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“And yet the merger didn’t happen.”
“Not our fault.”
She shrugged. “Are we done?”
“Do you accept my apology?”
“What difference could it possibly make now?”
He looked into her beautiful eyes, hoping he could see some emotion there. He didn’t. If she felt anything, she wasn’t willing to share it with him. “Haven’t you ever done something you regretted? Hurt someone you cared about? Wouldn’t you want their forgiveness, no matter how late your apology was in coming?”
She closed her eyes. “Fine. I forgive you. Now if there’s nothing else...”
He wished he believed her, but he knew she was saying whatever it took to get rid of him. Gaining her forgiveness would take time.
“Just one more thing. I want you to know that I contacted my Realtor and tried to get out of my lease. I can’t. So as much as I hate to do it to you, we’re stuck as neighbors.”
She blew out an exasperated breath. “That it? Or do you have some other bad news to drop on me?”
“No. That’s it.” He’d pressed her as far as he dared. He needed to give her space. Besides, he needed to get back to Bobby. “Good night.”
She didn’t answer, but then, he didn’t expect her to. After the way he’d hurt her, he didn’t deserve forgiveness that easily. But it was a start. At this point, he would take it.
“How long is this going to take?” Bobby asked as Rick parked in front of the medical building the next morning. Bobby had been grumbling since Rick told him he couldn’t stay home alone. The town was small and safe, but Rick wasn’t comfortable leaving his son on his own for more than a few minutes. Once he and Bobby got settled, he was going to find someone to watch Bobby until school started.
“Not long. I told you I want to get a look around and see what I need to do.” Agreeing to set up the practice sight unseen had been risky, but Rick saw this as both a professional and personal opportunity. He’d relied on information provided by the mayor in conversations over the past several months and photos provided by the real-estate agent. This was the first time he would see his building in person. Hopefully those pictures were accurate.
“What am I supposed to do?”
“I told you to plan on occupying yourself. You could have brought a book. If you don’t plan—”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll get waylaid and end up where I don’t want to be. Like here.”
“Bobby.”
“Never mind. I’ll just sit in the car and listen to the radio.”
“Not a chance.” Rick removed the key from the ignition and stepped out. After fixing Rick with a glare and heaving a sigh so heavy he must have pulled oxygen from his toes, Bobby got out of the car and slammed the door just in case Rick hadn’t picked up on his annoyance.
A man of about Rick’s height was walking in their direction. He smiled. “Are you Dr. Tyler?”
“Yes.”
The man offered his hand. “I’m Lex Devlin.”
“Mr. Mayor. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Call me Lex.” He turned his attention to Bobby. “Hi. You must be Bobby.”
To his credit, despite how annoyed he was with Rick, his son was polite. “Yes. It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
Lex nodded. “I’m here to answer any questions you might have.”
“Thanks. We were just about to have a look around. You’re welcome to join us.”
The inside of the building was as tidily kept as the outside. Although it hadn’t been used in some time, there wasn’t the grime he expected. He ran a finger across the counter separating the empty waiting area from the examination rooms. Not a speck of dust.
“Sweet Briar is a great place to live, but lately we’ve had a hard time keeping a doctor. Our last doctor got married and moved to Boston after six months because his wife wanted to live near her family. The one before only lasted three months before deciding that although she wanted to live in a small town, she didn’t mean one this small. Everyone was so excited about having a doctor make a two-year commitment that several people got together and cleaned the offices last week.”
“Wow. Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me. I didn’t do anything. But I will pass your appreciation along to those who actually did the work.”
Rick walked past the counter. There was enough space for two workstations as well as file cabinets. He continued down the hall and opened the first of six doors. The room was large and the sun streamed through the big window on the far wall. He could envision two examination tables as well as a desk, scale, guest chair and other equipment fitting in the space. Three other rooms were the same size, and there were two smaller ones that could be used as offices.
A second hallway led to a bathroom and a room that could be used as a break room. Although the walls could use a fresh coat of paint, he was pleased by what he saw.
“When do you think you’ll be ready to start seeing patients?”
“I hope within the next three weeks. I need to hire a nurse and a receptionist, but I can muddle along without them at first if need be. The truck bringing my office furniture should arrive in a few days.”
“I’ll put out the word about the employees you need. It shouldn’t be hard for you to find someone qualified around here.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
Rick let the mayor out then walked through the offices once more. Excitement swept through him along with the desire to share the experience with someone. His ex-wife was long gone. Not that he and Sherry had shared much toward the end of their marriage. Bobby was here, but he was too angry to share Rick’s happiness. Charlotte had been his closest friend in Sweet Briar, and once upon a time she would have been beside him, sharing his joy. They weren’t friends now. He’d ruined that years ago with his selfish behavior.
He blew out a breath, his excitement diminished by regret.
“Can we leave now?” Bobby asked. “All you’re doing is staring into space. You can do that at home.”
Rick threw his arm over his son’s shoulder. There was no sense looking back at a past he couldn’t change. He needed to concentrate on the present. “Yes. We can leave.”
Rick locked the door, glad for the moment that Bobby hadn’t shrugged off his arm. Things were looking up.
Chapter Three (#ud331756f-56b2-54e4-9246-e72215417a01)
Charlotte’s stomach growled as she closed the cabinet door on her newly organized dishes. Over the past couple of days she’d cleaned her house from top to bottom, removing every speck of dust from every crack and crevice. She swiped a hand over her forehead, wiping away perspiration. Maybe she would paint. One of her secret pleasures was watching home renovations shows. She didn’t kid herself that she had what it took to gut her kitchen and rebuild it, but surely she could put in a new tile backsplash. And maybe while she was changing her house, she could find a way to change her life.
After her stomach rumbled again, she decided it was time to quit for the day and get something to eat. Her appetite had waned over the past few days and she’d skipped meals. She knew part of the reason for her loss of appetite was the death of her lifelong dream of one day running Shields Manufacturing. The job represented more than professional achievement. It would have been proof that her father really did love her and that everything she’d sacrificed to gain that love had been worth it. Watching him give that job to someone else smashed that delusion. Her father didn’t love her. She’d only been kidding herself.
He hadn’t called her to explain his actions, or to ask her to return. He hadn’t even had his secretary call to see if she was all right. It was as if she no longer existed. She shouldn’t be surprised. He’d turned his back on her sister Carmen just as easily. Carmen had been a bit of a wild child as a teenager, bringing shame on the family. When she was eighteen, she’d been involved in a fatal car accident. Carmen hadn’t been driving, nor had she been drinking, but that hadn’t mattered to their father. He’d thrown her out of the house and washed his hands of her. To her shame, Charlotte had joined her father in order to gain his approval, rejecting the little sister who’d loved her. When Carmen returned to town a couple of years ago, she’d reached out. Charlotte had repeatedly rejected her. What a fool she’d been.
Of course, her job situation was only part of the reason she’d skipped meals and was having trouble sleeping. The biggest part was residing on the other side of her shared wall. She’d managed to avoid Rick for the past three days, but she’d been aware of his presence. She’d seen him coming and going, but he hadn’t sought her out again. And that was fine with her. She didn’t want to have anything to do with him. Sure, he’d apologized, but so what? It was only words. Empty words that didn’t change a thing.
Deciding she’d spent more time than she cared to thinking about Rick Tyler, she pulled open her refrigerator door. Nothing appealed to her. She wasn’t the best cook, and apart from a few simple meals that she made on a regular rotation, she was pretty useless in the kitchen. After the past few rotten days she’d endured, she deserved something good and greasy.
She looked at her clothes. Upholding the family status as leaders in the community had been drilled into her since birth. Appearance had meant everything, so she’d never dreamed of being seen in public wearing jeans and a T-shirt. She might not still work for her father, but some things were too deeply ingrained in her to simply vanish.
Dashing up the stairs, she washed up and changed into a lavender sleeveless blouse and dark purple cropped pants. She pulled a comb through her hair then slid a band over it, to hold it off her face. She added lipstick then pronounced herself ready for the world.
The drive to Mabel’s Diner was short and she found a parking space right away. The sun was beginning to set and a cool breeze blew, filling the air with the scent of the flowers overflowing the planters lining the street. Even in the worst of economic times, Sweet Briar had managed to maintain the landscaping. Despite the gloom in her heart, her spirits lifted a little at the sight of the colorful flowers.
Grabbing her book from the passenger seat, Charlotte headed for the diner. She smiled at several people as she passed them but they didn’t smile back. She swallowed the pain of their rejection. She’d rejected them first. She’d treated the citizens of Sweet Briar—some of whom worked for her at Shields Manufacturing—like dirt beneath her feet. She’d been scornful, arrogant and downright rude. She deserved to be ignored. She’d earned it.
Besides, they had no way of knowing the kind of week she’d had and how desperately she needed a smile. Or maybe they did. News traveled faster than light in Sweet Briar. By now everyone could know that her father had given the job she’d lived for to a stranger and that the man who’d ditched her at the altar was back in town. She froze and reconsidered going into the diner. No. She wasn’t going to hide like a criminal.
She picked up the pace and walked through the door.
And straight into Rick Tyler and his son.
Great. Sweet Briar was a small town, and she knew they would run into each other from time to time, but now?
“Hi, Charlotte,” Rick said cautiously.
“Hi.” She didn’t return his smile. Maybe if she didn’t do anything to encourage conversation, he would take the hint and leave her alone.
“Bobby, say hello.”
Or not.
“Hi,” the kid said dutifully. There was a sadness in his eyes that she recognized. She saw it in the mirror every morning.
“Hi, Bobby.” She smiled at him. After all, she didn’t have anything against him.
She looked around, hoping to find an empty booth. After a few minutes, a group of four rose and a busboy began to clear the table. The hostess came up to Rick. “Your table is ready.”
Rick turned back to Charlotte. “Are you meeting someone or would you like to join us?”
He smiled again, and despite the fact that he was the last man in the world she wanted to spend time with, her heart skipped a beat and was off to the races. Reminding herself that he’d hurt and humiliated her didn’t help. At a couple of inches over six feet with a muscular body, he had always appealed to her. His face had matured over the past dozen years, but he still had those dimples that had always made her go weak in the knees. And darn if her knees didn’t feel a little wobbly now.
“I’d rather eat alone.”
Rick turned back to the hostess. “How long is the wait?”
“Twenty-five minutes. You’re lucky that party finished when they did.”
“I don’t mind waiting,” Charlotte said. “I’m not that hungry.” Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, giving lie to her words.
Rick’s smile wavered, then faded. “I know I hurt you, Charlotte. And I also know my apology didn’t take away the pain of seeing me. Sorry for bothering you.”
He turned to go but his words echoed in her mind. Didn’t take away the pain? Did he think she wasn’t over being left at the altar after twelve long years? That her poor little heart was still hurting? That she couldn’t handle being around him without wanting to dissolve into tears? What kind of weakling did he think she was? No way was she going to live next door to him while he gave her pitying looks. She would show him that Charlotte Shields was stronger than anyone he’d ever met.
“On second thought,” she said loud enough to have him pausing midstep, “I am hungry and would prefer not to wait.”
He turned back and smiled. “Come on.”
They scooted around crowded tables, following the hostess to the vacant booth. She placed the menus on the table then smiled at them. “Your server will be with you soon. Enjoy your meal.”
Bobby slid into one side of the booth, and Rick stood aside waiting for Charlotte to sit on the other. She squelched a sigh when he sat down beside her. The bench was small, but she moved as far away from Rick as she could. She was eating with him to prove a point, but did that require sitting close enough to inhale his cologne?
The waitress appeared, pad in hand, ready to take their orders.
“Could we have another minute?” Rick asked.
“No problem.”
“It’s nice running into you here,” Rick said. “Right, Bobby?”
“Sure,” the kid said from behind his menu.
Rick removed the menu from his son’s hands and set it on the table. “Bobby, don’t be rude.”
Charlotte stared at Rick’s son. “I brought a book because I was planning to enjoy my meal alone. Your dad is the one who insisted I join you, not the other way around, kid.”
Bobby looked like he wasn’t sure what to make of her. “He dragged me here, too. I wanted McDonald’s.”
“Fat chance of that. There isn’t a McDonald’s for miles around. But Mabel’s food is great. I’m getting a double burger and a mega basket of fries. Maybe even some onion rings. And before you ask, I’m not sharing, so if you want some get your own.”
The kid’s eyes were the size of saucers. “You mean you aren’t getting a salad?”
“I hate vegetables. Especially salad. I gave them up for Lent one year and decided to make it a lifestyle. I’m going to use a bunch of ketchup on my fries and you can pretend it’s tomatoes if that makes you feel better.”
The kid looked at her with something akin to admiration. Hopefully it was a passing phase. She didn’t want Bobby to get the idea that they were going to be friends. “I want what you’re getting.”
She glanced at Rick, who was staring at her like she had two heads. Tough. She wasn’t responsible for the kid’s diet. If he wanted the boy to eat vegetables he was going to have to fight that battle on his own.
“You’re kidding, right?” Rick asked, hope in his eyes. He really did expect her to help him manage his son’s diet. Poor thing. He may have asked for her forgiveness and may even regret his actions, but that only got him so far. She’d lived with the pain of his rejection for years. She’d heard the whispers behind her back. Then she’d learned to turn off her heart and keep people at a distance. An apology, no matter how sincerely made, wouldn’t turn back time.
“No. The only green thing I eat is pistachio ice cream. And only if they’re out of cookies and cream.” She looked at the boy again. “Two treats in one. Cookies and ice cream.”
Clearly awed, Bobby nodded as if she’d just shared some great wisdom with him.
Rick sputtered and Charlotte nearly laughed out loud. Incredibly, she was having fun. There was something freeing about not worrying about living up to her father’s impossible standards.
The waitress came and Charlotte gave her order. Bobby asked for the same thing.
“Make that three with two side salads,” Rick said, looking at Bobby.
“I hope they’re both for you because I’m giving up vegetables, too.” The kid looked at Charlotte. “When is Lent?”
“You’re out of luck. It started six weeks before Easter. You missed it.”
“Not to mention that we’re not Catholic,” Rick added.
“Neither am I,” Charlotte said.
“You’re not helping.”
