Time of Day

by Nicole Pyland

  “If I asked you to call someone to pick you up, would you think I’m crazy?” Dr. Ash asked. “It would just make me feel better.”

  “I can make a few calls and embarrass myself for you. How’s that?”

  The woman laughed and replied, “Sounds great.”

  “But if none of them can get me, I’ll drive myself. Is that a deal?”

  “Deal. Let me get your crutches while you do that.”

  Kinsley called Reese first, because she knew Morgan would only yell at her for being stupid before she laughed at her for missing a giant tree root they could probably see from the space station. Reese didn’t answer. She called Kellan next. Kellan did answer, but she had two more patients. She said Reese was with Remy and Ryan at the beach and, likely, couldn’t hear her phone. She called Remy, thinking maybe she’d get lucky. Then, she called Ryan, for good measure. She called Stacy, but she and Dave were out of state. Finally, she gave in and called Morgan.

  “You did what?” Morgan asked.

  “I know. I’m stupid. Can you just come and get me? The doctor doesn’t want me driving.”

  “But it’s your left ankle.”

  “I know that, Morgan. If you can’t, it’s fine. I told her I’d call everyone I knew first, and if none of you can get me, I’ll drive myself.”

  “Well, that would make me a terrible friend, wouldn’t it?” Morgan asked. “I can’t believe you went all the way up there and hiked an unfamiliar trail on your own. That’s so dumb, James. You know how dumb that is.”

  “And if I wanted a lecture, I’d call my mother.”

  “Give me about forty-five minutes, and I’ll be there, okay?”

  Kinsley hung up after she told Morgan the address of the clinic and lowered her phone.

  “Any takers?” the doctor asked when she came back into the room with crutches, leaning them against the wall.

  “My friend Morgan.”

  “Did she lecture you, like you thought?”

  “Yes, she did.” Kinsley laughed.

  “At least you got it out of the way already,” the woman said and handed her the pills and a small cup of water.

  “Please, I’ll have to listen to it all the way home,” Kinsley replied and took the medication.

  “Well, I’m done with my shift. I can keep you company until she gets here if you want,” Dr. Ash said.

  “I’d like that, but you don’t have to. I can just wait in the waiting room.”

  “You can’t, actually. We’re closing. Technically, we’re closed already. You were the last patient of the day. Jackie already went home.”

  “Jackie is?”

  “The receptionist, sorry.”

  “Oh, I’ll wait in my car, then.”

  “There’s a bar down the street. If you want, we can go there and wait. If you’re not driving, you can have a drink with me.”

  Kinsley smiled softly at the doctor and said, “I probably shouldn’t walk down the street.”

  “I have a car.” The woman blushed a little. “If I’m being honest, I might have insisted you have someone drive you because I was kind of hoping to talk to you more.”

  “What? Really?”

  “Yes. And it’s completely unprofessional.” She laughed. “But if you are…”

  “Gay?”

  “Yes,” Dr. Ash said.

  “I am. You?”

  The woman nodded and said, “Drink?”

  “Sure.”

  CHAPTER 15

  Riley watched them for a minute before she approached. She gritted her teeth when she saw them both laugh, and then again, as the woman she didn’t recognize helped Kinsley shift her injured ankle on the chair she was propping it up on before the woman sat back down in her own chair. Riley knew this was jealousy. She understood this feeling all too well. She’d been jealous before, but she was pretty certain she’d never been this jealous.

  “Kinsley,” she greeted.

  “Riley?” Kinsley was obviously surprised to see her. “What are you doing here?”

  “Morgan’s in the car. We’re here to pick you up.”

  “You’re both here?” Kinsley asked and turned to the other woman.

  “One of us has to drive your car back.” She turned to the woman. “Hi. You are?”

  “Courtney Ash,” she said and held out her hand.

  “She’s the doctor that helped me,” Kinsley added.

  “Nice to meet you,” Riley replied and shook her hand reluctantly. “Are you ready?” She turned her attention to Kinsley.

  “Yeah, I guess.” Kinsley lowered her ankle to the floor. Riley watched as Courtney moved to the crutches leaning against the wall behind the table, helped Kinsley stand, and passed them to her. “Thanks.”

  “You’ll call me?” Courtney asked Kinsley.

  Kinsley looked at Riley before looking back at Courtney, giving her a smile and nodding.

  “Thanks for the drink,” she said.

  “Anytime,” Courtney replied.

  Riley watched the exchange as Kinsley settled into her crutches. Riley let her walk over to where she was standing before she put her hand on the small of Kinsley’s back and ushered her out of the bar.

  “I texted Morgan this address. I didn’t expect you to be here,” Kinsley said when they got outside.

  “Obviously,” Riley replied.

  “What does that mean?” Kinsley turned her head toward her.

  “Drinks?”

  “She was nice enough to wait for Morgan with me. The closest place to wait was the bar. She was nice.”

  “I could see that,” Riley said.

  “Are you jealous?” Kinsley asked.

  “Are you going out with her?” Riley asked back.

  Kinsley stopped walking abruptly. Riley’s hand went to the small of her back again to help steady her.

  “She asked me to look over the paperwork for her. She’s thinking about moving offices for her medical practice and isn’t sure about the new building. I offered to help her, since she was so nice to me.”

  “Oh,” Riley replied, feeling a little foolish.

  “Hey, just how injured are you?” Morgan asked as she approached them. “And why were you in a bar? Where’s your car?”

  “It’s back at the clinic,” Kinsley explained.

  “Well, let’s go then. I’m hoping to get back early enough so I can catch Steph before she closes up,” Morgan explained.

  “Steph from the café?” Kinsley asked.

  “She’s hot,” Morgan replied. “And she may have suggested I stop by tonight. She said she’d give me a free cappuccino if I did.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

  “I do not want to know what you think a cappuccino is,” Riley said.

  Kinsley laughed. Riley loved the sound of it and helped her into the back of Morgan’s car. They drove while Morgan lectured Kinsley about the dangers of hiking alone and how much worse it could have been. Riley didn’t say anything until they arrived at the clinic. Kinsley climbed out of the car. Riley helped her into the passenger’s seat of her own vehicle. Before she could turn around, Morgan was waving at both of them and driving off. Riley had failed to consider that she and Kinsley would be driving alone for over forty-five minutes. In a way, she was very happy. Kinsley would be trapped; they’d be forced to talk. She was also still slightly jealous. Kinsley had been laughing at Courtney Ash in that bar. She’d smiled and laughed, and seemed to be having fun, despite the fact that she’d injured herself and was clearly in pain.

  “Can I just say that I agree with Morgan?” Riley asked as they pulled out of the parking lot.

  “About?”

  “You, hiking on your own like that. That’s dangerous, Kinsley. Why’d you do that? Why’d you come all the way out here to do that? We live in South Lake. There are trails next to your damn house you could have used. You could have hobbled your way home, for crying out loud.”

  “I needed to get away.” Kinsley leaned her head against the side window. “I misjudged
my hiking ability, apparently.”

  “Yeah, apparently,” she replied angrily. “God, Kinsley. What if something had happened to you?”

  “Riles, I’m fine. It’s a mild sprain. I’ll stay off it for a few days and be fine.”

  Riley sighed and asked, “Are you hungry? We could stop on the way back.”

  “No, I’m okay. Courtney and I shared a couple of appetizers.”

  “And that was all you shared?” Riley asked without glancing in Kinsley’s direction.

  “She’s gay, Riley. If that’s what you’re getting at, she’s gay, and she did ask me out to drinks. We shared one and some laughs. She’s very nice.”

  “You said that already,” Riley pointed out.

  “And yes, she asked me out.”

  “You said she asked you to look into some paperwork,” Riley said, looking over at Kinsley, whose eyes were now meeting hers.

  “She asked me out and also asked me to look at the paperwork.”

  “And you said?”

  “I said I’d think about it.”

  Riley’s eyes went to the road as she replied, “Got it.”

  “You can’t be mad at me for this, Riley,” Kinsley said.

  “I’m not mad.”

  “Then, what are you?”

  “Tired of talking about this,” Riley replied. “Let’s just listen to music.” She turned the volume up. Kinsley reached forward and turned it back down. “What, Kinsley?”

  “You were on the phone with Elena, Riley.”

  “I had my arms around your waist, Kinsley,” Riley reminded.

  Kinsley didn’t say anything for a moment. Riley let out an exasperated sigh.

  “Let’s just listen to music, like you said,” Kinsley suggested.

  The rest of the ride was silent. It wasn’t that comfortable silence Riley liked so much in a relationship, though. It was that tense, awkward silence between two people who obviously had things to talk about but neither of them was ready to do so. When Riley pulled up in front of Kinsley’s house, Morgan’s car was there, waiting. She pulled into the driveway and put Kinsley’s car in park before turning it off and passing Kinsley the keys.

  “Well, Morgan is waiting. I guess I should go.”

  “Riley, I don’t like this,” Kinsley said.

  Riley turned to her and took in Kinsley’s face before her eyes moved to Kinsley’s leg.

  “Kinsley, you’re bleeding,” she said as she placed her hand just above the bandage that blood was soaking through.

  “It’s just a cut. I’ll take care of it when I get inside.”

  “Wait. What don’t you like?”

  “Huh?”

  Kinsley was cute when she was confused.

  “You said you don’t like this,” Riley reminded.

  “Oh, I don’t like whatever we’ve turned into.”

  “What’s that?” Riley asked.

  “I don’t know, but I don’t like it.”

  Riley stared into Kinsley’s blue eyes for a moment before she said, “Neither do I.”

  “Hey, I need to get out of here if I’m going to make it to Steph in time,” Morgan said as she stood next to Kinsley’s car and Riley’s open window. “I’ve got to drop you back at the office to get your car.”

  “You were at work?” Kinsley asked her.

  “I was meeting with a client when Morgan came in and told me what happened.”

  “I needed someone to drive your car back,” Morgan explained.

  “You were in the middle of a meeting with a client and you left?” Kinsley asked Riley.

  “I’ll finish the meeting tomorrow.” She looked down at Kinsley’s leg. “You need to get inside. Come on. I’ll help you take care of that.”

  “So, I’m not meeting Steph tonight, am I?” Morgan asked when Riley opened the door.

  “You can go.” Riley closed the driver’s side door. “I need to take care of her.” Morgan lifted her eyebrow. “Not like that,” Riley whispered.

  “Whatever you say,” Morgan replied and smirked. She also offered an eye-roll. “Should I stay? Does she need me? I don’t really care about Steph. I can catch her tomorrow night.”

  “She’ll be fine. I’ll stay,” Riley replied and placed her hand on Morgan’s arm. “Thank you for coming to get me.”

  “I could have grabbed any one of my friends from the beach. I chose you, because I know you two need to talk. Make sure you take care of her, okay? And I don’t mean that in a dirty way.”

  “I’ll make sure she’s okay,” Riley said with a light laugh.

  Morgan turned and made her way back to her car. She drove off as Riley helped Kinsley out of the car and into the house. She got Kinsley situated in bed with a pillow to elevate her ankle. Then, she went into the kitchen and got her something to drink and a bag of chips she found in the pantry, in case Kinsley got hungry. She dropped it off with Kinsley before she went into the bathroom and found a much larger first aid kit than her own.

  “Is this because you’re so injury prone?” Riley asked when she emerged from the master bath, holding up the first aid kit.

  “It’s because I’m a single woman and I did a lot of these home improvements myself. I had a few cuts and bruises along the way,” Kinsley explained. “You can just leave it here. I’ll bandage it back up. If you want to take my car home, you can. I’ll come by tomorrow and get it. It’s not like I’m going anywhere else tonight anyway.”

  “Kinsley, can you just let me help you? We don’t have to talk about anything we really should be talking about. I can just fix your leg.”

  Kinsley nodded. Riley removed the existing bandage, revealing the cut beneath. She cleaned it again, wiping the blood from Kinsley’s leg. She applied a topical ointment and rebandaged it. When she finished, she grabbed the kit and the trash. Once she’d put that all away, she made her way back into Kinsley’s bedroom, suddenly remembering she had no other reason to stay at the house. She didn’t want to leave, though. Kinsley wasn’t in bed. The pillow was still in place, as was the water and bag of chips, but the woman was gone. Riley looked at the opened door and made her way to it. She found Kinsley lying in one of her chaise lounge chairs.

  “Come out here?” Kinsley asked.

  Riley moved outside, leaving the door open behind her. There was another chair there this time, but she chose to stand against the railing instead, turning to face Kinsley and not the nighttime view.

  “You should be lying in bed. It’s getting late.”

  “I was out there because of you,” Kinsley said.

  “Hiking?”

  “Sometimes, I go for a drive to clear my head. Sometimes, I hike. Today, I decided to do both, and it clearly backfired.”

  “You needed to clear your head of me?” she asked.

  “I can’t ever seem to clear my head of you.”

  CHAPTER 16

  “I’d say it’s the pain meds making me more direct, but I don’t think ibuprofen does that,” Kinsley said and chuckled.

  “Kinsley, just talk to me. That’s all I want.”

  Riley stood there, leaning her back against the railing of Kinsley’s patio and looking great while doing it. She wore black slacks with matching short heels that had a small silver flourish on them. Her blouse was silk and a bright blue that wasn’t quite navy but also wouldn’t be described as light blue, either. The top button had been undone. There was a nice view through that V between her breasts, but not enough to be considered revealing. Her hair was down. Riley ran her fingers through it as the wind had gusted around them moments ago, causing the hair to fly in her face.

  “You look beautiful,” Kinsley replied as Riley smiled and looked away from her eyes. “And I am scared,” she added.

  Riley’s eyes returned to Kinsley’s, and she said, “Because of me?”

  “Because I don’t want to get hurt by you,” Kinsley explained.

  “Why are you assuming you will?”

  “When was the last time you talked to Elena?�
�� Kinsley asked.

  “Yesterday,” Riley answered. Kinsley lowered her head. “We were together for three years, Kinsley. There are still things we need to work out.”

  “Like what?” Kinsley looked back up at her.

  “She’s having a hard time,” Riley replied.

  “Not being with you?”

  “Yes. But that doesn’t mean I want to be with her,” Riley said and moved toward her. “Kinsley, you helped me realize I didn’t want a life with her. Why can’t you see that?” She sat on the side of the chair, causing Kinsley to shift a little.

  “I guess I can see that. It’s just hard to believe it’s over between you two when you’re still talking on the phone every day,” Kinsley said. “My worst nightmare is you and I getting together only to have your ex-girlfriend come back into the picture, Riley. Maybe I should be a better person than that, but I’ve never been able to be friends with my exes. I don’t understand how Morgan can do that with Reese.”

  “Your worst nightmare is us getting together and then Elena coming back? That’s the worst thing you can imagine?” Riley asked.

  “Why does that matter?” Kinsley shifted to sit up.

  “I’m trying to put things into perspective, Kinsley.”

  “Well, my actual worst nightmare involves bears and sharks, but this is pretty close,” Kinsley said and laughed.

  “Bears and sharks?” Riley laughed.

  “Yes,” Kinsley replied, getting serious again. “Riles, can you be 100% honest with me?”

  “I’ve only ever been that with you, Kinsley,” Riley said.

  “Do you still love her?” Kinsley asked with a gulp.

  “Yes, but not in the way you’re thinking or worried about,” Riley answered and placed her hand on Kinsley’s thigh. “I’m not in love with her anymore, Kinsley. I’m not sure I’ve been in love with her for a while, actually.” She paused, looking down into Kinsley’s eyes. “Kinsley, I realize we haven’t gotten off on the best foot, and part of that is definitely my fault, but I like you. I meant it when I asked you out. I loved dancing with you, being that close to you, holding you, and being held by you. It felt good. It felt right to me.”