“Let me remind you about probation. In regards to Faith, if after the retreat you’re working relationship isn’t solidified, we can talk about transferring you back to Pediatrics.”
Surgeons were required to pass a one-year probationary period. Now the chief was threating his position. “So there’s no way to talk myself out of this.”
“I’m afraid not.”
She flicked her darkening gaze to the corner booth. A moment later, she grabbed the ticket from Jake’s hand. “One weekend. To better serve the community, we can work through two days. Then you’ll put me back.”
Chief grinned and his eyes pinched tight, as if pleased as hell.
Again, she’d saved him. Maybe he’d get the chance to save her…her position, anyway by making their time together tolerable.
Chief jabbed at the tickets. “It’s settled. I suggest you both head home. Get a good night’s sleep. Encounter registration begins at nine am sharp.”
FOUR
EIGHT HOURS LATER, Faith still battled the chief’s words that ricocheted against the walls of her mind.
Jake’s livelihood depends on you…
Don’t deny your connection…
Along with his words, she, too, wondered if her heart, if her very soul, was strong enough to risk chancing love for the second time. In the comfort of her bed, even with the sound of the sea in the distance floating in through the open window, she tossed at the memory of seeing the forlorn womanly apparition sitting in the corner booth of the break-room.
Faith would never break The Curse and find eternal love, if she didn’t risk opening her heart again. However, the rumbling sea was unable to override her fear of putting another man at risk of The Curse’s hard ruling. Sure, she wanted to do what was good for the hospital, but she could fall for Jake—er, Dr. Mitchell—way too easily.
In the chief’s quest for his Dream Team, experience told her he had found another couple to focus his matchmaking efforts on. Even more, spirits had the ability to make a fluke diagnosis or surgery seem like a miracle. In the chief’s eyes, a win-win. The Lover’s Curse had surrounded the town ever since an Ohlone shaman named Rosa had been rejected by the mission soldier she came to love, at least that’s what was reported by the town’s historians. Seeking retribution, the shaman cursed the founding fathers and their families to a loveless life thereafter. Some said Rosa still haunted the town in search of a way to be released.
Who knew the truth? Faith was cursed either way.
Face down, she screamed her frustration into her downy pillow and prayed Rosa would find freedom soon. Faith didn’t need anyone playing matchmaker with her pathetic dating life. She couldn’t ever date Jake, so she needed to convince him she was a mess. Not a stretch there.
He was intelligent, his career on the fast track, and he didn’t need a woman like her who would only destroy his dreams. Shouldn’t be too hard to keep a distance between them. He wasn’t interested in her on a personal level. Not that she could tell. And what was two days? She could ‘Couples Encounter’ in her sleep, right? It wasn’t like they’d be spending the weekend sharing the same cabin…
Swinging her bare feet to the floor, she took a tired breath. She trudged to the kitchen, ruffled through a few random teabags, passing on the breakfast blend, the orange pekoe, and finally settled on chamomile while praying for peace.
Whisper Cove, however, was not a place of calm. She’d lost once and didn’t want to lose again. However, as a nurse, saving lives had always been top priority and that precedent hadn’t changed.
The mug with the hummingbird decal popped out at her, but as she reached upward, she noticed the dusty coffee pot sitting on her counter. Her heart thrummed with nostalgia, not only of missing the dark roast, but also of a curse-free future.
She balled the kitchen towel and tossed it at the coffee machine. The day Steven abandoned her at the altar, she should have returned the fancy wedding gift or donated the sad reminder of a failed relationship. But something, hope she imagined, kept her from donating it.
Her lip quivered, but she bit down hard. She was done with the past. Patti was right, Faith needed to focus on her future with the goal of breaking The Curse. If Jake was remotely interested in working with her, perhaps they could grow their working relationship into something more. It was as start.
With an oomph, she hoisted the appliance into her arms, the cord whipping along the floor. Her bathrobe curled about her thighs, exposing the bottom of her cotton tee underneath. She headed toward the door with purpose-filled steps, flung open the front door, and stopped cold, gaping.
Jake stood on the top step, and the single porch light captured the green in his hazel eyes. No longer dressed in his scrubs, he wore low cut jeans and a soft green tee shirt. He held two paper cups emblazoned with the Suede’s Diner insignia, similar to the one on her mug.
She kicked at the cord that twisted around her ankles, and her breath rushed in and out. “How did you get my address?”
His smile faded a bit. “The hospital. Actually, when I checked on Tori, I asked Patti.”
Curling her toes until her feet cramped seemed like a better way of venting than screaming. She and Patti needed to have a serious talk about personal limits. “Why are you here? I mean, Dr. Mitchell—”
“Jake.”
“Jake, if there’s an emergency, you could have called.”
With downturned eyes, he glanced down and nudged her welcome mat with the toe of his shoe. “I did call. The phone went to voice mail.”
She spied her lunch bag sitting on the kitchen counter. Flustered as she’d been when she got home last night, she’d forgotten to remove her phone to charge it. “That still doesn’t explain why you’re here. It’s six in the morning. We have three hours before the retreat begins.”
Again, he tapped the door mat. “At the risk of sounding childish, I had a nightmare, and thought I’d heed your advice to listen to my intuition. First, I headed to the hospital to check on Tori, but she’s doing well. When I saw Patti, I told her I forgot to get your address so I could pick you up for the team-building retreat. That wasn’t exactly a lie.”
Letting her feet relax, Faith lifted the corner of her mouth into a half-smile. She couldn’t have imagined him listening to his feelings was easy. Where, a moment ago, she viewed him as overstepping his position, now she considered him inspiring. He was putting himself out there. Could she do the same? “Well, unless your dream included me fighting with an appliance, I’m fine.”
With a grin threatening on his lips, he lowered his gaze to the pot she continued to wrestle with. “In my defense, it appears the appliance is winning. That cord does look menacing, all coiled up around your feet. You could trip. Tumble head over heels.”
His intoxicating cologne teased her to inhale, and to consider his words, even as the fog outside edged toward her house. At that instant, with him standing there, sleeves pulled tight so the muscles were defined…good heavens, how she could fall. She both shivered with need swelling low in her belly, and hated him for waking primal feelings she tried to keep quiet. “I don’t fall easily.” She pulled up the cord. “I’ve got this tackled. And I think it best we drive separate cars.”
He wiggled the cups and tilted his head, adorably. “Fog is thickening. Invite me in, so I can try to change your mind without watching you shiver.”
Change her mind about cars or chancing partnering with him? Already rising from the mist, Fog Spirits were crowding her courtyard. However, specks of maroon shimmered in Jake’s eyes, like beach glass, tempting her to take a chance. She inched forward, holding his tentative gaze. What were the spirits seeing in this man that she resisted?
“Go ahead, the choice is all yours.”
Only it wasn’t. It was his choice just the same, and if he didn’t escape her now, he’d be trapped. Maybe he was already?
“Take a chance…” The spirits whispered.
She stared at the cups with steam rising from the holes pi
erced in the lids. One showed whipped cream bubbling through the top and a splash of chocolate that reminded her of simpler times when the pain of heartbreak hadn’t yet burned. The other caramel-colored coffee, rich with sweet cream, caused her to practically salivate. She inhaled and released a slow breath. Could she let him inside her home, her heart? “I don’t just let anyone inside. And I-I already have tea brewing.”
“Let me guess…chamomile.” He chuckled.
She frowned. Was she that predictable? Boring? “You got lucky.” Or unlucky. She shifted the pot’s weight to rest in the crook of her arm.
His gaze painted its way down her body, pausing at the satin tie that loosely held the robe from spilling open, and his grin broadened. “I agree,” he crooned and leaned against the doorjamb. “I am lucky. You’re even more beautiful out of your scrubs.” Suddenly, his gaze dropped. “I’m sorry. That just slipped out…”
Her heart sped and a shiver tingled across her skin. She attempted to cover her thighs and pursed her lips at the change in him. He wasn’t from Whisper Cove. He shouldn’t have been targeted by The Curse. “What’s going on? Seriously, a few hours ago, you were offering to move me out of your section, now you’re flirting?”
He held out the drinks. “If I told you the truth, you wouldn’t believe me. But that dream didn’t begin as a nightmare.”
They never do. The Curse. From experience, most likely spirits were making their presence known to the newest member of Whisper Cove. However, Jake’s calm eyes reminded her of tide pools where, if she looked closer, there was life, so much life inside that encouraged her to take a chance at building a relationship instead of pushing him away. “Well, the dream has faded, right?”
He met her stare and shook his head. “Quite the opposite. I am becoming more and more clear.” He glanced at the machine in her arms. “You said you don’t drink coffee. The hot chocolate is all yours, if you want it instead. Might as well take it before it gets cold.”
Insides twisting from coffee memories, she swallowed at the remembrance of the rich aroma, the way the cream softened the bitter jolt, the way the addition of sugar caused her eyes to close like experiencing a first kiss…sharing her morning with a man she loved. She lifted her gaze to see Jake lick his lips and his hazel stare settle on hers. Quickly juggling the pot, she looked at the coffee long and hard.
“Take it, drink it down, let it fill you once again…”
She didn’t think the spirits were talking about a drink at all.
“Be honest with yourself, Faith. If it’s coffee you’d rather have, don’t deny yourself what you really want.” He pushed the coffee her way.
Oh, who was she kidding? Jake had an A+ in the looks and brains department. He was the first man to show interest in building something with her other than a business relationship. She swallowed, imagining the taste of so much more than a cup of joe. Before she crossed the boundaries she’d erected to keep her heart protected, and her life, she snatched the hot chocolate and sipped. “I am honest.”
His chuckle flowed across her skin, like a hot bath infused with essential lavender oils, and she swallowed the smoothness of the hot cocoa. For a long second, she honestly considered letting Jake inside further than only her home, but decided against it. With both hands full, she blotted the foam her mouth on the shoulder of her robe. “I’m perfectly honest.”
“About some things, I’m sure.” Jake fingered the plastic wrapping on the coffee pot. “You want to tell me why you’re tossing a pot that’s never been used?”
As if she had already drunk the entire cup of steaming cocoa, she felt her tummy warm until her face flushed. Why would a man like Jake have any interest in a nurse from a drive-by coastal town? With bedhead? Could he be strong enough to stand up to The Curse? Though she didn’t want to put too much hope on the future, she unwittingly pictured an impending wedding day celebration and her unveiling.
Happy. Free. That was her dream.
“Whatever you’re smiling about, I want to be part of that.” With a single hand, he eased the clumsy pot from her arms and coiled the cord around the base, and set it on the floor. “Whatever is broken, I’ll try to fix—”
When he leaned forward, barely breaching the threshold by inches, to stop his forward progression, she placed her free hand on his chest. Against her palm, she felt the steady drum of his heart tempting her to inch closer and inhale the scent of a sexy man. A good man. “You’d be a fool to waste your time on this model. It’s never going to be right.”
Stepping up so his body filled the doorway, Jake loomed. “Let me in.”
She leaned against the heat of his thigh. He was in a higher position of power both on her step and at work, but, to move forward, she discarded her worries. More than anything, she wanted to be free of the curse, loved. Her gown arched over his jeans. Pressed against him, she sighed. “I’m a-afraid,” she stuttered.
“Don’t be,” he assured her. “Something about this weekend with you feels right.”
A subtle moan escaped her. Strength emanated from him. His will, as she’d witnessed during surgery, was inescapable, and to be a neurosurgeon he had to be brave. Braver than she could ever be. But, could he learn to truly trust what he couldn’t see? Spirits who would continue to appear and attempt to aid him when she wasn’t there to intercede? “You’re a man of science…”
“What if I am? Does that solely define me?”
Whether she was a nurse, a woman from a foggy coastal town, or something else altogether, she had many facets. He held her stare like he was waiting for an answer that she couldn’t explain. Finally, she said, “You can be many things, but some aren’t as desirable as the others. What if, after you’ve spent precious hours—hours you’ll never get back—you grow tired and toss away what never had a chance?”
Her vision blurred and she turned away. Pull it together. You deserve to be happy and to find love again.
Shifting the cup he held, he set it on the floor beside the coffee pot. He took her cup, too, and repeated his action. Then, with a gentle hand, he turned her chin, so she faced him again. “I’m asking a lot from both of us.”
The woman from the hospital materialized at his side, and he tossed his gaze beside him before returning to meet her gaze. “What I’m doing, saying, is completely out of character. But, I need to know you, Faith.”
A tear threatened to fall.
He stroked her cheek with his thumb. When she swallowed, he lowered his gaze to her throat. “I’d like you to know me, but I can’t do that unless you show me who you really are.”
At the sound of his uninhibited sincerity, Faith felt pleasurable warmth shoot through her. Lingering deep inside her heart that fear changed to hope. The Curse…she had no control over it. He could become blind, or worse.
“Live, Faith, live…” the spirits whispered.
She exhaled in a great whoosh, pictured the future successful Couples Encounter, and building trust with Jake. She’d find a way to back to the children’s ward after the retreat. For now, she dared take a second chance with her life. “How much do you know about ziplining?”
“Ropes, pulleys, and carabineers. Nothing to it.” With the back of his hand, he brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and flashed a reassuring smile.
“Why are you really here?”
“You told me to follow my intuition.”
Tentatively, she asked, “And it’s telling you?”
“To trust you.”
Before she could protest, tell him he was making a huge mistake, he curled his thick arm around the small of her back and forced a gasp from her throat. Clenched by his embrace, she felt every curve of his rock-hard body through her gown, his heaving chest, their hearts pounding against each other’s, as synchronized as the sounding surf that echoed in the distance. “You know nothing about me.”
“We have a few hours before we’re due at the retreat. While you get ready, how about you tell me everything in your life that’s important
to you? Everything I’ve missed?”
Important to me? She scrunched her brows and stared. “Who are you? Where are you from?”
“Still trying to figure out who I am. But, something tells me you’re the one to show me the way home.”
With his sweet breath rolling across her face, she raised on tip-toes and palmed his face. Did she dare imagine he could lead her heart home? “Walk away.”
He lowered his face where his lips met hers. The smooth stroke of his tongue swirled sweet cream, chocolate, and Arabica roast to create the perfect blend. Against her lips, he breathed, “I’m not the kind of man that abandons a good thing. You’ll soon learn that’s not who I am at all.”
There, at the brink of entry into her home and heart, he stole her breath and her excuse for keeping him at bay. “Café mocha,” she breathed and leaned into their first kiss, the perfect kiss. Mercy help us both.
FIVE
A FEW HOURS LATER, Jake pulled to a stand on top of the first zipline platform with the tree tops at eye level. The buzz of emotions inside him had nothing to do with physical exertion from climbing the thirty-foot spiral staircase or heights. Faith’s kiss lingered on his lips, as did her touch on his face and stories of her childhood in Whisper Cove. Still, he knew she held back.
With a curious gaze, he watched her thread her hour-glass shape into the harness, wished his hands were the bindings that held her tight. When he noticed she’d put the specially-designed two-piece harness on upside down, he held back a grin.
However, like the start of a new relationship, ziplining was an extreme sport, dangerous, and stirred his protective nature both over himself and over Faith. He stepped toward her, mindful of her efforts, and righted her harness. “You sure you still want to do this?”
She glanced up, her face flushing as she scanned the other couples. “I need to do this to get back into my ward, and the town needs a good doctor.”
Shadows and Stars Page 66
