Chapter 30
CHAPTER 30
ELLE
“ W ell, aren’t you a surprise.” One of the ladies from town smiled, as she wandered into the clinic. “I guess that means, Renee finally got too retire.” The older woman with dark rimmed glasses and permed hair smiled at me.
“Yes, she did, Mrs. Hall. I see you have an appointment with Jake. He’ll be ready for you shortly.” I smiled and the woman nodded before moving to the row of chairs.
Every conversation was the same for most of the day, but I didn’t mind. Everyone was happy to see me and the day ran so smoothly I couldn’t help feel the decision had been the one I needed. Being the talk of the town wasn’t something I’d ever strived for but I didn’t mind it today. Everyone was so nice, it made me feel like I’d truly been accepted into this community.
As I headed for my vehicle, a familiar face scowled at me. “Starcie, what the hell do you want?” I pushed past her and threw my bag into the truck.
“That was my job.” She pointed toward the clinic.
“It wasn’t your job. Jake approached me about it, and I took it for the benefit of my family.” I was so over this woman.
“I’ll make you pay for this.” She spat. Grabbing her shirt, I spun her around and backed her up against my truck her eyes wide and the smirk gone from her face.
“You won’t. You’ll forget all about your ridiculous vendetta against me, or I will end you.” Staring down at her, fear filled her eyes. “I’ve been through a lot in the last two weeks, and I don’t care what happens to you. Push me, Starcie. I fucking dare you,” I said, through gritted teeth. She pushed me away, ran down the alleyway and I got into my truck. I probably shouldn’t have threatened her, but the words were out of my mouth before I had time to think about them.
My drive was peaceful, and half as long as when I worked at the hospital. So when I pulled into the yard I looked up at the house and smiled, because this was home.
“Hello, anyone home?” I shouted as I walked into the house, dropping my lunch bag and kicking my shoes off. Rounding the corner I saw my boy and Griff deep in conversation at the table over their spaghetti.
“Hey Mom,” Parker said with a mouth full of food. “We didn’t hear you come in.” I smiled and kissed the top of his head.
“How was your day?” Griff asked but didn’t look up from his plate.
“It was good. How was yours?” My tone suspicious as I moved closer to where he sat. “Griffin Harp, you better lift your head and look at me before I do it for you.” I frowned as I watched the man. Something was wrong. He never avoided looking at me.
“Was the office busy today?” He asked as he lifted his head.
“What in the actual fudge happened?” I glanced over at Parker, who rolled his eyes at me switching the word I really wanted to use. A gash along Griff’s hairline was oozing a little bloody and there was what looked like dirt imbedded in the wound.
“Had an accident.” He shrugged.
“Shocking,” I deadpanned as I crossed my arms and stared at him.
“It’s nothing, you hungry?” He stood and wobbled on his feet slightly.
“Sit your ass down.” This time, I didn’t bother changing the word. There was a time for responsible parenting and a time for fury and now it was fury. Heading back to the entryway, I grabbed my bag and dug around until I found my pen light.
Heading back to the table, I put my hand under Griff’s chin and made him look up at me. “Are you this rough with all your patients?” He groans as I turn his head, so I can assess the wound and the goose egg.”
“Only the ones I really like.” I smile tightly and listen to Parker laughing again. Letting his head go I reach for the pen. “Okay, look at me.”
“Gladly,” Griff exclaims as he gazes up at me. Lifting my hand, I shone the light into his eye, and I’m not overly happy with how slow his pupil response is to the glare. Moving to his other eye, it appears normal, and I go back to the one on the same side as his injury.
“Did you lose consciousness?”
“Nope, just got kicked in the chest, and thanks to the uneven footing I had on the mountain I fell.”
“Wait, what do you mean you were kicked?” I glanced down at his chest, and the dirty outline of a boot print was square in the middle of his chest. He followed my gaze and frowned as he tried to wipe the dirt off his white shirt.
“I caught someone trespassing on the mountain again. They got away, but the fence was cut between our place and Troy’s so I need to go talk to him tomorrow.”
Glancing at Parker I silently prayed his father had nothing to do with this. I knew he didn’t love the idea of Parker and me being here with Griff, but it wasn’t like he was offering his ranch for me to live on. Troy might not like the idea of another man in Parker’s life but I doubted he had it out for Griff. It wasn’t his style.
“I’m not accusing him of anything, Elle, I just need to talk to him.” Griff reached for my hand and I tightened my grip on him.
“Okay, well, I think I need to get that cleaned up and dressed. When did this happen?” I asked as I walked to the cupboard where we kept the first aid kit.
“I don’t know, just before noon?” Griff shrugged.
“If you need stitches, I’m sending you down to Jake,” I set the kit on the table and out of the corner of my eye, saw Parker get up and take his plate to the sink.
“I’ve got some homework.” He said as he left the room.
Griff shifted in his chair and I stood between his legs as I dabbed the wet gauze on his head. “Parker did his best when he got home from school.”
“I thought it looked like someone had tried.” Smiling, I looked down the hallway, but his door was closed. “Did you lose consciousness?” I asked and Griff shrugged.
“It’s a yes or no answer.” I huffed.
“Maybe? I blacked out but it wasn’t very long.” He added quickly.
“Any dizziness, or nausea?” Griff’s hand moved from his thigh to the back of my leg, and he absentmindedly moved it up and down as I finished cleaning him up. He pulled me to him and I tilted his head up. “Answers.”
He let his hands cup my ass, and he nodded. “Dizzy when I tried to get up, and I thought I was going to throw up right after.” As if he didn’t have a care in the world, he moved his hands, so they were between my legs, my scrub pants a poor barrier between my sin and the warmth of his hands.
Closing my eyes I took a deep breath, and tried not to think of his hands so close to where I wanted them. “I don’t think you need stitches, but it might not hurt to go see Jake tomorrow. I’m worried you have a mild concussion.” My tone low and concern filled.
“So, does that mean you have to keep me awake all night?” His voice was like melted butter and he’d moved his hands so his fingers grazed over my pussy.
“Nice try, pal.” I slapped his shoulder, and he grimaced. Of course, he was hurt. Given his head wound, he would have fallen on his bad shoulder. “Griff?”
“It’s fine, it just aches.” He let it fall to his side. It wasn’t fine. He wasn’t getting any better. The relief he’d once had from the massages was coming further and further apart. He needed to be open about what was happening. Cortisone was the next thing he would need.
“When Parker goes to bed, I’ll work on it.” Leaning down, I kissed his cheek. Before I could move ,he grabbed my face and turned his head toward me.
“Thank you,” he whispered before brushing his lips across mine. When Parker was home we were very careful about public displays of affection. Not that I wanted to hide what we were. I just didn’t think Parker needed to be inundated with it. We had plenty of alone time when he was out of the house to be all over one another.
“I’m going to check on the homework.”
Griff reached out and took my hand. “I’ve already done that; he just had a few questions to finish. You need to have something to eat.”
“I was supposed to make you supper tonight..” I grabbed all the garbage tossed all over the table from the dressing I applied to his head.
“I wanted to do something special. How was your day?” He asked as he walked up behind me and wrapped his good arm around my waist.
“Hey, Mom, I need some help,” Parker yelled as he came down the hallway, and Griff took a few steps away from me.
“What’s up?” I asked as he took a seat at the island.
“I don’t get this.” He spun his book around, and I read the problem over. Griff took a seat beside Parker, and the three of us talked over the problem together. Resting my elbows on the counter, I watched Griff and Parker laugh and joke with one another while we finished the last of his homework.
“You know the best thing we ever did was move in here.” Parker grinned as he grabbed his books and tucked them into his backpack for the morning. “I kind of feel like I’ve got everything I’ve ever wanted again. Don’t get me wrong, I love Dad and the time we get to spend just the two of us is great, but this is pretty great, too. Oh, and you don’t have to pretend anymore. I know you’re in love. It’s kind of obvious.” He laughed and ran to his room again.
I knew having divorced parents had been hard on him, even though he’d been too little to remember Troy and I together. But he’d already felt like the odd one out at school because of his hearing, but having parents who weren’t together wasn’t the norm in most places we’d been, so it made him feel left out of more things.
“Hear that. He likes me.” Griff whispered when Parker went to get ready for bed.
“Yeah, well, I kind of like you, too, so it must be contagious.” I laughed and leaned over the counter so we could kiss. “Do you really think we’ve been that obvious? I thought we were doing really well hiding this.” I shook my head.
“Woman, I can’t keep my hands off you. I haven’t really tried to hide anything.” He winked and moved to the sink to run the water, and we fell into a comfortable silence as we did the dishes.
My mind raced as I stood beside him. Was I falling in love with him? Could I let myself love again? I didn’t want to be hurt, and Griff never gave me any reason to question him but could I be vulnerable? What if I wasn’t falling? What if I’d already fallen?