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“Me, too. So far, so good.”
Willow closed her eyes and sighed heavily. “This has been a day for bad medical news.”
Alarmed, Noah asked, “Oh yeah? More than your mother? Not one of your kids, I hope?”
“Kids are fine.” Willow’s brief smile thanked him for his concern about her children. “They’re home with a babysitter. It’s their grandfather. He had a stroke, and he’s not doing well at all.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said.
“It’s been quite the day. I told my mother about my husband and his baby mama. She didn’t take it well, which is why she ended up in the ER.”
“Sounds like quite a story for quite a day. Want to go somewhere to tell me about it? I’ve wanted to talk to you. I owe you an apology for—”
“Noah, is that you?” a male voice said, interrupting.
Noah went stiff and still.
A second person said, “Hey, Noah Tannehill! Itisyou. Guys, look who’s here. I told everyone your family’s place was somewhere in this neck of the woods. Daniel brought me fishing around here one time.”
Noah closed his eyes at the sound of the two very familiar voices and wished himself a million miles away.
“I’ll be damned. What are the chances?” a third voice asked. “Noah. You’re looking good, man. How’s the leg?”
Like his brother always used to say, wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which fills up faster. Noah opened his eyes and tried to smile as he turned and faced a trio of men with whom he used to work. “Guys. Where’s Sanderson?” Noah asked, referring to the fourth member of their crew. “If you three are here, he can’t be far away.”
“He’s why we’re here. Dumbass broke his arm. He’s in the ER getting it set. Should be about done, we hope.”
Noah knew these men. Adrenaline junkies all. “Climbing accident? Flip a vehicle while off-roading? Bad hang-gliding landing?”
“No. We’ve come here to fish. Arrived last night. Staying out at a nice lodge on Mirror Lake. Raindrop Lodge. You know it? Anyway, Sanderson was putting gas in the car and tried to step over the hose and tripped.”
“Clumsy bastard.”
“He’s lucky he only broke his arm.”
“Enough about us.” The unmarried man in the group turned a flirtatious smile on Willow. “Who is this lovely lady?”
Noah reacted instinctively and placed a hand at the small of her back. “Willow, let me introduce you to Mark Stevens, Jason Brock, and Lyle Keene. I used to work with them. Guys, this is my friend Willow Eldridge. Her mother and aunt own the lodge where you’re staying.”
“Oh yeah?” Jason said. “Great place. We’re in the lodge rooms. They’re clean and comfortable and the food is great.”
Lyle nodded. “Next time we come, we’ll plan ahead and book early enough to score a couple of the cabins. Those look sweet.”
“They are sweet,” Willow said with a smile. “My children and I have been living in a cabin at Raindrop since we moved to Lake in the Clouds after Christmas. We’re getting our own place soon, but I know my kids will be sad to leave.”
Noah figured that was enough small talk, and he’d opened his mouth to say their good-byes when Mark plunged a knife into Noah’s heart by asking, “How are Daniel’s wife and daughter doing? I haven’t seen them since February when Cheryl asked me to fill in for Daniel at Maddie’s school’s daddy-daughter Valentine’s dance. I keep meaning to go by and visit, but you know how it gets. It’s a crazy time of year with Little League.”
Willow turned a curious look Noah’s way. He didn’t wantto talk about Daniel or Cheryl or especially Maddie to her or anyone. He attempted to fade the question by focusing on sports. “I know you’re busy with baseball, Mark. How is your older boy’s arm coming along? Has he made his mind up about staying behind the plate, or is he thinking about giving pitching a try after all?”
“He’s happy being a catcher.”
Jason observed, “I don’t see a cane, Noah. Does that mean you’re ready to come back to work?”
“Hot damn,” Lyle said, delight in his voice. “I didn’t even notice. Look at you. You look great.”
“You are coming back to work, aren’t you?” Mark asked. “We sure miss you.”
Noah suddenly had a boulder in his throat. If only they’d left the hospital five minutes earlier, this whole tableau could have been avoided. An awkward silence stretched until Willow’s hand slipped around his arm in silent support. Noah was able to say, “I, uh, haven’t been cleared yet.”
