Shoulder to Lean On

by Morgan Malone

  The immediate and intensive response from her friends on the force and her former colleagues in the district attorney’s office led to her assailant’s quick capture and expedited prosecution. “It’s good to have friends who will go to bat for you.”

  It was as though the whispered words to no one opened a door to her imagination. She knew then she had found the violent crime Barb and Joe would solve. Barb would be the victim of the crime—a violent, bloody assault that would put her in a coma in the ICU for days. Joe would call upon all their colleagues to help him track down Barb’s attacker and bring the asshole to justice. Faced with the possible loss of Barb, Joe would realize that his reluctance to pursue her as a woman because he was older, he was a supervisor in her precinct, and because they were cops were all bullshit excuses. When she regained consciousness, he would declare his love for her.

  Ella’s fingers were flying over the keyboard. E.L. Levin was back in the author’s seat. But it was different. Ella brought to the opening chapter of her final Bloody Murder story all the terror of her own attack. It was a perfect blending of her own experience as a victim with her vast knowledge of police work and criminal prosecution. And like her, Barb, who had always been in charge, would have to learn to ask for and accept help from friends and family. In letting down her guard enough to be the recipient of the affection and respect that her team had for her, Barb would also open herself to the feelings she had always harbored for Joe. As the words flowed across the computer screen, Ella felt, somehow, a dawning realization in her heart that she, too, might be ready for a happily ever after.

  Chapter Seven

  Everyone eventually ends up at the Super Min. Levi laughed to himself as he was filling the fuel tank of his Jaguar convertible while watching Ella maneuver her fire engine red Mustang up to the pump right next to him. Located at the four-cornered intersection in the center of the island, the Shell Gas Station and Super Mini Mart Convenience Store was the main gathering place for both residents and tourists. Leaning against the side of his vintage dark blue automobile, Levi whistled to himself as Ella swung her long, long legs out of her muscle car and turned to the pump. It was not until she had entered her credit card information and was fumbling with the gas cap that Levi quietly called out, “Hello there, Ms. Anderson.”

  Ella’s head whipped around to find him grinning at her. A flush spread across her lightly tanned cheeks but she answered with “Hello there, Dr. Gould.” She turned back to the task of filling the car’s gas tank.

  “Shoulder giving you any trouble?” Levi noticed she was using her right hand to pump the gas.

  Ella looked back at him and shrugged her shoulders, then lifted her left arm until it was horizontal to her shoulder. Wiggling her fingers and turning her arm up and down, she shot him an almost-cocky grin. “Not much pain and I can almost reach over my head…with Cory’s help. I start using one pound weights later this week.”

  This time Levi did whistle out loud. Her arms were looking good and there seemed to be less stiffness in her movements. And her attitude had made a 180-degree turn around since her first visit to his office. She was acting all spunky and almost flirty as she talked to him and finished topping off her gas tank. A slight sea breeze fitted the thin, loose cream tee against her torso. He could almost see her nipples tighten as the cool air hit them. She shivered slightly and hugged herself after tightening the gas cap. Ella reached into the open back seat of her convertible to grab a light, matching cardigan and slip her arms into it. Reaching with her left hand, she scooped a tote bag from the front seat and turned toward the mini-mart.

  Levi realized his gas tank was full and hurried to complete the transaction at the pump so he could follow her. Her jeans were a snug fit over her slightly rounded tush but a bit baggy in the legs. He knew she had lost weight recently since she was so much thinner than the photographs of E. L. Levin he’d found on the Internet. And on the inside back cover of every one of her books he’d purchased at the bookstore in Naples.

  As always, Charity Grambling was seated on her stool behind the cash register. Levi had a grudging respect for the feisty co-owner of the convenience store. She did not take any crap from anyone. And she knew everything that occurred on Mimosa Key. Charity had taken a liking to him when he’d stopped in the day he arrived on Mimosa Key. He didn’t think too much of it since she seemed to take a liking to almost every red-blooded male who walked into the store under his own power. But, he tried to stay on her good side anyway. Ella was hovering in the candy aisle when he entered the store so he ambled over to the bucket of pet treats near the checkout and loaded up a paper bag of dog biscuits dipped in peanut butter for Hersch.

  He grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler and headed for Charity, right behind Ella. Charity barely looked up when Ella placed a bottle of Evian on the counter, but the pile of peanut M&Ms made her straighten and shoot a disgusted look at Ella.

  “Your teeth are gonna rot and fall right out of your mouth if you eat all that candy, girlie!” Despite her warning, Charity was ringing up what had to be a dozen small bags of the candy-coated treats and tossing them in a plastic bag. “I haven’t seen you in here before. Where are you from and what are you doing on Mimosa Key?”

  Before Ella could answer, Levi spoke up. “How you doing, Charity? This is Ella Anderson. She’s from New York and she’s down here to get some R & R. Just like everyone else from New York who washes up on the shores of Mimosa Key.” Levi flashed his widest grin at the irritable gossip and added a wink for good measure.

  “Is she one of your patients, Doc, or one of your little chickies?” Charity actually guffawed as she handed Ella the receipt for her purchase.

  “Now, Charity, you know I can’t answer that question on either count because I am a doctor and a gentleman.” Ella stepped back from the counter, but stared at him as if she could not believe his defense of her and his playful repartee with the grizzled older woman who obviously ruled the little store. Charity just shook her head and cackled as she looked from Ella to Levi. Then her eyes swung back to Ella and she fixed her inquisitive gaze on Ella’s face.

  “Wait a minute. Don’t I know you? I do know you. You’re famous…for something. I know it.”

  Ella flushed even more deeply and swallowed hard before she answered. “I’m an attorney. You might have seen my picture a few years ago on the cover of the New York Post or the Times. I was an assistant district attorney in Manhattan and had a few murder trials that got some publicity.”

  Levi raised an eyebrow at that. He knew she had been a prosecutor early in her career; that information was on her website. But, he had no idea she had been involved in any high-profile murder cases. Certainly not as E. L. Levin. Charity nodded her head slowly, as if she agreed, but Levi could see the suspicious look remaining in her eyes.

  “So, why are you hooked on all this candy? Some kind of weird lawyer fetish or something?” Charity handed change back to Ella.

  Before Levi could deflect the attention away from her, Ella responded, in conspiratorial tones “I’m writing a romance novel and the candy gives me energy and inspiration.”

  Levi let out a long, low whistle of amazement. Charity threw him a silencing glare as she leaned toward Ella. “It’s sexy, right? Not one of those sappy sweet stories where they don’t even kiss until the final chapter?”

  “It’s very, very sexy. A long smoldering attraction that finally catches fire!”

  The door chimed as another customer entered the store. Pushing the bag of candy and water toward Ella, Charity grinned and whispered out of the corner of her mouth, “Let me know if you need any help with the love scenes.”

  “I will. And thank you.” Ella was out the door before Levi had a chance to say anything about the strange turn of events he had just witnessed. Ella was climbing into her car so Levi quickened his stride to reach her before she could drive away.

  “Hey, how about something to eat?” Levi surprised himself by asking.

  W
ith one long, slender finger, she pulled her sunglasses down her nose and fixed him with a quizzical stare.

  “I just stopped for some gas before heading over to South of the Border for some tacos. It’s just past the lunch hour so it shouldn’t be crowded. You really have to try their fish tacos.” Levi couldn’t believe that he was almost stuttering his explanation.

  She paused and Levi was sure she was going to refuse his invitation. Instead, a wide grin broke across her face as she answered with a quick nod of her head. “Okay. I’ve been wanting to grab a meal there. I heard good things about it from Perky, the lady who does my room at the Resort, but I haven’t had a chance to find it.”

  “You’d miss it for sure, it’s tucked away just down the street over there.” Levi pointed across the intersection. “Follow me, we’ll be there in a minute.”

  He was right. In less time than it took for Jimmy Buffett to finish singing “Cheeseburger in Paradise”—playing in Levi’s car—they were pulling into the SOB. The restaurant had no signs and no menus and was a favorite of the locals. Levi had heard about it shortly after his arrival on Mimosa Key from Don, the artist who painted his murals, and had quickly become a regular.

  “Hey, Doc, how’s it hanging?” The bartender called out when he saw Levi and Ella head for a table by the window.

  “High and dry! Bring us a couple of iced teas, will you? And a mess of fish tacos with everything.”

  Levi turned to Ella. “You didn’t want a beer or a margarita, did you? I have to go back to the office but I didn’t think to ask if you wanted something stronger than iced tea. Sorry.”

  “No, that’s fine. I still take a part of a pain pill occasionally after a rough session with Cory. Besides, I have more writing to do this afternoon so I can use a little caffeine. I just ran out for more candy and realized I hadn’t put gas in the car since I got here. Seemed like a good idea to stop at the mini-mart.”

  “I take it you haven’t met Charity before?”

  “No, I got some gas when I first pulled onto the island but I paid at the pump.” Ella laughed, long and low, and Levi felt his gut tighten at the sexy sound. “She’s quite the character, isn’t she?”

  “She is. I’d like to say she’s harmless but if she doesn’t like you, she can make your life pretty…uncomfortable. Fortunately, for some reason, she likes me.” Levi smiled. “And she seems to have taken a liking to you, despite your addiction to peanut M&M’s.”

  “I know.” Ella laughed ruefully. “I can’t help it. When I was in college and then law school, if we were writing papers or cramming for an exam, it was the munchie of choice. All the time I was in the DA’s office, if I was doing trial prep or writing a brief, I was stuffing those candies into my mouth. So, now that I’m writing again…” Ella coughed on the last word as if she did not mean to say it, then continued. “So, now that I’m writing, it’s just a natural response to need the candy for inspiration.” She reached for her iced tea as soon as the waitress set it down and took a long sip, as if her throat had dried up from so many words.

  Levi knew he should not probe, but he was curious about her reticence to admit she was a world-famous author. “So, is this your first book?”

  Ella had the grace to blush. “It’s the first time I’ve written romance.” She said the last almost defensively, straightening her shoulders as if she expected him to challenge her or to laugh at her admission. Levi did not reply immediately. He took a gulp of his iced tea and just stared at her for a long moment, his brown eyes fixed on her, waiting for the next half-truth to spill from her lips. Lips that she was licking nervously, her pink tongue darting out to lap up a few stray drops of tea. Lips that he was suddenly imagining on his lips, licking them and as he hardened, he imagined those lips someplace else entirely. He felt an answering flush creep up his cheeks.

  The delivery of a tray of aromatic fish tacos saved him from his embarrassing reaction to Ella’s innocent gesture. “You’re going to love these.” Levi promised as he scooped two tacos onto Ella’s plate then took two for himself. For a few moments, they both enjoyed the hot and spicy food.

  “Is your book a sweet love story or a sexy romp?” He was wiping sauce from his hands but he noticed her abrupt pause in biting into the second taco. She dropped it back onto her plate before she answered. “It’s sexy, like I told Charity. But it’s a love story too. It’s about two people who have not been in love before who finally get their happily ever after.”

  “Do you really believe that? Happy ever after? I mean, I know you have to write that if it’s a romance novel.” At her quizzically raised eyebrow, he stammered an answer about his mother’s love of Danielle Steel and how it made it easy to buy her birthday or Mother’s Day gifts because there was always a new book out she just had to read.

  “You’re right. If it’s a romance novel, it has to have a happy ever after ending for the hero and heroine or, at least, a happy for now ending.”

  “What is your couple getting? Happy for now or the whole enchilada?” Ella laughed as Levi picked up another taco, gesturing with it to make his point.

  “They are getting a happy ever after—they’ve waited long enough for it.” Levi thought she was trying to convince herself by the way she bit off the words.

  “How about you, counselor? Do you have a happy ever after?” His voice was soft and low. She looked thoughtfully at him, sighing a bit as she answered.

  “I thought I did, then I realized that it was probably just a happy for now. Strangely, the notion of that didn’t bother me too much. And when it dawned on me that was really all there was, I also realized that it was not enough. So, no. No happy ever after for me. Just a nice, neat, civilized divorce. I still see him in the City from time to time. He made partner and stopped litigating all but the really big cases so our paths rarely cross.” Ella took another sip of tea before she asked him the same question.

  “And you, Doc. What about you? No happy ever after?” She motioned to his hands, bereft of a wedding ring.

  Levi did not want to answer, but felt he must. It came to him then that he wanted her to like him, wanted to be more than just the doctor with the bad boy reputation who supervised her physical therapy. So, he sat back, wiped taco sauce from his long elegant fingers, and told her his story.

  “It was my fault. I spent so much time at work, I was rarely home. When I was home, I was distracted with work. I left the kids, the house, our marriage in Anne’s lap. And she did try for a long time to keep it together. I think she would have stayed married to me, divorce was frowned upon in her family, but I was planning another jaunt with Doctors without Borders and I think that was the final straw. The girls’ last summer before high school and I would be gone for a month. She had every right to be furious.” He concluded with a rueful shrug of his shoulders.

  “I’ve been here for three years and I love it. But, I miss my daughters every day. I didn’t think I would. I’d been away so often when they were little. But when I was home, I always checked into their room at night, to make sure they were sleeping soundly. I’d tuck them back in, brush the hair from their faces, and just stare at them—so beautiful, so perfect. In the morning, they’d come running into my room and jump on me if I was still at home. I’d take them out for bagels and the Sunday Times on the weekend.” His voice broke and, embarrassed, he looked away, quickly. Drawing a deep breath, he summoned the courage to look back and search her face for her reaction to his acceptance of the blame for a failed marriage.

  Ella was just staring at him. “Well, hell, I’ve said too much,” he thought. But then she reached over and stroked his hand just once, tentatively and tenderly. It seemed she was almost talking to herself when she spoke.

  “You study and study and study. You do everything you can to ace the course, get the best internship, compile an awesome resume. Then you go sleepless for weeks studying for licensing exams so you can actually work at what you have given every bit of yourself to become. You pass, you get your lice
nse, you have the job everyone wants, entry-level, but your foot is in the door. Then you kiss a personal life and sleep good-bye for at least three years as you put in hundred-hour weeks and more. Finally, you are established, somewhat. You’re not the new kid—you have an actual office and a secretary. You don’t get the scut work anymore. You can breathe. And you realize that you have no one but the people you know from the job. Your family has rarely seen you, your friends are in varying stages of the same situation and you can’t remember the last time you had sex.”

  Levi snorted out a short laugh. Ella smirked at him and laughed. “Well, okay, maybe that was not a problem for you. Actually, I’m certain that was not a problem for you. But the rest of us don’t have willing partners throwing themselves at us.” Levi started to protest but she cut him off. “They told me what everyone calls you. Dr. Hottie Rock Star. It fits.”

  “I choose to believe I got that nickname because of my skill with a scalpel.” He sounded miffed even to himself, but he hated that label.

  “Be that as it may, even though I’m sure you never had a dry spell, I’m sure you know what I mean. So, you start looking for someone. Someone who will understand your crazy life. Another lawyer for me seemed to be the best answer.”