Small Town Girls Don't Marry Their Best Friends: Contemporary Christian Romance (Beaches of Trumanville Book 3)

by Carol Moncado

  He had added a round of strong steroids to Tessa’s medication to try to get the inflammation under control more quickly.

  Gray left the SUV running with Tessa dozing in the passenger seat while he ran into the Trumanville Family Pharmacy to pick up the prescription.

  “How is she, Gray?” The kindly pharmacist was the only one Gray had ever known. He’d been dispensing medication to the town for decades.

  Gray sighed as he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. “In a lot of pain.”

  “That’s what I guessed when I saw the refills.” He scanned the barcode on the bag. “Let TessaBear know we’re praying for her.”

  “I will,” Gray promised. “She’ll appreciate it. I’m sure she’ll stop in as soon as she feels up to it.”

  The pharmacist picked up a chocolate bar and tucked it into the bag. “A get well pick me up.”

  Gray chuckled. “She’ll appreciate that almost as much as the prayers.”

  He took the bag and went back out to the SUV. It took another fifteen minutes to get to the farm. Even driving as carefully as possible, the road and drive woke Tessa up.

  “Do you want to take a nap?” he asked as she slowly got herself out of the vehicle.

  “I think I’m going to sit in that chair with some sort of frozen vegetable on my back. Maybe watch an HEA TV movie or something.”

  “Where do you want the chair? Right in front of the television, but near the couch?” He opened the front door for her. Watching her walk up the stairs made him ache. She took them like a toddler just learning how.

  Left foot up. Drag the right foot behind, so it didn’t have to do any of the work. A couple of deep breaths then the next step. He’d noticed the opposite going down.

  She didn’t answer until she made it to the porch itself. “Probably. I’ll look.”

  He went to get her new meds ready to take, since she’d had a dose of pain medicine and muscle relaxers while they were still in Springfield.

  When he went back to the living room, she pointed at a spot about where he’d been thinking. “How about there?”

  After handing over the medicine, he moved the chair. While she sat down, he went back to get the frozen peas. He’d gotten a lot better about getting it on the right spot the first time, but that was when she was lying down.

  In some ways, it was easier when she sat up.

  “Do you want the remote, or do you want me to find something?” he asked as he picked two remotes up and turned on the television.

  “You can, but I get to choose.”

  “Of course.” He wouldn’t have it any other way. Before he sat down, he handed her the chocolate. “Two guesses who sent this.”

  “My favorite pharmacist.” The smile in her voice matched the one on her face, likely why the older man had done it.

  “They’re praying for you.”

  “Do they know what happened?” The smile had been replaced by a frown.

  “No. Just that you hurt your back, but he sees the prescriptions and suspects it’s worse than I tried to let on.”

  “Makes sense.”

  Gray settled into the chair he and Tessa had often shared. “Are you sure you don’t want a different chair?” He didn’t understand the appeal of the glorified captain’s chair from a dining room set.

  “The others are too soft and strain my back.”

  “Gotcha.” He flipped through the channels until he found an HEA TV movie that was only a few minutes in. “How’s this?”

  “Perfect.”

  “Not the word I’d use.” His standard response didn’t hold quite the humor it usually did.

  “Then you’d be wrong.” The hint of a smile amused him.

  “If you say so.”

  The movie wasn’t as awful as he’d feared, but it helped that Gray had grown up with the actor playing the hero. Christopher Bayfield was more his brother’s age, but they had been all over the fields on Pop Pop’s farm together.

  After twenty minutes, he put the peas back in the freezer. Later, they were replaced with a heated rice sock and, eventually, corn.

  When the movie ended, Tessa decided she’d had enough for the day. It was too early for more medicine, but she made her way upstairs and then to the bathroom for a shower.

  By the time she finished, it was time for more medicine and bed.

  Since Mama Beach went home the day before, Gray had been sleeping in the guest room.

  As he prepared for bed, a text came in from his boss, asking him to attend a conference on behalf of the organization. Three days about ninety minutes away.

  Gray sighed. In some ways, the decision was so easy. Tessa came first.

  But he’d been asking for an opportunity like this. Turning it down could be career suicide.

  If so... so be it.

  His priority was Tessa.

  He’d stay home.

  11

  Managing to get a long nightgown over her head taxed the little bit of energy Tessa had left.

  “No, I’m not going to be able to go.” Gray’s voice drifted in from the other bedroom where he’d been sleeping.

  Go where?

  “My wife fell a few days ago. She’s hurt pretty badly. She’ll be fine, but right now I need to stay here and take care of her.”

  Tessa stopped in the doorway to the room he’d been using. “Go where?” she asked softly.

  “Just a conference for work,” he told her.

  He was skipping a work conference for her? He’d wanted to go but didn’t have the seniority. “Go.”

  Gray looked up at her, his eyes wide then narrow. “Hold on, Angie.” He let the hand holding the phone fall to his side. “I’m not leaving you.”

  “Go. You’ve wanted this opportunity. I’ll get Jazz or someone else to come stay with me. I’ll be fine. I promise.” She wasn’t sure she meant it, not really, but she wasn’t going to let him give up this chance.

  He held the phone back up. “Angie, let me see if I can make some arrangements for someone else to stay with Tessa and get back to you first thing in the morning. Does that work?” He listened for a minute. “Sounds good. Thanks.”

  Once the call ended and the phone rested on the bed, Gray studied her. “You’re sure Jazz can come over? I don’t want to leave you here alone.”

  “I’ll text her, but there’s no reason why she shouldn’t be able to.”

  “And the party?” He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his legs. “Are you going to be able to plan the party on your own?”

  Tessa snorted then whimpered as pain shot through her back with the movement. “It’s a barbecue with our families. I’ll send a few texts out asking people to bring stuff. I was thinking we have it at the Beach House because it has a nicer outdoor kitchen. Pop Pop never did put a good one in here.”

  Gray thought about that. “I think that’s a good idea.” His eyes took on a bit of a glower. “But you have to promise to call me if you need anything.”

  “I will.” She lifted her good hand to cross her heart. “If I need you, I’ll let you know.” Tessa had no intention of needing him, but if she really did, she would call him - after exhausting her other resources.

  “Then I’ll be leaving for Spring Meadow tomorrow afternoon. I hadn’t planned to go to work, but I’ll need to go do a couple of things if I’m going to the conference. I think they’re all leaving after lunch, so I won’t get to come home.”

  “That’s fine.” Tessa gave him the best smile she could. “Mama Beach said to let her know if we needed help. We’ll be fine.”

  Gray stood and walked toward her, stopping close enough she could feel the cotton of his t-shirt brushing against her arm as it rested across her stomach. “Thank you, Tessa.” He kissed her forehead. “You know this trip means a lot to me, but I would give it up in a heartbeat for you.”

  “I know you would, but I won’t let you when there’s another option.” She reached out and rested her hand on his stomach. “And I appreciate
that you’d give it up. Now, I’m going to get back to bed before the meds kick in all the way.”

  He kissed her forehead again then stepped back. “I won’t wake you up in the morning if you’re still asleep.”

  “Thank you.”

  That’s why she woke up to an empty house the next morning. Tessa wasn’t sure how she felt about that, but she’d told Gray to go. She checked her phone to see a text from Mama Beach saying she’d been asked to cover at the courthouse for the judge who had a staph infection but would check in later. Another text from Jazz said she was out of town. Tessa frowned. She hadn’t known Jazz was going anywhere. Normally, she would.

  That meant she’d be home alone during the day. Mama Beach might - or might not - come by in the evenings. Did she need anyone else? Or could she handle this herself if she was careful?

  Tessa never wanted to need anyone, but she could admit it was much easier with someone else around.

  Determined to make it on her own, she worked her way downstairs, ate a light breakfast to go with her medicine, then sat in her chair with the remote and water in reach.

  In the time between the medicine starting to kick in and the point where it kicked in so much her head fuzzed over, Tessa planned the barbecue. Lani asked if Harrison’s parents could come.

  Tessa told her it was fine - the more the merrier had always been their cookout motto, but a king and queen? Plus Harrison, though Gray’s brother-in-law, was also a prince.

  She’d only met Harrison once, and he seemed nice enough. Tessa didn’t think she’d let on about her misgivings, but Lani texted back to reassure her the San Majorians would have a good time and weren’t pretentious or snobby about stuff like that.

  Gray had mentioned that his parents had a run-in with the monarch, though, so maybe it would be better if his parents weren’t there. She bit her lip and debated not texting her new mother-in-law an invite, but before she could, the woman herself sent a message to Tessa.

  Your father-in-law and I would be pleased to come to the party Saturday. That is, if we’re invited. I know my children were, but I haven’t heard from you about it yet. If we aren’t invited, that’s fine. No big deal.

  Right. Tessa didn’t believe that for a second. She replied with a text of her own asking them to please come and bring soda.

  Her head was getting too fuzzy to focus any longer. Rather than spending ten minutes trying to stand up, Tessa set her phone down, tried to focus on the cheesy movie, and let herself doze.

  The longing to be home after only three days away seemed odd to Gray, but then, he’d never had a wife to come home to either.

  Even if they didn’t act like newlyweds.

  He stopped at the gas station on the outskirts of Trumanville to fill up his car, having left the SUV for whoever was staying with Tessa in case she needed to go somewhere. As he waited for it to fill, a familiar vehicle pulled up next to him.

  “Hey, Jazz,” he called as she climbed out.

  “Gray!” She grinned at him. “You know, I can’t even be mad at you for getting married so quickly after we broke up.”

  He laughed. They hadn’t talked since he and Tessa decided to get married. “We went out like three times. I’m not sure it qualified as a break up.”

  “Close enough.” She swiped her card and started the gasoline flowing as his finished. “Can you watch this while I run inside?”

  “Sure.”

  She hurried toward the small, but clean, convenience store.

  Wait.

  Wasn’t she supposed to be with Tessa? He’d texted with his wife often but hadn’t actually talked to her. He’d called a couple of times, but she’d told him she’d fallen asleep waiting for him to call after his evening networking events ended.

  He put the nozzle back where it belonged and leaned against the driver’s door of his own car waiting for Jasmine to return.

  “Thanks,” she said as she walked back up. “Sometimes, you just can’t wait until you get home.”

  “Didn’t you just leave the farm?” Even before she answered, he dreaded what she was about to say.

  “The farm? Why would I be out there?” She stopped next to her driver’s door, leaning her back against the car.

  “Tessa’s hurt, but I had to go out of town for work. She told me she’d have you come stay with her.”

  Jazz shook her head, the long, dark ponytail with its bright green tips flinging it’s way over her shoulder. “She texted me the other night to ask what I was up to, but I was already in Oklahoma City visiting a friend. She never said why she asked.”

  Had Mama Beach been out there? Maybe that’s why Tessa hadn’t said anything.

  “She’s hurt?” Jazz caught his attention. “What happened?”

  “Missed the bottom rung of a ladder at the Beach Barn. Landed with her back against some debris on the floor. Bruised it really badly.”

  She shook her head again. “I didn’t know anything about it. I haven’t talked to her since I had to tell her I couldn’t make it back for the wedding. Is she all right?”

  Gray wrenched open the door to his car. “I’ve got to get home.” He didn’t peel out, but came close, glaring at the cars on the two-lane road outside the station, praying for a gap big enough to turn into.

  His phone rang, the screen on the console telling him it was Jazz.

  She didn’t wait for him to say anything when he hit the answer button. “What was that about?”

  He gunned it as a gap barely big enough appeared. “Tessa is hurt. Badly. Like muscle relaxers and steroids and prescription pain meds, fifteen minutes to maneuver herself out of bed in the morning bad. She told me you’d be able to stay with her so I would go to this conference. Mama Beach may be out there, may have been there the whole time, but until I know she hasn’t been home alone for three days...” His voice trailed off.

  “Got it. I’ll get in touch with her tonight or tomorrow, and we can figure out a plan so she’s not home alone for the next week or two. Gray, I promise I didn’t know, but I’m also sure Tessa wanted to make sure you didn’t miss your big chance. She had no reason to believe I wouldn’t be able to come over. I didn’t text her until almost noon the next day, after you would have been long gone.”

  Jazz had a point. “Thanks. I’ll talk to you soon.” He punched the red button then told his phone to call Mama Beach.

  “Gray!” She sounded genuinely happy to hear from him, but Mama Beach was always like that. “How’s Tessa?”

  “You haven’t been at the house?” he clarified. “At all the last few days?”

  “No.” She sounded puzzled. “I was going to stop by the other day for a little bit, but I’ve been on the bench all week. I knew you were home in the evenings.”

  “I’ve been out of town.” The words sounded clipped and anxious even to his own ears. “I’m almost home, though. I’ll talk to you later.” He hung up before she could say anything else.

  Even in his state of annoyance, he mostly obeyed the speed limit. He turned off the car and was out of it in one fluid motion.

  “Tess!” he called as he took the front steps three at a time, even though she probably couldn’t hear him yet. “Tess!” This time he opened the door as he called. “Where are you?”

  Gray needed to stay calm. If she was all right. If she wasn’t, all bets were off. But she’d seemed to be when they texted an hour earlier.

  “I’m upstairs.” Her voice sounded stronger than it did the night before he left.

  He took those stairs two at a time until he reached the master suite and found her sitting on the edge of the bed with her medicine in hand.

  “Hi.” She put two of the pills in her mouth and reached for her drink. “I’m glad you’re home.”

  Gray knelt on the floor next to her. “Please tell me you haven’t been alone this whole time. Please tell me someone besides Jazz or Mama Beach was here with you.” His eyes filled with tears at the thought of her suffering alone.

  Her fa
ce fell. “No. I didn’t know either of them couldn’t come until after you were gone. I didn’t want to bother anyone else. I kept my phone on me. I know how to force it to call 911 for me manually or using voice commands. I know how to make it send my emergency contacts, including you, text messages if needed.” She reached out and rested a hand on the side of his face. “I’m sorry I misled you, but I’m not sorry you had an amazing opportunity.”

  Gray rested his forehead against hers. “Promise you’re okay?”

  “I’ve been lonely. I’ve never been so glad to see you in my life. Having someone here to get me a drink or food would have been nice, but not necessary for my well-being. I just missed you.”

  Gray didn’t think he’d ever heard anything that meant as much to him as those words did. “I missed you, too,” he whispered, and wondered when it would be the right time to tell her he was falling in love.

  12

  Two hours after their spectacular non-fight, Tessa sat in the chair in the living room while Gray had moved his favorite chair closer so he could hold her hand.

  He’d taken it a lot better than she’d thought he would.

  Maybe someday she’d tell him about the moments of frustration when she couldn’t manage to stand up right away or the overwhelming sense not just of being lonely, but of being alone. She couldn’t quite define the difference, but knew she had felt one.

  “How’s everything looking for the barbecue?” Gray took a big bite of his sandwich.

  “Fine. Harrison’s family is going to be in town, though, so his parents are coming.” Tessa took a smaller bite of her own sandwich. “Remind me to show you the text your mother sent,” she mumbled around the food.

  “Didn’t your mother teach you not to talk with your mouth full?” Gray winked at her. They rarely used their best manners around each other. Why should that start now?