Page 19 of Merry with Me
“Fine.”
“You’ll meet me there? You know where it is, right?” she asks. I can hear the relief in her tone, and that tightness in my chest eases.
“Willow River is a small town, Ms. Kincaid.” Why is my voice so low all of a sudden? I don’t understand why I respond to her this way. I’ve come to look forward to our conversations, even when she’s pestering me about this damn gala. That’s not good. I need to get myself in order. I’ll go tonight, pretend to care about what she’s asking for my help on, nod, and be done. That’s it. It can’t be more than that.
“That doesn’t mean you know how to get there, Oliver,” she sasses.
Fuck me, I have a list of things to keep that smart mouth of hers busy. “I know where it is.”
“Great! I’ll see you later today. Have a great day, Dr. Thompson.” I can hear the smile in her voice as the call ends. Somehow, the happiness in her voice lifts the corner of my mouth as I place the phone back on the receiver and stand to gosee my first patient. I catch my reflection in one of the pictures hanging in the hallway and quickly school my features.
I’m not that guy, the one who walks around happy and smiling.
Not anymore.
I don’t know how it happened, but my day ran smoothly. In fact, it’s the smoothest day I’ve had in a while. All my patients were on time, and I stayed on schedule. That’s why I’m walking out of the office at four thirty. My charting is done, and I was driving myself crazy, sitting in my office, watching the clock, and staring at that damn Post-it.
I even splurged and ate the piece of Christmas cake that Blakely dropped off for me. The staff raved about it all day. One of the nurses even tracked her down in her office on her lunch break to get the recipe. Yes, it was good, I can admit that, but it was just cake. I don’t know why she had to toss the name Christmas in there—to make it more festive, I guess? Regardless, it was delicious, but I don’t plan on telling her that. That will be a win in her column, and this meeting is proof enough that Blakely Kincaid knows how to get what she wants. I should have remained strong, but damn, when she said she needed me, I knew it was going to be impossible to refuse her.
I take the long way around town. Willow River is small, so even the long route to Willow Manor isn’t going to take me forty-five minutes. I’m a punctual guy, so after driving way too slowly—so slow in fact, I’m surprised I didn’t get pulled over—I arrive at Willow Manor way too early. Not that I should worry, because I park next to Blakely’s car. I should have known she’d already be here.
Schooling my features, I turn off the engine and grab my keys and my phone before making my way inside. As soon as I pull open the door, I’m hit with Christmas music. Did she do that on purpose?
“Hello,” a woman with long brown hair and big brown eyes greets me. She’s older than me, but I don’t think by much. “Can I help you?”
“Yeah.” I clear my throat. “Yes. I’m Dr. Oliver Thompson. I’m supposed to be meeting a colleague here. Blakely Kincaid. I’m early.”
“Oh, Blake’s my daughter. Welcome. She called me earlier to let me know that the two of you would be looking at the space. Blake is in the main ballroom, as we like to call it. Right through those doors.” She points to two double doors. “You can go on in. I’m Kennedy, by the way. It’s nice to put a face to the name.” She offers me her hand and a reassuring smile.
I take it and offer her a smile in return. “Nice to meet you as well.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask her exactly what her daughter has told her about me, but for the first time in I don’t know how long, I’m worried about what she might say. It’s not that I want to impress her, but come on, no one wants to be nice to the guy who has been a dick to their kid.
With a nod, I move to the double doors and pull them open. Blakely gasps, and I have mere seconds to react. I rush forward and catch her just before she falls off the ladder she was standing on.
“What are you doing?” I ask, my voice scolding.
“I was hanging some garland,” she says, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“You could have been hurt.” I stare down at her, where she rests in my arms.
“I’m okay. You just startled me.” Her blue eyes seem brighter this close.
“You don’t need to be climbing ladders,” I grump.
She chuckles. “I’m okay, big guy. You can let me go now.”
I hesitate, because fuck me, she feels good in my arms. She fits as if this is where she belongs. The heat of her next to me is a warmth I didn’t realize I’d missed until now. Slowly, I release my hold on her, placing her feet back on the floor.
“I just need to finish this, and then we can take a look. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting you this early.” There’s a light pink hue to her cheeks. Is that from her fall, or is it me and our close proximity?
“I’ll do it.” Bending over, I pick up the garland that fell to the floor and place my hand on the small of her back as I step around her to the ladder. “Just tell me what needs to be done.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can get it.”
“Blakely,” I growl her name. “Tell me where the damn garland goes.”
“There.” She points to the spot directly above the ladder. “I need to finish this wall, and I’m done. Mom started it, but she had some paperwork to do, and I told her I’d finish up.”
“Well, now I’m here, and I’ll finish up.” I get to work hanging the garland as far as I can reach before climbing off the ladder and moving it down the wall until all the garland is hung.