Marcus

by Amy J. White

  “She’s going to need help getting things started, Marcus. Ethan and I are doing what we can, but with the kids, our time is pretty limited. I know Eric is constructing the booth for her.”

  That’s good, I think. Eric is pretty good with his hands.

  She’s going to need something to prompt interest too. Luckily, I know just where she can get that.

  Chapter 4

  Joy

  “Nurse Joy!” The little girl running towards me has her arms outspread. I kneel to receive the hug she gives as she latches onto my neck. “Look, I drew a dog for you.”

  “That’s wonderful, Amanda!” I say with a smile though my mind is far from this place, back with Marcus’ reflection in my rearview mirror.

  “Will there be a snowman contest at the festival this year? My daddy wants to enter with me.” Her bright blue eyes glisten in the light despite her condition.

  For the longest time, I have wanted to work in this wing, waiting for the right moment to put in an application only to learn it struggled with keeping up with the equipment necessary to help these children.

  It hurt my heart so bad, I contacted my father in New York, begging for him to offer us any aid he can.

  As the CEO of a medical equipment company, I know he can send us what we need to revolutionize Buchanan General’s children’s wing.

  We have always been on good terms and he did indeed say he could help, but we needed to find a way to raise the money to pay for half.

  I began working diligently with other nurses to plan ways we can gather what is needed. With the winter festival fast approaching, hundreds of people will come from all around to get involved with what Buchanan offers.

  Aside from hunting, it’s the largest event we have.

  With luck and a ton of work, I know we can make things work. Kids like Amanda are counting on us.

  “I’m sure there will be. You and your dad are going to be an amazing team,” I say, bopping the tip of her nose with my fingertip.

  She giggled and I let her go to return to her room where I know her exhausted dad sits.

  Freak snowstorms kept the roads in a constant state of hazard.

  So much so, many of us wonder if the winter festival will be as busy as it has been in the past.

  If the snow doesn’t let up, the fundraiser could fall through which could further harm not only the town but the hospital.

  I walk into Amanda’s room to see her father trying to hide his tears with a hand he scrubs down his face.

  When I arrive here, he was one of the ones I immediately connected with. Amanda wasn’t suffering from the onset of the colds we got almost daily, she had debilitating cancer and he suffered from having to watch his daughter go through that cancer.

  Ben Burke’s family lived in Buchanan for generations. Three years ago he lost his wife to cancer, leaving him a single dad.

  With the way he worked, it became hard for him to give Amanda the time she needed with him to heal the damage done by the loss of her mother.

  He let it slip during one of our talks that he often cried himself to sleep or slept on the couch, unable to sleep in the bed he and Caroline shared every night.

  A few months ago, fate kicked him harder when Amanda was diagnosed with Leukemia, forced to stay at the hospital to undergo treatment.

  Yet another reason I want this fundraiser to be successful. With enough money, the hospital could do what it could to help families like Ben’s.

  Putting my hand on her dad’s shoulder, I said, “Why don’t you go home, Ben? I can take care of Amanda since I am working a double.”

  Ben’s tired eyes look up at me, swollen both from fatigue and the tears still staining his cheeks. “The doctor says he doesn’t know how long she has. I know she’s trying to be strong, but I know it hurts. I saw her running to you.”

  I nod, offering a smile that doesn’t reach my eyes. “She’s doing her best.” I laugh. “Amanda said ‘she wants the two of you to enter the snowman building contest at the festival.’

  He shakes his head. “You know we can’t go. What am I going to do?”

  That’s a good question. One I don’t know how to respond to.

  I lost my mom to breast cancer at Amanda’s age. “We’ll think of something. For now, I’ll turn on her favorite holiday music and the two of you can enjoy some hot cocoa.”

  I rise from the chair, walking towards the door. “Who knows, maybe I’ll see if I can find Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer on the TV.”

  He chuckles. We both know this is Amanda’s favorite holiday movie.

  My shoulder cracks when I wake from the sudden code blasting through the speakers. When we run doubles, my co-workers and I often take turns for cat naps in the break room, keeping our phones on in case of an emergency.

  Another nurse bursts through the door, saying “hurry!”

  I rub my eyes, trying desperately to get a handle on what’s going on.

  “Joy - it’s Amanda.”

  This gets my attention and I fly to my feet and out the door on my colleague’s heels to Amanda’s room.

  I see her in the middle of her bed, cuddling her favorite Teddy Bear while Ben watches through the glass window. “Ben, what’s going on?”

  A new stream of tears is rushing down his cheeks. “They say her blood pressure crashed or something like that. I don’t really understand. Joy, is she dying? Please. I need to know.”

  I want to give him answers.

  Pushing into the room, I ask one of my fellow nurses to take over while the doctor does his examination.

  “What’s going on, doctor?”

  The look he gives me is never a good one. One I’ve seen many times that comes with a message I never want to give.

  I step back outside to see Ben’s widened, expectant eyes.

  “It’s not good, Ben.”

  With a cry that cuts through my heart, Ben Burke throws himself, sobbing, into my arms.

  Chapter 5

  Marcus

  I finish shaving and getting cleaned up quickly after staring at the clock realizing I’m running late for coffee with Joy.

  Way to forget to set your alarm, idiot, I think. What would Joy think of me if I’m not there before she is? What if she thinks I stood her up?

  My teeth clench at the thought. I didn’t mean to spend so long at the bar and certainly never intended to drink so much, but the thought of meeting Joy made my stomach churn with nervousness.

  She has showed a change by deciding to meet with me so easily, I guess it blindsided me.

  With one last run of my hand through my hair, I decide it’s enough and run out to my truck, jumping in and driving a little – okay, a lot – above the speed limit to get to the Choc N’Chip on time.

  It is always busy around this time of year. People bustle in and out with Rachel’s delicious baked goods for Christmas parties, gifts and of course, the festival.

  I walk through the door, hearing the familiar tinkling of the silver bell above it as I do.

  Rachel waves at me from behind the cash register while her employees hustle around, running into one another as they make their way to the various displays full of cakes, cookies, and pies.

  I wave back, letting my eyes venture around the small area to see if I can spot the one woman I came here to see.

  My heart sinks when I don’t see her right away, so I choose to get in line and buy myself an espresso and my favorite coffee cake, select the only empty table and wait.

  Checking my watch, I see Joy is running fifteen minutes late for our date – wait, is this a date – and I wonder if I’m the one getting stood up?

  Rachel arrives with the espresso and asks, “Why so glum?”

  I didn’t realize I did look glum. “I had plans to meet someone here, but they haven’t shown.”

  I regret what I say almost immediately when I think about what Ryley said about everyone already knowing Joy and I talked about seeing one another.

  Brady is almost
as bad as a woman when it comes to gossiping.

  Rachel sniggers. “I’m sure she’ll show up. She had a double at the hospital and called Ryley around 3am sobbing.”

  My eyes dart from looking outside to Rachel. Joy called Ryley sobbing? “Why? Did something happen to her?”

  Rachel shakes her head. “No. You should ask her about it when she gets here. The poor woman was really torn up.”

  I plan on it. The idea of meeting with joy and taking things slow by inviting her to go with me to the festival is to get her to rely on me when she’s hurting, not Ryley or Rachel.

  Joy finally arrives at forty minutes passed our meeting time. Her hair is a mess, clothes mussed, and her eyes look like she put on an extra layer of eye shadow despite the fact she never wore the stuff.

  Her purse hangs from her arm.

  I don’t hesitate in rising, making my way over to her, aware of her eyes finding me and glossing over like she planned on crying.

  “Marcus, I’m sorry I was late. God, you must think me the worst person,” She says, lowering her eyes.

  Christ, she’s so sweet. “Hey, it’s okay. Why not come sit down and tell me about it? I’ll get you a coffee and something to eat.”

  Joy looks up at me. The corner of one side of her lips draws up in a half smile. I lead her passed the eyes locked on us around the dining room, not caring if anyone knows.

  Once I get Joy settled, I go to get her the coffee and treat she tells me she wants, returning to sit across from her.

  For a moment, I let myself explore her. The way she sits staring out into the distance, her hands held in her lap and the downturned expression in her eyes confirms Rachel’s story.

  “So, tell me. What happened?” I take a sip of my coffee, breaking off a piece of the cake to share with her.

  She takes it, nodding. “There’s a little girl at the hospital named Amanda Burke. You know her.”

  I offer a clipped nod. Ben Burke came into my store with Amanda many times. I hadn’t known anything was wrong with Amanda, though it made sense considering I hadn’t seen either one of them in a while.

  “Yeah. I know her. Is she sick?” I ask.

  Another nod. “She was diagnosed with Leukemia a few months ago. I’ve been doing what I could to comfort Ben, playing with Amanda and offering a chance for him to talk with someone. He’s been so closed off since his wife’s death.”

  I said nothing, choosing to listen to as much as she wanted to divulge.

  Between what Rachel and Ryley told me, I want to learn the details from Joy.

  One of Rachel’s employees delivers Joy’s coffee. “Thank you.” She returns her attention to me. “Well, Amanda coded a few hours before I was supposed to leave. The doctor says she doesn’t have long.”

  Tears well up in her eyes. My chest feels as though someone set thirty pound weights on it.

  “Ben broke down in my arms, Marcus. That poor man has been through so much. Amanda wanted to enter into the snowman building contest at this years’ festival.”

  It all made sense now. Joy’s attention shifted from the fundraiser to focusing on this one family. I can’t blame her.

  “I heard the hospital needed extra funds for better equipment.”

  Joy nods.

  “What if I helped you in getting not only funds for that together, but some for Amanda and Ben?”

  Wide-eyed, Joy says, “You’d do that?”

  Of course, I’d do anything to see the gorgeous smile I fell in love with. I take the hand she moves to the table, rubbing it with my thumb. “That and much more….”

  Chapter 6

  Joy

  Marcus’ eyes burrow into the depths of my soul the more I let myself think about what he said. This beautiful man who suffered a gunshot in the Marines who everyone else wanted offered to help me find something we can do for Amanda.

  The rest of our time together, we start thinking of ways to get the whole town involved in a way to help Amanda, Ben and get the fundraiser going for the equipment we need.

  “It’s a huge undertaking, but I know we can do it. I have some contacts in the base near here. I’ll make some calls,” Marcus says.

  If he manages to get a few Marines involved, that would be amazing. They already run a campaign for kids during the holidays and kids love “army men.”

  “I can get in touch with my father and see if he can start a fundraiser for Amanda at his company. So many of them are so nice and willing to help families; which are hurting.”

  I can’t help the overwhelming sense of happiness bubbling in my chest. Marcus becomes more wonderful the longer I stare at his beautiful face. His heart is larger than anyone – except maybe my dad – I’ve ever met.

  Why I waited so long to talk with him, I’ll never understand.

  “What about the snow? You know we’ve had some freak storms this year,” I say.

  Marcus chuckles. “Well, looks like we’re going to need one of those good old holiday miracles then, aren’t we?”

  I roll my eyes at the corny statement. Still, it’s sweet he’s trying to make me feel better.

  “Would you like to come to the hospital? I know Ben might like the company of another man. He’s been stuck with no one but us women and the doctor constantly giving him bad news.”

  Marcus pops his lips after taking another sip of his coffee. I watch those perfect lips, remembering all the times I fantasized kissing them.

  He seems to notice, licking his lower lip with the tip of his tongue, his eyes dark with a sense of desire that causes my panties to dampen almost immediately.

  “Something wrong?” He asks.

  Like a kid caught with her hand in a cookie jar, I jolt, the shyness returning. “Uh – no….”

  Get a grip, Joy. He’s gorgeous, sweet as sugar and single. You’ve had a crush on him forever and finally gotten the nerve to go out with him. “So, would you?”

  Marcus laughs, making me purse my lips. “Are you laughing at me?”

  He shakes his head. “No. Just thinking how adorable you are when your cheeks turn red as apples.”

  Okay, definitely turned on now.

  Marcus stands, offering me a hand. “Come on, let’s go to the hospital. We can discuss these plans with the doctors and nurses there and see what Ben says. I’ll call Ethan and Casey later to see if they can offer any help.”

  I take his hand and follow him to his truck, deciding to leave my car after asking Rachel if it’s okay.

  “Joy,” Ben meets me and Marcus near the nurse’s station. He hugs me, turning his eyes to Marcus. “Marcus.”

  The two of them shake hands.

  It shocks me because I didn’t know they knew one another so well.

  Marcus drops his hand. “Ben used to come into my store with Amanda and his wife. We got to know one another when Amanda played around about marrying me when she got older. Something sweet about liking ‘army men.’”

  Amanda would say that, I think. She always talked about men in uniform and how handsome they were.

  “I had to snip that one in the bud pretty quickly. She was adamant about it though.” Ben lands a playful smack on Marcus’ shoulder. “Don’t worry though. She didn’t budge.”

  The two of them laugh. It makes me so happy to see Ben exhibiting a real laugh.

  “Pretty astute at her age,” I say. “A woman knows what she wants when she sees him.”

  I keep my eyes directed at Marcus, teasing him like he had me. It earns me the sexiest grin and promises of things I can’t wait to experience if he lets me.

  Focus on Amanda now, getting into Marcus’ pants later. “Ben, we have something we want to talk about with you, but before that, how’s Amanda?”

  “She’s a fighter. In there watching Rudolf and coloring in her book. The doctor came back to tell me she doesn’t have much longer. Weeks at best.” Ben’s joyful mood turns.

  It tears at my heart, but I make myself talk.

  Some of my co-workers are at th
e desk so I call them over.

  Marcus and I spend the next hour or so filling them in about our ideas we came up with regarding Amanda and the fundraiser.

  They go over well with many of the nurses offering connections they have in their families and friends. Others have side businesses they run in their spare time, offering their services to help garner more attention.

  The talks go so well, by the time Marcus and I go to see Amanda, we have a plan we know will help.

  I watch Marcus with Amanda with the admiration of a mother. Since we arrived, she’s given Marcus two kisses and asked him if he wouldn’t mind reading her a story.

  He’s snuggled up next to her, reading the book when the little troublemaker asks, “Are you and Nurse Joy gonna get married?”

  My cheeks heat passed the intensity of a furnace. I’d thought about marriage with Marcus, but we hadn’t even had the chance to have our first kiss, let alone a few dates.

  Marcus directs smoldering eyes at me. “I don’t know, but I sure am open to the idea if Nurse Joy is.”

  Smitten… I’m officially smitten.

  Chapter 7

  Marcus

  After spending the day with Amanda and her father at the hospital, my determination to help Joy in any way I can skyrockets.

  Throughout the visit, I noticed Joy looking at me in ways she’s never done before. Ways that tell me she wants this, wants us more than anything.

  The clock on the wall ticks, the only reprieve from the silence as I glance over to my phone numerous times, waiting on the text message Joy said she planned to send.

  I want to ask her to dinner with me. Not only to discuss what we plan on doing for the festival but also to let her know the deeper parts of me I’ve kept hidden.