by Jeannie Moon
Another deep cough reminded her that she wasn’t done with the pneumonia just yet, but Jordan was happy she was able to stay standing. One day at a time. That’s what she had to keep telling herself.
The water was warm right out of the jets. Stepping in, she could see Nick had left her ‘hair goop’ where she could find it, and Mrs. Rinaldi had left some delicious smelling mint and eucalyptus body wash for her. The scent, mixed with the steam, relaxed her whole body.
It felt good. Just getting clean was a step in the right direction. Being so sick, she hadn’t done much in the way of personal care. She had to give Nick credit, he didn’t flinch. She knew she looked like a neglected stray, but he’d never said a word.
She soaped up, washed her hair and stood for a few minutes, letting the water calm her mind and clear her chest. Deep breaths brought steam into her tight, irritated lungs, and she gradually felt relief.
Hearing the wind blow against the large windows, Jordan thought about her students. There were several kids whose families were struggling financially, and she hoped they’d kept their lights and heat. She couldn’t imagine anything worse than being scared by the cold and the dark. Jordan was incredibly lucky. Many were not.
The robe Lina left was more like a plush blanket. It enveloped her in softness… and a wave of tiredness hit her hard. Here she thought she was getting better, but it occurred to Jordan she hadn’t eaten since yesterday, so she guessed her blood sugar was somewhere near the floor.
Realizing she’d left her panties on the dresser, Jordan went into the bedroom to find a half-dressed Nick standing near the chaise. Half dressed. As in, he was wearing a pair of faded jeans, and that was it. Sweet Mother Mary.
His skin, ruddy and smooth, was pulled taut over his long lean muscles. Jordan’s eyes traveled from the hair curling at the nape of his neck, over his broad chiseled shoulders, and down the line of his back. Stopping at his jeans was no hardship since they rode low and gave her enough of a peek that her mind could imagine his perfect, muscled ass.
Her heart was hammering in her chest, the steady thumping echoing in her ears. He was magnificent, and her girly bits wanted him bad. “Wow,” she said on a breath.
Nick turned, and her belly clenched tight at the sight of him. Her bits had obviously lost their collective mind, because Jordan immediately thought about his hands running over her skin and his body pressed into hers.
“Oh. Hey. Sorry.” He smiled, and Jordan’s mind blanked. Nothing. There was nothing there except Nick. In his jeans.
Sweet baby jeebus.
From the slope of his shoulders, to his well-defined chest, to the way the muscles of his midsection tapered in, he was perfection. The skin, lightly dusted with hair, had a faint bronze glow.
Speak. She needed to speak.
“Jordan? Are you alright?”
“What…what brings you in here?” God, the thoughts that man was putting in her head. She wanted to jump him.
“My phone.” He held up the slim device. “I forgot it.”
“Ah. You slept there last night?” She couldn’t help herself anymore. Jordan moved toward him. His smell was circling around her, pulling her in. Something clean and musky. It reminded her of the woods in spring, when life was blooming and the world was waking up.
“I stayed here for a bit. I was a little worried when you wouldn’t wake up. But the sleep did you good. You look a lot better.”
“I feel better. My fever broke.”
Laying the back of his hand on her forehead, he grinned. “I think you’re right.”
A slight shiver ran through her body at his touch, and Jordan knew this meant big stinking trouble for her. The man was a dream walking.
He’d been so kind to her. Lilly, who had known him since they were in grade school, had told her about him one night when they saw him sitting on the porch. Nick was a Dudley Do-Right. He’d gotten into his share of mischief as a kid, but deep down, he always had been the good guy.
He hadn’t changed, apparently. He still cared for people. He tried to make things right. Even a terrorist couldn’t take the goodness out of him.
As the memory from last night started to come back, Jordan debated whether she should tell him what she knew. He’d been with her a lot longer than he was going to admit.
“When did you go to the pharmacy?”
“Yesterday, before it started snowing. I wanted to get you a stronger antibiotic and something to help your cough. Come here.”
He pulled her to the freshly made bed and sat down with her next to him.
“I managed to give you this about six this morning. The next dose has to be taken an hour before, or two hours after you eat. Around dinner works.”
“Okay.” Jordan really hoped the instructions were on the bottle because she couldn’t concentrate.
“This is prescription cough syrup. It does have a narcotic, so take it only as needed. It will make you sleepy.”
“Maybe I’ll just take it at night?”
“That’s a good idea. There’s over the counter stuff in the bathroom, but honestly, tea with honey works, too.”
“Got it.” She waited for him to say something else, anything else, but instead they dropped into an awkward silence. She was sitting on the bed, wet and naked under her robe with a man who looked like every fantasy she’d ever had. It was heady in some ways, but it was also weird.
As if on cue, the two of them stood, and of course, Jordan felt everything around her spin.
She swayed with the room, feeling the floor pitch and roll, and a light wave of nausea settled in her belly. Everything was spinning, and if Nick hadn’t been there, she would have fallen. But before that could happen, Jordan found herself wrapped in the doctor’s very strong arms.
“Hey,” he said, concerned. “What was that all about?” His eyes, a deep gray green, like the churning water of the bay, were wide with concern.
“I should have expected it.” Jordan was trying to shake off the feeling that she was going to lose control of her limbs. “I haven’t eaten since yesterday.”
Nick didn’t budge, holding her firmly against him, his body warm and strong. “I’m glad you didn’t get dizzy in the shower. You could have hit your head.”
There was a light tapping on the door. “Am I interrupting something?”
Lina. Her eyes were wide as she started at the two of them holding each other. Nick shook his head and helped her sit on the bed. “No, Jordan got dizzy. She needs to eat.”
“Of course she does. What would you like? I can make you eggs? Pancakes? French toast?”
“Something with protein, Nona?”
“Of course. I’ll run downstairs and fix you an omelet.”
“Thanks, Lina.”
“Come down when you’re dressed.”
Getting dressed was a really good idea, considering the only thing between her and Nick was her robe. She stepped back. His arms were still banded around her, but at least there was a little distance.
“Thank you,” Jordan said gently pushing his arms down when Lina left. “I’m better.”
She wasn’t. She missed his warmth already.
“Are you sure?” Raising his index finger straight up, he held it in front of her nose and then started to move it left to right. “Follow it.”
“I’m fine.”
“Don’t argue.”
“Fine.” She followed his finger and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was then she realized someone was missing. “Where’s Gertie?”
Nick laughed and tilted his head toward the door. “She and my grandfather have become pals. For all his complaining, he loves your dog.”
“Really?” Jordan loved that. “Angelo had better watch out, or I’ll ruin his reputation as a grouch.”
It wasn’t hard to see Nick’s soft spot was his grandparents. His smile was so tender when he spoke of them, it was hard not to be drawn in by the charm of it all. God knew, Jordan was affected.
She stoppe
d herself from reaching out to stroke his cheek. It wasn’t the first time, and it was that impulse she’d have to control, because things were already too familiar between them. He’d shaved. But he was one of those guys who always seemed to have a five o’clock shadow, so she guessed he’d have some stubble pushing through in about an hour.
He was all man, but inside that take-charge alpha Naval officer was a gentleman with a heart of gold. Which meant he was a really bad idea.
Rubbing her hand on her chest, she coughed and cursed the urgent care doctor who didn’t listen to her. She reported her symptoms to him the same way she’d told Nick, and the jerk had told her to let the cold run its course.
More painful coughing shook her body, letting her know it wasn’t over, and she watched as Nick narrowed his eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she held up her hand. “I’m okay. But I get the sense the coughing isn’t going to stop any time soon.”
Patting her knee, he grinned. “No, it’s going to take a while, and the exhaustion will last for weeks.”
“Great. This is just delightful. How am I going to keep up with my students?”
“You’ll have to pace yourself. Take naps when you get home. Work some short weeks.”
“You make it sound so easy. It’s not.”
“I’m sure, but you can’t do anything about it now. Take another shower later. The steam will do you good.” He was still trying to be professional.
“Hmm. Try telling me that with a shirt on and I might believe you, Doc.”
There was a pause as he rolled his tongue around in his mouth. It was then that he grinned, and his eyes lit up with his smile. That was a sight to see—he didn’t do it enough. “You’re giving me shit. I’ll take that as a good sign.”
“Just a little. What’s the news with the storm?”
“Only two feet if we’re lucky, but probably more. High winds, bad surf. It’s been upgraded to a blizzard.”
“How is the rest of the town doing?” Jordan was still thinking about her kids. She wished there was something she could do for them.
“The village is doing okay. I mean, the market was Armageddon, but everyone is pulling together. Most people are prepared.”
“Most. But not all.”
With a tilt of his head, Nick took a step in her direction. “Something worrying you?”
“Some of my students. I… I just… their families don’t have much. A generator is a luxury. With the storm so bad, and the power out… I’m afraid for them.”
Nick’s eyes softened, and he closed the distance between them again. Settling his hands on her arms, he brought his face right to hers. “The town opened a shelter at the high school. Everyone will be warm and safe. Pop and I brought over trays of pasta, so they could have a hot meal tonight. The kids are playing, and the adults are relieved. There’s also a shelter for people with pets. Seniors who needed a hand were picked up and brought to family, or the firehouse. It’s not ideal, but no one who has lost power will freeze or starve.”
Jordan nodded, her eyes locked on his. There were so many good people in this town, and Nick was one of them.
Jordan blamed much of her breathlessness over the past few days on being sick, and that wasn’t a stretch, but being so close to Nick made her wonder if he was at the root of what she was feeling in that room. He was big and powerful, a physically impressive man, and he fried every brain cell in Jordan’s head.
“I’ll see you downstairs.” He stepped back and left her alone, probably sensing that it was time to give her back some personal space. That was something Chase had never mastered. He was all about control, and Jordan couldn’t believe she’d given up so much to him.
While he hadn’t ever dropped in at school, Jordan wouldn’t have been surprised if Chase had eventually crossed that line. Every day, he asked her endless questions about everyone she saw, who she’d been with when they weren’t together, where she’d been. At the time, Jordan told herself he was just interested in her life, that he loved her. Now, having come to her senses, she could see his behavior had nothing to do with love; he didn’t trust her. Ironic, considering Chase was the one caught cheating.
As she finished dressing, Jordan’s mind went back to her father. He was never far from her thoughts. The hospice house was in the town just east of Compass Cove. He was safe, she wasn’t concerned about that, but his cancer was so unpredictable, he could be fine for several months, or be gone in a matter of weeks. The worry was all consuming, especially since she had so much time to think about it.
Cancer was an evil, evil disease, and it was taking away the person she loved most in the world. It upset her that for the last two days he’d barely popped in her head. The last time they spoke was right before the tree fell on her car.
Dad made the decision to go into hospice three months ago, when he was told there was nothing else to be done. He was terminal, and the cancer had metastasized, so he sold the condo in his senior community and figured if he was going to die, he’d do so peacefully, and without unnecessary intervention.
That was her dad. Independent to a fault, and always looking out for her. Once he knew there was no good outcome, he took the decision out of her hands. Jordan thought she’d resigned herself to the fact that she was going to lose him, but at that moment, her heart hurt more than it ever had before.
She felt helpless and lost. Like her, Dad was a teacher, and had spent his last ten years working as a school principal. He’d retired a few years ago and was looking forward to easier days. A bright and thoughtful man, he’d touched the lives of many. Jordan took her lead from him in so many ways.
When the initial cancer diagnosis came a year and a half ago, they didn’t know how it was going to go. For a while, his condition improved, and in the weeks right before she was supposed to get married, he was in the best shape he’d been in since starting chemo. But it didn’t last. Symptoms returned, he started losing weight, and then the bad news came.
The cancer was not only back, it had spread. With a vengeance.
Jordan was numb after that doctor’s visit. She couldn’t tell anyone, couldn’t bring herself to talk about it, because even thinking about her father dying crushed her.
Then one day, she broke. It didn’t take much either. Lina spotted her coming home late one afternoon at the end of January, and she asked how things were going. Jordan had no idea what was different that day as opposed to any other. People asked her how she was doing all the time, and she gave them a flat, unemotional answer. But this time, Jordan lost it. She fell apart, and Lina, in her wonderful way, picked up all the pieces.
Grabbing her phone, she hit the number for her dad’s room at the hospice house. She hadn’t talked to him in a couple of days, and she hoped he wasn’t worried.
The phone rang six times before bouncing back to the nurses’ station.
“One East. This is Sarah.”
“Hi Sarah, It’s Jordan Velsor. I was hoping to talk to my dad.”
“Hi Jordan! He and a few of the other patients are having their breakfast. They made French toast in the kitchen. Everything smells amazing.”
“I’m glad to hear it. You guys survived everything okay?” The hospice was right near the local harbor, and with the rough water over the last couple of days, anything could have happened.
“A few trees came down, but we’re all fine. Do you want me to get George?”
“You know what? I’m going to call him back after I eat. I’ve been sick, and I finally feel like putting some food in my stomach.”
“Perfect. You do that, and I’ll let him know you’ll be calling in a little while.”
Relieved, Jordan set an alarm on her phone to remind herself to call in an hour. She needed to hear his voice, to know he was okay.
Jordan wasn’t sorry she broke her engagement, but it seemed to trigger every bad event that followed, starting with Dad. When her father thought she was going to be settled and happy,
he wasn’t as sick. It was as if the planning and excitement—the idea of what was to come—kept the disease at bay. Jordan knew it was a ridiculous notion, but Dad looking forward to a future with more family and grandchildren down the line seemed to work better than everything the doctors had thrown at him. The idea that she would have Chase and his family to lean on was never far from her father’s thoughts. Or hers, if she was honest.
But Chase’s family was never going to support her. They didn’t have it in them. Jordan was just window dressing. She was from an acceptable old family, but lacked significant money or clout. Perfect for the socially conscious Stanleys without being too much of a threat.
Her stomach growled, and Jordan had to believe that was a sign she was getting better. Food was definitely a good idea. Something else to be thankful for. She might not have a car, her cottage was probably frozen solid, but she wasn’t going to land in the hospital.
Jordan had gotten through most of her life trying to look at the bright side of things, and it was getting exhausting. But today, she’d take the little gifts that had come her way.
Heading back into the bathroom, she found a blow dryer and got most of the moisture out of her hair, braided it and got dressed. It felt good to be somewhat pulled together.
Time to face the day.
Unlike the day she came over, Jordan was able to take in the beauty of the Rinaldis’ home. Wide plank wood floors, heavy detailed molding, simple earthy colors all came together to make the farmhouse warm and welcoming. The long hallway was the home to three bedrooms, each with a bathroom. Nick’s room was closest to the front stairs. She wondered how it was for him, living with his grandparents, after being away for so many years. Jordan figured Lina and Angelo would have hunted him down if he’d tried to find his own place, and there was something to be said for having someone to dote on you when you were recovering. Even if you weren’t sure it’s what you wanted.
Wobbly from the lack of food, she carefully made her way down the back stairs, which brought her right to the kitchen. Just as she hit the last step, Lina called her from the kitchen.
“Jordan, your omelet is ready.”