Page 9 of Dr. Scandal Claus
Nick glanced around too, finally taking note of the gawkers. I wondered if this was how it was for him all the time, if people stared and whispered everywhere he went. It amazed me that people were so cruel.
"Look," he said, sighing, "I just want to get off on the right foot and you're probably feeling uncomfortable." His eyes flicked around then met my gaze. "This happens all the time; people stop and stare. They talk about me, and sometimes they even talk right to me and they're mean."
"It's okay," I told him, touching his hand softly as I spoke. "You don't have to give me an explanation. I know how rude people can be."
"I know the reason you used a fake name and never spoke with me was because of the scandal, and I just want to set the record straight. I never did a single thing they accused me of, and while the medical review board couldn't find proof—which was why I kept my license—I did lose my job, and that tanked my entire practice. I've only just reopened it after years of struggling. I did not kill that man, Scarlett. I took an oath to protect people and help them, and that's what I do."
The earnest look in his eyes moved my heart. I could see how passionate he was, and part of me believed that I might be the only person in the world who even tried to see things through his eyes instead of making him the scapegoat.
"You don't have to explain, Nick. I believe you." His shoulders relaxed and his face softened, and he never looked away from me again.
"Sometimes I feel like the only way to escape is to pack up, move away, and start over. It's just the thought of leaving my parents' family home. I promised them I'd take care of it, but Ijust don't know if it's worth it anymore." He looked sad and my heart went out to him.
"I don't think you have to do that. I feel like there's more than enough Christmas magic to change all of it if you're patient." I pulled my hand back and took a sip of my coffee and the conversation started to shift.
We talked about the bakery some more, then Ethan and how he was doing. In the interest of keeping this a personal visit and not talk too much about Ethan's diagnosis, I asked him how his practice was doing, and then how he'd been faring emotionally the past few years after his split with his ex-fiancée. There were a few tense moments, but by the time our hour was nearing an end, we found a sweet spot discussing how we both loved children and hoped to have a family one day. It felt awkward given my secret, but it was good to know he wanted kids.
"Could I walk you back to your booth?" he asked as he stood and took our empty cups. I smiled and thanked him.
"I'd like that."
I hooked my arm around his and we strolled across the court square, drawing more nasty expressions from folks around us, but I was on cloud nine. Nick and I discovered we both liked concerts and music in general, and there were a few dates in the future that we both looked forward to.
"If we make it through the holidays," I told him, chuckling. My work stress was getting to me and I couldn't wait for the holiday baking to be over.
"Ah, you'll do great. If you weren't such an amazing baker, people wouldn't demand your products." His lighthearted smile warmed my heart and I stopped to face him.
"I am sorry I never called you eight years ago. We have a lot in common and I really enjoyed coffee with you." My eyes dropped to his lips then rose back to meet his gaze. The chemistry between us was electric.
"Then you'll have dinner with me soon, maybe tomorrow? We can do it at my place so you don't have to put up with the stares."
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" I heard and I looked around to see a few children, no more than ten years old, chanting over and over.
When I looked at Nick, he was staring up at a sprig of mistletoe hanging above us. He smirked at me, and shrugged a shoulder, so I draped my arms around his neck and rose up on my tiptoes. His hands braced my lower back and helped me balance as I pressed my lips to his in a searing kiss that made warmth pool in my belly.
The chanting turned to cackling and laughter, and I smiled as I pulled away and lowered to flat feet. If people in this town were going to talk about us, they had a lot more to talk about now.
"I think dinner sounds wonderful," I told him, but in the back of my mind I was already trying to figure out the logistics of making that happen within my busy schedule.
"It's a date," he said softly, and he kissed me one more time before we heard a very hateful comment about Dr. Scandal Claus scarring children.
Nick's hand shot to the small of my back, and he led me away from the mistletoe. I didn't think I'd ever get used to being talked about like that, but I could definitely warm to the protective way Nick handled me. I loved a man who took charge, and I was already looking forward to having more alone time with him.
8
NICK
After the heat that shot through me when my lips touched Scarlett's, I needed to cool off. I walked the sidewalks around the square for a while, then sat in my car and watched the crowds shop. She'd lit my entire body on fire, and it was just an innocent kiss under the mistletoe with a bunch of kids laughing at us. But the spark was undeniable.
When lunchtime rolled around, I headed home to eat. I busied myself with some household chores, dishes, mopping, catching up the laundry, but I couldn't get my mind off of her. I knew it wasn't healthy, and it was probably some horrible hangup I had after having so much social trauma, but the idea that there was actually another person in this world who could look at me as a human and not judge me made my heart come alive again. Not to mention she was in my hometown.
The counselor I saw briefly after Kate's death would say I was acting clingy or even codependent, but I knew that wasn't the case. I knew it because I knew if Scarlett said she wasn't interested or that she was too nervous about what people might say, I'd back off immediately. The last thing I'd want would be to drag someone else into my misery.
By the time 4 p.m. rolled around I was so antsy and eager to see Scarlett again, I couldn't help myself. I pulled out my tablet with Ethan's medical file saved on it and looked up her number. I wanted to call, but I was nervous and didn't really know what to say. I programmed her number into my contacts and laid my tablet on my nightstand, but I still didn't have the guts to call.
So instead, I sent her a text. I carefully crafted each word in an attempt to show her I was interested without trying to sound desperate or overeager. Then I deleted the whole thing and tried again. I did that at least four times before I finally settled on a good message.
Nick 4:12 PM:Hi, Scarlett, it's Nicholas Edwards. I really enjoyed coffee with you this morning and I wondered how your booth at the market did.