Finding the Way Back (Book 1 in the Forgiving Hearts Trilogy) (4 page)

“Do all of you work different shifts?”

“It would be a nightmare if we didn’t.” He leaned against the door and crossed his arms. “When can I see you again?”

Tilting her head to the side, she eyed him speculatively. “Well, I have a Bible study tomorrow evening with the singles group at church; you’re welcome to come along.”

“I’d love to. With my schedule, I find it difficult to get to church as often as I’d like.”

“Can you be here by six-thirty?”

“I should be finished by then.” He reached for her hand and lightly kissed her fingers. “See you later on today.”

“Goodnight, Colton.”

Laurel closed the door on his departing figure. A dreamy smile passed over her face as she remembered what had happened earlier in the kitchen. Juliet had been wrong again; Colton definitely hadn’t forgotten how to kiss.

* * * *

The next few days had a surreal quality that Laurel would remember years afterward. The more time she spent with Colton, the more she liked him. Everything he did reinforced her initial opinion of him as a thoughtful, caring person.

Their shared faith in God was a particular source of happiness. So many guys she dated in the past only went to church with her because they thought it was expected. They weren’t interested in talking about God any other time.

Colton was refreshingly different. He didn’t go on and on about his beliefs, but when asked, he wasn’t reluctant to share. He didn’t try to impress her by pretending to know all the answers. He readily confessed his confusion about certain passages in the Bible. On most issues of importance, they were in agreement.

Their relationship was moving quickly from friendship to something warmer and more serious. Laurel knew she couldn’t let things go any further without showing him what she purposely kept hidden from everyone except her family.
Would he still find her attractive once he knew?
If he liked her as much as his words and actions indicated, she didn’t have anything to worry about. If he didn’t, she was better off knowing. His rejection would hurt, but she’d be able to recover – at least she hoped so. She knew in her heart she’d never cared so deeply about anyone else.

This last day together was her opportunity to speak to him. Tomorrow, he would be pulled back into a hectic schedule where they might go days or weeks without being able to spend time together. She knew him to be a compassionate man; he would never hurt anyone intentionally. What she didn’t need from him was pity; Laurel wanted his acceptance.

* * * *

As she locked the door of her classroom, Laurel felt Colton’s presence seconds before his hands settled at her waist. He kissed the sensitive spot just beneath her ear.

“You smell like strawberries,” he whispered.

She turned around in his arms. “It’s actually sweet pea.”

“Whatever is it, don’t stop wearing it,” Colton murmured as he trailed a line of light kisses from her ear to her lips.

Laurel laughed and put a hand on his chest. “Will you behave? At least until we’re somewhere more appropriate.”

His gorgeous eyes twinkled with amusement. “Is that a promise? If we go to my apartment, we could be alone for at least an hour.”

“And what would we do for an hour, Dr. Samuels?”

He grinned teasingly. “Anything I could talk you into.”

“Which you and I both know won’t be any more than what we’re doing now.”

“Am I complaining? I could do this forever.” He slid the loaded bag off her shoulder, but made no move to leave the building. “This week has gone by too fast. I miss you already.”

“You talk as if you’re going away.”

Colton took her hand and started walking down the hallway. “I might as well be. The last few months of my residency are going to be brutal. I’ll have so little time to be with you.”

She linked her fingers through his. “I’ll take whatever time you have.”

He smiled wryly. “I got a look at my schedule; I suggest we make the most of today.”

“What do you want to do?”

“We could drive to Folly Beach and walk around. At this time of day, it shouldn’t be too crowded.”

“I’d like that, but first let’s go to your apartment.”

Colton threw her a shocked glance. “It’s not nice to play around with my emotions like that.”

“This is serious. There’s something you need to know about me.”

He squeezed the hand he held. “Whatever it is, it won’t make any difference.”

“You don’t know what it is yet.”

“I’m telling you; it won’t matter.”

* * * *

Laurel hugged those words tightly around her heart. She repeated them over and over as they drove the short distance to his apartment. Only by doing so could she blot out the memories of the shocked expressions and hurtful words of others.

Colton ushered her through the door and down a short hallway into the living room. When she stepped toward a chair, he steered her to the couch and dropped down beside her.

“Can I get you anything?” he asked.

“No, I just want to get this over with,” she admitted.

He smiled encouragingly. “Go ahead whenever you’re ready.”

With a final glance at him, she stared unseeingly at the beige carpeting. “You’ve probably noticed I don’t wear shorts. This is why.” She slowly lifted her skirt. Just above her knee was a large section of raised, reddened skin covering most of her thigh. “It’s a capillary vascular malformation.” Laurel couldn’t look at him – couldn’t bear to see his face change from admiration to disgust. When he didn’t say anything, tears pricked her eyelids.
Was it always going to be this way?

In a daze of pain, she saw him get down on his knees in front of her. Shock held her silent as she watched Colton bend down and gently kiss the puckered skin. A flood of conflicting emotions ran through her. Before he could stop her, Laurel jerked her skirt down. “What are you doing?” she asked hoarsely as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Showing you that it doesn’t matter,” he answered calmly.

Her eyes searched his face in disbelief. “How can you bear to touch it? It’s awful and ugly.”

Colton clasped her restless hands. “Laurel, listen to me. Nothing about you is awful and ugly. A birthmark doesn’t make you any less beautiful or desirable.”

She bit down on her trembling lips. “That’s not the only one. I have another larger one on my stomach and lower back.”

He smiled faintly as he rejoined her on the couch. “Well, I can’t kiss that one, but I can assure you, it doesn’t matter either.” As he drew her into his arms, he said, “I appreciate you showing me; what I dislike is that you were so worried about it.”

She turned her face into his shoulder. “This is something I struggle with. I want to believe it’s not a big deal, but to many people it is. It’s hard to ignore the stares and sideways glances.”

Colton brushed his lips against her hair. “I understand, Laurel, and I want you to know you don’t have to hide anything from me. I find everything about you adorable.”

“Really?” she asked in a muffled voice.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked softly as he kissed away her tears.

She traced the lean line of his jaw. “You’re the first person who’s ever touched it – other than my family and my doctor.”

“I certainly hope so. I don’t like to think there are other people around who’ve kissed your leg.”

Over the sound of her laughter, they heard what sounded like a door closing. Laurel quickly moved off his lap. “That was close,” she said with a smile.

Colton chuckled. “You shouldn’t have bothered. Your blush will tell him exactly what we were doing.”

A few seconds later Ben strolled into the room. An amused grin spread across his tired features. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

Colton stood up and pulled Laurel to her feet. “Ben Donaldson meet Laurel Mills.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Laurel. I’m sorry for barging in on you two like this.”

Her cheeks turned an even deeper red. “Oh, that’s okay.”

“We were actually on our way out,” Colton added. “We’re going to Folly Beach.”

Ben nodded. “I’m going to bed. I’ve been on for twenty-three hours straight.”

After Ben disappeared down the hall, Colton said, “We might as well go. David will be coming in soon, and his girlfriend with be with him. I didn’t know when we let him rent the extra bedroom that she’d be living here, too.”

“Isn’t that awkward?”

“Awkward is an understatement. He and I are going to have a talk about that.”

“Will he be reasonable?”

“It’s my name on the lease. If he can’t abide by some simple rules, he can find somewhere else to live.”

“This is why I live at home.”

He ushered her out the door and onto the sidewalk. “I hope it won’t be long before I meet your parents.”

“They’re going to love you. You’re a man any woman would be proud to introduce to her parents.”

A definite flush entered his face. “I hope I’ll always be the kind of man you can be proud of.”

Before she got into the car, Laurel leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I know you will. You’re a good man, Colton Samuels.”

* * * *

Colton hadn’t been exaggerating when he told Laurel his free time would be seriously limited once his break was over. Four days passed before they were able to see each other and even then it was only for an hour. They met at a deli close to the hospital, and although his eyes lit up when she walked through the door, she sensed his fatigue and preoccupation.

For the first time in their short acquaintance, she didn’t have his undivided attention. His mind was with the patients he’d seen and the rounds he still had to make. If their relationship progressed as she hoped, this was a part of his life she couldn’t share. A doctor was never completely separated from his profession. This was who Colton was, and it defined many things about him that she admired.

As she drove home, his goodbye kiss still warm on her lips, Laurel began to understand what a relationship with Colton would involve. There would be many times when he wouldn’t be available to her. She would either have to accept that or move on.

Her father was fertilizing the lawn when she pulled into the driveway. It was nice to have her parents back. They’d returned from their trip to Florida relaxed and tan.

“Need any help?” she called out to him as she retrieved her case from the back seat of the car.

It was a running joke in the family to ask this question. The yard was her father’s pride and joy; no one mowed the grass, weeded the garden or trimmed a bush except him.

“When have I needed your help? Get into the house and see if you can calm your mother down.”

“Did the dishwasher flood the kitchen again?”

“No, but something has her excited.”

Laurel shook her head as she walked into the house. She found her mother in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee. On the table behind her was a tall crystal vase overflowing with pink roses.

“Wow! Is Dad saying it with flowers?” she asked with a laugh in her voice.

“Your father didn’t send them. They’re for you.”

“For me? Really? Is there a card?”

Her mother held out her hand. Laurel took it from her, a delightful smile forming on her lips as she read the words.
Thank you for eight wonderful days! Colton.
Tears blurred her vision. As busy as he was, Colton had taken the time to send her flowers. She pulled one of the roses out and rubbed it back and forth against her cheek.

“What’s been going on while we were gone? You never mentioned you were seeing someone.”

Laurel dragged her eyes from the roses. “Just a minute, Mom, and I’ll tell you everything. Right now I need to take care of something.” She darted out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her room. There was no way to know when Colton would get her text, but she had to let him know how much she appreciated the flowers.

Over dinner, she told her parents how she met Colton. They were relieved to know he was a Christian and suitably impressed by his being in medical school. “As soon as he can get a night off, I’ll ask him to drop by,” she told them.

Laurel’s mother smiled. “You’re not usually so anxious for us to meet your boyfriends.”

“Colton isn’t like anyone else I’ve ever dated.”

Her parents exchanged an amused glance and then her father said, “Considering some of the guys you’ve gone out with, this should be interesting. I can’t wait to meet him.”

Laurel slapped at him with her napkin. “Okay, so I’ve dated a few losers. The good ones aren’t that easy to find.”

Once the meal was over and the dishwasher loaded, Laurel drifted out to the porch. The stack of quizzes to be graded would have to wait. As she watched the stars slowly make their appearance in the night sky, she marveled at how quickly her life had changed. In a matter of days, Colton had gone from being a chance acquaintance at a wedding to someone special.
Had her prayers been answered at last? Was he the one?