wanted to wrap her arms around him as he held her.
“I’m not sure how to convince you I’m not like every other man you’ve known.” He moved his hands up her back, pressing her a little closer to him. “You have to trust someone and I’m asking to be that person. Otherwise, we’re both going to lose out on something special.”
“Not every man, just Josh. He screwed with my head and it’s hard to trust anyone after all he put me through. Even after years of having Ryan visit, I’m still cautious of him.”
“That couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that he nags you to come back to town? Or that he could take your daughter away if he thought she was being neglected or in danger because of your lifestyle choice?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “You could do that too.”
“No, I don’t have that power, but you have to know I wouldn’t. Raising a child isn’t easy but I think you’re doing a good job.” He wrapped his arms tighter around her, closing the last distance between them until he had her wrapped in a hug. “I promise you everything is going to be fine. We’re going to get through this together. Abbi, you…and me.”
She let her head rest against his chest because she wanted to believe him. Trusting him would take everything in her, and if he let her down it would tear her apart. After Josh, she thought she had nothing left to give, but now she wanted to find that part deep within her she had hidden away. She wanted to trust James, to believe in him, to allow everything to fall into place. The question was, could she do it?
Chapter Seven
James strolled from the office with the medication in hand, feeling relaxed and more carefree than he had in months. The ride into town had gone smoothly. Ella was surprised by how little had changed since her last visit, while Abbi was filled with excitement. He took his time, making passes on the side streets so she could see the different businesses. The only place he avoided was On the Rocks, not wanting to make her think about what happened there almost five years ago. Instead, he kept it pleasant, even taking a drive past Clearwater Lake to see the first rides being erected for the festival.
He glanced around the empty parking lot, wondering if it would be too much if he suggested they sat in the gazebo for a while, letting Abbi play in the grass. When he saw a few hospital employees at a nearby table he decided to save the idea for another day. He waved to another doctor who was getting out of his car across the parking lot before he opened the truck door and hopped in.
“Did you get what you needed?” Ella asked, her gaze scanning the parking lot. She still had a smile on her face, and that was what mattered most to him.
“Sure did.” He tossed the small paper bag of medication into the armrest compartment. “What do you girls say, want to drive around town some more? I can take you past Michael and Jessi’s, and my rental house is just down the road from them.”
“Can we, Mommy?”
“Why not.” She grinned back at her daughter. “As long as James doesn’t mind.”
“Please, Doctor Macis.” Ella begged, leaning forward from where she was nestled on the back seat.
“Little one, your wish is my command.” He smirked. Everything was perfect. He shoved the truck into drive and started to pull out of the parking lot, when his cell phone rang. In the pit of his stomach he knew he shouldn’t answer it; whoever was on the other end was about to spoil this perfect moment, but as a doctor he couldn’t ignore it.
He pulled to the side of the exit and tugged his cell phone off his belt. “I’ve got to take this.” Ella nodded as he brought it to his ear. “Doctor Macis.”
“James, this is Jordan Shepherd, I need your help.” The Winterbloom Bed and Breakfast owner’s voice came through the speaker with a touch urgency.
“Is it Bianca?”
“No, Bianca and Chloe are fine. I have a friend and a former
“I’m not sure how to convince you I’m not like every other man you’ve known.” He moved his hands up her back, pressing her a little closer to him. “You have to trust someone and I’m asking to be that person. Otherwise, we’re both going to lose out on something special.”
“Not every man, just Josh. He screwed with my head and it’s hard to trust anyone after all he put me through. Even after years of having Ryan visit, I’m still cautious of him.”
“That couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that he nags you to come back to town? Or that he could take your daughter away if he thought she was being neglected or in danger because of your lifestyle choice?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “You could do that too.”
“No, I don’t have that power, but you have to know I wouldn’t. Raising a child isn’t easy but I think you’re doing a good job.” He wrapped his arms tighter around her, closing the last distance between them until he had her wrapped in a hug. “I promise you everything is going to be fine. We’re going to get through this together. Abbi, you…and me.”
She let her head rest against his chest because she wanted to believe him. Trusting him would take everything in her, and if he let her down it would tear her apart. After Josh, she thought she had nothing left to give, but now she wanted to find that part deep within her she had hidden away. She wanted to trust James, to believe in him, to allow everything to fall into place. The question was, could she do it?
Chapter Seven
James strolled from the office with the medication in hand, feeling relaxed and more carefree than he had in months. The ride into town had gone smoothly. Ella was surprised by how little had changed since her last visit, while Abbi was filled with excitement. He took his time, making passes on the side streets so she could see the different businesses. The only place he avoided was On the Rocks, not wanting to make her think about what happened there almost five years ago. Instead, he kept it pleasant, even taking a drive past Clearwater Lake to see the first rides being erected for the festival.
He glanced around the empty parking lot, wondering if it would be too much if he suggested they sat in the gazebo for a while, letting Abbi play in the grass. When he saw a few hospital employees at a nearby table he decided to save the idea for another day. He waved to another doctor who was getting out of his car across the parking lot before he opened the truck door and hopped in.
“Did you get what you needed?” Ella asked, her gaze scanning the parking lot. She still had a smile on her face, and that was what mattered most to him.
“Sure did.” He tossed the small paper bag of medication into the armrest compartment. “What do you girls say, want to drive around town some more? I can take you past Michael and Jessi’s, and my rental house is just down the road from them.”
“Can we, Mommy?”
“Why not.” She grinned back at her daughter. “As long as James doesn’t mind.”
“Please, Doctor Macis.” Ella begged, leaning forward from where she was nestled on the back seat.
“Little one, your wish is my command.” He smirked. Everything was perfect. He shoved the truck into drive and started to pull out of the parking lot, when his cell phone rang. In the pit of his stomach he knew he shouldn’t answer it; whoever was on the other end was about to spoil this perfect moment, but as a doctor he couldn’t ignore it.
He pulled to the side of the exit and tugged his cell phone off his belt. “I’ve got to take this.” Ella nodded as he brought it to his ear. “Doctor Macis.”
“James, this is Jordan Shepherd, I need your help.” The Winterbloom Bed and Breakfast owner’s voice came through the speaker with a touch urgency.
“Is it Bianca?”
“No, Bianca and Chloe are fine. I have a friend and a former
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