Falling In Love: A Sweet Traveling Romance Novel (All Roads Lead To Love Book 2)

by Vivian Porter

  Kelly snickered as she nudged Jenny's left side with her elbow, and she felt like crawling under a rock to hide from the embarrassment. She couldn't help it. She knew it sounded corny, but the past two weeks with Clay were heavenly. They'd been inseparable since their bike ride and kiss on the mountain, and she loved every second of it. "I don't remember much about the toast. I think I zoned out on him too as soon as he mentioned 'new loves' and 'new beginnings.' "

  "Oh my gosh!" Kelly laughed. "You two are so goofy over each other. If it wasn't so adorable, I'd be really jealous right now, but I'm very happy for you, Jenny. I mean that."

  Jenny draped an arm over Kelly's shoulders and pulled her close to her side. "Thank you. Now we need to find someone for you so we can go on some double dates."

  You would've thought she suggested tossing Kelly to a pack of wolves with the way she jumped from her side and started waving her hands in the air in protest.

  "No, no, no. You know how much I hate double dates," Kelly lamented.

  Jenny hooked an arm through hers and yanked her back to her side. "Come on, Kel. Clay has a close friend named Tommy who is a super nice guy. I've known him since high school, and he would be perfect for you."

  Kelly stopped her mid-sentence. "Nope. Absolutely not."

  Jenny couldn't help but laugh at her stubbornness when it came to dating, but she couldn't fault her either, because she would've reacted the same way before she’d met Clay. Now those awkward blind dates and oh-so forgettable men were a thing of the past.

  "Speak of the devil, and he shows up," Kelly said.

  Jenny followed her gaze, and her heart fluttered like mad when she saw Clay standing beside her SUV in the parking lot, holding a bouquet of white roses, her favorite flower. He was wearing khaki dress slacks and a long-sleeved navy-blue dress shirt, and he looked so handsome, it literally took her breath away.

  "I'll see you tomorrow," Kelly whispered. "Try and behave yourself."

  She winked at her, causing Jenny to blush profusely, and she waved to Clay before continuing on to her car a few parking spaces away. Jenny sidled over to Clay, silently willing her wobbly knees to get her there before she melted into a puddle on the asphalt.

  "Hey, beautiful," he crooned before kissing her cheek and handing her the roses.

  He had a little bit of stubble on his face, and it tickled her skin and made her shiver. Jenny held the flowers to her nose and inhaled the wonderful aroma. "You know, I had a dream like this once upon a time, but in my dream, the dashing prince rode a white horse and he gave me the keys to a brand-new car."

  Clay laughed out loud. "I don't think I can compete with that, but I'd love to take you to dinner tonight. No white horse but my truck is white. Does that count?"

  Jenny sighed dramatically as she reached for his hand. "I suppose so."

  His deep laughter resonated around her and made her swoon as they walked hand in hand to his vehicle parked a few feet away. Only a couple of days had passed since she'd held his hand, but every single time she did, she felt all gooey inside, something she wouldn't dare share with Kelly because she would tease her relentlessly. "I feel underdressed."

  She glanced at her sneakers, her scrubs, and the hospital badge attached to her shirt pocket. She'd been on her feet twelve hours, and she was certain she looked it too.

  "You could wear a burlap sack, and you’d still be stunning as always,” he replied.

  His sweet compliment left her speechless, and as he unlocked the passenger door and held it open for her, she thought her heart would surely burst. She’d never understand how she was fortunate enough to meet someone as wonderful as Clay Wright, but she was grateful nonetheless.

  Clay got behind the steering wheel and drove a few miles outside the city limits to one of their favorite Mexican restaurants. By the time they arrived, Jenny’s stomach was growling. Fridays were always busy at work, and she’d managed to scarf down only a handful of grapes during her lunch hour, which was cut short when one of her elderly patients tried to walk unaided from her hospital bed to the restroom and fell. The remainder of the shift was just as chaotic, and she couldn’t remember the last time she was so glad to see five o’clock.

  The waiter escorted them to a table near one of the windows, and she sighed contentedly when she sat and gazed outside at the mountains in the distance. The sun was setting on the horizon, blanketing the clouds in shades of yellow, red, and orange. “Are the sunsets in Oregon as beautiful as the ones here?”

  Clay put down his menu, and the dreamy look in his light green eyes as he stared out the window quickened her pulse. “No, definitely not. There are some things I miss about Oregon, but the sunsets there pale in comparison to these.”

  The waiter brought their beverages and took their orders, and Clay moved the glasses to the side so he could reach across the table and hold her hands. The other patrons and chatter around them disappeared as she looked deeply into his eyes and let herself get lost in the moment. With their differing work schedules, they had to take advantage of every opportunity they could to be together, and so far, they'd managed to steal some private time away from work and the rest of the world.

  "How was your shift?" he inquired. "Uneventful, I hope."

  Jenny expelled a long breath. "Well, I only had to deal with one elderly patient who fell and two elderly men trying to swat my behind, so I guess you could say it was uneventful, compared to most days on the fourth floor, that is."

  Clay grinned as he rubbed her hands in a circular motion with the pads of his thumbs that soothed her so much it could've easily put her to sleep.

  "I can't say I blame those men," he joked. "If I knew you'd let me get away with it, I'd do it as often as I could too."

  His reply made her cheeks redden, and she had to laugh at the mischievous look on his face. Jenny changed the subject before she tripped over her own tongue and said something to embarrass herself even further. "So what do you have planned this weekend? Aren't you off work tomorrow and Sunday?"

  Her question made his face light up. "Have you been to the drive-in theater on Clairmont Road lately?" he asked.

  She hadn't thought about the old theater since high school, and she smiled as the memories flooded her mind. "I'd forgotten all about it. I don't think I've been there since tenth grade. I thought it closed."

  His gaze widened as his grip on her tightened. "A realtor bought it a couple of months ago and reopened it. The grand opening is tomorrow, and there will be an all-day marathon of movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Since you're off work tomorrow too, I thought we could check it out. What do you say?"

  He was so excited, his hands were shaking. She'd learned the hard way he was a big movie buff after one whole Sunday spent at his house watching old horror flicks with him and Aubrey. Fortunately, he didn't seem to mind when she’d slept through most of them. "Sure. That sounds like fun."

  The server returned with their food, and Jenny was so hungry, she nearly gobbled it up in just a few bites. They talked about work during their meal, among other things, and they decided on a time Clay would pick her up for the movies. And idea sprang to Jenny's mind, but she was hesitant about broaching the subject. In the end, her curiosity got the best of her. "Do you think Tommy would be interested in Kelly?"

  Clay put his fork down and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I don't see why not. From all you've told me about her, I think they would get along pretty well. She needs a good sense of humor, though, to put up with his jokes."

  Jenny smiled and nodded. "That's true. She is dead set against me fixing her up with anyone, but I have an idea in mind that might work. I'm still sorting out the details, but I hope we can introduce them soon."

  They weren't able to talk much more after the restaurant owner's mariachi band appeared in the dining hall and started playing their instruments. They were a lively group, and it didn't take long before the other patrons began clapping their hands and tapping their feet. When they took a bow forty minutes later,
the whole room was buzzing with excitement.

  "They know how to work up a crowd, don't they?" Clay asked. "Are you ready to go?"

  Jenny leaned back in her seat and patted her stomach. They'd finished their meal a long time ago, but she was still as full as a tick and didn't feel like moving. If there hadn't been a line of people waiting at the entrance to be seated, she would've begged for a few more minutes to sit still and catch her second wind.

  She nodded and reached for her purse under the table when she heard Clay's cell phone ring. He furrowed a brow when he looked at the caller ID before answering. "Hello?" He was quiet a few seconds before his face paled. "Aubrey? Slow down. What's wrong?"

  Jenny's heart raced as she waited with baited breath to find out what was going on.

  Chapter 17

  Clay

  He'd never heard his little sister sound so scared before, and it shook him to the core. Clay and Jenny stood at the same time, and he dug his wallet out of his back pocket and left more than enough money to cover the cost with enough remaining for a tip. "We need to go."

  Without questioning, she grabbed her purse and followed him out of the restaurant. His mind raced with a thousand things at once. He thought about calling the station and having the ambulance dispatched to his house, but he also didn't want to panic Aubrey even more, so he decided to wait and assess the situation first before doing anything else. Clay hit the unlock button on the remote control on his keychain as soon as they were out the front door, and they both jumped in the truck and put on their seat belts.

  "Clay, what's going on? What did she say?"

  Clay put the truck in reverse and spun out of the parking lot and headed home. It was Friday evening, so the streets were packed with vehicles, but he was able to get around them fairly easy. "She was crying, and I could barely understand her, but I did hear her say she was in a lot of pain. That's all I know."

  He was consumed with guilt over leaving her home alone—again. She’d told him repeatedly from the very beginning that she didn't want him glued to her side, and he fought her at first until he met Jenny. Since then, he'd spent more time away from home, but Aubrey didn't seem to mind. Then again, maybe she was just saying she didn't so she could make him feel better and less guilt-ridden.

  When he turned into his driveway a few minutes later, Clay was halfway out the door before he put the truck in park and killed the engine. As he raced for the front door, Jenny was right on his heels, and when he unlocked the door and ran inside, his heart plummeted to his feet when he found Aubrey lying motionless on the sofa in the den. Her eyes were closed, and her cell phone was on the floor beside her.

  "Aubrey!" he called, as he ran to her and knelt beside her.

  Aubrey’s eyelids flickered open for a brief moment, but she didn't say anything. He and Jenny instantly went into work mode and checked her vitals. Her eyes were sunken, her skin was cold and sallow, and she had a rapid heartbeat.

  "Clay, she's showing all the signs of dehydration," Jenny said, her voice shaking with emotion.

  He agreed with her, but he shook his head and grabbed her hand when she reached for her cell phone. "I don't want the ambulance. I'm taking her myself. Call the hospital and let them know we're on our way."

  Clay scooped Aubrey in his arms and headed for the front door while Jenny raced ahead of him and opened it. She felt so fragile and tiny in his arms, and he fought back the tears that threatened to overflow. As he and Jenny settled her in the back seat of his truck, Aubrey didn't open her eyes or whimper or make a movement of any kind. It was disconcerting seeing her so still and lifeless, and as Jenny phoned the hospital, he jumped in the driver's seat and sped away from the house.

  He looked in the rearview mirror several times during the drive to check on the two of them. Jenny relayed the information over the phone while cradling Aubrey by her side, and when she hung up, she tried in vain to wake her. He'd never witnessed Jenny in nurse mode before, and his heart swelled with admiration over the calm and professional way she was handling herself while he felt on the verge of falling apart.

  They arrived at the hospital within a matter of minutes, and he was relieved when he saw the team of nurses and doctors waiting on them by the sliding double-door entrance. He parked the truck and rushed to the back door as the team wheeled a gurney around to the driver’s side of the vehicle. Jenny stepped out, and Clay picked up Aubrey and laid her gently on the gurney.

  The team went to work right away, and as they wheeled her into the emergency room, he and Jenny were right behind them. When they got her to the observation unit, it took every bit of willpower Clay had not to jump in and take over, especially since it was his little sister. He knew she was in the best care, but that didn't stop the fear that threatened to swallow him whole.

  "She's going to be okay," Jenny said.

  He looked to his right, having completely forgotten she was standing by his side in the middle of the chaos. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak because his heart felt like it was permanently wedged in his throat. She wrapped an arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder as they stood as close as they were allowed and watched the team work on Aubrey. When they were able to get some intravenous fluids in her, she finally started coming around.

  "I'm Dr. Tanner. Can you tell me your name?" the doctor asked.

  Clay took a couple of steps closer to the gurney, even with Jenny trying desperately to keep him out of the way.

  "Aubrey. Aubrey Wright," she replied. Her voice cracked and was very weak, but he'd never felt more relieved to hear it.

  He glanced behind the gurney at the monitors hooked to Aubrey, and he noticed by the readings that her heart rate was decreasing to a normal level and her blood pressure was regulating. It was a slow process, but Clay was thankful it was going in the right direction.

  "Your brother said you were hurting," the doctor continued. "Where were you hurting?"

  She tried to lift her head. "Is he here? Is Clay here?"

  He managed to break free of Jenny's grasp and scramble his way through the doctors and nurses to reach her bedside. "I'm here, Aubrey." He clasped on to her hand and gave her the biggest and best smile he could muster. He was elated when she was able to squeeze his hand.

  "I don't know what happened," she explained to the doctor. "My muscles started cramping, and I was so dizzy. I couldn't move. The last thing I remember is calling Clay."

  He remained by her side while she and the doctor talked, and once she was stabilized, all but one nurse left to tend to other patients. He overheard the doctor saying she would be admitted to the hospital for observation and that he would call Dr. Harding to discuss her case and further treatment options. When he mentioned infusion therapy for her MS, Aubrey's eyes filled with tears, and seeing her disappointment felt like a kick to the gut. When Dr. Tanner left the two of them alone to talk, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

  "I'm so sorry, Clay. I didn't mean to interrupt your date with Jenny, but I didn't know what else to do. It all happened so suddenly."

  He leaned over the bed so he could look at her more closely. "You don't have any reason to apologize to me. You did the right thing, and I'm glad you called. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you like I should've been. It won't happen again. I promise."

  Aubrey turned her head and glanced around the small observation unit, which was now empty except for the two of them. "Where is she? Where's Jenny?"

  Clay looked around but didn't see Jenny standing nearby. When he found her near the nurse’s station, talking to Dr. Tanner, he pointed her out to Aubrey. "She's right over there with the doctor. You can talk to her later. Right now, you need to get some rest."

  She wasn't in any shape to argue with him, and when she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, he sat in a chair beside her. She didn't let go of him for a second, and when he looked at their intertwined fingers, he was consumed by another wave of guilt. Her fingers were so thin and her skin barely had any elas
ticity because she was so dehydrated. If he was home like he should've been, he would've noticed right away something wasn't right, and he could’ve kept this from happening. Add that to the guilt he carried daily over leaving her when he moved to Oregon and he seriously felt like the lousiest brother on the face of the Earth.

  "How is she doing?"

  Stirred from his reverie, he looked over his shoulder just as Jenny approached. "She'll be here overnight for observation, but she's doing okay right now."

  Jenny put a hand on his back and gave him an affectionate rub. "She'll probably be asleep a while. Would you like some coffee? I can get some from the cafeteria if you like."

  Clay shook his head. "Thank you, but I'm not thirsty."

  An awkward silence fell between them, but he was too distracted to give it much thought. He could feel Aubrey's steady heart rate as he held her hand, and although he could've let go, he didn't want to. For the time being, he felt like he was clinging to each beat, and he didn't want to be separated from it.

  "Is there anything I can do for you?" Jenny asked.

  Clay shook his head again. "I don't believe so. I'll be staying the night, but you can go home whenever you need to."

  A look he'd never seen before crossed her face for a split second, but he didn't feel like questioning her about it. She removed her hand from his back and stepped away from him.

  "I'm off work tomorrow, so I can stay here with you and Aubrey as long as I need to. I don't mind at all," she said.

  Clay glanced at Aubrey, who was taking slow, even breaths and sleeping peacefully. Doctors and nurses steadily filed by their observation unit, but she never stirred or flinched from the stream of loud voices. Jenny walked behind him, grasped the privacy curtain, and pulled it all the way around the tiny unit to try and separate them from the noise. "I appreciate it, Jenny, but you can go. I can handle it."