Sweet Days by the Bay

by Kay Correll

  Vicki-Victoria stalked out of the exam room, tugging Mia along behind her. She didn’t bother to stop at the reception desk and ask about a bill. She just huffed through the waiting room and slammed out the front door.

  Ashley stood in the doorway to the exam room and watched her leave. Displeasing Vicki Holloway—no Victoria Tanner—was not going to help with attracting more patients and getting a good reputation here in town.

  Some things never seemed to change. Vicki would always look at Ashley like she was a second-class citizen who didn’t deserve to fit in with the cool crowd. Not in high school, and not now as an adult.

  No, some things never did seem to change no matter how hard she worked at it.

  Chapter 4

  So far, Will was pretty proud of himself for avoiding his father and Ashley today. He only wished Whitney’s bookwork was going as well as his avoidance plans. He sorted through the paperwork and jotted numbers on a pad of paper, along with a long list of things to investigate. It would take him every bit of the two weeks he’d promised Whit to get things straightened out for her. Not that he believed she’d still keep up with this when he left. He was going to find her a bookkeeper to hire before he left town. He added that to his growing to-do list.

  A loud crash reverberated through the shop, and he jumped up from his seat. “Whit? You okay?” He hurried out into the shop. His sister sprawled on the floor, jewelry pieces and broken glass from a display case surrounded her.

  “I… no. I’m not okay.” Whitney held one hand in the other, with drops of blood splattering the floor.

  “Let me see it.” He lowered himself carefully beside her, looked at her hand, and commanded himself to remain calm. “That’s going to need stitches.”

  “I thought so.” Whitney’s face had paled to a dull ashen color.

  “Don’t faint on me,” he warned.

  “Trying not to.”

  Will shucked off his t-shirt and wrapped it tightly around Whitney’s hand. “Let me help you up. Watch all the glass. We need to get you some help.”

  He carefully pulled his sister to her feet, and she leaned heavily against him.

  “Can you lock up the place? The back door is unlocked, too. Keys are hanging on a hook in the office.” Whit’s face was a horrible shade of yellow-white and he really did fear she would pass out.

  He was loath to leave her, but levered her carefully onto a chair. He grabbed the keys and locked the back door and hurried back to Whitney. “Okay, let’s get you looked at.”

  “The only place in town right now is Ashley’s clinic.”

  “What happened to Doc Browning?”

  “He’s on an extended leave. His wife is ill. Ashley’s working his practice while he’s gone.”

  Will gritted his teeth. “Okay, off to the clinic then. Same place?”

  “Yes, right down the street about a block.”

  He helped Whitney to her feet and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Let’s take your car.”

  “I walked to work.”

  “You think you can walk to the clinic?”

  “I think so.”

  They walked out of the shop and he locked the door behind them. Whitney leaned against him as they headed down the street to the clinic.

  Whitney got wobbly about halfway down the block. He scooped her up in his arms and hurried to the clinic. To see Ashley. Again.

  Ashley looked up at the sound of the clinic’s door opening at the end of a long afternoon. A bare-chested Will came rushing through with Whitney in his arms. “Whit needs help.” Will’s voice was laced with urgency and a touch of fear.

  Ashley hurried forward. “What happened?”

  “She cut her hand on some glass. It’s bleeding pretty badly.”

  “Come this way and let me look at it.” Ashley led the way to a room and Will quickly settled Whitney on the exam table.

  “You doing okay, Whitney?” Ashley crossed the room and carefully unwrapped the blood soaked t-shirt from around Whitney’s hand.

  That explained the bare-chested Will.

  “Just got a bit woozy. I’m not great with the sight of blood.”

  “Okay, just lie back and let me look at this.” Ashley cleaned the wound and applied pressure again, always cognizant of Will hovering right behind her. She stepped back and bumped into him.

  “Oh, sorry.” She motioned to the gauze she’d applied to Whitney’s wound. “Here, you hold this and I’ll get the suture kit.”

  He brushed past her without a word and did as she asked, holding a layer of gauze against the wound. She left the room to get the supplies and returned to find Will leaning over Whitney, talking softly to her.

  “Gonna be okay, sis. You’ll see. It will be over before you know it.”

  “I’m fine.” Whitney tried to convince her brother, her words filled with false bravado.

  “I can see by the gray look on your face that you’re doing fantastic,” Will countered wryly.

  Ashley rolled a tray beside the exam table and angled the light down on Whitney’s hand. “You could sit up, but if you’re feeling faint, I think it might be better if you stay where you are.”

  “She’s not getting up.” Will answered for her.

  “I’ve got her now, if you want to go sit down in the waiting room.” And take that bare skin of yours with you.

  “I’m not leaving.” He grabbed a chair and rolled it over by the table. “I’ll stay out of your way.”

  Ashley stitched the wound while Will talked to his sister constantly, keeping her occupied and her mind off the procedure. “You’re okay. Look at me, not Ashley. She knows what she’s doing. You just look at me. Hey, no more fainting.”

  “I’m fine, Willie.”

  “I know you are. You’re doing great.” Will pushed a lock of hair away from his sister’s face with a gentle sweep of his strong hand. Ashely had always admired the way he was so protective of his sister, always taking care of her. It was obvious that hadn’t changed over the years.

  She finished up and dressed the wound. “All finished. You feel like sitting up now?”

  “I think so.”

  Will carefully helped his sister sit on the exam table.

  “Just sit there for a few minutes and let’s see how you do. The numbing agent is going to wear off in about an hour or so. I’m going to send you home with some pain pills. You won’t be able to use that hand for a while either. You need to give those stitches time to heal.”

  Whitney let out a long sigh, but Ashely was glad to see a bit of color coming back to her face.

  “I have Dad to take care of. I can’t do that one-handed.”

  “I’m sure your brother will help you with Warren.”

  Whitney looked at Will questioningly. “Willie?”

  Ashley could feel the tension radiating from Will’s rigid frame. He looked at his sister for a long moment, then did a slow nod. “I’ll help. You just take it easy and don’t use that hand.”

  Will turned to Ashley, and she couldn’t avoid the electricity that flashed between them. “Can you watch Whitney while I go get her car? There’s no way she’s going to walk back to the cottage.”

  “Yes, she can stay here with me. I think getting the car is a good idea.” Ashley took a step back, away from him, away from his bare chest. “If you want, I’ll get you a scrub top to wear.”

  Will looked down and seemed to suddenly realize he was standing there bare to the waist. “Thanks. I’ll take you up on that.”

  She hurried away to get the scrubs to cover the tanned muscles on Will’s very fit torso, not that she noticed it. Much.

  Will slipped on the scrub top Ashley handed him and escaped the clinic. The fresh air wrapped around him and helped soothe his jangled nerves. His adrenaline had been on overdrive from the moment he saw Whitney on the floor among all the broken glass, and it hadn’t helped he had to sit beside Ashley while she worked on Whit. How much was one man supposed to handle in a day?

  Oh,
and let’s add in he’d promised his sister he’d help take care of Warren.

  Great.

  He had to admit he’d been impressed with Ashley. So efficient and professional. Gentle with Whitney, explaining what she was doing, giving the numbing agent time to work before starting into the procedure. Ashley had been born to be a doctor. She was a natural healer, always wanting to fix people or help them. He’d had no doubt she’d find a way to pay for medical school. It’s not like either of them had any money when they were growing up. They’d lived in that run-down apartment complex, and both of them had held jobs as soon as possible. Ashley had studied hard and been an honor student. Will had barely gotten by in high school except for math. He’d shone in math class. Well, until he had to drop out of high school his senior year so he could make enough to support Whitney when their dad had barely brought in any money, and what he did, he spent on booze.

  He paused in front of Whitney’s cottage, ordering himself to go inside and get her car keys. But in order to do that, he’d probably run into Warren. He sucked in a deep breath and tugged open the door.

  “Hello, son.” His father sat in a chair by the window with sunshine streaming in all around him. He didn’t look like a man who needed help.

  Will ignored the way Warren called him son. “I just came to get Whit’s keys. She’s had an accident.”

  His father’s eyes filled with alarm. “Is she okay?”

  “Got some stitches. She needs to take it easy for a few days and not use her hand.”

  “Where is she now?”

  “She’s at the clinic. I’m going to go pick her up. She’s in no condition to walk back here.”

  “She always has a hard time at the sight of blood.” His father nodded his head.

  Will was surprised his father knew that little detail about Whitney. Will had been the one to bandage up her skinned knees and elbows.

  He fished the car keys from the bowl on the counter. “We’ll be back soon.” He turned and fled the cottage.

  He was always escaping from somewhere on this ill-fated return to Indigo Bay.

  “You doing okay?” Ashley looked over at Whitney after she finished making some notes in the chart.

  “Yes, I’m fine. Will is overreacting as usual.”

  “You were pale as a ghost when he brought you in here.” Ashley cocked her head to one side. “Thought I might lose you to a faint when I started stitching you up, too.”

  “Well, I feel fine now. I really should go to the shop and clean up all the glass.”

  “That’s not going to happen. You need to go home and put your hand up and take it easy. It’s going to hurt a bit this evening.”

  “So, when a doc admits it’s going to hurt a bit, it means it’s going to really ache, doesn’t it?

  “It might smart some.” Ashley closed the chart and leaned back in the chair, stretching her legs out in front of her.

  “So… I guess I should have told you Willie was coming into town.” Whitney drummed her fingers of her good hand on the exam table.

  “That would have been nice.”

  “I didn’t really think he’d come when I called, then he was here like the next day.”

  “When has Will ever refused anything you asked of him?”

  “Point taken.” Whitney started to get down from the exam table.

  Ashley sprang to her feet. “If you want down, let me steady you at least.” She helped Whitney to a more comfortable chair.

  “I’m sorry it caught you by surprise, Ashley. I am. I should have made a point to call and tell you. I’ve just been so overwhelmed with this tax problem at the shop and Dad’s accident. Not to mention I decided Dad should move in while he recovers.”

  “It’s okay. I understand. I was just… surprised to see him here.”

  “About as surprised as he was to see you, I imagine.” Whitney settled more comfortably in the chair. “I never could figure out why you two broke up. You always seemed to enjoy each other’s company. It was like you were best friends.”

  “We were. Then it turned into the whole boyfriend, girlfriend thing. But we wanted different things. I was set on medical school and had things planned out. Will just seemed to drift through life. He even dropped out of high school—”

  “Whit, you ready to go?” Will stood in the doorway.

  His eyes flashed with anger and maybe a little hurt? How could that be? After all these years? Was he still hurt and mad at her?

  “I’m ready.” Whitney started to stand and Will rushed over to help her.

  “We should take Ashley home, too. She can ride with us.” Whit leaned against her brother.

  “No.”

  “No.”

  Will and Ashley said the word at the same time.

  “I have some things to finish up here at the clinic. I’ll walk back when I’m finished.”

  “And I need to get you home and settled in.” Will took his sister’s arm and started to lead her out of the exam room.

  “We could wait for her.”

  “No, you go on.” The last thing Ashley needed was to spend more time with Will. Even if he did have a shirt on now.

  Chapter 5

  Ashley headed out to walk to work early the next day. She’d risen with a bundle of nervous energy and figured she’d put that to good use by cleaning out the storage room at the clinic before the day got too busy. As she walked past Coastal Creations, she saw the door was wide open, and she peeked inside.

  Will knelt on the floor, his head bent, sorting through the mess, carefully picking up pieces of jewelry and placing them on a tray. Before she could stop herself—like any rational person would do—she entered the shop. “Let me help you.”

  Will looked up, startled. “Ah… no, I’m okay. I’ve got this.”

  “I’ll help, I have time.” Ashley knelt beside him. “If we don’t get this picked up, you know Whitney will be here doing it herself.”

  “That’s the truth. I had to make her promise to stay home this morning. I told her I’d get everything picked up, and if she feels up to it, she can come in this afternoon and order me around and tell me where to put all the jewelry items for display.”

  Will gently placed a broken necklace in the tray. “I don’t know when she’ll have enough use of her hand to fix these or create more. She’s going to be even more stressed.”

  “You were always good with your hands. Maybe she can show you or tell you how to fix them.”

  She stared at his hands for a moment with his long fingers on the strong, calloused hand. She tore her glance away from her scrutiny and her speculation about whether his hands would still be unbelievably gentle when he touched her.

  Not that he’d touch her now.

  “Maybe.” He looked doubtful.

  Maybe, what? What had she asked him?

  “But, she’s the creative one.” He continued to talk to her like she was actually paying attention and could figure out what he was saying to her.

  Right, she’d said he could help Whitney with the jewelry repairs.

  With his hands.

  She tore her look away yet again.

  “It looks like you have the jewelry pieces picked up. I’ll go grab a broom and we’ll sweep up the rest of the glass.” She stood, carefully picking her way through the broken shards, and headed to the back office. She knew her way around Coastal Creations because she’d often meet Whitney after work and they’d sit and talk before they walked home, or they’d go out for a quick bite to eat or an occasional girls’ night on the town.

  Those nights would be over until Will left town. How many more days did he say he was staying?

  Will watched as Ashley gracefully rose to her feet and headed to the back office. He sank back on his heels, trying to catch his breath. Ashley showed up every time he turned around in this town and he didn’t like to admit it shook him at each encounter.

  She returned with the broom and started to sweep up the glass while he sorted the jewelry onto
two trays, broken pieces on one and intact pieces on the other. The sunlight streamed through the front window and set Ashley’s auburn hair on fire. It drifted down around her shoulders now, but yesterday at the clinic she’d had it pulled back in a fancy braid. He liked it better down like this.

  Not that it really mattered to him one way or the other, of course.

  She worked efficiently and swept up the last of the glass. She stood and let the light shine on the floor, looking carefully, searching for stray pieces of glass. She leaned down and reached out with her slender fingers, gathering a few pieces she’d missed. “I think I’ve got it all now.”

  “Thanks for the help.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Here, I’ll take those.” He reached for the broom and dustpan.

  “Oh. Here.” She handed them to him and looked questioningly into his eyes.

  He stepped back a pace or two, giving some much needed distance between them.

  She dropped her hands to her side. “I was planning on stopping by tonight to check on Warren and Whitney, if that’s okay.”

  He bobbed his head in agreement. How could he say no to that?

  She nodded in reply, then turned and left without another word. He saw her pass by the front window, leaving him alone in the shop.

  How was it that he always was feeling so alone in Indigo Bay?

  A shadow filled the doorway again a few moments later, and for a brief second he thought Ashley had returned.

  “Willie Layton, is that you?” Lucille Sanderson stood in the doorway in her precisely ironed dress, looking exactly like she had ten years ago, or twenty years ago for that matter.

  Lucille entered the shop. “I heard you were back in town.”

  “I am.” He glanced each direction to see if he could escape. The last thing he needed was an inquisition from Lucille.

  “And your sister got hurt, poor thing.”

  That was quick. But then Lucille always knew everything about everyone and was always willing to spread whatever news she uncovered.