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“That’s it, I guess.”
“Is this because of Mom? Is she putting the pressure on?”
His father twirled the ice in his glass and stared at the amber liquid. “She’s been convincing me that it’s the right choice,” he said slowly. “I have to hang up the stethoscope at some point, and I’m not getting any younger. Don’t want to be one of those old folks who save forever to finally enjoy life and then croak within days of being free to do so. And I have to be fair to your mom, too. She’s stood by me and my decisions all these years.”
Clyde always put his wife and family above all else, so there was no point in trying to talk him out of what had to be a difficult decision. “Well…congratulations, I guess. I’m sure the community will miss you and the practice.”
His father cleared his throat. “It would be an easier transition on everyone if you’d consider taking it over.”
Mitch’s stomach pitched and he frowned. “Take over your office?”
Clyde nodded, setting his glass aside. “It’s the logical thing to do. I’ve had offers on it, but no one I’d rather leave it to than you.”
Only one other time had his father approached him with a similar offer of working together at the practice, and Mitch had gently but firmly explained his own goals and visions for his future, and that had been the end of the discussion. His father had respected his choice. To say this was coming out of left field would be an understatement. “I sold my practice in L.A. because I wanted to travel, remember?”
“Yes, but that was seven years ago. I thought maybe it might be something you’d consider now? You’ve traveled all over the world, done some real good. Have you given any thought to settling down a little, staying in one place for a while? Maybe find someone to share your life with, start a family?”
Mitch’s eyes widened. “When have I ever expressed an interest in all of that?” He was almost forty, but he was far from wanting to settle down in any capacity. He’d never really considered marriage, enjoying the freedom of casual, no-strings attached relationships and he loved kids, but he wasn’t sure he wanted any of his own.
“I just thought you might if an opportunity like this presented itself,” his father said, failing to hide his disappointment.
Mitch shook his head, slightly annoyed that this opportunity had presented itself. Now, it was on him letting his father down, letting the community down by not wanting to continue the legacy he’d built here in Blue Moon Bay. Mitch had never felt familial obligation before and it irritated him that he was feeling it now.
“I’m not ready for anything like that yet, Dad. I’m still doing good work overseas even if things don’t always turn out the way we hope.” He knew that.
In his heart, despite the recent tragedies and disappointments, he wasn’t ready to walk away yet. Maybe after this last disastrous trip, he had to go back and prove to himself once again that there was a point and purpose to the direction his life had taken. A successful trip to restore his faith in his career and himself. Staying in Blue Moon Bay had never even been a consideration.
“I understand,” his father said without an ounce of resentment or pressure, which only made Mitch’s rejection feel even worse. “Just know the offer is there if you change your mind.”
Unfortunately, just knowing he had that option made Mitch want to skip out on the holidays in his hometown and get his ass back to reality—before any more unexpected surprises threatened to derail his own plans for his life.
Chapter Four
December 4th…21 Days Until Christmas…
“I suppose this isn’t the most unique idea for a dinner date around here,” Mitch said, gesturing toward the other picnicking couples as he spread a checkered blanket under a tree on a grassy area near the beach.
Jessica laughed and set down her wicker basket. “It’s perfect.” She’d actually been nervous about the idea of a dinner date with him. Blue Moon Bay loved new gossip, and with few dining options to choose from, they’d no doubt be spotted by someone they knew if they’d gone to a restaurant. Not that she was reluctant to be seen with Mitch, but it just felt nice keeping this attraction to herself for a while.
Besides, Mitch was only here for the holidays, so he’d probably only invited her out to keep himself busy while he was in town. She wouldn’t get ahead of herself, thinking her intense attraction to him was mutual.
“No matter how many oceans I see, this view is always the most special,” he said, removing his shoes and sitting on the blanket. He stretched his long legs out and crossed his bare feet at the ankles.
He had nice feet. Figures he couldn’t have the decency to have one obvious flaw, like ugly toes, that she could use to remind herself that they’d only spent a few hours together in her bakery the day before—she barely knew him. Yet, something about being with him felt eerily right. Natural.
“I love it, too,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine not having this right in my backyard.”
His sister, Lia, living in New York and pre-in-love Sarah could rave about city life all they wanted, but nothing could compare to beachside living for Jessica. Fast pace, hustle and bustle wasn’t her style. Her bakery was busy, but she controlled that schedule and when she needed a breather, she took one. Working for someone else, part of a bigger company wouldn’t offer that flexibility.
“You’ve lived here your whole life, right?” Mitch turned to look at her and the wind blew his dark hair across his forehead.
Jessica shoved her hands under her legs to resist the temptation to push it back. “Yes. My parents traveled a lot as antique appraisers, but they never took me with them, so other than a few trips into L.A. to visit Sarah, I’ve never been anywhere else.” Which made him that much more appealing to her. Just being near him, knowing the places he’d been, the adventures he must have experienced, brought out a sense of wanderlust in her that she didn’t feel often.
“That’s incredible,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine staying in one place that long. Before Lia was born, I’d been all over the world with my mom. Dad was always reluctant to take too much time away from the clinic, but Mom wanted me to experience different cultures from an early age, so we’d often go alone. I remember the school holding a conference with my parents after I’d missed too many weeks of class in grade two and my mom telling Mrs. Remy that I was getting a much better education by seeing the world than just reading about it in a book.”
“Really? How did that go over?” Ally Jameson had a reputation as being a bit of a firecracker in town. Very spirited and friendly, even if her holiday baking order was a source of nightmares.
“The teacher really couldn’t argue with Mom’s reasoning, so she based part of my grade on written reports about my travels,” Mitch said.
