Finding Pride (Pride Series) (21 page)

Todd looked over and noticed where Megan was looking. “Don’t mind them.” He took her arm and starting them up the stairs. “Small towns have big mouths.”

Dr. Stevens was a short thin man who looked at least a hundred and three. When Megan first walked in his office, she had expected a secretary or at least a waiting room. Instead they walked into a hallway and immediately to the right was a small office. Todd knocked on the open door and walked right in.

“Todd, my boy, come in come in. This must be Megan.” He said standing up and held out his left hand for a quick hand shake. He had thick gray hair, and thin rimmed glasses that slipped off his straight nose. “Well, come on back, my dear. Todd, you can wait here.” He pointed to a large blue couch. Todd smiled and gladly sat down.

Dr. Stevens showed her down the hall to the first dressing room. “You just have a seat in here.” He patted the large table. She hopped up on it, letting her legs swing. She felt like a small child all over again. She had plenty of trips to the doctor after her parent’s death, and plenty of hospital visits with Derek. Doctors and hospitals always made her nervous. She didn’t like explaining things, and doctors and nurses tend to ask a lot of questions.

“I hear we’re taking this thing off today,” he said looking at the cast. “Shouldn’t be too bad, any thing else? How are you physically? When was your last exam?” he said pulling out a chart and sitting at the small table.

“Oh, well. I had a complete physical before I left Boston. I’m feeling fine, just the cast.”

He wrote a few things down in the folder. “Because you can’t fill out these forms here, I’ll just do it for you. Will you be living here then?” he asked looking over his shoulder.

“Um, yes.”

“
Good, good. Who was your doctor in Boston?”

Megan listed off the doctor who had last examined her, handed over her insurance card, and finished answering basic questions. She noted not once did the old man ask how she broke her arm, or any other personal information. She liked him for that.

Todd sat in Dr. Steven’s office and looked around. The site was very familiar, as was the smell. It had been a while since he had needed to sit here.

He remembered sitting here, waiting for Sara during one of her many exams. He remembered thinking, their kids would grow up sitting here in this same office; Dr. Stevens would still be sitting behind his desk.

As the sadness grew a faint hope came into view. Megan walked in the door holding her right arm which was bare, cleaned and looking small and pale than the other one. She had a large smile on her face and a sucker in her mouth.

“I always wanted a doctor who really did give out suckers. You just don’t get that in the city.” She said twirling the sucker and smiling bigger at Dr. Stevens, who walked in and sat back at his desk.

“I know you had an exam in Boston, but when your paperwork gets here, I’d like to see you again.” He said writing something down in her file, not noticing how paler her face turned. “Now, take it easy, no heavy lifting with that arm. You might want to take some aspirin when you get home for any pain. I’ll give you a call when your files come in. You still have Matt’s number?” When Megan nodded he continued. “Good, we’ll see you then.”

Then he looked over at Todd. “Todd my boy, I was going through my files, and it appears you are in need of renewing your tetanus shot. Would you like to take care of that today?”

Megan’s smile got even bigger when she noticed the color leave his face.

“Um,” hhe started to say but before he could answer, Dr. Stevens said.

“Good. Come on back.” Then he disappeared out the door again.

“Like I said, good doctor.” Todd mumbled walking out the door with his head held low and Megan laughing at his back.

Spring was in full swing finally, the next days were relatively quiet. Every time she turned around, it seemed that there was always someone dropping in.

The photographer, Brad Stone, had dropped by one sunny day and taken loads of pictures. He was an older man, in his mid fifties; he had a full beard that was snow white. They had looked at them on her computer, and emailed off the best ones to the Internet Company. Brad had promised her prints of them in the mail for her fliers and brochures she was going to have printed.

The cabins were finished and Megan had begun decorating. The furniture that Matt had ordered had been perfect.
She had placed the light patterned furniture with light oak in the honeymoon cabin. The darker colored furniture in the other, and oak furniture fit in the rest. There had been simple kitchen tables and chairs that she really liked.

She had gone shopping with Allison and Lacey in Portland one day, getting everything from trash cans to bed linens. They’d even purchased shower curtains, towels, and window coverings for all the cabins. Everything matched what she had envisioned in each cabin. She enjoyed putting the small touches in each room with Lacey and Allison’s help.

Allison had dropped by several days in a row to sit and paint each of the cabins, and main house. She wouldn’t let Megan see them until she had finished them all. When she was done, there were five smaller paintings of each cabin, and a larger one of the house, each of them better than Megan could have hopped for. Allison promising to return each one framed.

The only items that remained left to do, was some of the outside yard work. She had planted flowers in the beds and they were all blooming beautifully. She had also taken some time to plant a small garden just below the deck off her own bedroom, so when she stood out she could see her vegetables growing.

Her arm was growing stronger everyday; she forced herself not to pamper it too much. She enjoyed her daily walks to the cabins, and most days even made the extra trek to the beach. But, most of all she enjoyed just having time to herself to do what she wanted, when she wanted.

While she was working hard in her garden trying to tackle the weeds, one evening, a small black Audi bumped up her driveway. Her smile widened when she saw Ric emerge.

“Hi.” She called, from the side of the house, shielding her eyes from the sun.

“Good afternoon.” He walked over to her. “You have a lovely spot here,” he said looking around. “I thought I would stop by after my meeting with Allison.”

“Oh,” Megan set down the small spade she’d been holding. “Let me pour you some tea, and you can tell me all about it.” She ushered him to the front porch where a cool pitcher and glasses sat on the table.

“It went very well,” he said taking the glass she offered. “She has signed on with an agent and I have a box load of paintings she will be shipping to me first thing tomorrow. I just wanted to come by and thank you personally. I believe Allison is the next greatest find. And I owe you more than I can repay.” He set the glass down on the table and picked up her hand, holding it in his. “Let me show you by taking you out to dinner tonight.”

“Oh, that’s really not necessary.” She began.

“Please. I wanted to talk with you further, about the possibility of you helping me out some more.” Leaving it at that, Ric thought he knew her curiosity would kick in.

“Um, well…”

“Good.” He jumped in, without waiting for her answer. “Now, where is a good place to eat around here?”

Half an hour later, Megan was seated at a small table for two facing the water at the Golden Oar. Ric was sitting across the dimly lit table; his attention was diverted to the art work momentarily. Megan could see the desire in his eyes, and then he blinked it away and smiled at her.

“
What’s good here?” he said picking up his menu.

“Everything. Todd’s family owns this place. Iian and Lacey, Todd’s brother and sister run it. Iian is an excellent chef.” Just then a small stout waitress walked over to take their orders.

How could she do this to him? Didn’t he show her patience? Hadn’t he taken a step back? Didn’t he make it clear to her that she was his? He looked out the small window in the back kitchen door and stared at the back of a man’s head, a man who was reaching over and holding Megan’s hand. He wanted to tear someone apart, and why not start with the blonde man sitting across the room. Opening the door a little harder than needed, he began to cross the large room.

When he was about half way to the table, Megan had spotted him. The fierce look in his eyes had her hand shaking in Ric’s.

Ric saw Megan tense and immediately went on defense. Dropping her hand, he stood and turned only to meet Todd’s angry stare. So, he thought, this is interesting, very interesting. Ric gave a little smile. Todd stopped dead in his tracks.

“Good afternoon Todd, Megan and I were just discussing some business. Would you care to join us?” Without giving Todd time to answer, Ric quickly asked a waitress for another chair.

“She was telling me that your family owns this lovely establishment.” He continued after they all sat back down. Todd looked a little confused. “I would love to know a little more about that lovely creature.” He ushered towards the large canvas that housed the mermaid, which sat above the fireplace.

Todd reached over before answering and grabbed Megan’s hand, it was cold and he could see a lost look in her eyes. He hadn’t meant to scare her, only the man who had been holding her hand. Rubbing his thumb over her cold flesh he gave Ric one of his empty smiles and answered.

“The Golden Oar has been in our family for generations. Everything that hangs in here is my grandmother’s work.” Todd looked around.

“
It’s exquisite work, I would love to get my hands on some of it.” Ric said sitting back down. “I’ve just come from meeting with Allison. We’re trying to set up a showing in my Los Angeles gallery next month.” Ric said over a cup of coffee.

“I offered Allison the apartment above my gallery in Los Angeles. It will be nice to have someone staying there, instead of the place collecting dust. It couldn’t hurt her work to have a little more experience and travel a little.”

“Allison’s moving?” Megan was sad at this news. She was just getting to know Allison and was sure she would miss the friendship.

“She’s giving it some thought. Her mother wants to sell the store and Allison is wanting to spread her wings. Her words not mine.” As Ric was talking, she could feel Todd relax.

An hour later, the laughter could be heard throughout the restaurant. Not only had Ric and Todd become fast friends, Megan could see that there was a truce there as well.

The evening ended on a high note for her. Todd had driven her home, and they sat on the porch swing watching the sun set.

“Have you ever been sailing?” Todd asked running his hand over her hair.

“No, do you sail?” she asked leaning into his shoulder more. He was warm and she loved the smell of him.

“Yes, how about tomorrow?” he said with a smile and leaned in for a quick kiss.

She was nervous for the first half hour out on the water, but after he let her take the helm, she relaxed and enjoyed the feel of the wind on her face.

He made sure to stay within sight of land, he showed her a group of sea lions sun bathing on large rocks near the point.

They stayed out on the water until after the sun went down, and they could see all the lights of town turning on. They sat a ways out from the shore and enjoyed a picnic dinner with the large moon overhead, and the town lights twinkling in the distance. She had never enjoyed a more relaxing and romantic day.

She felt bad about physically taking a step back in the relationship, but she was glad that he hadn’t pressured her in any way. She needed to trust herself around him.

She could tell that he was making a point to be extra careful not to pressure her. She actually believed that he was enjoying the game. Kissing her on her front porch when he dropped her off home for the evening. He’d even sent a small bouquet of flowers the next day with a note thanking her for a wonderful time, and saying he couldn’t wait to see her again.