Chapter 1-2
2140 Words
Crap!
“I'm so not going there,” she muttered, stacking the box on the cart she’d borrowed from the building Super.
After taking a last look around, Elsa left her keys on the table, as she'd promised, and locked the door behind her. She'd told Liam she was leaving when she'd gotten everything done. Which was what she was doing. That she'd gotten things done quicker than she'd let on, well ….
She'd picked up her car from the parking garage on the way home from Liam's. And luck had been on her side when she'd found a spot to park on the street. A few suitcases, some boxes, and she was ready to leave New York City, and the life she'd thought she was building, behind.
The last box had been loaded in her trunk when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
“Going somewhere?”
Crap!
Elsa slammed the lid and slowly turned, “Liam,” she closed her hands into fists. “What brings you to this side of the park?”
“You didn't answer my question.” Liam took two steps closer to where she was hugging the rear of her car. “I asked if you were going somewhere?”
She tilted up her chin. “What makes you think that?”
“You're really going there?” Liam glanced down, “I saw you push your cart full of boxes out the back hall.”
“So?” her eyes flared with defiance.
“Why'd you lie?”
“Wha … What are you talking about?”
“Come on, love,” Liam's voice grew huskier. “Why?”
Several emotions flitted across her face, and then she took a deep breath and seemed to wilt before his eyes.
“Why do you care?” she asked instead of answering his question. “Did your new girl not give you what you were after?”
“My new girl?” Then he remembered Barbi's plea. “About that. Barbi isn't my new girl. I've known her forever.”
“Forever?” Elsa squeaked.
“Her brother was my best friend in high school. And,” he took another step closer, “she's married to Justin. Remember? I told you about him.”
“Justin?” A little pucker developed between her brows, and he could practically see the wheels going inside her head. “Your old partner?”
“Yes. Barbi's first husband was a prat, and after he left, she was pretty messed up.”
“And you introduced her to your old partner?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Her question surprised him, “Why what?”
“Why did you introduce them to each other?”
“I don't know,” Liam shrugged. “I thought they'd be good together.”
“Oh.” And then as if she'd remembered the cart was still there, she grabbed hold of it so tightly her knuckles turned white. “I need to take this back inside.”
Liam studied her for several minutes, trying to put his finger on exactly what she meant by her ‘oh.’ Except while the word meant one thing to him, he had a feeling it meant much more to her. He just didn't know what that was.
“I’m still waiting for an answer to my question.”
“Which was?”
He was tempted to grin because there was no way, she didn't remember the question.
“Are you going somewhere?”
“I told you,” Elsa huffed. “I’m moving to Swan Harbor.”
“But you said,” Liam propped his hands on his hips, “I quote; ‘I’m leaving in the next day … or two’. Now, I know I confuse some things, but it's only been a few hours since you told me that. And not,” he popped his T, “a day or two.”
“I told you when I got things done,” she pushed the cart by him. “Well, I got things done.”
“And so, you're leaving, just like that?”
“I told you goodbye.’ Elsa took a deep breath and sighed, “I don't know what else you want, Liam.”
For things to be like they were, flew through his head. “But why, love? Why are you moving so far away?”
“I,” and then as if she changed her mind, she seemed to stand a little taller. “You're a smart guy, Liam. I bet you can figure it out. Now, I do have to go. Look me up if you come to Swan Harbor to visit.” And she walked away.
Liam stared at her retreating figure, his hand rubbing little circles in the center of his chest.
Heartburn, he thought, blaming the chili dog he'd eaten at lunch. Couldn't be anything else.
Swan Harbor
Veterinarian Clinic
August 1
Early Evening
Emma Foster was trying to focus on work, and checking Daisy and her puppies for worms seemed mindless enough. Yet, no matter how many times she reminded herself of what she was supposed to be doing, her thoughts kept going back to Elsa. Something was going on with her friend of over ten years, and for the first time in their friendship, their roles were reversed.
She'd first noticed the change in April, when Killian made a comment about his brother. Since Liam had been seeing her best friend for months, the conversation was in what wasn't said. But, in June, when Elsa had come to Swan Harbor, Emma could tell something was different. Except there had been no talk. Leaving the question of how was she supposed to help, when her friend wouldn't share her burdens?
Sound familiar?
Yes, but ….
No, buts. What has Elsa always done when you weren't ready to talk?
Be there.
Exactly. When she needs you, she’ll reach out. In the meantime …
I have a fiancé who …
The thought had barely formed in her head when the air around her shifted, signifying the man who'd rocked her world was near.
“Hello, Doc,” Killian buzzed a kiss next to her ear. “Eww, what's that smell?”
“You're an investigator,” she teased. “What does it smell like?”
“It smells like shi–”
“Puppy poop,” Emma interrupted. “And be nice. I'm sure you've smelled worse.”
“Aye.” He sighed and she knew he was thinking about cases he'd seen on the job. “But I don't relish getting a whiff of it every time I nuzzle your neck tonight.”
“Oh?” She grinned, still feeling the need to pinch herself at how far she'd come in less than a year. “Were you planning on doing that often?”
Killian sauntered closer and his blue eyes darkened, “As often,” he leaned into her space, “as possible. Got a problem with that?”
“No.” She reached for his kiss. “I definitely don't have a problem with your nuzzles.”
“Good.” Killian placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her toward the door, “Now, go shower.”
“But,” she gestured at the mess scattered across her worktable. “There's stuff to be done.”
“I’ll clean,” Killian kissed her ear. “You can reward me later. And …”
“And?” Emma threw her arms around his neck, “What else are you promising me, Killian?”
“I’ll even start dinner.”
“Oooh, a girl could get used to that.”
His eyes turned serious, and he brushed her hair over her shoulder, “I hope so. I just want to make you happy.”
“You do, Killian. I love you; you know?”
His arms settled around her waist, and he tugged her hips close to his, “Ditto, Doc.”
“Ditto?” she grinned up at him. “What kind of a declaration is that?”
“It's a …” His phone buzzed, sidetracking him momentarily. “It's Liam. Go. I'll see you upstairs.”
Emma rushed through her shower, anxious to hear what Liam had to say. She didn't think he was calling to ‘just talk’. There was something telling her it had to do with what she'd been worried about for weeks.
When she walked back into the kitchen, she found Killian standing in front of the stove. He'd tucked a towel into the waistband of his pants and was rhythmically stirring the ingredients in the pot in front of him.
“You’re making spaghetti with your world-famous sauce, aren't you?”
“Aye.”
Emma leaned against the cabinet and waited until he glanced up, “What did Liam have to say?”
Killian didn't respond right away, which meant he was wrestling with something. And the longer he was quiet, the more concerned she grew.
“What has Elsa said the last few times you've spoken to her?” he finally asked.
“Wait a minute, Killian,” Emma hesitated for a couple of beats, “they're okay, right?”
He looked up from the sauce, and after tossing in a few more things, offered her a taste.
“Oh,” her eyes flew to his in surprise, “that's good! But you changed the recipe, didn't you?”
“Of course,” he teased. “A good chef never spills the secrets to his recipe. Now, I laid out the vegetables for the salad for you to prepare. I'm going to make a bruschetta.”
Since she assumed, he was working his way around to something, she focused on the salad. It took several minutes, until he'd slid the bread into the oven, before he turned back and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Did you know Elsa was going to move?”
“Move?” Emma's eyes met Killian's, “As in leave New York City move?”
“Aye.”
Her thoughts traveled back to Elsa mentioning her job offers. “You were standing there when she told Liam she'd been offered several jobs. But as for taking one of them,” she shrugged, “I've asked, and she's been pretty quiet. Why?”
“She showed up at Liam's today and told him goodbye.”
“Goodbye? But,” Emma dropped the knife she'd been using to cut the tomato and stood, “she hasn't said anything. Where's she moving?”
“Here, Doc.” Killian hesitated for several seconds and pulled the bruschetta from the oven. “It seems your friend Elsa has left my brother and is moving to Swan Harbor.”
Emma dropped back into the chair, fighting her initial reaction. She really wanted to protect her friend and blame Liam, but where would that get them?
“Why's she moving to Swan Harbor?” Emma frowned, “Unless …” Her voice died as a thought popped into her head, but that wasn't like Elsa.
“Unless what?”
Killian flicked off the burners, drained the pasta, and prepared her a plate before she'd wrapped her head around the thought that was floating inside her mind.
“Tyler.”
“Tyler?” Killian frowned, “Tyler James?”
Emma smirked at the territorial tone in his voice. She knew at one time he'd worried there was something between her and Tyler.
“Yeah.” Her gaze met Killian’s, “At one time, Elsa loved him and thought he was the one.”
“You don't think,” a tic began pulsing on his jaw, as if he was clenching his teeth and working to hang on to his temper, “she's moving here to be with Tyler, do you?”
The low menacing quality of his voice worried her, “I don't know.”
“b****y hell, Doc!” Killian stood so fast his chair fell over. “She’s your friend. How can you not know?”
“Wait a minute! Why are you mad at me? Did you ever consider the possibility it’s Liam's fault?”
“Aye.” He brushed his hand through his hair, causing it to stand in several directions. “And if it is, you’ll blame me.”
“Oh, Killian.” Emma flew across the kitchen into his arms. “What are we going to do?”
“Same thing they did for us, love. Just be there for them. Now come here.”
As her mouth met his, something told her being on the ‘supporting’ side was going to be just as challenging as the relationship side had been.
- Writer
