by Molly Evans
She opened a drawer of the desk and pulled out a large yellow notepad, flipped through several pages of notes and scribbled another one at the end.
“That’s your list of ideas?”
Beau was impressed. He thought she’d have a few notes jotted down on a sticky pad—not an entire notebook filled with ideas.
“It’s a manifesto.”
“Yes. I’m sorry.” She clutched it to her chest, eyes filled with worry. “Is it too much? Have I overstepped?”
“I don’t know yet.” He held out his hand. “Let’s have a look at it.”
Hesitating for a second, Aurora placed it in his hands. “Why don’t you sit down and I can explain it to you? You might not understand my scribbling.”
“Okay.” He grabbed the old desk chair and scooted it close to her. “Tell me about your ideas.”
Aurora leaned closer to him and her fragrance washed over him. It was a subtle mix of spice, maybe sandalwood, that stirred his senses, and the words on the pages blurred. He stopped trying to focus on the pad and just listened to the excitement in her voice, let her fragrance wash through his mind.
Her ideas rolled in his brain, and he was intrigued by the way her mind worked, how she had come up with a marketing plan for opportunities he’d never even thought of.
“So that’s it.” She closed the pad and her eagerness showed in her eyes.
“That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?”
He was teasing her, and enjoyed the flustered look on her face.
“Well, I haven’t had much time to focus on it lately, but—”
“Relax, Aurora. I’m just giving you a hard time. You’ve done more in a few weeks than I could have done in months.” A bubble of pleasure churned inside him. “I knew working with you was going to be awesome.”
Every day there was something new, something interesting. Some new burst of life that made him want to enjoy, to live fully again. Yet guilt surfaced right after, to dull the edges and pull him backward.
The bubble he’d been living in burst.
“What’s wrong? I can see it on your face.” She took a big breath. “Are you having second thoughts? About a lot of things?”
Without answering, he stood and walked a few steps away. Her nearness, her fragrance, the easy way they worked together shook him to a depth he didn’t think he was ready for.
“No. It’s nothing.”
“Stop it.” She stood and faced him, anger snapping in her eyes, in the posture she took as she faced him. “Right now.”
“Aurora, I don’t think this is the time—”
“Yes, it is. Right here. Right now. If you can’t face moving on, that’s fine. If you’re having feelings for me that you’re having difficulty with, that’s fine too. But don’t shut me out—because it’s not my fault, and yet you’re punishing me. You have been for weeks. Ever since...”
Their kiss.
For a few seconds he stared at her. There was truth in her face, in her eyes, and he knew it. There were questions. There would always be questions. But if he didn’t at least try to take a step forward, he’d never get anywhere.
“You’re right.” He blew out a breath. “Admitting that is hard for me, Aurora. Very hard. But you’re exactly right. You don’t deserve to take the brunt of my pain.”
“We all have pain, Beau. But if you share it, even a little bit, it doesn’t hurt as much, you know.”
An encouraging smile lifted her lips, but a bruised uncertainty still filled her eyes and that he couldn’t take. He was responsible for putting it there.
“I’m sorry.” He pulled her against him. “I know I’m all over the place with this, but I’m coming to depend on you so much, so quickly, it’s frightening.”
“I’m with you—but we have to be able to communicate about things, whatever comes up. I don’t want to wonder what you’re thinking or what I’ve done wrong.”
“I understand what you’re saying. But sometimes the best thing seems to be to keep quiet, when that’s really not the best thing at all.”
“So from here on out let’s really try—”
At that moment the shrieking sound of car tires skidding on pavement tore their attention away. They clung to each other for a few seconds, both cringing, waiting to see if there would be a crash.
There was.
The impact of the crash shook the building like an earthquake. They all jumped, including Daisy, who cowered beneath the desk.
“Oh, boy. That didn’t sound good.” Beau grabbed her hand. “Come on.”
Together they dashed out the door.
Beau wasn’t a trauma doctor, but he and Aurora were the best bet as first responders. A small car had missed the sharp turn in front of the clinic and crashed head-on into a utility pole right beside the building. No wonder the impact had shaken the whole place.
“Oh, my God. Beau!”
Aurora squeezed his hand, then raced around the other side of the car, looking in through the broken window.
“Three people.”
“I’ll try to get the driver’s door open. Can you turn off the ignition? I can’t reach it from here.”
“Yes.”
Since the passenger window was broken, she was able to turn off the ignition, hopefully preventing any sort of electrical fire in the engine.
“I’ll call 911 now.”
She pulled her phone out and made the call for emergency assistance. Out in this area of the county most rescue services were volunteers, so help wasn’t mere minutes away as in larger cities. Out here people depended on their neighbors, friends and Good Samaritans to help out in emergencies.
Beau focused on the handle of the driver’s door. It was an old car, and he pushed the handle down and tugged. The metal was twisted and crunched. There was no way he was getting anyone out through this door without heavy machinery.
The driver moaned and raised a hand to his head. A teenager, with two friends in the car, he’d probably been talking, and distracted, and hadn’t realized the curve was so sharp.
“Aurora? Go grab a few blankets or sheets. I want to cover the driver so I can push the glass out.”
“Got it. This one’s still out, has a bump on the head, but that’s all I can see right now. The girl in the back is unconscious, too.”
She gave him her quick assessment, then ran back into the clinic.
Tugging on the door again brought no better results than his previous attempt, but he couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. He’d had to stand by and watch his wife die while he did nothing. That was not going to happen here. Here he could help, he could rescue, and he could save lives.
A car horn beeped and a large pickup truck made a quick turn into the parking lot and stopped beside them.
“Hey, looks like you need some help.” One of his old classmates, Robby Black, hurried over. “Did it just happen?”
“Yes. I can’t get the door open.” In an example of frustration, he yanked on the door again, but it still didn’t move.
“I got a crowbar in the truck...” Robby made the offer as he stared at the mangled car.
“Get it.”
There was no time to waste.
Aurora rushed from the building, her arms full of linens and an emergency kit, just as Robby arrived with the pry bar.
“Aurora, cover them the best you can with the sheets. If the glass goes flying it will protect them.”
“Got it.”
While Aurora set about her task, Beau and Robby set the end of the steel rod in the buckled edge of the driver’s door.
“On three.”
Together they used their combined strength to try and pry the door open, but it wasn’t budging.
“Again.”
They
tried again, but their effort was still futile. The door was not going to move.
“Why don’t you try the back door? Maybe it’s not as bad.”
Aurora made the suggestion and the men moved the tool to the back door—and popped it open on the first try.
“Awesome...”
The young female was rousing from her slumped position.
“At least she’s buckled in.”
Together Beau and Robby extricated the girl and placed her on a blanket on the ground, away from the vehicle.
“Aurora, stay with her and keep her head in alignment while we try to get the front passenger door open.”
More people had stopped their cars, seeing the increased activity.
Two people Beau knew from the pharmacy hurried over. “Can we help out?”
“Yes. Relieve Aurora so she can come over here with us.”
“Got it.”
In a few minutes Aurora returned to his side. “What do you need me to do?”
As the physician, he was in charge of the scene until rescue services arrived and everyone looked to him for direction—even Aurora.
“We’re going to try to get this door open and take them out this way. Can you get into the backseat and hold onto his head, keep him still while we work on the door?”
“Yes.”
Aurora climbed into the backseat on the passenger side and placed her hands on the sides of the passenger’s head, holding it steady.
“Ready here.”
“One, two, three—go.”
The door popped open with just two forceful applications of the crowbar.
“We need to get him out, but I want to immobilize his neck.”
“Do you have any collars in the clinic?” Aurora asked.
“No. None.” He’d never thought he’d need those kinds of supplies.
“How about some towels and tape? We can use them to make a soft collar.”
“Brilliant. You stay here and I’ll go get them.”
“I can go.”
“You’re already in position.”
“Beau, it’s my back...”
A twinge of pain crossed her face. Though she’d tried to hide it, he was glad she’d spoken up before letting it get too far.
“I’ll relieve you.”
He placed his hands on the young man’s head, over top of Aurora’s, and she slid her hands out from under his. Looking over the seat at her, he saw her meet his gaze with determination shining. She was so good at this. So good. The woman could do anything.
“I’ve got him now. Go.”
With the help of the little band of people who had stopped by they were able to safely extricate all three youths from the car, and then the ambulance crew and paramedics arrived, just behind the fire truck.
“What do we have going on here?” Randy Overdorff, the chief of the fire group, bailed off the truck even before it had come to a halt.
“Looks like they took the turn too fast. Three in the car, all with injuries, all three with loss of consciousness. Two have awakened.”
Beau gave the assessment as he watched Aurora placing an IV in the third victim.
“Got it,” Randy said, then gave a slow whistle as his brows shot up. “How did you get them out of that mess without hydraulics?”
“Crowbar,” Beau said.
“And muscle,” Robby added, and flexed both of his arms like a champion wrestler.
“Good going. We’ll call for another ambulance from Armagh and they can take one in. We’ll get the first two.”
Randy spoke into a handheld radio, calling for backup from the small town of Armagh, just four miles away. Armagh was like Brush Valley. A wide spot in the road where people had settled, opened a few businesses and called it home.
The next two hours passed in a flurry of activity as the three teenagers were taken to hospital, the scene investigation was completed, and a tow truck hauled the car away. Beau took a few seconds to text Ginny that he’d be late picking up Chloe.
“Someone’s going to have to call the utility company about the pole.”
Looking exhausted, Aurora sat on a landscaping rock beside the door of the clinic. Until now, he hadn’t noticed how pale and drawn she was. This event had taken its toll on her and he hadn’t noticed.
“Already on it,” Randy said. “They’ll be out in the morning to work on repairs. Meantime, looks like you’re closed until that can be done.”
The fire chief stood beside Beau with a clipboard full of notes.
“Oh, boy. Does that include the apartment?” Aurora asked.
“Afraid so.” Beau looked up at the apartment window. “Hadn’t thought of that.”
“I guess I could go stay with my mother—or light a few candles.” She took a deep breath in, resolving herself to the issue. “I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll leave you to it, then.” Randy saluted.
“Thanks, Chief.”
Though he spoke to the man climbing onto the fire truck, Beau kept his gaze on Aurora. The longer he watched her, the angrier he got. He’d been so focused he’d completely forgotten about her medical condition, and she’d said nothing. Nothing. Not until she was in great pain.
“Aurora?” He approached her, his steps stiff and rigid. He couldn’t seem to make himself relax.
“Hi, there.” She looked up at him from her position on the rock, and couldn’t hide the wince the movement caused. “What a day. Sure ended with a bang, didn’t it?”
“We need to talk. Let’s go inside.”
“What? What’s wrong? What did I do?”
Dammit. His temper was getting the better of him, and he didn’t mean to take it out on Aurora. Again. He took a breath and huffed it out, trying to ease the anger boiling inside of him. He held a hand out to her, to assist her up from the rock.
“Let’s just go inside. Please.”
Hesitating for a second, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her to her feet. Though it was getting dark, they had enough light to have a private conversation.
Once they were inside, the wide-eyed look of shock on her face gave him pause. He took a deep breath and blew it out before he spoke. Irritated, he ran a hand through his hair and shoved it back from his face. He still hadn’t gotten a damned haircut.
“What’s wrong? What did I do?” she repeated. Wide-eyed, she faced him.
“Nothing, it was me. I’m sorry I didn’t take care of you out there. You’re in pain and I didn’t realize. I should have had someone relieve you.” He strode to her, got as close as he could and placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. “Aurora, you’re important. You’re very important. And I don’t want you putting yourself in pain unnecessarily.”
“Beau.”
She tipped her head to look up at him and those dewy blue eyes of hers got to him, stripped him of all propriety and good sense.
“To be perfectly honest I didn’t feel anything until I sat in the car to stabilize that kid’s neck—then it hit me.” She gave a small laugh and patted one hand on his chest, trying to soothe away his irritation. “I think adrenaline gave me such a rush I didn’t know it was getting bad ’til then.”
“I think it’s having the same effect on me, too.” In a totally different way.
His concern, masked as anger, dissipated as he held her close. As he looked down at that tempting mouth of hers. As desire filled him.
“What are you talking about?”
“This.”
He pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her. Cupping his hands around her face, he pulled her closer against him and breathed in her scent, touched her skin, eased her in so they were pressed against each other. Tension filled him. This was so good, but so wrong at the same time. He’d l
eaped over and toppled all the boundaries they’d set.
She was his friend, his employee, and his patient. There were so many reasons he shouldn’t be touching her, kissing her, needing her right now. But he ignored all of them as he explored the sweetness of her mouth.
Shaking with need and fear, he pulled back. “I’m sorry, Aurora. I...”
“Shh.”
She placed her fingers over his lips and he kissed them. God, she was so beautiful, and so wonderful and he wanted her with everything he had in him. But there were so many reasons not to.
“But—”
“I understand. Completely.” Leaning forward, she pressed a small kiss on his mouth, then pulled away. “We have things to do right now—like you going for Chloe, like me getting my pain medicine out and closing up the office for the night.” She gave a quick frown. “I may have to stay at my mother’s place tonight.”
A frown wrinkled his brow at the mention of her pain medicine. “Hold off on the meds for a bit—and your mother. I have a hot tub at my house. Since the office will be closed tomorrow, why don’t you come over tonight? We’ll put some ice on your back, some heat in the spa, then see if you still need the medication.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Relaxing a little, he tried to focus on calming down, on treating Aurora’s pain, and controlling the desire thrumming through his system. Months had passed since he’d felt this rampant surge of life rippling through him. The thoughts running through his mind kept telling him no, but the feelings in his heart and his soul told him to let go of the past and move forward. With Aurora.
“I’d like that. I’d like to spend some time with you and Chloe. Just hang out and relax.”
“Tonight will be perfect. Just perfect.”
Shaking his head, he stepped back and took a breath, not realizing he’d been holding it. Stepping to the now immaculate desk, he found a pen and scribbled on a notepad, then tore the paper off and gave it to Aurora.
“Here’s my address. I’ll go get Chloe, and grab a pizza from Sanso’s Deli. Come over in an hour or so and bring your swimsuit.”
“Okay. I’ll see you in a bit.”
Before Beau could change his mind, or turn around and kiss the daylights out of her, he headed out the door. The parking lot was still torn up, gravel and dirt strewn everywhere. That would have to get taken care of next week. Yet another task that belonged to a small business owner.