Chapter 8

Victoria knew the crush story was lame, but telling a guy’s mom that you love him, before you tell him was just wrong.

“Why don’t you talk to Jamie about all this in the morning, and I’m sure he will tell you the same thing I just did. Are you ok, now?”

“Yes, thank you, for everything.”

Elizabeth turned out the light as she left the room. Victoria lay in the dark for a long time before she decided to go see Jamie. It was late, and he was probably asleep, but she needed to talk to him now or she would never get any sleep.

“Jamie.” She said standing in his doorway.

“Yes, Victoria what is it?” He asked but not from his bed. He was sitting in a chair across the room by the window. It was dark, but she could see his silhouette by the window.

“Can we talk?”

“Sure.” He said turning on the light and moving her way. “Have a seat.” He said indicating the other chair. “Are you feeling better?”

“Well that is what I wanted to talk to you about. First off, I want to apologize for being such an ass at dinner. I was rude and mean and you don’t deserve that. Your mom stopped by to see me and we talked about this. She suggested I talk to you and I know it’s really late and you need your sleep, but I have to do this now before I lose my courage.”

“Ok.” Was all he said. She wished that he would pull her into his arms like he had done so many times before, but this was a time for talk not lust.

“I got all upset today because Elli told me that you two have been together for years and that this fall you were getting married.”

“What?”

“Please don’t make me repeat that. You see because you have been so nice, and we have had a few uhh-intimate moments, I guess I got jealous. Now I know I have no right to get jealous but my feelings for you have gotten stronger every day and I sort of thought that maybe we might develop into something. I just didn’t like the idea that, well you know.”

The look on Jamie’s face quickly changed from sober to elated.

“You really feel that way?”

She nodded. He was out of his chair and had her in his arms in a split second.

“Jamie are you telling me that you aren’t marrying that woman?”

He kissed her, long and slow and it was enough to make her dizzy.

“Is that a yes?” She was finally able to ask.

“That’s definitely a yes. My feelings have gotten stronger for you every day too and I am holding out hope that you will stick around here long enough that I can show you how I really feel.”

She could take that two ways, but she decided to take it the dirty way, she liked that idea.

He kissed her again and she kissed back for all she was worth.

“I will definitely stick around for that.” She said kissing his neck and biting at his earlobe.

“Honey, don’t start something we can’t finish tonight.” He said scooping her up in his arms. Now I had better get you back to your bed before I get confused and put you in mine.

“I like the sound of that Jamie.” She whispered as she slipped her arms around his neck. She had waited a long time to find the right man to give herself to and Jamie was that man. Even if nothing ever came of it, Jamie was the right man.

As he slipped her back under her own covers she had to ask.

“Jamie why would Elli tell me that you two were getting married?”

He went around the bed and crawled in beside her.

“Back in High School we went out a few times. She told me on the first date that she loved me, but I didn’t have those feelings for her. We went out a couple more times, but she was so insistent that she loved me and that we would be together forever that I had to stop seeing her. Things were touchy with us for a little while but then she started to date Jack Lowry. When he left town to go to college, she told everybody that they were getting married when he came home, however; when he came home, he was already married to someone else. He denied ever saying that they would get married and insisted that he had broken it off with her before he left but she wouldn’t let it go. When his wife became pregnant, Elli went a little crazy. She started going over to Jacks house to wait for him to come home. She called his wife and told her that they were having an affair. Things got pretty bad, so Jack moved his family away and hasn’t been home in years. Elli kind of fell apart then and her dad got her some psychiatric help. She went away for about a year and he told everyone that she was at his sisters but the whole town knew she was in an institution. When she came back, she seemed fine, but her dad was afraid she might go looking for Jack, so he opened the grocery and told her how badly he needed her to run it. Over the past year she has been fine we just all figured that she was over it, but today when you and I were in the store, she had that look again. I can’t explain it, but I was almost afraid to leave you in there with her. Now I know why I had that fear. I think maybe you and I should stay away from the grocery for a while.”

“Oh Jamie, she didn’t seem dangerous to me, she is just a woman with a crush on you.”

“Ok but either way we won’t be getting groceries again any time soon.” He said kissing her gently.

“Your wish is my command.” She responded.

“Oh really!” He said lying across her till she giggled.

A squeaking floorboard down the hall made them both come to their senses.

“I’ll see you for coffee in the morning.” Jamie finally said kissing her again and then rolling off the bed. “If I don’t go now, I won’t go.”

“Jamie.”

He stopped and looked back.

“I can hardly wait for coffee.”

Sloan had wondered who he had heard the night before romping and giggling in Victoria’s room until he walked by the next morning. There it was, his brother laying on her bed laughing and drinking coffee at 5:30 am. What in the world was going on around here? He was just about to go ask his mother when he spotted her in a chair by the foot of the bed. She was laughing and having coffee with them. Last night they could all barely stand to be in the same room and now they all had morning coffee together like best friends. He would ask Hank what was really going on.

“Hey morning Sloan. Hope we didn’t wake you. I guess we forgot someone else was trying to sleep.”

“No problem. I was awake. Thought I smelled coffee.”

“Come on honey I need a refill, anyway, let’s go to the kitchen I’m sure Paula has something wonderful for us this morning. Jamie and Victoria can follow after she gets dressed.”

Neither of them seemed to realize how strange that sounded but Sloan sure did. But if he thought things were strange now just wait till Dr Riley showed up.

Victoria got dressed and Jamie waited. It had been a long time since he had left the room for her to get dressed. It wasn’t a sexual thing it was a comfort thing. They were just that comfortable with each other. Breakfast was much happier and for just a moment Sloan saw the good in Victoria. She had offered to load the dishwasher, so Elizabeth could get cleaned up before Dr Billy got there. He could tell by the way she said Dr Billy that there was more to that story but when Jamie raised an eyebrow and winked, Sloan decided he didn’t really want to know.

A short time later the sheriff pulled in the lane and Dr Billy got out. Elizabeth ran out to the car.

“Billy, is everything ok?”

“Yes, everything is fine I just had a little accident on my way out here and the Sheriff was good enough to give me a lift.”

“Well you two come on in and have something to drink. I have coffee and I just made some fresh tea.”

“That sounds good to me.” Sheriff Tubber said.

“Me too.” Billy said taking Elizabeth’s hand. If she didn’t know better, she would swear he was shaking but his hand was steady enough when she introduced him to Sloan.

“Sloan, it is indeed a pleasure. Your mother has been bragging you up for weeks, not that she doesn’t love all her kids but since you called with the wedding news, she just can’t help herself.”

Sloan shook his hand but had to admit, that he was confused that his mother was so taken with this new doctor, that she had discussed his private life with him, but had never mentioned the doctor when they talked. When they released hands, he couldn’t help but notice that Dr Billy took Elizabeth’s hand again. What the hell was going on around here?

Victoria and Jamie came into the kitchen and she hugged Dr Billy.

“How’s my prettiest patient doing today?” He asked.

“Fabulous.” She said showing off her arm that the cast had been on.

“I stopped in yesterday and checked your x-ray. The arm mended perfectly. How did your celebration go?”

“It was the nicest evening I can recall. Jamie took me to dinner, and we heard some music. I met some of his friends. It was wonderful. How did your dinner go?” She asked smiling at Elizabeth.

“It was the nicest evening I can recall. The food was fabulous, and the company was perfect.”

Elizabeth couldn’t help but giggle.

Sloan knew Dr Billy’s dinner had obviously been with his mother. He felt like he was in the twilight zone. He had been home about three months ago and everyone here was normal then and now they were acting like hormone charged teenagers. Even his own mother. She had once told him that no man could ever compare to his father so why waste her time.

“I just need to make arrangements to get the Doc back to town so if I can talk to you for just a minute Jamie.” Sheriff Tubber said pushing Jamie into the living room.

“Sheriff what is going on?” Jamie asked after he regained his footing.

“I needed to talk to you privately is all.”

“Umhuh. About what?”

“Have you noticed anything strange about Dr Riley?”

“Other than the fact that my mother seems to have the hots for him, no.”

“Do you like him?”

“I may have answered that already in my previous statement. Yea, I guess I like him.”

“Do you know anyone who doesn’t?”

“No. As far as I can tell everyone around thinks he’s great. Why all the questions?”

“Because on his trip out here I think someone may have tried to kill him.”

“What? Why would anyone want to hurt Dr Billy?”

“I don’t know but I intend to find out.”

“Sheriff, for my mother’s sake please tell me what is going on.”

The sheriff ran a hand through his bristly buzz cut hair.

“Ok but this is still being investigated so do not go talking about it to anyone else.” Jamie nodded. “Dr Riley had two tires shot out from under him just down the road from here. He managed to keep it on the road and then called me. I found two shotgun shells by that rock cluster on the north side. Footprints were smeared up too much to help but I need to get back to the scene and check around some more. Can you get him back to town when he’s done here?”

“Sure, I will, but don’t mention this in front of my mom ok?”

“Deal. Now I think I’ll slip out the front if you don’t mind and I can avoid any questions that might come up.”

After Jamie closed the front door, he turned around to find Hank and Sloan standing behind him.

“What in blue blazes is going on around here”? Sloan asked.