Matters of the Heart

by Heather M Green

I laughed at her. “Oh, stop. Okay. I didn’t say anything because you know my track record with men and I didn’t want to make it into anything more than it is. And we had hardly talked before the party Friday night-”

  “But…” I could picture her with her hand out, palm up, moving it in circles to get me to continue.

  “Not but, and.”

  “Okay, and…” she said, exasperated.

  “And he is Andy’s cousin.” I laughed when I heard her choke.

  “But wait a minute. I thought Andy’s cousin was a girl.”

  “I know. I did too, but Andy took me to his cousin’s birthday party and she is actually a he and actually Dylan’s doctor from OHSU.”

  “What are the odds? You do things the weird way.”

  “I know,” I sighed. “We didn’t get along at first, but that’s mostly because he thought I was married to Trevor.”

  “What!?”

  “Yes. You heard me correctly. Married to Trevor.”

  “Gag.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So, when are you going out with him again?" I could just picture her rubbing her hands together, a grin on her face. I paused a little too long. "You are going out with him again, right? And I can't believe you didn't call and dish right after. What kind of best friend are you?" she sniffed.

  "I'm sorry, Adri," I apologized. "Don't be mad. It wasn't really a date. The birthday party was kind of a disaster and so the nurse, Zeke, took us both to the hospital cafeteria for dinner." Adri snorted a laugh." It all kind of happened so fast. So it wasn't really a date," I insisted. "We've just gone running together."

  "I am coming up there," she reminded me. "Only two weeks to go. You'd better not be so stingy with the details from now on."

  "I won't," I promised. "And I can’t wait for you to come. I've missed you."

  "I need to check this doctor out for myself. You are probably messing things up without me there to help."

  "Yes, because the last five plus years of dating have worked out spectacularly under your constant supervision."

  "Ungrateful. I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

  "I love you."

  "Uh, huh. I love you too."

  Chapter 12

  James

  “What’s new with Sophie?” Kaley started right in on me.

  “What makes you think there is even a Sophie to report on?” I asked, irritated at her presumption. “She’s dating Andy, remember?”

  Kaley laughed. “Right. What was I thinking? You are too scared to make a move. That’s okay. I was just going to tell you to bring her to dinner this Sunday. But if you aren’t seeing her, I’ll invite someone else.” She had me and she knew it.

  “You love doing that, don’t you?”

  “Doing what?” she asked, all innocence.

  “Exerting manipulative sisterly power over my life. You can’t keep out of it.”

  “I love you and I want you to be happy. I think Sophie could bring you happiness, so…don’t think of it as a date. Think of it as I want to get to know her better. She doesn’t know how to get to my house and you do. So play chauffeur and bring my friend so she and I can hang out.”

  I shook my head. “Whatever. I’ll see if she has plans. Don’t count on her. And maybe I don’t want you two to become BFF’s.” That had potential disaster written all over it. I wasn’t sure how comfortable I was with that idea.

  Kaley laughed. “That’s the problem with you, James. You are still stuck in junior high. Fine,” she said as if it didn’t make a difference to her. “I’ll just call and invite her. While we are enjoying a delicious Sunday dinner, you can sit home with the Chia Pet and eat whatever isn’t molding in your refrigerator. I’ll make her a BFF on my own. Love you, brother.”

  I pushed end and growled at the phone. I wasn’t comfortable with this. Not at all.

  Sophie

  "Hey, Zeke." I smiled as I walked to Dylan's incubator.

  "Ms. Sophie..." He grinned. No matter how ridiculous Zeke was, he could always make me smile. Even as I rolled my eyes at him.

  "What do you hear from Miss Cafe?"

  "Not much. We went out and there was no connection, you know? She's cute, but I need something more." He looked at me and I had the distinct impression I was the 'more' he was talking about.

  "Zeke," James called from across the room, "I need you to get another IV bag for the Carter baby."

  "It's not empty yet,” Zeke pointed out. “Do you want to change the solution?"

  James skewered him with a look. "Yes. I’ll write the order.”

  “On it, Doc. Catch you later, Sophie."

  I studied James as he worked, but quickly glanced away when he looked over. I concentrated on feeding Dylan and was startled when a shiny pair of dress shoes appeared in my line of vision.

  "Are you busy tonight?" James asked.

  "Possibly. What did you have in mind?"

  "So if it's not a good enough offer, you have to wash your hair or something?"

  I laughed, somewhat embarrassed. "No. Sorry. I would love to do something with you tonight. What did you have in mind?" I tried unsuccessfully to keep the blush from my cheeks.

  James grinned. "You said that you love water. I wondered if you'd had a chance to go to the beach yet?"

  "Are you taking up where Andy left off with playing the tour guide?" I asked, amused.

  "Sure." He shrugged. "Someone has to keep you entertained."

  "And you think you are the man for the job?" I teased.

  "No. I am, Ms. Sophie. I'll take you anywhere you want to go," Zeke told me as he walked past carrying a bag I presumed was for the Carter baby.

  "Thanks Zeke. I'll let you know." I turned back to James. "I've been dying to go to the beach."

  "So have I,” Zeke informed us on his way past again. “I'll round some people up. Where do you want to meet?"

  James threw Zeke a confused look. He stood dumbfounded as if trying to figure out what he'd missed. He was probably wondering, as I was, how Zeke managed to insert himself into our plans. His sincere confusion was so comical that I couldn't help the giggle that came out. James looked at me and grinned sheepishly then shrugged his muscular shoulders.

  "Don’t you have a shift to finish?” I asked Zeke.

  “No. I worked the day shift. I’m almost off.” Zeke grinned. “A trip to the beach sounds perfect.” Well, isn’t that just... perfect.

  “Why don't we all meet here in two hours,” James suggested. “I'll grab Andy and we'll caravan to Cannon. It's closest."

  "Sounds good," Zeke and I said in unison. Zeke grinned and pointed a finger at me then winked. I just shook my head and laughed.

  "Thanks James." I hoped he could hear the sincerity in my voice.

  He smiled. "You're welcome. See you in a few." Then he was gone.

  I squeezed Dylan close and grinned. "I'm going to the beach, baby," I whispered excitedly.

  I threw a towel and hoodie into my bag and slipped on my flip flops. "Are you two sure it's okay that I go?" I called to Trevor and Stacy as I thumped down the stairs. "I probably won't be back until late."

  "We are good. Go have fun playing doctor,” Trevor said with a wicked grin.

  “He means playing with the doctor." Stacy wiggled her eyebrows at me.

  I felt my face heat up, but laughed. “It’s not like that, and you know it.”

  ”Drive careful,” Stacy said. “We'll leave the door unlocked for you."

  "Bwing me somethin' good, Aunt Sophie," Jeran called after me on my way out the door.

  I spotted Zeke, James, Andy and about ten or fifteen other people I'd never seen before as I pulled into the parking lot and found an empty stall. Zeke hadn't been kidding when he said he'd round some people up.

  "I think everyone is here," James announced. "We are headed to Cannon Beach, so ride with someone who knows how to get there. See you there."

  "Ms. Sophie," Zeke draped his arm around my shoulders, "There's a spot next to me i
n the car with your name on it."

  I shot a questioning look toward James. He was the one that had planned this thing, after all. Zeke had basically invited himself and half of Portland along, it appeared.

  "She's with us, Zeke," James called over his shoulder on the way to his car.

  I shrugged out from under Zeke's arm in relief. "Thanks anyway, Zeke. I'll see you there." I jogged to James car and yelled, "I've got shotgun," as Andy opened the front door. "Thanks." I slipped around him and into the front passenger seat. "I saved the back seat just for you." I smiled innocently up at him and gestured with my thumb over my shoulder. James laughed and started the car. "Or I happen to know that Zeke has a spot next to him in his car. I bet he'd be happy to let you ride with him."

  "You are such a comedian, Sophie. You'd better watch out. Scary things come out on Cannon Beach at night." I turned in my seat to grin at him and blushed when he winked at me.

  Ten minutes into the hour and a half drive, I turned to James. "I'm bored." I made sure to make my voice extra whiny. "Entertain me." James rolled his eyes and signaled to change lanes.

  "Yeah, James. We're bored," Andy whined, taking up where I left off. "Why don't you tell us about the time you peed your pants on that date with...what was her name?"

  I snorted and turned to James expectantly. He shifted in his seat, looking extremely uncomfortable. "It wasn't like that and you know it," he defended himself, throwing Andy a warning glare in the rear view mirror.

  Andy answered the glare with a smug look. "Then tell us what it was like," he insisted. "Sophie is dying of curiosity now. We both are."

  "Fine. But only if you tell her about the time you threw up all over that girl at Prom." I didn't miss the gloating tone in James' voice. Two could play this game and they both had ample ammunition apparently.

  "Great," I said settling back into my seat. "This is exactly what I was looking for. I'm ready. Entertain me."

  "So, right after we graduated from high school, a semester or two into college, Andy and I asked these girls out. I had liked this girl for forever and finally got the nerve up-"

  "Only because you were headed out of the country soon," Andy interrupted. "And if it turned out to be a complete disaster, you'd never have to see her again. Oh, how prophetic," Andy laughed.

  "Anyway..." James continued, "We decided to take them to Cape Meares which is less than twenty minutes from Tillamook where we all grew up. I had been up studying all night the previous night for a final and had thrown back a ridiculous number of energy drinks to keep me awake for this date. We had a picnic at the beach, walked around the lighthouse, and found some pretty cool sand dollars and stuff. It was dark by the time we left and I didn't think anything of a wet seat when we got back into the car. We had, after all, been at the beach. When Andy pulled up to the girl’s house, I got out to walk her to the front door-"

  "Being the gentleman that you are," I supplied.

  "There was never any question," James agreed. "So, I was walking her to the front door when I heard Andy calling to me from the car. I turned around to ask what he needed, but decided not to worry about it when he fell back into the car with convulsions of laughter. The direction of the look he had given me before he got back in the car ran through my mind and I glanced down. I shifted in my shorts, remembered which seat I sat on, and closed my eyes. If the girl hadn't been watching me, I would have slapped my forehead with my hand. I felt like such an idiot."

  Andy took up the story from that point, barely containing his laughter. "In the porch light, I could see that James had a problem. I was just trying to help a brother out. The only thing was, my date could see he had a problem too, and got this horrified look on her face. That started me laughing uncontrollably. My date got all mad because instead of helping James out, I laughed at him. She was worried that he had a serious medical condition and I was being insensitive. I couldn't stop laughing long enough to tell her that I had spilled a bottle of water on the seat when I was transferring stuff from the back seat to the trunk before our date. I had told James about it so he watched where he sat on the way to the beach. He was too caught up on this girl to remember about the wet seat on the way home and sat in it." Andy couldn't go on with the story. He was laughing so hard, he was wiping tears from his face.

  Although James was laughing too, he took up the story from there. "I'm not sure if my date even noticed, but I'm positive her friend recounted my disgrace in painful detail to her later. Andy's date didn't talk to either of us for the rest of the drive to her house. And when we got to her house, she ran to the door without a backward glance. Needless to say, I was relieved that I was leaving the country soon and wouldn't have to face that girl again."

  "I didn't even care that my date never spoke to me again because I couldn't have looked at her without remembering James and his wet pants and not laugh," Andy admitted. "It was so worth it."

  "Did you know that if the muscles around your bladder are weak, it can lead to stress incontinence?" That sent Andy into another fit of laughter.

  "Thanks, Sophie," James muttered under his breath.

  "So what you are saying is that James didn't actually sit on a wet seat. He was so nervous about the doorstep scene that he peed his pants?" Andy was lying down in the back seat, holding his stomach, and laughing. "I knew it wasn't my fault. All these years..." Andy said in between laughs.

  I glanced apologetically at James, but couldn't help it. In the end, my laughter mingled with Andy's. James' brooding next to me and my knowing that I had inadvertently caused the brooding only made me laugh harder. Finally, when my stomach couldn't take anymore, I wiped the tears from my face and sighed.

  "Sorry, James," I tried. "I really am."

  "Man, I'm not," Andy said. "That story will now go down in history as the best pee story ever."

  "Okay, you two," James said sternly, "That's enough." But I grinned when I saw his lips twitch. I reached over and nudged his shoulder. He glanced at me and I felt the smile he sent me all the way to my toes.

  The beach was just as breathtaking as I'd hoped. We couldn't have arrived at a more perfect time. The sunset turned the water a shade of peach that I had never seen before. The way the last of the sun’s rays reached out to Haystack Rock, cast its shadow to the side and made the monolith appear even bigger. I watched in reverent awe.

  I felt someone come up from behind me and stand a foot or so away. We stood in silence for a few moments and then I snuck a glance out of the corner of my eye. James. I should have known. Zeke or Andy wouldn't have been capable of such contemplative silence. I appreciated that about James.

  I felt my breath catch when I recognized the look on his face. It matched mine when I watched the majesty that was the ocean. Here was someone who understood me.

  "Thank you for bringing me here, James," I whispered softly, reaching to squeeze his hand. I couldn't stand the thought of noise ruining the moment. He turned his hand in mine and flashed me a slow smile as he returned the pressure on my hand.

  "Hey, you two," Andy called from a few feet away. James let go of my hand and we turned toward Andy in unison." We are walking down the beach a ways to get closer to the Haystack."

  "Oh, shoot. I promised Jeran I'd bring him something," I remembered out loud as we followed Andy.

  "There's a nice piece of seaweed," Andy suggested, pointing to our right. "Or a mangled sea slug."

  "That looks disgusting." I wrinkled my nose at the slimy, twisted thing with brown, oozing yuck and James and Andy laughed. "I'd really like to find a cool shell or a sand dollar. Jeran would love that."

  "Good luck with the little light we have left," Andy called back to us over his shoulder.

  We caught up with the rest of the group and got as close as we could to the dark monolith rising from the ocean without getting our clothes soaked. Zeke sauntered over to us and grinned wickedly. "Afraid of a little water, Sophie?" He kicked some water up at me with his bare foot. I sucked in my breath when the c
old droplets hit my skin. It was almost time to break out the hoodie. Without warning, he came at me and easily lifted me into the air, threatening to throw me into the water.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and squealed, "I'll take you with me."

  "You are so scary, Sophie." He pulled me away from his body like he was going to launch me. I scrambled closer, tightening my grip around his neck. He paused and looked down at me. I realized how close our faces were and immediately loosened my hold around his neck.

  "Please put me down," I told him and turned my face away.

  Zeke gently lowered me to my feet. He pulled me to his side with the arm that remained around my waist. "I don't bite, babe," he teased in a low voice.

  "Don't make things weird between us, Zeke."

  "Don't worry, beautiful. I'll wait until you are ready."

  I pushed him away and took a step back. "Don't hold your breath," I muttered as I turned to find Andy and James. Zeke's laughter followed me. I rolled my eyes. I knew Zeke was harmless, but he had just enough ego that he thought he was entitled. It would be a cold day in...well, Texas, before I was ready to take him and his ego on.

  James

  When it was too dark to enjoy the monolith, one of Andy's groupies started a fire and broke out a guitar. I took a seat between Andy and Sophie and tried not to stare as she slipped her hoodie on.

  "It's freezing," she shivered.

  "Nahhh. Temperature is perfect," Andy said.

  "If you are an arctic fox or polar bear," she argued.

  "What part of Texas are you from?”

  “San Antonio. Home of the Alamo,” came her practiced reply.

  “What would the temp be in San Antonio right now?" I asked.

  "Eighties, easy," she replied, hugging her arms to herself.

  "No wonder you are cold. Here. Take my jacket. I have an extra." I unzipped my jacket and took it off, draping it across her shoulders. "I'll be back." I stood, brushing sand from my jeans, and jogged up the beach to my car to get my other jacket out of the trunk.

  I couldn't believe I was actually at the beach with Sophie Mitchell, Ms. San Antonio herself, and it was legal. I wasn't breaking any commandments or anything. I wondered what it would take to make our jogging trips a regular thing. Start out nice and slow. Just a friendship type of thing where no one was too invested. No one gets hurt. Besides, she had enough other guys on her trail. She could date them and we could hang out. Her nephew was scheduled to go home next week and then she'd be heading back to Texas. No strings.