Dancing With the Doc

by Jennifer Youngblood

  “Yes, she was.” Silence settled between them.

  “I’m sorry,” Chase said. “I didn’t mean to bring up a painful time for you.”

  “No, it’s okay … truly. Like I said, I was grateful that you were there.”

  “I would’ve stuck around longer, had Drew O’Hannon not shown up.”

  Cat caught the hardness in his tone. That’s right. Drew had shown up later that evening. He’d made a point of kissing her full on the mouth in front of Chase, as if claiming his possession. “Dating Drew was a colossal mistake.” She sloughed off the shiver than ran down her spine.

  “I never could understand how the two of you ended up dating.”

  “That’s a story for another time,” she said, not wanting to tarnish the evening by dredging up old ghosts.

  “So, are you dating anyone now?”

  Her heart quickened its beat. “No. I’ve been so busy working that I haven’t had much time to date.” She kept her tone even. “How about you?” Please say that you’re completely free and available!

  “When I was at the U, I dated a lot of different girls.”

  Her stomach tightened. Of course, Chase had dated. He was handsome with a charismatic smile and those eyes. He probably had half the female population on campus after him. Something shifted in the air, and she felt a funky tension. She glanced at him to see if she’d imagined it, but his expression was too guarded to read.

  He continued in a halting way, and she got the feeling he was measuring his every word. “After I got down here to Mobile, I met Amber. We’ve been dating on and off for two years now.”

  Cat’s heart dropped to her feet. “Amber?” she asked weakly as she forced a smile. “That’s great.”

  “Yeah. She’s awesome. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

  Awesome Amber! Great! Her mind began a wild spin. She’d gotten so worked up about Chase, and all the while, he just thought of her as a friend. No wonder he’d hesitated when she invited him over for a walk. Had she not thrown in the part about them being just friends, Chase probably wouldn’t have come. It occurred to Cat that she was supposed to say something. “How did you two meet?”

  “At a basketball game. I tripped over Amber while I was trying to get out of the bleachers in the middle of a game. She helped me up and made me sit with her for the rest of the game. I asked her out for the next week, and before long, we were an item.”

  Something he’d said earlier stuck in her brain. “You said you’d dated on and off?” She waited for him to explain.

  He rubbed his neck. “Yeah, things have been tricky with me in med school. Amber’s heavily involved in her sorority events, and I’ve been so consumed with my schooling … we broke up for a while and just recently got back together. The idea is to put off any talk about the future and just focus on the present.”

  Cat’s white-frame cottage came into view. “Well, this is me.” Her voice had a false cheerfulness. “Thanks for the walk.” She held up her hand. “For everything.” All she wanted to do right now was get as far away from Chase and these conflicted feelings as she could.

  “Sure.”

  Cat’s heart was heavier than a full rack of bowling balls. “You know, you don’t really have to come to the salsa class on Friday.”

  His face fell. “You don’t want me to come?”

  “It’s not that. I just figured you might prefer to spend time with Amber.” Had that come out cutting? It sounded brittle in her own ears.

  “Maybe she could come too.”

  This was getting worse by the minute. “Sure,” she heard herself say.

  He flashed a boyish grin that was so reminiscent of the Chase she’d known before that it cut through her heart. “Well, goodnight.” His eyes caught hers as he reached for her uninjured hand, squeezing it. His touch sent a swift arrow of energy through her. Could Chase not feel this? The attraction ticked her off. “Good night,” she clipped, removing her hand as she moved to go up her walk to the front door. When she got to the door, she turned, surprised that he was watching her.

  “What?” she demanded, her brows darting together.

  “I’m glad we reconnected.” A sentimental smile tugged at his lips. “I’ve missed you.”

  His tender expression cut through her angst. “I missed you too,” she admitted softly, and then hurried inside closing the door, her back resting against it. “Well, that was interesting,” she said aloud. Without warning, a single tear slipped from her eye and dribbled down her cheek. Hastily, she wiped it away, determined to curtail any further tears. When Chase moved away from the neighborhood, Cat had cried for a week. At least this time, she’d relegated her sadness to one tear.

  Cat scowled. What she needed right now was a ginormous bowl of chocolate ice cream. To heck with Chase Brooks. She’d been doing fine all these years on her own. She didn’t need a man in her life to make her feel fulfilled. She had her studio, her friends, this town. Fate was cruel, giving her a glimpse of Mr. Right before cruelly snatching him away. She needed ice cream. Badly!

  7

  “Good morning,” Harper said breezily. “How was your night?”

  “I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck,” Cat groaned as she plopped down in the chair across from Harper’s desk in her office.

  Harper frowned, pushing aside the stack of invoices she’d been going over. “What happened? You and Dr. Blue Eyes were getting along peachy when you skipped out for your walk.”

  Cat looked across the desk at the woman who was her closest friend in Clementine. Harper and Andi had drawn her into their circle of friendship, making Cat feel like they were the sisters she’d never had. Harper’s expression was sympathetic, causing a gush of emotion to rise in Cat’s throat. She swallowed it back down. “It started out amazing. We walked around the square and talked … about old times. We really connected.” She paused remembering the heat that had flowed through her when Chase gave her that wistful smile and squeezed her hand. “Chase walked me back to my house and asked if I was dating anyone. I’m thinking, Awesome, things are warming up! I told him that I’m not dating anyone and asked him the same question.” She paused, looking down at clenched hands.

  “Oh, no. Please tell me he isn’t.”

  Cat swallowed the tightness in her throat, her eyes lifting to Harper’s. “Yup. He’s dating someone. A girl named Amber.” She sucked in a deep breath. “Chase has been dating her off and on for a couple years. The two of them just recently got back together.” Her eyes clouded with moisture as she blinked. “Just my luck,” she said with a weak laugh.

  “They’ve been dating on and off. That’s code for the two of them have had problems.”

  “Yeah, Chase alluded to that. He met Amber at a college football game. He said Amber’s involved with her sorority activities and that he’s been so busy with med school that it caused friction or problems between them.”

  Harper barked out a derisive laugh. “I can imagine. A sorority girl and a med student.” She wrinkled her forehead. “That sounds like a recipe for disaster.”

  Cat laughed, feeling a little better. “Yes, it does.”

  “What’re you worried about? You and Chase have history together. He obviously likes you.”

  The comment caused a tendril of hope to shoot up in Cat’s breast. “You think so?”

  “Yes, I do,” Harper said in such a matter of fact tone it broke apart some of the tension between Cat’s shoulder blades. “Trust me, Cat, no man’s gonna drive over to Clementine after the first long, stressful day of work if he’s not interested in you.”

  “Maybe he just thinks of me as a friend.” Cat’s heart squeezed.

  “Friends don’t look at one another the way Chase looks at you,” Harper said firmly.

  A smile crept over Cat’s lips. Something was there … she’d felt it.

  Harper grew thoughtful. “I suspect that Chase was probably thrown off guard by seeing you again so unexpectedly. Now, he’s probably trying to fi
gure out what to do, especially since he just got back together with his on and off-again girlfriend.” She looked at Cat. “Girl, you’ve got this. You just need to outclass the competition.”

  Cat bit the inside of her cheek. “I dunno. Amber’s a sorority girl. I get the feeling that she’s probably rich and classy. And, she’s got a two-year head start on me.”

  Harper raised an eyebrow. “Are you really giving up so easily? I thought I was looking at the tough, resilient woman who showed up in town with nothing but her car and a boxful of belongings. The one who started her own business from nothing.”

  “Yeah, because you and Mr. Foster helped me.”

  Harper waved a hand of dismissal. “We might’ve played a small part, but you’re the one who rolled up her sleeves and got to work.”

  Cat felt such a deep appreciation for Harper. And, even though Harper didn’t like praise, Cat knew it was well deserved. She couldn’t have done anything she had, were it not for Harper. Cat’s thoughts went back to Chase as she rubbed a hand across her forehead. “Why did he have to get back with his girlfriend right before we met again?” she groaned.

  “Because Murphy’s Law is alive and well,” Harper said dryly.

  “Amen!” Cat made a face. “It gets worse.”

  Wariness crept into Harper’s eyes. “Okay,” she said carefully. “What else?”

  “Chase asked if he could bring his girlfriend to the salsa lesson.”

  “W—what?” Harper exploded, her face turning red.

  Cat nodded grimly. “Yep.”

  Harper sat back in her seat with a heavy sigh. “Well, that makes things a bit trickier.”

  “Just a bit,” Cat said sarcastically.

  “Okay,” Harper said a minute later. “Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll find you a date for the lesson.”

  Cat rocked back. “A date?” She shook her head back and forth. “No, I don’t want to have someone saddled to me during the lesson. I’ll be teaching. I need to focus on the students. I—”

  Harper held up a hand to cut her off. “Would you rather stand by like a third wheel while Chase and his girlfriend get all lovey dovey?”

  “No,” Cat said, her heart thudding dully in her chest. “This whole thing is ridiculous,” she seethed. “I’ve been doing just fine without Chase Brooks!”

  Harper gave her a perceptive look. “Yep, I said the same thing about Sam Wallentine. Look where that got me.”

  “Married to Dr. Dreamy,” Cat said with a wry grin.

  “Yep.” Harper’s eyes glowed.

  In that moment, Cat envied Harper. She was happy for her friend, she really was. In her heart of hearts, Cat did want to find someone. It was lonely being on her own. Sure, she could do it … had been doing it. But, seeing Chase again made her realize that she wanted something more. She wanted someone to share life’s joys with. Chase Brooks seemed to fit the bill in every way. He always had, even when they were kids.

  “Okay, back to Chase,” Harper said, straightening in her seat. She looked Cat in the eye. “How much does Chase mean to you?”

  She blinked several times. “I don’t understand …”

  “Well, are you willing to fight for him?”

  “Yes, I am,” she said with a sureness that surprised her. Then, another thought assaulted her with enough force to nearly steal her breath. “I can’t be that girl.”

  “What girl?”

  “The one who breaks up a relationship.” She thought of Drew O’Hannon … how betrayed she’d felt when she realized he was running around on her.

  Harper held up her hands. “As one who’s been burned in the past because of infidelity, I totally get where you’re coming from. However, you’re not doing anything wrong. Chase is a friend that you’ve had since childhood. The two of you reconnected. Just tread lightly and see how things go.” Her features brightened. “This is even more reason why you should bring a date to the salsa lesson.”

  Cat’s phone buzzed. She retrieved it from her purse and went bug-eyed. “It’s a text from Chase,” she said breathlessly.

  Amusement simmered in Harper’s eyes. “Yep, he’s smitten. What did he say?”

  Cat read it aloud. “Thanks for last night. I’m looking forward to Friday.”

  A large grin spread over Harper’s lips. “Alright.” She rubbed her hands together. “Time to round you up a date.” She pursed her lips. “Let’s see … who likes to salsa dance?”

  Cat laughed. “In Clementine? The pickings will be few and far between. It was like pulling teeth to get couples to come out on a Friday night for dance lessons. That’s why we discontinued the class.”

  “Yes, but you’re forgetting one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s you we’re talking about. Lots of guys would give their best coon dog to go on a date with you.”

  A giggle tickled Cat’s throat. “You’re biased.”

  Harper winked. “Maybe, but I don’t think I’ll have any trouble getting someone. Leave it to me. You just focus on making sure that you look like a million bucks Friday night.”

  “That might take some doing,” Cat said, being one hundred percent serious. She was past due for a haircut and had no idea what to wear.

  “Well, you’d better get crackin’,” Harper quipped. She shooed her hand. “Alight, go. I’ve gotta get back to work.”

  Cat stood, a feeling of gratitude swelling inside her. “Thanks, Harper, for everything.”

  For a small-town hospital, it was surprising how busy things could get. The ER seemed to have a revolving door. Chase was grateful to be on a short break as he went to the vending machine and selected a granola bar from the options. His thoughts kept returning to Cat. He’d felt her disappointment as if it were his own when she realized that he had a girlfriend. Part of Chase had not wanted to say anything, but that wouldn’t be fair to Cat or Amber. In the end, he’d forced the words out so that everything would be on the up and up. Grabbing a water from the adjacent machine, he sat down at a vacant table.

  After tearing open the granola bar and taking a bite, he pulled out his phone to see if Cat had responded to his text. Nothing yet. Getting together with Cat brought back so many memories of home and growing up. Cat had always been so feisty—the kind of person who couldn’t help but command attention. An image of her flashed through his mind. He smiled thinking of her long, lustrous dark hair that flowed as lively and fluid down her back as water. Her caramel skin was radiant and smooth. Her large, expressive eyes and full lips were animated and inviting. Cat was a little over 5’5” with the lean, toned build of a dancer. Her vitality and warmth drew Chase in, making him long to be around her. Chase knew he wasn’t alone. Cat had always had that spark that made people want to be a part of her life. And, she didn’t seem to realize how truly amazing she was, which was also very attractive.

  He shook his head, feeling guilty for daydreaming about Cat. He pulled his thoughts to Amber. She was so vastly different from Cat. Amber was petite with long blonde hair, even features, and clear hazel eyes. Having grown up in a wealthy home, Amber was an upper-crust society girl who thrived on social events. Chase had initially been drawn to Amber’s world because of the flurry of activity and glitz. Being with Amber was a constant thrill. She knew the best restaurants and had connections all over Mobile. While Chase still enjoyed doing all the things that initially brought him and Amber together, he was in a different place than he was two years ago. Chase wanted a deeper, more meaningful relationship. He wanted to get married and someday start a family. Chase and Amber’s views about how the future would play out were vastly different, which is why they agreed to just take things day by day.

  A part of Chase wondered if he should suggest to Amber that they date other people. That way, he could spend as much time with Cat as he wanted without feeling guilty. It was certainly something to consider. The smart thing to do would be to play it by ear and see how things went. He’d thrown in the bit about inviting Amber to th
e lesson so it would remove the absurd temptation he’d felt to take Cat in his arms and give her a long, thorough goodnight kiss. If he had, Cat probably would’ve slapped him. He grinned. Yep, she was saucy enough to do just that. Cat had stipulated that she was inviting Chase as a friend to come to Clementine. However, he could tell that she was flustered when she realized he had a girlfriend. Was Cat jealous? That was an interesting thought. One he’d have to ponder.

  Okay, enough daydreaming. He called Amber. She answered just before it went to voicemail. “Hello?” She sounded out of breath.

  “Hello. Where are you?”

  “Out for a jog.”

  “Oh. How’s it going?”

  “Good. I’m just getting in a quick workout before showering and heading to class. How’s life in the medical world?”

  “Busy. I never knew there could be so many patients that need—” He stopped mid-sentence when he heard Amber’s laughter. “What?”

  “Rachel’s here with me. She’s teasing me about my new zebra yoga pants.”

  “I don’t think I’ve seen those yet.”

  “They’re new.”

  Chase thought Amber might ask him more about his work, but she didn’t. “Hey, I have a question for you.”

  “Shoot.”

  “How would you like to do something different this Friday?”

  “What?” she asked, suspiciously.

  He clutched his water bottle. “I thought it might be nice to take salsa lessons.”

  “Huh? You want to go to a cooking class?”

  “No,” he chuckled. “Dance lessons.”

  “Oh.”

  There was a long pause.

  “What do you think? I ran into an old friend from Chicago yesterday at the hospital. She teaches lessons in Clementine and suggested that we come.”

  “Yeah, I guess we could do that.”

  “Awesome.” It would be fun to dance with Amber, and it would help him put aside this foolish notion of starting up something with his childhood crush.

  “Wait a minute,” Amber said. He could hear talking in the background, presumably Rachel. “Hon?”