by Alanna Lucas
“I can manage,” Nina scolded as she carried the box past Tessa and put it on the table. “I may be old, but I’m still capable.”
“You’re not old.” Both Nina and Bernie glanced at Tessa with eyes wide and questioning. “If you think about it, the average age of those of us in this room is… sixty. I just took ten years off your age.” Tessa winked at the grey-haired lady who had become like an aunt to her.
Bernie’s laughter filled the room. “I’m twenty years younger.” She turned to Nina. “With this newfound youth, what kind of mischief do you think we could get into tonight? Perhaps we should check out… Oh, what’s the name of that bar down by the waterfront? You know, the one with the attractive man on the billboard?”
“Oh, no you don’t,” Tessa protested with a tease. “Rex and Zane would have my head if I allowed you two to go bar-hopping.”
“Who said anything about hopping? I’m perfectly content with one bar, and perhaps a little fun.” Bernie offered a mischievous wink.
Tessa suspected these two had been quite the handful in their younger years.
“I think we should go out tonight, just the three of us. The weather has cleared a little.” Nina did not give Tessa the opportunity to say no. She grabbed her black handbag and scurried toward the back door. “I’m going to run home and change. You two make the plans. I’ll be back in twenty minutes.”
Tessa supposed if she had to go to a bar, being with Nina and Bernie was the safest companionship, not that she ever got hit on. Come to think of it, she could count on one hand the number of times she actually got carded. Except for a couple of favorite spots, Tessa rarely ventured out. This might be good for her.
The back door opened and closed with a series of squeaks. Tessa sighed. One more thing to add to the list of items that needed to be fixed.
“Oh, this will be such a fun—” Bernie’s excited words halted mid-stream as a loud scream from out back crackled through the air.
Tessa’s heart stopped for a second before it began pounding against her chest. She ran to the back door, with Bernie close behind, and flung it open wide.
“Oh, my…” Her words choked in her throat. She rushed down the few steps and practically slid to a halt beside Nina.
Bernie rushed up behind them. “What happened?”
“The ground is wet and… I… fell,” Nina managed through heavy breaths.
“Bernie, call an ambulance.”
“No!” Nina shouted, halting Bernie’s steps. “I don’t want to go to the hospital.” She began to push up on her arms. “I’ll be… ahh.” She slumped back on the ground, tears streaming down her face.
“Bernie, go.” Tessa turned her attention to Nina. “Don’t move, just breathe, in and out.” She took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself in the process. “It will be fine. You probably just badly bruised something, but we need to make sure.” Tessa didn’t think Nina was just bruised. The contorted grimace on her face indicated the injury was far more serious.
Frightened eyes held Tessa in place, as Nina pleaded, “I don’t want to go to the hospital. What if it is serious?”
“The ambulance is on the way,” Bernie shouted from the back door. “I’ll lock up here and we can follow in my car.”
Nina clutched Tessa’s hand. Her voice trembled with fear, panic rising with each word. “Please don’t make me ride in that death mobile alone.”
Stamping down her own fears, Tessa said, “Don’t worry, I’ll go with you, just stay calm. Breathe, just breathe.” Nina continued to breathe, copying Tessa’s slow inhales and exhales.
Bernie left the bookstore, locked the door, and came scurrying down the steps. Tessa held her breath at Bernie’s quick pace. Another injury was the last thing they needed to deal with at the moment.
“I called Zane. He’s still in Portland on business, so it will take him a few hours to get here. He’ll call his mother.”
“Thank you, Bernie,” Nina whimpered.
“I have to go up to the house and get my purse and car keys. I’ll be right back.” Bernie rushed up to the main house, calm and focused as ever.
The minutes ticked by before the faint sound of a siren grew stronger and stronger. Bernie had just started down the path when the ambulance pulled into the small parking lot. A steady red light along with red and white strobes flashed, ricocheting off every surface.
Tessa stood in a daze as paramedics readied Nina. She couldn’t even comprehend all the activity going on. Questions swirled around her, but Tessa could not move or speak. Images of a distant day stormed her mind. Panic rose within, strangling her, threatening every breath she took.
With Nina secured, the stretcher was lifted into the ambulance. Tessa started to move away, but Nina’s screech broke through the commotion, halting Tessa’s retreat. “Wait! Tessa you said…” her words died off as her face twisted in pain.
Bernie came up beside Tessa and placed a warm gentle hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” What was she supposed to say? Nina needed her.
“Go with Nina, I’ll meet you there.”
Tessa climbed into the ambulance and joined Nina. They sat in silence, perfectly still except for Nina’s hand, which kept squeezing Tessa’s. Lights flashing, beeps from machines, and words swirled around her, trapping her in an endless nightmare. It was as if she was watching a horror movie in slow motion. She could hear the siren. She could see the pain distorting Nina’s face. But everything around them moved of its own accord.
When they reached Devlin Memorial Hospital, Nina was whisked away, and still all Tessa could do was stand back and watch. She leaned against the ambulance, numb. She could not go inside the hospital.
“There you are,” Bernie said as she scurried over to Tessa. “Did they already take Nina inside?”
“Yes,” she muttered, nodding her head at the same time.
“Rex is working tonight. He’ll take good care of her.”
Tessa turned and stared at Bernie. “What?”
“Rex. He’s working tonight.”
“He works here?” Tessa knew that he kept odd hours, but didn’t know what he did for a living. She had been curious, but never asked because she didn’t want Bernie to think she was interested. So many of their conversations made sense now. She wondered why he never talked about his job?
In the distance, through the sliding doors, Tessa could see Rex questioning Nina as they maneuvered the stretcher into a room. An image of her mother being rushed into the ER exploded in her mind; anxiety surged through her.
Tessa forced herself to keep her balance. Swallowing hard, she said, “You go on ahead Bernie. I…I just need a moment.”
Bernie said nothing, just gave Tessa an odd look. Once Bernie walked through the doors, Tessa slinked around the unattended ambulance, and ran as fast as she could back to the bookstore. She needed more than a moment. She needed a lifetime to erase the pain.
Chapter 7
When the ambulance arrived and one of the paramedics told Rex they had transported an elderly woman, his first thought was Grams. He did not wish any harm to Nina but was relieved when he saw that Grams had not been injured. His grandmother was going to be the death of him with all her scurrying about.
Hours later, Rex walked into the waiting room expecting to find Grams and Tessa, but his grandmother was sitting by herself in a corner, her elbow resting on the armrest, her head propped in her hand. Deep worry lines crossed her forehead. Her still youthful blue eyes met his with a flicker of anxious fear. Grams slowly stood and wearily approached Rex.
“Nina is resting.” He hated seeing the look of worry on his grandmother’s face, but at least he had good news. “She’s going to be just fine. She dislocated her shoulder, but the x-rays show no broken bones.”
Grams clutched her chest and let out a huge sigh. “Oh, thank heavens. How long will she be in the hospital?”
“At least overnight. She’ll be in a sling from
eight to twelve weeks and will have to take it easy for a while, but she’ll be good as new in no time.”
“That long?” Grams tsked several times. “Nina is worse than me when it comes to taking it easy.”
Rex shook his head and chuckled. “I feel sorry for Zane.”
“Oh, speaking of which. Zane called, he’s waiting for his mother to arrive and then will drive her here.”
“Good. Nina was asking about him. I’m just about finished. I’ll take you and Tessa home. We can get your car tomorrow.”
Grams’ face went pale as she glanced around. “Oh no, she’s not…” Her hands trembled as she clasped them together. “With all the commotion and my worry about Nina. Oh, Rex, I didn’t even consider what this… We have to find her, but Nina… she hates hospitals.”
The raw emotion in Grams’ voice shook him to the core, but the thought of Tessa dealing with this alone practically shattered his insides. He knew Grams would not want to abandon either of her friends, but she couldn’t be in two places at once.
Images of Tessa leaning against the ambulance, the look of terror consuming her, would haunt Rex the rest of his days if he didn’t find her, comfort her, protect her. He’d dealt with enough grief and tragedy to last ten lifetimes.
“You stay here with Nina, I’ll find Tessa.”
Fifteen minutes later, Grams was settled in Nina’s room, and Rex was heading to the house. He hoped Tessa had enough presence of mind not to go wandering about in the middle of a cold and dreary night.
He pulled into the parking lot and started up the path to the dark house, but it didn’t appear that anyone was home. After a quick check of the house proved it empty, Rex headed to the bookstore.
He hurried up the back steps and unlocked the door. The spicy aroma of pumpkin bread still lingered in the kitchen. He walked into the main part of the store, expecting to find Tessa sitting in one of the comfy chairs, but they were empty.
Other than the continuous gusts of wind whistling past and branches scratching against the windowpane, no other sign of life could be heard. Rex ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Where could she be? Coffee on the Docks wouldn’t be open for several hours. Maybe she’d gone to Phoebe’s?
Rex started back toward the kitchen when he heard the faint sound of sniffles drifting down the staircase. Taking two steps at a time, he rushed up the stairs, following the tormented sound.
A suffocating sensation tightened in his throat as he walked into the dark room. Shadows from the dull moonlight crept across the walls. Tessa was tightly curled up in one of the winged back chairs.
She raised her head at Rex’s soft approach. Even in the dim light, he could see her stricken features. Tessa didn’t say a word, just sniffled ragged breaths.
Pain struck through Rex’s heart, crumbling the wall of distrust.
Go to her, protect her.
He rushed to Tessa, picked her up, cradling her in his arms as he sat down in the chair.
“Shh,” he soothed as he stroked her hair back from her face. “It will be okay. Everything is going to be okay.” I won’t let anything happen to you.
“I…I couldn’t st…stay,” she mumbled the words in a broken staccato. “It…it’s just too…” She inhaled a slow, ragged breath and then slowly released it. He’d seen her do that before whenever she was upset.
Tessa clung to his shirt, burying her face. Slowly, her breathing evened out, softened. Time stood still as a need to shield her surged through him.
Rex thought she went to sleep, but then Tessa shifted, raising her head, and looked up at him. His world tipped and began to spin. Every feeling he’d been fighting rushed to the forefront. He was absolutely head over heels in love with her.
She continued to stare, her green eyes full of pain and warmth and even hope. Rex dared not think too much on the latter. If he was to ever have any chance of a future with Tessa, he had to move slowly, to gain her trust, not to pity.
It had been years since Tessa had felt so safe, so protected. She knew it could never grow beyond friendship, but in that moment, she was thankful for Rex, thankful for the comfort, the security.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she looked up into his understanding eyes.
“You have nothing to be sorry about.” He wiped the hair from her face.
The thought that something bad had happened to her friend tore at her insides. “How…how’s Nina?”
“She will be fine. She dislocated her shoulder and will be in a sling for a while, but Nina will make a complete recovery, if she listens to the doctors’ orders.”
“Poor Zane, he’s going to have his hands full with his grandmother. How’s Bernie?”
“Grams is staying with Nina tonight. She was worried about you.” His words were soft and caring.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to run off, it’s just…” Tessa buried her head against his chest. The spicy scent that normally drove her wild was far subtler, replaced with a clean freshness.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Tessa shook her head. She tried to keep her fragile control intact, and if she started talking, she would probably start crying again.
“Tessa,” Rex’s soft deep voice reached down to the dark murky depths of her troubled soul. “Let me in.” His gentle whisper caressed her.
She didn’t know if she’d imagined those last words, but something deep inside told her to trust him, to let go. She was so tired of keeping it all inside, letting it gnaw away at her. He wasn’t offering pity, he was offering friendship.
Inhaling deeply, she began, “The last time…” Just breathe, you’re safe. “The last time I was at a hospital was that night. It was horrible.” Pain constricted her heart and a steady stream of hot burning tears stung her eyes, her control slipping through her fingers.
Rex brought her closer within his arms, cradling her, comforting her, giving her the courage to talk about what had happened.
She swallowed the hard lump in her throat. “For months I barely got out of bed. It was all too much.”
The rapid beat of Rex’s heart thumped against her cheek. Although he didn’t say a word, she could feel the emotion rise in his chest.
“I hated what I had become, but didn’t know how to escape the pain, the darkness.” Once the words started, she let them flow. It felt good to finally share some of what had been eating away at her for such a long time. “Jillian brought me romance novels to read. No matter how much turmoil the characters went through, they always got their HEA.”
“HEA?”
“Happily ever after.” Tessa giggled against Rex’s chest. “I know it sounds silly, but knowing they survived made me think I could too.”
“It’s not silly,” Rex cooed. “Is that why you wanted to open the bookstore, to bring other’s that same joy?”
“In part. After I had my son, I stopped working. In those first couple of months after Ryan was born, my mom and I devised a plan to open an all-romance bookstore. We collected pictures of furniture, talked about a color scheme… and what we would name the bookstore.”
“Who chose the name?”
“My mom.” She swallowed hard and bit back the stinging tears.
Rex whispered against her hair, “She would be proud of what you accomplished.” The gentle touch of his hand was suddenly almost unbearable in its tenderness. Tessa needed to end this before she said too much. She hadn’t felt this comfortable around anyone except Jillian in a very long time.
Tessa lifted her head. “Thank you for listening. I think I should go up to the house.” The second she eased off Rex’s lap, she missed his warmth.
Rex didn’t put up a fuss, didn’t try to stop her, or take advantage. He simply replied, “I’ll walk you over.”
Rex still had not properly apologized for his accusatory behavior the day he found Tessa crying at the cove, and so much more had happened since then. He wanted her to trust him. He wanted to be friends. In due time, he would want so much more.
And he had a plan.
The vibrant colors of fall had settled into Devlin, and with them a morning fog that seemed to linger well past noon. This morning was no exception. Thick fog made driving slow going, but Rex still had plenty of time before the bookstore opened. First stop, Coffee on the Docks.
The fog down by the docks was even thicker, laced with a briny tang. He hopped out of his truck and hurried inside the warm coffee shop.
Four pairs of eyes glanced up over morning newspapers, before quickly retreating to the headlines.
“Everything’s ready.” Phoebe smiled as she handed Rex a travel tray with two large cups of coffee and a paper bag. Her smile broadened in approval. “It’s a good thing I approve of this little scheme or you’d be completely lost.”
“Thank you, Phoebe.”
“You’re welcome.” Phoebe leaned in and whispered low so no one else could hear. “If you hurt her, I will hire someone to take you down.”
“Yes, Phoebe, I know,” Rex laughed out the words. It was the second time she’d warned him. In just a short amount of time, it seemed as if Tessa had the whole town wrapped around her pretty delicate finger, including him. “I’ll see you later.”
Rex turned to leave and practically bumped right into Stephaney. The timing was too coincidental. It was almost as if she’d been waiting for him. He did not need to deal with her this morning.
“Hi, Rex.” Her false smile and overly whitened teeth made his skin crawl.
“Hi, Stephaney,” Rex could not hide the annoyance from his voice.
“I was hoping to run into you. I’m having a birthday party this Saturday and would love for you…”
“Sorry to disappoint, but I have to work.” It was the truth, and a convenient one at that.
She quickly offered, “Perhaps we could get together some other time?”
Phoebe had moved out from behind the counter and was cleaning a table behind Stephaney. She stood and mouthed I told you.
