Chapter 30 #2
But as soon as he twists around, his expression changes to one of pure joy.
“Hey, buddy,” he says after lowering his window.
A big cowboy leans in and smiles at me. “You must be Rory. I heard all about you yesterday. I’m Zane.”
“Yeah, same.” I shake his hand. “You want to go inside?”
“For sure. You guys want to finish your kissing first? I’ll give you some privacy.” He winks and thumps Garrett on the shoulder.
“We’re good.” I scramble out of the truck.
Garrett catches me at the front, and in front of his new cousin and everyone else in the lot, he sweeps me into a big, hungry, dipping kiss.
“I’ll say when we’re good,” he growls against my lips.
I roll my eyes, but my cheeks are hot with pleasure at the possessive claim.
Then it’s time to initiate Zane in Boxing Day cousins lunch at Mac’s.
Garrett doesn’t let me go until we’re inside, and we’re sliding into one of four reserved booths.
Zane slides in across the way, with their cousin Owen, who drove him to the diner. Jules and Cassie arrive next, and then it’s an endless parade of Minellis and Kincaids, until every booth is full.
“Where’s Kerry?” I quietly ask Owen as I slide out from the booth, making room for his youngest brother, Adam.
“She’s checking on Dani,” he says. “She might come a bit later, but she also has some paperwork to catch up on at the clinic, so she’s taking advantage of Becca being home to have a childfree afternoon.”
“It’s Boxing Day!”
He shrugs, grinning shamelessly. “She loves her job, loves her clinic. Getting everything neatly in order is her happy place.”
Garrett catches my eye and I smile at him. Then the conversation pivots to army stuff. Like Garrett and his cousins, Zane was in the army, one of many similarities the cousins have discovered over the last two days, although he got out when they bought their mom a ranch in southern Alberta.
Owen nods at Garrett. “How’s training going in 33 CBG?”
“Good. You know.” He glances my way again. “Won’t be there much longer. Roar’s almost finished her training, and we’re not sure where we’re going next.”
“Would you guys ever move back in this direction?”
Garrett’s still looking at me, his gaze hot and searching.
I nod slightly.
“Yeah, we might just. I’ll keep you posted.”
“We’d love to have you in the regiment.”
I lose the rest of the army conversation there, jargon and half-sentences that only they understand. But I like the look on Garrett’s face.
He’s always had complicated feelings about Pine Harbour, but maybe coming home might be good for him. And if it’s not, we won’t stay. I know that with my whole heart now.
I float over to the table where Rafe and Olivia are sitting with my Jules and Cassie. Our cousins Tom and Zander are right behind them. We catch up, and then their food arrives.
I catch the waitress before she heads back to the kitchen. “Can my lunch be put in a takeaway container?”
“Sure.”
I head back to our table. “Owen, do you think Kerry would mind a drop in at the clinic?”
He shakes his head. “For you? Anything.”
I gesture for Garrett to stay sitting. “I’m going to walk down there. Come pick me up when you’re done. No rush.”
I collect my lunch at the counter, then put on my coat and head out into the brisk sunshine before my sisters can catch my eye. It’s a gorgeous day for a walk through town, but I want to take it by myself.
Kerry’s midwifery clinic is right in the heart of town, where two days ago the street was shut down for the Christmas market.
Today, it’s super quiet. All the stores are closed for Boxing Day, but there is a light on at the clinic, and when I try the door, it’s open.
“Hello?” I call out.
“Back here!” Kerry’s head pops out from the office. “Hey! What are you doing here?”
“I left Garrett at Cousin Lunch and brought my French fries to share with you.” I hold up the takeout bag. “I have some questions, and I think you’re the right woman to answer them.”
It’s not Garrett who picks me up. Jules and Cassie barrel into the clinic an hour later.
“You snuck out,” Jules protests. “And I need to leave ASAP.”
“Although when you find out where Jules is going, you won’t feel bad about ditching her,”Cassie adds. “But it’s true that we don’t get much time with you.”
I glance at Kerry.
She beams back.
“Well,” I say slowly, drawing out the word. “By the end of the summer, Cassie will be able to find me here at least once a week. And then it’ll be your problem that we don’t see you often enough, Baby!”
Jules gasps. “You’re moving home?”
I nod. “For a trial year. To see if we like it, and if there’s enough work for an OB to have a clinic day here once a week. I’m burned out.”
It’s a relief to say it out loud.
And then I burst into tears.
“Oh, Mini,” Jules whispers, shoving Cassie at me.
They wrap around me, and from a distance, Kerry asks if anyone wants tea.
“Mom is going to be so worried about your student loans,” Jules whispers.
“Shut up, Baby,” Cassie whispers back. “Mini will figure it out. She always does.”
“Still, maybe don’t tell Mom for a while.”
I wince. “That does sound like a classic Rory coping strategy, but no, I think it’ll be fine.”
Cassie nods. “Garrett won’t let them bully you.”
I take a deep breath. “Speaking of Garrett… We broke up in April.”
“What?” my sisters say in unison.
Jules wrinkles her nose. “Then why were there kissing noises coming from the back room last night?”
I make a choking sound.
She winks. “Just kidding, I didn’t hear anything, but now I know you guys were smooching. So what happened? When did you get back together?”
I glance at Cassie.
She shrugs. “It’s okay. No Bechdel Test today.”
“Like…maybe in August? And then maybe in September. Not in October or November, as much as I wanted to, but then last week. And last night kind of cemented us back together.”
“I’m confused.” Jules laughs. “But I don’t care! A second chance love story for Mini! Maybe there’s hope yet for Middle.”
“Bite your tongue.” Cassie glowers. “The last person I’m having any kind of love story with is my husband.”
Kerry brings us a tea tray, and we fill my sisters in on the business plan we’re going to propose to the OBs at the hospital.
There are enough high-risk patients like Dani on the peninsula, who have to drive all the way into town for their clinic appointments, that I can take some of that pressure and see those patients a bit closer to home, and integrate their care more closely with Kerry and her partner Jenna.
We can test it for a year, and then take stock on how it’s working for everyone.
Low risk, fascinating data, and a break from the hospitalist life for me.
“To Rory’s next adventure,” Jules says.
“And to having one of my sisters back home with me for my return to single hood,” Cassie adds.
I clink their mugs. “Cheers. Now Jules, where are you going that you need to rush back to nannying?”
She screws up her face in an excited squeal. “We’re going to the Bahamas.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, get out of here,” I say, laughing and waving her off. “How much do you get paid to be nanny to the stars, again?”
“More than you.” She sticks out her tongue.
“Bitch,” I say warmly. But I’m proud of her. Nothing seems impossible for our fearless little sister.
When we step out into the sunshine, Jules’ car isn’t the only vehicle in front of the clinic.
Garrett is leaning against his truck, a slow smile on his face.
“See you at the farm, lovebirds,” Cassie says, pushing me towards him.
“I told them,” I say as he pulls me into his arms.
“And?”
“And they’re happy for us.”
“Good. Me, too.”
I laugh.
“Come on, I want to show you something Will mentioned to me before we head to the farm.”
He helps me into the passenger seat, then jogs around the truck.
We don’t go far. He drives over to the community school, a K-12 sprawling building.
“This brings back memories,” I tease. “Parking at the school on a day it’s closed. You looking to get lucky?”
“I think your mom wants us back faster than that.”
I blow a raspberry. “She can wait.”
He winks. “I think your aunt and uncle have left, so we can have your bed to ourselves tonight. I can be patient. Anyway, I wanted to show you…” He leans over and takes my hand, pointing to the school sign, and the mascot below it, which hasn’t changed since we were students here.
The Pine Harbour Panthers
Under the sign, though, are a few more sports teams than I remember. And right at the end: Rugby.
“I think I’ve found my new rugby team,” he murmurs. “Coaching might be a fun challenge next year.”
I turn my head just enough to see his face. To see that he’s smiling, and it’s soft and happy and real. “Yeah?”
“Yep.”
“Good.” A warm, delicious feeling—happiness in its purest form—bubbles up inside me and comes out on a soft laugh. “Because I think I’ve already hung my shingle on Main Street.”