Battling the Best Man: A Harmony Falls Novel, Book 2 (Crimson Romance) (14 page)

He winced.
What the hell am I doing?

Technically, it was called Operation Keep Kory or OKK for short. He dubbed it that one evening when he was overly tired and completely out of his mind. It involved little things, like staying out of her way at the nursing home, giving her the space he suspected she needed, and not talking about his growing admiration of her and confusing feelings. In return, she was easily and regularly crawling into his bed. When they weren’t naked and otherwise engaged, they enjoyed each other’s company, talking about her father’s steady progress, the glimmers of hope in the nursing home budget and a love for watching mixed martial arts, of all things. Though Will supposed he shouldn’t be that surprised that the ultra-competitive, no-holds-barred nature of the sport appealed to them both.

When she was with him in the evenings, lounging on his sofa with Molly tucked between them, his life felt full. He had to admit he’d thought once or twice about altering his poor outlook on relationships.

The thoughts always started the same way. Maybe he could make a relationship work? Wasn’t it essentially what they had?

The thoughts always ended the same way, too. He was too old and jaded for a long-distance relationship, and long distance was what it would be…unless he could make her stay.

He glanced at his phone where his calendar read
2:30
P.M.
Meeting with Charlie Cramer.
It had taken days to get Charlie to agree to this meeting, and Will still wasn’t convinced the guy would show. But after eating a Charlie Cramer chocolate cake, Will had refused to give up. Maybe that was why he started to whistle when he spied Charlie already waiting for him across Main Street. That was a good sign.

Charlie’s hands were buried in his jeans pockets. A bright tattoo covering his forearm attracted Will’s attention.
That’s new
. Sort of like Charlie Cramer, clean and sober, was new. Charlie Cramer, a brilliant baker and chef? Now, that was beyond new. That was brilliant, and Will was going to capitalize on it.

He hit the curb with pep in his step. “Thanks for meeting me.”

Charlie reached out with the tattooed arm and gave Will’s hand a hearty shake. “Why not? What have I got to lose by listening?”

“Smart man.” Will smacked his back. “But the real question is what have you got to gain?” Turning him around by the shoulder, they faced the derelict building a few doors down from the gleaming Harmony Falls Little Theatre, whose marquee still proclaimed the happy news about Justin and Alice’s wedding. “What do you think?”

“You don’t want to know,” Charlie said, shaking his head, hands still in his pockets.

“Come on. Use your imagination. Expect the same transformation your sister’s theatre underwent.”

Charlie looked in the direction of Alice’s theatre and shook his head again. “That took tons of cash.”

“Lucky for you, I know people with tons of cash who are interested in investing.”

Will led him inside where they talked specifics. On more than one occasion, Charlie smiled with his eyes, giving away his enthusiasm. And by the end of the meeting, Will was feeling pretty good about Operation Keep Charlie, too.

“I can’t make any promises.” Charlie shoved his hands back into his pockets. “I’m waiting on some news. My whole life is going to depend on that.”

Will knew the guy had demons, so he didn’t press the cryptic reply. Instead, he thanked Charlie for meeting him and set up another to go over a potential timeline and business plan. In Charlie’s words, what did he have to lose by listening?

With that squared away, Will moved on to the next thing on his list. “I have a favor to ask,” he said as they stepped onto the sidewalk and into the sunshine. “What do you know about deep dish pizza?”

Charlie shrugged. “Not much.”

“Could you make one?” Will asked, refusing to be deterred.

Charlie wrinkled his nose. “I can make anything.”

“Good, then I want to hire you to cater a romantic dinner for two.”

“With deep dish pizza on the menu?”

“Yep, also Chicago-style hot dogs.”

“I’m sensing a theme here.”

Definitely, but the theme wasn’t “Chicago.” No, the theme was “Everything you love about Chicago you can get here.” Silly? Probably. Overly simplistic? Absolutely. But it was all part of his grand plan, a plan that hinged on Valley Hospital.

Yesterday, Fran mentioned an expanded rehab unit and talk about a residency program. She’d heard word of it from a social worker friend. In Fran’s eyes, that meant more patients in need of long-term care. In Will’s eyes, that meant career opportunity beyond a rundown nursing home for Kory.

He wasn’t stupid. He knew neither Harmony Falls nor Rileyville could compete head-to-head with Chicago as far as career advancement was concerned, but there had to be more to offer her than a part-time gig as a nursing home’s resident physician. And if there was, maybe that something coupled with the other benefits of living in Harmony Falls, like being near her parents, her best friend…and dare he include him, would be enough to make her stay.
Maybe.

It was a very big maybe.

“Can you handle the dinner?” Will asked.

“Absolutely,” Charlie said without blinking. “Just let me know when you need me.”

The exact date would depend on Valley. If the news was good and hospital administration sounded receptive to discussing opportunities with Kory, then dinner would serve as the perfect time to tell her.

Slipping behind the wheel of his car, Will whistled again while thoughts of Kory rolled around in his head. As much as he’d been staying away from her at work in the spirit of giving her space, he craved a break from that self-imposed rule today. Seeing her on the heels of a successful meeting was one way to make this day even better.

Five minutes later, he pulled into a parking spot at Harmony Elder Care as an ambulance rolled up alongside him.
Exit or entrance?
He hadn’t heard a siren. Even so, he waited, watching from his car as the paramedics opened the double doors and used a lift to lower an occupied wheelchair. Will didn’t recognize the street-clothed man.

Another new admission
. He’d been keeping track of the numbers through Fran. Those extra hours Kory spent selling the patients and doctors at Valley Hospital on her merits and the merits of Harmony Falls Elder Care were paying off. But he didn’t know just how well they were paying off until he stepped into the lobby and was accosted by Fran.

“Full,” she mouthed. “We are full for the first time in three years.” She might not be Dr. Flemming’s biggest fan, but she had to admit this was impressive.

And for Will, it was all the more reason to keep Kory here.

• • •

Even though it wasn’t something a doctor was expected to do, Kory coached her father through range of motion exercises. She lifted his arm over his head, bent his elbow, and opened and closed his hand. ESPN played on the suspended television overhead.

“Sanders got traded,” Kory said, knowing that was one baseball player her father couldn’t stand.

Dad nodded, the skin around his eyes crinkling.

“I bet you’re happy about that.”

“Ah am.” The words were drawn out, but they sounded clearer every day. Or maybe Kory was just learning to understand him better.

She’d been spending a lot of her free time in here, trying to combat his depression. The sullen mood was to be expected, and she got to see firsthand how human interaction helped. When she was here, talking about things like Sanders, her father wasn’t alone, thinking about things like never walking again. And sometimes, that mattered more to his recovery than all the physical therapy sessions in the world.

Later in the day, Kory watched as her father prepared to attempt his first steps without the aid of a hemi walker. They’d been working towards this for a week. Kory didn’t know how she’d react if he failed. Hope strangled words of encouragement in her throat.

“Alright, Mr. Flemming. Let’s get you up and walking.” Bev tossed Kory a nervous smile as she helped him stand.

Really, it was amazing what positive progress could do. Bev heartily helping Kory with her father was inconceivable a few weeks ago.

And in the blink of an eye, her father was walking with assistance, but less assistance than before and without grumbles of pain.

“Naht bah for an ol mahn,” he said.

Kory blinked away premature tears, reminding herself they still had so far to go. It was clearer than ever he wouldn’t be roofing again, but he just might make it home.

“Not bad for an old man at all,” she said smiling.

He made it down the hall and back again, just in time for Will to turn the corner up ahead.

Kory’s eyes locked on the gorgeous man in the suit, and her pulse quickened. She’d seen him almost every night for the last week, but the familiarity didn’t dull her excitement over seeing him again. It also didn’t dull her worry over feeling that way, but she did a better job ignoring the worry than the excitement.

Will smiled at her, and then looked to her father. “What do we have here?”

Everyone was smiling now, and Kory only wished her mother wasn’t out for a late lunch today. This was something to see.

After Bev helped Kory return her father to his bed, Kory hurried to her office where Will was waiting. She couldn’t ever recall her heart feeling heavy in a good way, but it’d been happening a lot lately. She opened the door, stepped inside and found Will pushed back in her chair, feet resting on her desk.

“Make yourself comfortable why don’t you?” She felt the goofy grin on her face.

“I’d be more comfortable with you on my lap.” He patted his thigh in invitation.

She laughed. “No you wouldn’t. That chair is missing a bolt, and if you sit off balance, it tips.”

“Oh.” He dropped his feet to the floor and stood, pressing palms to the desk. “How’s this? Sturdy enough for two?” The desk shifted under the pressure. “Damn it. We need to get you usable furniture.”

“It is usable. For appropriate office activities,” she said, still laughing, head shaking.

He moved closer, backing her against the wall. “You mean this isn’t an appropriate office activity?” Smoothing hands over her breasts to her neck, he dropped his mouth to hers and kissed her until the rest of the world fell away.

Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Who knew how much time passed before he abandoned her mouth and nuzzled her ear. “You make me feel like being inappropriate,” he whispered.

She shuddered and dipped her fingers beneath the belted waistband of his dress pants. “Same here.”

“Then I’m ordering you better furniture.” He released her and stepped away, reaching for the closed door.

Kory stayed pressed against the wall, breathless and overheated. “You’re leaving?”

“It was only supposed to be a quick stop. I have work to do. So do you. But I’ll see you tonight.” He winked as he opened the door and walked away.

Kory couldn’t breathe. She clamped a hand around her throat and felt her heart beating there. What was he doing to her? This—whatever it was—was so much more than she wanted it to be. Like the dork she was, she checked her pulse. She was still trying to count straight when her office door opened and Will walked back in.

“Screw it. I’ll be late,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

And she made damn sure he was.

Afterwards, Kory’s breathing refused to regulate. She went about her business, trying desperately not to worry about what was happening between them, but it wasn’t easy. Every time she turned her head she smelled his fresh scent on her clothes, in her hair. She was obviously losing her mind, because hours later when she visited with a new admission, she tasted him on her lips. And driving home, with her mother sitting silently beside her, Kory could’ve sworn she heard his whisper on the wind.

Rolling up the window, she glanced at her mother. “What a day.”

Mom nodded. “I’ll make pork chops for dinner.”

It was so random, Kory laughed.

“What’s so funny about pork chops?”

“Nothing,” Kory said, laughing harder.

The right side of Kory’s face heated as she sensed her mother’s stare. She was probably wigged-out by the laughter, worried it meant Kory was happy. Here. In Harmony Falls. Where she wasn’t happy for some mysterious reason.

Kory bit back the laughter and waited for the lecture on returning to Chicago to begin.

“Thank you.”

Kory snapped her head around so hard she nearly ran the truck off the road. “For what?”

“For giving me back the man I married. I heard him laugh today for the first time in weeks. Just like you are now.”

Kory had blocked tears a few times today, but she couldn’t block these ones. A fat one slipped down her cheek, and she brushed it away. “Well, he’s not back yet. We still have a ways to go.”

“Kory, look at me.”

More tears fell, and she swiped her cheek again. “I can’t. I’m driving.”

Mom reached across the center seat and tugged Kory’s right hand from the wheel. “The progress he’s made is because of you. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

Kory held her breath, trying to prolong the unexpected, perfect moment. She felt wanted—needed—at home. All because of a laugh.

Mom didn’t say much more, but she held tight to Kory’s hand. As the silence dragged on, Kory’s thoughts became more and more convoluted. She was happy before, wasn’t she? Look at all she’d achieved on an elite and even national scale. How could she not be happy with that? But somehow, it didn’t compare to this day’s happiness. This day in Harmony Falls in a weathered—but at-capacity—nursing home with a bossy—but sexy—Will Mitchell and her imperfect—but supportive—parents by her side was…the happiest day of her life?

She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them quickly, refocusing on the road. No. She was tired. Overworked. Obsessed with her father’s recovery and the home’s bottom line. In this land of low-achievers and low-achievement, she was simply suffering from exaggerated joy at whatever remotely happy thing managed to occur despite her small town, dead-end surroundings.

Kory waited for that rationale to sink in. Waited for the relief. Instead she spent the rest of the ride home dodging hypothetical questions related to her staying in Harmony Falls.