Heath shook several of the men’s hands. Carl came up and gave him a big smile. “Thank you for helping today. The construction came along faster this year than it usually does.”
“It wasn’t a problem. You’ve got a great group of people here.”
Carl looked around him and nodded. “Yeah, we do.” He tipped his head toward Raven. “I’m so thankful Raven convinced Rosie to stay home and rest. I had my concerns months ago when Rosie volunteered to organize everything this close to her due date. But that’s one thing about my wife, she doesn’t know when to quit. Most of the time that’s a good quality to have…”
“…except when it’s not.” Apparently the sisters were a lot alike when it came to that trait.
“Exactly.”
“Well, I’ll be praying that baby stays put for a while longer, and that Rosie can get some rest. I’ll be back next Saturday.”
“I appreciate that, man. On both counts. Get on out of here and have a good rest of your weekend.”
Heath gave him a wave and headed for the coffee station set up along one wall. He grabbed a cup and fixed it the way Raven used to like it. Hopefully her tastes hadn’t changed too much.
People were filing out of the garage fast when he found her alone writing things down in that notebook of hers. “Here.” He handed her the cup of coffee. “From what I’ve seen, you need this. It’s only lukewarm by now, but it’s better than nothing.”
Raven looked up in surprise but didn’t hesitate to accept the cup. “Oh, yes. Thank you.” She took a tentative sip, her eyes widening. “You remembered.”
He found more satisfaction in the pleased expression on her face than he should have. It was a stupid cup of coffee. Remembering the way she liked it shouldn’t be that big of a deal.
Except it apparently was for both of them.
She sagged against a wall and sighed. “Wow, there’s no way Rosie could’ve done this. In fact, I don’t think she should be doing this next week, either. Now to see if I can convince her to hand the whole thing over to Nell or me.” She grimaced.
“It’s going to be you, isn’t it?” He chuckled.
“Yeah, probably so.” She held the cup to her mouth and smiled behind it. “But Rosie has a good excuse this time, so I’ll let her slide.” She took another sip, her eyes closing in bliss.
Heath watched her dark lashes as they rested against her creamy skin. In this moment, she looked at peace. How many times had he studied her beautiful face and admired the way her eyelashes fluttered as he moved in to kiss her? Remembering the way she felt in his arms gave him an insanely strong need to reach for her now. He took a step back as her eyes opened again.
He cleared his throat. “Are you going to stay the whole five hours every Saturday?”
“Probably. Speaking of which, weren’t you supposed to go home an hour ago?”
He shrugged. “I guess I wasn’t in a hurry to leave.” He hadn’t wanted to let go of the nostalgia of working here with Raven.
Raven studied him as though she were trying to see the meaning behind his words. She was so intent he had to keep himself from shifting his weight in response. “Well, I think we’re about done for the day. I suggest we get out of here before something else comes up.” She drained the rest of her coffee and tossed the cup in a nearby trash can.
Heath waited while she checked in with a couple of people and then followed her to the nearly empty parking lot. She stopped at her vehicle and turned to face him. “Thanks for taking the time to help out today. We appreciate it.”
“Of course.” Now that they were outside in the sunlight, something sparkled in her hair and on her cheek. He chuckled. “Looks like you got up close and personal with some glitter.”
“What?” She scrubbed at her head with both hands and then laughed as glitter fell to the ground at her feet. “Oh, I’m going to find that for days, aren’t I?”
“Probably.” He grinned. His eyes went to her lips and then the little scar he still didn’t recognize. He pointed to the corner of his own mouth. “What happened?”
She covered the left half of her mouth self-consciously, her cheeks taking on a pretty pink hue. “It was so stupid. We’d had a bad storm two or three years ago. Ice then snow with more freezing rain on top. It wasn’t pretty.” Raven rubbed at the white scar before letting her hand drop to her side. “I was walking into work and slipped on the sidewalk. When I tried to catch myself on a metal display, I managed to pull it down on top of me. I ended up with this lovely reminder of how less-than-graceful I am on ice.”
Heath flinched. “Ouch.”
“It bled like a stuck pig. Of course it looked worse with several drops hitting the snow. One of my coworkers drove me to the hospital. It only needed two stitches, but it felt like it took forever to heal. Unfortunately, it also left the scar.”
“I think it gives you character. Makes it look like you were in a fight on the hockey rink or something.” He winked at her. When she laughed, his heart rate sped up. “Seriously, though. I’m sorry that happened.”
Raven shrugged. “I lived.” A few pieces of glitter fell from her hair onto her bare arm. She brushed it away with a laugh.
“You’ve got a piece on your face, too.” As if his hand had a mind of its own, he reached out to gently brush away a speck of gold glitter on her cheek. He froze the moment he touched her skin. A section of hair brushed against his hand. Heath swept it up and deposited it behind her ear before letting his thumb linger on her cheek.
Raven took a sharp breath, her lips parting. Did she have any idea how tempted he was to lean forward and kiss her right now? He took a small step closer, placing him near enough to inhale the scent of her hair and feel her breath on his chin as she looked up at him.
The sound of a car door slamming burst the bubble that had momentarily held them captive. Heath’s arm dropped as relief and disappointment hit him in equal measure.
Raven shifted away from him. She pressed her palms to her forehead and groaned. When she lowered them again, the softness in her eyes earlier was replaced with frustration. “This,” she pointed to herself and then to him, “can’t happen.”
“Raven, we—”
“No.” She turned to unlock her car and open the door. “We were over a long time ago. In fact, there is no ‘we.’ Not anymore.” She slid behind the wheel. “See you at therapy, Heath.” With that, she slammed the door and drove away.
Heath stared at the tail lights until they disappeared. He formed a fist and dug his fingertips into his palm. The exhaustion from his work on the float evaporated, and all he wanted to do was hit the field. The problem was, he wasn’t sure what bothered him more: that Raven had so easily dismissed any mention of the two of them in one sentence, or that he was tempted to chase her down and prove her wrong.
Chapter Ten
It didn’t matter how hard Raven stared at the sermon notes on the screen above the pulpit, or how desperately she tried to focus on what the pastor was saying, her mind kept going back to that parking lot yesterday. She’d almost kissed Heath. Or more like he’d almost kissed her. Honestly, she wasn’t even sure now. What mattered was she’d nearly made a colossal mistake.
Good grief, how many times had she daydreamed about him returning, pulling her into his arms, and kissing her like he used to? How often had she hoped he’d walk back into her life and admit they belonged together?
Now that the first part of that daydream had come true, she didn’t know what to do. Sure, he’d bought a house and a new vehicle. But for someone who had a lot of money now, it probably didn’t even make a dent in his bank account. He was leaving again. Who knew when, or if, he’d come back?
It didn’t matter how much she’d wanted him to kiss her yesterday. It didn’t matter how handsome he was, or that she was drawn to him like before. This. Couldn’t. Happen. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. She refused to repeat history.
Raven groaned. Okay, God. I could use a little hel
p down here. I don’t suppose You have an extra-large dose of will power lying around, do You? She could picture God looking at her with raised eyebrows. Yeah, I know. I know. She’d had to pray many, many times over the years about letting go of the situation with Heath so she could move forward with her life. She’d had to stop thinking of him all the time or obsessing about all the reasons he’d walked away from her. From them.
This was no different. She needed to keep her feelings buried where they belonged. If she didn’t do it, her heart would be trampled, and the pieces lost in the dust he’d leave behind.
Mom elbowed Raven in the ribs and mouthed, “Are you okay?”
Raven nodded. She had to pull herself together. She looked to the row in front of them, keenly aware of the empty spot where her sister and Carl usually sat. Rosie and the baby’s health were much more important than any petty emotional breakdown Raven was having over her ex. With that in mind, she pushed thoughts of Heath aside and prayed for her family.
By the time Tuesday morning came around, Raven was feeling more confident about herself and keeping her emotions contained behind a brick wall in her heart. Hopefully Heath would come to his senses as well, and they could both walk away from this little trip down memory lane.
That afternoon, she rested her hand on the door to the room where she knew Heath was waiting, straightened her spine, and pushed it open. She found him sitting in the chair waiting for her. He seemed happy to see her, although there was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. “Hey.”
“Hi.” She gave him a smile, trying her best to act like she would with any other patient. “How’s your day going so far?”
“Good. I had Benny mail a box of clothing, and it arrived this morning. It’s nice to have more than three shirts to choose from.” He looked down at the red one he was wearing now.
“I’ll bet.” She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms. “I have more good news. You’ve progressed to where you only need one physical therapy session per week. If it works out well for you, we’ll continue every Tuesday and drop the Thursday session.”
That seemed to surprise him, but he nodded. “Sure, that sounds good.”
“Great. We’ll continue with that for the rest of the month. With any luck at all, you’ll be out of that boot and on your way back to Cleveland the first week of November.” Raven was happy she managed to sound professional. She made notes about the change in weekly schedule before glancing up at Heath. The look on his face made her wonder if she’d been too professional.
He said nothing, though. He took his spot on the table and Raven began the scar mobilization therapy. She worked in silence until he spoke, his deep voice startling her.
“Where did you go to school?”
Raven paused, her hands resting on his leg. “What?”
Heath raised himself up on his forearms and looked at her over his shoulder. “After high school, where did you go to college to pursue a job in physical therapy?”
Before Heath had broken their engagement, Raven had planned to go to Portland State University for a degree in health sciences. At the time, she hadn’t known what kind of a job to pursue. Honestly, she’d figured they’d get married before he graduated and then she would stay home once they started a family. A career hadn’t been part of her long-term plan.
Once they broke up, the last thing she wanted to do was leave her hometown and put herself in a position where she might run into Heath regularly. With Clearwater Rehabilitation Center doing so well, she figured becoming a physical therapist assistant would almost guarantee her a job.
Raven forced herself to continue massaging the soft tissues around Heath’s scar. “I went to Concorde in San Antonio.”
“Close enough to come home every weekend if you’d wanted to.”
She nodded, although he couldn’t see the silent response. “It worked out well. And Fay—Dr. Bright—has been great.” She finished with her work on his scar and the surrounding area.
Heath sat up again. “While working out in the gym, I’ve heard several patients sing your praises. Apparently, you’re the PT assistant people hope to get.” He got down from the table and began isometrics. “I always knew you’d do well in a field where you focused on helping people.”
That surprised Raven. She wasn’t sure how to respond. “It’s been a very rewarding experience. I feel like I’m making a difference here.” That was something she’d desperately needed back when she’d first started at CRC. Now she couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.
She busied herself with notes in his chart while he worked on the exercises. A moment later, Heath cupped Raven’s elbow with one hand, the touch sending shivers down her spine. “I’m glad you’re happy, Raven.” He paused. “I hate how weird things are between us right now. I’m sorry.” With one side of his mouth pulled to the side, he gave her elbow a gentle squeeze and let his hand drop.
She rubbed the area where her skin still tingled.
He was sorry. For what? Their almost kiss the day before? Or because they both knew he was leaving again?
~*~
Once Heath left CRC, he headed to his father’s store. The parking lot in front was busy. When Heath entered, it seemed his father still had a lot of regular business. So why wasn’t he maintaining the store? It was a question he’d puzzled over several times since his last visit.
Heath greeted people he knew as he made his way through the shop. He found Pop in the office at the back. As soon as his father finished a phone call, he ushered Heath inside.
“What are you doing here, son?”
“I thought I’d see how things were going. Looks like business is good out there.”
“It is.” He closed a ledger and slid it into a file cabinet drawer before locking it. “How’d therapy go today?” The tone of his voice suggested he wasn’t interested in the topic.
“Just fine.” Heath’s thoughts centered on Raven. “I’m down to one session a week now.”
His father nodded absently as he shuffled through scraps of paper on the desk in front of him.
Heath had gone over a dozen different ways to ask his father if he needed monetary help with the store. But for every one of them, he knew it would damage his father’s pride. So he’d come up with a different approach. “I was wondering if you needed an extra hand around the store.”
His father tossed the pen onto the desk a little harder than necessary. “I don’t need your help here. You worry about getting yourself back on the field where you belong.” The lines along the corners of his mouth deepened as he clamped his lips together.
“Right. Well, I’ll get out of your hair and let you get back to work.” He turned and was nearly through the office door when his father spoke behind him.
“Heath.”
“Yeah?”
Pop handed him a small fabric grocery bag. “I promised your mother I’d bring these by. Since you’ve got nothing else to do today, I’d appreciate it if you’d drop them off for her.” He gave Heath the bag and went back to work.
Heath hefted the weight of the bag in his left hand and left the store. First irritation, then sadness, settled in his chest as he drove the short distance to his parents’ home.
He knocked on the door. The moment Mom answered, her smile faded. She noted the bag he was carrying. “What did he do?”
Heath put his free arm around her shoulders. “It’s fine, Mom. Just the same old stuff. Don’t worry about it.”
She shook her head. “Don’t play games with me, Heath. What did your father do?”
Heath put the bag in the kitchen and then sank onto the couch in the living room. Mom joined him. She knew him too well, and he finally told her what happened at the store. “I’ve noticed how much the place needs paint and a few repairs. I thought I could work with Pop for the next few weeks, you know? Maybe help spruce the place up a little.”
Mom closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. “Your father is who he is, for better or worse
.” She paused. “I’m going to tell you something, but you have to promise to never let your father know.”
Her serious tone of voice had Heath sitting up straighter. “Okay.”
“Your father had some heart trouble five years ago.” The moment she saw the shock on his face, she held up a hand to stop him. “Now, I know what you’re thinking. At the time, we didn’t want to worry you. It didn’t seem to be a big deal. But six months later, your dad went into the hospital with chest pains. They ended up having to do a double bypass. He’s been on medication ever since.”
Heath leapt to his feet as fast as he could and turned to face Mom. “And you never thought to tell me? I would’ve been here in a flat minute had I known.” How could they keep something this important from him? Anger boiled as he wondered what had possessed them to keep the whole thing a secret.
Mom frowned, her eyes filled with sadness. “I know, Heath. It was wrong not to tell you. But your father is a very proud man. The doctor told me it was imperative that your father have as little stress in his life as possible, and your father made me promise. I chose to respect that.”
The resentment Heath felt for his father shifted and included his mom as well. He lowered himself to the coffee table and scrubbed a hand across his face. “This family is seriously messed up. You know that, right?” He looked at his mom, not even trying to disguise his emotions. “What if something had happened to Pop on the operating table?” His voice broke. “I’d regret not being there for the rest of my life.”
Mom’s chin quivered, and her eyes swam with tears. “I’m sorry, Heath,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
He wanted to stay angry at her. But the truth was, Pop had been so difficult for so long. Heath knew it was hard for Mom to walk the line between them. He shifted to sit next to her on the couch again and pulled her into a hug. “I get it, Mom. I’m not happy with the decision you made, but I get it.” He felt her sigh and placed a kiss to the top of her head. “I take it the medical expenses have been rough.”
Marrying Raven (Brides of Clearwater Book 2) Page 8