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“Yep,” I answer simply.
“Now that is a perfect leg. You’ve healed as expected and shouldn’t experience any long-term effects from the small fracture.”
“Thank you.”
He lingers well after clearing my physical wellness, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“Now we can finally go on that date you promised me.” His tone is casual, and his smile is bright…but I never promised him anything.
“Oh gosh, I remember you asking me to dinner the night of the accident. I’m sorry I never gave you a firm answer when I said I’d think about it. The truth is, it’s a very nice offer, but I’m not over my ex. You met him, Marcus, Harmony’s Dad. We’ve recently started seeing each other again.”
His casual smile falls, and his brows furrow. Suddenly a look of anger flashes across his face, but he quickly looks to the floor.
“Well then. I wish you both the best.” Then he clears his throat and finally meets my eyes. “I hope we can still be friends.”
“Um, sure. I will always be polite, Dr. Williams. Thank you again for helping me get back on my feet.”
His jaw ticks when I say politely, but he straightens his back, seeming to go back into professional mode.
He washes his hands, and I slip into my shoes.
“Take care,” I say, and with a wave to his back, I make my way out as fast as possible, which isn’t too bad with this newly healed foot.
I meet my mom in the waiting room, and we head out to the car. On the drive home, I keep thinking that I’ve never felt uncomfortable around Dr. Williams before, but I could tell he didn’t like being turned down. Taking a deep breath and turning up the radio, I check my messages.
Marcus: Dinner is being catered by Lyla. Mac and Cheese, burgers, sweet potato fries, and fried pickles.
Harmony’s favorite. Tonight’s a big night, and he’s buttering her up. It’s sweet that he’s nervous, but I have a good feeling about her reaction. I think she’ll be thrilled and say something snarky.
Me: Sounds amazing. Tonight is going to be perfect.
* * *
When I get home,I’m greeted with a big hug.
“Missed you, mama bear.”
“Missed you too, baby bear. Happy to be home.”
“Where’s Grandma?”
“She needed to get back to Grandpa Dean. He was missing her. But she told me to tell you that she will be here bright and early to take you to the beach.”
“Yay! Do I get to go in the RV?”
“Yeah, sure.” I laugh at her priorities.
“Hey you,” Marcus says, coming around the corner, slinging a kitchen towel over his shoulder. His black dress pants hug his thick muscular thighs, and I enjoy watching him as he moves in to hug me. We keep it innocent, but our smiles are sly and knowing.
We’ve always been a close family. Even though Marcus and I haven’t been a couple, we co-parent seamlessly, but it’s incredible how easy it is to get along with someone you’ve always been in love with.
“Dinner is ready, ladies.”
“It smells so good.” Harmony and I say in unison. We are fortunate to know Lyla, who is a world-renowned chef and loves to show her love with food. Very few people know that she loves to cook so much because when she was younger, her mom was too busy to even cook for her. My friend is amazing and beat the odds not only growing up, where she put herself through culinary school, but when she thought she had lost everything a couple of years ago, she rebuilt her reputation and settled back home here in sunny San Diego. I hardly ever cook, and when I do, it’s usually one of Mom’s classic crock pot meals, which Lyla’s better at making. But her cooking for my family now and then is a treat because I’m more than happy to eat her exquisite meals. Hell, I eat lunch or breakfast at her small eatery downtown. The beloved record store she restored and flipped into a place of her own.
The kitchen table is set with my navy-blue runner and plastic eucalyptus and a feast for three that squeezes my heart. This is one of those moments I’ll never forget. It might be a little thing to most, but this means so much to me, and I know it must be the same for Harmony because it’s been just the two of us for so long. If it wasn’t the two of us, it was the two of them, and now we’re going to put our pieces back together. Tonight is a night that our lives as we know it will change …for the better.
“Slow down, champ,” Marcus tells his daughter as she chews on a huge bite of delicious macaroni and cheese. We all have a good laugh as it drips down her chin.
