Chapter 2

2

“Mr. Davis,you look bright eyed and—”

“Cut the crap, girly, you know that’s bull hockey.”

Dave Davis’s gruff interruption didn’t offend me. Neither did him calling me “girly” seeing as he’d been calling me that since I’d hit double digits. I adored the man and there had been a time in my life I thought he’d be my father-in-law. Even though that hadn’t been a consideration since my early twenties, it didn’t mean I loved the man any less now.

I moved farther into his room, praying today wouldn’t be the day I had to face Dave’s son. Dave’s son was how I’d forced my mind to think of Garrett. Not my ex-fiancé. Not my high school sweetheart. Not the man who I would go to my grave loving.

Dave’s son.

That was safe.

That was what I’d had to do the last two weeks since Dave Davis transferred to the after-surgery rehab center where I worked. And every day for fourteen days I feared I’d run into Garrett. The grocery store, the sidewalk, his father’s room. There would be no good time. For seventeen years I’d successfully avoided Garrett when he came back to Blackhawk to visit. Not that it was especially hard since he rarely came back—especially in the last ten years—but I’d done everything, including not leaving my house if I’d heard he was in town.

And I always heard.

Blackhawk wasn’t a small town, but it wasn’t big. And Garrett was a big deal around these parts. It wasn’t every day the Homecoming King went off and became a Navy SEAL. He was loved, revered actually. Both true stories and tall tales circulated around town. And since like me, everyone thought that Garrett and I would be that couple—you know, the couple who met in junior high, dated all through high school, got engaged, and lived happily ever after—people around town loved to share all things Garrett with me. When he was home, what he did, where he ate dinner, what bar he went to. None of this was done with malice yet it killed. Except Dave and Marion; neither of them uttered a word about their son to me. They knew the devastation he wrought when he broke up with me. They knew how hard it had been for me to get over him and move on, so they never mentioned Garrett when they saw me. And I saw them often. In the beginning I’d done my best to avoid them but being the type of people they were, they wouldn’t hear of it. Especially Marion.

“Did the doc finally get his head outta his—”

“Dad.” A voice behind me interrupted him.

One syllable and my chest started to burn.

I didn’t have to turn around to know who stood behind me.

I would never forget his voice. Never forget the way his words had wrapped around my heart and made me believe we’d have a lifetime together.

We didn’t get a lifetime. We had seven years together and now all I had was a lifetime of regret and heartache.

Fun times.

“I was just asking Mellie here if the doctor signed my discharge papers yet,” Dave semi-fibbed.

“Mellie?”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I was not ready. I didn’t think I’d ever be ready to face Garrett again, so much so I’d contemplated quitting my job or at least take an unpaid leave of absence until Dave was discharged. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford to do that. Not when I was already behind on my car payment and my electric bill. Not because I was shit at managing my money or I overspent. My money issues had nothing to do with me and everything to do with a lengthy court battle my parents were fighting to get custody of my sister’s children.

I shoved all thoughts of my dead sister and my niece and nephew out of my mind and ignored Garrett calling my name.

What could I say? I was a coward like that.

“You know you have at least another week in here, Mr. Davis, so quit complaining.”

“I’m not lasting another week,” he muttered.

“You’re a horrible patient.” I beamed Dave with a smile and added, “Good thing you’re so handsome or I’d kick you out myself.”

“Yeah, good thing,” he grouched.

“Are you ready to hear today’s schedule?” I asked.

“Melissa,” Garrett clipped.

Yes, he rasped out my name as if he had the right to be impatient or offended or annoyed that I hadn’t turned to greet him immediately.

Dave Davis being the gentle, protective man he was didn’t miss his son’s harsh tone. He also didn’t hide his displeasure when his still black-and-blue eyes looked over my shoulder and narrowed.

“Son,” Dave warned.

“I’ll come back,” Garrett grunted.

Suddenly I felt the twenty-four-hour flu coming on. Twenty-four hours that were going to turn into the duration of Dave’s stay. Screw the money. I couldn’t do this on top of everything else going on in my life. So I waited for Dave’s attention to come back to me, then I didn’t delay launching into his schedule.

“Mary Beth’s on her way to get you for your morning PT—”

“Mellie honey,” Dave softly cut me off. “I didn’t know he’d be in this early or I would’ve warned you.”

See? That right there was exactly the man Dave Davis was, why I adored him and after all these years, I still accepted dinner invitations when he or Marion called.

“It’s fine, Mr. Davis.”

“I don’t know if you’re calling me Mr. Davis because you’re at work or if you’re trying to be funny, but I don’t like it.”

His grumpy rebuke made me smile.

“I’m at work, Dave. But if you won’t tell, I won’t.”

“Now, Garrett—”

“Please don’t,” I whispered. “It was a long time ago and I’m fine.”

Wise, shrewd eyes took me in. He knew I was lying. Unlike my father, nothing got by Dave. He could spot bullshit from a mile away. Thankfully, he was kind enough not to call me on it.

“I’ve let it go on this long, a few more days won’t hurt,” he muttered under his breath.

If I wasn’t so anxious to get out of his room and find the charge nurse so I could tell her about my phantom illness I would’ve asked what he’d let go. Instead, I pushed on and told him about his PT schedule.

When I was done, he’d barely acknowledged his day before he asked, “Will you do me a favor?”

Normally my answer would’ve been an unequivocal yes. But with Garrett in town and the figurative seal being broken, a seal that had been screwed on tight since Garrett had ended things with me, a seal that had never been cracked open even a little bit by any of us, I wasn’t sure I wanted to say yes without knowing what his favor was.

“I know you’re busy and things right now with your parents are…” he trailed off and I braced at his opening. “Difficult. So I hate to ask this but I’d appreciate it if you’d find time to take Marion out for dinner.”

Phew.

I could totally do that.

“Of course, I’ll make time. I’m sorry I hadn’t thought to do that sooner.”

Dave dipped his chin. That gesture was so Garrett my heart clenched the way it always did the hundreds of times I’d been on the receiving end of that nod.

“Betty and… well, Betty’s doing what she can. But I think Marion needs some Mellie-time.”

It was sweet that he thought that. No, it wasn’t sweet—I freaking loved he thought that.

But I needed to address something.

“You can say his name, Dave. All of that was a long time ago. I think we’re all past it at this point.”

“Is that why you couldn’t bear to turn and look at him, because you’re past it?”

Ouch.

“Is that why when you heard his voice, I saw the color drain from your face and pain shear through you like it happened an hour ago, because you’re past it?”

Ouch times a thousand.

“Dave—”

“We left it alone, Marion and me. It wasn’t our business when you kids were together, and it wasn’t our business when you split. He’s our son, we love him. But we love you, too, and just because there was an end to you and Garrett did not mean there was an end to you being a part of our family. Obviously, with Garrett not living close it made it less awkward for Marion and me to continue our relationship with you. But, girly, I hope you know we would’ve done that even if he was still here. You’re our girl. You always will be.”

Dave paused and gave me his best dad stare, the same one he gave me when I told him I was getting married and he thought I was making a mistake, before he continued with his ramble.

“But please don’t mistake me not butting my nose in as me being stupid. There’s love and then there’s love. And as a man who has experienced that kind of love for over forty years, I know it when I see it. I knew it when I saw it budding twenty-four years ago when my son brought you home, and for seven years I watched it grow and mature into something rare and special. I’m saying that to say this…don’t bullshit me, girly. You are no more past it then he’s over you.”

Actually, I knew that wasn’t the case. Garrett was well and truly over me and wanted nothing to do with our past, and that came straight from him. I still had the nasty email as a reminder just in case I ever got it in my head to reach out to him again. But I would never tell Dave or Marion I’d heard from Garrett and what he’d said.

“Okay, Dave how about this? You know I love you and Marion, and you know how much your guidance and support has meant to me over the years. I don’t want to lose that, so I’ll say this—you’re right, your son is the kind of man a woman doesn’t move on from. And since you know that to be the case, may we never speak of it again because it hurts. I’m glad he’s home to see to Marion and help you recover, but beyond that I feel nothing but pain knowing he’s close. With my parents…well, you know about my parents so I don’t have to tell you they need me to be strong for them and I can’t do that if I’m breaking down because my high school sweetheart is back in town.”

He met my request with silence. The uncomfortable kind of silence that made me want to shift from foot to foot and start to fidget.

Finally, when I could take no more, I called, “Dave? Can you do that for me?”

“Where’s Buck?”

I felt my neck tighten at the mention of my asshole brother.

“I assume he’s in Colorado where he lives.”

“He helping out with your parents’ situation?”

Oh, shit.

We were treading on dangerous territory. Dave had never held his tongue when it came to Buck. Not that I blamed him, my brother was a classic narcissist. But since Buck never did anything in half measures, he took it to an extreme. That meant every problem he ever had in his life was my parents’ fault, my fault, or when Analise was alive, her fault. He also lied through his teeth about anything and everything and when you called him on it he called you crazy. And when you showed him proof he lied he called you paranoid and crazy. Either that or flat out accused the person of having it out for him.

Obviously, I had nothing to do with Buck.

“He has no idea what’s happening.”

“Of course he doesn’t,” he muttered.

“Nothing new, Dave. He’s been that way my entire life. Besides, it’s better he’s not around. You know it just stresses my mom out and she’s got enough to deal with taking care of Christian and Gracie.”

There was a rap on the open door before I heard Mary Beth call out, “How’s my favorite patient today?”

Dave rolled his eyes and I bit my lip to stop the laugh that had bubbled up.

Mary Beth was a chipper, sixty-two-year-old woman who had six children, all of them grown. Three had started to give her grandchildren which meant she didn’t take shit from anyone. And that included Dave Davis who was not anyone’s favorite patient because he’d done nothing but complain from the moment he was wheeled in the front door. Literally, the front door. He hadn’t even been taken to his room before he very loudly announced he wanted to go home.

“Well, I better leave you two to it.”

Before I could step back, Dave’s hand shot out and he grabbed my wrist. He tugged me closer.

“You doing okay?” he asked quietly. “Money wise.”

My back snapped straight, and I tried to pull my arm free.

“I know you’re helping your parents, girly. You always do. This has gone on a long time and I know attorneys ain’t cheap.”

“Dave—”

“I know you’d never ask so this is me telling you that you’re my girl. Always have been, always will be and that’s just the truth of it. If you need help, I expect you to come to me or Marion.”

That burned through my chest.

Burned worse than knowing the man I loved was in town.

Burned worse than knowing Garrett would never again love me the way he once did.

Burned worse than knowing that I had married a man I liked a whole lot but didn’t love, then a few years later divorced him when the guilt ate me clean through.

Burned worse than knowing that Dave and Marion Davis looked out for me more than my own parents did.

“I’m getting by, Dave,” I whispered past the emotion threatening to choke me.

“You’ll tell me if you’re not.”

Not a question, a command.

I nodded my lie.

Dave huffed his disappointment but thankfully didn’t verbalize it.

“Love you, girly.”

“Love you, Dave.”

He dropped my wrist and before he could say something that would break the dam that was barely holding back the threatening flood of tears, I turned and smiled at Mary Beth.

“He’s all yours,” I told her.

“Alright, Mr. Davis, let’s get you out of bed,” Mary Beth said as I walked out the door.

And since I was not paying attention, my mind stuck back on Dave offering me money and how ugly that felt, I slammed straight into a wall of muscle.

Strong hands went to my shoulders to steady me.

I closed my eyes so tightly white dots danced behind my lids. It had been years—not a few, a lot of years since I’d felt those hands on me. It had been years and years since I’d been anywhere close to Garrett Davis. The last time he’d been within touching distance was the single most painful day of my life. Throughout the years I’d catch glimpses of him from a distance but those times were rare and so agonizing I never did more than glance in his direction before I scurried away before he could see me.

“Mellie,” he rumbled.

I felt that land like a punch to my belly and I was no longer playing at being sick. I thought I might vomit—on his boots in the hallway where I worked.

“Don’t,” I croaked.

“We need—”

“Don’t,” I fumed. I jerked out of his hold, and hanging my head, stepped around him.

“Melissa!”

I didn’t stop. In a daze I made my way to my boss and in that same daze I made my excuse why I needed to leave. It was only by rote I remembered to grab my purse before I got my ass to my car and sped away.

Now would’ve been the perfect time to take a vacation someplace far away from Blackhawk.

And I totally would’ve if my checking account balance wasn’t negative thirty-two dollars and fifty-three cents.