12. Some Space

12

SOME SPACE

O n Thursday, Andi walked into Bond Dental to get her two teeth repaired and lighten her savings account while she was at it.

"Hi," she said. "I'm here for an appointment with Dr. Bond. Andrea Benson."

It still was odd for her to say that name, even after two years.

She wondered if it would ever feel natural to her.

Or if she'd get rid of the jitters that she had right now.

Sure, the dentist wasn't anything like the ER she'd been in last week. Or when she fell down the stairs almost two years ago.

But it was still nerve wracking to her and she felt as if she had no one she could even talk to about it now. She wouldn't call and whine to Jack. He didn't need that on his shoulders.

The hardest part of hearing her name now was that her grandfather always said, "You look just like your Grandmother Andrea." Thinking of those words that first year cut through her.

Good thing it was also her middle name and had been used toward her in the past. It made life a little easier but still hard to not say or answertothe name she'd had for almost thirty years.

"Yes," the woman said. "Take a seat."

She moved to one of the chairs and sat. Thankfully her black eye was gone so she could stop applying her makeup as if she was going center stage in the clown act at the circus.

Her phone went off with a text and she pulled it out quickly. She'd turn it off when she was getting her work done, as she didn't want to jump or jerk in an inopportune time. Like when there were sharp tools in her mouth.

The text was from Jarrett wishing her luck.

She smiled and replied thanks.

No reason to get into a long texting conversation right now.

That wasn't her anyway and she didn't want him to know she was having any anxiety being here. The last thing she needed was the new guy she might try to start something with thinking she was a nutcase on top of being a klutz.

What a fun date that had been.

They hadn't even talked much as she was too busy kicking his butt bringing in their dinner.

The chagrined look on his face said it all.

But he was good to his word and cleaned the three fish she caught. She cooked them because it was the least she could do. They both had a lot of leftovers from it too.

While he'd been cleaning the fish on her deck, she'd put together a potato salad. Something easy and she'd sent it home with him too. Again, soft enough for her to eat.

"Andrea Benson?"

She stood up and followed the woman through the doors and to the back, then took a seat and waited.

"Hi, Andrea," Coy Bond said when he came in. "Ready for this?"

"As ready as I'm going to be," she said.

"Mandy is going to numb you with some gel before the shots. You shouldn't feel much pain at all. If any. But you'll feel some vibrations as I try to smooth your teeth down so that the resin will adhere better. Then we'll get you all set and out of here in less than forty minutes or so."

"That's not bad," she said. "I thought it'd be more."

"I'm fast," Coy said. "And good."

There was a boyish grin on his face. She'd met Drew Bond before and saw the resemblance between the brothers.

"I'm banking on both of them," she said.

Mandy stuck some numbing gel on her gums while Coy said, "I'll be back in about five minutes. Going to check on a few more patients."

She'd set this appointment later in the day so that she could get a full day of appointments in. Or catch up as best as she could from the week being out. She was almost there.

There were no plans with Jarrett tonight. She hadn't seen him since he left after dinner on Sunday.

They cleaned up after they ate, they talked a bit, and then she gave him one hell of a kiss before he walked out the door.

Andi knew he wasn't going to make that move. The little light peck on the cheek on Friday was nice, but she wanted more.

She needed to feel the heat and know that what she felt for him wasn't just gratitude for him saving her, but something more.

When her knees were wobbling and she had to steady herself with her hands on his shoulders, she had her answer.

The cocky grin he was giving her said he knew what she was feeling too. And she had no problem with that when she normally kept her feelings to herself.

"Let's see if you're numb," Mandy said.

She turned her head to where Mandy had been getting things ready. She tried not to look at all the tools being laid out.

She opened her mouth and Mandy was feeling around. "Nothing," she said.

"Good," Mandy said. "I'll get Dr. Bond. He'll give you the shots and then it will be a few minutes after that."

She sat there while Coy came back in, gave her two shots, then left to check on another patient.

When five minutes went by, he returned. "Let's see how you're doing," Coy said.

She opened her mouth again and he was poking around with some tool that she'd seen him pick up, but didn't feel a thing.

"Nothing," she said.

"Good," Coy said. "We can get started. You're going to hear the noise. It's just the sander. Don't worry. I'll make sure my hand doesn't slip and hit another tooth."

"Dentist humor?" she asked.

He was grinning and then pulled his mask up and put a shield over his face. That didn't make her feel any better.

Jesus, was debris going to fly out and hit him? Was she going to go through more pain or injuries than she'd already endured? Maybe she could just live with the chipped teeth.

"I can tell by the look on your face I just made you nervous. I don't like goggles, as they tend to steam up with the mask. I can't get my eyes scratched if something did come out and it has happened."

"Good idea," she said, forcing some bravado. "I'd rather you focus on the right teeth too."

Andi lay back in the chair while Coy did his work. She shut her eyes at one point because the light was bothering her. She was glad the vibrations weren't giving her a headache.

"I think you're done," Coy said. "Bite down on this one more time and rub your teeth back and forth."

She did as she was instructed for the third time. Not that she understood the reason for it but didn't need to know either.

"Thanks," she said when Coy said everything looked good.

"The Novocain should wear off in an hour or so. Maybe longer for some people, but you're good to go and eat like you normally would. If you have any problems or pain or something feels off or not even, give us a call."

She drove home and, though she was hungry, she wasn't going to eat anything until her mouth wasn't numb. She didn't feel like chewing on half her cheek and not knowing.

Once she got to her house, Andi pulled her phone out of her purse and realized she'd missed a call from Jack. He never worried much when that happened since she could have been with clients.

It was only twenty minutes ago so she called back.

"Hey," Jack said. "I was just checking in on you."

"I'm fine," she said. He'd been texting her daily and she was surprised it'd taken him this long toactuallycall.

"You sound funny. Are you sure?"

"Half my mouth and face are numb," she said. "I'm probably slurring my words. I just got my teeth fixed."

"I forgot about that," Jack said. "You know you can submit that in for payment. There are funds for that."

"No," she said. "I've got it and you know that."

"No use arguing with you," Jack said. "I never win."

She snorted. "Please. You've won enough and on the big things and that is why you give in on the small ones."

"True. Everything else good?"

"It is," she said. No reason to bring up her two dates with Jarrett. She was positive Jack wasn't going to have anything good to say about it and she wasn't in the mood for a lecture.

Not to mention it was only two dates. And though she wanted more, they hadn't made plans for a third yet. Work was keeping them both busy, but they did have contact each day. If not a few texts then a call.

Jarrett knew she had her appointment today, so she expected he might call later. Or maybe she'd call him. They kind of took turns.

"That's good," Jack said. "Feeling fine too? No problems from the accident?"

"None," she said. "I've been enjoying the nice weather we've had, but now it's turning colder."

"If you stayed here you wouldn't have that problem as much," Jack said.

"I'm happy here," she said earnestly. "Isn't that what you want?"

There was silence on the other end. "Yes. Always. Listen, about Boston."

"No," she said firmly.

"You just said you're happy there," Jack argued.

"I am, but it's been a few months. I haven't even gone through the weather for a full year. Give me some space to figure it out. Please. I know where you are. I know you've got marshals in Boston keeping an eye on things and I've got their numbers too."

She didn't get regularcheck-inslike she thought she would here. That surprised her and also told her that maybe she was being watched without knowing.

Something to think about.

She could just be paranoid too. She had Jack checking in on her here often so maybe they didn't need someone local doing it. That was why he'd moved with her at first. Or her with him. Jack wanted to be the one that was watching her.

Said he owed it to her father.

Andi didn't like being an obligation to anyone.

"As long as I know you'll reach out if you need anything. And that you do it right away."

"You know I will," she said. "Now can I go and try to find some food to eat?"

"Sure," Jack said. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye," she said and hung up the phone, then sat on the couch to stew.

Why did life have to be so complicated?