5. Charleigh

FIVE

CHARLEIGH

It was five minutes to five when I placed the chart from my last patient into the file cabinet, in alphabetical order, of course. The doctor I worked for was a bit old school, insisting that he still have physical copies of his charts, though we still had them updated electronically to comply with state medical record requirements.

The guy was close to seventy-five, and I was pretty sure he only conformed because he'd been forced into it, and he'd held out as long as he could.

But he was a good doctor. Cared. Took time with each of his patients. So, I didn't mind taking that extra step for him.

"I can't believe he still makes you do that."

I glanced over at Dr. Lingham where she was tapping something into her laptop as she strolled through the back office. She shot me a grin from the corner of her eye. Dr. Lingham was at least forty years younger than Dr. Reynolds, her ways a world apart, but their two styles complemented the other, and it made the small practice one of the busiest in the area.

"He says he doesn't want anything to do with one of those newfangled things." A playful smile edged my mouth as I gestured at her laptop .

"I guess he gets along just fine, doesn't he? Hell, half the time he's running circles around me," she mumbled, balancing her laptop on one forearm while she typed with the other hand, her eyes jumping between me and whatever she was inputting.

"I think he runs circles around all of us."

"He does." A slight dent formed between her dark brown eyes as she slowed to appraise me. "How are you adjusting? Do you need help with anything?"

I'd been working here as a medical assistant for two months, getting patients to their rooms and checking their vitals, making sure Dr. Reynolds had whatever he needed. Plus, I organized files and basically did anything else that needed to be done.

I'd never imagined it would be a position I'd take, but I found that I loved it. Making a small difference in patients' days. I was still shocked that I'd managed to get the license. That I'd been brave enough to enroll.

To take the name Charleigh Lowe.

I'd been terrified of being discovered, but I knew it was the first step in carving out a path for myself. I'd had to be something more than just a girl on her knees.

"Well, I think I'm doing a decent job?" I couldn't help phrasing it like a question.

She let go of a soft laugh. "I don't think I've seen things run so smoothly in the six years I've been here, so from my vantage, I think you're doing great. But that wasn't what I was asking."

She quirked a brow, prodding me further.

I laughed a small laugh with a subtle shake of my head, my ponytail swishing over my shoulders. I forced any shyness away as I gave her what she was asking for. "All right, then, I think I'm doing awesome and am a huge asset to the team."

"Exactly what I want to hear," she said with a grin, back to typing away. "Just know you can come to me for anything. We're a family here, and we want to make sure every one of our employees knows it."

"I do. Thank you."

"Any time. Now get out of here before you get sucked into some task that can wait until tomorrow. "

"All right, I'll see you in the morning."

"Have a nice evening."

I ducked out of the office and into the breakroom behind it, and I went to the little cubicle that was mine, grabbed my purse, and slung it over my shoulder.

Dr. Reynolds was shuffling down the hall when I stepped out.

"Oh, there she is. How was the day today, Charleigh?"

"It was really good."

He gave me a genuine smile. "That's great to hear. You keep up the good work. My patients have never been so comfortable when I come through the door, and that has everything to do with you."

He patted my shoulder in the fatherly way he always did. The man was always kind and sincere, and I gave him a smile of gratitude as I said, "Thank you. I really love working with them."

"I know you do. You have a good night."

He dipped his head, and I continued down the long hallway, passing by the examination rooms before I was pushing out the front. The lobby was empty, and the blinds had already been drawn. I pushed out one side of the swinging-glass doors and into the late afternoon light.

The sun remained high though it was sinking toward the west, the temperature still warm, and I followed the pathway down to the sidewalk that ran along 9 th street. I'd rented a little apartment about three blocks away so I'd be able to walk to and from work.

I tilted my face toward the warm rays, inhaling a deep, cleansing breath, before I blew out the little bit of tension that always followed me through work.

The thing was, though, the second I did, it always ushered in the loneliness. It was the deep, dark kind. The kind that was always waiting for you in the silence. The kind that festered in the vacant well that was hollowed out within me.

Swallowing around the lump it lifted in my throat, I did my best to shove it back down as I headed in the direction of my apartment.

I wore my favorite light pink scrubs and a white, long-sleeved tee underneath it to keep my healing tattoo from chafing .

In an instant, the violent, beautiful edges of his face flashed behind my eyes.

Unstoppable.

Unavoidable.

God, I didn't even know the man. And still, these reckless, perilous thoughts of him had plagued me for the last six days.

A dark stranger named River who was haunting me at the edges of my mind.

I couldn't scrape the memory of the way that buzzy energy had swarmed between us.

It had made me feel as if I were being drugged.

Hypnotized.

Affected.

Wanting something I'd been terrified of for most of my adult life.

To be touched.

Leave it to me that the first time I experienced that sensation it would be at the hands of a man who whispered of danger and malevolence.

But God, there'd been something tender about him, too. Something that was muddled by the ferocity that oozed from his being.

And here I was, being an idiot for even contemplating it.

Shoving those thoughts down, too, I tightened my hold on the strap of my bag and increased my pace, leaving the small medical plaza where I worked behind.

This area basically housed all the medical professionals in Moonlit Ridge and was the busiest section in town.

Two square blocks of roads that intersected, each boasting a light.

I crossed the street at the next intersection, and the more professional buildings gave way to restaurants and shops like Culberry Street flaunted, though here, they were more charming than trendy.

My apartment was in the middle of that block and on the second floor of a two-story building.

It was quaint and cute with white brick walls and blue shutters, and the two apartments had balconies wrapped in ornate black wrought-iron and overlooked the street .

The first floor was inhabited by a small café and a floral shop called Moonflower.

I went to pass by so I could round to the exterior steps that were on the side of the building that led to the landing of my apartment above, only I stalled out when I smelled the delicious scent of flowers wafting out through the white, wooden door that had been left propped open.

An A-frame chalkboard sitting out front read:

Sniffs are free – the rest are buy one, get three!

A bunch of flowers and swirls were drawn around it, and I couldn't help but smile as I shifted course and stepped through the door.

Inside, it carried the same quaintness of the exterior, a full country chic vibe with a splash of whimsy.

Two long aisles of fresh cut flowers ran down the middle, sitting in metal tubs that slotted into the wooden holes made in the display frames.

Along the two side walls were glass refrigerated cases with different bouquets in varying styles of vases, and a whitewashed wooden counter ran the back where the woman who owned the shop clipped fresh cut flowers and arranged them.

I'd been in a couple of times before, enough that when the owner stepped out from the back, a warm smile of recognition lit her face.

"Hey, Charleigh," she enthused, wiping off her hands on the apron she wore over a black denim jumper.

She had her long hair that was the color of the night sky in a braid that she then had twisted on her head, and a bunch of little white flowers were poked into the crown it made. She was probably a couple years younger than me, and I'd more than loved it when I found out she was the actual owner of the flower shop rather than just working there.

The first time she'd seen me pass by, she'd chased me down, following me halfway up my steps in an erratic bid to introduce herself. You could say she'd made quite the impression.

"Hi, Raven," I returned. "How are you? "

"Amazing! How about you? I haven't seen you in a few days. I was about to send out a search party." She quirked a teasing brow at me.

"Just have been busy and running around at work, but I definitely can't complain." Or at least, I refused to.

"But you have to be so exhausted after being on your feet at that clinic all day. And dealing with blood. Yick." She recoiled at that, her pretty face contorting in disgust.

I laughed with a soft shake of my head. "It's not so bad. It goes by fast. And we don't get a whole lot of bleeders, but when we do, it makes things interesting."

I waggled my brows like I was one of those who thrived in the chaos.

Not so much.

Thank God there was an actual urgent care just down the street from us, but every once in a while, someone came in with a bad cut that needed stitches. Since Dr. Reynolds had done those sorts of emergencies for years before the urgent care had opened, he still insisted on continuing to offer that type of care to his patients.

"I would literally pass out and die." Raven waved a hand in front of her face like she needed fresh air.

"Literally?" With a grin, I cocked my head at her.

Cracking up, she smacked her hand against the wooden countertop. "Okay, fine, maybe not die, but definitely the pass out part."

There was no stopping the way my smile spread. She was really adorable. Gorgeous in a way that could be intimidating if you let it, but there was something so kind that radiated from her that I doubted anyone would ever feel anything other than safe in her space.

An exaggerated gasp suddenly left her, and she lifted a finger. "Wait. I'm actually really glad you came in because I wanted to give this to you, and I totally forgot to get your number the last time you were here."

She pulled a flyer from a stack she had beside the register. "There is a big festival to raise money for the animal shelter coming up, because hello, the puppers ."

Her voice turned to an aww before she continued on in a torrent of words. "So, pretty much all the small businesses are getting together to throw this big party. There's going to be a band and dancing and food, and it's going to be a total blast, so you absolutely have to come."

Her hands flew all over the place as she described the event. "I'm going to have a small booth, but I plan on having a little fun of my own, and I've been wanting to invite you to get a drink or something, so this would be the perfect opportunity for us to get together."

I glanced at the little flyer she'd passed to me before I looked back up at the eagerness in her expression.

Anxiety skittered through my body.

"Oh, I'm not sure that's a?—"

"You can't say no! You just moved to town, and you need to get to know people. I seriously can't stand it that you're up there by yourself all the time."

She cupped a hand around her mouth, whispering the last while she pointed to the ceiling with the other like she was trying to keep it a secret that I lived by myself.

"I'm not alone all the time," I weakly argued.

That time, she was the one cocking her head. "Really?"

"Well, maybe I like to be alone," I amended.

"Really?" She challenged again before she dug her phone from her back pocket and tapped into it. "Here, give me your number so we can make plans."

"I—"

"Come on, Charleigh, it will be fun. I mean, unless you don't like me?" She feigned a pout and a whine, and I blew out an exasperated sigh before I muttered, "Fine."

I rattled off my number, and she squealed. "This is going to be amazing."

Then her eyes narrowed as she studied me from over the top of the counter. "What's your type?"

Confusion wound around me. I couldn't keep up with her. "Um…?"

She propped her elbows on the counter with her fingers still poised on her phone screen. "You know, who gets that cute body all hot and bothered?"

She shimmied her shoulders.

A surprised laugh gusted out of me because she was goofy and sweet and kind, and I didn't think I'd ever felt as welcomed as I did with her. My ribs clamped around my heart, in an instant adoring her without knowing her at all.

At the thought, that piece inside warned not to get close. No one could know me. Not really, anyway.

My head barely shook. "I don't really…date."

She made a sound of utter horror before she grinned. "I don't really, either, since my brother is ridiculously over-protective, but that doesn't mean we can't look, right?"

I did my best to keep River's face from flashing through my mind.

Because it was one guy.

One guy who'd ever had me hot and bothered.

I definitely wasn't going to tell her that.

"Um…sure?" I said it like a question.

"Get ready for an eyeful because my brother has the hottest group of friends." She groaned. "Just wait until you meet them…"

She was frantically typing something on her phone as she spoke, while a flare of panic lit in my chest.

"Oh, I meant it when I said I don't?—"

My phone dinged in my bag, cutting me off, and I pulled it out since Raven didn't seem to be paying any mind to my refusal, anyway.

Raven

This is Raven, your new bestie, you sexy bitch. Text me back.

Choking over a laugh, I peeked between her and my phone as I typed out a response.

Me

You're kind of insane, do you know that?

Raven

That's why you love me. Meet me at my booth at 5 on Saturday.

Me

What if I say no?

Raven

Then I can't be blamed if I have to resort to desperate measures. I'm not above kidnapping.

I lifted my attention from the screen, a smile playing all over my face, a lightness in my chest I hadn't felt in forever. "Kidnapping, huh?"

"Oh, yeah." Her dark eyes were wide with the tease.

Air huffed from my nose. "I guess I don't have much of a choice then," I relented, though I was feigning the annoyance.

It felt…good. Good talking to someone. Good to be a part of something. Good that I didn't have to be completely alone.

But I had to remember it could only be surface. A semblance. A fa?ade. Because real could never be real for me.

That vat of loneliness churned, bubbling up from the constant simmer. A burn that scorched my already charred heart. I pasted on a giant grin that I hoped didn't appear brittle. "It actually sounds really fun. Thank you for inviting me."

Raven smirked. "Um, of course it's going to be fun. You're going to be with me. As if I would ever dream of allowing you to have a bad time."

Fifteen minutes later, I left her shop with an entire armful of flowers since apparently for Raven's friends, it was buy one, get thirty free. Amusement still wobbled on my mouth as I climbed the exterior steps to the small stoop at the side of the building.

I turned my key in the lock and swung open the door to the stillness of my apartment.

It was small but cozy. The living area was right up front, and there were French doors that opened to the balcony. A tiny kitchen was off to the right of it, the cabinets whitewashed and the countertops butcher block. The appliances were old enough that it gave it character rather than just appearing dated, and the floors were original hardwood that had been refurbished to a beigy gray.

The bedroom and bathroom were at the back .

It'd come furnished, the couch a soft baby blue and the two overstuffed chairs a matching floral, and I'd accented it with a bunch of pillows. A square dining table sat between the living room and kitchen, sectioning off the two areas.

I went into the kitchen, grabbed a vase, and filled it with water, then I trimmed the stems of the flowers and arranged them the way Raven had suggested.

I set them in the middle of the table, right in the path of the glittering rays of sunlight that streamed in through the French doors.

In the silence, I brushed my fingertips over the soft velvet petal of a pink rose.

I tried to stop it, but a rush of sadness slammed me.

As sharp as fists pummeling me in the gut.

I inhaled a jagged breath, and I pressed the back of my hand to my nose to try to staunch the burning of emotion. When I couldn't stop it, I crossed the short distance to my bedroom.

As soon as I stepped through the threshold, I peeled off the shirt of my scrubs. The long-sleeved tee followed it. I dropped both to the floor as I fumbled to the en suite bathroom where I flicked on the light.

Wearing only my bra and scrub bottoms, I lifted my arm so I could stare at the words that read backward in the mirror.

In grief we must live.

I shifted enough to the side so I could see the scars that scored my back, the skin puckered and forever red.

And the sadness I'd felt turned to rage.

To a hatred so fierce it made nausea curl in my stomach and bile rise to my throat.

Sorrow battered against it. A vicious storm that swelled and seethed from the darkest depths.

Why I tortured myself, I didn't know, but I grabbed my phone and searched his name.

Frederick Winston.

I knew what I would find. I always did.

His bright, shining smile that gleamed with straight, white teeth.

Salt and pepper hair and an expensive suit .

In every picture, he was shaking hands.

Schmoozing.

The entrepreneur.

The philanthropist, such a good fucking guy donating chunks of his billions.

The CEO of Pygus Software.

The man who had been my father's boss and the one who'd stolen everything from me.

And I'd never wished more that one person could be dead.