Gallows Humor

by Carolyn Elizabeth

  Corey’s eyes widened. “Is that like a conversational cold shower?”

  “Do you need one?” Thayer laughed.

  Thayer led Corey out of the bedroom, down a short hall, past another bedroom she assumed was Thayer’s, a second full bath, and into the most spectacular great room and farm-style kitchen she had ever seen. The floors were polished hardwood, the high ceilings exposed post and beam, and in the center sat a two-sided stone chimney rising up through the ceiling with well-loved, overstuffed sectional sofas facing the fireplace. “Wow.”

  Thayer moved behind the large granite island. “When’s the last time you ate?” She opened the refrigerator and ducked in. “I ran to the store this morning and picked up some groceries.”

  “Um, yesterday afternoon, maybe,” Corey answered as she walked to a wall of sliding glass doors that opened onto a large wraparound deck. One section was screened in and furnished with sun-faded, wicker lounges and the other open to the morning sunshine. There were several weather-beaten Adirondack chairs, wooden side tables and a large, shiny propane grill. Steps from the deck led down to the rocky yard, gardens, and the most gorgeous shimmering lake.

  “Where are we?” Corey asked, trying to remember the drive last night.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Thayer came to stand next to her and handed her a cup of coffee. “Black.”

  “Thank you.” Corey smiled, their fingers brushing together as she met her eyes. “Stunning,” she answered quietly.

  Thayer held her gaze for a moment before turning to look out. A small dock jutted out and there was a small outboard boat tied up. A canoe rested on its side near the waterline. “We’re only about ten miles outside the city, down Old South Road.”

  Corey considered a moment. “This is Rankins Lake?” She looked around in wonder. “I had no idea there were houses out here.” She was somewhat familiar with the area. There were a few private swimming spots popular with college kids, some decent hiking and mountain biking trails around the lake, and decent bass fishing.

  “There aren’t very many houses.” Thayer handed Corey binoculars from a nearby table and pointed across the lake. “You can just make out the white of a fishing cabin directly across from me. See their dock in front of the small clearing? Well, it’s a trailer they plunked down on the property but that’s what they use it for, I think. They bring up a pretty nice boat, anyway. That’s my nearest neighbor.” She moved back toward the kitchen and talked over her shoulder while Corey surveyed the lake. “Nana bought this land forty years ago for a song after she and my grandfather divorced. You can’t buy private property out here now and you certainly can’t have a house this close to the water with all the rezoning they’ve done. She was forty, only ten years older than I am now, but the kids were already off and doing their own thing. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around that. The house was here but I daresay it did not look like this when she took over. She’s put a lot of work into it over her lifetime.”

  “It’s amazing.” Corey set the binoculars aside and looked back over the interior. “She did the work herself?”

  “Some of it. I helped in the summer but the bulk of it was contracted.” Thayer clattered a pan onto the gas stove. “You eat meat, right?”

  “Yes.” Corey’s hand hovered over the door handle as she looked back at Thayer. “May I?”

  Thayer glanced at her. “Please. I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

  Thayer watched Corey step out onto the deck, barefoot, hair tousled, wearing nothing but her own lounge pants and T-shirt, which fit her surprisingly well considering how differently they were built.

  Her smile faltered when she hunched slightly, her hand going to the back of her head, but stopping before touching the sutures. Corey wasn’t a complainer, but Thayer could tell from the set of her shoulders and a tightness around her eyes that Corey was hurting. She added three extra strength ibuprofen to the tray she had already laden with fruit, cheese, and croissants while she waited for the bacon to finish.

  By the time she made it outside with the tray and more coffee, Corey had wandered down to the dock and was peering into the glassy surface. Thayer shielded her eyes to watch her lithe, athletic body crouching to get closer to something she had spied beneath the surface. She radiated strength and vitality on every level. Thayer doubted she even knew how much.

  “There are fish.” Corey straightened, delighted with her discovery.

  “Yes.” Thayer laughed. “Plenty.”

  Corey picked her way back up to the deck with her bare feet. “Do you fish?”

  “I can bait a hook if that’s what you mean.” Thayer refilled Corey’s cup from the carafe she’d brought out. “I grew up spending my summers here. That’s how I know Dana Fowler. We’re childhood friends. We helped Nana in the gardens and picked out worms for fishing in the evenings. There’s tackle in the shed.” She nodded to one of the out buildings.

  Corey’s gaze never wavered from her. “You have hidden depths, Dr. Reynolds.”

  Thayer breathed a laugh. “If that’s what you call perch fishing with your grandmother.”

  “What’s her name by the way?”

  Thayer’s mouth quirked. “Lillian Thayer.”

  “Ah, so you’re the namesake. That’s very cool. So where is she?” Corey settled back in one of the chairs with her coffee and a handful of cheese and bacon.

  Thayer sighed. “She had a stroke a couple of years ago. She recovered but she lost sight in her right eye and partial paralysis on the entire side.” She looked over the lake. “Oh, before I forget, take these.” She handed Corey the pain meds.

  “Thanks.” Corey tossed them into her mouth and washed them back with coffee. “I’m sorry; that must have been very hard for someone so independent.”

  “Yes, it was incredibly hard. She tried to stay out here for a while. We had some home care nurses coming out every day. We even tried having one move in, but Nana is a force of nature and pretty much drove them all away. One at gunpoint.”

  “Badass.”

  “I was in residency in the city and couldn’t get out here and my parents are out of the country.”

  “Where?”

  “My father’s mother is Cuban and she’s moved back there. My folks moved back when her health started failing.”

  “You’re Cuban.”

  “A quarter, I guess, but I’ve only been over there twice, and I was pretty young. So culturally not at all.” She nodded and popped a strawberry into her mouth. “Anyway, she really needed to be in assisted living.”

  “Hmm.” Corey raised an eyebrow. “Bet that went over well.”

  Thayer blew out a breath. “Yeah, it was a mess. There was no way she was selling this place, and well, I won’t bore you with the gory details, but in the end I offered to come back here for the fellowship, live in the house, and help her get settled in a very nice, private, assisted living residence not far from here. The house is taken care of and I’m able to visit her often and bring her back here when I have a few days off.”

  Corey smiled. “That’s wonderful that you were able to make that work for her.”

  She grimaced. “It almost didn’t work. I didn’t get offered the fellowship, initially, but Nana actually knows someone on the board from when she used to volunteer at the hospital. She pulled some strings.”

  Corey eyed her. “It’s not what you know but who you know, huh?”

  She eyed her back with a teasing smile. “I assure you, I am more than qualified for the position. I was just late to apply and almost missed my window.”

  Corey chewed her lip, her brow furrowing. “For how long?”

  “How long what?”

  “How long are you here for?”

  “Ah.” Thayer nodded in understanding. “Well, the fellowship position is just the year.” A flicker of disappointment flashed across Corey’s face. “But, aside from the stroke, Nana is strong as an ox and I’m not going to abandon her. I expect to be able to parlay this posi
tion into a permanent one. They are expecting some retirements in the department within the year.”

  Corey made no attempt to hide her smile as she relaxed back in her chair.

  Thayer sighed, afraid to look at her watch, but she knew she had to get moving. She couldn’t remember the last time she had enjoyed herself this much with someone, sharing a meal, sunshine, and conversation.

  Corey must have sensed her shift in attitude. “What’s wrong?”

  “I have to get ready for work,” she admitted, finally checking the time. “I was able to shift some things around to get the morning off to stay home.”

  “I’m sorry.” Corey stiffened. “I didn’t realize. I didn’t even think about it.”

  “Don’t apologize. There was nowhere I wanted to be more than right here with you.” Corey frowned, looking unsettled and Thayer wasn’t sure how to make it better. “Listen, let me—”

  “I’ve imposed enough already. I’ll grab a ride to the hospital with you and get my truck.” She pushed herself to her feet.

  “Uh, no.” Thayer pinned her with a look, standing to meet her eyes. “Sorry, forgot to mention one of the rules. No driving.”

  “Well.” Corey stared at her. “What am I supposed to do? Stay here?”

  Thayer smiled, letting her gaze suffuse with desire, and stepped closer, their bodies almost touching, her gaze lowering to Corey’s lips, her intent clear. “I think that’s a fine idea.”

  “Thayer.” Corey’s breath hitched. “What are you doing?”

  She moved in, brushing her lips against Corey’s in the softest, sweetest kiss. “I’m trying to tell you…” Thayer ghosted over her lips again, “…how very fine it would be if you stayed.”

  Corey sighed softly and parted her lips, her hands slipping around Thayer’s waist. “I’m listening.”

  Thayer deepened the kiss, her tongue tasting Corey’s lips as her hands slid over her shoulders and up behind her head.

  Corey jerked away with a hiss, her face tight with pain as she put a hand to the back of her head.

  “Oh, shit.” Thayer’s eyes widened in horror, realizing what she’d done. She reached for her. “Oh, Corey, I’m sorry. Let me see.”

  “It’s okay. It’s okay.” Corey’s attempt at a smile was far more a wince and she stepped out of Thayer’s reach. “I’m fine.”

  Thayer crossed her arms and felt miserable as the weight of their situation, why Corey was here and what had happened last night, came crashing back around them. The reality was written in Corey’s expression—frustration, anger, and pain. “What can I do?”

  “What? No, this has been the best, worst first date ever.” Corey smiled thinly. “Um, but I should probably just get home and rest, right?”

  Thayer swallowed hard. “I’ll take you wherever you want to go, but please don’t drive or go home by yourself until the police tell you it’s okay.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Corey stared out the window, wishing she could think of something to say that didn’t sound trite or childish. Thayer had taken care of her, welcomed her into her home, shared herself and things that were important to her. Then she kissed her, very clearly expressing her desire for more. It had been amazing and surreal. Then it all went to shit and Thayer felt badly and Corey acted like an ass—as usual.

  She felt skittish and uncertain, her relationship insecurities reared their heads again, and if that weren’t enough, she had been attacked in her place of work. She was confused and angry and had texted Collier to meet her when he was available.

  “Where can I take you?” Thayer broke the silence finally.

  “Old Bridge Coffee House. Rachel works there and I can hang with her until Collier is free to meet me.” Now that she had her wits about her, she had some questions and she wanted answers.

  They were quiet again for a long time, the tension growing heavier as Thayer pulled up in front of the coffee shop and parked. “I’ve done something wrong but I’m not sure what.” She didn’t look at her.

  “No. No, you haven’t. You took care of me.”

  Thayer shook her head. “I did my job.”

  “And you usually take your patients home with you and make them breakfast?”

  Thayer pressed her lips together. “Then what? What happened?”

  Corey breathed deeply, her hand going to her chest as it tightened. “You remember the first time we saw each other?”

  “Of course, it was only a few days ago.”

  “Right.” She sucked in another breath. She couldn’t wrap her head around how much had happened in such a short time. “Well, I was involved with someone—”

  “Oh, my god. You have a girlfriend. Oh, god, of course you do.” Thayer’s head dropped to the steering wheel. “Wait. You have a girlfriend?” She shot up in her seat, eyes flashing hotly.

  Corey couldn’t help a laugh. “I said was.” She placed a hand on Thayer’s arm. “She left me that night.”

  Her head dropped against the seat, her eyes rolling to Corey. “She left you the day we met? How does that make things better? Oh, my god. I am such an idiot.”

  She fought a laugh. “Thayer, please, just let me explain. This is making my head hurt.”

  Thayer nodded, looking away again.

  “We had been together…” Corey hesitated. “No, not together but dating for several months. I knew from the start she wasn’t the one, but Anna is successful, bright, beautiful, and I don’t know.” She raked her hands through her hair making it stand up. “She wanted it, I think, and I just didn’t. Not with her.”

  Thayer turned to her, giving Corey her full attention.

  She sighed. “But instead of just ending it, I let it drag on, kept her interested somehow, and was too damn careless and lazy until she just gave up.”

  “And you’re hurt? Sad? Angry?” Thayer attempted to fill in the blanks.

  “No.” Corey laughed, humorlessly. “None of those things. I’m ashamed and regretful and disappointed, but I’m not even remotely sad and I don’t miss what we had—or didn’t have—at all.”

  Thayer was quiet for a moment. “What are you trying to tell me?”

  “I don’t know. That I’m a heartless asshole?”

  Thayer stared at her a beat before a smile split her face and she succumbed to outright laughter. “Corey Curtis, I’ve known you for only a few days, but I can assure you, you are anything but heartless and unequivocally, not an asshole.”

  Corey eyed her, fighting a smile of her own. “You don’t know.”

  “Oh, I know.” Thayer nodded, emphatically. “You may behave like an asshole, on occasion, but that is a very different business.” Her mouth quirked. “And, by the way, you don’t have the corner on that market. You’ll find out if you want.”

  “Find out how?”

  “Find out if you take a chance on us.”

  “Us?”

  “I haven’t been involved with anyone in a long time. Sometimes I was just too busy but mainly there hasn’t been anyone who turned my head. No, that’s not true. Plenty of women turn my head. There’s never been anyone who exhilarates me. Not the way you do. You are a remarkable woman, Corey Curtis.”

  “Exhilarates. Wow.” Corey had never been described like that.

  “There’s something between us, Corey. I know you feel it too.” Thayer held her gaze. “But I’m not crazy. I don’t need a U-Haul or commitment or even exclusivity if that’s not what you want—at least, not right now.”

  Her eyes flashed with heat. “So, just sex, then?”

  Thayer sucked in a breath through her teeth and shook her head. “Walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

  “What if I’m a shitty lay?” Corey arched a teasing brow. “At least I make you laugh, right?”

  Thayer matched her gaze. “I guess I’ll just have to be good enough for the both of us.”

  “Damn, woman.” She exhaled, fighting a smile. “What was that about not doing anything to elevate my heart rate?”

>   Thayer smiled and shrugged. “Like you said, I didn’t get where I am by being a bottom.”

  Corey coughed a laugh. “That’s not what I said.”

  “I’m paraphrasing.” Thayer grinned at her. “Will you check in later and let me know how you’re doing and what Jim has to say about last night?”

  Corey’s face fell at the thought of getting back to reality. She wanted to stay in her safe and sexy bubble with Thayer a while longer. “Yeah, I will. Have inhaler will travel and I have your number, now.”

  “And I have yours.” Thayer winked. “Take it easy today.”

  Corey lowered herself into one of the ratty overstuffed chairs necessary at every hipster coffeehouse. She was grateful one was available when her head started pounding again. She rested it gingerly against the back of the chair.

  “What the hell happened to you?” Rachel stood over her and held out a coffee. “And what the hell are you wearing?”

  She cracked an eye. “Thayer’s clothes.”

  “No shit.” Rachel dropped into a chair across from her and scooted closer. “That was fast.”

  She struggled up in her chair and took the offered coffee. “Regretfully, it’s not like that.”

  “What’s it like, then? You look terrible.”

  “Thank you. I’ll sum up. Last night as I ran back into the morgue to grab my phone before I went to get Thayer for our first official date, a smelly dude cracked my head open from behind with a brick and ransacked the morgue. Oh, and he dumped an entire five-gallon box of formalin that essentially poisoned me.” She stopped to take a breath and a sip of her coffee and glanced at Rachel, whose eyes were bugging out of her head.

  “Anyway, Thayer found me when I failed to meet her, ripped my clothes off—we both agree we would have preferred that happen under different circumstances—and got me to the ED and treated. I have an undisclosed number of stitches in the back of my head.” She turned so Rachel could see the wound. “And temporarily damaged lungs that make it hard to breathe sometimes.”

  “Shit, Corey. Are you okay?”

  “I will be.” She offered a smile to her friend to back up her claim. “But don’t count on a rematch for a few days.”