“You could at least try,” I muttered.
She rolled her eyes. “Go get some food. You’ll feel better.”
I retrieved my coat from the chair beside her bed and pulled it on. “You sure you’ll be okay?”
She nodded. “Trav, don’t worry about Lilly. Whatever her reasons for rejecting you, it wasn’t because there’s anything wrong. You’re wonderful. The right girl will see that.”
“Thanks, Av. I’ll be back soon.”
I was half way to Five Guys to pick up a burger when my phone dinged with an incoming text. I glanced at the screen. Darcy? I hadn’t heard from her in months. What could she possibly want? I couldn’t tell if the sudden nervousness I felt was more from trepidation or excitement. I shouldn’t be excited about a text from Darcy. I didn’t want to be excited about it. And yet . . . I totally was.
Chapter 5
Lilly
Here’s the annoying thing.
Even though I knew he was married. Even though I knew he was completely and totally off limits and was a jerk for coming onto me in the first place, I still thought about Travis all night. Because the chemistry! And his scruffy beard. And his gorgeous eyes.
Stupid eyes. I rubbed my hands together, still cold from my drive into work, and waited for the elevator doors to open. He’d probably pass those eyes onto his kid. A kid I could only hope was already born and safely tucked away one floor up in recovery, his parents right along with him.
Or maybe she could still be in labor. And be my patient for the day.
Just my luck.
“I can’t take 315. Isn’t she Jane’s patient?”
My shift supervisor gave me a pointed look. “Yes. But Jane isn’t working today. You’re the only other nurse that spent any time with them yesterday. You make the most sense.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “Maybe so. But, the dad, he . . .” I hesitated. “He made me a little uncomfortable.” It sounded lame, being so vague, but I definitely didn’t want to spill the whole story.
“The dad? You mean the brother?”
“No. The dad. Nice eyes, beard, deep voice?”
“I know who you’re talking about, but he’s not the dad. There is no dad. The man you just described is the patient’s older brother.”
My eyebrows went up. “What? No. That can’t be right. He told me . . .” Except, he hadn’t told me. And Avery hadn’t either. At no point in any of our conversations had they said anything that identified them as husband and wife. To be fair, they also didn’t say anything about being brother and sister. And it’s not like that’s exactly common on the labor and delivery floor.
My supervisor tapped her pen against the counter. “So I guess you didn’t read over the patient’s chart?”
“I was only with them a minute and only answered basic questions. It didn’t seem necessary.”
“So him not being the father. That makes things a little less uncomfortable?”
Travis was the brother. Travis was the brother. Travis was the freaking big brother.
Somewhere in the middle of my utter shock and embarrassment, a tiny seed of hope took root. All that chemistry, all those sparks and grab-my-gut feelings could actually mean something. Then my own voice echoed back through my head. I’d used the word “never” like it was the last nail in an iron lined coffin. Talk about blowing my chances.
“Lilly. Can you handle this patient or not?”
I shook away my distracted thoughts and forced my attention back to my supervisor. “Of course. I misunderstood something, but it’s fine. I can handle it.”
Time was short. Avery was in active labor and probably only had an hour or so to go. If I was going to apologize, I’d better do it quick. Except, how? It was hard enough facing him when he was enticing but completely unavailable. Now he was enticing, available and interested. I was sweating before I’d even entered the room.
I coped with my nerves by diving straight into Avery’s care. Travis sat in the corner, his face buried in his phone while I took Avery’s vitals and checked her progress. “How are you feeling?”
She wiped her arm across her forehead. “Tired. Hungry. Ready to be done.”
“Baby’s heart rate looks good.”
She rubbed her belly. “Yeah. He’s a champ.”
“Any names picked out yet?”
She smiled and looked at her brother. “Um, actually, I think I’m going to name him Travis.”
He looked up. “Are you serious?”
Avery shrugged. “It’s a good name. And it was Dad’s name too. Do you mind?”
He grinned. “I don’t mind.”
Oh, grinning Travis did not help my nerves at all.
I turned to the computer screen, occupying myself wholly and completely with the necessary task of updating Avery’s chart. Slowly. Carefully. More methodically than I’d ever updated a chart in all of my career as a nurse. But I didn’t want to leave, not until I’d said something about last night’s goof. The siblings were whispering behind me, too low for me to really make out what was being said, but not low enough for me to miss the urging in Avery’s voice. I turned around.
“You guys okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine.” Avery gave her brother a pointed look.
Travis stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets then headed straight for the door. “Yeah, sure. Great,” he muttered, before slipping out. The derision in his voice was thick.
Avery gave me a look, her eyebrow arched high, a question in her eyes. So he’d told her about my oh-so-friendly rejection.
I stepped forward. “Look, I didn’t know . . .”
Before I could explain further, Avery’s doctor, Dr. Koyle, pushed into the room. “How’s everyone feeling today?”
“Ready to have a baby,” Avery said.
Dr. Koyle checked her progress and smiled. “I think you’re ready to push.”
Avery lit up. “Right now?”
I shifted into action, readying the room for the delivery.
Dr. Koyle nodded. “You’ve been working the past couple of hours.”
“While I was sleeping?”
“Sometimes that’s how it works. Those epidurals are pretty potent. Do you want your brother here with you?”
She took a deep breath and nodded. “He’s all I’ve got.”
The doctor looked my way. “Lilly, can you find him and bring him in?”
He was at the end of the hallway, staring at a montage of newborn baby photos, his arms folded across his chest.
“Travis?”
He looked up.
“Avery’s ready to push. And she’s asking for you.”
He pushed past me without saying more than a grumbled, “thanks.”
“Travis, wait.”
He stopped, but didn’t turn around.
“I’m sorry about last night. I just misunderstood . . .”
He cut me off. “I’m pretty sure I have something more important to think about right now.”
* * *
In spite of the tension between Travis and I, the delivery was kind of amazing. They’re always amazing, mostly. But this one—it felt different. Avery was young—three years younger than me—yet she was completely stoic and calm, ready to face motherhood head on. I was in awe of her strength. Plus, Travis was the best kind of support person. He stayed right by Avery’s head (Avery screamed that if he looked anywhere south of her belly button she’d never speak to him again), squeezed her hands, pushed the hair out of her face, rubbed her shoulders. He had every right to feel uncomfortable, having obviously never been through anything like childbirth before, but he put it all aside to be what his sister needed him to be. It kinda made me wish I had a brother.
As I took the baby’s first vitals and wrapped him up, Travis looked over my shoulder and snapped a few pictures with his phone. For a minute, it was easy to forget what had happened between us. “This part of your job doesn’t ever get old, does it?” he asked.
I shook
my head. “It’s definitely the best part.”
He reached forward and touched the baby’s tiny hand, wrapping it around his pointer finger. “He’s amazing.”
I didn’t want to spoil the moment. Nothing about the past hour had anything to do with me. I hardly had the right to demand any kind of attention. But he was right there. Close enough that I could speak without anyone else in the room hearing me. I swallowed my hesitation. “Travis, I didn’t understand.”
He kept his eyes glued to his nephew’s face. At least he didn’t turn away.
“I thought you were the baby’s father.”
His eyes snapped to mine.
“That you and Avery were . . .” I shrugged. “It was an honest mistake. I wasn’t with you long enough to have read the notes in your chart, so I just assumed. That’s the only reason I said no.”
“You thought I was married.”
I nodded. “And about to have a baby.”
“Geez, that really would have made me a jerk.”
“Right? So you can understand the vehemence in my refusal.”
The right side of his lips lifted in a sly half smile. “But otherwise you would have said yes?”
Heat crept into my cheeks. “Why don’t you ask me again and see for yourself.”
He couldn’t ask, not before we were both swept back into taking care of Avery, and new baby Travis, getting them situated and ready to move upstairs. But that didn’t keep us from shared glances and little smiles. The connection between us filled up the entire room.
And I wasn’t the only one that noticed.
“Seriously,” Avery finally said to her brother. “Can you just get her number and be done with it? All this staring and smiling. I’m pretty sure I’ve earned the right to be the center of attention today and you guys are totally messing with that.” She held her baby close to her chest and looked into his face. “I don’t know—maybe you’ve earned the right to be the center of attention today,” she cooed in a sing-songy voice. “But not these two silly love birds, huh? We need to put them in separate rooms so the rest of us don’t have to breathe in the hearts and stars and rainbows and magical ponies that are filling the air around them. Yes we do.”
Travis cleared his throat. “Sorry, Av. I promise I’m all yours from now on.”
She rolled her eyes. “Shut up. Just get her number before we go upstairs.”
“Actually, we’re just about ready to take you up,” I said. “Everything’s all set.”
“Then this is goodbye?”
I glanced at Travis. “Hopefully not forever. But for now.”
On the way to the elevator, he fell into step beside me and pulled out his phone. “What do you say?”
I reached for it so I could plug my number into his contacts before handing it back. “I’d say . . . I hope you don’t wait that long to call me.”
* * *
An hour later, on my lunch break, my cell phone rang—a number I didn’t recognize.
My heart started hammering as I unlocked the phone and answered the call. “Hello?”
“Do you know if it’s against the rules to have cell phones on the fifth floor?”
I smiled. “Had to call down here to ask that, huh?”
“Well, I mean, you’re the smartest nurse I know. Your opinion definitely holds more weight than . . . what’s our nurse’s name again?”
“Jessica,” I heard Avery say through the phone.
“Than Jessica’s,” Travis repeated.
“I know Jessica. You better not give her any trouble.”
“Uh-oh, multi-floor camaraderie, huh? I’ll be sure to be on my best behavior.”
“Oh, you should be. I’ve got eyes all over this hospital.”
“What time are you off work? Can I call you again?”
There was something completely adorable about his eagerness. He wasn’t over eager, just, excited. And not afraid for me to know it.
“I’m off at seven, and yes. Please call. Don’t neglect your sister though. Not if she needs you.”
“I doubt she’ll feel neglected. Now that the baby is here, a flock of friends has descended, and I’ve taken to hiding in the bathroom. Too much estrogen in the room.”
“Says the man who witnessed the birth of his nephew not three hours ago.” I balled up the wrapper from my sandwich and shoved it into my bag.
“I witnessed no such thing, thank you very much. I was facing the other direction, you might remember. No witnessing of any kind occurred.”
I laughed. “Fine, but don’t pretend like you didn’t love being in there. I saw you get all teary eyed when you held him.”
He grumbled. “So how about that game last night? You a Panthers fan?”
I couldn’t stop laughing. “Nope.”
“Dang, me neither. I was hoping you’d have something manly to say so I wouldn’t have to.”
“I promise the tears didn’t hurt my opinion of you.” I peeled my orange, wishing I had more than two more minutes of my lunch break.
“No?”
“Pretty sure they gave you some big time bonus points.”
“Like . . . kiss on the first date kind of bonus points?”
Oh my word, flirting was fun. It had been a while and the energy of it all felt fantastic. “Hmm. I have to get back to work.”
“Ohhhh,” he groaned. “You can’t leave me hanging after a line like that. That took real courage.”
“You haven’t even asked me out yet, and you’re talking about kissing?”
“Friday night.”
“Friday night.”
“Text me your address?”
“Will do.”
“I’m glad I met you, Lilly.”
I closed my eyes and held my phone against my chest. This seriously wasn’t happening. After such a rocky start with Travis, it was the last thing I’d ever expected my day to include. “I’m glad you met me, too.”
Chapter 6
Trav
“So it’s a date then.” Avery held her baby close, her cheek resting on the top of his fuzzy head. Her friends had said goodbye so it was back to just the two of us.
“Friday night. Where do you think I should take her?”
“Mmm. Go to Nine Mile. And order garlic bread. With the rose sauce. And then get the bacon wrapped scallops. Man, I’m hungry. Is it dinner time yet?”
“You finished lunch less than an hour ago.”
“Yeah, but it was hard work bringing this guy into the world. And I didn’t eat for the entire twenty-nine hours leading up to it.”
“Okay, fine. In all of Asheville, what do you want to eat the most right now?”
She smiled all the way up to her eyes. “You’re going to go get me food?”
“I’m going to go get me food. If you’re nice I’ll bring something back for you.”
“Like . . . name my baby after you nice?”
Dang it. “You get to play that card, huh? I’ll let it slide this time, but you are not allowed to pull baby Trav into the bribing game anymore after this.”
My cell phone buzzed and I pulled it out of my pocket, hoping for something from Lilly. My heart lurched. Not Lilly. Darcy.
I’d been so wrapped up with Avery (and Lilly) I hadn’t spent much time thinking on our text exchange from the night before. But it wasn’t insignificant. She hadn’t been really specific, but it had seemed like she missed me. Like maybe she even regretted our breaking up. Avery would hate it if she knew.
DARCY: Hey. I heard Avery had her baby. Tell her congrats for me. Are you free this weekend? I was hoping we could get together. I think we have a lot to talk about.
I dropped onto the chair beside Avery’s bed and stared at the screen.
“What is it?” Avery asked.
I looked up and ran my hand across my face. I couldn’t lie to her. “It’s Darcy. She says congrats.”
“That’s it? Your face doesn’t look like that’s it.”
“She wants to talk.”
I held up the phone. “It says so right here.”
“She might have said talk. I’m pretty sure what she really means is pull out your heart and stomp on it a little more. Please tell me you aren’t going to say yes.”
“What’s wrong with talking? Maybe she just needs closure or something.”
Avery just stared, her face frozen in shock. “I can’t even believe you just said that. You don’t think she got closure when she walked out on your relationship without a backward glance? She’s not good for you, Trav. You’re finally moving on. Don’t let her stop you.”
“It’s just talking, Avery.”
She huffed. “What about Lilly?”
“What about her? This doesn’t have anything to do with her.”
“But it totally could, if you let it. It could screw up the potential for something really good. Let Darcy go.”
I slipped my phone back into my pocket. Avery was right. I did need to let her go. I didn’t respond to Darcy’s text.
But I didn’t delete it either.
* * *
I sat in my car around the corner from Lilly’s house and tapped out a message.
ME: I’m ten minutes early. Can I come knock already or do you need me to wait?
Her response came through immediately.
LILLY: Knock??? Who is this?
I hesitated. She couldn’t have actually forgotten. Could she have? My fingers hovered over my screen, not sure how to respond. If she was joking and I didn’t get the joke, I might look stupid. If she wasn’t joking and I assumed she was, I might look like a creep.
Finally, I pulled up a picture Avery had texted me earlier—Uncle Travis with baby Travis. Playing the doting uncle card couldn’t hurt my chances. Before I could hit send a knock sounded on my window. I looked up to see Lilly standing outside the car. Her eyes were bright above a dark gray scarf that was wrapped around the entire lower half of her face.
When I smiled, she moved around the car and climbed into the passenger seat. She pulled off her scarf. “You did know I was joking, right?”
A Little in Love With You: A Love at First Note Novella Page 3