by Force, Marie
“To say it’s been overwhelming to have them in my life is putting it mildly. I thought I’d come so far from when I’d used alcohol to cope with an earlier devastating loss. It’d been years since I’d been tempted to take a drink. Until I was faced with meeting my father and his entire family, and I forgot all about ten years of sobriety in my desire to fit in and go with the flow and not have to explain that, no, I can’t have that glass of wine or a beer because I’m an alcoholic. I’ve never been afraid to tell people that, but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to tell these people.”
“Do you believe they’d think less of you if you told them?” Nina asked.
“No, not at all. It’s just that my relationships with them still feel so new and fragile.”
“Perhaps you begin with your dad, and go from there,” Mason suggested.
Mallory noticed that Quinn nodded in agreement.
“That’s a good idea,” she said to Mason.
“No one says you have to tell anyone,” Quinn said. “My family has no idea I’m an alcoholic. They know I don’t drink, but they think it’s because I’m a fitness freak.”
The insight from a man of so few words surprised her. “You make a good point,” Mallory said. “It’s not like I owe anyone the information.”
“You owe it to yourself to make your life here on the island manageable, though,” Andy said. “If anyone asks, and I doubt they will because people tend not to notice what’s so obvious to us, just tell them you’re dieting or alcohol gives you a headache. There’s always something you can say to take the attention off the fact that you don’t drink.”
“Thank you all. This is very helpful.” And it was all stuff she’d heard before, but it helped to talk about it in relation to her new family.
The meeting ended a short time later, and Mallory told Mason she’d see him at the barn next Tuesday.
“See you then,” he said with a wave as he headed for the door.
Mallory waited for Quinn, who was talking to Nina. While feigning interest in her phone, she took advantage of the opportunity to take a closer look at him. Standing maybe six foot two or three, he had a muscular build and close-cropped dark blond hair. He wore faded denim jeans and a navy blue Henley. Long sleeves were pulled up to reveal strong forearms. As he listened intently to Nina, he gave her his undivided attention.
Mallory wondered what it would be like to be on the receiving end of Dr. Quinn James’s full attention. A shiver went through her, making her tremble and feel ridiculous at the same time. Sure, he was a good-looking guy, but that didn’t mean she had to get silly over him.
Then he was walking toward her, and Mallory shook off her inappropriate thoughts.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Whenever you are.” Duh. Of course he’s ready, or he wouldn’t be asking if you are.
“How’d you get here?” he asked.
“Rode my bike.”
“We can toss it in the back of my truck if you want.”
“Sure, that works.”
He didn’t say anything else as he held the door to let Mallory go out ahead of him. She’d worn jeans and a lightweight sweater in deference to the chilly spring air and hoped her jeans looked as good on her as his did on him. More silliness. Knock it off, Mallory. He’s taking you on a tour of a building, not his bedroom.
It had been a long time since she’d found any guy particularly attractive, so her thoughts were surprising, to say the least. She’d been frantically busy with work for so many years that things like men and dating and sex had fallen pretty far down on her list of priorities, well behind the sleep she craved after long weeks at work.
Months after her layoff, she was well-rested and more relaxed than she’d been in years. Even moving couldn’t compare to the stress of a regular week at work.
She wheeled her bike over to his big silver pickup and watched the play of his muscles as he lifted the bike into the bed of the truck. Then he held the passenger door for her and waited for her to get settled before he closed it and went around to the driver’s side. Sexy, smart, mysterious and a gentleman—what a potent combination.
They drove slowly through the congested downtown area. “What is all this?” Mallory asked, taking in the crowds of people and cars that clogged the streets. It was too early in the season for this many tourists.
“The start of Race Week. Races that last all day and parties that last all night. From what I’m told, it gets pretty crazy.”
“I guess so.”
Once they were through the downtown area, the traffic let up, and they made quick time driving to the island’s north end.
Mallory tried to tell herself that the silence between them wasn’t awkward, but it did make her feel uncertain. Should she say something to cut through the silence or stay quiet? Was he always this reticent, or did he talk more around people he knew well?
“How long have you been here?” she asked when the silence had stretched long enough for her.
“I got here two months before we met up at the accident site.”
“What do you think so far?”
“I like it more than I expected to. My brother and sister-in-law and their friends keep me busy, and so far, the remoteness hasn’t made me too crazy.”
“Your brother has made quite a name for himself,” Mallory said. Who hadn’t heard of the young billionaire who’d walked away from Wall Street to move to Gansett Island?
“I still find it funny that everyone knows him. To me, he’s still my annoying little brother.”
“What’s it like to have a brother who’s been so successful?”
“I’m happy for him. He was always a go-getter—from the time he was the littlest kid. He was mowing the neighbors’ lawns by the time he was twelve and incorporated his first business at eighteen.”
“Wow, that’s impressive. Do you guys have other siblings?”
“We have two sisters and another brother.”
“I’m still getting used to having siblings. Finding out you have five of them when you’re thirty-nine takes some getting used to.”
“You’re thirty-nine? You sure don’t look it.”
“Thanks. I’ll be forty in August. That’s hard to believe.”
“I turn forty in August also.”
“What day?”
“The ninth.”
For a second, Mallory was too stunned to speak. “No way,” she said after a long pause. “You were born on August ninth forty years ago?”
“Yep.”
“Me, too.”
He looked over at her, seeming as shocked as she felt. “We were born on the same day. What’re the freaking odds of that?”
“Astronomical.” She was about to remind him he was driving and should look at the road rather than at her when he finally shifted his gaze.
“That’s crazy,” he said.
“We should form a turning-forty support group.”
He made a sound that might’ve been a laugh. “It’s just a number.”
“Are you where you thought you’d be at forty?” The question was probably too deep to ask someone she’d just met, but she’d been asking herself the same thing in recent weeks as she prepared to start over once again.
“Hell no. Are you?”
“Nope. Not even kinda.”
“Where’d you think you’d be?”
“Married with teenagers and a mortgage and two dogs and a job I loved to hate. What about you?”
“Same thing, I guess. I certainly never expected to be starting over on a middle-of-nowhere island. That’s for sure.”
“We have far more than our birthdays in common. Until my mom told me where to find my dad, I’d never even been here, despite growing up in Providence.”
“I’d never been here either until I came to visit Jared and Lizzie over the holidays, and she talked me into being the medical director at their new facility.”
“Did she have to twist your arm?”
“
Not too hard. I was looking for a change and didn’t have anything better to do. I figured what’s the harm in giving it a year or two? I could get the place up and running and then turn it over to someone else if I hate living here.”
“Where did you live before?”
“Around. I was in the army for twenty-one years. I got out at the end of last year. I was living in New York City before I came here.”
“Thank you for your service.”
He glanced over at her. “You’re welcome.”
“Could I ask you something that’s none of my business?”
“I guess…”
“Did you hurt yourself?”
“When?”
“Recently. I noticed your limp the first time we met, and wondered if you’d hurt yourself running or something.”
“Once a nurse, always a nurse?”
“Something like that.”
“I’ve got a bum knee that got me medically retired about three years ahead of schedule.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. That’s too bad.”
“Is what it is.” He took a left onto a dirt road that led to a construction site. “Here we are.”
Mallory followed him inside where her brother Mac was working along with their cousins Shane, Riley and Finn as well as Mac’s business partner, Luke Harris.
“Hey, Mallory,” Mac said when he saw her come in with Quinn. “What brings you to our home away from home for the last few months?”
“Dr. James wanted to show me the facility.”
“We’ll stay out of your way,” Quinn said.
“No problem, Doc,” Mac replied. “We’re working in the kitchen today, so you’ve got the run of the rest.” To Mallory, he added, “We’re in the home stretch, so feel free to notice what a fantastic job we’ve done.”
“Nothing wrong with his ego,” Mallory said.
“I’ve noticed that,” Quinn said.
They left Mac and the others laughing as Quinn gestured for Mallory to go ahead of him into a hallway. “These are all offices.” He pointed to several new wood doors. “Mine, the administrator and the nursing director.”
“Nice that the nursing director gets the same treatment as the medical director. You don’t see that everywhere.”
“I made sure of that. The nursing staff will be the backbone of this place.”
He took her through a large community lounge and a dining room that would allow residents to eat together. “They’ll also have the option of having meals in their rooms, if that’s what they prefer.”
Mallory took it all in. The individual patient rooms were big, spacious and well lit, many with views of the water. “Will it cost more to live on the water side of the building?”
“A little more. Most of those rooms are already spoken for.”
“This is amazing. I can’t believe something like this is happening on such a small island.”
“You can thank my sister-in-law Lizzie for making it a reality. She was so moved by the plight of Alex and Paul Martinez. They had to move their mom, who has dementia, to the mainland when they could no longer care for her at home. They own Martinez Lawn and Garden, so they’re tied to the island and couldn’t go with her. Lizzie said no family should have to face that kind of decision. Within a couple of days, she’d bought the old school and hired Mac to do the renovations. He and his team have been here all winter.”
“She gets things done, huh?”
“Sometimes I think my brother has no idea what hit him when he married her, but he’s so crazy about her that he’d give her anything she wants, including an old school that’s about to be a long-term healthcare facility.”
“That’s true love.”
“Yep.”
“When do you plan to begin recruiting for staff?”
“I hired an agency to handle that for me. I’m meeting with the recruiter at the end of the week.”
Mallory nodded in agreement. That was what she would’ve done, too.
“Our new administrator is starting next week. She’s responsible for hiring the support staff. My brother and Lizzie have given me complete autonomy over the medical side of the house, including hiring the nursing director.”
“That’s great. That’s how it should be.”
He smiled then, and Mallory was struck dumb. His smile revealed deep grooves in his cheeks that couldn’t really be called dimples but were sexy as hell nonetheless. Not to mention the way the smile lit up his golden-brown eyes. “Earth to Mallory?”
She realized she was staring at him and flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry. What did you say?”
“Do you know anyone who might be interested in a management-level nursing position, overseeing a staff of about twenty nurses?”
“I, um… After running an ER with ninety nurses and other support staff, I could do that job with one hand tied behind my back and my eyes closed.”
“Or maybe you could do it with both hands and your eyes open?”
A joke. He’d made a joke. She laughed. “I could do that, too.”
“So you want the job?”
“You know nothing about me! You haven’t checked my references or my experience or… anything!”
“I saw you in action that day on the road. I already know you’ve got the chops, and you ran an ER at a top hospital in Providence.”
“A job I recently lost.”
“Not because you weren’t good at it, but because they couldn’t afford you anymore. Right?”
“Right.”
He shrugged. “I’d consider myself fortunate to have a nurse with your experience on our team if you’re interested in the job.”
Mallory took a deep breath. Her head was spinning. A job offer had been the last thing she’d expected when she came with him to see the facility. “I… Um… I’m committed to work for Mason on the rescue for the summer.”
Quinn opened the door to his office, which already looked fairly lived-in, with piles of folders and papers on the desk. He reached for a piece of paper on the desktop and handed it to her. “That’s fine. We’re not due to open until October. If you’d be willing to consult on the hiring of the nursing team over the summer, you could officially start after Labor Day.”
Mallory perused the job description and the salary range, which was close to what she’d been making in Providence. “Would you mind if I took a little time to think about it? My plan was to spend the summer here and reevaluate in the fall.”
“Of course. Take a few days, but if you’re interested, I’d like to have you at the meeting with the recruiter, if at all possible.”
“How about I commit to the meeting for now, and let you know about the job itself later?”
“I can live with that. If you give me your number, I’ll let you know when the meeting is.”
Mallory recited her phone number and watched as he punched it into his phone.
“I sent you a text so you’ll have mine.”
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
He gave her a questioning look. “I feel like I’ve shocked you speechless with my offer.”
“A little,” she said with a laugh. “And that’s not easy to do. It’s more that I wasn’t expecting it than anything else. Did you plan this whole thing? To lure me out here and wow me with the awesomeness of the place and then offer me a job you hoped I couldn’t refuse?”
“That would be awfully premeditated on my part.”
Oh my God, she thought. He is adorable when he pours on the charm. “Ah-ha! I knew it. And I walked right into your trap.”
His face lifted in a half smile that was no less dazzling than the full one. “Hopefully, you’ll decide my trap is actually a good career move.”
“I’m honored that you offered it to me. Please don’t think I’m not. It’s just that I’m in this weird transition right now, and I want to be sure I’m making the right decision, not the most convenient one.”
“Fair enough.” He stared at her with an intense gaze that made her f
eel like he could see right through her. “Could I ask you something else?”
“Sure.”
“Will you have dinner with me later?”
For a second, Mallory’s brain went completely blank. He was asking her out? After offering her a job? “I…”
“It’s a simple yes or no question.”
Mallory studied him for a second, but his expression gave nothing away. “Is it? Is it simple?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. I guess we’ll find out.”
“You offered me a job.”
“So I did.”
“And now you’re asking me out?”
“It seems that I am. Yes.”
“I’m confused.”
“Which part is confusing?”
“You asking me out after offering me a job in which you would be my boss if I were to accept the position.”
“I’d prefer to think we’d be colleagues rather than boss-employee. Besides, I’m not proposing marriage here. Just dinner. For now.”
“Why?”
His brows furrowed. “Now I’m confused.”
“Why do you want to have dinner with me?”
“We’re both new to the island, and I thought it would be nice to get to know each other better. Also, I’m sure my brother and sister-in-law are getting tired of having me underfoot all the time. I need to make some friends of my own. Are those good reasons?”
“Those are good reasons.”
“So you’ll have dinner with me?”
“I’ll have dinner with you.”
“Excellent,” he said with the half smile that did wondrous things to his face. “Seven thirty good for you?”
“That works. Where would you like to meet?”
“I’ll pick you up. Where’s your new place?”
She gave him the Ocean Road address of Janey’s house, which she should probably think of as hers now.
“Can I give you a ride home?”
“I’ll ride the bike. It’s a nice day. But thanks for the offer.”
“Let me help you get the bike out of the truck.”
They walked together toward the main entrance, and Mallory stuck her head into the kitchen to say good-bye to her brother and cousins.