The two women exchanged a look I couldn’t read, nor did I want to. Saryn avoided looking directly at me and kept her eyes on her mother, the ground, or occasionally, Jack.
“Well, anyway, are we good with this new spot?” I asked.
Evie nodded, then turned to Saryn. “Don’t you think this will be a good spot? I think it actually works out better because we can see the playhouse from the kitchen.”
Saryn wrapped her arms around her body, almost as if she was self-conscious about something. Finally, she answered her mother. “Yes, I think it works great, Momma.”
A loud shriek had everyone turning to see Liliana rushing out and running toward her mother.
“Mommy!”
The smile that erupted on Saryn’s face made me smile, as well. “Hey, baby girl!”
She bent down and scooped up the little girl, giving her a hug and then peppering her with kisses. Liliana turned and saw me, then promptly asked to be put down. She quickly made her way over to me and I bent down to greet her. What I wasn’t expecting was for her to hug me.
“Twuitt! Pwayhouse!”
Everyone laughed, but when my gaze caught Saryn’s, she was simply staring, a blank expression on her face.
“Hey there, Liliana. What do you think about this spot for your playhouse?” I asked, picking her up with one arm and turning her to look at the open area.
“Yes, pwease!” she said in the sweetest voice. My heart fell a little more for this girl.
Evie clapped her hands. “Then the whole tree debacle has been avoided. Come on, Liliana, let’s go get your things.”
As Evie reached for her granddaughter, I was caught off guard again when Liliana framed my face with her little hands and looked me directly in the eyes. She smiled and my goddamn knees went weak. She didn’t even utter a word to me, but in that moment, that little girl wrapped me around her finger and I knew there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do to make her happy.
“Twuitt.”
“Liliana,” I said in a serious reply, because I didn’t know what else to say.
“Well, it appears you’ve made a friend, Truitt,” Evie said.
I smiled back at Liliana. “Well, I hope I’m invited to the first tea party in her castle.”
Liliana nodded happily, then let her grandmother take her from my arms.
As they walked off, I watched them go before swinging my gaze to Saryn. Her blank expression had disappeared, only to be replaced by another I couldn’t read at all.
I faced Will. “We’ll be back out tomorrow to survey everything and mark it all out. I’ll give you a call before we head over.”
He nodded, reached for my hand and shook it, then did the same with Jack. “Damn nosy people. Marker tree, my ass.”
I attempted not to laugh as I watched Will stomp away toward his house.
Once he left, Jack and I both laughed, then faced Saryn. “Well, enjoy your Sunday, Saryn,” I said.
“Um, thank you. Y’all, too.”
Jack and I started toward my truck when Saryn called out my name. “Truitt, might I have a word with you, please?”
I stopped and walked back toward her. “Sure. Do you not like the new location?”
Her eyes swung over to the new spot, then to Jack’s retreating back, then to her folks’ house before finally settling back on me.
She looked down for a moment before piercing me with her brown eyes. “I don’t want you to think I go out on the weekends and stay out all night. I realize how this looks, me coming home clearly after being out all night.”
I held up my hand. “Saryn, you’re a grown woman, you don’t owe anyone, especially me, an explanation.”
She chewed on her lip. “I know that, but I also know how it must look to you. I saw you last night and…”
“What you do in your private life is just that. Private. You won’t be getting any judgment from me.”
With a forced smile, and an uneasiness in her eyes, she nodded. “Thank you, but I know how people talk and…well…I’m not usually a one-night-stand kind of woman. It’s just, I needed it, if that makes any sense whatsoever.”
The fact that she had admitted to sleeping with Luke felt strangely like someone had stabbed a knife in my chest. Her eyes filled with something, not regret, but something foreign to me. Something that said she might have wished she hadn’t stayed with Luke. Maybe if I had asked her to dance, it would have been me she spent the night with. Or maybe that was simply my wishful thinking.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
“Like I said, no judgment. I’m far from being innocent myself. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get going.” I pointed toward my truck where Jack was now waiting in the passenger seat. This conversation was turning more awkward as the seconds ticked on.
Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. “Yes, of course. Right. Have, um, have a good Sunday, Truitt.”
I tipped my cowboy hat to her and said, “You, too.”
As I walked away, I felt her gaze practically boring a hole into my back. I had to force myself not to turn and glance back her way.
Saryn
I’D SUCCESSFULLY GONE a week without anyone from work asking me about Luke. Not even Natalie, his cousin, asked about it. But today was the first day I’d be working with Lucy, and I knew she wasn’t about to hold back.
I knew from talking with Ryan that he’d had his own night of fun with her. From what he’d filled me in on, she was very open about her escapades. I’d recently discovered she’d slept with Roger, Truitt’s brother, the night of his ER visit.
“Good morning!” Lucy said, practically skipping into the break room.
I glanced up at her and gave her a polite smile. “Morning. How were your days off?”
Lucy winked. “Fun. It started off with your brother, who I might add is super nice.”
With a roll of my eyes, I tried not to gag. “Please, don’t even go there, Lucy. What the two of you did is your business.”
She took a drink from her coffee, and I swear her eyes twinkled. “Natalie told me you and Luke hooked up.”
I nearly choked on my tea. “What!”
With a wave of her hand, she moved closer to me. “Be quiet, Saryn. My gosh, the other nurses are dying for information.”
My brow lifted and I gave her a look that said she was doing the very same thing.
“Listen, if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s this. I like men, I like sex…a lot…and I have my fair share of fun. What I don’t like is women who gossip about my sex life.”
“Aren’t you asking about mine?” I asked with what I was sure was a disbelieving look.
“Yes, but I’m not going to turn around and tell anyone else. I get the feeling that what happened that night is not something you do often.” She gave me a once-over, then added, “Or ever, if I’m being honest.”
My mouth fell open slightly.
“Oh, please, don’t act like I’ve offended you. I don’t blame you for wanting a mindless night out, especially after your divorce. I take it the marriage wasn’t a happy one.”
“No, it wasn’t. He cheated, but we had pretty much checked out of our marriage long before I found out. And you’re right. I’ve never had a one-night stand before. I mean, Luke was the second guy I’ve ever slept with.”
Lucy stared at me like I had grown two heads.
“Shut up.”
I nodded. “The worst part of it all is that my parents had to see my walk of shame.”
Her eyes widened and she looked at her watch. “We’ve got ten minutes, tell me everything!”
When Lucy sat in the chair, I glanced at the door, then took a seat next to her. I closed my eyes and let out a long sigh before I focused back on her. “Lucy, it was humiliating. My folks were out in the yard with Truitt Carter and a guy who works for him.”
Her brows raised. “Go on.”
“Well, I pulled up and got out wearing the same thing I had on the night before, so
it was plain and simple to everyone I was just then shagging my ass home.”
Lucy attempted not to smile, but the corner of her mouth twitched up.
“I hate the idea of anyone thinking I…”
“Had sex? You’re a grown woman, Saryn. If you want to spend the night with a man, that’s your right.”
“I know that, but my father was out there. He knows what I did! And my mother, she wasn’t angry with me, but I could see the disappointment in her face. Lord knows what Truitt thinks about me, although he was super nice about it.” I let a small smile play across my face.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, after my folks walked back into the house, I spoke with Truitt alone. I didn’t want him to think I was—”
I stopped speaking abruptly.
“A whore?” “That’s not what I was going to say, Lucy. More like…loose. Please don’t think I think of you that way.”
She laughed and waved her hand. “Like I said, I like sex. I don’t sleep around like everyone thinks; I’m careful, and I’m always up front with the guys I’m with. Truth be told, most of them want the one night, as well. I’m not ashamed, so don’t feel like you have to tiptoe. And you shouldn’t feel guilty for having a night out. And who cares what Truitt thinks? From what I hear, he’s no saint. Why care about his opinion?”
I shrugged. “He’s building my daughter’s playhouse and he’s friends with Ryan. I just didn’t want him to think I’m a bad mother.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “He’s not going to think that. Okay, real talk. Did you enjoy your night with Luke?”
My face scrunched up and I made a little noise.
“No! He sucked? But he’s so damn good looking and has a body to die for.”
“That he does. The man is in shape, but he…oh God…I can’t believe I’m talking about this. Promise not to say a word to Natalie!” I whispered.
Lucy crossed her heart with her finger, then made like she was zipping her lips.
With another quick look at the door, I said, “He came practically the moment he got inside me. I mean, it was like four, maybe five thrusts, and then he was groaning. He didn’t even offer to, you know.”
“Make you come?”
I groaned. “Oh God, someone is going to hear you.”
“What? I’m a get-to-the-point kind of girl.”
Sighing, I shook my head.
“I mean, he rolled off of me and I sort of laid there for a few minutes, and I think it finally dawned on him.”
“His mouth?”
I was positive my eyes nearly popped out of my head. “You are direct, aren’t you?”
“Are you a prude, Saryn?”
“A prude?” I asked with a humorless laugh.
“Yeah, I mean, if you need me to tone down my words, I can. It’s okay if you’re not into that sort of stuff. Not all women like it.”
I could feel my cheeks heating. Then Lucy nearly dropped her mug.
“You’ve never had a guy go down on you, have you?” she whispered, a look of horror on her face. “Your husband? Never?”
With a shake of my head, she let out a sigh that said she needed to fix this and stat.
When she focused back on me, she asked, “Okay, so he used his fingers, did it feel good, at least?”
I nodded. “Yeah, nothing I couldn’t do for myself, though.”
She placed a hand over her chest and smiled. “You’re not a total loss. I can work with this.”
“Excuse me?” I asked, jerking my head back.
“Did you have sex with him again?”
“No. He fell asleep.”
She motioned with her hands. “My gawd, what a dick!”
I leaned in and whispered, “After he made me orgasm, he literally rolled over and fell asleep. I laid there for about an hour trying to figure out if I should just leave! He woke up around seven and we had sex again. This time he made sure I…” My eyes darted to the door again, then back to Lucy. “He made sure I came first before he did his quick five or six pumps.”
This time Lucy did laugh, and I finally let myself laugh, as well. It was nice having another woman to talk to. Most of my high school friends had moved away and were happily married. Linnzi had moved to France after her accident and we hardly got to talk.
Honestly, I hadn’t really talked to any friends from high school. Tim had made sure I’d focused most of my time and attention on him, which cost me most of my friends.
“Note to self, never hook up with Luke,” Lucy said as she pretended to type it on her phone.
I slapped at her hand and shook my head.
“Thank you for talking to me. I don’t really have many friends here.”
Her smile softened and she said, “I don’t either. Most women are put off by me, which is fine. But if you ever want to talk or need to talk...or, hell, just need someone to hang out with, I’m your girl.”
My heart was touched by her kindness. “Thank you, Lucy. You’ve made me feel at home since the day I met you, and I appreciate that. Not everyone has.”
She nodded. “That’s because they know you’re a better nurse than them.”
And there it was again: the woman shocked me into silence once more with her brutally honest words.
She smiled. “Come on, our shift is on, let’s go heal people and shit like that.”
Laughing, I turned and rinsed out my mug before setting it on the drying rack. It had felt good to talk to someone about what happened during my first attempt at moving on with my life. Even though a pretty big part of me regretted my night with Luke, another part was glad I did it. It had felt good to throw out caution and let my guard down.
An hour hadn’t gone by when Lucy walked up to me and handed me a chart. “Can you see the guy in bay four? I’ve got to help Dr. Passel with a patient.”
“Sure,” I said, taking the chart and slipping it under my arm. “What’s wrong with him?”
She shrugged and headed over to another bay. “I didn’t get a chance to ask.”
I turned and walked over to bay four. Before I opened the curtain, I froze as I read the name.
Luke Martin.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I took in a deep breath and pulled the curtain back. Luke was sitting on the table, a smile on his face.
“Luke, is everything okay?” I asked, scanning him to make sure he hadn’t been hurt in any way. He was dressed in his cop uniform.
“Everything is fine. Do you know how hard it was to bribe them into letting me come back here?”
I glanced back over to where Lucy was. She was indeed busy with a patient; I didn’t think she even knew who was sitting in this bay.
“I was hoping I’d get you for a nurse; they couldn’t promise me it would be you.”
Focusing back on him, I forced a smile. “Why did you go to all this trouble?”
He shrugged. “You never gave me your number, but I remembered you worked here, so I thought I’d pay you a visit.”
“And you couldn’t just walk in and ask to speak to me?”
Luke looked confused for a moment before he forced a smile. “What fun would that be?”
Irritation rushed through me. I was busy, this was an ER, and he was a cop. He should know how wrong this was.
“I’m sorry, Luke, I’m really busy.”
He nodded and slid off the table. “Right, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I just really wanted to see you again. Ask you if you wanted to go to dinner or something.”
Guilt wrapped around my heart and squeezed tight. He was a really nice guy, just not the type of guy I was interested in. And I felt terrible, but the first thing I had thought of when I left his apartment was that I wished it had been Truitt I’d spent the night with.
What a bitch I was.
Lucy’s voice popped into my head and I lifted my chin some and stood up straight. Honesty was the only way to go here.
“Luke, I had a great time with you the other night, but I’m recen
tly out of a marriage and I was only looking for a…a, um…a…”
He tilted his head. “A one-night stand.”
My cheeks heated and I felt like I was starting to sweat. “I thought you were on the same page.”
For a moment, he looked unsure of what to say before he rubbed at the back of his neck with his hand. “No, right. You didn’t promise anything. I simply thought maybe you might like to go out again.”
I chewed on my lip. “I’m sorry, but I was only interested in the one night. Please know that isn’t something I normally do.”
“Right, no. I get it. I was the guy you needed to move on with.”
“I’m sorry if I misled you in any way.”
He moved back and forth on his feet as if he was forcing himself not to bolt from the room.
“I understand. Thank you for being so honest with me, Saryn.”
All I could do was smile and give him a nod.
“I need to get on back to my patrol. Have a great day,” Luke said, reaching down and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. Then he walked past me, and I let out the breath I hadn’t even realized I had been holding in.
After a few deep breaths, I turned and walked out of the bay, looked around the ER, and noticed not a single person had been paying any attention to what had been going on with me and Luke. A sense of relief hit me, and I walked over to the front desk, handed the young administrative clerk the file and said, “Next time, please don’t let anyone take up a bay that might be used for someone who truly needs it.”
The young girl flushed with embarrassment and nodded as she took the file from me.
I spent the next four hours counting down until I could leave and get home. I wanted to see Liliana and just relax and not think of anyone or anything. An image of Truitt popped into my head as I made my way back to the nurses’ station. The man seemed to be invading my thoughts more and more.
“What’s with the serious look on your face?” Lucy asked.
“What?” I asked.
“I can’t tell if you’re angry, excited or confused right now.” Lucy chuckled.
Slowly, I shook my head and picked up another patient’s chart. I tried to focus on it and couldn’t. I had no idea if nursing was beginning to be something I wasn’t interested in, if it was simply the ER, or if my problem was something different altogether.
Lucky in Love Page 9