open arms. And I couldn’t be more grateful for you.
I just don’t know if I feel more than friendship toward you. ”
Tyler’s smile faltered a bit, then he looked down at his feet and shifted uncomfortably. “I had a feeling,” he said. “When things didn’t go so well the other night, I figured maybe you weren’t exactly into it.”
My heart ached at the disappointment in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Ty. I don’t want to hurt you, but I know it’s better to be honest.”
He nodded slowly, reaching out to pat my hand. “I’m grateful for your honesty. I don’t want this to come between us being friends. I hope we can just go back to how things used to be.”
“Me too,” I said, relief flooding my body, though a small sting of guilt remained. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” he said, standing and scratching the back of his neck. “I should probably get back to work, but maybe you, me, and Macey can all go get drinks sometime after work?”
“Absolutely,” I nodded quickly. I was shivering a bit now that the sun was completely setting over the mountains.
Together, we walked back into the nursing home, and Tyler stopped in a hallway leading to another section of the building.
“I’ve gotta go this way, but I’ll see you later?” He gave me a kind smile, his brown eyes still tinged with a bit of disappointment.
I smiled back, wishing I hadn’t had to let him down, but knowing it was for the best. “See you later.”
I gave him a small wave as he went back to work, then walked through the nursing home, lost in thought as I wove between tables and couches. As I passed one table in the main hall, my eyes were drawn to a group of ladies and one man. From a distance, the man didn’t look particularly old.
When I stared for a moment longer than was probably polite, realization dawned.
It was a man with dark, wavy hair. And I knew him.
Jay was laughing at something one of the women had said, and as he did, he spotted me standing there, as if he could feel me staring.
Would he acknowledge me or pretend I didn’t exist?
“Hope,” he said, and to my surprise, he waved me over.
I hesitated for a moment before walking toward them. As I approached, the older women turned to look at me too.
“Hello, Dr. Jay,” I greeted, still a bit taken aback. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
His jaw clenched when I called him Dr. Jay. Then he set down his knitting needles. “Likewise. Hope, meet my knitting group. Ladies, this is Hope, my hygienist.”
My hygienist.
Something flipped dangerously in my stomach.
Okay, nope. Not lingering on that.
The women greeted me warmly, their eyes twinkling with curiosity.
One of the ladies with tight curls and pink spectacles leaned forward, a sparkle in her eye. “You work with Jay, dear? How lucky you are! He’s such a charmer.”
I couldn’t stop the snort of laughter that escaped me. “Yes, he certainly is.”
Jay rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Don’t let them fool you, Hope. They’re the real charmers here.”
The group chuckled, and I felt myself relax a little. The tension from our earlier conversation at the office starting to feel distant, like maybe I’d imagined it.
“Well, I don’t want to interrupt your session, so I’ll let you get back to it. But it was nice to meet you all.” I gave the ladies a small wave.
Jay set down his knitting needles and stood. “I’ll walk you out.”
I almost protested, but he was already heading toward the door with me, so I let it go.
Soon we were in the parking lot, stopping beside my crappy Honda.
“Did you come to see Tyler?” Jay asked, glancing back at the nursing home. His jaw clenched again briefly. I assumed he knew Tyler worked here then.
“Yes,” I said, not elaborating.
Jay nodded once. He didn’t ask why I’d come. Didn’t push.
The silence made me want to grit my teeth.
“Well,” he said after a beat, glancing at my car, “I’ll see you later?”
“Yeah,” I replied automatically. Then, because the universe had a sense of humor, I pressed the unlock button on my key fob, and the car responded with… nothing.
I frowned. “That’s weird.”
I tried again. Nothing.
I gave up on the key fob and tried the key. When I turned it, my worst fears were confirmed. The car wasn’t starting.
“Okay,” I muttered. “I swear it was fine when I got here.”
Jay stepped closer, peering at the dashboard through the window. “Battery?”
“Probably,” I sighed. “It’s been getting colder.”
He nodded, unsurprised. “I can jump it.”
“That’s okay,” I said quickly. Too quickly. “I can call roadside.”
I pulled out my phone, only to watch the screen blink once… then go black.
I stared at it.
Jay exhaled through his nose, something between amusement and resignation. “Hope.”
“I know,” I said, mortified. “This is incredibly on-brand for me.”
“It’s also freezing,” he said, glancing at the darkening sky. “At least let me get you warm while we figure it out.”
Before I could argue, he slipped off his sweatshirt.
Jay hesitated for a fraction of a second before handing it to me.
“Here,” he said, voice firm, like he was daring me to refuse.
“I don’t need—”
“You’re shivering,” he interrupted gently. “Put it on, Hope.”
I took it. Gosh, why did it make my stomach flip when he talked to me like that?
The fabric was warm. Soft. It smelled like him, and the scent had my head spinning a little.
“Thank you,” I said quietly.
Jay looked away, his hands sliding into his pockets. “I’ll grab the cables from my truck. Stay here.”
As he walked back toward the building, I tugged the sweatshirt tighter around myself, hating how right it felt.
When Jay returned, he worked quickly on getting my car up and running. There was no more conversation as he zeroed in on the task.
After some tinkering, the engine turned over on the first try.
“There,” he said, stepping back and closing my hood. “You’re all set.”
I swallowed. “Thank you.”
His eyes met mine, then flickered down to his hoodie that was swallowing my small form.
“You don’t have to give it back right now,” he added, gesturing to the sweatshirt. “Just leave it outside the connecting door.”
I opened my mouth to argue.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, “at work.”
“Okay,” I relented.
He gave me a slight, curt nod. “Drive safe.”
I slid into my car and watched him in the rearview mirror as I drove away. He continued to stand there in the cold next to his truck, hands in his pockets.
I drove home wrapped in his sweatshirt, hating that even with all the lines I’d drawn and all the boundaries I’d tried to set, there was still this feeling.
My feelings didn’t seem to care about boundaries.
And my feelings didn’t seem to care about logic either.
Because I didn’t take the sweatshirt off when I got home.