by Kari Alice
“Ha! Well, Mike’s brother is older than him, but only by a couple of years, like two or three, tops. Not at all what you would call an older man. I wish he was single. You’d make a terrific pair! His girlfriend is a piece of work. We can’t even do couple things with them.”
Lexi smiled politely, not having anything to add. She didn’t know Mike’s brother or the girlfriend, so it was a dead conversation.
Ashley ordered a delivery pizza for dinner—both were hungry, and ordering a pizza would be faster than cooking. Once alone, Lexi tried to clean up her purse. After her fall, all of her purse’s contents were just thrown back inside. She was finally able to put her license in her wallet properly. She noticed a small, folded-up piece of yellow paper with a phone number on it, but no name. She’d forgotten that he’d given her that. She wished it had his name on it. Then she could at least call to thank him. She wouldn’t just call him up not knowing his name. That conversation would be too awkward. She pushed the small piece of paper behind her license in her wallet, deciding to hold on to it for safekeeping. Maybe his name would surface at some point. Even though she couldn’t recall his name, she remembered how he tasted. His facial hair had bristled across her face and tickled her lips. He’d taken her by surprise, a memory etched on her mind. Just the thought of the way his skin smelled gave her goose bumps. There was something about that stolen kiss that seemed so intimate, so right…
***
When Caleb pulled into his driveway, he could see Benjamin sitting in one of the porch windows on the inside. Benjamin was a large brown tabby Maine Coon that Corrine had rescued shortly after Caleb started dating her. Benjamin technically lived with Corrine, but he seemed more at home at Caleb’s house. Corrine wasn’t a naturally caring person, and Caleb had been confounded when she brought home the small, fluffy kitten. Benjamin knew his master though, so he gave most of his attention to Caleb.
The lights lit up his restored shingle house. A shiver rippled down his back as he realized that Corrine was there. He’d expected her to be there but had hoped that she would somehow vanish from his life.
When Caleb attended events with Corrine, other men were jealous of him for having her on his arm. Corrine looked like the total package—long, sleek dark hair, angelic face, ample curves, prestigious job, and a car that packed speed. Her aspirations were only wallet deep. Caleb was at a point where he wanted to settle down. Corrine wasn’t a good girlfriend, and she certainly wouldn’t be a good wife.
Now that he had someone else on his mind, he couldn’t tolerate Corrine’s crap any longer. Her hot temper and silent treatment. Her demands that he work around her schedule. Her incessant whining about her subordinates at work.
He’d kissed another woman, and he wished that he hadn’t let her just drive away. It surprised him how innocent he felt after kissing Lexi, without a twinge of guilt. He had been with Corrine for nearly two years, and initially they’d worked well, but something had changed. She became more demanding about spending time with her, but less understanding of his career. At first he’d thought she was just going through a rough spell—one that had started a few months after they’d met. Unfortunately, Corrine had retained the haughty attitude. Caleb had asked if she wanted out of the relationship, as he’d wanted his freedom from her. But she always seemed to hook him back and make him feel guilty to even consider leaving her. Tears never fell on her cheeks, but he didn’t want to be the source of her pain.
And he’d recently learned about her family’s history of mental illness. Her aunt was institutionalized at the Dorthea Dix Psychiatric Center in Bangor. Corrine’s aunt had been at the institution for as long as she could remember, though she had never met her aunt in person. Corrine didn’t exhibit symptoms of a mental illness—she was just selfish and self-obsessed. Corrine always got her own way, a fact Caleb knew all too well.
As Caleb walked up the steps and onto the porch, the vibrations from the television’s volume rattled the floorboards. Corrine turned up the volume when she was in the kitchen so she could hear the television from the living room. Caleb stopped to pet Benjamin before seeking out Corrine. For a cat, Benjamin needed as much attention as a dog. Not happy to be left alone, he hung around Caleb, swishing around his legs and laying across his computer keyboard.
Caleb turned the volume down on the television and headed toward the kitchen. Seeing Corrine would only dampen his mood. He rather liked that Lexi clouded his mind. There was something about her that made him feel lighter, whereas Corrine made him feel weighed down.
He found Corrine sitting on the granite countertop, sipping a fruit smoothie, the blender beside her on the counter. She looked up at Caleb as he neared. Her eyes were large and looked full of accusations. Caleb’s throat constricted, and his stomach knotted.
Corrine worked as a pharmaceutical rep, and she earned a substantial commission. She could get doctors to push her products even without buying the office an obligatory lunch. Her smile and low-cut blouses kept her commission flowing. She was flirtatious when it meant professional gain. Caleb wasn’t threatened by this, as she’d long sold herself on him. She kept him on his toes by taking him to social events—she networked like no one else could. There were also glimpses of the girl he thought she was—surprise lunches, flowers to his parents’ on their anniversary every year, and building up his confidence with compliments. Was it enough though? Somehow the scale was still off balance.
Corrine sat on the counter looking casual, but Caleb knew better. Corrine wasn’t known for her pleasant feminine attributes alone—she was a brewing storm. She was more observant than most people, with her catlike ability to remain sly all while hiding her true agenda. Her senses seemed to be superhuman. How did she do it? The keen look in her eye said it all—there’d be hell to pay. She looked down, her smooth blackish-brown hair cascading forward, and her lips were poked out in a pout. When Caleb walked silently across the tiled floor, she lifted her head. Caleb looked into her eyes. They were red rimmed. Had she been crying? He would have to break things off with this strong-minded woman. Not easy.
Caleb leaned against the counter. “What’s going on?” Calming her down would be the first hurdle, a difficult task on its own. His stomach clenched. If there was no hope of something more, he’d take what Corrine dished. Hurting her was never his intent.
“Nothing. I was just waiting for you,” she said flatly.
“Well, here I am…” Caleb said. She’d trapped him for two years now. The sex had been unbelievable at first, but he’d been through enough with her, and even that wasn’t great anymore.
“That’s just it, Caleb. You’re here, but you’re not giving me what I need.” Her voice was livelier but still disconnected. Control was what she wanted, and she usually managed to accomplish that.
What she said only fueled Caleb, and with clarity he rebelled. She’d meant to hurt him, but this time Caleb saw his escape. He sighed and rested an elbow on the counter. “I don’t see how this will ever really work. We’ve tried for too long… I’m tired, Corrine.” When he realized he’d actually spoken out loud, he was just as surprised that he’d said it that plainly. Other times he’d tried to end it, he wasn’t as honest. And that hadn’t worked.
“You know what, Caleb? How could you be tired? I’m the only one who’s ever worked at this relationship!” Veins stood out on in her neck as she yelled.
“Think what you will, Corrine! I don’t want to fight with you anymore. That’s partly what I mean. You’re always up for a fight, always with your claws out, and for what? Nothing! You can say what you what, but I know that what we have isn’t healthy. I want more for myself. You should want more for yourself too.” The constriction of his chest eased as he told her what he’d resisted saying before. It had been bottled up far too long.
Corrine scowled at him and dropped the glass she was holding. Shards of glass danced across the tiled floor as the berry-colored liquid oozed into the mortar between the tiles. “You still love me!�
�� She hopped off the counter, avoiding the shattered glass, snatched her purse, and picked up Benjamin, who hissed as he was jostled.
“He can stay, you know,” Caleb said, gesturing to Benjamin.
Corrine turned toward the door without a word, her red-bottomed high-heeled shoes clicking against the hardwood floor in the living room. Caleb watched her go, her Fiat’s taillights speeding away without hesitation.
Caleb didn’t know if what he had said was too blunt, but he knew Corrine only understood assertiveness. As for what would happen next, he could guess. She’d be back. In that sense she was like a fungus. She kept too much stuff at his house not to want to retrieve it. He didn’t want to fall back into her trap. His time with Corrine had felt like a prison sentence of his own making, and he’d served hard time.
***
Lexi stretched in bed, her arms stretched above her head and her toes pointed downward. The scent of bacon frying had roused her. Once she remembered where she was, she pulled her lionlike mane up into a loose twist. She didn’t want to scar Ashley with her untamed look just yet. She’d have to ease Ashley into accepting her insane morning style. She pulled on wrinkled sleep pants that clashed with her tie-dyed T-shirt. At least all the important parts were covered.
When Lexi made it to the kitchen, Mike was flipping pancakes. Lexi was about to turn back and go upstairs, but Mike swiveled at the sound of her feet on the linoleum floor.
“Good, you’re awake!” he said.
“You caught me,” Lexi said with a shrug. She didn’t want to be a nuisance, but she wouldn’t turn down breakfast.
Lexi had known Mike only a few days, but his big personality made her like him instantly. He was tall, but his stocky frame made him look more like a teddy bear. His floppy brown hair hung in his eyes, and his grin was so wide that only his teeth showed. His lips disappeared into obscurity. Mike didn’t live with Ashley, but sometimes he spent the night on the weekends. He was a chef at a local restaurant, which meant he worked odd hours.
Ashley entered from the back door of the kitchen. She wore her jogging clothes but still looked put together. Even her workout clothes looked tailored. Lexi didn’t jog. She’d likely find herself in traction if she even attempted such an activity.
“You’re in for a treat this morning, Lexi. Mike is making his famous buttermilk pancakes!” Ashley said.
“And bacon.” Lexi’s nose had already detected that much. “It all smells fantastic.”
“Well, I do dinner better, but this should be decent,” Mike said.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit. Everything you cook is good,” Ashley said with a smile as she snuck a piece of bacon.
Mike set more than enough food on the counter, buffet style—bacon, buttermilk pancakes, freshly whipped cream, and sugared strawberries. He obviously was used to cooking for a crowd.
“Thank you, Mike. This is amazing.” Lexi sat at the table and took a bite of pancake.
“You’re certainly welcome, Lexi.” Mike joined the girls and set his plate and juice down on the table. “Caleb called this morning,” he said to Ashley.
“Remember, Caleb is Mike’s brother,” Ashley said in a whisper to Lexi.
Lexi nodded.
“He’s broken up with Corrine,” Mike said with a smile.
Ashley choked on the lemon water she was drinking, and Mike patted her on the back until her throat cleared. “When did this happen?” she asked in a croak.
“Friday evening. He told me that he’d wanted to break things off before, but she would always rein him back in somehow,” Mike said.
“So this is good news?” Lexi asked.
“Oh yeah. It’s good news,” Ashley said.
“Hopefully, I’ll get to see more of him now. They’d come in the restaurant occasionally, but she took up a lot of his time. It’ll be good having my brother back,” Mike said.
“Plus, we won’t have to be nice to Ms. Perfect either,” Ashley said in a catty tone.
Mike nodded as he chewed a slice of bacon.
After breakfast, Lexi insisted on doing the dishes. The whole process wasn’t too bad since there was a dishwasher in the kitchen. Her mom’s house only had the sink, so Lexi didn’t mind doing the dishes if it meant using the dishwasher.
When Lexi finished, she headed back upstairs to get dressed.
“Hey, Lexi,” Ashley called.
“Yes,” Lexi said as she walked into the living room, where Ashley was sitting on the sofa. Lexi froze. There were scissors, gauze wrap, and antibiotic ointment laid out on the coffee table.
“You’ll need a fresh bandage. Yours is getting worn and dingy,” Ashley said.
“Um. It’s fine. Really.”
“At least let me try. If I hurt you, then I’ll stop. I promise.”
Lexi walked slowly toward the couch, but hesitated. Ashley wouldn’t intentionally hurt her, but that didn’t mean it would be painless. Lexi finally sat down, and when Ashley picked up the small cuticle scissors, Lexi’s vision began to blur.
“No. This won’t work.” Lexi held her hand to her head. “I feel like I’m either going to pass out or throw up.”
Ashley set down the scissors and fanned Lexi with a Coastal Living magazine that had been sitting on the coffee table. “Put your head between your knees. That’s supposed to keep you from passing out.”
Lexi reluctantly did as Ashley instructed and tried to breathe at a normal pace. Within minutes the waves of nausea eased, and she lifted her head.
Mike came into the living room. He’d already dressed and was about to drop by his parents’ house, like he did on most Sundays. “Why is Lexi green? You’re not sick from anything you ate, are you?” Mike asked.
Ashley rolled her eyes. “No, she’s nauseated from me. I was going to change her bandage for her so it’d look cleaner for tomorrow.”
“I’m sure that someone at the clinic can do it for you tomorrow, Lexi,” Mike said. “If nothing else, I’m sure my brother will.”
Lexi sat upright but remained focused on her breathing. It always took her a while to recover from fainting, or even a near-fainting event.
“How about I help you back upstairs? You can at least rest there a little more comfortably,” Mike offered.
“I’m sure I’m heavier than Ashley,” Lexi warned.
“I’m sure that I’ll manage,” Mike said as her looped Lexi’s arm around his neck. He led Lexi to the stairs and to her bed.
“Thank you,” Lexi said as she pulled the covers over herself.
“No worries, Lexi. Besides, you’re no worse than carrying a sack of potatoes at the restaurant,” Mike said with a laugh.
Lexi made a fake laughing sound. “Sack of potatoes? Listen, you. If I wasn’t so weak…”
“I’ll see you later. Ashley is right downstairs. Just call if you need her,” Mike said as he left the room.
“Thanks,” Lexi said in a forced whisper to Mike’s back as he left.
2
We Meet Again
Lexi pulled into the Hale Health parking lot thirty minutes earlier than the time she’d been scheduled to begin work. She yawned after she parked the SUV. She’d have to start drinking black coffee to give her some much-needed energy. Lexi tapped at the corners of her eyes with a tissue to wipe away the tears that yawning had brought on.
She’d only get one chance at making a good first impression. She’d uncharacteristically fussed in the mirror this morning with the intention of looking as close to perfect as she could. The one thing she couldn’t tame was her hair. She wore a tightly fitted teal camisole with a white denim short-sleeved jacket, a teal-and-white chevron-patterned maxiskirt, and thong sandals that buckled in the back, but the dressing on her foot had discolored and frayed from wear. Today Lexi would ask one of the doctors to take look at it for her since she couldn’t take care of it herself. Lexi smiled into the visor mirror. Nothing was in her teeth, so she grabbed her lunch and purse and limped to the staff entry.
&n
bsp; The back parking lot was edged with trees, which only added to the rural feeling of the area. The office was still technically in Caribou, but like everything else here, the building looked like it belonged on this plot of land. The office was a one-story, aged-brick building, the doorways rounded and welcoming. The buildings in Tampa didn’t have the same appeal and felt forced on their surroundings, but here, nothing seemed forced. The pine trees that surrounded the employee parking lot provided a sweet perfume. Lexi inhaled deeply as she walked to the back door, and then she sneezed. Whatever the spores were in the air, they tickled her nose.
She knocked a couple of times—the door was locked even though there were a few other cars in the parking lot already. A gal with the name tag Yvette Wade opened the door and ushered Lexi inside.
“Welcome, Lexi. We’re so excited to have you here. Let me show you where to put your stuff.” Yvette signaled Lexi to follow her.
“Thank you, Ms. Wade,” Lexi said. She tried to keep a smile on her face, but it was forced and unnatural. Lexi trailed behind the secretary, who wore her hair in tight brown curls close to her head and was clearly older than Lexi.
“Just call me Yvette. It’s just easier,” Yvette said. She then led Lexi to the employee break room.
Lexi put her lunch bag inside the full-sized refrigerator. She looked around the break room but was pulled from her observations as Yvette prompted her to follow. Yvette stopped a short way down the hall, opened an office door, and turned on the overhead fluorescent lighting.
“This is your office. Just above the computer is a locked cabinet. You can keep your purse there.” Yvette handed Lexi two keys, one to open the door at the employee entry, and the other to open her cabinet. “Keep the keys on your key ring. You’ll need to keep them handy.” Yvette smiled.
Once Lexi had locked away her purse and put the keys on her personal key ring, she toured the office. Yvette introduced Lexi to Linda Muller, sitting in the reception area and already busy at work. Linda gave Lexi an obligatory nod. They stopped at the nurse practitioner’s office. A woman with highlighted blond bobbed hair sat at a desk. Her overall appearance was put together and trendy. A tall, handsome man—a young Tony Danza—stood behind her. His muscles rippled on his exposed forearms. Yvette pointed to the blonde and said, “This is Melissa Neil, our nurse practitioner.”