by Ivy Wonders
“So, I suppose that’s something I’ll have to endure as a mere peasant living in a carriage house meant to house the help.” The way she laughed as she spoke told me she didn’t much care about that.
“It helps to keep a good attitude about it, I’ve found.” I hadn’t encountered the resistance Tara had whined about. “Most of these people are nice. You have to understand where they came from, with most of them coming from long lines of money. And then you’ve got the bougie rich—the new rich people who like to pretend they’ve come from old money. And then there’s me. Just a lucky guy who happened to be in the right place at the right time and came into a bunch of money for it.”
“What happened with that whole thing? It all sounds rather extraordinary,” she asked as we headed up my driveway.
“Eli and I were in New York. I was to attend a seminar and took him with me. One of my aunts lives there, so she watched him for me while I was at the conference.” I could still remember the smells in the air that day. “I spotted a hot dog vendor, and I told Eli we should get a real New York hot dog. We were standing in the line when a man in an expensive suit walked by with his little girl, who had a hot dog in her hand. She’d taken a bite of it already, and I saw the look on her face just as the thing lodged in her throat. She fell to the ground, and her father had no idea what was wrong with her. He started to panic.”
“And you sped into action, didn’t you?” Eyes wide, she looked a little amazed.
I’d never thought of what I did as heroic in any way. Compared to what I did at work every day, giving someone the Heimlich is really no big deal. And I always thought if I hadn’t been there, then someone else would’ve helped the poor kid—it just happened to look more impressive that there was a doctor on the scene.
“I told him she was choking on the hot dog, scooped her up and then dislodged the food fairly easily. And just like that, I’d earned the man’s undying gratitude. He got my name, number, and address before we parted ways, and I didn’t really think anything of it.”
“How long did it take before you knew about his reward?” She pushed a chunk of shiny, dark hair out of her face as a gust of wind blew it out of place.
“A week.” I reached out to move another stray lock of hair, tucking it behind her ear. “I received a phone call from the man’s attorney. He was in Seattle and asked if he could come to my home. He came over and told me that the man had given me a ton of shares in his company—his very successful multibillion-dollar company—along with some other investments. He also brought a gift bag with keys to a new BMW that he’d parked outside of our little apartment, a couple of Rolex watches, and some other things that were also incredibly expensive. I refused the smaller gifts, but the shares and all the money that went along with them weren’t as easy to turn away.”
Whistling, she said, “What a surprise that must’ve been.”
“As a doctor yourself, you can imagine the kind of student loan debt I was in. Just being able to pay that off was more than I could’ve ever wanted.” I wondered how she’d take the rest of the story. “I took some of the shares and sold them, using that money to make more investments. I chose a very good investment firm to handle that, and in the matter of just one year, I’d doubled my money. And this last year, I quadrupled it.
“It all happened so fast and under such wild circumstances that it doesn’t feel right sometimes. So a couple months ago, I set up a scholarship fund that’ll pay off the student loans of other doctors who win contests I come up with. And the best part is that I’ve got it set up so the interest off another account keeps that account at a constant amount of a couple hundred million, so I can keep on helping my fellow doctors all around the world.”
Rebel reached out to put her hand on my shoulder, staring at me with the strangest expression—not quite awe, and something approaching a seriousness I hadn’t yet seen in her. “Harman, that’s truly noble of you.” She blinked a few times. “You’ve had a pretty remarkable life.”
“You could definitely say that. But I think most people would do the same thing if they were in my shoes—nothing too noble about it.” I started walking again. I always felt embarrassed telling people my story, and I didn’t want her to make a big thing out of it.
“I don’t think so.” She came along, staying at my side. “But I can see you’re not comfortable with the praise. I’ll try to hold back my accolades.”
I had to laugh at that—she just had a way of making me feel comfortable, even when talking about the subjects that made me most uncomfortable. First with Tara, now with this. I couldn’t help but feel at ease—even happy—in her presence. “Yes, please try to hold them back. I’m not used to people saying such nice things about me.”
Her brows shot up as her expression turned to surprise. “Really?” she asked in disbelief. “Have you forgotten that you’re a doctor?” I found myself laughing at her again—she was right, I did hear a lot of compliments and gratitude in my field of work, but that wasn’t what I was referring to, and she seemed to pick up on that. “Who knows about what you’re doing? And who hasn’t told you how great it is?”
“Other than the people at the investment firm and my bank, you’re the only one who knows about the scholarship fund so far.” I didn’t know exactly why I’d even told her. “I haven’t come up with a contest yet, so I’ve been waiting to figure that out before announcing it. But I’ll come up with one very soon. I’m eager to get this going.”
“Oh, how about an essay contest?” she suggested after a brief pause. “You can ask people to send you their stories about why they wanted to become a doctor in the first place. Then the winner can be the one that hits you in the heart the hardest.”
“That would mean a lot of reading, wouldn’t it?” I nudged her shoulder with mine. “I might need someone’s help for all that.”
“You’d let me help you?” she asked, seeming stunned.
“Why not? It’s your idea.” I looked up at the front door and stepped up to open it for her. “And now, to show off my cook’s skills.” I stepped to one side to allow her to go in ahead of me. “After you.”
Eli laughed as he ran in a circle behind us. “Dad, you’re silly.”
Rebel looked at me with shining eyes. “I think you’re extremely nice—and hardly silly at all.” Her shoulder brushed my chest as she moved past me. And at the brief touch, I lost my breath, my train of thought, and maybe even a little bit of my heart.
Chapter 6
Rebel
That evening with Harman and Eli bordered on magical. I’d always gotten along well with people, whether I’d known them a long time or had just met them. But the way I meshed with Eli and his father felt different. It felt as if they’d always been a part of my life—almost as if I belonged with those two.
Perhaps because they both felt the loss of the wife and mother role in their lives, they were reaching out to me far more than anyone ever had before. There was this look in their eyes that told me they were missing something—or maybe just needed a feminine ear to hear what they had to say.
All I knew for sure was that when Saturday and Sunday came around and neither of them had stopped by my place, I felt a bit lost. But then at six o’clock on Sunday evening, there was a knock at my front door. I’d just finished putting away the last of my things and settled down in my recliner with a much-needed Jack and Coke.
Thinking it might have been the last of some of the new décor items I’d ordered being delivered, I was surprised when I opened the door to find the two guys I’d been missing standing there. Harman had a basket of fruit in his hands, and Eli had a stunning crystal vase full of the deepest red roses I’d ever seen. “Welcome to the neighborhood,” Harman said with a smile.
“I thought you guys might’ve forgotten about me.” I stepped back to let them in.
“Dad said we should give you time to put your things away.” Eli scanned the living room, nodding approvingly. “And it looks like you’ve got thi
ngs put away now.”
“I’ve just finished the last little bit. I’m pretty much completely moved in and ready to sit back and relax for the rest of the evening.” It felt good to have everything done and even better to have them visiting me.
Harman put the basket of fruit on the coffee table. “This looks pretty good right here. Eli, put the flowers on the bar over there.” A long bar ran between my living room and kitchen, separating the two.
“Thank you, guys. This is really sweet of you both.” I took a seat in my recliner, not reclining in it the way I’d planned. “Sit down and tell me how your weekend went.”
“It’s been fine, uneventful,” Harman replied as he and Eli took seats on either end of the sofa. “You feel like grabbing some dinner with us? I always give the chef Sunday’s off.”
That sounded wonderful to me. “You sure?”
Eli jumped up, his hands in the air. “Yeah, we’re sure. We’re going to that pizza place that has all the games, and it’ll be lots of fun.”
Once again, the little boy’s enthusiasm had a smile spreading across my face. “I’ve got to admit, that sounds awesome. It’s been ages since I’ve done anything like that.”
Eli came to take my hands. “Then let’s go!”
“I’ve gotta go grab my purse.” I said, getting up and heading to my bedroom to grab my things.
When I came back into the living room, I noticed that Eli had already left, and Harman stood near the door, waiting for me. “The kid’s excited to have you joining us.”
I wondered if he was excited, too, but I didn’t ask that question. “I’m excited to be going with you guys, too.”
Pulling the door open, he extended one arm. “After you.”
His broad, hard chest took up most of the doorway, and my shoulder brushed against him as I squeezed through the tight space. Quickening my step, I barely squeaked out a quick, “Lock it, please,” as I handed him my keys. My body went super hot, and my brain went a little soft as the brief contact affected me in a way that didn’t happen often.
A black Mercedes was parked behind my Toyota in the driveway. At the passenger door stood Eli, holding the car door open for me. “Here ya go, Rebel.”
“You two don’t have to dote on me, you know.” I slipped into the seat. “But I have to admit that I love it. You’re both such perfect gentlemen.”
“Thanks,” Eli said as he closed the door then got into the backseat. “We’re trying to be.”
Harman got in behind the steering wheel and looked back at his son. “Seatbelt.”
“Oh, yeah.” Eli buckled himself in. “I don’t know why I always forget about that.”
Harman watched Eli putting on his seatbelt through the rearview mirror. “Me, neither. You’ve had to wear one forever.” He turned his head to look at me. “So, what’s your favorite pizza?”
“Pepperoni.” I knew I was boring, but I didn’t like experimenting with all the latest pizza trends.
“Mine, too.” Harman wiggled his eyebrows. “Great minds think alike.”
“I like cheese pizza,” Eli informed me. “Me and Mom like cheese. Dad likes pepperoni, and now you do, too.”
“It’s nice to have someone on my side for a change,” Harman said as he pulled out of my driveway.
A Rolls Royce slowly drove past us. The driver’s nose was firmly in the air and the back windows were tinted so darkly you couldn’t see a thing inside. “Look! It’s Mrs. Snotgrass.”
“Snodgrass,” Harman corrected him. “She’s the head of the HOA. Her family comes from ancient money, so I’ve heard. She only stays here a few months out of the year, and that’s when we have monthly meetings. The rest of the year we’re free.”
“Since she’s here and it’s the first of November, am I in for my first meeting?” I asked, feeling a little uneasy about having to go to a meeting already, especially with me being the only person in the neighborhood who wasn’t dripping in money.
“I’m sure you will.” Harman sensed my uneasiness. “And don’t worry—you’ll have me there with you.”
“It’s certainly nice to have a friend to go with to something like that.” I was having trouble reading Harman, but I had the feeling that he might like me as a little more than just a friend. As handsome and successful as the man was, I had my reservations about that.
He’d been clear about the fact that he would let his ex-wife move back in with him if she ever wanted to. Getting involved romantically with someone in such a precarious situation would be risky. And I had the feeling that I could fall hard for this man if I let myself—one kiss and he would ruin me for other men, I just knew it.
He pulled up at the pizza place and we found the parking lot packed. “Seems we’re not the only ones who want to play,” I said as I scanned the parking lot for an empty space. “Over there, Harman. That spots empty.”
Heading that way, he pulled in, then Eli hauled butt out the door. “Oh, boy!”
We had to hurry to keep up with the lightning-fast kid. I was only a few steps behind Eli when we got to the door, but Harman managed to reach over my shoulder and grab the door before I could. The front of his entire body pressed against the back of mine, and I nearly dropped into a melty puddle on the floor as heat washed over me once again.
Walking into the place, which was filled with noisy people and machines, I could barely hear a thing Harman said, but I followed Eli. The kid looked like he knew exactly where he was going. Through the crowds we went until I saw a doorway. Eli walked through it and into an area that was about thirty times quieter. “Wow, this place is pure chaos.” Eli pulled out a chair for me at a table for four and I sat. “Thank you, kind sir.”
Eli giggled. “My pleasure, kind lady.”
Harman’s gentle smile seemed fixed to his face as he sat across from me. “I’m used to all the racket. I guess having a kid for eight years will make you immune to the noise.”
“That must be it,” I said with a smile as I picked up the menu from the little metal stand in the middle of the table.
“I’ll try not to be too loud,” Eli remarked.
Looking at him, my heart melted a little. I didn’t want him to change a thing for me. “Don’t you dare, Eli. I love you just the way you are, noise and all.”
Stronger women than I would have cracked at his crooked grin—the kid was just too sweet. “I love you just the way you are, too, Rebel.”
Harman’s eyes glittered with affection as he looked at his son. “That’s really sweet.”
I ran my hand through Eli’s shaggy locks. “How about you let me trim your hair when we get done here? I found my scissors. And I took some classes in college, so I do know what I’m doing. I won’t scalp you or anything like that.”
“Can she, Dad?” he asked with pleading eyes.
Harman nodded. “Sounds good to me.” Then he ran his hand through his own sandy locks. “Can you trim me up, too, Rebel?”
The thought of being that close to the man for that long—and getting to run my fingers through his thick strands—made my insides quiver. “Uh huh.”
“Cool.” Harman picked up a menu. “Care to share a pitcher of beer with me, Rebel?”
“Sure.” I wasn’t much of a beer drinker, but it wouldn’t hurt to have some with him.
Turning the menu over, Harman’s eyes went wide. “Oh, wait. They’ve got a full bar here. I had no idea. It must be hidden away in the back somewhere. How about a Jack and Coke instead?”
“Sounds even better.” Perusing the food on the menu, I saw the pizzas came in a few different styles. “Can we get our pepperoni in the deep dish-style?”
“Is there any other way?” Harman asked with a grin.
“Dad always gets it that way,” Eli told me. “Me and Mom like the thin crust. Can I go play while you guys wait for the food? You can call me on my phone when I need to come back to eat. I saw Jason and David from my class out there and want to play with them.”
“Get after it.�
�� Harman handed him some money. “Go to the front and buy one of those wristbands that let you have unlimited playtime.”
Swiping the cash, Eli sped away like his legs were on fire. “Man, that boy can run, can’t he?” I turned my head as the waiter came up on the other side of me.
Harman ordered the food and drinks, then put his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers and looking at me. “I’ve been wondering something about you, Rebel.”
I’d been wondering lots of things about him. “Is that so?”
“Yeah.” He licked his lips. “I’ve been wondering if you’re seeing anyone.”
Oh, shit!
“Um, no. Not for some time. I’ve been out of the dating loop for a while, what with my work schedule and buying the house and all that.” There’d been one intern who’d had the hots for me, but that didn’t pan out. And I didn’t really want Harman to know about that, for some reason. “Why do you ask?” I had my fingers crossed underneath the table, hoping he’d give me a good response—even though I knew dating him was risky.
Leaning back in his chair, he nodded at the waiter who delivered our drinks. “Thanks.” Waiting for the man to leave us, he continued, “It’s just that you’re an amazing woman, and I can’t understand how you haven’t been scooped up yet.”
Not quite what I was looking for. I wondered if I’d been picking up on the wrong signals from him. “I haven’t been available to be scooped, I suppose. I’ve slowed down recently at work, but up until a couple months back, I tended to spend around twelve to fifteen hours a day at the clinic.”
“Now that you’ve got your own home to take care of, you’ve decided to spend more time at home than at work, huh?” He took a drink, peering at me over the rim of the short glass.
“That’s exactly it. The minute I knew I’d be getting my own home and getting out of that apartment, I knew I’d find myself wanting to spend more time at home.” I couldn’t wait to start bringing animals home with me and helping to rehabilitate them there. “I’ll most likely find an animal or two to bring home tomorrow while I’m at work.”