Chapter Fourteen
The weather was sunny, but as we hit the middle of November, chilly was the name of the game.
I was glad that the big splint was gone, so I could wear my regular coats, especially as we approached Thanksgiving and the tree lighting ceremony.
Being outside all afternoon and evening meant you needed layers and a strong constitution, especially if it snowed.
With a sigh, I set my bowl of Rice Krispies in the sink, uneaten.
They weren’t cutting it for me, and I had regrets that I didn’t grab a cinnamon roll from the diner last night before I left.
Then again, the cinnamon roll was probably more of an emotional need than a physical one.
Maybe I’d splurge on one when I was done at the farm.
When I texted Cameron about going out to talk about the shack, he asked if I was available this morning.
Since I wasn’t working yet, it was the perfect time to go.
All I had to do was sneak out without Major noticing.
Since he was probably still asleep, it shouldn’t be hard.
Was I avoiding him? Absolutely. When the hospital called last night and asked him to consult on a patient who had popped out a prosthetic hip, I insisted he go.
Apparently, one of his areas of expertise was doing whatever it took to put a prosthetic hip back in place.
I snorted at myself and shook my head. A doctor I wasn’t.
In hindsight, I was secretly glad he’d been called away, since it opened the door for me to return to the diner and learn about Ivy’s plans.
After she dropped me off, I had trouble sleeping, so I sat and drew for a bit, thinking about the various ways I could set up a serving program.
Since we’d have more meetings about it, most of my ideas were ones I’d pull bits and pieces from as we worked toward a plan that would suit everyone.
When I’d finished daydreaming, I looked down at the sketch I’d been working on and grimaced.
I’d intended to work on a book character, but instead, I completed an image of Major wearing a bakery apron and holding a pan of cookies, with that unforgettable grin on his lips.
With a groan, the sketch went into the same drawer as all the other ones I’d drawn since meeting him.
Was I annoyed that I kept drawing him? Yes.
Would I stop? If my brain were to listen to my sheer will, the answer would be yes.
Otherwise, the likelihood was not anytime soon.
As much as I hated to admit it, he was an excellent subject for drawing.
His facial expressions were so vibrant, and his eyes. Oh, his eyes.
With a groan, I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled on my warmer boots, glad that the smaller splint made it easier to tie my shoes.
It was cold enough today that Crocs would be a bit too chilly out at the farm.
My laughter filled the room as I thought about the look on Major’s face every time I wore them to his house.
When I asked him why he hated my shoes, he regaled me with story after story about people who had broken various bones while wearing them.
I had to admit that I’d slipped in them a few times, and he begged me to stop wearing them outside the house.
Sometimes, having an orthopedic doctor as a friend was a real drag.
“That’s right, a friend,” I reminded myself as I zipped my coat, before grabbing a hat and gloves just in case the wind was blowing at the farm. “Besides, you aren’t even sure how good a friend he is when he couldn’t tell you basic things about himself.”
Okay, so maybe that wasn’t fair to him, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t a little hurt by his omission.
The logical side of my brain reminded me that there could be a reason he hadn’t told me.
Maybe no one at work knew, and he wanted to keep it that way.
Maybe he’d dealt with enough negative reactions to his disability that he now preferred to hide it rather than be open about it.
Maybe what happened was a memory he didn’t want to relive.
That thought drained all the hurt and anger from my system as a fist clenched my heart.
If any of those reasons were true, my heart hurt to think he felt he couldn’t tell anyone out of fear of judgment, losing his job, or reliving bad memories.
Grabbing my keys, I left the cottage, quietly clicking the door behind me and heading to my car with a reminder to be kind the next time I saw him.
He didn’t owe me anything, and the last thing I wanted was for him to feel like he had to tell me something that made him uncomfortable. No one deserved that.
“Going somewhere?” His voice from behind me made me jump, and a little scream left my lips as I dropped my keys on the ground. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”
After turning, I noticed him leaning out the side door of the house. “I’m heading to Evergreen Acres,” I answered. “I figured you got home late and were sleeping, so I was trying to be quiet.”
“It wasn’t too late,” he said with a shrug, but I knew for a fact his car was still gone when I went to bed at nearly midnight. “Do you want some company?”
“You want to go out to the farm?” I asked, surprised.
“For a chance to see the snack shack? Absolutely.”
My snort was loud in the quiet morning. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“It’s a great name. I’m just teasing you, but I’d love to ride along. I promise to stay out of your hair while you’re working. I can tour the store and walk among the trees.”
“Come on then,” I said, motioning him toward me.
He held up his finger and disappeared inside.
I assumed to grab his coat, so I climbed into my car and fired it up to let the heat run and steal the chill from the air.
When he walked to the car a few minutes later, I noticed his gait was smoother and the smile was firmly back on his face.
That was good. Whatever the problem had been last night, he’d resolved it.
Once he was settled in the seat with his belt on, he offered me a winning smile. “Thanks for the invitation. Have you eaten?”
“No, wasn’t feeling it this morning.”
“Are you ill?” he asked, his hand on my shoulder in concern.
“Not at all,” I assured him. “Mostly, I was mad I didn’t bring a cinnamon roll home from the bakery last night.”
His laughter was accompanied by a grin. “I’m sad about it now, too. How about stopping for a roll and coffee before we head to the farm? Do we have enough time?”
Something he’d said floated through my head, and I turned to him. “Have you been to Crystal’s Coffee Bar? You mentioned a few weeks ago that you haven’t stopped in.”
“Not yet. The last few times I’ve been by it, they were closed.”
I shifted the car into reverse and steered it in that direction. “We’ll go there. Her Brown Bear Honey Latte is so amazing, and she sells rolls from the bakery there as well.”
“Two birds, one stop. I’m sold. Lead on.”
“Did you solve your patient’s problem last night?” I no longer had to specify that I knew he couldn’t give me details about the patient, but we’d fallen into an easy way to discuss his work without revealing specifics.
“It was a complicated case as this wasn’t the first, or even the fifth, time they’d popped the hip out.
After discussing it with the patient, we decided that I would perform a revision with a smaller cup.
That’s the part that holds the ball of the femur to your pelvis.
” I nodded, so he continued. “And then I had to do some repair of their muscles and tendons, but I think they’ll have much better success with it now. ”
“I didn’t know you could do all that once you had it replaced,” I said, searching for a parking spot by the coffee shop. It was always busy on the weekends, and today was no different.
“Everyone responds to joint replacements differently, and this patient had other conditions that made it harder for their muscles and tendons to hold the joint in place. One of my specialties is joint replacement revisions.”
Hearing him say one of my specialties made me grimace. I was delusional to think he had any interest in me beyond being a friend. I prayed my face remained neutral.
“I’m glad you were able to help them,” I said instead, finding a spot and slipping my Subaru into it.
“And I’m glad you were able to get a ride home last night,” he said, squeezing my shoulder. “I was worried until you texted me that you were home.”
“No need to worry in Bells Pass,” I promised, smiling before we climbed out of the car. “Someone is always ready to lend a hand.”
“Like the girl gang,” he said, coming up alongside me and taking my right hand as we walked across the street. I glanced down at it but resisted the urge to pull it away. He helped me up onto the sidewalk, and we headed for the coffee bar.
“To name a few,” I agreed while laughing. “Fair warning, the shop will be busy, but it will be worth the wait.”
“I’ve got a beautiful woman by my side, so I am not in a rush,” he assured me, dropping my hand to grab the door handle. Before he could open it, we heard a voice from the sidewalk.
“Jaelyn!”
When I turned, Mayor Tottle was hurrying toward me, waving something in the air. His signature tan trench coat was blowing in the wind, and his face was ruddy from the crisp morning air. We stepped out of the way of the door and walked toward him, meeting him on the sidewalk.
“Mayor Tottle,” I said when he reached us. “I assume you know Major Warren?”
“Of course, of course,” he said, shaking Major’s hand. Major’s other hand was braced at the small of my back, which I liked a little bit too much to be smart. His heat soaked into me and gave me a taste of what it would be like to touch him unencumbered. “How are you this morning?”
“I’ve got fresh, crisp air to breathe and a beautiful woman by my side. Once I’ve got a cup of coffee in my hand, there won’t be a thing to complain about,” Major answered.