by Janie Crouch
“Well, let me be the first to officially welcome you back to Oak Creek.” Riley smiled.
“Thank you. It’s good to be back.”
Was it Zac’s imagination or had she hesitated just a tiny bit on the word good?
“Would you like me to clear the room?” She took an ophthalmoscope out of the pocket of her white coat and clenched it. When he met her eyes again, they were still full of fear. Not only nervousness stemming from an awkward situation. Downright fear.
Why the hell would Annie Nichols be scared of him? “No, it’s fine. The guys have seen me in much worse shape than this.”
He watched as Annie took a breath through her nose, pulling herself together. Focusing. He’d seen it before with soldiers—pulling the professional over the personal and letting it drown out everything else.
There was no tremor in her hand as she shined a light into one eye, then the other. Her movements were brisk and professional.
“Looks like you got pretty banged up. How are you feeling?”
“Not too bad, all things considered.”
“Can you tell me what happened?” She had him follow her finger with his eyes as she moved it in front of him.
“Dumbass swerved to miss a dog and couldn’t keep control of his bike,” Aiden said.
Zac sighed, leaning back against the bed. “Some kid ran a red light, so I had to gun it to keep from getting hit. But then, yeah, a dog decided to join the party and ran out into the street.”
“Pregnant dog,” Finn chimed in.
“Had to lay my bike down. Skidded down the street and hit the other curb with my head.”
“Helmet?” she asked.
He nodded, then winced at the spike of pain. “Always.”
“Smart. Well, the good news is your pupils are responding normally to light and motion. So, you probably don’t have a concussion.” Annie reached for his head. “Mind if I feel for the knot?”
“Be my guest.”
They both tensed as she touched his scalp, her fingers running gently through his hair.
For just a second a memory from that night flashed in his mind. Her laying under him on the bed, breasts pressed up against his chest, her arms wrapping around his neck, running through his hair.
It was gone before he could pull the rest of the scene into his mind. His eyes locked with hers, and he knew she was remembering the same thing.
She looked away, moving further behind him as her fingers circled along the wound. Zac winced, and she stopped, stepping back.
“You’ve got a moderate-sized protrusion, which in your situation is actually a good thing.”
“It is?” His head tilted.
She nodded and cleared her throat. “Yes, an outward protrusion means the swelling is occurring outside your skull, not inside, where it would put pressure on your brain.”
“Zac’s got a harder head than anyone we know. Takes more than a cement curb to crack his skull,” Finn announced from the perch he’d taken at the wall.
The tiniest of smiles curved her lips. “I’m sure. Let me look at your shoulder.”
Her hands were gentle as she helped him sit forward and examined his abrasions. Gentle, but professional. There were no more flashes of memory shared between them.
God, if Zac was going to torture himself with guilt over what he’d done, he wished he could at least remember that night.
“These skin abrasions are not nearly as bad as some I’ve seen in motorcycle accidents. Really more of a bad rug burn than anything else—first degree, nothing that will leave scars on your back. Leather jacket, I’m assuming?”
They were all he’d worn in high school. He nodded. “Some things don’t change.”
She released him and took a step back again. “Even minor motorcycle accidents can become major without those. I don’t see any reason why you need to be admitted, but we’ll order a CT scan just to be sure. Nurse Wilde will make sure the abrasions are cleaned out, and the med tech will be down to take you for the scan momentarily. I’ll be back to check on you one more time before you leave.”
Their gazes met, her Dr. Griffin persona slipping and fear once again clouding those deep brown eyes. That night—he cursed himself again for not being able to remember it—hung between them almost like a tangible thing.
Wariness, guilt, unease would all be appropriate feelings about that night. But she damn well shouldn’t be afraid of him.
She took another step back, her eyes slipping from his completely, before turning to the guys. “Finn, good to see you again. Aiden, nice to meet you.” Again, no stutter. She touched Riley on the shoulder. “I’ll order the CT. Let me know if you need anything.”
And without another word, she was gone.
“Wow, now that’s a blast from the past,” Finn said as they all stared at the door closing behind Annie. “She’s still the same, doesn’t say much if she doesn’t have to. You hung out with her most, Zac. What do you think?”
What did he think? He still couldn’t get past the fear in her eyes. He forced himself to look away from the door. “Annie was always Becky’s friend. Not really mine. But you’re right, she’s never been one to talk much around a group of people.”
Annie had practically lived at Becky’s house in high school. Evidently her home life hadn’t been great, and Becky and Mrs. Peverill had insisted that she stay with them as much as possible. Whenever Zac had been over, Annie had always been in the corner, nose in a book. She had rarely talked to him even though he’d been at the house all the time too. Annie had never talked to anyone, maybe because of the stuttering problem.
Or at least that was what he’d thought. It was only in their senior year he’d realized differently. He’d arrived to pick up Becky for a date, walking over to roll up the hose Mrs. Peverill had used to water her flowers earlier in the day, and heard the women through the open kitchen window, talking.
Annie talking. Chatting. She’d even told an off-color joke that had made both Becky and Mrs. P roar with laughter.
Zac had realized Annie wasn’t always quiet, just around people or situations that made her uncomfortable. Which had included him.
Something had changed in him after that. He’d spent more time trying to include Annie in conversations and plans, much to Becky’s delight. Not that he’d been interested in Annie physically, but he’d become aware of her existence as a person.
Of course, that had led to understanding other aspects of Annie. How kind she was. How intelligent. How funny.
And yes, how attractive.
Becky had known about Zac’s awareness, had even teased him about it a little. But she’d been secure enough in herself and their love not to feel threatened by that awareness.
Becky had known Zac would never betray her. They’d said vows to each other even before the ones they’d taken at the church. Till death did they part.
Zac had at least gotten that part right. He’d fucked up plenty, but at least not that. He would’ve never cheated on Becky.
He winced as Riley began cleaning out the worst of his road rash.
“I guess Anne is married.” He tried to keep his tone neutral. “Have you met her husband?”
“She’s divorced, actually. I asked her on her first day, thinking maybe she and her husband would like to go to dinner or something.”
Zac closed his eyes and grimaced again, hoping it would seem like pain from his wound had caused the reaction, not the sheer and profound relief he felt that Annie didn’t belong to another man.
Because that would make zero sense. Annie being married should not make any difference to him at all.
“Okay, I’m done,” Riley told him. “Frank Jenkins will be here to take you down for the scan in a few minutes.”
All three men groaned at Jenkins’s name.
Riley laughed. “He still trying to get you guys to take him on as a partner?”
Frank Jenkins had moved to town three years ago and had been applying at Linear Tactical for at
least two. He showed up there all the time. The man liked guns, knives, and fighting. And he thought he’d make a good partner, or at least employee, at Linear.
Zac and the guys had never even considered it.
Jenkins was okay as a person, but not someone they wanted connected to the business they’d so painstakingly built. He had no restraint, no respect for weapons or fighting tactics. He just wanted to show off, throw his weight around.
That was probably true with a lot of their customers, especially civilians. But it didn’t mean that’s who Zac, or the guys, wanted in someone working for them—or even hanging around them.
“As soon as he heard you’d been in an accident, he took on another shift,” Riley told them, gathering her supplies.
“That guy is a groupie,” Finn muttered, shaking his head.
Aiden shuddered. “I thought they were supposed to be hot.”
“Evidently, we’re in the wrong line of work for hot groupies,” Zac said.
Riley made her way toward the door. “I’ll see you guys later, and I’m sure Mia will be back any minute when she’s finished spreading the word about Anne. Not that many people will remember her.”
Zac grimaced. He had no doubt Riley was right. In Oak Creek, gossip this good—the quiet girl with ne’er-do-well parents secretly returning and becoming one of the town’s most important doctors—wouldn’t take long to spread, with or without Mia’s help.
There was much juicier gossip when it came to Annie and him. But thank God nobody knew about that. Hell, he didn’t even know enough to gossip about it.
Frank Jenkins’s entrance a few minutes later was almost a welcome distraction. His attempt to bro-hug Aiden and Finn made it even more so. The man was oblivious to his own awkwardness. Zac was actually thankful for his wounds.
Jenkins still clasped Zac on his shoulder. “So, a CT scan for you. Sorry about the accident, man.”
Zac nodded and tried to smile. “Thanks.”
“What do you think of Dr. Ice Queen? Mia was saying you all went to high school together.”
“Dr. Griffin?” Zac kept his tone carefully neutral. “She seems like a good doctor.”
Frank tried to lean casually against the wall, mimicking the way Aiden had been standing a few moments ago. “She doesn’t ever talk to anyone, you know? Stuck up. I tried asking her out last week, but she shut me down. Cold as ice, man.”
Or maybe she just had better taste than Frank Jenkins.
A little too late, Jenkins thought better of his words. “Hey, wait, you guys weren’t friends back in the day, were you?”
Zac wanted to get this CT scan finished so he could get out of here. “Not really.”
“I figured not. You would think someone who looks like her would be happy to get asked out, am I right? But she certainly shut me down.”
“Someone who looks like her?” Zac raised an eyebrow. Annie had never put much effort into her looks, but she wasn’t unattractive.
“Just plain, you know?” Jenkins winked. “And so severe. But I guess you don’t always have to be looking at her face. She’s got other things you can watch instead.”
“Jesus, Jenkins.” Finn shook his head.
“Now I personally don’t know why you don’t get back together with Mia Stevenson.” Frank leaned over and nudged Zac, oblivious to the tension in the room. “She’s so hot. But I guess you already know that, am I right? You’re going to have to pass around some deets about that action one of these days.”
Zac barely refrained from rolling his eyes. “It’s bad form to kiss and tell.” Not to mention he and Mia had never really been together, they’d only gone out a few times since he’d moved back into town, although she’d always wanted more.
Frank laughed. “I know, man, but it’s us.”
There was not an us that involved Jenkins. “Sorry. I know when to keep my mouth shut.”
Frank nodded and winked. “Gotcha. Gotcha. Let’s get you into the chair and down to the CT scan.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll stay here in case anyone needs anything,” Finn said, sitting on the bed Zac had vacated.
Those bastards just didn’t want to spend any more time with Jenkins. They smiled innocently and Zac flipped them off behind Jenkins’s head as the man reached for the chart on the way out the door.
The CT scan proved to be much less painful than Jenkins’s constant chatter. At least he accepted Zac’s head injury as an acceptable reason for nonresponse. Finally, he brought Zac back to his ER room.
“Hopefully I’ll catch you guys around town this weekend,” Jenkins said as he moved toward the door.
“Yeah, I’ll probably be laying low,” Zac said. “But I’m sure Aiden and Finn here would love to spend time with you at The Eagle’s Nest.”
He could feel his friends glaring at him but didn’t care. Payback was a bitch.
“That would be the best ever, am I right?” Frank nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll be sure to keep a look out for you. I got some friends I want to introduce you to. They’ve been hot to trot to take some of your classes. Plus, maybe Doc Ice will be there, and I can melt some of that.” Frank began humming a porn theme and grinned at everyone as he left.
“I think we should hire Jenkins as Zac’s personal assistant.” Aiden shook his head as the door closed behind the other man. “Or maybe a customer service rep.”
Finn rolled his eyes. “Especially for our female clients. I’m sure they’d find him charming, am I right?”
Zac didn’t say anything as his friends continued cracking jokes, just leaned back against the bed on his good shoulder. Whether Annie went to The Eagle’s Nest this weekend or not wasn’t any of his business. Nor was what she did with Frank Jenkins or anyone else.
They’d successfully stayed away from each other for six years. It was probably for the best.
He’d never made sure she was okay after that night because, hell, he hadn’t been himself. The next morning he’d gone back to where his unit had been stationed in Afghanistan and had lost himself in his missions, drowning in grief. What he could remember of that night he’d pushed from his mind completely, unable to do anything else if he wanted to keep it together.
Had anybody made sure Annie was okay?
Of course not. She’d lost her best friend and probably felt just as guilty as he had about what had happened. Hell, she’d even left town.
So, her facing him now, he could understand reluctance, even dislike. But fear? And not a surface concern, but the gut-level panic she’d shown before she’d pulled herself together? That came from something else.
Something buried in the night he couldn’t remember.
Heat. Raw passion. Burning fury. That’s what Zac remembered about that night, all of it visceral. And none of it sat well with him. He winced as the ache in his head spiked.
He had a feeling his headaches were only beginning.
Anne resisted the urge to go hide in her office. No. Zac couldn’t crush her now the way he once had. Or run her out of town.
Not that he’d seemed to want to.
After his initial demand for another doctor—not unexpected—he’d settled back into a sort of normalcy, treating her the way Finn and Riley had, with friendly detachment.
At least he’d recognized her. How pathetic would it have been if the man she’d lost her virginity to hadn’t?
She’d wanted to run to him and away from him at the same time. To him because he was Zac. She’d spent her entire life fighting the urge to run to him. Away because she was never going to be able to forget that night and what had happened, how he’d broken her. In almost every way someone could be.
So yeah, one look at Zac had her brain thinking that running the other way as fast as she could was a damn fine idea. She didn’t want to get broken again.
But no. She wouldn’t let him. She wasn’t the same person.
And he wasn’t her best friend’s boyfriend/fiancé/husband anymore.
Anne had been in love with Zac when he’d been each of those things for Becky. And although she’d never spoken a word of her feelings to her friend, Becky had known. One night the summer after they’d graduated, Anne spending the night again, Becky had let her knowledge slip.
They’d been up talking about wedding plans, even though the wedding had still been a couple years away. Becky had been so excited—had wanted everything to be perfect. Anne had been for them too.
Because, despite her feelings for Zac, she’d known he was meant for Becky. The two of them had been perfect for each other in every way. Anne would never have begrudged them their happiness.
Becky and Anne had lain down in Becky’s double bed, still giggling every once in a while, or discussing some wedding detail. Both had been drifting off to sleep, Anne’s eyes already closed, when Becky had whispered, “I wish I didn’t love Zac so much so I could give him to you.”
Anne hadn’t moved. Hadn’t opened her eyes. Hadn’t changed her breathing pattern. But inside, her mind had been whirling. Becky knew.
Anne wasn’t sure if Becky had thought she was asleep or had known she’d heard the whispered statement. Either way, from that point on, Anne had gone out of her way to make sure none of her feelings for Zac ever came close to the surface. Anne would’ve never done anything about them anyway, even if Zac had shown any sort of interest in her, which he never had. But just the knowledge that Becky had sensed it had been bad enough. Anne had stayed close to Becky as her friend but had eased back as much as possible from them as a couple.
Though not being around Zac had cut at her, tiny little wounds that were almost unnoticeable unless taking in the damage as a whole. Being around him, knowing he would never be hers, was hard enough.
Not being around him had been even worse.
But she’d survived it. Like she had everything.
After the wedding, Zac and Becky had moved away, and Anne had gone back to medical school. Everything had been okay. When she’d talked to Becky or visited, everything had been better, lighter. When Becky had gotten pregnant with Micah, Anne had been absolutely thrilled for her friend. A piece of her had mourned that it would never be her carrying Zac’s baby, but she’d tamped it down so deep it would never make its way out.
