Winning the Doc's Heart

by Jennifer Youngblood

  She studied him, trying to decide if he was telling the truth. Even if Ascott was the one, he’d never admit it. She was wasting her breath.

  Concern touched his features. “Is everything okay?” His voice was solicitous. “If you ever a need a listening ear, I’m here.”

  An incredulous laugh rattled her throat. Seriously? Now he was playing Mr. Nice Guy? “Thanks,” she barked. “I’ve got to go.”

  She turned on her heel and marched away, stewing as she went.

  She took the back stairs. When she reached the garage door, she pounded it once with her fist before throwing it open. Ascott was such a jerk. Kyle had pegged the man right from the very get-go.

  As she backed out of her parking space, her car brought up the GPS. She’d programmed in Marigold’s address the day before. She took in a deep breath, vowing to banish all thoughts of Ascott Carson. She wasn’t about to give him a second more of her time.

  It was an easy drive to Clementine once she was on the Interstate. She got off at the exit and made the short trip through the dense South Alabama forest. Suddenly, it opened into a cluster of a few dozen homes, a white clapboard church, and a main street with a two-block row of older buildings. She drove onto the town square. There was a classic southern-style building with a large porch, above which hung a sign, The Magnolia Restaurant. The town square oozed charm and peace.

  On her right, cars were lined up along the curb. Suddenly the front door of the dance studio flew open and erupted with two dozen little girls in pink tights who skipped and ran to the waiting vehicles. She passed the church. In its yard, boys played baseball. P. J. felt like she was in a Norman Rockwell painting. Everything was so neat and quaint. She sighed in contentment. This was the place where Kyle had grown up. No wonder he was so unique.

  The GPS guided P. J. to a neat single-story frame home a block past the church. She parked in front and walked cautiously up to the door. She never got to knock. Kyle bounded out with a giant smile on his handsome face and wrapped her up in his strong arms. “What are you doing here?” he asked joyously.

  She tipped her head back, grinning from ear to ear. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by.”

  He picked her up and spun her around. Then, his lips crushed hers in a breathless kiss that circled tingles around her spine. Keeping his arm around her waist, he led her into the house. Marigold waited just inside the door. Kyle beamed. “Look who I found in the front yard.”

  Marigold’s eyes sparkled beneath her glasses as she winked. “Well, hello, Dr. Bandy—um, P. J.,” she corrected. “You made good time.”

  Kyle spun around looking back and forth between P. J. and his mom. “Y’all set this up.” He clucked his tongue as he shook his head.

  “Us girls need to have some secrets,” Marigold said, winking at P. J. “Welcome to Clementine, dear.” She stepped forward and clasped P. J. in a tight hug. P. J. caught the faint scent of vanilla and baby powder. “Kyle, why don’t you show P. J. around a bit while I get myself cleaned up, and then we’ll go and grab some dinner.”

  Kyle seemed as excited as a five-year-old in a toy store as he took P. J.’s hand and laced his fingers through hers. “Come on. Let’s show you the sights. It’ll take about half an hour, if we walk really slow,” he quipped with a boyish grin that turned P. J.’s heart over in response.

  “I’ll meet y’all at the restaurant,” Marigold said.

  They strolled to the park where weeping willows lining the riverbank swept the ground with their long fronds that whispered in the breeze. Kyle pointed. “There used to be a log across to the other side of the river right there, but Danny Jansen fell off and nearly drowned when we were in sixth grade, so the town got rid of it. Over there’s where I broke my arm when I was seven.” He chuckled. “Who knew you can’t jump a pogo stick out of a tree and be okay? Down there’s where I caught my first fish.”

  P. J. was enthralled. What an amazing place to be a kid. Growing up here would have been idyllic. She glanced up at him with a wicked grin. “Where did you get your first kiss?” It was cute how color crept into his face.

  Kyle paused. “The first one that mattered was up in Birmingham, just a few weeks ago.”

  She grabbed his arm with both hands. “You know what I mean.” She glanced around. “Up there on the water tower?” Kyle grinned back at her and shook his head in the negative. “Down by the river?” she asked.

  “Nope.”

  “Right here in the park?” P. J. was craving as much information as she could get about Kyle. She wanted to know more about him and Annie, but she didn’t dare voice it out loud. Was Annie Kyle’s first kiss? It was a bit intimidating to be here in Clementine, knowing that Kyle and Annie had grown up here. Still, P. J. was glad to be here.

  He pointed toward his mother’s house. “See the treehouse in the back yard? Fourth grade. Esme Harrison. She was taller and stronger than me. She trapped me up there and pinned me to the floor. Wouldn’t let me up until I let her kiss me on the mouth.”

  Laughter bubbled in P. J.’s throat. “That’s terrible.”

  “It was terrible,” Kyle agreed a wry grin tugging at a corner of his lips. “I was suffocating and starting to see stars, and eventually I just had to quit fighting it.”

  “Now that’s a really romantic story,” giggled P. J. She didn’t loosen her grasp on his arm. “Where is she now?”

  “I understand she’s outside of Mobile, married to some guy who owns a lawn care business. Got a whole litter of little piglets, too.”

  P. J. slapped him on the chest. “Kyle! That’s not a very nice thing to say.”

  He laughed. “No, seriously. They bought a few acres and raise hogs. She also has a couple of kids.”

  A cool breeze picked up as soon as the sun dipped behind the wall of tall pines surrounding the town. P. J. shivered. “I should have brought a sweatshirt. I’m surprised at how cold it is still.”

  “Hopefully, it’ll warm up soon. In the meantime …” He draped an arm around her and pulled her into the warmth of his shoulder.

  They walked for a few more minutes. The last pink and orange streaks of the setting sun pushed ribbons against the darkening sky. “If you could be any place in the world right now,” Kyle asked, “where would it be?”

  She didn’t hesitate. “Clementine, Alabama, walking in the park with you.” She took a deep breath, taking in a scoop of clean fresh air, appreciating how it filled her lungs. A faint taste of cut grass and a sweet flower she didn’t recognize lingered on her tongue.

  Surprise flicked over his features. “No, really, where would you like to go? There are a million places more exciting than this.”

  Didn’t he get it? So long as she was with him, P. J. didn’t care where they were. She could tell he was waiting for her reaction, so she pressed her lips together thoughtfully. “Remember when we went out for Indian food in Birmingham? There was that poster in the travel agency window, the one in Fiji with hotel rooms built on stilts over the ocean. I want to go to one of those hotels, with a glass floor so I can watch the fish, and a little dock so I can go swimming anytime I want. How about you?”

  A smile ruffled Kyle’s lips. “I was gonna say New York City, but your suggestion sure beats my idea. That would be amazing.” He turned and peered into her eyes. “Whaddaya say? Should we go there sometime?”

  Hope fluttered in her breast. “I would like that.” He fingered a tendril of her hair. Her heart picked up its beat thinking he was going to kiss her, but he gave her a tender smile instead. “We should probably head on over to the restaurant. Mom’s probably already there waiting for us.”

  P. J.’s stomach growled. She jerked slightly wondering if Kyle heard it. “Where are we going?”

  As they walked, Kyle pointed to a street over from the square, where the Dixie Freeze was just turning on its neon lights. The giant ice cream cone on the roof flickered and then all its fluorescent glory came to life. It glowed like a lighthouse.

&n
bsp; P. J.’s eyes widened. “Oh, wow.”

  “Nah, just teasing,” he said with a chuckle. “We’re going to The Magnolia.”

  “I saw that on my way to your house. It looks nice.”

  “The food is excellent.”

  She laughed. “And here I had my taste buds all worked up for The Dixie Freeze.”

  “Well, I suppose we could go there instead,” he said in a serious tone, but there was laughter in his eyes. “If you’re into that sort of thing.”

  “Ice cream, yes. Any time.”

  He paused in his tracks and angled to face her. “What flavor?”

  “Is this a test?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Vanilla, of course.”

  “Vanilla?” he guffawed. “That’s so boring.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “It’s not boring. It’s a classic. What’s your favorite flavor, Mr. I’m Too Good for Vanilla?”

  “No question about it. Rocky road.”

  She cocked her head. “I like rocky road, but moose tracks is my favorite. You can’t go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate.”

  “No, you can’t,” Kyle agreed.

  When they arrived at The Magnolia, Marigold must’ve been watching for them because the instant they stepped up on the porch, she came out of the door. “Here you go, dear,” she said and handed a cardigan to P. J. “It’s a lot colder outside than it looks.”

  “Thank you.” P. J. was touched by Marigold’s thoughtfulness. Warmth blanketed P. J. as the women shared a smile. She felt like she’d hit the jackpot with Kyle and his mother.

  As they stepped inside the restaurant, a sweet, brown sugary smell with cloves and nutmeg accents wafted to greet them. “That smells incredible. What is that?” P. J. asked.

  Marigold chuckled. “That is the smell of Harper’s famous ten-thousand-dollar sweet potato pie. But no, you can’t have any until you finish your supper first.”

  The bell above the door had rung when Kyle opened it, but its cheery jingle was nothing compared to the squeal from the white-shirted brunette beauty at the hostess stand when she saw them. She rushed to Kyle and threw her arms around him. “You’re back!”

  P. J. was unprepared for the hot dart of jealousy that pinged through her.

  The brunette partly relaxed her embrace and stood back, looking Kyle over from top to bottom. “Where have you been?” She laughed. “Just teasing, I know where you’ve been. And, Mrs. Thornton, you look amazing, considering all that you’ve been through.” The hostess released Kyle. “We were all so worried,” she looked at Marigold, “but your mama tells us she had an amazing surgeon and the other doctors took good care of her too.” Mischief streaked over her features. “She even said nice things about you.”

  “Ha ha,” Kyle said dryly, giving his mother an affectionate grin.

  The hostess looked at P. J. When P. J. caught the slight tightening around the woman’s eyes, she tensed. “And who is this?” The hostess flashed a friendly smile, but her eyes were suspicious, perhaps even a bit accusatory as she looked at Kyle.

  P. J.’s stomach knotted. Was there something going on between Kyle and the brunette? An awkward silence passed as P. J. waited for Kyle to do the introduction. He just stood there, his face pale as a ghost.

  Marigold came to the rescue as she stepped beside P. J. and slid her arm around her shoulders. “This is Dr. Pricilla Bandy, my amazing surgeon I told you about.”

  The brunette relaxed, and her smile became genuine. “Wow, it’s wonderful to meet you. I’m Andi.” She extended her hand in greeting. “You’ve been the talk of the town. A heart transplant is a huge deal. Besides, we all love Mrs. Thornton, so when you saved her life, well, it makes you a hero.”

  “Thank you,” P. J. said, touched by Andi’s admiration. “I was just doing what I was trained to do. It’s not really that big a deal.”

  Marigold gushed. “Oh come on. You’re an amazing person, and everybody’s been so excited to meet you.”

  “It is a big deal,” Kyle agreed, looking at P. J. The tenderness in his deep brown eyes helped put P. J. at ease. She felt herself smiling back.

  Andi gave P. J. a once-over. “When Mrs. Thornton mentioned her surgeon, I pictured an old bald guy, but you’re beautiful.”

  “That would be Dr. Stone, my mentor,” P. J. laughed.

  “You must really be conscientious about your job to come all the way to Clementine to visit your patient,” Andi said.

  P. J. looked at Kyle. Now his face was beet red. He looked like he might run out the door any minute. His behavior was perplexing and irritating.

  Marigold took over as she gave Kyle a censuring look. “Actually, P. J. didn’t come here to see me, she came to see Kyle. The two of them are a couple.”

  Andi blinked. “Oh.” She clasped her hands together. “I—I didn’t realize you were dating.” A strained smile stretched over her lips. “I mean, I guess it’s time.” Tears rose in her eyes as she shook her head and looked away.

  P. J. pinned Kyle with a look. She’d had just about enough of whatever this was. “What’s going on here?”

  He rubbed his neck. “Andi is Annie’s sister.”

  It all came together in a jolt. She saw the pain in Kyle’s eyes. It mixed with her own pain. P. J. had thought that Kyle was ready to move on from the past, but perhaps she was mistaken. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” she mumbled to Andi.

  “Thank you,” Andi replied with a shaky laugh. “I’m the one who’s sorry.” She looked at Kyle. “It’s good that you’re dating. Annie would want you to be happy.” She paused. “Seeing you with someone else … well, it just caught me off guard.”

  Kyle nodded in understanding. A few beats of awkward silence passed before Andi spoke. “Let me show you to your table.” She grabbed a few menus before motioning with her arm. Kyle moved first, walking by Andi’s side, with P. J. and Marigold following behind.

  As they walked, Kyle and Andi made small talk about her family, but P. J. could tell from the tight set of Kyle’s shoulders that he was on edge. Just before they reached the table, Marigold caught P. J.’s hand and squeezed it.

  “It’ll be alright,” she said, giving P. J. a reassuring smile.

  A ball of emotion rose in P. J.’s throat as she swallowed. Everything had felt so right and magical a short while ago. Now, everything was muddled. She’d known from the beginning that Kyle had lost his wife and that he carried baggage from it. Still, it hurt to know that P. J. would always be second best. She needed someone who could love her as she loved him. She was willing to risk her career for Kyle, but did he have the same depth of feeling for her? She thought he did, but now she wasn’t sure what to think.

  “Here you go,” Andi said brightly, as she placed the menus on the table. “I’ve gotta get back to work. Enjoy your meal.” She looked at P. J. “It was nice meeting you.”

  “Nice meeting you too.” P. J. said in a cheerful tone that rang false in her ears.

  Kyle sat next to P. J. with Marigold sitting across from them. He angled to face P. J. An agonized expression crossed his features. “I’m sorry about that.”

  Tightening her jaw, she nodded.

  He touched her arm. “I mean it.” He gave her a searching look.

  P. J. couldn’t stop the moisture from collecting in her eyes as she blinked. “Maybe it was a mistake for me to come here. You’re obviously still hurting.”

  “It wasn’t a mistake.” His jaw worked. “The thing with Andi just took me by surprise. I had no idea she would get so upset. I want you—need you in my life.”

  It was her turn to search his face. “Are you sure?”

  A smile spread over his lips. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. Don’t give up on me, okay?” He searched her with those compelling, gentle eyes that had the power to melt her heart.

  Just like that, everything was restored to its rightful order. “Okay.”

  Marigold clapped her hands together. “Good, now that
we’ve got that settled, let’s order our food. I’m starving!”

  Kyle and P. J. laughed as they reached for their menus.

  The three of them decided on the feature for the evening, broiled Atlantic swordfish with dill sauce and asparagus, and of course the restaurant’s signature sweet potato pie for dessert. After they’d finished their meal, a perky blonde strolled over to the table. “Hey, Kyle. Andi told me you were here. Hi, Mrs. Thornton.” She looked at P. J. “And who’s this?”

  Kyle stood up from his chair and gave her a hug. “Hi, Harper. It’s great to see you. This is Priscilla Bandy.” He paused a half second as he looked at P. J. “My girlfriend,” he said meaningfully.

  Warmth flowed through P. J. as she smiled.

  Harper didn’t look the least bit surprised by the news, which made P. J. suspect she’d been talking to Andi.

  “Harper owns this fine establishment,” Kyle continued. “She, Andi, and I grew up together. I’m the black sheep who moved away.”

  Harper looked at P. J. “I’m just glad the black sheep was finally able to find a woman.”

  “Hey,” Kyle protested with a laugh.

  “Not that you’re all that gorgeous in the first place,” Harper retorted, “but we all knew that eventually somebody would take pity and pay attention to you.” She gave his hair a tousle, and Kyle smoothed it back down again.

  “Thanks a lot,” Kyle huffed. “With friends like you and Andi, who needs critics?”

  P. J. grinned. “I think he’s kind of cute.”

  Harper perched a hand on her hip. “Who would’ve thought? Kyle and the doc.” She clicked her tongue. “You have to watch out for those doctors.”

  P. J. flinched, wondering where that remark had come from, but Kyle laughed heartily. “Harper’s married to the town doc,” he explained.

  Harper stepped back and smiled at him. “I’m so happy for you, Kyle. And for you too, Dr. Bandy.”

  “Please, I’m P. J. And thanks.”

  “See y’all around,” Harper said as she gave them a parting wave before going off to attend to her business.