19. Ayla

Chapter 19

Ayla

M onday morning had finally come, and I was a little slow getting back into my normal routine at the dental office. That’s what happens when you take a week off. By the time it came for our lunch break, I was ready for it. The front desk had put in three emergencies in the morning, which had me running around like crazy. I was already tired.

After grabbing my lunch bag, I headed outside and across the street to Magnolia Park. Clouds were in the sky which gave a little reprieve from the hot summer sun. My favorite spot underneath one of the large magnolia trees was vacant so I went and claimed it. With it being summer, there were a lot more people out and about. The park was a popular place for picnics.

I sat down on the grass and opened my small bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos so I could put them inside my ham sandwich. I’d done this since I was a teenager. The combination always hits the right spot.

Once I finished my sandwich, I ate my container full of strawberries and finished off my bottle of water. I still had thirty minutes left of my lunch break to relax and enjoy the park.

My phone beeped with an incoming text.

Mom: I’m upset with you. You didn’t call me last night when you made it back home.

When I got home yesterday, I had a lot on my mind. Instead of texting her back, I called her.

“Hello, daughter,” she answered.

I leaned against the magnolia tree and laughed. “Oh, don’t be like that. I’m calling you now.”

“How was your trip? Did you have fun with Kat?”

“We had a blast,” I exclaimed. Although, I did keep what happened on our last night to myself. She didn’t need to know that Declan was an assassin and that one of his targets was hunting him. However, I did tell her everything we did as far as hiking and then going out to a nice dinner in downtown Charlotte.

“Do you think you and Mr. Parker have a future together?” my mother asked.

After last night and him coming clean to me, I honestly think we were heading in the right direction. “I hope so,” I said in all honesty. “It feels right.”

I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye, and I turned to see someone I recognized. I said goodbye to my mom and set my phone down.

Walking down the path in the middle of the park was Robert Forbes, only this time he wasn’t in a multi-thousand-dollar suit. He was dressed in a pair of black and white gym shorts and a T-shirt drenched in sweat.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Forbes!” I shouted.

He circled around, squinting against the sunshine. But when he saw me, he smiled and headed over. “Well, good afternoon to you too, Dr. Carington!” he called out. He glanced down at my lunch bag and chuckled. “You must be on your lunch break.”

I wiped the Doritos and sandwich crumbs off my scrub pants and stood. “It’s not too sweltering hot so I thought it’d be nice to eat in peace. ”

Robert grinned. “And you can’t eat in peace at your office?”

“No,” I laughed. “My hygienists love to gossip in the break room. I can hear them all the way in my office. Besides”—I flourished a hand around the park—“it’s beautiful out here.”

He looked around and nodded in agreement. “That it is.”

“So, I see you made it back to town. How was New Orleans?”

Robert shrugged noncommittally. “It was work. Not much excitement, but I did get done earlier than expected. That’s why I decided to stay out this way for a couple of days.”

“Nice. Are you staying at The Sweet Magnolia B&B?” I asked. It was the only place in town where people could stay. We were too small to have big chain hotels.

He shook his head. “No, I rented a house just outside of Magnolia Grove. It was all I could find.”

“Well,” I said, pointing toward the buildings on the opposite side of the park. “If you’re going to be here for a few days, you have to get coffee from Jitterbug Coffee. It blows all the coffee places in the big cities out of the water.”

Robert chuckled. “Got it. What else should I try?”

I pointed to a building a little further down the street. “You have to go to Frozen Spoon. The ice cream is to die for.”

He turned back to me and smiled. “I’ll go there tonight. Thanks for the recommendations.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You could always join me,” he suggested. “We could go as friends.”

Robert seemed like a nice guy, but I didn’t want to jeopardize my relationship with Declan. Although we would be going as friends, I still got the impression that Robert would take more if I offered.

“Thanks, but I don’t think I can do that. I really am sorry,” I said.

He held up his hands. “I understand. I know you’re seeing someone.” He peered down at his watch and backed away. I was glad to see a smile on his face even though I’d turned him down for the second time. “You have a good rest of the day, Dr. Carington.”

“You know you can call me, Ayla,” I corrected him.

Robert’s grin widened. “Have a good rest of the day, Ayla. ”

“You too, Robert.”

He took off and ran past Linda whose mouth dropped as she watched him. She grabbed her chest and fanned herself with her other hand.

“Oh, in my world of living, I have never seen a man like that around here.”

Giggling, I walked over to her. “That’s because he’s not from around here,” I told her.

Her brows lifted curiously. “And who is he?”

“His name is Robert Forbes. He’s spending a few days in the area before heading back home. He said he rented a house just outside of town.”

Linda nodded. “He’s probably staying at Jeff and Macy’s house. They rent their place out every summer while they travel.”

That made me laugh. “Is there anyone you don’t know around here?”

She winked. “I think I know everyone within a twenty-mile radius of Magnolia Grove.”

I wasn’t surprised at all about that.

My lunch break was due to end soon, so I started toward my office and Linda walked with me. “Where’s Declan at?” she asked.

I couldn’t exactly tell her the truth. However, even if I did, she’d probably laugh and think I was joking .

“He had to go back to North Carolina,” I explained. “He’ll probably be gone for a few days. I’m not sure how long.”

Linda lifted her brows. “Does he know you’re talking to handsome strangers?”

“Seriously?” I chided. “It’s not like that. Granted, Robert did ask me out twice but I told him no.”

Linda gasped. “Twice? You’ve talked to him before?”

I nodded. “He came to the office as an emergency during the holiday. He asked me out then, but I told him I was seeing someone.”

Linda snickered. “Declan has some competition.”

“No, he doesn’t. My heart is all his.”

She gasped again and jumped in front of me, her face lit with pure excitement. “Are you saying we’re going to hear wedding bells someday soon?”

My mouth flew open. “It’s way too early for that. We just told each other we loved each other for the first time. It’s going to take a while for the marriage stuff to even come about. If it even does at all.”

Linda pursed her lips playfully. “Oh, it’ll happen, sweetheart. I’m just happy for you both.”

“Thanks, Linda. I’m happy, too. ”

“Well, seeing as Declan’s not here for a few days, why don’t you come over for dinner tonight? I can make my chicken pot pie.”

My stomach grumbled at the thought. “That would be amazing. I’d love to come over.”

She grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Perfect. I’ll see you when you get off work.”

Linda walked me to the front door of my office and went on her usual stroll through town. I hoped that eating dinner with her would keep my mind off Declan. My stomach was in knots worrying about him. All I wanted was for him to do what he had to do and get home. I didn’t need to know the details. I just wanted him safe.