Ben sank down in a chair on the porch and closed his eyes. He wanted that clinic with all his heart. He’d been planning it and recruiting the best docs he could find for two years.
Now that he’d seen Kline again, he wanted her back just as badly.
What the hell was he going to do?
Kline slapped the door to the garage closed behind her and headed for the kitchen cupboard that held medical supplies. Her mom, seated in the nook, glanced up from the book she was reading. “What are you looking for?”
“Something to wrap my wrist with. Ben fell on it.” Kline grabbed a bottle of pain reliever and then found what she needed.
Mom slipped in a bookmark and closed the cover. “Do you want some help?”
“No, I’ve got it.” Kline grabbed a plastic bag, filled it with ice, and sat at the table across from her mom. “I asked Ben if he was going to vote for me, and he just stood there blinking like I’d asked him to recite the periodic table. It’s a no-brainer to vote for the best candidate. Someone with an actual heart. Someone he claims to love. But he’d never go against his father. He hasn’t changed a bit.”
“You haven’t changed either, Miss Hothead. Who do you suppose Ben has voted for every time since he’s been old enough to vote?”
The cold of the ice crept into her bones and made her wrist ache even harder. She wished it’d hurry up and make things numb. “His father, obviously.”
“Exactly. Like everyone else around here, we don’t think, we just vote and get it over with like we do any other chore. Ben might not have even considered it yet. And I thought you said you were just friends?”
“Right now I don’t know what we are. Last night he told me—didn’t ask what I thought about it—just told me that if I stay, he’s going to win me back. Like some Neanderthal throwing his woman over his shoulder and hauling her back to his cave. Then he said this town wouldn’t be big enough for me to hide from him.”
“So which is it, Kline? Friend, girlfriend, enemy?” Mom’s eyes twinkled with amusement.
Kline wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted Ben to be anymore.
“If he has it his way, we’ll get back together. But I’m still afraid his first priority will always be his family and this damn town. It’s no wonder he’s never married. What woman wants to always feel like she takes a backseat in a man’s life?”
“If that’s his problem, then what’s yours? Why haven’t you had a serious relationship since Ben?” Mom’s brows rose in that no-nonsense way that signaled Kline had better not try to get out of answering the question.
“I . . . just haven’t fallen in love . . . like before.” Kline turned her attention to her achy iced wrist. “Now that I know what it feels like, I won’t settle for anything less.”
Mom laid her hand over Kline’s good one. “I think that’s wise. But maybe your hard head just doesn’t want to hear what your heart is trying to tell you.”
Her heart was starting to fall for him again, but fortunately her head was still in the game reminding her to be careful. “Sometimes people hurt us so badly it can’t be fixed.”
“We fix what we choose to fix, honey.” Mom stood and crossed to the stove. “Ready for some French toast now?”
“That’d be great. Thanks.” Kline closed her eyes and sighed. Her heart and her hormones needed to come to some sort of agreement about Ben. The sooner the better.
“Good morning, ladies.” Nate walked into the kitchen dressed in hiking boots, jeans, and a tight thermal Henley, ready for the cold while they checked out the owls’ habitat. “What happened, Kline?”
“Basketball injury. No big deal.”
Nate wandered to the coffeemaker and poured himself a mug. “How are you, Betty?”
“I’m great. Want some breakfast?”
Nate leaned his large body against the countertop and smiled at her mom. “I’d love some. You want to come owl hunting with me and Kline today?”
Mom shook her head. “No thanks, I don’t have a lot of energy today. But after dinner tonight, Kline needs a man to take her to Brewsters and pay complete attention to her. Are you up for that?”
Nate turned his head and met Kline’s gaze. “I’m always up for Kline.” He hitched his brows and took a long drink from his mug.
Kline pointed to her mother’s back and mouthed, “Knock it off!” Geez. Her mother wasn’t dense. Surely, she knew exactly what Nate had meant.
She needed to make it clear to Nate that she wasn’t going to sleep with him. It wasn’t because she was still in love with Ben like her mother thought. It was because . . . hell if she knew. Nate was good-looking. Great in bed. And a fun guy. Maybe she just wasn’t interested in a player like Nate, that’s all.
Or Ben, with his long list of willing women.
After dinner, Ben put the last of the pans in the dishwasher and turned to his best friend since their days as residents. He’d called her last minute to fill in for his date. “You sure you’re up for this, Sam?”
“I’m game.” The tall, blonde ER doc finished off her glass of wine. “But as many times as I’ve come to visit you, are you sure you’ve never mentioned to anyone that I’m gay?”
“Of course not. Why would something like that even come up in conversation?”
“Oh, you’d be surprised.” She put her glass in the dishwasher. “But if you’re sure no one knows, then let’s do this. I can’t wait to meet the one woman who’s captured your heart.”
Ben turned out the lights and grabbed their coats from the closet by the front door. “Okay, so to make this believable I might have to touch you . . . inappropriately. Just think of me as your ex.” He helped her into her coat.
Sam pulled her long hair out from under her collar and let it cascade down her back as they walked onto the porch. “Julie didn’t have stubble on her cheeks and a rock-hard chest, so that’ll be a stretch, pretty boy. I’ll do my best, but should we have a safe word?”
He laughed. “I’m not asking you to have kinky sex with me, Sam.”
“Obviously. But look at this from my perspective. You nibbling on my earlobe while dancing would be like your brother doing the same to you.”
“Point taken. No nibbling.” Ben shivered at the brother image she’d just implanted in his head. “How about ‘whiskey’ since you don’t drink that?”
“Perfect.”
“Thanks, Sam. I owe you one.” He held out his hand to help her down the steps.
She swatted it aside. “Just because I’m pretending to be your date doesn’t suddenly make me an invalid. You should ice that hand tonight, by the way.”
“Thank you, Doctor Obvious.”
“Your flippant attitude just proves that doctors make the worst patients.”
“It’s no big deal.” Ben winced as he threw his injured arm around her shoulder in a companionable way. “It’s a little cold tonight.”
“It’s freakin’ freezing.” Sam moved against his side and wrapped her arm around his waist. Then she gave him a squeeze. “You’re so tense. Let’s just relax and have fun tonight like we always do.”
“I’ll try.” As they walked to Brewsters in comfortable silence, Ben weighed the merits of his grandmother’s scheme. He didn’t usually go for game playing, but he wasn’t sure he was making any progress with Kline. His time with her could be limited. So as long as Sam was up for it, he was willing to try, but didn’t look forward to watching Kline with the bird guy.
Sam reached out to tug open the door to the bar first, so it was Ben’s turn to swat her hand aside. “Nope. If we’re going to look convincing, you have to let me open doors for you. Just for tonight.”
“Fine.” Sam rolled her eyes. “This could be a long night.”
A warm wave of air washed over them, along with loud country twang. Ben searched for an empty table, but there weren’t any. Then he spotted his sister sitting alone at a table big enough for six people. He didn’t know who else was coming, but Sam was right. It could be a lo
ng night.
Ben slipped his hand to Sam’s lower back and guided her to the table. When they got there, he said, “Casey, you remember Sam, right?”
“Yes. Good to see you again. Hope you’re up for some darts. There’s a tournament tonight so I got here early and signed us all up.”
He turned to Sam and held up his swollen hand. “It’s going to be up to you to save us.”
“Sam isn’t your partner, Ben.” Casey’s smile was laced with mischief. “I mixed things up a bit.”
Of course she had.
Sam said, “Sounds fun. I’ll go get us a pitcher of beer.” Sam turned and left before Ben could tell her he was supposed to do that.
His sister waited until Sam was out of earshot. “Perfect choice. Sam is gorgeous.”
“I’m still not sure about whatever this evil plan is you guys brewed up.” Ben pulled out a chair and sat. “Why are there so many people here on a Thursday night?”
“Uncle Brewster got Dad to sponsor the tournament so that the drinks are all half price tonight. There was an e-mail sent out on the loop earlier.”
“Since when does Dad sponsor dart tournaments?”
Casey grinned into her wineglass. “Maybe since we asked Uncle Brewster to remind Dad that he has an opponent running for mayor for the first time ever.”
“Clever. Is Zane joining us?”
“No. He and the boys have planned some big video game battle after they finish their homework. I’m pretty sure he just wanted nothing to do with this. He thinks I should leave you and Kline alone to work things out.”
“And that’s why I like Zane.” That, and because Zane was so great with his nephews and seemed to make his sister happy.
“He’s a man, so he doesn’t get it.” Casey’s eyes shifted away. “Kline and the sexy biologist just walked through the door.”
Ben hated seeing them together. “His name is Nate.”
“Hot Nate, if you ask me.”
“You’re engaged.”
“I can still look.” Casey smirked as she took another drink. “I’ve never seen you look so jealous, Ben. This ought to be fun.”
Sam returned with a tray filled with beer and glasses and sat beside Ben just as Kline’s gaze locked with his. When Kline noticed Sam, a little frown line formed on her forehead.
Should he whisper “whiskey” in Sam’s ear and make a run for it, or would his sister’s mystery ploy actually work?
Kline broke their locked stare and forced a smile. “Hey, everyone. This is my friend Nate.”
After the greetings were over, Nate and Kline sat across from them. Kline kept glancing toward the door as if she wanted to escape, while Nate stared openly at Sam. Ben couldn’t blame the guy. Sam was a beautiful woman, but that was disrespectful to Kline, and it pissed him off.
While Casey chatted up Kline and Nate, Sam drained her beer glass. “This is my favorite song, Ben. Let’s go.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the dance floor.
As they merged into the two-stepping traffic on the small wooden floor, Sam said, “Holy crap, Kline is hot. I’d arm wrestle you for her if I thought I could beat you.”
“She’s mine.” Ben pulled Sam closer. “Slip your hands around my neck.”
Sam complied and then glanced over his shoulder. “She looks like she’s Nate’s at the moment. Unfortunately, on an empirical scale, he might be even more perfect than you are. His build is larger and—”
“Can you please keep your head in the game?”
Sam laughed as he spun them around so he could see what was going on back at the table. He studied Kline’s body language while sliding his hand slowly toward Sam’s rear end. “Kline’s not into him. She’s just pretending to have fun.”
When they flipped positions again, Sam’s smirk grew. “I don’t know, Ben. She’s laughing at something Nate said. I think she might be into him.”
“It doesn’t matter. She’s not even watching us so we need to move to plan B.” When the song was over, Ben grabbed Sam’s hand and tugged her back to the table. “Ask Nate for the next dance.”
“Fine. But if he gets handsy, he’s going to lose them.”
Sam had a black belt in karate. He hoped Nate would try.
Soon after Sam and Nate left, Casey quietly slipped away, finally leaving Ben alone with Kline.
He forced his best smile. “Looking forward to the dart tournament?”
“I guess.” Her gaze shifted to her fingers running up and down her chilled mug. “Sam is very pretty, Ben. She smiled at you the whole time you were dancing, so that’s a good sign.”
So, she’d been watching them after all. “We’ve been friends for a long time. Since right after you left.” He straightened the display advertising the beers on tap and then centered the bowl of nuts on the table.
Kline moved her cool fingertips over his hands to stop his rearranging. Her touch sent a calming wave through him again. Just like at the council meeting.
“So then you have had a long-term relationship, just not a serious one?” she asked.
“Long-term friendship. Like you and Nate?”
“Except I’m not sleeping with Nate anymore. We really are just friends.” Kline lifted his injured hand from the table and examined it. “Thank you for saving my head from being this swollen.”
“No problem.” He was happy she wasn’t sleeping with Nate, but hated how quiet Kline was. Maybe bringing in Sam had been a mistake. Did it give Kline an excuse to pull further away from him emotionally? He needed to put a stop to the game playing and just have a conversation with her. “How’s the wrist?”
“Hurts.” She slowly slid her hand along his cheek, then ran her thumb softly over his swollen bottom lip. “So does this, I imagine.”
His lip tingled under her light caress. He’d missed Kline’s habit of touching him whenever they were near. Gazes still locked, he whispered, “Maybe you should kiss me and make it better.”
“I doubt Sam would appreciate that.” She leaned away and then drank deeply from her beer. “We found two pairs of owls today. Nate e-mailed his assessment in this afternoon. Your dad won’t be able to get a building permit for the distillery now.”
“So you won. Does that mean you’re still running for mayor?”
“The environment won, not me. I meant what I said earlier. I’m running because this town needs a fresh point of view. Even if I don’t have your vote, Gloria said she started a poll, and I’m getting a few votes.”
Ben’s stomach sank. “That’s great, Kline.”
He took a drink as his gut ached at the prospect of losing his clinic. Now that they had found the birds, would anything be able to be built across from the hotel? Because all of the land surrounding the town was owned by Grants, it seemed he’d never get another chance to build. There wasn’t a Grant he could think of who would sell their land to an Anderson.
But he couldn’t stand Kline thinking he was on a date any longer, so he leaned closer and whispered, “I need to tell you something. I’m not—”
The scrape of a chair interrupted them. Meg and Josh had arrived. His sister said, “Hi, guys. How’s it going?”
Just as Ben opened his mouth, Nate and Sam returned.
Nate said, “I’ve finally figured out where I met Sam before. It’s been driving me nuts, but I never forget a face, right, Kline?”
Dammit.
Ben cut his gaze to Sam, who mouthed, “Whiskey!”
Kline glanced at Ben after Nate’s statement put a panicked expression on Sam’s face. When Ben’s eye twitched in annoyance, it confirmed Kline’s suspicion. Something was going on. “It’s true. Nate never forgets a face, especially if it’s a pretty one.”
When Sam had laid her hand on Ben’s shoulder and mouthed something, another pang of unwanted jealousy had zapped Kline’s heart. She’d thought she’d be fine seeing Ben with his date, but it was harder than she imagined.
Just as Kline opened her mouth to ask where Nate and Sam had met, Me
g said, “So, we’re in the first flight of teams tonight. Ben, it’s you and Kline, Sam and Nate, Josh and me. Because Zane isn’t here, Casey will play with the first guy eliminated in the round robin, and they’ll go last. First up, Nate and Sam versus Kline and Ben.”
Kline drew a deep breath for patience. Of course Ben’s sisters had to make Ben her teammate. It was bad enough she’d have to watch him on his date all night, but now she’d have to play darts with him too. Probably best to get it over with and then go home.
The first team all stood and walked over to the dartboards. Two small tables with stools shoved against the wall were reserved for the players. Another competition was in full swing on the second board, so they claimed their spots.
Nate drained his beer, and then said to Sam, “This is going to be as close to a date as I’ll get with you, huh, Sam?”
“So it seems.” Sam smiled sheepishly. “Who goes first? How does this work?”
Nate turned to Ben. “I met Sam in the ER last year because I needed stiches. When I asked her out afterward, she set me straight. Who would’ve ever guessed Sam was into girls? It’s such a waste, right?”
Into girls? What the hell was going on? Was Ben lying to her again?
Kline whipped her head in Ben’s direction. “You told me last night you had a date.”
“I did.” Ben pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s what I was going to tell you. Mine canceled, so I asked Sam if she’d like to go hiking tomorrow instead.”
“Excuse us, please.” Kline didn’t want to have it out in front of everyone, so she grabbed Ben’s arm and tugged him toward the hallway that led to the bathrooms. When they got to the quiet corridor, she said, “What’s going on, Ben?”
“My instructions from my grandmother were to bring a date here tonight. After that, I have no idea.”
“To make me jealous, no doubt.” She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall.
It Had to Be Them (An It Had to Be Novel Book 4) Page 10
