He picked up the phone and dialed the number to The Pizza Place.
Alley pulled a high stool over so she could sit and gently stroke Charlie’s fur. She had time, now, to study her surroundings. The little exam room was clean and organized. Shelves with small, clearly labeled compartments lined one wall. They were open for easy and efficient access. There was a distinct air of sterilization.
She had seen only one other exam room and there was a reception area for patients coming down the stairs. There was a row of filing cabinets behind the receptionist’s desk. There had been, however, no receptionist. Alley concluded that the entire business was family run and there were few patients, especially since Justin and his father before him seemed to specialize in dogs and cats.
Such was the way, she presumed, of the small town. She had once had a dog when she was growing up and she remembered waiting in the crowded vet’s office for an appointment. There was a black bag tucked away on the counter. It occurred to her, then, that perhaps Justin made house calls. The idea made her smile with images of Gunsmoke and other old westerns where the doctor went to the patient.
“What’s funny?” Justin asked, coming into the room, bringing with him the wonderful smell of pizza.
“Oh, nothing. You brought food. You’re my hero.”
“Well, then, I wish I had thought of it sooner. Hungry?”
“Starved!”
He had thought of everything. Plates, cups filled with ice, soda, and even napkins.
He checked on Charlie, washed his hands, and poured two glasses of soda.
“How long have you been here, doing this?” she asked, gesturing around her.
“I came back from Shreveport two years ago when Dad’s health went bad.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, setting down her glass. “I didn’t know.”
“Don’t worry about Dad. Mom takes good care of him. Watches what he eats when she can. Makes sure we don’t keep beer in the house. He plays golf three days a week and they bowl on Saturdays. He’s on medication and his heart’s in decent condition. He’s a picture of retirement at its best.”
“What about you? How did you feel about coming back here?”
“I always knew I would be back. The pace here is slow and easy. I have time to fish and putter around in the yard.” He handed her a plate with a piece of cheese pizza loaded with green peppers, mushrooms, black olives, and onions.
“Thanks for going vegetarian,” she said, taking a bite.
“No problem,” he said, with a strange smile. “I just had a feeling.”
“Hmmm. Well, thanks. But, you like it here in Hanover?” she persisted.
“What’s not to like?” he answered, concentrating on the pizza on his plate.
“Really?” She asked looking at him quizzically.
“So, what about you?” She knew he was changing the subject, but she let him anyway. “You like living in the big city?”
“There’s always tons of stuff to do and people to see.”
“We have tons of stuff to do here and lots of people to see.”
“Ah,” she said, wiping her mouth. “But do you have shoes to buy?”
“I have Internet access.”
“But how can you know what to order if you don’t see them first and try them on?”
“You’ve got me there,” he conceded, filling her glass. “I don’t know enough about the art of shopping to tackle that one. Anyway, I have a feeling that fashion changes so quickly, it’s impossible to keep up with.”
“Oh, it’s possible to keep up with fashion. One just has to be diligent.”
He laughed. “And I have a feeling you’re diligent.”
“I’m good. The only way I could be better would be to live in New York.”
Justin groaned and set down his pizza. “Oh no. Don’t tell me you’re even considering it.”
“Well, no. I’m a Dallas girl. However, I do think annual visits would suit me just fine. Or maybe even semi-annual.”
“I guess you could fit the shopping in between the parties.”
This time Alley set her pizza down and wiped her fingers. “That’s right,” she said, far too seriously. “And what is wrong with that?”
“I didn’t say anything was wrong with it.”
“I know when a man is mocking me.”
Justin tossed his napkin down on his plate and stood up. “Apparently you don’t,” he said, and walked out of the room.
Well, good. If he was going to mock her, he might as well just leave in a huff. Perplexed now, more than angry, Alley finished off her pizza and tossed the plate and napkin in the can. After washing her hands, she went back to her stool, laid her head on her arms on the table, and resumed stroking Charlie’s fur.
“What do you think, Charlie? What’s up with that guy, Justin?”
“If you could answer that, you could help us all out.”
Alley’s head jerked up.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.” She turned and looked into an older version of Justin.
“Dr. York?”
“The older of the two,” he answered with a smile. “What has my wayward son done now?”
“For some reason, I seem to irritate him,” she answered.
“I find that hard to believe,” he said. “You must be Alley.”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Just a lucky guess.” He opened Charlie’s eyes and peered into them. “What’s going on with Charlie?”
Alley briefly explained, relieved to know that he had recognized her through Charlie.
“My son is a good doctor. He’ll do what he can for him.”
“I know.”
“He’s good with animals,” the older Dr. York, continued. “It may be a different story when it comes to women.”
Surprise washed across Alley’s face. She certainly found Justin attractive, but could it be that he was possibly interested in her?
Charlie stirred and she lost her chain of thought. “Is he ok?” she asked.
“I’ll get Justin…” Dr. York, said, leaving her to go upstairs.
“But…” You’re a doctor, too, and Justin doesn’t really like me.
In under a minute, Justin came bounding down the stairs. “What’s happened?”
“He’s awake,” she said.
Justin rubbed his hand along Charlie’s side and the cat started to purr. “Let’s give him some fluid.”
“This is a good thing, right?” Alley asked hopefully. “He’s purring.”
“Sometimes cats purr when they’re in pain,” Justin said, absently, focused on starting Charlie’s IV. “But it’s a good sign that he’s awake.”
Alley cooed to Charlie and stroked his fur while Justin checked his temperature.
“You did good, bringing him over when you did,” Justin said, as they waited for the fluid to run. “His temp is ok.”
“I should have caught it sooner,” she said, “I didn’t do good at all.”
“Nonsense. You couldn’t have known, Alley,” he said, smoothing a strand of hair from her face.
She took a ragged breath. Her emotions were overwhelming. She felt such relief that Charlie was improving and such relief that Justin perhaps didn’t dislike her.
She wasn’t sure why she cared what he thought of her, but she did. She smiled at him and he bent closer and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes and let the tingling emotions wash over her.
Despite her large number of friends, Alley hadn’t dated much. Nevertheless, Justin was different from the any of the other men she had dated. Most saliently, he wasn’t trying to get her into bed. And he seemed genuinely concerned about her. Maybe she had formed some latent small-town sensibility from her summers spent here in Louisiana or maybe it came from her dad’s genes.
She opened her eyes and met his gaze. His deep blue eyes were so clear, she felt she could tumble into them and never surface.
“You are beautiful,” he said, softly.
/> “Justin,” she whispered.
Then Charlie groaned and the magical moment was shattered.
Alley bent down and hugged the cat. Justin pulled out the needle. “I think he will be ok tonight,” he said. “if you want to go home and get some sleep.”
“I can’t leave him.”
“You can’t sleep in the chair.”
“I won’t sleep.”
“Then I’ll stay with you.”
“Thank you,” she said, grateful that she wouldn’t be left here alone in case Charlie needed him.
“In fact,” he said, “I think we should take him upstairs so we can have more comfortable accommodations.”
“Do you think we should move him?”
“He’s just going to sleep. He might be more comfortable on the sofa, too.”
They gathered up Charlie and took him up to the York family living room. It was comfortably furnished, with a big screen television.
“That was my contribution,” Justin said, noticing her gaze.
“Nice. How is it living here, with your parents?”
“I guess it must seem a little strange. It took a little adjusting to find myself living under their watchful eyes again, but they don’t bother me. We’re still trying to figure out the long-term plan. Since Dad’s heart attack, we’ve all been just sort of waiting to see what would happen next. There hasn’t seemed any need to make any hasty decisions. I spend most of my time in the clinic anyway.”
“It makes sense, really. I don’t know why people make such a big deal out of adults living with their parents. It’s a lot like having roommates. As long as they let you do whatever you want.”
“I don’t do that much.”
“I can see where it would be a problem whenever you wanted to have a date over. But I guess you could always go to her place.”
He smiled mischievously. “I’ve got a girl over here now.”
She felt herself blush. “This is a little different.”
“Maybe,” he said.
The grandfather clock in the hallway bonged twelve times. “In all respectfulness, I haven’t dated since I moved back to Hanover,” Justin said thoughtfully after the clock had quieted. “I haven’t wanted to.”
“Really? How long ago was that?”
“Two years.”
“You want me to believe that you haven’t had a date in two years?”
“Yeah,” he said, studying the ceiling. “Hmm. With Dad being sick and my work in the clinic, I really just haven’t thought about it.”
Alley laughed. “In Dallas no one would ever forget to date. It’s the singular activity of all single people. They can’t seem to think of anything else. You dated before you moved back, though, right?”
“Of course.”
“So you like girls?”
He laughed. “No doubt in that department. I’d have to leave Hanover to find a date anyway.” He stretched his legs out. “Are you dating anyone?”
“Not at the moment. I’m not really all that big into dating.”
“Is that right? And you living in Dallas where no one forgets to date.”
“I stay busy.”
“Aha! So you understand.”
Her lips curled mischievously. “I never said I didn’t understand.”
“I would have pegged you as the kind of girl who had a date at least every weekend.”
“I’m not sure whether I should be insulted or flattered. Why do you say that?”
“It’s simple,” he said. “You’re gorgeous. You’re funny. You’re sincere. I’m guessing you’re successful in whatever you do. You’re also kind and giving. And most importantly, you love animals. Those are the things I look for in a date.”
“So, you’re saying you would date me?”
“Without a doubt,” he said, without a moment’s hesitation.
“Well,” she said, not sure how to respond. She rubbed her hands along her arms.
Justin, on the other hand, seemed unaffected by the direction of the conversation. “I’ll get us some blankets and pillows,” he said.
Alley watched him disappear down the hallway, her brow furrowed. Justin was a perplexing man. Perplexing, yet intriguing. She enjoyed his company.
Was he saying he wanted to date her? Or just that he would? She would date him. Did that mean she wanted to date him? Probably so. She definitely wanted to kiss him.
She wondered what kind of trouble this summer was going to bring.
Smiling to himself, Justin pulled two blankets and two pillows from the linen closet. If Alley was going to spend the night in his living room, he wanted to at least be halfway comfortable.
When he got back to her, she was sitting on the floor with her head on the sofa next to Charlie. “Here, you go,” he said, putting a pillow on the couch behind her and taking her arm to nudge her up on the couch. She didn’t protest. Her eyes were heavy with sleep. And oh so sexy.
He pulled one of the blankets over her and tucked it under her feet.
“Good night, Princess,” he said, softly.
She stirred, but didn’t respond. Undoubtedly, she was out, with her head on the pillow next to the sleeping cat.
Justin took his own blanket and pillow to the nearby chaise lounge and settled in. He, however, was not asleep. He sat watching Alley sleep.
Her hair had come unpinned and fell across her cheek. Her lips slightly parted, she looked incredibly vulnerable. And sexy. Those full lips, rosy pink, and naked, begged to be kissed. What would she think if he started kissing her? He wanted to find out, but he resisted. It was too soon.
The more time he spent with her, the less she was on the pedestal he had placed her when he was fifteen years old. Also, the more he got to know her, the more he liked her.
Sure, she was extraverted and had lots of friends. That was doubtless part of her endearing charm. But she also had a depth of caring that he had never suspected. He shuddered to imagine her reaction if Charlie were her own pet.
Did Alley have any pets of her own? Did she live alone when she wasn’t housesitting? What kind of job did she have? He knew so little about her. He wanted to know everything. Even the smallest things, like what kind of toothpaste she liked.
He marveled at his own silliness. Here he was, thirty years old, and he had never noticed, much less cared what kind of toothpaste a girl used. Maybe he truly had been waiting for her all his life.
It was going to be a whirlwind, this courting Alley. He smiled to himself. He didn’t care.
This was his lot in life. He was in love with Alley and he always had been.
Chapter 5
Alley slept soundly for five hours, waking to the scent of freshly brewed coffee. Her first thought on waking was of Charlie. Had he made it through the night? She sat up abruptly and looked for him. His spot on the sofa was empty. He was gone!
Justin was gone also. Something must have happened.
She threw off the blanket, and dashed down the stairs to the clinic.
Charlie was laid out there on the table, the blue blanket beneath him, a needle stuck into his side, with fluid flowing from a bag. “Oh, God,” she said, “What’s happened?” running to him.
Justin appeared next to her. “He’s ok. I’m just giving him some fluid.”
“I thought he had gotten worse. Why didn’t you wake me?”
“There was no need. You needed the sleep.”
“So, he’s better?” she asked hopefully.
“Yes. See, he’s awake.”
“Oh Charlie,” she murmured, putting her head against his. When she straightened, her cheeks were damp with tears.
“Hey,” Justin said, pulling her against him and tucking her head against his chest. “He’s going to be ok.”
As the good news sank in, she became acutely aware of her reaction to being held. She fit perfectly against him. As he gently stroked her back, she relaxed against him, breathing in his scent. He had showered and exuded a clean, fresh scent that filled her s
enses and caused her stomach to flutter.
After a few minutes, he pulled back enough to tilt her chin up to look into his eyes. His lips were curved into a contented smile. Alley’s heart caught in her throat. If either one of them leaned forward, their lips would be close enough to…
Then he was leaning toward her. Her eyes closed. He lightly kissed her forehead. She sighed. She so ached to feel his lips against hers.
“How about some coffee?” he asked.
“Coffee,” she echoed. “Ok.” She would have agreed to anything at that point.
He put Charlie in a cage. “Just in case he decides to get up. Wouldn’t want him to fall off.”
He then took her hand and led her up the stairs to the kitchen.
“Well, good morning,” the older Dr. York greeted them.
“Come on in,” Mrs. York said. “Would you like coffee? How about some eggs and toast?”
“I’ll have some breakfast,” Justin said. “Alley?”
“Um, sure.” In that moment, a pang of homesickness hit her. The Yorks were so welcoming. They reminded her of her family.
“Another benefit of living with parents,” he said, winking at Alley.
“Yeah, one day he’ll grow up and move out on his own,” Dr. York said.
“Maybe he just needs the right girl to motivate him,” Mrs. York said.
Justin rolled his eyes. “They’d be devastated if I moved out.”
“Don’t you listen to him, Alley.”
“How’s Charlie doing this morning?”
“He’s much better,” Justin said.
“See there. I told you he was a good doctor.”
“I never doubted him,” Alley said.
“Are you kidding?” Justin said. “She was practically begging me to find Dad.”
“I didn’t know,” she said.
“Don’t pay any attention to those boys, Alley. They’ll give you a hard time as long as you let them,” Mrs. York, interjected as she placed two plates of scrambled eggs and toast on the table.
“They don’t bother me. I’m sorry to barge in like this. I didn’t expect to spend the night over here.”
“It’s no problem at all,” Mrs. York said, kindly.
Alley ate her eggs and toast as she listened to the bantering conversation among the family members. She wondered what they really thought about her sleeping on their sofa. She certainly hadn’t planned on it. After they finished eating, Justin and Alley went back to the clinic to check on Charlie.
Love Me Tomorrow Page 4