by Natalie Ann
“That’s great. And thanks for fitting me in last minute.”
“Never a problem,” he said. “If I didn’t have room for you, I would have stopped over at your place or had you stop at mine. If Ava can’t get you on the schedule to have the stitches removed let me know.”
“I’m sure she’ll fit me in.”
“If I’m not around, one of the girls can remove them. If you’re comfortable with that?”
“Of course. Thanks again.”
She got up and went to the front desk, made her appointment and then drove into the office. Her leg had been throbbing like drums in a conga dance on Saturday night and most of Sunday so she’d kept it elevated and didn’t get a chance to do much baking.
On Monday she wanted to try a new recipe and bring it to Kennedy’s, but standing on her leg for more than thirty minutes caused it to ache. It was much better this morning, but she wasn’t going to push it just yet and told Kennedy she’d have something for her by the end of the week.
When Kennedy had told her not to bother, she’d reiterated she would still have it. She never went more than a few days without baking. It calmed and soothed her, and after the past few days, she needed that.
She drove to the adventure park and then went to her office. She wasn’t in there an hour before Logan came in and started to lecture her just like Trevor had. “You need to be more careful.”
“Not you too,” she said. Here she was thinking it was good to help family out when she thought of Justin and now she was wondering how fast she could escape out the window and realized having yesterday off for the holiday only prolonged yet another lecture.
“Sorry. Kennedy told me I had to.”
She laughed. “That makes more sense. She’s going to drive me crazy. It’s five stitches that are a long way from my heart. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve cut my hand on a knife.”
“Let her baby you,” Logan said. “If she’s doing it to you then she isn’t bugging me.”
“You’re newlyweds. You shouldn’t be saying that of your wife so soon.”
He smirked at her. “We are talking about your sister here.”
“Good point. Did you need me for anything or just to lecture?”
“Just the lecture. But keep your leg up if you need to or go home and work. Whatever is comfortable.”
“Thanks. I’m good though.”
After a few hours of work, she grabbed the lunch she brought with her and got up to walk out and get a soda from the vending machine. The park wasn’t that busy, but there were people around. In a few weeks it would be nuts so Logan had work being done on the grounds.
While she ate her lunch she started to research different designs and flavors, then made a list of businesses she wanted to drop baked goods off to as samples.
When her leg started to itch, she decided maybe she’d take the sexy doctor a thank you cake for a good job stitching her up.
Why not? It’s not like she had anything else going on in her life. A little bit of eye candy with the cake would do her good.
She didn’t want a relationship with someone that was only here temporarily. Nothing wrong with a little distraction though.
When she’d left years ago she’d thought she would be able to find someone by now and realized it wasn’t the place but the men she was attracting. So rather than try too hard, she was just going to let something happen on its own.
And while she was waiting for that, she could drop off a cake to Dr. Cambridge and thank him in person. Maybe feel him out. What could it hurt to chat and get a drink or a bite to eat with someone now and again?
Nothing, that’s what.
6
Temporary
Justin heard a knock at his door and wondered who it could be. As far as he knew the only people who were aware he was living here were his family and some workers. He liked that the apartment was way in the back and off to the side so that he didn’t hear much noise from anyone in the clubhouse. He knew employees lived here on and off and it was just his luck it was empty for the moment.
A lot of elbow grease made it livable, but it was a far cry from his townhouse.
Temporary, he reminded himself.
He got up and walked to the door, pulled it open and saw Taryn Miles standing there with a purple bakery box in her hand. “Well hello there,” he said. “Tell me that box is for me and there are no knives in it?”
She laughed and the sound of it just warmed him in a way he hadn’t felt in years.
“Yes to the first and no knives to the second. And I hope it’s not a bad time.”
“It’s never a bad time for cake,” he said, taking the box. “Come on in and excuse the decor. It’s not mine.”
She looked around the room. “Thank God for that.”
“Paneling was out a long time ago. At least the dark brown wood. But there was no way I could get a place to rent without an end date and I sure the heck wasn’t staying at my parents’ house.”
“I might have taken this option too,” she said. “It’s not that bad.”
“You’re right, it could be worse. It’s functional for the small amount of cooking I do. I’ve got the restaurant not that far away and no one will tell me no if I just walk in and grab something.”
As tempting as it was to get a midnight snack, he wouldn’t do that. He did get his meals there mostly though. He’d just order by phone and go pick it up and leave a tip at the bar. His mother had left instructions not to charge him and there was no use arguing. In her mind, he was putting his life on hold and not earning any income.
Even if he weren’t filling in at the hospital here temporarily he’d still be fine.
He’d never been frivolous with his money and, though his father wasn’t thrilled in the least with his choice of careers, his mother still made the tuition payments for him those first four years just like they did for his sister.
After that, he was on his own and was fine with it. At least his father couldn’t throw it in his face and he’d spent a lot of years paying that debt down, though he still had years to go.
If his father knew his mother sent him money during his years in med school, no one let on. Justin never asked for it, but he was forever grateful to not have to work and didn’t need to make his loans stretch too much.
“I probably would,” she said. “But I do like to cook, so I’d be down there in the kitchen doing all sorts of things. More baking than I’m doing in my place. Anyway, I won’t keep you. I went to see Max on Tuesday and he said everything looked great and there’d be little scarring. Not that I care, but I know you mentioned you liked the cake I dropped over before and this is a thank you. Man, I’m rambling. Not sure why I am.”
“Nervous maybe?” he asked. “No reason to be. But come on in unless you’ve got plans. You can have a slice with me. Or do you taste them so much you don’t like to eat them?”
“I’ve got a sweet tooth and have no problem eating them. I try not to taste too much, or more than necessary, or that wouldn’t be good for my waistline.”
He made the mistake of looking at her tiny waist and then saying, “Doesn’t seem to be a problem to me. What flavor do we have?”
They moved to the small table he had off the kitchen and he went to get a knife and some plates. “White chocolate with a strawberry filling. The frosting is also white chocolate. I took a gamble that you liked lighter flavors since you enjoyed the lemon and raspberry and I’d been dying to try this cake batter out.”
“I’ll eat any flavor you bring me.”
“That’s good to know. I wanted to add a crunch factor but didn’t know if you had any allergies.”
“None,” he said. He had the knife in his hand. “And considering how we met, I’ll do the honors.”
She smiled and her eyes started to dance. When had he ever noticed something like that on a woman before? He was thinking probably never.
“By all means,” she said.
“Have a seat
. How is the leg doing? Other than I see Max taped you up better.”
“He said it’d help more with the scarring.”
“He’s right. In the ER we patch people up and send them back out for the next person. Though I’ve got to say I’m glad to be doing something with my time, this isn’t the pace I’m used to.”
“I’m sure. My leg is doing well now. It was throbbing pretty good for a few days, but now I barely feel it other than it’s a bit itchy.”
“That’s good.” He sat down next to her at the table, picked up his fork and took a big piece and popped it in his mouth. “Oh wow, this is like heaven. You truly have a touch. You’ve had to be doing this a long time.”
“Actually no,” she said. “I’ve only been doing it for about five years or so. Kind of a long story.”
“Unless you are in a hurry, you can share it.”
He took a chance putting that out there, but she seemed to get comfortable in the chair. “I’ve got no plans. You don’t have to work tonight? I don’t want you to think I’m stalking you or anything. I didn’t know where to find you and came here looking for your sister to ask if she could give this to you. She’s the one who told me where you were.”
He’d have to go thank his sister later. “I’m surprised she was willing to let you up here with the cake.”
“She did mention stealing a piece of it later.”
“I’ll personally bring her one.”
“That’s nice you are close with your sister. I am with Kennedy and Trevor, but I just couldn’t stay here back then and left after college.”
“I know that feeling. Just like I’m sure you know I’m only here on loan.”
“I do. Max mentioned it to me. That’s great you are so close to your family to do this.”
He could let her believe he was close to his family as a whole, but he wasn’t with everyone. “It’s complicated, but family does come first. Back to your story. Where did you go?”
“Tampa. After college graduation I was having a hard time finding a job here. There isn’t a lot and a few friends wanted to go to Tampa and visit one of their cousins. We were there two weeks and on a whim I applied for a job and got it. I figured it’d be so much better than here.”
“But you’re back so I’m going to assume it wasn’t? And what did you go to school for if not baking?”
“Accounting. Boring, I know, but I’ve always been the quiet stable one in the family.”
“You don’t seem quiet to me.”
“I think I had to forcefully put myself out there after I moved like that. Anyway, I got a job at a law firm as a staff accountant and I enjoyed it, but I didn’t go out much. I shared an apartment with my friend’s cousin for a year, but she had a boyfriend soon after and was with him. In an attempt to push myself out to meet people I took a few baking courses. I enjoyed it when I was younger, but I seemed to find a love for it. Then I decided to take some cake decorating courses and it just snowballed from there.”
“And now you’re back home running your own business. Good for you.”
“Partially. I’m home, but this isn’t my full-time job. I can’t live off of this and until I can get things more stable it’s just a side job. I’m still a boring accountant, but I work for my brother-in-law now.”
“Kennedy’s husband?”
“You know my sister?”
“I was a year older than Trevor. I know him more. Or remember him more. We didn’t exactly hang out much. He was more the athlete and I was into schooling when I wasn’t working here.”
“You don’t golf?” she asked. “I figured you’d be great at it.”
“I did and I do. I was good and was lucky enough to play in college and get a sports scholarship, but it’s never been my life. It was a means to an end back then. Something I had in common with my father. He wanted me to come back here and run the place, be the course pro giving lessons and so on. It’s not the life I saw myself having.”
“There isn’t anything wrong with that. My parents knew I didn’t want to be here and supported the decision. I was their baby and it was hard for them to let me go. Then when they retired they decided to move to Florida too. They are still there, an hour from Tampa. I will admit I felt guilty when I decided to come back. They laughed and said they didn’t move there for me but because they just wanted to try it. With Trevor and Riley having a baby soon, I think they will start to split their time if they can. My mother still works though.”
“What does she do?” he asked, finishing up his slice. He wanted a second piece but didn’t want to seem a glutton.
“She’s a nurse. Just part time. I’m sure you remember my father is the retired police chief.”
“Of course,” he said. “Would they have a place to stay if they split their time?”
“Trevor bought their house and he and Riley pretty much doubled it in size. There is a nice guest suite on the first floor away from the rest of the house, but I can’t see anyone in the family wanting to live together long term either. I was lucky that Kennedy married and moved in with Logan. I’m in her old apartment above the spa. I suppose they could stay with me, but there comes a time when you don’t want to live with your parents.”
“Exactly.”
“And I’m probably taking up too much of your time. Sorry about that. I’ll get out of your way. I’m sure you’re busy.”
“Not really,” he said, knowing that probably made him sound like a loser. “I haven’t been back in years for more than a visit now and again. What I know is what I hear through my mother and sister. There is only so much golf I can do even if I enjoy it and TV sucks.”
She laughed. “It sure does. Well, if you’re bored you should check out where I work.”
“You didn’t say where that was,” he said.
“I guess you aren’t up on all the news. Logan bought the adventure park in town. He’s kind of a kid at the heart of it.”
“Maybe I will,” he said. “And I can come visit you while you’re working like you did me.”
She looked down at her leg. “I don’t consider that visiting so hopefully you don’t get hurt at the adventure park. Otherwise, our insurance premiums will go up and that will just make me cross-eyed when I have to pay that bill.”
“And we wouldn’t want anything to take away from your beauty,” he said. When she blushed he wondered if he shouldn’t have said that, but all she did was wink at him when she walked out the door.
7
Looking For Her
The following Thursday Taryn was in her office working when her phone rang on her desk. She reached forward and answered it. “Hello.”
“Taryn. It’s Betty at the front reception area.” They had someone up there directing people and answering calls as they came in. Just a part-time position.
“Hi, Betty. What can I do for you?”
“There is a Justin Cambridge here asking if you are available.”
She grinned. “I am. I’ll be right up.”
She hung up the phone and pushed back from her desk. It’d been almost a week since she’d dropped the cake off and had wondered if she’d see him again.
Then she had to remind herself that just because they both had a good time talking at his place over cake didn’t mean he was interested in getting to know her better.
He had a job that she didn’t know much about in terms of his schedule and he was here helping with his father’s care and bringing him to appointments. Something else she didn’t know much about.
She doubted he had all that much time on his hands even when he said he did.
But he was here on the grounds and he was looking for her and she was going to go out and see him.
It took her a few minutes to get upfront. She was in the back of the building where Logan had an office and then a secretary that worked part time too. There weren’t that many office staff and it was fine. The bulk of the business was run outside. She could handle all the bills and accounting and payroll an
d he had a firm that did the more intensive statements.
Sure, she could do them too and offered, but Logan said it was fine, for now while she got a feel for things. He was just happy bills were being paid and deposits done. Maybe in the slower months when they weren’t open as much she could convince him to give her more and save the money he was paying the firm, but she figured Logan being a multi-millionaire wasn’t concerned with those things like she was.
“I see you took me up on my suggestion,” she said when she saw the tall form of Dr. Justin Cambridge standing at the desk looking around.
“You put it out there I should check it out,” he said, his eyes looking her over. “That’s what I’m doing.”
Betty laughed and she pulled Justin to the side. “Here to play or visit?”
“I guess it depends on if I’m doing it alone or not,” he said. “What time do you get out of work?”
She looked at her watch. “I can take off at any time. My time is flexible.”
“That’s always good.”
“No work for you?”
“No. My father had treatment on Monday, so I worked Wednesday then this weekend. Next week I’ll be on Monday through Wednesday night, then Friday and get the weekend off.”
“So you’re nights?” she asked.
“More like a mid-shift. Noon to midnight. They normally rotate monthly, but since they are being flexible with my father’s treatment and I’m just temporary, I offered to stay on the mid-shift unless someone wants to work it. Most like days or nights, mid-shift gives no one a life.”
“That was nice of you. Are you normally working nights back home?”
“It changes. I’m a pretty flexible person too. I don’t require huge amounts of sleep.”
“Unlike me. I don’t think I need more than the average person, but I can’t function well on less than six hours either.”
“Six hours during my residency would have been a dream come true.”
