The Two of Us

by Victoria Bylin

  He rammed his hands in his pockets. “I feel sorry for Kelsey too, but you can’t fix it tonight. Let me take you home.”

  Mia’s eyes darted around the room. Jake glanced with her. People were leaving now, including Kelsey’s mom, who was walking out of the room with her friends.

  Mia shook her head. “I should at least call her. Kelsey is—”

  “An excuse.”

  “No.”

  “Are you sure? Because from where I’m standing, we went from hot to cold in about five seconds. I don’t get it, Mia.”

  “I’m sorry, Jake.” She hung her head to the side, then looked up with a weariness born of carrying the world on her shoulders. “I know I’m sending mixed messages here. You deserve better.”

  At least she acknowledged the mix. He could live with that. “You’re confused.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m not.” He pitched his voice low, the words just for her and rich with promise. Instead of the radiant glow he hoped to see on her face, she lowered her eyes.

  “I can’t do this tonight. I’m sorry, Jake, but I’m exhausted from the flight, the party. Everything.”

  “Then it’s smart to put off talking to Kelsey.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe not. I don’t know.” She wiped frosting off the cake knife with a sticky paper towel. “I don’t know anything right now, except that I’m a decade older, my office manager hates me, and I can’t think straight.”

  The last few words quavered to the point of cracking. He didn’t want to make Mia cry on her birthday, but no way would he abandon her now. Reaching across the table, he took the knife from her hand and set it by the cake. “Let me take you home. We don’t have to talk about anything.”

  “Really?” Relief darkened her eyes into two blue pools.

  “Really.”

  “All right, then.” She put on a brave smile and came around the table. They said their good-byes, and Jake hurried her out of the restaurant. The instant they climbed into his truck, she dropped the smile, pressed her head back against the seat, and let out a breath. They drove to her house in silence until the tires crunched on her gravel driveway. Mia reached for the door handle, but when Jake opened the center console, she stopped and watched.

  “Just one thing.” He lifted out a shiny gold bag stuffed with glittery curls of silver, gold, and bright pink ribbon. “Happy birthday, Mia.”

  “Oh—” She touched the side of the bag, looked into his eyes, and took a deep breath, the kind she used to steady herself. “This is sweet of you. I can’t open it here. Come on in.”

  He came around to her side of the truck, lifted her carry-on out of the back seat, and walked with her to the front door. Mia worked the lock, and they stepped into her living room brightly lit by a lamp on a timer, a security measure he’d set up before she left for Dallas.

  She crossed the room and turned the lamp on low, then set the gift bag on the coffee table. Still on her feet, she watched him like a nervous sparrow.

  Hands in his pockets, Jake aimed his chin at the gift bag. “Are you going to open it?”

  Her eyes latched on to his. “It’s really nice of you.”

  “We’re friends,” he reminded her. “And it’s your birthday.”

  “Just don’t remind me that I turned thirty today.”

  “I won’t, but I will tell you this.” If he moved too fast, she’d dodge him. But if he didn’t move at all, he’d regret not taking a chance. Keeping a safe distance, he lowered his voice and deepened it at the same time. “You’re an exceptional person, Mia. Kind. Intelligent. Generous. And beautiful too. When I look at you, I see—”

  “Jake, don’t.”

  “I see a woman I care about.”

  Looking down, she took a shuddering breath. Jake crossed the room and gripped her hands, but she pulled back. Not the response he wanted, but he knew how her mind worked. They had known each other for over two months now. They went to church together and shared the details of their lives. Mia thought before she spoke, prayed before she made a decision, and waited until she was sure of herself.

  That control made her strong and steady, but tonight it exasperated him because it hid the vulnerable side of her personality. That was the side of her that loved with everything she had to give. That was the part of her he needed to reach. But how? A kiss? Patience? The gift on the table?

  She eased away from him, circled behind the couch, and dropped down on the far side of it. “This just might be the worst day of my life.”

  “That’s quite a statement.” Especially considering his confession of caring. Her reaction stung, but only until she looked up at him.

  “I’m so confused. About us. Mission Medical. Where I belong. Everything.”

  So his feelings for her hadn’t ruined her night. It was her own she couldn’t handle. And that, he decided, was a very good sign. “You’re in limbo.”

  “Totally.” Hunching forward, she rubbed circles on her temples with fingers as white as bone. “I’m sorry, Jake. It’s not fair to you, I know that. But I’m falling apart here. I can’t stand being unsure of myself. Undecided. Not knowing what to do. What’s right or best. Or—”

  He dropped down next to her. “Mia, stop.”

  “And then there’s Kelsey crying her eyes out just like I did over Brad and that guy in college.”

  “Mia.”

  “And I’m thirty.” She gave a dry laugh. “Hank was right about the cake. It looked like a five-alarm fire.”

  “It was beautiful,” he insisted. “Every candle stood for a year that made you the woman you are now.”

  “And who exactly is that?” Anger rolled off her tongue. “A woman who’s been engaged twice and dumped twice. It hurts! Especially with Lucy and Sam so happy and with a baby on the way.”

  Her hollow gaze shifted to the mantel. Jake turned his head and took in a row of wedding photographs, including one of himself and Mia posed with Sam and Lucy. All four of them wore radiant smiles.

  Mia concentrated on the picture in the middle, the one of Sam and Lucy in profile, his finger tipping up her chin, her lips ripe for a kiss. “They’re so happy. And I’m happy for them. It’s just . . .”

  “You want to be happy for you too.”

  “Yes.” The word hissed from her lips. “It’s not fair. I did everything right. I followed the rules, and for what? Two broken hearts because I wouldn’t—” She stopped midsentence.

  Jake didn’t understand. “Wouldn’t what?”

  “You know.”

  No, he didn’t. Or wait. Maybe he did.

  He had no idea what his face looked like, but Mia rolled her eyes at him. “Good work, detective. You figured it out.”

  “You’re—”

  “Waiting for marriage.” Defiance, maybe bitterness, tinged her voice. “I’m still waiting. But sometimes I wonder if I’m crazy, or stupid, or just—” She pressed her hands to her cheeks. “Would you please leave? This is humiliating.”

  “Humiliating? No way.”

  “It is!”

  The implications of her confession rocketed through him. Mia was a virgin. How many Christians successfully waged that battle for purity? Jake didn’t know, but he knew a lot of people who had given in, including Sam. Mia was even stronger than he realized—and far more wounded by those broken engagements. Rejection stung. It especially stung when someone tossed a precious gift back in your face.

  Studying Mia’s expression now, her eyes blazing and her hair loose, with her lips pinched tight against her vulnerability, Jake yearned to be the first and only man to make love to her.

  He knew exactly what that desire meant. Marriage. Forever. Good times and hard ones. A fight for honesty, goodness, and daily healing. Love for Mia pounded in his chest, his belly, his taut muscles. He longed to haul her into his arms, but she was hunched over now, her face buried in her hands.

  He stayed on his side of the couch but rubbed between her shoulder blades. “Don’t you dare be embarrassed by y
our choices.”

  A sigh whispered from her lips, but she didn’t look at him. “I feel so foolish reacting like this. I’m not exactly sorry or embarrassed, but it’s unusual.”

  He answered by rubbing her back some more.

  “And it’s not easy either,” she finished.

  “No, it isn’t.”

  She finally raised her head. Whether she meant to or not, she gave him a look that nearly set his hair on fire. That look revealed just how tempted she was. When it came to Mia choosing her future, Mother Nature had given him a powerful ally. But what about Mission Medical? She glowed when she talked about making a difference. If he really loved her, and he was sure that he did, he needed to put her desires before his own.

  More than anything, he wanted Mia to be content, and to feel safe and respected for her choices, so he backed way down. “I know you don’t want to talk about us, but I’d like to say one more thing.”

  “I owe you at least that much.”

  “Something good is happening here. We both feel it.” The truth needed to be told. “I want to be more than a friend to you, Mia. But there’s no rush. Let’s take things a step at a time. No decisions. For now, you hang in there with Mission Medical, and I’ll support you all the way. If you get the job, we’ll deal with it then.”

  The creases around her mouth softened into a smile. “No one has ever backed me up like that.”

  “Then it’s about time.”

  The gold bag sparkled in the light. It held three gifts, each a reflection of how he saw her. Leaning forward, he picked up the bag and set it next to her. “Now, let’s open your birthday present. Want to guess before you dig in?”

  Relief shone in her eyes. They were both glad to slide into friendly banter. Mia lifted the bag. “It’s heavy. Hmmm . . . I’m guessing Skittles.”

  “Good guess.” But they weren’t ordinary Skittles. Jake had ordered them from a custom candy company.

  Mia lifted out the clear plastic bag, saw only red ones, and smiled. “That’s really sweet—literally. I’ll share with you.”

  He nudged the gift bag. “Keep going. There’s more in there.”

  She reached inside, pulled out a wad of bubble wrap taped around the second part of the gift, and laughed like a little girl. “I love bubble wrap!” She popped a few bubbles, then peeled back the tape and held up the Leatherman tool to the light. “I have no idea what this is.”

  “It’s a Swiss Army knife on steroids.” Not a romantic choice, but he thought Mia would like it. “If that team-building exercise involves race cars or camping, you’ll be prepared. I’ll show you a few tricks with it.”

  “Jake, it’s perfect. Thank you.” Her eyes shone even brighter than before. “Living alone like I do, I’ve come to appreciate tools.”

  “I’m glad you like it, but there’s something else in the bag.”

  Suddenly shy, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “This is already the best birthday gift ever.”

  He hoped she liked the last item just as much. It was about as far from Skittles and a Leatherman tool as a man could get.

  Mia pulled out a jewelry-size box, rectangular and wrapped in pink foil paper. She tried to break the ribbon, but it refused to give.

  Jake picked up the Leatherman and showed her the mini scissors. “Here. Use this.”

  “I love this thing already!” She snipped the ribbon, peeled back the paper, and opened the lid. When she saw the necklace he’d bought from a local artisan, her face lit up. It was made of antique gold and stones from the Echo River in variegated shades of amber, beige, and brown.

  “Jake, it’s beautiful.” She angled it to catch the light, causing the stones to sparkle and wink. Bending forward, she draped the necklace around her neck, worked the clasp, and touched the smooth gold with her fingers. “Thank you. I love it.”

  “I’m glad.” He hoped she would wear the necklace for years to come and remember this night when she did. Knowing she was exhausted from both travel and the party, he pushed to his feet. “I’ll get out of here so you can get some rest.”

  Mia followed him to the door. When he opened it, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Thank you for everything. The airport run, the party, my present. But especially thank you for understanding that I need time.”

  Her hands slid to his chest, resting lightly while she stood on her toes and kissed his lips.

  He put his hands over hers and squeezed. “Take all the time you need, Mia. I’m not going anywhere.” At least not without you.

  “One more thing.” Stepping back, she fingered one of the stones in the necklace. “When can we start those outdoor survival lessons?”

  “Anytime.”

  “It has to be on a weekend because of my office schedule.”

  Jake opened the calendar on his phone. “Next week is out. I’m giving a fundraising speech at a Rotary Club breakfast in Denver, and then another one in Castle Rock two weeks after that.”

  “Labor Day?” she asked.

  “That won’t work for what I have in mind.” The hiking trails would be full of tourists, and he wanted to be alone with her. “How about the third Saturday in September?”

  “That’s perfect. Where are we going?”

  He had the perfect spot in mind, but he wasn’t about to share it with her. “I can’t tell you.”

  “Why not?”

  “When you head out with Mission Medical, you’ll be flying blind.”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “So fly blind with me. This is a team-building exercise, right?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “So if you need help, I’m there for you. And if I need help—”

  “I’m there for you.” She seemed pleased. “I’ll be in charge of the first aid kit.”

  In Jake’s opinion, hiking together showed trust at its most basic—two people working together and respecting each other. When he and Mia returned from the trail he had in mind, she would know she could trust him.

  After another lingering look, he strode to his truck. Mia closed the front door, but she peeked between the curtains as he backed out of the driveway. She had plenty to think about tonight, and so did he.

  Chapter

  19

  When Mia walked into the office on Monday morning, she went straight to Kelsey. Before Mia could even open her mouth, Kelsey was on her feet and apologizing.

  “I’m sorry, Mia. The way I left—”

  “Kelsey, it’s okay. That incident with Kevin and Jake was awkward, but what you saw . . .” Mia let the words hang. “What you saw between Jake and me, it might be the start of something.”

  “I hope it is.” Kelsey smiled bravely. “I want him to be happy. And you too. You’re more than my boss, Mia. You’re my friend.”

  Weak with relief, Mia hugged Kelsey hard. “I feel the same way about you.”

  They broke apart and traded awkward smiles until Kelsey sat down at the check-in window. A beleaguered sigh whispered from her lips. “I made a fool of myself with Jake, didn’t I?”

  “Honestly?”

  “Yes. Please.” Kelsey pulled her face into a wince and held it. “How bad was it?”

  “Not that bad.” Mia meant it. “If it makes you feel any better, in college, when I caught my ex-fiancé kissing my roommate, I did one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done.”

  “Really? What?”

  Mia rolled her eyes. “You know the good girl who can’t stand conflict and never rocks the boat?”

  “That’s you, isn’t it?”

  “Very much so. I still can’t believe what I did when I caught them together. Of all the stupid things to say, I apologized for interrupting them. Can you believe it? I stood there and said, ‘Oh! I’m sorry.’ Then I closed the door, ran down five flights of stairs, and cried for three hours. I should have thrown the engagement ring at him and tossed her things out the window.”

  Kelsey’s eyes twinkled. “But you’re too nice.”

  An
d too in control. “It’s just how I am. Think first, react later.”

  “I hope Jake doesn’t hate me.”

  “He doesn’t.” Mia admired his kindness to Kelsey and how he tried hard to protect her dignity. “He considers you a friend.”

  “That’s a relief. But, Mia?”

  “Yes?”

  “There’s something I’ve been wondering. I thought you were moving to Dallas and traveling overseas?”

  “I am. Or I was. I just don’t know.” She paused, grimacing. “Sometimes I hope Mission Medical will turn me down so I won’t have to decide. But when I think of the good work they do, I’m ready to hop on a plane.” And when she thought of Jake, she didn’t know whether to throw her whole heart into loving him or to run away as fast as she could.

  Kelsey started to say something, but the phone rang. While she handled the call, Mia retreated to her office and skimmed the day’s schedule on her tablet. Thirty-two patients, including four new ones and three emergency adds? Was Kelsey crazy? Mia blew out a breath that lifted a wisp of her hair. Normally she embraced a day like this one, but she was expecting a call about today’s ultrasound from Lucy late this morning.

  Kelsey peeked around the corner. “Sorry about the schedule, and it just got worse. I squeezed in another emergency at 11:45.”

  “That’s the way it goes.” As long as she ate a quick lunch, she’d be fine. “Who’s the emergency?”

  “Bill Hatcher.”

  Mia’s brows lifted. “That’s a surprise.”

  “He’s having back spasms again and can’t drive to the Springs.”

  “I’m glad he’s willing to come in.” Mia wouldn’t breathe a word about Camp Connie to him, and she hoped he’d return the consideration.

  The day began. She performed blood pressure checks, looked at sore throats, washed her hands a thousand times, and laughed at Mr. McDougall’s doctor joke, the same one he’d told her at his first visit two weeks ago.

  The morning flew by. Shortly before eleven, Mia was only twenty minutes behind schedule, which wasn’t too bad, considering the emergencies. She paused in the front office. In spite of the glass window, she heard Bill Hatcher’s gravelly voice. When she peeked into the waiting room, she saw him talking to Betty Downing.