You'll Think of Me

by Franco, Lucia

  formatted by E.M. Tippetts Book Designs

  You’ll Think of Me

  Copyright © 2013 by Lucia Franco

  Edited by Edee M. Fallon, Madspark Editing

  Cover Design by Regina Wamba of Mae I Design

  Interior Design by E.M. Tippetts Book Designs

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  All Rights reserved.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  Quote

  Prologue

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Twenty-Five

  Twenty-Six

  Twenty-Seven

  Twenty-Eight

  Twenty-Nine

  Thirty

  Thirty-One

  Thirty-Two

  Thirty-Three

  Thirty-Four

  Thirty-Five

  Thirty-Six

  Thirty-Seven

  Thirty-Eight

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  About the Book Designer

  To my husband, for constantly begging to read my writing even though I wouldn’t allow you to.

  Nadine Winningham, your support gave me the strength to keep going. You were the fire behind me. Luke is your man. Well, partially your man.

  We’re living in a generation where lying is the new truth, loyalty is a tattoo and love is just a quote.

  - Unknown

  “You know exactly what I’m saying. Read between the lines, baby. The fact that you knew this weeks ago and never told me has my blood boilin’. Fuckin’ boilin’. You led me to think it was settled and we were okay. You lied to my face!” he roared, his green eyes lit with fury. “Excuse me, withheld some major details,” he said sarcastically.

  Flustered to the core, Livy shook on the inside. This wasn’t what she wanted, but she was so upset and hurt that she couldn’t help what flew from her mouth.

  “Who are you to tell me I can't leave? That I’m stuck here forever? What’s holding me back? Nothing!”

  “The one who loves you, that's who! The one who wants to make you his wife one day! Me, that's who! Damn woman, you know how to get under a man’s skin like no other. Fuck!”

  Olivia cringed. “I never lied to you. So stop insinuating I did.”

  “But you held back though, didn't you? You left out a few things for the sake of stringin’ me along. It’s the same damn thing, baby.”

  “I never strung you along. It’s not the same thing at all. Not even close.”

  “If I remember correctly, you said something like, ‘It was merely a thought…honestly…nothing more.’ Nothing more. Nothing more, Livy? Obviously it was.”

  “Luke, it’s done. I’m sorry, but it’s done. Can we stop arguing? I want to spend the little bit of time I have left with you before I have to leave for New York.”

  Standing from the bed, Olivia wrapped the white sheet around her body and walked over to where Luke was standing.

  “You’re really doing this? You’re really going to leave?”

  She nodded.

  “Fine. How about we just break it off now? Let’s end this—us—right here and save us from the heartache. You go your way, I'll go mine.”

  Luke saw no reason to keep on going. If she wanted to go to New York, then he would get out of her life now.

  Her eyes prickled as tears threatened to fall. Blinking rapidly, she whispered, “No,” under her breath. “You can't possibly be serious.”

  “Dead. Serious. Like a heart attack.”

  “Luke, there has to be a way we can work through this. Can’t we try a long distance relationship?”

  “No.”

  “Why not? Why are you being so irrational?”

  “Irr—Too bad, Livy. We're…through.” He was fired up, pissed off and needed to stop before he said something he would regret.

  “Please, don't end this. Please...” her voice cracked with despair.

  Luke bent his head down as she craned her neck to look up at him. A lone tear trickled slowly down her cheek and he wiped it with his thumb, hating to see her cry. Trying to calm his temper, he took a deep breath.

  Kissing Olivia’s forehead, he whispered, “Goodbye, Care Bear.”

  present day

  Delicate little flurries of snow descended on Olivia in the late night hour while she stood on her small balcony overlooking the city. One by one, the tiny ice crystals landed on her shoulders and hair, around her feet and on her patio furniture. As she drew in a crisp breath of wintery New York air, her lungs tightened and burned. She held it for a moment then exhaled, watching the gray cloud of air flow from her mouth. The low temperatures had her shivering, but she wasn’t ready to go inside just yet.

  An icy blast of air blew through, causing Olivia’s hair to whip across her face. She bit the corner of her chapped lip and winced. After packing for the last few hours, Olivia wanted to take in the tranquility of the night, though it was anything but quiet and calm down below. There was always someone bustling down the streets, racing against time to find the nearest subway station, or hailing a taxi. Manhattan was known as the city that never sleeps, and it held true to its name. Being fortunate enough to live in the city that spanned only three miles wide, Olivia couldn’t help but feel as gloomy as the sky looked tonight. It was a bittersweet feeling. Living in New York was some of the most amazing—and difficult—times of her life, but she wouldn’t change one day that had passed by. Not one.

  The next few months were going to be rough on her once again, but that would be nothing new. If she could live in New York and handle it as long as she had, then she could handle anything.

  Olivia was set to relocate in just two weeks, though she wasn’t heading back to South Fork, she was moving to Savannah. It had been nine long years—a couple of years more than she had planned to stay—but the time had come. Her heart had been luring her back to the South for quite some time now, and a pull so strong could not be ignored. Savannah was approximately an hour north of South Fork—and the location of her new job. It was a much bigger city than South Fork, which was fine; she’d still be back in Georgia and that’s what mattered most to her. Olivia missed home. She missed the comfort of the small town, the easy laid-back lifestyle and surprisingly, the people.

  Too many memories were left in South Fork. The past was the past for a reason and there wasn’t anything she needed to return to. The only friend she’d stayed in close touch with was Tessa.

  Tessa had given her updates shortly after she left, but it didn’t last long. Olivia had put a stop to that. It hurt too much. Just a whisper of his name made h
er chest ache. The first love pain never goes away, right? A yearning, the longing that would always be there, lingered within her heart. She couldn’t say it was true for everybody, but it was for her.

  No other man she tried to date could erase Luke and how much he meant to her. Even after all these years, Luke could never be forgotten. Lord knows she tried. One afternoon while listening to the radio, it was a total and complete shock to hear his music. Considering there was only one radio station that played country music in New York City, she had no choice but to listen to his voice…his sinfully provocative voice that was still haunting her hundreds of miles away. It had only been a matter of time before his rough southern drawl had been picked up, not to mention his magnetic personality.

  A sad smile formed on Olivia’s face as she took a sip of her coffee and swallowed the bold flavor. The hot liquid traveled down her throat, warming her. When Luke’s music came on it killed her to listen to the whole song. Hearing his raspy voice moved something deep inside, bringing her back to the years they spent together and watching him get deep into writing lyrics. With the knowledge that Luke wrote his own songs, it was only natural for Olivia to try to decipher each word she heard. His life used to be weaved into music, and she wondered if it still was or if it was purely artificial now. Olivia had made a heavy effort to remain in contact with Luke after she left, despite the fact that he claimed he wasn’t interested in her anymore, but it didn’t last long. She was tough, but she could only handle so much rejection. She had no choice but to move on, but knowing she left him behind never sat right with her.

  One night, while feeling exceptionally homesick, Olivia explored job opportunities in Georgia. On a whim, she applied to a few practices looking to hire a neurologist. The next day she woke to an email inquiring about setting up an interview. She felt like it was a sign, as if it was meant to happen. Olivia had vacation days saved and took a few to fly down for an interview.

  The other doctor in the office was extremely impressed with her resume and even more pleased with the medical school she attended in New York. Along with the rotations she completed, he felt she would be a great addition. Between taking on a part-time job while in school and doing her rotations, how could anyone not be pleased with her accomplishments? It took dedication and hard work, but Olivia made it happen. It was all she breathed for nine tiring years, leaving her personal life wanting for more. The days were long and the nights were lonely and felt like they would never end. Some days weighed on her like she was climbing a mountain of quicksand, struggling with more than just putting one foot in front of the other. But it paid off.

  Oh yes, it paid off. Olivia was headed home and relying solely on herself. It’s what she wanted all along: independence. That kind of payoff was what mattered in her eyes. Her parents were saddened that she hadn't chosen to return to South Fork, but they learned to come to terms with it, just like they had when she left.

  So there Olivia was, standing on the balcony, sipping the last of her coffee, thinking about how her life panned out. As she thought before, she wouldn’t change a thing.

  Not a single thing.

  Everything happened for a reason.

  Three months since moving back to Georgia, mental and physical exhaustion had finally set in. Olivia was worn out and tired, ready for the weekend to start. Leaving work after the sun had set and arriving before the break of dawn each morning had caught up with her and taken a toll on her body. It had been going this way since she’d been back, so Friday could not come soon enough.

  Jumping up from her chair, Olivia rushed around her desk in an effort to meet her next patient on time. Well, as close to the appointment time as possible, but her white doctor’s coat caught on her mahogany desk and stopped Olivia in her tracks. Stepping back, she bent over and unhooked the corner of her coat. In the process, her hair fell in her face and her half-draped stethoscope slid from her neck onto the floor, along with her pens and phone from her pocket.

  It had been another crazy and hectic day at the office. Actually, it had been all week. The other doctor in the practice had a family emergency the week before. Olivia didn’t have the heart to cancel appointments, so she was working double time by squeezing in her colleague’s patients for the past two weeks.

  After picking everything up she dropped and placing the stethoscope around her neck, Olivia pushed her hair out of her face. She grabbed her ivory stack of charts and walked out of her office. Making her way down the hall, Olivia knocked on the door to the exam room and entered. After listening to Ms. Nelson berate her about Dr. Thatcher not being there, the small dose of medication and how it wasn’t working, she offered to prescribe a different dose to see if it would help. Olivia sighed inwardly. Finally, she was able to move on to her next patient.

  Expelling a deep breath, Olivia knocked twice then entered the exam room. The cool air caused a shiver to travel around to the back of her neck. She had been bustling up and down the hallway for a few hours now and was hot, so the air was invigorating against her skin.

  As she strode in, Olivia opened the chart for Mr. Nathaniel Alexander and read the notes. He had been dealing with chronic headaches for some time now. Dr. Thatcher had ordered an MRI, since none of the over-the-counter medications were working for him.

  “Hello, Mr. Alexander, I’m Dr. King. Dr. Thatcher had an unexpected family emergency so I’ll be seeing you today.”

  “An emergency is always unexpected.”

  Olivia glanced up toward the low, baritone voice that stopped her from reading the chart.

  Well, if that voice wasn't one of the deepest and sexiest southern drawls she’d ever heard. For a split second, if Olivia hadn’t seen the name before walking in, she would have assumed it was Luke that voice belonged to. Lazy, deep, and thick, like Tennessee whiskey; and all he said were five words. Olivia’s body stirred to life as she replayed the voice in her head. He was one of the youngest patients she'd seen in a while—and by youngest, she meant he wasn't over sixty years of age—and by far the best looking. Amber eyes were framed by heavy lashes and his clean cut, short, dark hair was nearly as black as the ace of spades. He sported a Kelly green shirt and khaki cargo shorts topped off with sneakers. He sat there on the exam table with his hands placed on his thickly muscled thighs.

  Then one side of his mouth lifted and he gave an incredibly sexy half-grin. Olivia’s lungs tightened up. Sweet Jesus, he was handsome when he smiled.

  Clearing her throat, she finally found her voice. “Ah, yes, you’re right about that. Excuse me. It’s been a long week.”

  Then the other side of his mouth lifted and pulled into a full on, heart-stopping grin. She needed to get her shit together. He was a patient for crying out loud!

  “It’s all good.”

  Olivia flipped through the chart, scanned the reports then looked back up.

  “Mr. Alexander, what—”

  “Nate.”

  “Nathaniel,” she drew his name out. “Are you taking any medication right now?”

  “No, Dr. Thatcher said not to until I had the MRI done.”

  “And you’re still not?”

  “I stopped taking over-the-counter medication because it wasn’t working for me.”

  “How long have you been dealing with chronic headaches?”

  “Around seven months or so.”

  Olivia paused. “And you’re just coming in now? Why did you wait so long?”

  “I’m busy and can’t take off work much. But I think they’re getting worse because it’s affecting my vision and hearing. I’m sensitive to a lot now and it interferes with work.”

  “What do you do for a living?”

  “I work in construction.”

  Well that explained the solid body…

  “Alright. I see here the MRI showed acute sinusitis and polyps within your nasal cavities. I’m not discounting the headaches, because you’re definitely suffering from those as well, but it appears the pain is due to allergies. The good thin
g is there are things we can do to help minimize your symptoms and hopefully remove them completely.”

  Her patient looked confused.

  “I’ll explain. Polyps are little pouches in your sinuses that can become swollen and painful. The headaches are most likely from that.”

  “I think I know what a headache feels like, Doc.”

  “You would think, right? They’re surprisingly similar.”

  Olivia put the folder down and walked over to the patient. She was going to prove it could be something else.

  “Does this hurt?” she asked as she applied pressure to the sides of his nose with her thumbs.

  “Yeah. I can feel it in my eyes, too.”

  “How so?”

  “I feel pressure in my eyes when you do that.”

  “How about here?” she asked as she added more pressure, but this time to his forehead.

  “Yeah,” he responded in a low murmur.

  Olivia had been so focused on explaining everything that she hadn't noticed his eyes fixated on hers. She watched as they slowly traveled down to her lips.

  This wasn't good. This wasn’t good at all. Olivia stepped back and leaned against the desk.

  Clearing her throat she said, “I'm going to give you two types of allergy medication along with something for the headaches. Try to hold off on the pain pills for at least a week until the allergy medication is able to work through any blockage.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I’ll schedule you to come back in a month for a follow-up with Dr. Thatcher.”

  “Alright.” Standing up, he stepped off the patient table. Olivia silently breathed in as her patient walked toward the door, but he didn’t make it to the door. He stopped in front of her.

  Nathaniel was tall. He had to be close to 6'1”and built solid and wide as a linebacker. He raised his hand out past her cheek, but dropped it before grabbing a hold of the strand of hair that had fallen from where she tucked it behind her ear.

  “Such a beauty,” he said softly.