Chapter Two – Ensley
Ensley
“This is ridiculous,” I mumbled to myself, as I turned and walked away from the fire station. “What are you doing, Ensley Wilde?”
My conversation with my mother yesterday left me thinking nearly all night.
So much so, I barely got three hours of sleep.
And now here I was, aborting the plan to casually walk by the fire station like a pathetic fool.
Dark circles under my eyes and sleep deprived.
Quite the catch, if I do say so myself. That was why I was here. I was tired and obviously delirious.
I stopped abruptly, turning to head back toward the station—then stopped myself once again.
“No. No, I’m not doing this.”
Spinning around yet again, I marched away. I’d go to Anna’s Table, get some breakfast, then get my day going. I wasn’t going to think about Doug Sanders another second.
I turned the corner onto Main and immediately crashed into a solid body.
I let out a small yelp as strong hands clasped my arms to steady me.
“Ensley?”
I instantly knew that voice. I looked up into the dark brown eyes of Doug.
Lord, he was a good-looking guy. The memories of the nights we’d spent together, wrapped up in his bed, came back. He was a decent lover, a bit…boring at times. But he always made sure I was pleasured first. He was nothing like Colt, though.
My body had come to life with my first lover.
Stop this, Ensley Wilde. Just. Stop.
I squeezed my eyes shut and erased those memories. When I opened them, I forced a smile. “Doug.”
My voice sounded strained.
“Where are you rushing off to?” he asked with a wide grin.
“Um…Anna’s for breakfast.”
He glanced behind me. “Where were you coming from?”
Panic set in as I tried to think of an excuse as to why I was coming from the direction of the fire station.
“Why all the questions?” I asked with a laugh.
He smiled. “Sorry. I’m really glad to run into you. Literally.”
I cleared my throat and said, “It’s been a while.”
“I thought you might have been avoiding me.”
My brows drew together. “Why would I do that?”
Doug shrugged and changed the subject. “Would you like to join me for breakfast?”
“From the direction you were heading, I’d have thought you’d already finished breakfast.”
He shook his head. “I forgot my wallet.”
“You’re not with the other guys?”
“Nope. I got off shift this morning.”
“This morning,” I echoed. I couldn’t wait to tell my mother her intelligence was wrong. Of course, then she would know I’d made use of the information she’d given me, so I most certainly couldn’t do that.
He nodded. “So…breakfast?” he asked, as he motioned with his hand. “It’ll just take me a minute to run back and grab my wallet from my locker.”
“How about I pay for breakfast, and you can buy next time?”
His brow rose and a small smirk played across his face. “Will there be a next time?”
My heart started to pound in my chest, but not in the way a girl would hope. It was more of a panicked reaction than a sexual one. “I don’t know. I guess that depends on whether you’re still dating the woman from Estes Park.”
His smirk grew into a full-blown grin. He was even more handsome when he smiled. “I’m not dating her any longer. I love River Falls too much to leave, and she loved Estes Park too much to leave there, so we decided friendship was the way to go.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Doug.”
Winking, he replied, “Don’t be sorry.”
I tilted my head and regarded him. It would be so easy to suggest we go to his place, instead. To lose myself in him and forget all the shit going on in my head. But that wasn’t how I wanted to start things over again with Doug. And I did want to start something with him again.
Didn’t I?
“Shall we head to Anna’s, then?” I asked, with a smile I hoped didn’t look forced.
“After you.”
Breakfast was nice. Doug and I got caught up on what had been happening in each other’s worlds. I told him about Emeline and Levi getting married, and how they’d gone to Lake Tahoe with Levi’s son, Rhett, to make it official. Plus, more recently, adopting Katie and Jimmy.
“Wow, talk about an instant family,” Doug said with wide eyes.
I chuckled. “Yeah. A family of four kids, plus all the horses and her chocolate lab, Moose.”
“And I heard Caden got married to Lilibeth Asher. She owns Wonderland Whimsy or something like that?”
I chuckled. “You got it right. And yes, they got married, and they have a two-month-old baby, as well.”
His brows rose. “I guess I’m not up on all the local gossip. So what about you?”
“What about me?” I asked, pushing my plate away and sitting back in the booth.
“Dating anyone?”
I laughed. “No.”
He narrowed one eye as he asked, “Sleeping with anyone?”
“I wish.”
Doug tossed his head back and laughed. “I’ve missed you, Ensley.”
Leaning forward, I asked, “Are you volunteering?”
“To sleep with you?” he asked.
“I was thinking more along the lines of fucking rather than sleeping.”
His eyes turned dark. “Is that all you’re looking for?”
I sat back again. I needed to be honest with him. “For now.”
We stared at one another for what felt like an eternity.
“You know I care about you, Ensley. You also know that if you told me you wanted more, I’d be on the same page as you.”
I swallowed the instant lump in my throat. My head was screaming at me to tell him I wanted the same. Wanted more. That I wanted to settle down and start a relationship.
My damn heart, on the other hand, was on the floor, throwing a fit.
“I know.”
He exhaled and shook his head. “I should tell you no. You broke my heart once, Ensley Wilde, and I’m not sure I’m willing to go down that road again.”
I nodded. “That’s fair. I want to give you more, Doug, as I said before. I’m trying to move on from a past that I can’t seem to shake.”
“I think you mean from a love you haven’t gotten over.”
This time, it felt like I’d swallowed a brick. “That, too.”
The waitress brought the check, and I left her cash.
We slipped out of the booth and started to walk back toward the fire station.
Neither of us said anything for a few minutes, and once we were in front of the firehouse, I expected him to thank me for breakfast and send me on my way.
I wouldn’t have blamed him if he did just that.
Instead, he smiled down at me. “I’ll meet you at my place in ten minutes.”
Grinning, I said, “See you then.”
As I turned and headed back toward Main Street and my car, I told myself the past was the past. It was time to move forward, and Doug was the perfect man to move forward with.
I slipped into the driver’s seat of my truck as my phone rang. I smiled, thinking it might be Doug. I frowned when I saw it was Lynn Owens calling. Lynn was the wife of Jacob, the same man who’d taught me everything I knew about being a farrier. Lynn was also the mother of Colt.
“Hi, Lynn. How’s it going?”
The first thing I heard was sniffles.
“Lynn? Are you okay?”
“Ensley…I’m so sorry to call you like this.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, turning on my truck and already altering my plans—getting ready to drive straight over to Lynn and Jacob’s house.
“It’s Jacob. He’s had a heart attack! We’re at the Granby hospital.”
My stomach instantly felt sick. “I’m on my way.”
She started to cry, and I couldn’t understand anything she was saying, just bits and pieces.
“Lynn, don’t worry. He’s going to be okay. I’m leaving downtown River Falls now.”
“Be careful, Ensley, sweetheart.”
“I will. See you soon.”
After hanging up with Lynn, I pulled up Doug’s number and tapped to call him.
“You can’t possibly be there already,” he laughed.
“Doug, I hate to do this to you, but Lynn Owens just called me. Jacob’s had a heart attack.”
“Oh shit.”
“I’m sorry to back out on our plans.”
“It’s okay, Ensley. Do you want me to drive you? I’m assuming they went to Granby Memorial Hospital.”
“They did, and no, thank you. I’ll let you know what’s going on as soon as I learn more. Again, I’m so sorry.”
“No worries, Ensley. Be safe driving there, and we’ll talk soon.”
“Thank you, Doug. Talk soon.”
Hitting End, I set my phone in my purse and pulled out onto Main Street. I couldn’t help but wonder if the universe was trying to tell me something.
Something like, maybe Doug wasn’t part of the plan.
At least not part of my plan.
I tapped lightly before opening the door to the hospital room.
Lynn was sitting in the chair she’d pulled up as close as she could to Jacob’s bed.
Her head was lying on the mattress and, for a moment, I thought about slowly backing out.
When I got here yesterday, she’d been beside herself.
Afraid she was going to lose her husband. I couldn’t blame her one bit.
I slowly took one step back, but she lifted her head and smiled.
“Ensley, sweetheart.”
I held up a to-go cup. “I brought you some coffee.”
“I hope you brought some for me, as well,” Jacob said in a raspy voice.
“You’re up!” I said, as I walked into the room. I handed Lynn her coffee before bending over and kissing Jacob on the cheek. “How are you feeling?”
He sighed. “Tired.”
I took his hand in mine and squeezed it. “You should go back to sleep then.”
Jacob rolled his eyes, then smiled at me. “Lynn said you got hotel rooms for both of you here in town. Ensley, you need to be working, not here.”
“You don’t worry about me, sir. I’ve got everything taken care of, and I’m not leaving.” Glancing at his wife, I said, “You need to go get some sleep, Lynn.”
“She’s right, sweetheart. You’ve been here since yesterday. I know you’re exhausted.”
Lynn worried her lower lip as she looked from Jacob to me.
“I won’t be going anywhere,” I promised her, “and the hotel’s just five minutes up the road.”
“Please, go for me, Lynn. I’ll rest easier knowing you’re getting rest, as well.”
That seemed to do it for Lynn. She kissed Jacob goodbye, then hugged me.
“You’ll call me if anything happens?”
I guided her out of the room and walked with her toward the elevators. “Nothing is going to happen, but yes, I’ll call you. Go take a hot shower and get some sleep. Eat something, too. My card’s on the rooms, so order room service.”