Battling the Best Man: A Harmony Falls Novel, Book 2 (Crimson Romance) (21 page)

It’s about sacrifice and love so deep you give up what you want for the life and love of someone else.
Her words repeated in his head, until he couldn’t ignore the truth any longer.

He loved her. As clear as the blue sky bathing his office in unwanted sunshine, the thought roared through his head. Of course he loved her. Why else would he make concession after concession? Risk professional and personal sanity? And why wouldn’t he? He’d never given more of himself to anyone, yet he’d never felt more whole than when he was giving everything he had to her. Kory challenged him, humbled him, and respected him, and he wanted to do the same for her.

Imagine what we’d be capable of if we banded together
, she’d said back at the start of all this. They’d had the answer all along, and for all their combined smarts, they’d both been too dumb to see it.

He laughed like the sleep deprived, lunatic he was. The man who swore he didn’t want a female in his life other than his dog, not only wanted Kory Flemming, he needed her. Thinking back to the way Kory bolted from his house, he had a hunch she knew it too.

Dropping his face to his hands, he sighed. All these years spent bad-mouthing—relationships should’ve protected him from love, but they didn’t, and it sucked, because loving her didn’t magically solve anything. It only changed the intensity with which he wanted her.

He lifted his head, looking around his empty office, feeling restless beyond anything he’d ever known. He had to find her. Tell her. Make her admit she loved him too. It might not change her departure date, but at least when she left he’d have one less regret.

“William, that parking lot needs repainting.” He heard the voice before his mother blew into the office with Mark on her heels.

Yes, the yellow and white parking lines were faded, but Will could not have cared less. He had bigger concerns.

“I agree,” he said, strolling toward her and placing a kiss on her cheek. “While I’m gone, why don’t you and Mark make those arrangements?”

“Gone? What? I thought…”

He didn’t hear the rest. He was already out the door and jogging down the hall.

• • •

Kory washed lettuce while her mother chopped vegetables. It was a routine and rhythm she’d come to enjoy. But tonight’s ritual was solemn, with her mother keeping the conversation going.

“In your professional opinion, how long until he comes home?” Mom stopped chopping.

Kory shrugged. “Best case scenario? Another month. If he’s motivated.” She wouldn’t be here to oversee the motivation. Her father’s progress would partly depend on Lance. She grimaced and rubbed the heel of her hand at the ache in her breast.

“Well, he swung his legs over the side of the bed unassisted today.” Mom smiled. “That must count for something.”

“It does. It’s awesome,” Kory said, not feeling the magnitude of the word. She patted the romaine lettuce between paper towels and then looked up and out the kitchen window to the dogs racing across the yard. She couldn’t turn her back on this place completely. “Maybe the job won’t be quite ready for me when fellowship ends, and I can spend a couple weeks back here.”

“Maybe,” Mom said. The chopping quickened.

“That way I can keep a close eye on Dad, and push him if he’s slacking.”

“He would like that.” She reached across the sink, bumping Kory in the process. “I’d like that, too.”

Kory smiled, because it really was good to hear. “Then, I’ll make it work.” She hoped.

The start date for the assistant directorship was up in the air until the current director’s promotion was approved. With any luck, the approval wouldn’t come down until well after Kory finished fellowship. Then she could come home, see her parents, see Will…

“Are you going out tonight?” Mom asked.

It was a reasonable question. Kory had gone “out” most nights during the last several weeks, and she would be going out again tonight—just not to the usual place. She turned her head to hide her pained expression. There’d been no word from Will all day, not that she expected him to contact her after what happened between them last night. A clean break was probably better. Heck, he was moving on at a record pace, rehiring Lance less than twenty-four hours after she handed in her resignation. When she left the nursing home today, she actually thought staying in Harmony Falls was a possibility. Now, she wasn’t so sure. She wished something definitive would happen to help her decide. Until then, she was moving forward with her plan to return to fellowship.

Taking a nice deep breath, Kory staved off disappointment. “Alice called earlier and asked me to help assemble programs. Since she’s been volunteering at the nursing home for rec therapy, I figured it’s the least I can do.”

Mom nodded. “Sounds nice.”

Another sound caught Kory’s attention. Her phone vibrated against the countertop. She hopped toward it, mentally wishing for Will.

“Chicago,” she murmured, spying the area code.

It could be anyone really. She’d made so many phone calls over the last two days, trying to shore up the life and opportunities she’d left behind. At the moment, she didn’t feel like talking to any of them.

With the phone in hand and a constricting heart, she scrambled from the kitchen. “Hello?”

“Kory, it’s Brooks Warren. Sorry it’s taken me a couple days to return your call.”

Speaking of the directorship… Kory sucked some air into her nose to calm the pounding in her chest. She probably shouldn’t have sprinted to the living room. Sounding like a three-pack-a-day smoker wasn’t the best way to impress her future boss.

“No problem, Dr. Warren,” she said, managing to normalize her breathing. “You’re a busy man.” But sweat gathered beneath her hair on the back of her neck, making her squirm.

“That’s an understatement.” He inhaled nosily, and the sound had her holding her breath. “Listen, I realized the other day we haven’t talked since you left, and then I left.”

He left?
Her jaw dropped. He couldn’t leave. He was being promoted. She was going to fill the vacant spot that resulted from his promotion.

And suddenly, the rapid heartbeat and damp hairline took on a whole new meaning. It was as if her body had been trying to warn her something was amiss.

“I meant to call, before, during and after all hell broke loose, but starting a new job zaps all available energy,” he continued the horrifying conversation. “My profuse apologies. Not just for the delay in calling you, but because the timing didn’t work out for you. I talked to Lunderburn, and he told me about your leave of absence. I’m sorry about your dad, by the way. Anyhow, the good news is, you’re young. One of the current directors is bound to leave before you’re ready to retire.” He actually chuckled, like it was no big deal. “You’ll get your shot. In the meantime, you can go out there and spread your wings. Experience will only make you a better doctor.”

Inch by inch, as his words and their meaning seeped in, Kory dropped to the couch. There was no job waiting for her in Chicago. She had the fellowship—a fellowship she pursued to position herself for this particular position—but she didn’t have the job.

Now what?

When the call ended, Kory zombie-walked into the kitchen, where her mother put finishing touches on the dinner table.

“What?” Mom asked, dropping the silverware in a heap, coming to Kory’s side. “What’s wrong?”

“Everything.” But then she took her deepest breath since the call ended, filling her lungs to capacity with the soft, warm scent of dinner rolls.

She looked at her mother’s loving face. Losing that job didn’t mean she lost this. And two months ago, she’d come close to real loss—her father. But he was here. Losing that job didn’t mean she lost him, either. She gave her head an admonishing shake.

“What happened?”

As Kory relayed the conversation to her mother, losing the job hurt less and less, until she was breathing easier than she had in days. But why?

“I’m so sorry, baby.” Wrapping an arm around her waist, Mom pulled her in.

Kory shrugged, overwhelmed by the unexpected relief. “Hey, the good news is, two weeks home after fellowship is totally doable now.” She actually smiled.

While they ate, her mind raced. Why wasn’t she more upset over the news? She’d never lost a position to someone else. That alone should’ve devastated her.

The screen door clanged.

“I brought dessert,” said Aunt Jeanie, breezing into the kitchen with a strawberry pie in hand.

Mom stood and kissed her sister, taking the pie in the process. “Milt must be sad. You should’ve left it for him.”

Aunt Jeanie winked at Kory. “He’s on a diet.” And then she pulled out a chair and sat. “One is plenty. I made two.” She laughed.

Kory laughed, too. It was all so thoroughly confusing. She hadn’t laughed with the people she loved in months. One phone call, which demolition-balled her future, and she was cackling? Crazy.

Mom and Aunt Jeanie stared at her.

“What?” Kory asked, wiping sputters of wet from her lips. “The idea of Uncle Milt on a diet is hilarious.”

The sisters laughed and nodded in unison.

“It’s good to see you happy,” Mom said.

Was that what this was?
Kory simply smiled.

Listening to the women talk as they ate dessert and cleaned up, the truth became clear. Life in Chicago was no longer planned out before her. With the end of fellowship came freedom.
Freedom.
Had she ever really felt the full capacity of that word? She could apply for jobs anywhere in the world, and she could come home whenever she liked, because her parents wanted her here…because she wanted to be here…because everyone she loved was here.

Including Will.

Her chest pinched. She needed to tell him.

Will drove slowly, trying to get up enough courage to pull into the Flemming’s driveway and say what needed to be said—in front of Kory’s mother if need be. Because he was a grown ass man, not a coward.

Who knew three little words could reduce him to rubble? It would be over in a matter of seconds. Worst-case scenario she laughed in his face, which was nothing she hadn’t done before. Best-case scenario, she said she loved him, too. And she would stay.

Okay, that last part was enough wishful thinking to drain his courage again. But here was the thing…if Chicago was where she wanted to be, then he would consider being there, too.

“Final pass,” he growled as he rolled through the stop sign at the corner of Rural Route Ten and Baker Farm Road. If he didn’t make it into the driveway and out of the car this time, he was going home.

The minute he turned onto her road and didn’t see her father’s pickup truck parked next to the white farmhouse, a thick dread consumed him. Her mother didn’t drive, and her father wasn’t able, so the only other person who would drive the truck was Kory. But where? With as much ground as he’d covered, they should’ve crossed paths.

He pushed out of the car and across the lawn until he was standing at the front door, knocking. It was the principle of the thing. If she wasn’t here, she wasn’t here, but at least he didn’t chicken out.

The dogs howled, and he backed away.

Three steps off the porch, his phone rang.
Kory.
His heart slammed into his throat.

“Hello.” He wasn’t sure if he actually got the word out.

“Hi. Will, I need to see you.”

Man, did that sound good. His smile triggered some relief. “I need to see you, too. I’m in your driveway. Where are you?”

“The theatre. I’m helping Alice.”

He closed his eyes on a surge of disappointment. He did not want to have this conversation with his sister-in-law present. “When will you be home?”

She paused so long he could count his breaths. “Can you come here, Will? Please.”

The sound of her voice alone could’ve brought him to his knees. “I’m on my way.”

• • •

Kory hung up the phone and glared at Alice. “This is a crazy idea. I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”

“This is perfect,” Alice said, grinning and clapping like the queen of melodrama she was.

“He will never fall for it.”

“Yes, he will. If he’s half as messed up as Justin says he is, he won’t be thinking straight for months. I can convince him to do anything.”

Closing her eyes and shaking her head, Kory cursed her big mouth, wishing she had kept it shut when it came to what happened in the coat checkroom during Alice and Justin’s reception. If she had, Alice wouldn’t have been able to use the information to concoct this silly plan.

“I can’t do this,” Kory said. “It’s stupid.”

“You can, and you will.” Alice grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the theatre’s coat checkroom. “It’s a brilliant idea if I say so myself.”

“That’s because it’s your idea.” Kory groaned and smacked her free hand to her forehead. “He’s going to laugh at me.”

“Laughter is good. Let him laugh, because as soon as you say what you want to say, your mouths will be too busy for words.” She giggled.

Kory’s stomach heaved. She should’ve met him at his house, but Alice insisted a moment like this required pizazz.
Pizazz.
Kory didn’t do pizazz. “I’m going to be sick,” she said.

“No, you’re not. You’re going to be happy,” Alice said, opening the door and pushing Kory inside. “Sit in the corner and wait. As soon as he heads for this door, I’ll leave. I promise. Then you can have the whole place to yourself.” She winked.

“I am not having sex in your theatre.”

“Your loss.” She grinned, and then she blew Kory a kiss. “Good luck.”

Kory pressed fingers to her lips as the door started to close. She was definitely going to be sick.

Alice’s head reappeared. “Do you want a costume?”

“No,” Kory yelled, releasing a few nervous laughs in between breaths.

The door clicked shut and Kory slumped into the armchair. This really was nuts. All she wanted to do was tell Will there’d been a change of plans after fellowship. She didn’t have a job shored up in Chicago. She was free to do whatever she wanted to do. And loving him was on that list. Somehow things got all crazy, and she was now supposed to seduce him in a coat checkroom. Although after what she did to him on his couch, this was mundane.