Falling In Love: A Sweet Traveling Romance Novel (All Roads Lead To Love Book 2)

by Vivian Porter

  Really, Clay? Is that all you've got? It felt like such a generic comment, but she honestly did look incredible.

  "Thank you," she replied. "You look quite handsome and rested too."

  Clay gave her a sheepish grin as she closed the front door and locked it. "That's because I slept most of the day."

  Jenny smiled and looped an arm through his while they walked to his truck. "That's good. You needed the rest."

  He opened the passenger door for her before walking around to the driver's side. When he opened the door and slipped inside, a wonderful vanilla scent—either her perfume or shampoo—filled the truck and made his heart race. "So, where are we headed?" he asked.

  They buckled their seat belts and he forced himself not to gawk when Jenny crossed her legs as he backed out of the driveway onto Poplar Drive.

  "There's a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant not far outside the city limits that serves a bit of everything from steaks to seafood. How does that sound?"

  Clay nodded. "Sounds good to me. Just point me in the right direction."

  Jenny navigated while he drove, and when they arrived at the restaurant about fifteen minutes later, it really was as she described. The building was on a back road in the middle of nowhere, and from the outside, you wouldn't guess it was a restaurant because it resembled a small cabin. There were no signs on the road leading up to the building or any on the building itself, and the only thing that gave it away was the handicap parking space in front of it and the handful of cars parked around it.

  "What is it called?" he asked, as he pulled into one of the spaces and parked his truck.

  Jenny shrugged. "I have no idea, but my best friend, Kelly, overheard one of her patients talking about it, and she said we should check it out."

  She grinned like a kid opening presents on Christmas morning, and her excitement was contagious. During his many trips around the city, he'd never seen or heard of this place, and his curiosity was piqued. Clay got out and walked around the truck to open her door, and when she stepped out and reached for his hand, his heart skipped a beat.

  The restaurant was much bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside, and it was very busy. There were only two empty tables remaining, and Clay put his hand on Jenny's back and guided her to the one in a secluded corner away from the crowd. After the waiter took their order, Jenny unfolded her dinner napkin and put it on her lap.

  "Before I forget, Aubrey wanted me to tell you hello."

  His comment made her smile, and when she leaned forward and rested her arms on the table, it was a struggle not to get lost in her mesmerizing dark blue eyes.

  "How is she doing?" she asked. "I would love to see her again sometime. I enjoyed talking to her while she was in the hospital."

  The waiter brought their beverages, and Clay took a sip of his soda. "She's doing okay. The stiffness in her joints hasn't been as bad today. She told me she enjoyed talking to you, too, and that you helped ease her mind a lot while she was there."

  Jenny's cheeks reddened. "That’s so sweet. I'm glad I was assigned to her. I noticed she has a spunky attitude, and I love tending to patients who keep me on my toes."

  Clay chuckled. "Yeah, she is a force of nature to be reckoned with, but I think it's helped, especially with everything she's been going through lately. I've seen these types of situations, and I'm sure you probably have, too, where people just give up, but she's nothing like that at all. I'm really proud of her."

  Jenny reached across the table and put a hand on his left arm, and the heat from her touch gave him goosebumps.

  "So am I,” she responded. “I can't believe she and I didn't hang out together when we were in high school because she has such a go-getter personality, and I admire that. I hate it's taken all these years for us to get to know each other too."

  Clay nodded. "I know. I feel the same way."

  Jenny smiled. "Well, East Rankin is a big high school, and it was easy to get lost in the crowd."

  Clay put a hand on top of hers. "Maybe, but you're pretty unforgettable."

  His reply made her cheeks redden even more, and when she smiled and looked down at the table, he couldn't help think about how adorable she was. She released his arm when the waiter returned with their food, but the warmth from her touch never left his body. It was a soothing feeling and one that he could certainly get used to.

  "What made you decide to move to Oregon?" she asked.

  Clay put his napkin on his lap and picked up his knife and fork so he could cut his steak, and he mulled over her question a while before answering. "The honest truth is my dream and my dad's dream for me weren't the same, and I felt like I had to get away from here in order to make my dream come true." He paused a moment. "It sounds so strange saying that, and it's the first time I've ever admitted it to anyone. He was a lawyer, and he had high hopes that I would become one someday, but I knew from an early age, I wanted to be a paramedic."

  Aubrey nodded and took a bite of her grilled chicken. "I knew I wanted to be a nurse from an early age too. Well, actually, before I turned thirteen, I wanted to run away with the circus."

  Clay nearly choked on his steak when he tried to imagine her doing such a crazy thing. "Are you serious?"

  Jenny nodded, and he could tell by the look on her face that she meant what she said. "Yes! I used to go to the circus every time they came to town, and I thought it was so awesome the way they traveled the country. I always dreamed of doing something adventurous and exciting like that. I had these grand delusions of being a trapeze artist, but when I was twelve years old, I fractured my left arm and almost broke both my legs jumping off the roof of our house onto a big trampoline in our backyard, and I knew then, I had to do something less dangerous. It wasn't a total loss, though, because that's also when I figured out I wanted to be a nurse."

  They both started laughing, and if felt so good being able to relax and joke with someone. Her story touched his heart, and her honesty was just another in a long list of her attractive qualities. He stole a glance while she was busy eating, and the way her long, curly blond hair caressed her bare shoulders when she moved made him ache in places he hadn't ached in a very long time.

  Clay cleared his throat and turned his attention back to his meal so she wouldn't catch him staring. "I'm grateful for what I do, but there's still a part of me that wishes I hadn't left home so quickly after graduation. I lost a lot of valuable time I could've spent making memories with my parents before they died, and I can never get that back."

  Jenny put down her fork and reached for him again, and when she placed a hand on top of his, he held his breath.

  "I can't believe what I'm seeing! Clay Wright, is it really you?" someone asked.

  Startled, Clay turned around to see who was there, and he was shocked to discover it was Tommy Young, his best friend from high school. He looked the exact same as the day they’d graduated, and when Clay stood, Tommy grabbed him in a bear hug that made his ribs hurt.

  "Tommy Young. I was just asking Aubrey about you not too long ago. How have you been?"

  He was dressed in a park ranger uniform, and he was so tall and lanky, he stuck out like a sore thumb. Several people in the restaurant turned to see what the commotion was about.

  "I've been doing good,” he replied. “Still living and working here in Lake Arrowhead. How about you?"

  Clay turned to Jenny, feeling embarrassed over not minding his manners. "I'm sorry. Tommy, this is Jenny McCaw. She went to East Rankin High School too."

  They smiled at each other, and Tommy hugged her when she stood. "We know each other," she explained. "It's good seeing you again, Tommy."

  Tommy pointed to an empty chair at their table. "Hey, do you mind if I sit with you? This place is so crowded, and there's already a line at the door."

  He looked at Jenny, who shrugged, and he took that as a sign she didn't mind, but when Tommy joined them, Clay caught the yearning look in her eyes, and he worried he may have jumped the
gun and made a big mistake.

  Chapter 10

  Jenny

  It was almost closing time when Jenny, Clay, and Tommy made a move to leave. They’d spent two hours sharing and reliving their glory days, and Jenny couldn't remember the last time she’d laughed so hard. Tommy Young never changed. He was still the same sweet, goofy guy he was in school. When she found out he was still single, her thoughts turned to Kelly, and she made a mental note to bring him up in conversation the next time they were together.

  Admittedly, it did bother her at first when Clay agreed to Tommy eating dinner with them, but in the end, she was glad he did. She feared she would be left out of the conversation, but Clay was the perfect gentleman and never made her feel neglected. Truth be known, they would probably say she did most of the talking.

  "It's been a long time since I closed a place down," Tommy joked.

  Jenny looked around the restaurant and was surprised to find they were the only customers left. She'd gotten so caught up in their mini-reunion that she completely forgot the time, and she felt embarrassed when she checked her watch and saw it was almost ten o'clock.

  "We should probably go before they boot us out," she whispered.

  Between the two of them, Clay and Tommy left a sizable tip that would hopefully make up for them losing track of the time, and as soon as they walked out the heavy oak front door, she heard the loud click of it being locked behind them, which made them all laugh.

  "Do you think we'll ever be allowed back inside?" she asked.

  Clay grinned. "Maybe so. We'll just have to plan another dinner soon and find out."

  He gave her an impish wink before wrapping an arm around her waist, and his strong, secure grip made a shiver race up her spine.

  "It was good seeing you again, Clay. Let's do better about keeping in touch, okay?" Tommy said.

  The two men exchanged phone numbers and made tentative plans to get together soon before they parted ways, and as Jenny and Clay walked to his truck, she caught him smiling.

  "He never changes, does he?" she commented. "He looks and acts exactly the same as he did in school."

  Clay nodded. "Yes, he does. I'm sorry if I upset you by letting him join us. I should've asked you first."

  Jenny gave him a reassuring smile. "It's okay. I didn't mind, and I enjoyed the conversation. But since I didn't get to spend a lot of time alone with you, you can make that up to me by taking me for a walk around the lake."

  By the light of the moon, she could see his lips curl upward, and her heart beat double-time when he lightly squeezed her waist again and pulled her close to his side.

  "That sounds like a great idea," he replied. "I just need to call and check on Aubrey first to make sure she's okay."

  Clay unlocked Jenny’s door and opened it for her, and when he was behind the steering wheel, he took out his cell phone and called home. She tried not to eavesdrop, but it was difficult not to in such close quarters. She smiled when she heard Aubrey laughing on the other end of the line, and from what she could tell from the conversation, she was doing just fine.

  "Now, on to the lake," Clay announced after hanging up the phone and putting it back into his pants pocket.

  The lake was only six minutes away, and when they arrived, she was happy to see the tall lanterns lining the concrete walkway were still on and shining brightly. The path was situated a few feet from the lake and served as an exercise track for walkers and joggers, but she didn't spot anyone else out and about, so they could finally be alone. Clay parked the truck and locked it, and as they stepped onto the smooth concrete walkway, Jenny took off her high heels and carried them by the straps.

  "I hope you don't mind," she said. "I'm used to wearing sneakers every day, and my feet are killing me."

  Clay grasped her other hand, which took her by surprise and made her legs rubbery.

  "I don't mind at all," he replied.

  They walked in silence for a few minutes, but it was a comfortable, easy silence, and Jenny took the opportunity to check out their surroundings. The whole area was quite beautiful, from the lake itself to the numerous roses and other flowers planted along the path. The air was crisp and cool but not too brisk, and she closed her eyes and sighed happily as the breeze whisked her hair and brushed it against her cheeks. "Before Tommy joined us at the restaurant, you were saying you wished you hadn't moved away so soon after high school. Do you think your life would've turned out differently if you had stayed here?"

  Clay kept his eyes on the ground while they walked, and it took longer than she expected for him to respond.

  "I honestly have no idea," he replied. "I get my stubbornness from my dad, and I have a feeling we would've had some heated arguments over me not wanting to follow in his footsteps. I hate to say I probably would've given in to his wishes because I spent most of my life doing everything I could to please him. Would I have been happy as a lawyer? No, I highly doubt that. Did your parents want you to be something other than a nurse?"

  That was an easy one to answer. "My mom and dad moved to Rome a month after I graduated high school so they've never been too concerned with my choice of careers. I used to believe my parents were gypsies because we traveled so much during the summer and holidays when I was a kid. It was fun, but they've never outgrown their need to wander, and it's created some problems now that I'm an adult. They chose to travel to Costa Rica instead of attending my graduation from nursing school."

  Clay gave her a bewildered look. "Did you have any family members there to watch you graduate?"

  She nodded. "I don't have any brothers or sisters, but my grandparents were there and a couple of my cousins drove in from San Bernardino to celebrate with me. It was nice."

  They rounded a curve in the walkway, and Jenny enjoyed how the concrete felt against her aching feet. Spending twelve hours or more at a time walking around the hospital made her back and legs throb, and the cool, course stone rubbing her feet was like an invigorating mini-massage.

  "If I'd met you sooner, I would've come to your graduation," he said.

  His response warmed her heart. "That's very sweet of you, Clay. Thank you."

  Jenny inhaled deeply when the wind swished past them and the wonderful woodsy, masculine scent of his cologne wafted on the breeze and drifted past her nose. He was quite tall and muscular with broad shoulders, and she felt safe and secure being in his presence. She could only imagine how his patients must feel while they were in his care, and the thought made her swoon.

  "I, for one, am glad you followed your dream and became a paramedic instead of some stuffy lawyer, and I'm not the only one who feels that way. Did I mention to you that your patient, Frank Hobbs, was admitted to my floor following his surgery the day you brought him in?"

  Clay smiled big. "No, you didn't. How was he doing? I called and checked on him later that evening, but all I could find out was his operation went smoothly."

  Jenny loved seeing his face light up when he talked about his patients, and that care and compassion was just one of the many reasons she was so attracted to him. "He did great, and he and his wife are so nice. They stayed with us a couple of days, and during that time, I overheard them telling their visitors about, and I quote, the 'amazing paramedic' who took care of them. You really made a difference in their lives that day, and you should be proud."

  He didn't reply right away, but she could tell by his shy smile and demeanor that her comment touched his heart.

  "Thank you for letting me know,” he said. “I'm just thankful he made it through his surgery without any complications. It was touch and go there for a while, and I was afraid he wouldn't pull through."

  Jenny looked up at the stars. It was a clear night with not a cloud in the sky, and the stars glistened like diamonds. It really was a perfect night in every sense of the word. The weather was exceptional, their dinner was delicious, and she couldn't have asked for better company. "In your years as a paramedic, what case has stuck with you the most? Is ther
e one in particular that changed your life in some way?"

  He stopped walking and turned to face her. By the glow of the lanterns lining the walkway, she could see the sullen look on his face, and she immediately wished she could take back her question.

  "Aubrey," he murmured. "I know she's not technically my patient, but seeing what she's going through puts everything else in perspective. I've never felt so helpless, though. I'm used to fixing things, but I can't fix this, and that's hard to accept."

  The ache in his voice was palpable, and Jenny wished more than anything she could take the hurt away and make things better.

  "I understand that, Clay. I know it seems bleak right now, but you know as well as I do that many people with MS live long, active lives, and I believe Aubrey is the type of woman who won't let anything stand in her way from doing just that. I know it's different when it's someone you love, but I have faith that she'll be okay."

  The breeze lifted her hair, and when Clay moved a couple of strands away from her face and tucked them behind her ear, she shook from her head to the tips of her toes. His fingers barely touched her skin, but it was enough to leave her trembling.

  "Thank you, Jenny. I needed to hear that."

  Some bright lights pierced their surroundings, and Jenny turned just as two vehicles pulled into the parking lot. Their headlights were blinding, and when several loud teenagers climbed out of the cars, Clay groaned.

  "It looks like our quiet time is over," he lamented. "Ready to go?"

  Jenny reluctantly nodded and put her shoes back on. She hated to leave, but the peaceful serenity around them was gone now, and she could barely hear herself talk over the raucous teenagers, who were running around the property and causing an uproar. When they returned to Clay's truck and got inside, she had to laugh. "Did we act like that when we were their age?"

  Clay grinned as he turned the keys in the ignition and backed out of the parking lot. "I would like to say I didn’t, but that would be a lie."