Mend Read online

  4

  Evie

  “Ms. Bailey,” the nurse calls out.

  I’ve been flipping through an old copy of Ladies’ Home Journal magazine, with Jack’s T-shirt pressed against my head, for the last hour as Evan clicked away on his phone. My ass is numb from sitting in the waiting room for so long. My legs hurt, my head aches, and I’m a complete mess by the time it’s my turn to go back.

  I don’t even remember the pages I’ve just browsed through. The whole time I sat here, all I could think about was Jack.

  The way it felt when we touched. The way his voice traveled over my body, caressing every nerve. I’ve been on edge, drowning in the memories of who we used to be. I can’t help but wonder what kind of man he has become.

  Evan grabs my hand to steady me when my legs almost give out. “Want me to come?” he asks.

  “Yes. Please.”

  I begged him to put a Band-Aid on it to see if it would stop bleeding on its own, but Evan refused. I’ve never liked needles and have gone out of my way to avoid them, but Evan isn’t having any of it.

  He holds my hand as we follow the nurse down the beige hallway. I try not to fidget when every part of my body wants to run in the opposite direction.

  “Wait in here,” she says, pushing open the last door on the right. “The doctor will be with you shortly.” Her gaze lingers on Evan for a moment before she leaves us alone.

  “So…” Evan peers up at me from the chair against the wall as I climb onto the exam table. “Jack.”

  I start to hum, ignoring the topic he’s been dying to ask me about since we arrived. The waiting room was too busy for him to pry, but now that we’re alone, he’s going to pester me. I kick my feet against the bottom of the table and keep humming, staring down at the floor.

  “Evie,” he presses.

  I sigh loudly and finally look in his direction. “I don’t want to talk about him.”

  “We’re going to talk about him. You said he was handsome, but you never told me he was the hottest man on Earth.”

  “He’s not all that, Ev,” I say, somehow keeping a straight face.

  Evan rolls his eyes. “Please tell me he has a micropeen.”

  “I needed a microscope to find it.” I nod, but heat creeps into my cheeks as I remember the beauty that is Jack Nelson’s dick. Even after six years, I haven’t forgotten one delectable inch.

  “You’re an asshole.”

  We laugh until there’s a knock on the door, and I straighten, fear seeping into my bones.

  “Ms. Bailey,” the doctor greets me, stepping into the room as he stares down at a clipboard.

  “That’s me.” My gaze slides to Evan, and I give him an awkward fake smile. I’m so nervous, and my feet are moving so fast that I’m practically running in midair.

  Evan’s busy checking out the doctor, appraising his features like he does with every man we come across. He’s become thoroughly impressed with the “stock,” as he calls it, of Ridge Hollow.

  He has a thing for country boys.

  The doctor glances up and gives me a small smile before looking down at the paperwork again. “I see you’re here because you hit your head.”

  “Yep.” I gnaw on the inside of my cheek and start to rock back and forth.

  The doctor isn’t much older than I am, and I can’t imagine he’s been out of medical school for very long. I was hoping for someone more mature with a little more experience under his belt.

  I should’ve let Evan take me to see Dr. Carlyle. We’d already be home by now, but I couldn’t risk running into Jack again.

  Now I’m paying the price with a kid to sew up my head.

  “Let’s have a look.” The doctor tosses the clipboard onto the counter near Evan, finally catching sight of him. “Oh. Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

  “It’s okay. Good things come to those who wait.” Evan gives him a playful smirk.

  Dr. Baylor, at least that’s what is embroidered on his coat, smiles and gives Evan a once-over. “It’s smart that you brought your wife in today.”

  Way to not be obvious, Doc.

  “She’s not my wife,” Evan assures him.

  Evan says he has the best gaydar in the world. He could pick a gay guy out of a crowd, and even though I didn’t believe it at first, time after time, he has shown off his skills. Never in a million years would I have figured Dr. Baylor to be gay within the first thirty seconds of meeting him, but somehow, Evan did.

  “Good to know.” Dr. Baylor smiles at him again before finally directing his gaze at me, the patient in need of his attention. “What did you run into?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  I’m too embarrassed to answer honestly because who runs into a giant parade float…? Me.

  People do stupid things every day. I’m no different. Not all of them do it in quite the same manner I did or with as much public interest as I did it. It’s my luck, though. When in doubt, find a large object and run straight into it.

  “She ran into a parade float.” Evan finds it too hysterical not to share, even at my expense.

  I shoot a glare at him that wipes the playful smirk from his face.

  “That takes skill.”

  “That’s my girl,” Evan says cheerfully and comes to stand next to me.

  “May I?” Dr. Baylor asks, standing in front of me, with his white latex gloves ready to work their magic.

  I nod and close my eyes as his fingers part my hair, exposing the reason I’m here. “Do I need stitches?”

  “Looks like you’ll need a few so it doesn’t bust open and cause problems later.”

  I groan. I’m angry with myself. Only I would run right into a giant two-story float that is larger than most houses.

  “You can lie back, and I’ll get everything ready to stitch you up.” Dr. Baylor rests his hand on my knees to stop me from denting the table underneath as my feet continue to move.

  I hesitate long enough for Evan to say, “Girl, if you don’t, I will.”

  “Shut up, Evan.” I smile up at Dr. Baylor. “I’m sorry for his behavior.”

  His lips twitch. “No apologies needed.”

  When Dr. Baylor turns to leave, he and Evan give each other a look I can’t quite describe before he walks out.

  “That man is fine,” Evan says as soon as the door closes.

  “We’re here for my head, not yours.” I refrain from smacking his chest.

  “Haven’t you learned yet? It’s always about me, Evie.” Evan laughs as he stands and places his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t blow this for me.”

  “How will I blow it? You do a pretty bang-up job of that on your own.”

  “Don’t freak out.”

  “Evan, why don’t you let him put a needle in your head and stay calm?”

  “I can handle it. I’m a pretty tough guy.” He keeps a straight face through his bullshit lie. “The man can poke me anywhere, and I wouldn’t flinch.”

  “Um.” I tilt my head, remembering him crying the last time he had a hangnail. “I remember…”

  “Shh.” He places his finger over my lips. “You have a head injury.”

  “So?” I mutter and narrow my gaze.

  Our bickering is interrupted when Dr. Baylor returns with so many instruments that he needs a tray to carry them. “Here we go.”

  I close my eyes and bite my lip to stop the curses that are on the tip of my tongue.

  Evan’s hands grip my shoulders again. “Want me to hold your hand?”

  Evan moves around to the side of the table opposite Dr. Baylor. “You don’t mind, Doc, do you?”

  “Not at all.”

  Drifting backward, I stare up at the ceiling and grab on to Evan’s hand.

  I glance at Dr. Baylor as he preps the instruments, but I avoid looking at the needles because I know I’ll run out of here immediately. The sight of them terrifies me.

  The doctor has a bit of bulk underneath his lab coat, which I assume is muscle, and his neck
is thick, almost as wide as his head. His mouth is his best asset—perfect lips with the straightest white teeth I’ve ever seen. But the rest of him is rugged and right up Evan’s alley.

  Evan and Dr. Baylor are both handsome, just in different ways. Evan has a polish to him like he stepped out of the latest issue of GQ. His deep blue eyes, olive skin, and dark, wavy hair make him drop-dead gorgeous.

  Dr. Baylor moves the instrument tray closer to me before I have a chance to look away. A glimpse of the needles and I tense.

  “Close your eyes. It’ll be quick,” he promises.

  I squeeze my eyes shut and grip Evan’s hand so tightly that I probably cut off the circulation to his fingers. The prick of the numbing needle is the worst, and I wince through the entire thing, but I manage not to cry.

  Instead of concentrating on the fact that he’s about to sew up my head, I think about Jack and the moment I saw him and zone out.

  He’s the perfect distraction, even if thinking about him probably hurts worse than the stitches.

  “Three stitches should do it.” He snaps off the latex gloves, and I stare up at him in shock. “You may have some bleeding for the next few hours, but it should stop soon.”

  “That’s it?” I practically made myself sick over the fact that I needed stitches, but somehow, it wasn’t that bad.

  “Yep. Here are instructions on how to care for the wound, and if you have any problems, feel free to come back, and I’ll look at it for you.”

  I sit up and take a deep breath. “Thank you,” I tell him, relieved it’s over and ready to get out of here.

  Evan pulls out a business card from his back pocket and hands it to Dr. Baylor. “Just in case you’re ever in need of an evaluation.” Evan’s always using his work as a stockbroker to pick up men. It never ceases to amaze me how often it works too. But that’s Evan. Balls bigger than his brain. “Call me anytime you need anything.”

  I swear he picks up a man everywhere we go. I don’t know how he manages to do it, but I have to give him credit because he does it so effortlessly.

  Dr. Baylor places the card in the front pocket of his coat with a giant smile. “I may just do that.” Right on cue, he fishes a card out of his back pocket and hands it to Evan. “My cell is on the back in case you need to get physical.” Dr. Baylor pounds on his chest, pretending he’s choking. “I mean, need a physical.”

  “Uh-huh,” I mutter under my breath. I shouldn’t be shocked that someone has the same move as Evan, but somehow, I am.

  Evan winks. “I may need a physical soon.”

  There’s an awkward silence as they stare at each other. The sexual tension between them is thick, and I need to break this up before they go at one another.

  I clear my throat to remind them I’m still in the room before hopping off the table.

  “Sorry,” Dr. Baylor says before finally walking out of the room.

  “Are you done flirting?” I ask Evan with my hands on my hips, tapping my foot like a maniac.

  “I think my work here is done.” Evan’s proud of himself and doesn’t seem to care that it was at my expense. “You hungry?”

  “Famished.”

  We walk through the back area of the urgent care, heading toward the door. Dr. Baylor looks up from his paperwork and smiles at Evan, who smiles back with a small wave.

  “You two are making me nauseous.”

  Evan ignores my comment. “Moo and Oink?”

  “Yep. Sounds good.”

  The name is silly, but they have the best food in town. Over the last few years, I’ve fallen in love with their burgers and fries. We usually go there so much that by the time our trip is over, I’ve increased my pants by a full size.

  Twenty minutes later, we slide into a booth with our stomachs rumbling from the heavenly scent of fried pork, sizzling meat, and barbecue that surrounds us. I scan the restaurant and hide my face behind the menu because every person in the place is staring in our direction and whispering.

  “Do I have something on my face?”

  Evan glances up, and his eyes sweep across my face before they go back to the menu. “Nothing.”

  I lean across the table, letting my menu fall, and drop my voice to a whisper. “Then why the hell is everyone looking at me?”

  “Probably because you’re trending.” There is a wicked glint in his eyes that makes me nervous.

  I lurch backward. “I’m trending?”

  “Yep. Trending.”

  “What does that even mean, Evan?” I ask through clenched teeth.

  He grabs his phone and taps the screen a few times before shoving it in my face. “Trending with the hashtag #TogetherAgain.”

  I snatch the phone from his hand, and my mouth falls open at what I see. Someone took a video as Jack tore his shirt off. He’s standing over me, and the look on my face can’t be confused with anything other than pure, unadulterated lust. He looks like a beast with his wide chest and golden skin glowing in the sunlight. “What the…”

  Evan pulls the phone back with the biggest smile. “Yep, still sexy as fuck,” he observes as he restarts the video.

  “What can I get you two?” The waitress glances over Evan’s shoulder to get a glimpse of the screen.

  Evan holds the phone so she can get a better view of Jack and his Hulk-like move. “He’s hot, right? It’s not just me.”

  She leans forward, pulling her reading glasses down off her head. “I wouldn’t kick him out of my bed. Would you?” She looks at Evan, who made it quite clear to Cornelia that he was gay after she asked him out last time we were in town.

  Evan shakes his head and glances at me. “Um, never.” He cocks his head like he’s about to spill my secret. “She did, though.”

  I kick Evan underneath the table, and he flinches. Then I hide my face behind the menu, mortified.

  Cornelia peers over the menu. “Girl, you need to have your head examined.”

  “Can I get the Moo and Oink burger with extra cheese?” I say.

  I’m changing the subject. I’m not ready to discuss my love life with a stranger.

  “Sure. What do you want, sugarplum?” she asks Evan with so much sweetness that my teeth almost ache.

  “I’ll take the special, sweetheart.”

  It takes everything in me not to gag at the cute little names they use for each other. Cornelia’s a beautiful woman, though a good fifteen years Evan’s senior, but that doesn’t stop either of them from flirting shamelessly.

  “Coming right up.” She takes our menus, but I can’t look her in the eyes or say anything until she’s far enough away.

  “Don’t be such a shit in the pants, Evie. It’s all in good fun.”

  I start to come back with a smart remark, only the door to the restaurant swings open, and my worst nightmare walks in—Myra Nelson in all her glory, and she’s heading right toward me.

  I grip the edges of the table, bracing myself for impact and trying not to move in hopes that she isn’t about to make a scene.

  “Hey, Evie. It’s nice to see you.” She stands over me with a