That’s what she wanted.
Something real.
Something permanent.
Now she sat on the town pier and looked out over the lake, where the windblown white caps ruffled the water, and gulls floated lazily on the air currents. Nearby, a little boy cried out in delight as he and his father caught a small fish, and reeled it in. Rachel watched as the father showed the boy how to carefully remove the hook, and then return the fish to the water where it could grow bigger.
Rachel closed her eyes and tipped her face up to the sun, listening to the sounds of people laughing, the water lapping at the pilings beneath her, and the gulls crying overhead. Suddenly, the thought of relocating to another large city held no appeal.
She realized she had no desire to go to California to start her own business.
She liked the feel of Glacier Creek, with its abundance of natural beauty, and its slower pace. She even liked how everyone in the small town seemed to know each other, as demonstrated by the many happy conversations she saw struck up on the sidewalks and in the shops. Sure, there were tourists, but even they seemed to be the kind who returned year after year, as they chatted with the shopkeepers and locals about what had changed since they’d last visited.
The alarm on her phone rang and she jerked upright, digging through her pocketbook until she found it, and turned it off. Shading the device with her hand, she peered at the display and realized today was Jamie’s appointment to have his cast removed at the VA hospital in Kalispell. She had no idea if he was even still in the area, but this might be her only opportunity to see him, if he did keep the appointment. If she left right now, she might just catch him.
She made her way quickly back to the parking lot, determined to be at the hospital early. If Jamie did show up, nothing would prevent her from talking to him, and telling him how she felt. She’d made a mistake the other day, but she finally knew what she wanted and where she belonged, and that was with him.
If he would still have her.
With her heart thudding hard in her chest, she drove the van to the Kalispell veterans’ hospital and parked beneath some shady trees, with a clear view of the entrance. The hospital was small, and the only other entrance was for the emergency room. If Jamie kept his appointment, this was the entrance he would use. Blowing out a hard breath, she put the windows down to take advantage of the breeze, and fixed her eyes on the entry.
More than an hour later, she decided he must have left Glacier Creek and canceled his appointment, when he suddenly walked through the front doors of the hospital. His cast was gone, and in its place he wore a knee-high boot made of plastic and foam. He still used crutches, and he had his head down as he made his way through the entry, before turning toward the far side of the parking lot.
Rachel devoured the sight of him, noting every small detail of his appearance. Quickly, she climbed out of the van and was just about to cross the distance between them, when someone called his name.
Jamie stopped, and so did Rachel. She watched as a woman came out of the hospital behind Jamie, hurrying to catch up with him. She was young, probably no older than Jamie. She had a fabulous figure and thick auburn hair pulled back in a messy bun. She wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses, but instead of making her look bookish, they only served to give her a sexy-librarian look.
Rachel frowned. She was too far away to hear what the woman was saying, but clearly they knew each other. Did the woman work at the hospital? Was she a friend?
She waited, half expecting the woman to turn and go back inside, but instead she remained on the sidewalk, talking earnestly to Jamie as he listened and nodded. Then, as Rachel watched, she reached out and cupped Jamie’s face, dipping her head to look into his eyes as she talked. It seemed to Rachel she was pleading with him. Then, almost convulsively, Jamie pulled her into his arms and hugged her hard as he buried his face in the curve of her shoulder, unheeding of the crutches that fell to the ground.
Too shocked to do anything more than stare, Rachel stood rooted beside the van, feeling her heart drop into her stomach. After a moment, the two broke apart and the woman bent to retrieve his crutches. She said something that made Jamie laugh, and hot jealousy consumed Rachel.
She watched as they turned and made their way across the parking lot. The woman kept one hand on Jamie’s back, and even from where she stood, Rachel could see her rubbing between his shoulder blades, until finally they both climbed into a vehicle and were gone.
Rachel sagged against the van, stunned.
Who the hell was the other woman? Was she involved with Jamie? Was Jamie staying with her? Was she from Glacier Creek?
It occurred to Rachel that if she had been thinking straight, she might have been able to follow their car and discover where Jamie was staying. In the next instant, she felt a little sick to her stomach. Whatever she might be, she was not a stalker. She’d lost everything, but she still had her pride. If Jamie had already moved on, then she’d misread him—he wasn’t ready for a serious commitment.