Eggnog and Candy Canes: A Blueberry Springs Christmas Novella (2 page)

“Katie,” Nash said in his serious-doctor-melodrama voice. “Can we just drop it?”

“Drop what?” She glanced at his hands. So perfect. Clean. Strong. Deft. No wonder he was a good doctor, a good surgeon and likely a very good lover.

She returned her attention to his face so fast she just about gave herself vertigo. What was her problem today? Unused hormones lingering around, not realizing that having been dumped she simply didn’t need them messing with her? Because it had been two simple, carefree weeks and the hormones should just go away and never come back until she said it was safe.

Right now? Not safe.

“This.” He pointed to her chest, then his own. “Whatever invisible thing we’ve been fighting, let’s drop it and enjoy the next couple of days.”

Katie tried to form words.

He smiled as though confiding in her, and her knees weakened again. “We’re a good team, Katie. One of the best. Let’s rock it out of the park.”

They
were
a good team. Even though they were always fighting and trying to one-up and cut each other off. Well, no…that was mostly just her. Trying to take him down a notch. She couldn’t help it. She hated the fact that he always knew everything. And now he was telling her to get over it so they could be a team, because she was the one who always started it.

How embarrassingly immature of her—but only because he was totally calling her on it.

“We complement each other,” he continued. “You are incredibly organized and knowledgeable and I have always admired that.”

Katie sank against the wall. He was complimenting her? This wasn’t the first time he had, but it was the first time she’d actually listened and believed it to be true, not part of some overarching game. That was the difference. She’d been competing with him, but now he wanted a teammate.

However, you couldn’t always trust men, though. Take Will, for example. She’d bought him a five hundred dollar car stereo system, thinking she had to balance out an engagement ring. Now it turned out she was going to be one of many gracing the gift returns line in the city after the holidays. Couldn’t her ex at least hinted that he was leaning toward “I don’t” instead of “I do”?

“Now that there is no longer a conflict of interest between us, can we work together in harmony, Katie?”

She struggled to comprehend Nash’s words.

His coat brushed her Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer nursing scrubs. “Can we?”

“Um…” Her voice squeaked. “What conflict of interest?”

“I’m no longer stealing your best friend from your brother.”

Katie had to look away. Elephant in the room recognized and confirmed? Checkity-check-check-check.

It was true, though. She—and the majority of Blueberry Springs—hadn’t given him an easy time when he swept in and wooed Beth, while Katie’s brother, Oz, tried to get his life together so he could return to his soul mate.

“Friends?” Nash’s voice was low, hope evident in his sharp blue eyes. His wonderful shoulders were frozen, waiting for her to say yes and make things easy. Or crush him with a no.

How could she do that to a man like him?

Easy. She was Katie Reiter. He was Nash Leham.

However, she couldn’t. Not today. Call it a flash of holiday goodwill, or intoxication by a scent that should be outlawed around women who were on the rebound, but she nodded. She shook his hand, ignoring the zing that tore through her at his touch.

“Fine,” she said. “Friends. Nash. Dr. Leham.” Damn. Which side was she on now? This was confusing. “What
do
you want me to call you?”

“Nash is fine.” There was a hint of a rogue smile curving his lips, and Katie wondered if years ago he had, indeed, been intentionally, and with well-disguised gusto, volleying those shots back to her all those years ago. But most of all, if she was about to get slammed now that she’d temporarily let her guard down.

* * *

“I heard you were back, Nash Leham!” Liz crowed, cradling her left hand, which was well-bandaged. “How long this time?” She pushed Katie aside to give the doctor a half hug.

“You didn’t have to injure yourself to come see me,” Nash scolded, taking a seat near the gossip.

“Oh, you,” Liz said, blushing as she tapped Nash’s thigh with her good hand. Katie gaped in wonder. Liz? Blushing? Over Nash? Had to be the cologne. It had a wild and far-reaching effect.

Katie turned to him. “Weren’t you in favor of scent-free hospitals?”

Nash glanced away almost sheepishly. “I forgot. So!” he said brightly to Liz, who was preening her gray-streaked hair. “Let me guess…cut yourself preparing a Christmas Eve feast?”

“No, wait,” Katie interrupted. “That’s not something you would forget, Nash—Dr. Leham. Uh, Nash.” She turned to Liz for support. “Am I right or am I right?”

“She does have a point,” the reporter agreed.

“I wanted to smell good,” he muttered as he inspected Liz’s bandage. “Now about your hand.”

“Subsection 8.1.7.” Katie grinned, gleeful to have that one memorized. “You might also care to know that the penalty is a day’s pay.” Oh, she had him now.

“Upon second warning.”

Darn. Of course he had more memorized than she did.

The doctor returned his attention to the patient. “Brussels sprouts?”

“How did you know?”

“I’ve seen the way you cut them. This was bound to happen. Didn’t I tell you that?”

Liz looked contrite. “You did.”

Okay. This was weird. Not only had he changed, but he’d somehow dazzled Liz into liking him—a lot. And the professional shield he used to wear had been replaced by…warmth. Caring. He’d always cared, of course, but this…this was…Katie
liked
this.

But something was up. He wasn’t a man who
forgot
and wore cologne to work.

“Katie, could you pass me fresh gauze? The two-inch.” Nash had unwound Liz’s bandage and was waiting for Katie’s help. She flew into action, grabbing a stack of four-inch squares as well as antiseptic. She fumbled as she handed them to him.

“You okay?” he asked, setting down those supplies to reach for the ones he wanted.

“Right. Yes, of course.” She felt like a nurse on her first day, and could tell he was enjoying throwing her off guard. But instead of wanting to punch him or declare it “game on,” Katie eased her stool closer to him, curious to find out whatever else was different about him.

Was he still a big jerk?

Was he still single? What if he was married and had kids?

And why was disappointment igniting within her at the thought of him being happy with someone else?

They slowly fell into a quiet work rhythm where words weren’t required, while Liz nattered away, asking all the questions Katie wanted answers to.

Kids? No.

Married? No.

Seeing someone? No.

Still heartbroken over Beth? No.

Were they still actually friends? Yes.

Was he looking to start a new relationship? Yes.

Did he want Liz to hook him up with her niece, Nicola, who’d just moved to town? No.

Did he make management level in the city? Yes. (Come on, Liz. Everyone knew that.)

Liking the city? Missing Blueberry Springs.

Katie laughed, breaking their wordless working spell. “You miss Blueberry Springs? Yeah, right.”

Those icy blue eyes were on her again. “I did.”

“Why?” She didn’t mean to sound as if she was scoffing. But really, why would Mr. Fancy Management Pants want to come back
here
? What was there to miss for a person such as Nash, who was always looking for the next rung up the promotion ladder?

Those eyes. They kept staring at her. Poking. Delving. Finally, he said quietly, “I missed the people.”

Right. That wasn’t it. He was definitely up to something. She broke eye contact and began tidying up. “Keep your hand dry for at least forty-eight hours, Liz.”

Nash interrupted, taking over the dos and don’ts of suture care, leaving Katie biting her bottom lip to keep from telling him off.

“You two sure work nicely as a team,” Liz said when he finished his spiel. “Did you hear Katie and Will broke up? She’s single, you know.”

Nash gave Katie a glance out of the corner of his eye. “I heard, yes.”

“Katie has very good style. I think the two of you would make a fine couple.” Liz eyed her speculatively. “You’re looking trim, Katie. Volleyball? Or are you dieting? You know who is dieting? Jen Kulak.” She turned to Nash. “She’s the new nature guide who almost burned down the town.” Liz addressed Katie again. “I’m sure of it. She lost a lot of weight when she moved here a couple of years ago. But that’s good. When she gets pregnant it will be much easier to tell.” She laughed.

“Liz, did you need anything for the pain?” Katie began ushering her out of the room, her winter apparel bundled in her arms. “I heard there’s a storm coming, so you should likely head home while you can.”

“Not coming until tomorrow.” Liz pushed against Katie, angling herself to call out to Nash, who was escaping. “Let me know if you change your mind about my niece. You are a fine catch and it would be a shame for you not to pass on those genes, if you know what I’m saying?”

True that, sister.

Wow. Okay, Katie needed to go stick her head in a snowdrift. She’d officially…well, she wasn’t sure what, but it couldn’t be good.

“Thank you, Liz. I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.

Katie forced herself to keep from whipping around to see if Nash was serious. Why would he be considering Liz’s niece when, right in front of him, Katie herself had so much to offer—including a lovely, volleyball-toned body?

Puhlease.

Oh, what was her problem? She was relieved to be single. The last thing she needed right now was a man complicating her life.

She sighed. A man
would
be nice, though. Except for the part where they dump you, unexpectedly, in a humiliating heap. And then there was tidying up after them. Reminding them to fold their laundry. Clean their apartment. Buy new clothes. Get off the couch and live a little.

And anyway, she was on the brink of change. At least that’s what she kept telling herself. Any day, she was going to become an interior decorator. Any moment her life was going to change…

Right. And how was that going to happen if she never pulled up her lacy thong and got her butt cheeks in action in order to make it happen? That was why she was still working here as a nurse, feeling more worn-out than ever.

“How’s your dad?” Nash asked, startling Katie out of her thoughts. Liz had paused to chat with someone down the hall, and cast them a curious glance.

“Oh, um, fine.” Katie smiled and adjusted her scrubs. “Thanks.”

“His heart has been good?”

“Yes. Thanks.” That was the other thing holding her back: her father. Harvey Reiter had had a heart attack, literally, when Oz had told him he was quitting the Reiter and Son accounting business. Katie had scoffed at her brother for making a big deal about changing course and following his dreams. But now she kind of got it. It wasn’t easy.

She smoothed her tresses, touching her candy cane hair band, which helped keep in place the wisps that had fallen out of her ponytail.

“Your mom is well?” Nash asked, walking with her to the nurses’ station.

Katie crossed her arms. “Are you taking a course on how to be human? Why all the small talk?”

To her surprise, he laughed. “I’m glad you noticed.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Maybe AA? You have to make amends to all those you’ve wronged in the past?”

The space between them seemed to have disappeared. She could reach out, grab the stethoscope slung around his neck and pull him close. Really close. And then keep him there.

“Did I wrong you?” he asked quietly.

“No. Um, yes?” She was getting lost in his eyes. “Don’t you have pencils to line up in a row on someone’s desk or something?”

It was definitely too warm in here. The thermostat must be stuck. Either that or one of the continuing care patients had pilfered her keys to crank up the temperature in their nursing home as well as the rest of the ward again.

Liz sidled up to them and Katie, still unable to break eye contact with Nash, said, “Second thoughts on that Tylenol, Liz?”

“What are you two staring at?” the reporter asked.

Katie blinked, the spell broken. She leaped away from Nash, shooting him a dirty look.

“And here I thought you took all these holiday shifts to get away from your mother and her overexuberance with the festivities, Katie.” Liz laughed. “Mary Alice will be delighted to hear she was right.”

“About what?” Katie moved behind her station for protection.

Liz faced Nash. “Where are you staying?”

“What is Mary Alice right about?”
 
Katie pressed. The woman, Liz’s sister, held the title of the town’s biggest gossip, which was not an easy feat, seeing as Liz worked for the newspaper. But if she thought she was onto something in regards to her, Katie wanted to hear it first.

“Oh, I’m just making conversation.” Liz gave her a sweet smile that made her instantly suspicious. “Now where are you staying, Nash, dear?”

“The B and B.”

“How do you like the their decorating style?” Katie asked. The place had kitsch and dried flowers, and 1990s floral patterns on everything.

“It is one of a kind,” he replied with a small smile.

“My ride is here,” Liz said. “Nash, good luck. If you have time, stop by for a rum and eggnog or a meal. Hear me?”

“Thanks, Liz.”

“You bet, sugar plum.” With a wink, she was off.

“Are you alone for the holidays?” Katie asked.

Nash’s chin tipped up slightly as he studied her. “I already have an offer from Mary Alice, thank you.”

“Wait. You think I’m inviting you to spend it with
me
?”

“You mean to say that you would send me to Mary Alice’s, where you know I would be submitting myself to the gossip firing squad?”

“Um, yeah.”

“Katie, why do you hurt me so? I thought we agreed to be friends.”

There was a teasing twinkle in his eyes and Katie couldn’t quite seem to glance away. He had eased closer to lean against the wall beside her, causing her heart rate to increase as his soft cologne wafted her way. He smelled
good
. He was perfect in so many ways that Will wasn’t. And yeah, Nash wouldn’t ever write her sappy love notes like Will had, but…