Healing His Widowed Heart

Trevor crossed his arms at his chest, then winced at the pain in his bandaged wrist. He leaned forward, looking at the surroundings outside the window. “I thought you said you were taking me home. This isn’t the way to my home.”

“I called your mom on the way to the health care clinic. Told her you’d be going to the Teen Center with me tonight if you checked out all right. And then Mr. Dave would be taking you home afterward. She agreed.”

From the corner of his eye, Mason could see Trevor trying not to smile. He liked the Teen Center. “Fine. You got ice there? Both of those doctors said to rest and ice my arm. Means you shouldn’t make me clean up when we’re done, either.”

Mason laughed. “Talk to Mr. Dave about that. I’m not staying. Not tonight.” He had something else he needed to do. Something that was suddenly weighing on him like a ton of bricks. He wasn’t a mean guy. The fact that Trevor had accused him of treating Lexie badly had convicted him just now. Lexie was just trying to help, which he admired about her—even if she was young and inexperienced, and he absolutely did not want her providing medical treatment for the people in his life.

* * *

Lexie finished writing in the last chart and released a long breath. They’d had a steady stream of people earlier in the morning, but the afternoon until closing had been slow. “I’m not sure you really needed me today,” she said, turning to Dr. Marcus as he walked into the room.

He sat in a rolling chair beside her and laughed. “I couldn’t have done today without you. I’m glad you’re here. I hope you know that.” His gaze narrowed.

Lexie shook her head as her mind trailed back to the incident with Trevor earlier in the afternoon. “I’m not sure everyone in town feels the same way.”

Dr. Marcus frowned. “You’re talking about Mason Benfield. Don’t take that personally. It’s not you. He...” Dr. Marcus’s brows knit tightly together as he considered what to say. “He hasn’t had the best of experiences with doctors.”

“He didn’t have a problem with you seeing Trevor.”

Dr. Marcus smiled warmly. “You didn’t learn this in school, but some people want a doctor to look a certain way. Whether it be male or female, old or young. There’s at least one person in this town that thinks it’s time for me to retire. She’s accused me of practicing ‘old medicine’ on her. I just have to shrug it off and do the very best I can for every patient who comes to see me. Sometimes that means letting someone else treat them.”

Lexie considered this. “You are still the very best teacher I’ve ever had.”

“Thank you, Lexie. And you’re the best student I’ve ever had, which is why I invited you to Carolina Shores to help me open this clinic. I’m sure there are a lot of opportunities in Raleigh, but this will be a great experience, I think.”

Lexie nodded. “I think so, too.”

Dr. Marcus stood, pulling off his white doctor’s jacket and draping it on the back of the chair. “It’s time for me to go home to my new bride.”

The b-word sliced through her. She’d been so busy today that she hadn’t even thought of her canceled wedding and happily ever after.

“You coming? Time for you to go home and get some rest, too.” Dr. Marcus turned to her, oblivious to her sudden heartache. She wasn’t sad because she regretted not marrying Todd, but because she regretted not having the wedding she’d put so much time and effort into. It was going to be a beautiful wedding, just like she’d always dreamed of, with white roses and bridesmaids’ dressed in shades of pink.

Lexie rose to her feet and began to collect her belongings. Home. She wouldn’t exactly call the Carlyles’ place home, but Clara and Rick certainly did make her feel that way. Mason, on the other hand, did not.

She waved good-night to Dr. Marcus in the parking lot and got inside her car. As she drove, she listened to her voice mail. There was one from her best friend, who was currently preparing for a baby-moon with her husband.

“Last chance,” Trisha said into the phone. “You can still decide to go to Hawaii by yourself instead of gifting the trip to me.”

Lexie smiled at the message. She’d rather spend her summer days doing exactly what she’d done today. The next message was from her mother.

“Are you coming home yet?” her mother asked. “I’m worried about you being all alone in a strange place. And the news says there’s a forest fire there. Are you okay? I love you.”

Lexie turned her phone off and tossed it onto the seat beside her. She’d call her mother back after dinner. Pulling her car into the Carlyles’ driveway, her heart sank as she noticed Mason’s truck. She was hoping he’d be at the Teen Center tonight. She couldn’t bear to see the disapproval or judgment in his eyes again today.

No, thank you.

In fact, maybe she wasn’t feeling well anymore. Her stomach was no longer rumbling. Instead, it was tying itself into tiny knots. Clara would understand if she just went straight to bed. It’d been a long day at the new health care clinic, after all.

Getting out of the car, Lexie took a step toward the Carlyles’ side entrance.

“Lexie?”

The voice was deep and even though they were still strangers to one another, she recognized it immediately. Turning, she faced Mason, who was standing in the dimly lit driveway. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She didn’t want to fight. Like Dr. Marcus had said, some people had preferences for what their doctors looked like. She had to respect that. Don’t take it personally, Dr. Marcus had told her. Except Mason’s rejection since she’d arrived in Carolina Shores had felt very personal to her.

A soft word turns away wrath, she reminded herself. “Hi,” she said softly. She tried to summon a smile as she looked up to meet his gaze. She didn’t see judgment or disapproval there this time, which relieved her. “What’s going on?”

He took a step closer, coming out of the shadows. He’d been waiting for her in the driveway. She could only imagine why. Trevor had come to see her just like any other patient. She couldn’t apologize for treating him. She’d taken an oath to help people who were sick, hurt and troubled. Looking into Mason’s eyes now, she wondered if he was one of those things, too.

Soft lines formed off the side of his eyes as he returned her smile. It was the first time she’d seen him smile so fully, and...it suited him.

“Can we talk?” he asked.

Chapter Four (#uc3166721-a72b-5d1b-9f19-284b5627627b)

Mason offered his friendliest smile, hoping Lexie would find it in her heart to hear what he had to say, which was that he was sorry. Not for feeling the way he felt, but for the way he’d made her feel. Judging by the look on her face, he’d made her feel awful.

“Please,” he said. “It won’t take but a minute.” Her green eyes softened and she gave the smallest of nods.

He led her up the steps that ran up to his apartment above the garage. He didn’t want the all-seeing-and-hearing Clara to be party to their conversation. Clara had a way of getting involved in areas of his personal life that he really wished she wouldn’t. She was like family in that way, and he loved her like a parent. Unlocking his apartment door, Mason walked inside and turned to Lexie, who lingered in the doorway. “My bark is worse than my bite. I promise,” he said.

She pulled her lower lip between her teeth and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She didn’t step any farther into the room however.

“I want to apologize.” He shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from fidgeting. Very few things made him nervous anymore, but Lexie was making him anxious for a reason he couldn’t quite explain. “I was a little demanding earlier. And insensitive. I was out of line,” he rambled on, waiting for her to stop him. She didn’t. Instead, she added to the list.

“Not to mention rude,” she said, folding her arms in front of her.

“Yeah, that, too.” He smiled despite himself.

“You think that Trevor needed a more experienced doctor,” Lexie said.

“Yes.” He watched as her posture stiffened. “That’s how I feel.” And he had good reason.

Lexie lifted her chin.

“No offense,” he said. “I’m sure one day you’ll be great.”

“I’m good now. And I have Dr. Marcus’s expertise to draw on if I need help.” She hugged her body tighter. “You know what, I don’t need your seal of approval to volunteer my time for a good cause.”

“You do if you’re going to provide medical attention for the people that I care about.” He found his voice rising as memories of Kristin pushed to the forefront of his mind. He’d thought that he’d dealt with those issues. For the first year after Kristin’s death he’d visited the church pastor for counseling every week. What had happened had been tragic. It was a rookie mistake by a first-year doctor, but nothing happened by mistake. God had a plan in everything that happened, even the things that hurt.

“Well, if that’s all.” Lexie turned on her heel and reached for the door knob.

“Wait.” Without thinking, he reached out to stop her, grabbing her arm gently. “Don’t leave mad.” He’d brought her here to make amends, not to make things worse.

She whirled on him and opened her mouth, probably to argue, when her gaze caught on something. “What happened?” she asked, concern knitting itself in her brow line.

Mason looked down at his arm. “Oh. That. I got called to an illegal bonfire earlier. A bunch of high school kids had a fire too close to the woods. We already have one forest fire going out there. Carolina Shores doesn’t need another. Anyway, one of the girls stumbled as I approached them and I had to catch her.”