The Matchmaker’s Match

by Nicole Flockton

  A sting where she pinched herself proved she wasn’t sleeping.

  “Who’s that with Ethan?” Her voice sounded strained, and if she wasn’t careful, Isabella was going to pick up on it and decide she needed to dig into Meredith’s business. A wedding rehearsal was the last place she wanted to discuss her one-night stand.

  “That’s Linc, the best man.”

  “The best man?” she choked out.

  Of course, he’d be the best man, which meant he was her partner. She’d gone and done it. Slept with the best man like some of those romance novels she’d read while she was recovering from a severe case of mono when she was a teenager. The only highlight of that dark period of her life.

  At least she and Luke had been sensible enough to use protection so she wouldn’t wind up with an unwanted pregnancy like eight out of ten of those romance storylines she’d read. She might want to have a child, but not the complications that came with a one-night-stand-turned-father.

  Wait, Iz said his name was Linc. The guy she slept with was Luke. “Does he have a twin brother named Luke?” she blurted out.

  “Linc? Nope, as far as I know it’s him and a younger sister, but I’ve not met her because she lives in New York and doesn’t come back to Texas often.” Isabella leaned in to study her a little closer.

  Meredith ensured her facial features remained frozen with indifference. Luke had said he had a sister who made him watch Sex and the City.

  “Why would you ask if he had a brother? What aren’t you telling me, Meredith Margaret Turner?”

  Meredith rolled her eyes. It took a lot to scare Meredith into submission and using her full name didn’t even make a dent. “Nothing. I just thought Linc looked like someone I met on my trip back from Guatemala. Now that I look closer, they don’t look anything alike.”

  And may God not strike me down for lying in a church.

  Any chance for her friend to interrogate her further was gone as the priest headed toward them. “Is everyone here, Isabella?” he asked.

  Thank you, God. You’ve even got my back when I lie. But later, You and I are going to have a serious talk. What are You doing to me?

  Meredith wasn’t one to pray or have conversations with the Almighty, but, standing in a church, it seemed a natural thing to do.

  The priest hustled Isabella and Ethan toward the alter, and Meredith didn’t know if she was to follow or wait behind.

  “The night we met in San Diego, I had no idea you were the Meredith that Ethan had mentioned to me on numerous occasions.”

  The words were spoken quietly behind her, and she took a deep breath before facing the owner. “And your name isn’t Luke.” Okay, so that wasn’t what she planned on saying.

  He shook his head. “I never said my name was Luke. You thought I said that. I introduced myself as Linc.”

  “And you didn’t think to correct me?”

  “I should’ve. I’m sorry. We both knew it was only going to be one night.” Linc ran a hand over his short buzz cut.

  Now that he was closer, she could see the tension lines etched around his mouth and eyes. Silver-gray eyes that had sparkled with mischief and fun in San Diego now appeared dull, worried, and resembled storm clouds. Lips that had wreaked havoc over her body were pressed together in a thin line.

  What had happened to him since their night together?

  Gosh, did it matter? All they had to do was get through tonight and the wedding in two days, then they’d only have to see each other on the odd occasion. No doubt he’d be returning to San Diego once the wedding was over.

  “We have to keep this quiet,” she murmured to Linc. “If Isabella found out what we’ve done, she’ll have us standing next to her and Ethan in a double wedding.”

  Slight exaggeration, but her friend was on a mission and Meredith had no desire to give her any incentive to take up the matchmaking mantle Isabella was desperate to grasp.

  “Not on my agenda either. We’ll get through this and the wedding and then go our separate ways. Ethan and Isabella don’t have to know a thing.”

  Linc echoing her thoughts should’ve made her happy. Yet, for some reason, it didn’t. Their night together had been amazing. She should just leave it at that. Imagine how complicated it would’ve been if she’d still been in a relationship with Mark? Then again, if they’d been together, she wouldn’t have spent the night with Linc.

  Having her friend think she needed a man in her life right now would only complicate her plans to have a child by herself. She couldn’t forget her end goal. She was going down this road.

  Alone.

  It was going to be her and her baby and it was all she needed.

  “Linc and Meredith, we need you up here.” Isabella called out, providing her with the out she needed from this conversation with Linc. But her friend had a million questions in her eyes.

  Oh, yeah, she was going to get the Spanish Inquisition at dinner, no doubt about it.

  *

  Meredith shifted in her chair again. The ache in her stomach had gone from the odd twinge to a full on let me twist your muscles so tight you can’t breathe.

  “Are you okay?” Linc leaned closer, his thigh brushing hers, and a fission of heat flowed through her, momentarily distracting her from the pain. The touch squashed any hope the electricity she’d experienced from his touch in San Diego was an anomaly.

  “I’m fine.” She managed to get her lungs to unclench long enough to say. “Thanks for asking.”

  “You don’t look it. You’ve been shifting in your chair all evening, and just a second ago, you went paler than the white tablecloths. Do you need a painkiller or something else?”

  What she wanted was to go home, curl up on her bed, and sleep the ache away. “Thanks, but I’ve got some in my purse.”

  She twisted in her chair to grab her bag hanging over the side when her stomach cramped so hard she thought she’d been stabbed. “Ohh. Ow. Ow. Ow.”

  She panted, closing her eyes and wishing she was anywhere but in a room full of people.

  Oh shit, what if everyone was looking at her?

  A hand landed on her back, rubbing up and down in a soothing motion. The warmth from the touch seeped through the thin fabric of her dress. “You are not okay. Tell me what’s going on.”

  Meredith looked up and a wave of nausea washed over her. She swallowed hard so that she didn’t lose the contents of her stomach all over Linc. “I think I need to go home.”

  “I agree. Can you stand?”

  Tears filled her eyes as another wave of pain descended over her. She bit her lip and counted out ten seconds before it ebbed away again. “Yeah, I should be able to.”

  “Okay, let’s go.” The hand her on back trailed to under her arm and Linc gently lifted her from her seat.

  Another wave of nausea flowed through her, and before she could think, a glass of water was shoved in front of her.

  “Sip slowly,” Linc instructed as he shifted his chair out of the way, giving them room to leave. Meredith supposed it was better Linc was sitting next to her and not a complete stranger. Although falling apart in front of a man she’d had hot sex with wasn’t an ideal situation.

  “What’s going on? Are you okay, Mere?”

  Meredith closed her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was spoil Isabella’s evening, but clearly this bug wasn’t going to be ignored. How was it that she could go almost a year without getting sick in Guatemala, but a month back in San Antonio and she was doubled over in agony in a way she’d never experienced before?

  Wait, stomach cramps? She did a mental count. Of course! Why hadn’t she thought of it earlier? All the signs indicated she was hitting that time of the month. Perhaps her cycle was finally getting back on track after becoming irregular while away. Still, the timing sucked. It could’ve waited until after the wedding to appear. At least she had an answer, but, hell, it hurt, and she’d never felt like she was going to toss her cookies like she had moments ago.

  L
inc squeezed her shoulder. “She’s not feeling well, so I’m taking her home.”

  Summoning strength from deep within, she pasted a smile on her face for her friend. If it were just the two of them, she’d tell Isabella the reason. But she didn’t really want to share this sort of information in front of Linc.

  “All I need are some painkillers and a good night’s sleep. Don’t worry, Iz, nothing is going to keep me from your wedding.”

  Isabella’s eyes narrowed, but Meredith grimaced, unable to hide her reaction to the latest cramp.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Iz asked.

  “This is your rehearsal dinner. It would be strange for you to leave. Don’t forget you’ve also got a baby to look after, and the last thing you need before your wedding is to worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’ve got her, Isabella. I’ll make sure she gets home safely, and if I have to, I’ll stay with her,” Linc interjected.

  Like she was going to let him do that, but she was hurting too much to argue with Linc. She needed to get out of here and fast. She didn’t think she’d be able to hold back the next time a surge of nausea flooded her system.

  “Thanks, Linc, but you’ve only just met Meredith. She’s my best friend. I need her to tell me she’s sure.”

  Meredith pulled away a little from Linc. “Yes, I’m sure. And you heard him. He’s going to take care of me.”

  “Okay, but call me or text me when you get home. If you don’t, I’m going to be pounding on your door.”

  Meredith attempted a chuckle, but to her ears it sounded like a tortured groan. “Fine. I’ll message.”

  Linc tightened his hold on her and she sank gratefully against his side. The ache in her belly had begun building up in intensity. This wasn’t any kind of period pain she’d ever had before. Outside, the warm, humid air hit her face. Sweat popped out over her upper lip and her stomach somersaulted like a pro gymnast.

  Oh, shit.

  Shaking off his hold, she staggered over to a trash can and puked. Now wasn’t this a great advertisement for the restaurant she’d just exited?

  She was aware of her hair being scooped up and held away from the sides of her face.

  After what seemed like forever, Meredith stood upright and then folded in on herself as her abdominals twisted tighter than a coil.

  “Okay, I’m taking you to the hospital. You’ve got something major happening here.”

  That was the last place she wanted to be. She wanted her bed and a pillow to curl up with. “I don’t need a hospital. It’s probably just some bug or, you know, something else.”

  “Yeah, right.” Linc tucked her by his side and they shuffled through the parking lot.

  “Damn, my car.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” he said as they stopped beside a late model Chevy SUV. “I’ll arrange for it to be taken care of once we get you sorted out.”

  “Thank you.” Meredith sank into his soft leather seat and closed her eyes. Thank goodness the nausea had passed. If only the ache would go away just as quickly.

  The motion of the car was soothing and, if it weren’t for the game of Twister her stomach was playing, she was sure she would’ve fallen asleep.

  So she breathed through each cramp, her hand clenching each time her belly did.

  “We’re here,” Linc said quietly and shut off the engine.

  Meredith flicked her eyes open. “Where are we?” she asked.

  The vista outside of the windshield wasn’t her apartment complex.

  Had she given Linc her address?

  At present, her mind was full of cotton wool, foggy from the pain and her vomiting spell. If he was hoping to get lucky tonight, he was sorely mistaken.

  Meredith squashed that thought. Linc hadn’t given any indication that he was going to do anything to her other than take her home. She was pretty sure the last thing he wanted to do was kiss her after she’d thrown up in a trash can.

  “We’re at one of those twenty-four hour emergency clinics.”

  “I thought I told you I wanted to go home.”

  “You did, but you just threw up and you’re experiencing severe abdominal pain. I’m no doctor, but I’ve seen a few things in my time in the army. The symptoms you’re displaying are similar to appendicitis. I think it would be wise to get looked at. You yourself said you’ve been away, too. You don’t want to risk your health for your pride.”

  Meredith closed her eyes again. Any other time, she would’ve come at him for that last autocratic comment, but arguing would require more energy than she had. “Fine. Okay. You’re right. Let’s go.”

  Linc patted her hand as she went to release her seatbelt. “Stay there. I’ll help you out of the car.”

  In a flash, he was out and had her door open. He leaned over to release her belt. His musky aftershave wafted over her, and it reminded her of their night together. He’d smelled so mysterious, the aroma fitting with their decadent one-night stand.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  “Yep.”

  Hooking one arm under her knees and another around her shoulder, Linc lifted her out of the car.

  Shocked, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can walk, you know.”

  Well, she thought she could, even though her legs seemed to be made of Jell-O instead of bone and tendons.

  “I’m sure you can, but I think with every step you take, the pain only intensifies.”

  The guy was clearly more observant than she gave him credit for.

  Sighing, she tucked her face against his neck and let him carry her into the building. All she had to do was get through an examination and then she could go home. She could do this.

  Chapter Four

  Meredith looked anything but relaxed as he sat beside her bed. Sweat beaded her upper lip, her eyes screwed shut against the fluorescent lights. They were waiting for the doctor to see them. The beep of the heart monitor clipped to her finger, at first annoying, was now white noise.

  “How much longer?” Meredith mumbled.

  He wanted to reach out and take her hand, but hesitated. Would she appreciate it if he did? She hadn’t seemed to mind his touch at the restaurant.

  “It shouldn’t be long. They saw us the minute we walked in.”

  Her legs folded up toward her stomach, a sure sign she was experiencing another cramp. Disregarding his earlier thought, he scooted the chair closer to her side and picked up one of her hands, holding it in between both of his.

  As she panted through the pain, he willed the doctor to stride through the door. The nurse who’d taken Meredith’s vitals hadn’t given her any pain meds, stating that until they had a diagnosis, it was for the best.

  Dammit, being curled into the fetal position didn’t look like it was for the best at all. What he wouldn’t give to be able to make the pain magically disappear.

  “It’s okay, Meredith, I’m here.”

  “God, it hurts so much. I don’t know how much longer I can take this.” She whimpered, turning tear-filled eyes toward him.

  He trailed his fingers across her brow. “If the doctor doesn’t come through the door in the next minute, I’ll hunt one down.”

  “I don’t think that will be necessary. I’m Dr. Hector and I’ll be conducting your examination.”

  The doctor was standing in the doorway, one hand shoved into the pocket of his white coat over the top of blue hospital scrubs, while the other held a tablet.

  “She needs some pain relief and she needs it now,” Linc demanded, sounding like a concerned boyfriend when he was anything but.

  “I need to determine what’s wrong with your wife, Mr. Turner, before I can give her something for the pain.”

  “She’s not—”

  “We’re not married.”

  Both he and Meredith spoke at the same time.

  The doctor glanced at them, looked down at the device in his hand, then cleared his throat. “My apologies. Okay, let’s get started.” He
returned his attention the tablet and, after a few moments, he asked, “When did the pain start, Ms. Turner?”

  “Today. I was at my doctor when the first twinge happened.”

  “And what did your doctor say about it?”

  Meredith bit her lip, and Linc held back a groan.

  “I—uh—I didn’t say anything to her about it. I thought it was the way I was sitting.”

  Yep, exactly what he suspected.

  “Right, I don’t need to go into why that wasn’t the smartest idea, but I will say if you had, you might not be lying here right now. Anyway, let me take a look.”

  Linc pushed his chair back to allow the doctor some room to move. The doc pressed down on Meredith’s belly and her moan almost made Linc jump out of his chair and slap the doctor’s hands away. Totally ridiculous reaction to someone he’d reconnected with a few hours ago. He had no right to feel this possessive, but he hated seeing anyone in pain.

  “What other symptoms have you been having, Ms. Turner?”

  “Pain and nausea, and some…” She bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling. “And some spotting.”

  “We were at a restaurant, and the moment we got outside, she vomited,” he interjected helpfully.

  “Hmm.” The doctor made a notation then laid the tablet on the table and flicked the stethoscope from around his neck into his ears in one motion.

  Waiting in an emergency center wasn’t how Linc envisioned spending his evening. At least with him helping, Isabella wouldn’t have to worry about her maid of honor. Would he have done it if he’d met Meredith for the first time tonight?

  Definitely.

  “Have you traveled anywhere in the last three months?” Dr. Hector asked.

  “Yes, I’ve recently returned from almost a year in Guatemala. I got back last month.”

  The brought the doctor’s head up from where it was studying the tablet again. “This is the first time you’ve been sick since you returned?”

  “Yes. I’ve been fine.”

  “No vomiting or diarrhea? Apart from tonight’s episode?”

  Linc could see a pink hue bloom across her cheeks. Yeah, he’d be embarrassed if roles were reversed. The last thing a person wanted to do was talk about bowel movements in front of an almost complete stranger.