Summer of Love by Marie Ferrarella (easy to read books for adults list .TXT) 📕

In reality, he’d been looking for an excuse to flee ever since he’d seen her sitting in his office that first day.

Why? Because he loved her, and just like back in high school he’d hightailed it out of town rather than having the courage to tell her how he felt and let her decide what to do with that information.

“What happened between me and your mother isn’t any of your business.”

“Sure it is. She’s. My. Mother.” She took an audible breath. “When I was in trouble, you never hesitated to bleed every detail of my therapy to her, because … she had a right to know the truth. She’s listed as my next of kin. Well, guess what, Doctor, that works both ways. I’m her next of kin. I have a right to know. Did you even care about her at all?”

He swallowed. “Yes.”

“Well, she cares for you, too. She’s been smiling and saying all the right things, but she’s not okay. She looks awful.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not good enough. You might outrank me, but I’m going to tell you straight up what I think.”

He smiled despite himself. “There’s no question you and your mom are related.”

“Yeah? Well, here it is. You’re no better than a common deserter.”

Shock rolled through him. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. When the battle inside your head got tough, you turned around and walked away, instead of acting like a soldier and facing it, the way you told us to do. She’s not the enemy, Dr. Marks. I don’t know what it is you’re fighting, but I suggest you figure it out and come back and face it. Otherwise you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

She looks awful.

He’d rushed off so sure that he was doing the right thing and saving the woman he loved a whole lot of pain.

What if he’d ended up causing her pain instead?

Hell. He was an idiot. “Reprimand noted and accepted.”

“Good. You said you cared about her. Do you love her?”

He smiled, making a decision he should have made twenty-two years ago. “I think your mom deserves to hear that from the source, don’t you?”

“Then get back here and tell her. Because I’m pretty sure she loves you, too.”

Jessi pulled her sticky scrubs away from her midsection, fanning the fabric against herself as she headed into the parking lot. It was an hour past the end of her shift, and she was only now able to leave the hospital.

A gang war had seen her dealing with multiple gunshot wounds. Two had died en route to the hospital and another three had needed surgery. One of them had a broken finger in addition to other more serious wounds, but that small injury had been the one that had made her finally break down and admit the truth. That she missed Clint. Terribly.

She had a feeling Chelsea knew something was wrong, and her mom—almost completely recovered from her surgery a month ago—had also cast some worried looks her way. She had no idea why. She’d been acting cheerful, even if that’s all it was. An act.

Straightening her back, she quickened her pace. This was ridiculous. How long was she going to keep mooning over something that was never going to happen? She needed to pull herself together and forget about …

Keys in hand, she paused halfway across the parking lot. Someone in uniform stood near where she’d parked her car, the tall military bearing painfully familiar. How many times had she seen that stance?

Her dad. Her daughter. In a military town, it was impossible not to recognize the proud upright posture. Only this went beyond that. This was …

Clint.

Oh, God. Something inside her urged her to turn around and dash back to the safety of the hospital.

No. She was not going to let what that man did or didn’t do dictate her actions and emotions any longer. So she walked toward him, trying not to look directly at him as she did so, afraid he’d see the misery in her eyes.

When she reached her car she saw that she was right, he was standing right next to it. She’d have to pass in front of him to get to the driver’s door.

“I thought you’d left,” she said, her voice sounding as chipper as ever.

“I did.” He didn’t move. Didn’t crack a smile at her tone. “I came back.”

Her heart took a swan dive. What? Had he decided he hadn’t tortured her enough?

She swallowed. “Why?”

“Because I’m done running. When you told me about Larry and his death, it was like a hole opened up and swallowed me whole. If I hadn’t followed you that day … if I’d let him chase you outside instead, you’d still be one big happy family.”

He drew in an audible breath. “And then I broke that frame, Larry’s frame, and it was as if the universe was sending me a message. That I’d screwed up your life once before, and I could very well do it again if I stayed.”

Her own breath caught in her lungs before whooshing back out. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I thought I was doing you a favor.”

“Well, you didn’t. I—” He cut her off with a finger pressed across her lips.

“Let me finish, while I still have the nerve. I came back to tell you I love you. I have since high school when I found you crying beside the creek.” He paused. “I gave you up once, thinking it was for your own good, but I’m not going to do it again. Unless you tell me to go.”

She pushed his hand away.

“Twice.” The correction came out before she could stop it. “You gave me up twice. Why should I believe you this time?”

“Because it’s the truth, Jess. I swear it.” He took a step forward.

She tried to force herself to move back, but she couldn’t. She just stood there, staring up at him. Maybe the summer heat had gone to her