The Gift of Love (Finding Love Book 9)

by Delaney Cameron

  She had no argument for that. Refusing a ride after he’d stitched up her leg was absurd. “I didn’t want to take you out of your way.”

  He smiled faintly. “I seem to remember you saying that to me once before.”

  Leah needed no reminder. All their conversations were faithfully recorded in the recesses of her mind. She edged to the side of the bed, pretending not to see the hand he held out. “Can we agree that I don’t need to be carried this time?”

  “Of course. JoAnn is bringing a wheelchair. You’ll be going out in style.”

  She cast him an irritated glance. “Was that necessary?”

  “You know as well as I do that it’s standard procedure.”

  Leah hardly heard the conversation between JoAnn and Stratton as the threesome made their way to where his truck was parked. The shot he’d given her for pain had kicked in enough to clear some of the fog from her addled brain. It was time to find out how his path had so disastrously crossed with hers.

  When they pulled up to the stoplight in front of the hospital, he asked, “Where to?”

  “I’m at the Sand Dollar Apartments. They’re off Riverview Drive.”

  “That’s not far from where I work.”

  “You’re living here? How did that happen?”

  “Not long after I got back from Yemen, one of my roommates from medical school asked if I was interested in working with him at a new orthopedic clinic in St. Marys.”

  “So neither of us went back to Hutchison.”

  He sent her another of his searching glances. “That’s right. I tried to get in touch with you in June. When I couldn’t find you in Myrtle Beach, I assumed you were in Columbus.”

  Leah resented the accusatory tone that had crept into his voice. “We’re divorced, Stratton. I didn’t think I needed to keep you updated on my movements.”

  He flashed her an apologetic glance. “It’s hard for me to think of us that way. We weren’t man and wife in the traditional sense. The only thing between us was friendship, and I wasn’t even very good at that.”

  “Friendship wasn’t part of our deal.”

  “That didn’t stop you from offering it.”

  “Or you from refusing it.”

  A spasm of pain passed over his face. “No one regrets that more than I do.”

  Leah looked away from him, more affected by his words than she wanted (or could afford) to be. “There were extenuating circumstances. You had just lost your son.”

  “You had just lost your son, too.”

  “It wasn’t the same for me.” She blinked away the tears in her eyes. “Anyway, that’s behind us now. We’ve both begun a new chapter in our lives.”

  “A chapter that brought us to the same place.”

  She shrugged. “Life is full of irony.”

  “More than I realized.”

  As the truck drew to a stop in front of her building, Leah glanced at him. “Thanks for today.”

  “You’re welcome.” He got out and walked around to open her door. “Do you need any help getting in?”

  “No, thanks. I’ll be fine now. Goodbye, Stratton.”

  “Goodbye, Leah.” He hesitated for a second, a look of uncertainty settling on his handsome face. “These weren’t the best of circumstances, but it was great to see you again.”

  Leah couldn’t return the sentiment. This was a day she’d hoped would never come. Once inside her apartment, she mechanically dropped her purse on the coffee table and went to stretch out on the couch. The pain in her leg wasn’t bad, but her head was pounding.

  “What’s up, buttercup?” Aristotle asked.

  “Plenty, Aristotle. This hasn’t been one of my better days. If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a nap.”

  In spite of being tired, Leah couldn’t fall asleep. Somewhere she could picture fate laughing at her. Why after all this time, after she’d come so far, did Stratton have to suddenly appear?

  * * * * *

  During the drive to Duncan’s condo, Stratton relived every moment of his encounter with Leah. His heart had nearly leapt out of his chest when he saw her sitting on the ground, more beautiful than he remembered. The coolness of her reception as well as the stiffness of her body when he carried her were proof that she didn’t share his excitement about their reunion.

  This reaction wasn’t entirely unexpected. She had every right to be angry with him. He’d turned his back on her at a time when she needed him, and he’d repaid her sacrifice with callous indifference. His glance moved to where his left hand rested on the steering wheel. The tan line from his ring had disappeared, but not the memory of the day Leah slid it on his finger. He’d found her engagement ring and wedding band sealed in an envelope in the top drawer of the nightstand by his bed.

  Life had a strange way of bringing people back together. Leah was one example. Reggie was another. Stratton hadn’t seen his former roommate since they graduated from medical school. Then out of the blue, he got a call from him about the opening here. Along with the job, Stratton was offered the use of a condo belonging to Reggie’s brother Duncan, who was finishing up his last year of residency in California. He didn’t find out until he got there that the condo had at one time been owned by Reggie’s grandmother. The average age of the residents was mid-sixties. He hadn’t said so to Faye, but that was the reason his services were always in demand.

  The sudden buzzing of his phone startled him. He glanced down at the screen and then touched the speaker button. “I figured you’d be calling.”

  Faye laughed. “That was a dramatic end to our run this morning, wasn’t it? How’s the lady from the park?”

  “I just dropped her off at her apartment. The cut on her leg was pretty nasty. It took thirty stitches to close it up.”

  “Thank goodness you were there. On a side note, Frank couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful she is.”

  “Frank needs to turn his attention elsewhere.”

  “That’s a very telling remark. Does that mean the elusive and anti-social Dr. Levy might actually be interested in a woman?”

  “You could say that. This particular woman is my ex-wife.”

  “I didn’t know your ex lived here.”

  “Neither did I until today.”

  “I see. Well, aren’t you glad I bullied you into coming? If I hadn’t, you’d still be in the dark.”

  “That’s true. I’ll have to get you something special.”

  “A gift certificate to the Garden of Life Day Spa would be appreciated.”

  “Consider it done.”

  “Are you still in love with her?”

  Stratton chuckled. “Where did that come from?”

  “It’s a perfectly logical question.”

  “Maybe so, but I’m not sure I should be sharing that kind of information with my secretary.”

  “That’s okay. I’m pretty sure I know the answer.”

  Stratton’s eyes lifted to the roof of the cab. “You do, huh? Is this wishful thinking, or is your opinion based on something more scientific like women’s intuition?”

  “I used my ears. Your voice changes when you talk about her. I’m beginning to understand why you live like a monk.”

  “Since you’ve solved that mystery, will you stop trying to set me up with women half my age?”

  Faye made a snorting sound. “Age is just a number.”

  “Not when one of them is twenty-one and the other is thirty-six.”

  “Love knows no boundaries. Have fun installing that shower door.”

  “It’ll be more fun than going to Bill’s football party.”

  “The sad thing is you’re probably right. See you on Monday.”

  “Bye, Faye.”

  The sight of Mrs. Griffin sitting on the porch, her hands busy knitting something for one of her numerous grandchildren, brought a faint smile to Stratton’s face. At least he had someone waiting for him to come home.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The injury to Leah’s leg h
ealed more quickly than the mental and emotional trauma of running into Stratton. She knew he would have done the same thing for anyone in that situation, but she couldn’t forget the way he’d taken care of her.

  When she related the story to Neil (and everyone else), she left out the part about the doctor being Stratton. This omission didn’t come easily, but it did enable her to fast forward the incident into the past. Neil had a protective nature that often led him to come to her rescue when she didn’t need it. The last thing she wanted was for him to start worrying about Stratton or worse, jump in to handle something that wasn’t his problem.

  The sound of the national anthem booming through the loud speakers ended this troublesome line of thought. With a guilty glance around her, Leah reached for the stainless steel popcorn scoop and began filling the white paper bags. This was the third football game of the season. For the first two, Leah had sat in the stands with Neil, Holly, Devon, Jordan and Rebecca. Their small crowd was there to see Isaac, whose speed had impressed his high school coaches enough during summer and fall workouts to earn him a spot on the varsity squad. At the moment, he was returning kickoffs and punts. His dream was to be the first string running back.

  The door to the concession stand opened, and Neil appeared carrying two cases of water. “Will this be enough?”

  “For now. I was about to come look for you. The game’s starting. Put those bottles down and get over here. If we win the coin toss, Isaac will be making his appearance.”

  He did as she suggested and then joined her at the window. “Arnie just got the grill started. We’ll have some hotdogs and hamburgers soon.”

  “It’s nice of him to do that for us.”

  “I think it’s because he doesn’t want anyone else using his grill.”

  She swatted at his arm. “Be nice.”

  “Just callin’ it like I see it.”

  “We’re setting up to receive. Every time Isaac starts running with the ball, my heart jumps into my throat. I don’t want him to get hurt.”

  He put his arm around her shoulders and dropped a kiss on her head. “My mom was the same way when I played. My offensive line was undersized and couldn’t block a wet paper bag. I spent most of the game picking myself off the ground.”

  “Oh, look!” Leah said excitedly. “There’s Isaac.”

  “And there goes the kick. He should be able to field this one.”

  They watched as number 6 weaved his way from the twenty to the forty-three yard line where he was finally brought down. As Isaac trotted off the field, Leah reached over to adjust the heat on the crockpot they used for the boiled peanuts. Then she lifted the lid and stirred the contents, sniffing appreciably.

  Behind her, Neil groaned loudly. “Our first series didn’t last long. We just threw an interception. That’s starting to be a trend.” He put his hand near the vent of the a/c unit. “The air coming out of this thing is only slightly cooler than outside.”

  “I think it feels fine, but it’s definitely not cool enough for you. Your thermostat stays at seventy-two degrees year round. Go sit in the stands. Arnie and I can handle this until halftime.”

  “Are you sure, Leah? I feel bad leaving you in here.”

  She motioned him toward the door. “Don’t feel bad.”

  He took a few steps and then looked back over his shoulder. “Call me if you need me.”

  “I will.”

  After Neil left, Leah restocked the coolers with ice and then went to lean against the counter. Her eyes traveled slowly over the crowd of eager parents and excited kids watching the game. A loud cheer brought her attention back to the field. One of their running backs had found a hole in the defense. He was tiptoeing down the sideline with half the opposing team trying to catch him.

  In unison, everyone rose to their feet, all eyes focused on the player in garnet and gold. A collective sigh erupted when it looked as if he might get tackled short of the goal line, but at the last second, he extended the tip of the ball into the end zone. The roar from the stands was thunderous.

  To get a better view of the extra point attempt, Leah climbed on the counter and leaned through the open window. When the wobbly kick glided through the goalposts, she let out a shout that died away abruptly at the sight of Stratton standing a few feet away.

  Her heart seemed to stop completely before slamming into the wall of her chest. “What are you doing here?”

  The faintest tremor of his lips had her scrambling to the ground. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

  “I work here.”

  His eyes took in their surroundings. “This is quite a change from nursing.”

  “I should have explained that better. I’m the school nurse.”

  “Who happens to work in the concession stand in her free time?”

  “Exactly. What can I get you?”

  He scanned the menu taped to the window. “Let’s see. I’ll go with the nachos and sweet tea.”

  “No jalapeños, right?”

  Something flickered in his eyes. “That’s right.”

  Leah escaped behind a partition where they kept the cheese dispenser. As she filled the plastic container with corn chips, she realized her hands were shaking. She wasn’t sure whether she was more agitated by Stratton’s appearance or more relieved that Neil wasn’t here to witness it. Something her mother said to her when she was a little girl floated through her mind. Little secrets grow up to be big lies. Her decision not to tell Neil about Stratton’s return was looking more and more like a piece of stupidity she was going to regret.

  Drawing an exasperated breath, she covered the chips with cheese sauce and walked back to where Stratton waited. After setting them on the counter, she fixed his drink.

  “That’ll be three dollars.”

  He put the money in her outstretched hand. “One of my patients has two sons playing on your team. Mitch is a linebacker, and Russell is a safety.”

  “The Salvatore twins. I’ve seen them in my office for various things.”

  He grabbed a straw and put it through the lid of his cup. “If my school nurse had looked like you, I would have found a reason to be in her office every day.”

  It wasn’t the first compliment Stratton had paid her, nor was it a very original one, and yet her face flushed with color. To make things worse, her mind went completely blank.

  As if he sensed her discomfort, he grabbed the nachos and the tea. “I better go find Sal before he thinks I missed another game. Don’t work too hard while I’m gone, Nurse Levy.”

  * * * * *

  After their cataclysmic meeting at the park, Stratton had debated the hows and whens of initiating contact with Leah again. He never imagined fate would step in once more and bring them together at a high school football game. When he saw her hanging half in-half out of the concession stand, he wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him. Just when the silence had gone on too long, she spoke. The sound of her voice felt like a soft stroke against his skin. It had been so long since he heard it, and now he’d done so twice in the space of a few weeks.

  He found his friend Sal holding up the fence near the south end zone. The older man slapped him on the back.

  “Glad you could make it. I see you found the concession stand on your way in.”

  Stratton’s glance shifted to the red building sitting adjacent to the stands. From this distance, Leah had been reduced to a blurry figure. “The scoreboard says you’re winning. How are Mitch and Russell doing?”

  “Mitch has two sacks, and Russell knocked down a couple passes that might have gone for touchdowns.”

  “Sounds like they’re picking up where their father left off.”

  Sal grinned, his eyes shining with pride. “I wasn’t as good as either of them.”

  “Do they have aspirations to play at the next level?”

  “Mitch has been dreaming of playing at UGA since he was old enough to hold a football. Russell wants to join the army.”

  As Stratton
listened to Sal, he realized his heart was still racing as if he’d been given a shot of adrenaline. If seeing Leah hadn’t been enough of a shock, her guarded friendliness had completed his state of distraction. Even so, he knew better than to attach significant meaning to her actions. What else was she supposed to do in such a situation? She was in a public place where she more or less had to talk to him. Building a bridge over a chasm this wide would take time. For now, he was content to be in the same place with her.

  * * * * *

  Leah might be smiling on the outside, but inside she was a mass of quivering nerves. Her mind was methodically going through all the possible things that could happen if Neil and Stratton met. She felt like an insect caught in a web of misunderstandings and deception.

  Her anxiety was a hundred times worse when Neil arrived at the concession stand a few minutes before halftime. Feeling like a coward, she asked him to work the window while she attempted to hide in the back. The interval of time before she convinced him to return to the stands might only have been thirty minutes on the clock, but it felt like three hours.

  The fourth quarter had just begun when Stratton reappeared. Leah put down the Milky Way bar in her hand as if it had suddenly caught fire.

  “Back for more nachos?”

  He smiled somewhat hesitantly. “I thought I’d try the boiled peanuts this time.”

  “That’ll be a dollar.” In her agitation, she forgot to use a pot holder when she removed the glass lid from the crockpot. Her cry of pain sounded loud even to her own ears.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  She’d never been less okay in her life, and the first degree burns on her fingers had nothing to do with it. “Yes,” she told him somewhat curtly. Muttering under her breath, she spooned the peanuts into a Styrofoam cup.

  When she reached for the money, his fingers brushed the palm of her hand. A different kind of burning pain shot through her. Confused and not a little alarmed, she turned away to put the bill in the cash box.

  “Do you mind if I stick around and talk for a while?”

  Yes, she minded. He was a threat to the safe, secure world she’d created. “Won’t your friend wonder where you are?”