by J. H. Croix
“Dr. Daniels already left. He said for you to call him if you needed anything,” she said.
“He did?”
Donna nodded, her smile widening. “He sure did. He said he mentioned the appointments for this week to you.”
Quinn leaned against the counter surrounding Donna’s desk. “He did, but I guess I thought maybe he’d be around some.”
“Oh, he’ll be around, but I don’t think he plans to do any more work other than giving you a little guidance here and there. Trust me, he said he’d wait until you were here, but that man is seriously ready to retire!”
Quinn eyed Donna for a long moment and chuckled. “Right. He did say he’d be backing out as soon as I was up and running. I guess I didn’t realize that meant today.”
Donna laughed and shrugged. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. He’ll pop in here and there.” Her smiled faded. “He’s tired. He’s got arthritis in his back and one of his hands. His mind might be sharp as a tack, but he can’t be on his feet all day anymore. He was more than relieved to find you. I’ll take care of the schedule. All you need to do is show up. Do you have anything to move into your office?”
“I’ve been traveling so much the last few years, I don’t have much of anything. I’ll bring some reference books in. I guess I should be glad he left the furniture,” he said with a shake of his head.
Donna’s warm smile returned. “You just tell me if you need anything for your office, and I’ll get it.”
The phone jingled cheerily just then, and she held up a finger as she tapped the button on her headset. After she greeted whoever was calling, she nodded while she was listening and then asked to put them on hold. Her eyes swung back to Quinn. “We have a little boy who broke his wrist. Can you see him right now, or should I send him to the hospital? It’s one of our regular patients.”
Quinn mentally nudged himself into doctor mode. He might have had a more gradual transition in mind, but there was no reason not to get started right away. “Tell them to come on down. I’ve got the lay of the land in the exam room, so I know we have what we need.”
Donna beamed at him, clearly pleased he wasn’t hesitating to leap in. Roughly a half an hour later, a mother stood by the exam table, watching carefully while Quinn fit a cast on her son’s arm. Quinn had already x-rayed the boy’s arm, confirming the suspected broken wrist, and set the break carefully. The little boy with his bright blonde hair and round blue eyes had managed to fall off the family’s back deck while attempting to prove he could balance on the thin railing.
“Okay, Benny, you should be good to go,” Quinn announced once he finished adjusting the air cast.
Benny lifted his arm experimentally. “I like the purple,” he announced.
Sandy, his mother, rolled her eyes. “That would be what he notices,” she said to Quinn. “How long did you say he needs to wear the cast again?”
“Let’s schedule a follow up in three weeks. Kids heal pretty quickly, but I’d like to take a look and maybe switch out the cast then.” Quinn looked to Benny. “Remember what I said, take it easy with that arm.”
Benny nodded, his hair falling over his eyes as he did. Quinn followed them out to the reception area and bantered with Benny, while his mother scheduled the follow up appointment with Donna. After they left, Donna looked over at him. “Lacey and Marley Adams stopped by while you were busy. I told them you would be available after you finished up. They said to tell you they’d be at the brewery for lunch if you wanted to meet them.” Donna paused, her eyes assessing. “So, are the rumors true about you and Lacey?”
When his eyes widened, Donna grinned. “You’d better get used to it. This town’s tiny. When it comes to locals, rumors travel faster than a brush fire. Lacey’s never been linked with anyone, so it’s news if she’s with you.”
Quinn sighed and chuckled. “Willow Brook’s about the same size as Diamond Creek, so I’m familiar with the small town rumor mill. I guess I didn’t realize anyone would even notice. I’ve hardly been here.”
“Maybe so, but you’ve been staying with Lacey the whole time. Anyway, if you ask me, you couldn’t find a better woman. You two are peas in a pod with all that backcountry wilderness stuff. I love Alaska and a good view, but that kind of hiking is just crazy if you ask me.”
“I guess I’m glad you approve,” he said slowly.
Donna’ sly grin made him realize she’d just confirmed the answer to her question. He shook his head and pushed away from the counter. “Alright then. I think I’ll take off to grab some lunch. I’ll be back in a bit. I’d like to go over the schedule for next week and drag in what little I have for the office.”
Chapter 16
Lacey ran along Raven’s Beach, savoring the icy air rushing into her lungs with each breath. It had been several weeks since Quinn had been officially here. She remained muddled if she tried to think about what she wanted. Yet, whenever they were together every moment was infused with an intimacy she couldn’t ignore. He’d been so busy getting started at work that it was only this morning he mentioned needing to try to find his own place to live. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to say what her heart wanted, which was for him not to go anywhere and stay with her. Once he’d left for work, she’d spent an hour online to plan and schedule some hiking trips next summer for customers. Her business was almost entirely conducted online, except for when she was personally guiding trips. After she finished up, she’d thrown on her winter running clothes and headed to the beach.
It continued to snow here and there, although winter hadn’t taken a firm hold yet. They’d woken this morning to a frost-covered landscape. With an overcast sky and no sun breaking through to melt it, the heavy dusting of frost remained. It crunched under her feet as she slowed to a walk at the point where she usually turned back. The beach grasses were faded and gray under the frost. She paused to look out over the bay, which was calm at the moment. The mountains on the far side were partially obscured by the clouds. A raven called out from the trees nearby, and she spun away from the water to search it out.
Several ravens were perched in the spruce forest, chattering amongst themselves. She watched long enough to see the source of the chatter—a magpie darting among the trees and harassing the larger ravens. Even in the gray light, she could see the flash of its iridescent blue and green feathers. She laughed when a raven lifted from the trees and chased the magpie away. Undeterred, the magpie swooped back to the trees.
As she began her run back, she took stock, mentally scanning her body. Dr. Marshall had ruled out any other medical causes for Lacey’s symptoms, but she was still holding off on a formal MS diagnosis. She wanted to confirm that the nerve damage stemmed from separate events. Lacey was still annoyed with the situation, although she was learning to tolerate the uncertainty. It helped to have Quinn confirm he agreed with Dr. Marshall’s caution. She recalled Violet’s words about how she’d become stronger in a different way. Lacey wasn’t sure that’s what she wanted, but she was trying to adjust. Problem was, as long as she didn’t have an official diagnosis, she kept clinging to the hope that this cluster of episodes was nothing more than a blip that would never happen again.
At the moment, she felt like her old self—strong and powerful. She’d always loved running because of the high it gave her and the way it grounded her into the moment. Right now, all she knew was the feel of her feet pushing against the sand with each stride, the flex of her muscles and the rhythm of her breath. As more time had passed since her last episode, she’d become braver about returning to her old habits of running long distances. She figured as long as she had her phone, she’d be able to call for help if needed.
The fabled runner’s high was coursing through her. Her mood light, she dug in and pushed herself to run harder. After roughly a half mile, one of her legs gave out abruptly. She’d been moving so fast, she couldn’t catch her balance when she started to stumble and crashed onto the sand and rocks. Sharp pain shot through her
arm where her elbow collided with a rock. She tried to clamber up, but her right leg wasn’t cooperating at all. It felt like a dead weight. Unlike the other times, she had no warning—no preceding weakness and no tingling. Now that she’d fallen, the weakness was quite evident and her nerves tingled along the outside of her thigh.
She lay there for several minutes, the sand cold underneath her, before she slowly sat up. It wasn’t impossible to do with her useless leg, but it was beyond annoying. Once again, her strength and physical fitness were failing her. She sat there and stared out over the water, the layers of gray well suited to her now-gloomy mood. Her runner’s high had disappeared the second she crashed to the ground. She tried to take heart in Violet’s words, but right now she just wanted to cry. Tears rolled down her cheeks. The ocean and mountains across blurred as she sat there. She didn’t even have the energy to wipe her tears away. Her breath misted the air around her with every heave and sob. Alone on the empty beach with no one to hear, she cried and cried until the tears slowed and she was left wrung out.
Dragging her sleeve across her damp cheeks, she took stock. She experimented with lifting her leg, but it defied her. She could only move it incrementally. Her left leg felt completely normal though, and her vision was fine. She supposed she should count her blessings, but she wasn’t really feeling it at the moment. She glanced around to find a raven perched on a piece of driftwood nearby, watching her curiously. She watched the raven in return until the bird hopped off the driftwood and took flight, returning to its friends in the trees. She was starting to get cold, so she pulled her phone out and stared at the screen.
She was torn over calling Quinn. On the one hand, she desperately wanted to soak in his strength and comfort. On the other, she didn’t like how vulnerable she felt just now. Yet, she’d feel vulnerable no matter who she called for help. Her mother would fuss over her and worry like crazy. It would be the same with Marley. While Quinn would worry, he wasn’t the type to fuss. Only he could offer the comfort she craved at the moment because it was a quite specific Quinn-craving.
If you were wondering how you felt about him… Her traitorous mind chose now to chime in. Not now, okay. It’s bad enough I’ve collapsed on the beach and am sick to death of not knowing for sure what the hell is wrong. I don’t need to worry about whatever the hell is going on with Quinn too. Just sayin’ maybe you should stop wrestling with how you feel about him. Damn, the competing voices inside of her head could be headstrong.
With a mental shake, she tapped the screen and pulled up Quinn’s name. In a second, the phone was ringing. He picked up on the third ring. “Hey, what’s up?”
She froze, nervous to report she’d once again collapsed on the beach. She waited long enough that he spoke again. “Lace? You still there?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m here. Are you busy?”
“I’m just finishing up on some paperwork if that counts as busy. I don’t have any more appointments today though. Donna usually works one half day a week and today’s her day for that, so we keep the afternoon clear.”
“Oh, okay.”
“You okay? You sound, I don’t know, off.”
“That might be because I went for a run and one of my legs stopped working again.”
“What else is going on and where are you?” he asked, his tone sharp and abrupt.
She could practically see him shift gears. He was all focus and concern. “Not much else happening here unless you count the tide starting to come in.”
“I’m on my way. Which beach?”
“Same one where I fell before,” she said with a sigh. Her throat was tightening with tears again. Dammit, she did not want to cry again. She gulped in air and the feeling subsided.
“Aside from your leg, tell me how you feel.”
She could hear his footsteps and then the sound of what she surmised was his car door. Just knowing he was on the way instantly soothed her inside.
“Nothing else. I don’t have that weird blurry vision thing, and it’s just my right leg. I probably bruised my elbow when I fell on a rock though.”
“Okay, you’re staying on the line until I get there.”
She gripped the phone tightly in her hand, part of her chafing against needing anyone this much. “I don’t need to stay on the line,” she said, tears threatening again.
“I’m on my way. Just stay on the phone,” he countered.
“Why?” Her voice rose a notch, and she flinched how churlish she sounded.
“Because I’m worried. That’s all,” he said, his voice softening.
Emotion tightened her throat, and she closed her eyes. The part of her that savored his protectiveness managed to shush her childish, argumentative side.
“Lace? You’re not talking. Still with me?”
“Right here, not hanging up even if I kinda want to.”
He chuckled at that. “Thanks for humoring me.”
She got through the next few minutes with snippets of conversation about her surroundings. Quinn’s office was downtown, so he was maybe ten minutes from the path leading to the beach. He must have set a new record to get there because she saw his form appear on the path just past five minutes from when she called.
Quinn saw Lacey sitting on the sand, her bright purple jacket standing out in the gray light. In the short span of time since she’d called, his heart had been pounding for all the wrong reasons. He could tell himself intellectually she’d be okay, but it didn’t seem to translate to his heart. She’d taken up residence there and all he knew was he needed to make sure she was okay. He broke into a run. “Almost there,” he said into the phone.
“I know. I can see you,” she said wryly.
The fact she could summon a little humor eased his concern. She was further down the beach this time than she had been before. Close to a mile he guessed. Only when he reached her did he start to relax inside. She glanced up, her green eyes bright against her skin. The look of relief in her eyes was so clear, all he wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and promise her it would be okay. He would make sure it would. Yet, right now, it was cold and the tide was coming in. He needed to get her off the beach and to Dr. Marshall’s office as soon as humanly possible.
“You can hang up now,” she said. She started to smile, but it wobbled and she looked down.
His heart clenched. He slipped his phone in his pocket and eased down by her side on one knee. The sand was icy cold, and he realized Lacey was probably freezing. He stroked a palm down her spine and felt the subtle shivers running through her.
“How long have you been sitting here?”
She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Not long. Maybe ten minutes or so before I called you. Please don’t tell me I should’ve called right away. I was hoping it would pass.”
He took a breath, trying to wrestle the emotions crashing through him. This was so not him. While this might not be a full-blown crisis, under usual circumstances when he was assisting a friend or customer on trips if they were injured, he’d be entirely focused on what needed to happen. Instead, all he could think about was wrapping Lacey in his arms and wiping the guarded, fearful look in her eyes away.
He mentally shook himself, forcing his attention to what needed to happen. “We need to get you off this beach before you get much colder. Let’s see if you can walk with my support. Okay?”
At her nod, he eased his arm around her back. She shifted onto her left hip and slowly adjusted her good leg, so the foot was planted on the ground. With him holding most of her weight, they slowly stood. When he glanced down, her mouth was in a tight line and her breath came in short pants.
“Okay?” he asked.
She nodded tightly, keeping her eyes averted. He moved to her weak side and slipped his arm around her waist, holding firmly. They started to walk, but it was clearly difficult for her. After several moments, she stopped.
“Give me a sec.”
Her shivering had increased. Knowing how hard she tended to push herself whe
n she ran, Quinn figured she’d worked up a sweat before her leg gave out, which meant her body was chilled from the damp sweat now. He looked ahead, calculating how long it would take them to reach his car. A cold wind had begun to gust off the bay, whipping across the beach.
He glanced to her. Strands of her auburn hair had come loose from her ponytail and blew around her face. She looked weary and frustrated. He didn’t wait to ask and turned, quickly lifting her in his arms.
“Hey! I can make it,” she said, her voice lilting.
“I’m sure you can, but we’ve got a ways to go. It’s freezing and I want to get you to Dr. Marshall’s office now.”
To his surprise, she didn’t argue. He adjusted her in his arms with one arm under her hips and the other at the bend of her knees. She looped her arms around his shoulders, managing a weak grin. “Fine, I’ll let you be all manly and carry me.”
He chuckled, relieved she wasn’t arguing. However, her lack of resistance also concerned him because it told him a lot about how weak she must be feeling. It tore at his heart to see the strong woman he knew feeling this weak. He began walking with her held against his chest. She was quiet after that and eventually relaxed into his hold. With each step, his heart squeezed a little tighter. He needed to get her through this afternoon and somehow figure out what to do with what was happening between them. He didn’t know if his heart could take anything less than everything. He was damning his own fear of simply trying to talk to her, as Marley had suggested so long ago now. Each time he considered it, he’d get wrapped up in the moment, or avoid it for fear of messing up how good it felt.
