Chapter 11
MAE
‘Mae, wait up.’
I pretended I didn’t hear him, taking the steps two at a time in my hurry to get to my car and get the hell out of there.
Once Gray had been back in bed, I’d gone over his medication with him and Eleanor, advising them of some of the side effects to expect and watch out for and what to do if they occurred.
I also moved a few objects and rugs that I considered to be trip hazards, and showed them some light stretches and exercises he could do from bed to help his body recover.
I took advantage of a moment when Jonah was out of the room refilling his father’s water jug to say goodbye and quickly leave.
But I only made it as far as putting my hand on the car door handle before he caught up, placing his hand against the door so that I couldn’t open it.
‘Wait,’ he said. ‘Please.’
‘Sorry, Jonah, but I really have to go,’ I said without looking at him. ‘I have another appointment.’
‘Did I do something wrong?’
I blinked up at him in surprise. ‘What? No. You haven’t done anything. I’m the one who made a spectacular fool of myself. No doubt your dad is telling your mom all about it right now and the agency will fire me.’
‘They’re not going to fire you.’
‘You don’t know that.’
‘My father wouldn’t let that happen.’
‘Like he could have control over that.’
‘You’d be surprised.’
I stared at him. ‘Is he the Godfather of Pine Harbor or something?’
He laughed. ‘Funny. But no. He does hail from one of the oldest families in the area though. It gives him a lot of clout.’
‘I’m sorry,’ I told him, my nose crinkling. ‘For reading your private message and for assuming the worst.’
‘I told you, it’s already forgotten.’
‘Still. On top of everything else that you’ve had to deal with this week. I mean, your poor dad, it must have been terrifying for your family. And then I go and accuse you of being an adulterer. I really am sorry.’
‘Stop apologizing.’
‘Sorry.’
He laughed. ‘You just can’t help yourself, can you?’
‘Apparently not.’
‘We’re good,’ he insisted. ‘OK?’
I nodded. ‘OK. But if there’s any way I can make it up to you, please let me know.’
He grinned. ‘I’ll have to think about that.’
‘Nothing kinky.’
He laughed.
‘Not that you were probably even thinking anything like that,’ I added quickly.
‘You just say the first thing that pops into your head, don’t you?’
‘I’m afraid so.’ I sighed. ‘It’s been both a blessing and a curse over the years.’
‘I can imagine.’
I looked down at my feet. ‘My ex-boyfriend hated it. Said he was too nervous to take me to work functions or family dinners in case I blurted out something inappropriate.’
‘Your ex-boyfriend sounds like an idiot.’
‘You can’t say that. You don’t even know him.’
‘I don’t need to know him. Any man who wouldn’t be proud to have you on their arm for any occasion is an idiot. And not worth your time or effort. But you obviously realized that for yourself, which is why I’m guessing he’s now an ex.’
‘Actually, he dumped me.’
His eyebrows arched. ‘Then he’s even more of an idiot than I thought.’
His words, and the way he was staring at me, made my insides feel all gooey.
He looked at me in a way that made me feel attractive, even in my hideous burgundy-colored nursing uniform, with my hair in a slicked-back ponytail.
‘I wanted to thank you, for sending Connor around to change my tires over.’
‘You’re welcome. Couldn’t have my favorite nurse unsafe on the roads.’
‘I’m not your nurse.’
He grinned. ‘Maybe I’ll injure myself and get lucky.’
I reached out and swatted him. ‘Don’t even joke about that.’
He laughed.
I frowned. ‘You might not have lied about being married, but you did lie.’
‘About what?’
‘All that stuff you said about how you’re just a humble, modest, lowly lobsterman.’
‘I never said lowly. But the rest is true.’
I gestured at the mansion behind him. ‘This is not modest.’
‘This is my parents’ house, not mine.’
‘Did you grow up here?’
‘I did.’
‘So clearly your family is wealthy.’
‘You could say that, yes.’ He sighed heavily.
‘My family own The Shore Hotel, a luxury hotel here in Pine Harbor. We also have quite a substantial property portfolio, both here and on the mainland. My parents want me to take over running the business. I have no interest in doing that. It’s a bit of a sore point between us.
Especially now that my father has had a stroke. ’
‘Right.’
‘I didn’t lie to you,’ he insisted. ‘I am a humble lobsterman.’ He shrugged. ‘Just one who happens to come from wealth.’
‘Did you always want to be a lobsterman?’
‘No,’ he admitted. ‘It’s just something I fell into.
Started as a summer job, while I was still in high school.
Then when I dropped out of university I had to find some way to make a living so I wasn’t reliant on my parents, so I went back to it.
Worked hard for a couple of years and bought my own boat.
I enjoy it, but it’s not my dream in life. ’
‘What is?’
He looked as if he was about to say something, then he closed his mouth and shrugged. ‘I’m still figuring that out, I guess.’
‘I get wanting to forge your own path in life. My father is retired now, but he always wanted me to follow in his footsteps and become a doctor. Or a surgeon to be exact. But I much prefer nursing. He doesn’t understand.
Thinks I’m settling for a mediocre career changing bedsheets and washing bedpans, when I could be a big shot like him. ’
He smiled sympathetically. ‘Families, eh?’
‘Yeah, families. Who’d have ’em?’
‘Do you want to go somewhere? Get some lunch?’
I checked my watch. ‘I can’t.’
‘I understand.’ He looked crestfallen.
I put a hand on his arm. ‘No. I really would have loved to, Jonah. It’s just that I was late here and I don’t want to risk being late for my next job too, which I still have to find. If your mother does complain to my boss I might be out of a job before I’ve even really started.’
‘She won’t.’
‘I don’t think she likes me.’
‘She doesn’t like anyone. What matters is that my father does.’
I smiled. ‘I like your father.’
‘Most people do.’
‘He’s going to be OK.’
He swallowed hard. ‘I hope so.’
‘He was lucky the stroke was relatively mild. With a few lifestyle changes, medication and regular check-ups, the chances of it happening again are slim.’
‘Slim but not zero.’
‘Well, no. But it could happen to any one of us at any time.’
‘That’s a cheerful thought.’
‘Sorry. I want to reassure you, but I’ve also got to be honest.’
‘I get it.’ He cleared his throat. ‘He needs to make lifestyle changes, right? Such as reducing stress?’
‘Stress can be incredibly damaging. If untreated, it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and yes, strokes.’
He ran a hand through his hair, and for a few moments he looked so forlorn that I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him it was all going to be OK. He took a step towards me and for a second, I thought maybe he’d read my mind, but then he reached for the door handle and opened the door.
‘You’d better go,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to be the reason you get in trouble on your first day.’
Up close he smelled amazing. Like salt and soap and nature. I climbed into the car. ‘Your mother has my number if you need to get hold of me for anything.’
He snorted, reaching into his pocket to retrieve his phone. ‘Hell would freeze over before I’d ask her for it. She’d want to know why I want it, and then we’d never hear the end of it.’ He passed me his phone. ‘It’ll be easier for us all if you just put it in here.’
I took the phone and added myself into his contacts.
‘Read my messages?’ he teased, as I passed it back. ‘Check my socials while you were at it?’
‘Stop it.’ I cringed. ‘I’ve already apologized five thousand times.’
‘I know. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I promise I’ll drop it now.’
‘Shift, please.’ I reached past him for the door and pulled it so that he had to step out of the way. He grinned at me as I pushed the button to start the engine, then tapped on the window and made a gesture for me to put it down. I did.
‘What?’
He leaned down to peer inside. ‘When’s your next day off?’
‘Saturday. Why?’
‘I’ll pick you up at eight.’
‘That’s a little later than I usually like to eat dinner, but OK.’
‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘Eight in the morning.’
I stared at him, taken aback. ‘Why so early?’
‘Early? On a normal day I’d have already been up for four hours by then.’
‘And I was an ER nurse, remember?’ I retorted. ‘I know all about late nights and early mornings, believe me. I just wondered where you were planning on taking me at that time of the morning.’
‘It’s a surprise.’
‘What if I don’t like surprises?’
‘Don’t you?’
‘Actually, I don’t mind them,’ I admitted.
‘Good.’ He stood up and banged on the roof of my car. ‘Then a surprise it shall remain. Off you go. I’ll see you Saturday morning.’
It was only as I was halfway back to town that I realized that, without knowing where he was taking me, I had no idea how to dress.