“Who?” Danny knew well and good who she was referring to, but thought about playing this game a bit longer. Anything really, to prolong the gut punch he was trying to recover from. As the ache subsided, he righted himself and waited for the confusion on Martha’s face to lessen. He cocked his eyebrow and turned his head slightly to the side, as if to tell her he has no idea who or what she’s referring to.
“Ms. Franklin, the single woman who bought Java Hut. You spent the morning with her.”
“I did no such thing.”
Martha opened her mouth to protest but smiled instead. She waggled her finger at him. “Tricky. You almost had me there, Doc. You didn’t “spend” time together, right.” The air quotes almost made Danny laugh. What didn’t make him laugh, was the gossip. He knew Kelly would not appreciate this given their history.
“I stopped in for coffee and a muffin, like most people in town did this morning to help support a member of the community and a business. It’s what the people of Gray, North Carolina do.” Danny hoped this would suffice. Yet, as the features of her face changed, he knew it wouldn’t. He had called her ear
lier to check his schedule, and she would’ve assumed he had been surfing. Yet his hair was completely dry, and his van was missing. Well parked at the beach he hoped.
No, it was… he was sure of it — pretty sure anyway. Maybe? Since when does Dr. Weatherly forget anything?
“You stayed for coffee. Long after your muffin was gone. You sat there.”
“How do you know this?”
“I have my sources.” She sported a wicked little grin.
“I was thinking.”
“It took you four hours to think?”
He looked down at his watch to verify the time. He wasn’t sure what time he stepped into the café, but his usual morning surf lasted for about an hour or so. He calculated that he stepped foot in the Java Hut between eight and nine, and now it was almost noon. Had he really spent the entire morning sitting on that wrought iron chair, searching for a way to speak to Kelly? It seemed he had. “I had a lot on my mind.”
I apparently lost my mind…
He left her with those words as he made his way to his office. He shut the door as soon as he walked in, something he’s never done. Not that it did anything to deter Martha because it opened almost immediately. He looked at her, then his dog, who looked rather put off as he ambled to his bed.
“I’ve never seen you like this.”
“Like what?”
“Flustered over a woman.”
Danny sighed. He was flustered, in so many ways. He wanted to know more about her and what her life had become, but at the same time, he felt sorry for her because something had clearly happened to bring her back. From her last name alone, he knew she was married or at least used to be. The faint line on her ring finger indicated something had been there more recently. He hated thinking she had been hurt. He had done enough of that to her when they were teens and now all he could think about was how he could make her smile because she had the best smile. The kind that could melt your heart or make you weak in the knees.
He looked at his assistant and opened his mouth to tell her about Kelly but refrained. In due time, Martha would have everything figured out and right now he wanted to keep his high school romance back where it belonged.
In high school.
“I’m not flustered. I have a lot on my mind and used this morning to clear my thoughts. Nothing more.”
Martha set her hands on his desk and peered into his eyes. He tried his damnedest to hold her gaze, but he couldn’t do it. She was like his mother on steroids, trying to figure out if he’s lying. “I can see right through you, Doc. From what I hear she’s delightful, funny and beautiful. It’ll only be a matter of time before you’re kissing under the moonlight.” She left him to process her words while singing, ‘Danny and Ms. Franklin, kissing in a tree.’ He laughed and shook his head, while shaking the mouse of his computer to bring it to life. If Martha had only put the pieces together to realize who Kelly was, she’d know just how much her song held truth.
The good doctor opened a browser and typed Kelly Franklin into Google. Not one for social media, he figured this would be the best way to find out what she’d been up to. Of course, a link to Facebook popped up. He clicked and found nothing. The profile picture was of a bridge, while the rest of the page was blank, aside from her name. He tried Kelly Taft and Kelly Taft Franklin, all with the same results.
Nothing.
She was a mystery. Except she didn’t have to be. He could go back to Java Hut and demand she talk to him. He could ask her to dinner or invite her out for a stroll along the boardwalk. All things he knew she’d say no to. If he wanted to find out about Kelly, he was going to have to go to his sources, the Hudson’s. However, they weren’t friends, at least not since things went array with Kelly. Calling them out of the blue was completely out of the question. His only option was to call his best friend Neil and find out in a roundabout way what he knew about Kelly’s return. He picked up his phone and dialed.
“Neil Spencer.”
“Danny Weatherly,” he replied in kind.
“Sup, Doc.” Neil chuckled on the other end. The joke never got old and still made Danny smile.
“Thought we could hit a few rounds today. The sun’s out, the temperature’s calm and the tourists aren’t clogging up the back nine. Besides, I have the need to hit something.”