Something Borrowed

by Lena Hart

  “Would you relax, Jackson? The doctor will be here any minute.”

  Jackson frowned over at Truth. “What’s taking them so damn long? We’ve been waiting for almost an hour.”

  “Well, this is a hospital, not a restaurant. You wouldn’t want the doctors to rush his visit with you, now would you?”

  “Actually, I would,” he grumbled. “I’m ready to get this damn cast off.”

  “It will be. Just hang tight.”

  She squeezed his arm gently, and Jackson wondered if she knew what she had done. She certainly didn’t know how her light touches affected him or else she wouldn’t make them.

  After about another ten minutes, the doctor finally came into the exam room. She was younger than he expected but it didn’t matter to him any, so long as she got the hard casing removed from his sore, itchy leg.

  “Hello, folks. I’m Dr. Parker.” A tall woman in a white lab coat came into the exam room. “Sorry for the long wait, but we’re a bit short staffed today.”

  Jackson grumbled. Truth gave his arm another squeeze. This time a bit more forceful.

  “We understand,” Truth assured her. “He’s just anxious to get that cast off.”

  The doctor approached the bed where he sat propped and began examining his leg. “Has there been any complications? Discomfort?”

  “Not more than usual,” Jackson said.

  The doctor nodded and jotted down notes inside his file. “Okay, good.”

  She placed down the chart and began arranging the cast removal tools on the tray. Truth offered her help, but Dr. Parker politely declined. Then she cocked her head to the side and stared at Truth.

  “You look familiar,” the doctor said. “Were you a patient here?”

  “No, I was a part-time nurse. I worked in urgent care for a bit.”

  “Oh, right. I think I remember seeing you around there. Where are you working now?”

  “I’m actually between hospitals now. I just came back to help Jackson around.”

  “Well, we’re always looking for a few good nurses, if you’re interested.”

  Truth’s eyes widened, and she glanced at him, uncertainty plain on her face. “Thank you, but I already have my hands full with my current patient.”

  “Hey, don’t turn down an offer for paid work on my account,” Jackson said. “I don’t need a full-time babysitter.”

  Truth shot him a quick glare, but her lips stretched into a strained smile. “I’ll consider it.”

  “Please do,” Dr. Parker urged then picked up a small saw and turned to him. “Now, let’s get this thing off you.”

  “About time,” Jackson muttered.

  That earned him another arm squeeze. The doctor worked quickly yet, diligently. Before he knew it, his sore leg was exposed, and he welcomed the cool air to his sensitive skin. It prickled as a rush of cool air brushed against his slightly numb flesh. Jackson gritted his teeth against the strange sensation and discomfort.

  “Your leg looks like it’s healed nicely,” Dr. Parker said. “We’ll need to take some x-rays before you leave but I don’t imagine you’ll be using a cane long.”

  “A cane?”

  Dr. Parker chuckled. “Did you expect to dance right out of here, Mr. Matoa? You’ll be needing a cane for a few more weeks before I’d recommend you putting your full weight on that leg.”

  Jackson frowned, not liking the idea of still being limited in what he could do, though a cane certainly beat out having crutches. He wanted to hurry and get back to feeling like himself again so he could start setting his plans into motion.

  “Dr. Parker, now that Jackson’s pain is not as severe, can you write him a prescription for ibuprofen instead?”

  The doctor glanced at him. “What are you taking now?”

  “Hydrocodone,” he told her.

  “Okay, I think we can get you on something milder.” The doctor scribbled down a few more notes then glanced between them. “You two hang tight. Someone will be in to take you down for x-rays.”

  When the doctor left them alone, Jackson turned to Truth. He didn’t question her medical suggestion. She was an experienced nurse after all, but he had to get one thing straight between them.

  “I’m not addicted to pain meds, Truth.”

  Her gaze didn’t waver from his when she said, “I know, but the prescription you’re on now is a strongly addictive painkiller. You’re better off with a non-opioid drug.”

  He nodded stiffly, and awkward silence fell between them again. She stood by the bed, her stance tense as she concentrated on whatever was on her phone.

  “Look, Truth, when I suggested you take the job, I didn’t mean anything by it. I just feel—”

  “You don’t need my help any more now that the cast is off. I understand.”

  Jackson frowned. It was clear that she didn’t understand. How could she when he didn’t understand his need to have her near yet as far away as possible. Getting a job here would ensure that she stayed around a little longer, and he wanted her here with him.

  A nurse came into their room, brandishing a wheelchair. “We’re ready for you, Mr. Matoa.”

  Jackson was grateful for the interruption. He folded himself into the chair and they started down the hall to the x-ray room, Truth walking stiffly beside him.

  Eight

  “Who was that on the phone?”

  Jackson laid down his cellphone on his lap, the look of astonishment on his face pulling her curiosity further. She had just finished making breakfast for them and would have come into his room sooner if she hadn’t heard what sounded like a serious phone call.

  “It was the bank,” he murmured.

  Truth place the breakfast tray down on the nightstand and straightened. “Why are they calling this early?”

  He stared at her for a moment, then after a brief pause told her about his plans to start his carpentry business. He told her about the many applications he had placed and the many rejections that had followed.

  Truth took a seat beside him on the bed, tense and anxious about what was to come next. “And did this bank call with good news or bad?”

  His lips stretched to a small smile. “I got the loan.”

  From the look on his face, she could see how much of a surprise this news was for him. She could also see the excitement he tried to mask.

  “Oh, my god, Jackson. That’s awesome!” Without thinking, she threw her arms around him and gave him a tight hug. “I’m so proud of you. Congratulations.”

  His arms wrapped around her waist and he held her close. “Thank you. That really means a lot.”

  Truth pulled away and stared at him, smiling at him like a loon. She found it cute the way he suddenly turned bashful. It was clear he wasn’t used to hearing those words.

  “This is really exciting, Jackson.”

  He sat back against the headboard and let some of his own excitement show. “I can’t fucking believe it myself. This is actually going to happen.”

  “Did they tell you what the next steps were?”

  “Yeah, I have to go down to the bank and meet with the financial advisor and sign some paperwork.”

  “Well, let me know what day you’re going. I’ll clear my schedule.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t have to do that, Truth.”

  “I know that, but I want to. Besides, you’ll need someone to drive you.”

  “No, I won’t. I can drive myself.”

  Truth’s back stiffened, and she stared at him for a moment. Since he no longer had the cast, he probably could start doing his own driving. But despite being free from his cast, she still felt he needed to take it easy on his leg.

  For the past couple of days, he hadn’t made too much of a fuss about her continued support. Now that he was going to embark on something this important, she wanted to be there for him. It hurt that he didn’t want her help.

  “Look, Jackson. I know you don’t really need me anymore, and you don’t really want me around, b
ut I want to be there for you, Jackson. This is a great opportunity for you and I just want to show you some support.”

  He regarded her silently for a moment and when she played back her words in her head, she wanted to kick herself. She hated how desperate she sounded. As if she needed him to want her. And maybe she did.

  Truth bit back a sigh. She was pathetic.

  “Truth, I never said I didn’t want you around,” Jackson said quietly. “You being here is what got me this far in my recovery. And I really appreciate it. But the main part of my recovery is learning to do a lot of these things on my own. And with this…”

  He looked down at his lap then brought his gaze back up to hers. This time, his gaze was earnest. “This, I need to do on my own. I need to. It’s important to me that I do this on my own. Can you possibly understand that?”

  She swallowed wondering how she could be so dense. This wasn’t about her. This next stage in his life was pivotal in getting his life back on track. He was so damn proud and arrogant that she knew he needed to get there standing on his own two feet.

  “Yeah, I get it, Jackson. I do.”

  He nodded, and seemed to relax some.

  “When’s the appointment with the loan officer?”

  “Tomorrow at two.”

  “Tomorrow!” Truth jumped up from the bed and began tugging at his arm. “We have to hurry!”

  She went to his closet and began tossing him some clothes.

  “Hurry for what?” he demanded, following her up.

  “We need to get you a haircut and shave and maybe a new dress shirt.”

  “Why? I can’t afford to spend money I don’t have.”

  Truth sighed with exasperation and planted her hands on her hips. “You’re about to meet with some important people who are going to loan you thousands of dollars for a startup business. Do you really want to go there looking like you’re fresh out of hibernation?”

  He opened his mouth then shut it and ran his fingers through his beard and hair. “I look that bad?”

  “Let’s just say if there was an APB out on wild looking lumberjack, you would be picked up before I finished snapping my fingers.

  “Okay,” he said, reaching for his cane. “I’ll drive.”

  “We need you to make him look business rugged, Mr. Drysdale,” Truth said to the barber. “Can you do that?”

  The older man took a quick glance over at Jackson at his chair and sighed heavily. “I’ll try.”

  Truth didn’t like the sound of that. She pulled out her phone and did a quick search. She found exactly what she was looking for—the August 2013 issue of GQ with Hugh Jackman on the cover.

  She turned the phone to the barber. “I want you to turn Jackson into this.”

  The barber rubbed his chin and squinted at the picture. He glanced at Jackson again then turned back to her. “I’ll try…”

  Truth smiled and dropped her phone into her purse. “I’m sure he’s in good hands.” She turned to Jackson and gave him a reassuring pat on the arm. “Listen, just shut your eyes and let Mr. Drysdale take care of you. He can’t possibility make you look any worse.”

  “Gee, thanks,” Jackson muttered.

  “I’ll be back in about an hour, but call me if you need me.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I saw a boutique a few stores down. Maybe I can find you a nice shirt in there.”

  He nodded. “I’m an XL. And if you see Gloria, tell her I said hi.”

  “Yeah, sure,” she muttered. He was certainly taking for granted that she had only been in town for a few weeks and didn’t know who any of these people were.

  The walk to the boutique was longer than she expected, but she enjoyed the stroll down Main Street. There were a lot more shops here than she expected. She did as much window shopping as she dared. It was already late afternoon and some shops were already closed for the day.

  Truth hurried to the boutique and was relieved to find it still open.

  “Hello,” and older woman with short curly hair and large eye glasses greeted. “May I help you find something?”

  “Yes, I’m looking for men’s dress shirts.”

  “Right this way.”

  Truth followed the woman to a rack with a wide selection to choose from. Unfortunately, none were in Jackson’s size.

  “Are these all you have, ma’am?”

  “Please call me Gloria. And yes, this is what we have in store but we’re happy to order something if you’d like. Do you have a particular style in mind?”

  “So you’re Gloria? Jackson wanted me to say hi to you.”

  Gloria’s expression softened. “How’s he doing since the accident? I know it’s kept him home a lot.”

  “He’s doing well now. I’m actually here to find a shirt for him, but I don’t see any in his size.”

  “Oh, why didn’t you say so? We have more sizes in the back. I’ll go grab a few.”

  Gloria dashed toward the back of the shop and Truth browsed the quaint but cozy shop, passing rack after rack of stylish dresses, tops, and even a few gowns. She didn’t stop until she came in new of three margins dressed in beautiful wedding dresses. They were all lovely but only one stole her attention. It was slim at the bust and waist with a long flowy skirt made mostly of tulle.

  She had always imagined her ideal wedding dress to be simple yet elegant. There was nothing simple about this dress, but it certainly beautifully elegant and just the kind of dress she could imagine herself in.

  Truth shook her head at herself and turned away from the dresses. She had been married and widowed at twenty-five. As far as she was concerned, she was never getting married again.

  She needed to focus on her task at hand and not get distracted by pretty dresses.

  As she started back toward the rack with the men dress shirts the shop door swung open and the bell jingled loudly. A young cop walked in and Truth thought he looked so out of place in the stylish boutique with his police uniform and gun that she could only stare at him.

  “Aunt Gloria,” he called out his hands at his hips. “I’m here now. What’s the emergency?”

  Gloria came rushing out from the back, a deep scowl on her face. “Would you lower your voice, Mike, I have customers.”

  He cocked a brow and quickly scanned the shop.

  “I hate to break it to you, antique, but it’s quieter than church in here.”

  It was obvious the man didn’t see her off to the side so Truth stepped forward.

  “Are these the shirts, Gloria?”

  Mike swung his head to her, his eyes rounding. “Oh sorry, miss. I didn’t see you there.”

  “No problem, officer. I tend to get that a lot when I’m not wearing heels.”

  Gloria dumped the piles of shirts on the counter with a loud thud, drawing their attention back to her.

  “Sorry for the wait, dear. Mya and I are going to have to do another round of spring cleaning.”

  Truth stepped toward the pile and began sifting through the ones she thought would good on Jackson.

  “Shopping for someone special?” Mike asked.

  Truth bit back a smile and nodded. “Something like that.”

  “Please tell me you’re not married.”

  Her movements froze, and he glanced down at her hand before he muttered a curse.

  “Sorry. Of course a beautiful woman like you would be taken.”

  Truth glanced down at her wedding band and swallowed. “Actually, I’m not. I mean, I was. But he…passed.”

  “Mike, go be useful and place those mannequins up on the window for me.” Gloria practically shoved him away. “Thanks.”

  Truth looked through the piles of shirts and selected two that would look good on Jackson.

  “So, how long are you in town?” Gloria asked as she rang up her items.

  For a moment, she had to think about it. In a strange way, this place was her home and now that she was back she was in no rush to leave. But she also wasn’t
enough to think that she could continue living with Jackson after he got well.

  “Until Jackson is fully back on his feet,” she said handing over her credit card.

  “Well, don’t be a stranger. We have some new fall dresses coming in next week and my daughter-in-law makes wonderful body wash and hand creams.”

  Truth smiled graciously and took her bag. “Thank you. I’ll have to try some.”

  Before Gloria could make it around the counter to walk her out, Mike came out of nowhere.

  “I can lock up after her, Aunt Gloria. Why don’t you go check out the work I did with the mannequins?”

  Gloria shot him a look before giving her a big smile. “Have a good night, Truth. And please give Jackson my love.”

  “I will.” Truth followed Mike to the door and wasn’t at all surprised when he didn’t open it immediately.

  “Listen, about what I said earlier…”

  “It’s fine, really,” Truth assured him. “There was no harm done.”

  He visibly relaxed. “Still, I’d love to make it up to you. How about dinner sometime? Or coffee. I’m flexible.”

  She bit back a smile. It had been a while since she’d been asked out by a guy who didn’t start off his sentence with “Yo, baby” but dating again seem too big a step for her right now.

  “I’m really flattered, deputy…” Her gaze fell to the badge at his shoulder. “Justice.”

  “Mike. I’m off duty.”

  “Okay, Mike. As much as I would love to, I really don’t have the time right now.”

  “Did I mention I’m flexible? It doesn’t have to be tonight. I’ll be hungry again tomorrow.”

  She laughed despite herself, and his warm brown eyes were dangerously alluring.

  “Tell you what? How about I take a rain check?”

  His smile widened. “Deal. Now all I’ll need to validate it is your number.”

  She laughed again and gave him her cell phone number. He entered it into his phone then let her out of the store.

  “Good night, pretty lady.”

  “Good night, deputy,” she called over her shoulder. Truth hurried back to the barber shop only to find out Jackson still wasn’t finished. Considering what he had looked like when he’d walked in, she shouldn’t be surprised.