by Jaclyn Hardy
She poked at the eggs on her plate. “I have a huge pile of flashcards, but I don’t want to get in the way of getting your house done. And I’m not sure . . .”
“Let me help. You can keep me company while I pull wire, and I can throw out terms for you. Not that I’ll know if you’re right or wrong.”
Heather laughed. “Are you sure?”
Stuart took her hand. “Of course. You leave in a few days, and I want to spend as much of that time together as we can. I mean—uh, unless you’d rather not.”
“That depends.” Heather stared down at their hands clasped together.
“On?”
She met his eyes, sadness reflected in them. “On what we want to have happen after this week. I—”
“Hey, sweetie. Hey, Stuart. Neil is ready to go whenever you are.” Heather’s mom sat down with her plate.
Stuart swallowed his disappointment. He’d hoped to know how Heather felt, but it had been interrupted. He forced himself to smile. “I’m almost done. Thanks for letting me borrow your husband for the day.”
Heather’s mom laughed. “Are you kidding? I was planning to head to Cassie’s house today, and I can guarantee he’d rather build something than listen to me gossip with my sister. You’re doing both of us a favor.”
“You’re going into town?” Heather asked, surprised.
“The roads seem to have cleared a bit, and I promised Janie and the boys that they could play with their cousins again before we have to leave. Did you want to come with me?”
Heather glanced over at Stuart before shaking her head. “I’m going over to the house, too, if that’s okay. Stuart is going to help me study.”
Stuart could feel his face redden and avoided the searching look that Heather’s mom gave him. They were here to spend time with Mrs. Peterson’s family, and he kept taking Heather away from them.
Her mom nodded. “Okay, then. I’ll see you tonight at dinner. Oh, and unless you have other plans, Cassie wants us to be there for New Year’s Eve. She even found some treats that you can eat.”
“I’ll be there.” Heather took a drink of her orange juice.
Stuart wiped his face on a napkin and stood. “We’d better head out so we don’t keep your dad waiting.”
“Oh, right.” Heather stood and pushed in her chair. “See ya, Mom. Oh, and Janie, I put your gloves on the heater last night. They were still wet.”
“Thanks.” Janie didn’t look up from the game she was playing.
Stuart stopped when he got to the lobby. “All my stuff is in the truck, so we can go as soon as you have your stuff.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back.” Heather ran upstairs and came back a moment later carrying her backpack. “All right. Let’s go.”
Heather and her dad followed Stuart out to the truck and they piled in. Stuart pulled out of the driveway and drove the three miles to where his house stood. Some of the plastic had blown off, but otherwise, it looked untouched. He just hoped the wood wasn’t damaged beneath.
Stuart grabbed the toolbox from the back of his truck and walked over to turn on the generator. “My dad should be here with some space heaters soon. We should have everything delivered pretty soon. I’ll take you on a tour until they all get here.”
Heather stared up at the house, and Stuart would have given anything to know what she thought about it. They walked inside, and Stuart took them through the house. He’d shown the house to several different people several times, but for some reason he was much more nervous this time. He wanted it to be perfect in their eyes.
“You have a beautiful house here, Stuart.” Heather’s dad ran his hand along one of the doorways. “Everything is strong and well-built.”
“Thank you.” Stuart breathed a sigh of relief. His phone buzzed. “Oh, Dad’s here. We can heat up the house now.”
Dad came inside with a space heater. “Where do you want this?”
“Let’s put it in that corner and another one over in that corner.” He grabbed an extension cord and went out to hook it up to the generator. By the time they had the other heaters hooked up, the supplies had been delivered.
Stuart took the breaker box into the utility room and set it into the wall, then took a pile of wire. The others took a pile as well and moved on to different parts of the house. He looked over at Heather who sat next to one of the heaters. “Okay, where do we start? You said you had flash cards, right?”
“Yep. It has a situation, and I have to figure out the best treatment.” Heather held out some cards. “Just read the front to me, and then turn it over to see if I’m right.”
Stuart took the cards and glanced through a couple of them. “So, like, someone comes walking with their arm hanging at the wrong angle. What do you do?”
Heather blinked. “Uh. Yeah. I’d say there’s a good chance that you broke your arm.”
Stuart laughed. “Hey, you got it right.”
“You came up with that awfully fast. Personal experience?”
“Yep. Ninth grade baseball game. I slid into home and the catcher landed on my arm. End of baseball season for me.” Stuart sat the cards on one of the studs of the wall where he was threading wires.
“Ouch.” Heather stood and walked over to hold the wire while he worked. “Okay, next one.”
Stuart had to force himself to concentrate on the flash cards in front of him instead of the woman standing next to him. Instead of the way she smelled like lilacs. Or how his arm brushed against her while he pulled the cord through the hole in the stud.
“Profuse sweating, numbness on the left side, patient is having a hard time . . . breathing.” He met her eyes and swallowed. Man, she was beautiful. He leaned in, brushing her lips with his. She kissed him back, both of them ignoring the flash cards that fell to the ground when he dropped the wires he’d been holding.
Voices came from the front of the house, jerking Stuart back to reality. What was he doing? They’d never get done with the house if he kept getting distracted. He pulled away from her and cleared his throat.
“Pretty sure that’s not how that was supposed to go.”
Heather smiled and reached up to kiss him again. “Yes, but it was much more enjoyable.”
“Oh, hey, there you are.” Thomas’ voice made Stuart jump. “We thought you might want some help.”
Heather bent down to pick up her cards, and Stuart picked up the wires he’d let drop to the ground.
“We?” Stuart stapled the wires to the stud.
“Yeah, the guys are all here. Your dad told me you were upstairs, but he didn’t tell me I’d walk in on . . . that. Hey, Heather.”
“Thomas, right?” Heather’s face was bright red as she shook his hand, then walked over to sit next to the heater. It was probably better for both of them that she stayed right there.
Thomas leaned against the door. “I hadn’t realized you had so much done. This is awesome.”
“Thanks. If you want to help, start in the next bedroom. Where’s everyone else?” Stuart glanced over his shoulder at Heather. She was back to studying her notes.
“Carl is downstairs helping your dad and some other guy with the heating. Lance is grabbing food from Burley. He should be here soon.” Thomas picked up a drill and a spool of cord.
Stuart gestured to Heather. “The other guy is Heather’s dad. He offered to help.”
Thomas glanced between them. “Her dad is helping here too? Wow, really getting the family in on it, aren’t you?”
“Shut it. He builds houses for a living.” Stuart drilled a hole in the next few studs, then went back to threading the wires. “So . . . heard anything from Mandy lately?”
Thomas jerked upright. “Why? Is she in town?”
Stuart laughed. “No. But it was awesome to see your reaction. Have you even called her?”
“We text sometimes. We’re just friends.”
Heather snorted. “That’s what every girl wants to hear.”
“She has a point, you know.”
Stuart grinned at the glare that Thomas shot at him. “Fine. I’ll change the subject. What happened to the fishing trip? Are we still going?”
“That’s the plan. You think Carl or Lance would be here helping otherwise?” Thomas stripped the wire he was working on so he could attach an outlet.
“I bring you a burger and that’s how you thank me?” Lance stood at the top of the stairs with a hand to his chest. “I’m hurt.”
Thomas smirked. “You can’t argue with what I said, though. Now, where’s my burger?”
Lance held up two bags and came into the room. He threw one to Stuart and one to Thomas. “Oh, Heather. Sorry. I didn’t know you were there. If I’d known I would have brought a salad. Or whatever you eat that’s fast food.”
“I’m good.” Heather didn’t look up from her notes.
“No, but seriously, though. What do you eat if you’re going out for lunch?”
Heather sighed. “There are plenty of things out there that aren’t meat.”
Stuart balled his wrapper up and threw it at Lance. “Leave her alone. We don’t make fun of your diet choices.”
“That’s because pizza for breakfast is an accepted option.”
Heather raised her eyebrow. “Accepted option for what? Clogging your arteries?”
Lance opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again. “I stand by what I said.”
Stuart picked up his drill and went back to work, hoping the noise would drown out any further conversation. Heather shot him a grateful look and went back to studying.
“So, Heather—”
“Out!” Thomas and Stuart said, pointing at the door.
Lance sighed and picked up his bag. “Fine. I’ll go downstairs with the other guys. Where I’m wanted.”
Thomas turned to Stuart. “You going to tell him that’s Heather’s dad down there?”
“He’ll figure it out soon enough.”
Dad stood next to Stuart, his hands on his hips. “Looks good. You should be able to order the drywall for next week.”
“Finally.” Stuart pulled the drill bit out and set it in its case. “Can you let Mom know I’ll be home later tonight? I’m going fishing with the boys, but I want to be there to help get the freezer put back together.”
“Sounds good. You guys be careful. I heard you were going to go up to the reservoir. I suggest you don’t.”
Stuart turned off the generator. “Correction. The guys wanted to go to the reservoir. I plan to go to the pond. Heather and I were there yesterday, and it was frozen enough that we can fish there.”
“I like that idea much better. See you at home.” Dad left, and Stuart turned back to the house.
Stuart and his friends had gotten all of the wire done while Dad and Heather’s dad worked on the heating. There were a few more vents he needed to install, but he could have electricity by New Year’s Eve.
Heather came downstairs pulling on her coat. “Looks like everything is put away upstairs. Thanks again for your help with studying.”
“No problem. Not that I did much. Thomas was way more excited to help than I thought he would be.” Stuart wrapped his arms around Heather, pulling her close. It just felt right having her standing next to him here in the house.
“He should go into the medical field. He knew more than some of the kids in my class.” Heather leaned her head against Stuart’s chest.
Stuart breathed in her smell. He’d have to plant lilacs in his yard, just so he wouldn’t forget it. The thought brought a sadness that he wasn’t expecting. He pulled away and grabbed his bag. He couldn’t look at her as he shut the front door and walked to the truck.
“Hey.” Heather grabbed his arm. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. It’s fine. I just . . . I just wish Christmas break was a little longer.” He opened the truck door for her. “Knowing you’re leaving in a few days . . .”
Heather nodded and climbed in. Stuart started the truck and pulled away from his house. The trip back to the hotel seemed to drag.
“Do you think we’re crazy?” Heather asked, catching him by surprise.
“What do you mean?”
Heather shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, we met just before Christmas and four days later we can’t—or, well, I—can’t imagine not hanging out together after this. We haven’t really left each other’s side since Christmas day. Don’t you think that’s weird?”
“Yes. But I think it’s even stranger that the thought of not spending time with you is not something I want to do. Which means that it’s going to be torture when you leave.” Stuart pulled into the hotel parking lot.
“I know. I think . . .” She paused. “I think I’m going to stay home from fishing.”
Stuart’s eyebrows shot up. That’s not what he was expecting. “Look, if this is about my friends—”
“It’s not. I just really need to study. I keep putting it off. And . . . I know if I spend any more time with you, I’m not going to be able to leave when my parents do. I’ve put too much into my schooling to stop now.”
Stuart reached out and took her hand. “You know I wouldn’t want you to do that, right?”
She leaned over and caressed his cheek, then leaned in for a kiss. Stuart could feel the hunger behind it, and he ached with his own. When she pulled away, he was sure she had a tear running down her cheek. “See you later, Stuart. Thank you.”
It took every ounce of strength he had not to run after her. But she was right. She had her career that she needed to worry about and he couldn’t get in the way. And even as he pulled away with a hollow feeling in his heart, he knew that it was for the best that they said goodbye right now.
Heather stared at the flash cards in front of her, knowing she should be studying. But all she could see was the way Stuart’s eyes danced when he laughed. That day at his house had been perfect. Well, besides the heckling from his friends, but even that had made her feel more at home here. She’d been part of the group.
Right now, she was supposed to be freezing on the pond catching fish she didn’t really feel like eating. But instead she was sitting in bed staring at piles of notes she had to go over. A knock on the door brought her out of her misery.
She paused as she reached for the knob. It wouldn’t be him, right? Another knock. She sighed and opened it to find Dad standing there.
“Oh, hey. Did I miss dinner?”
“No, it’s not for another hour. I’m running into town to have dinner with Mom. Want to come?”
Heather nodded. She grabbed her notes and shoved them into her backpack, then grabbed a toothbrush. This place had too many memories of him. Staying at Aunt Cassie’s would help her clear her mind and study. Right?
Dad didn’t say anything as he glanced at the bag. And he was kind enough not to say anything until they were in the car on the way to town. “Did you two fight?”
“No.”
“Do I need to have a talk with him?”
Heather rolled her eyes. “I’m not ten, Dad. You don’t need to fight my battles. Besides, we both decided it was better not to let things keep going. I don’t know where my residency will be, and I don’t—I can’t do this.”
Dad patted her hand. “I think you already did.”
“I know.” Heather sighed and leaned her head against the window. She suddenly sat up straight. “Wait. How do you have the car?”
“Your mom dropped it off on the way to Twin Falls. She and your aunt Cassie decided to go shopping.”
“Oh.” Heather was clearly losing her mind.
Dad turned music on to fill the silence in the car. Oldies drowned out the screaming thoughts in her head, and Dad’s bass voice helped soothe her raw emotions. Just like they had ever since her first fight with her best friend in grade school.
“Did you ever think maybe you should look for residency programs closer to the area?” Dad asked.
“I already did. And already applied. Because I’m insane.” Heather sighed. “I know you and Mom met
and hit it off and everything was awesome, but I just . . . that doesn’t work for everyone.”
Dad hummed to the song on the radio, which meant he had an opinion but didn’t want to push it on her. It was the way he and Mom had survived for so long.
Heather growled under her breath. “If you have something to say, then say it.”
“What? Me? No, I was just enjoying some Moody Blues.” He winked at her and turned a corner. “You know what you want. What your heart wants. I’m not going to argue with either one of them. But I also know that if we always let reason rule over us, we’ll never jump. And if we never jump, we’ll never fly.”
Great, Dad was a philosopher now. Heather shook her head. “It’s not that easy.”
“Of course it is. You just have to decide whether or not you want to listen to your wise, old dad.” He winked and pulled onto Aunt Cassie’s road.
She climbed out of the car and walked inside. Her cousins sat on the couches and floor watching a movie while Cassie and Mom stood in the kitchen. Heather waved and went to the guest room.
Mom came in a few minutes later. “Hey, I thought you were fishing.”
“Nope. I’m studying instead. Figured this would be quieter than the hotel.” Heather pulled her notes out and cringed at their wrinkled shape. Maybe she should have been more careful when she packed.
“I don’t suppose you want to go to dinner with us? Cassie told us about this diner—”
“I’m good.” But she wasn’t. Of all the places they could have gone—which admittedly weren’t many—and they had to choose the diner she’d gone to with Stuart. “You go have fun. I’ll watch the kids.”
Mom frowned. “What’s going on?”
“Dad can tell you. I can’t. Just go, and I’ll see you when you get back.” Heather blinked back tears while she separated her notes into sections.
“Okay, sweetie. But then I want to know everything.” Mom left, followed by the other adults.
Heather just hoped the kids would stay quiet so she could study for a while. Her phone buzzed, letting her know she had new emails, but she ignored it. She wasn’t going to deal with anything else right now.
