Page 42 of Distant Shores (Stapled Magnolias #2)

ADAIR

“ Q uick pinch.”

The phlebotomist put the needle in my vein with expert precision and started filling multiple collection tubes of my blood.

I’d placed more IVs than I could even begin to remember over the years, but I still sighed in relief when she found my vein without issue. I’d seen rookie EMTs botch it enough times to be low-key traumatized by the possibility, but this lady had it on lock.

It was lucky that Zinnia House had a dedicated phlebotomist because once I called Dr. Patel, things started moving fast. Really fast. Appointments, scans, a chat with Live Oak’s HR rep. So, popping over here on my break for the blood draw saved me a hassle.

“So brave,” the older woman cooed, a slight mocking smile on her face as she pulled the rubber tourniquet off my upper arm.

“Thank you,” I said seriously. “If I hold back my tears, can I get a treat?”

She pressed gauze over the puncture and wrapped it in a deep-blue self-adhesive bandage.

My smile was instant and huge. What a perfect color.

She discarded her gloves and materials, washed her hands, then presented me with a plastic container full of Dum Dum lollipops.

I’d been joking, but even a tiny sucker made my stomach grumble. I had to fast for the blood draw, which meant no breakfast this morning.

I’d still gone to the local cafe to get Ireland her cappuccino, and luckily, they’d just pulled out a batch of mini quiches from the oven as I ordered, so I grabbed one each for her and Delly.

I left them on the table when I got back to the house, then retreated to my room until it was time for me and Delly to go to work.

Ireland boarded over most days, usually leaving before or after us.

Finding the sucker with “blue raspberry” printed on the wrapper, I scooped it up.

“Ma’am?” I asked as I twirled the sucker between my fingers.

“Yes?” she said, raising her eyebrow.

“Could I get one for my sister too? And my… roommate? And maybe my pops and his roommate?”

She put her hand on her hip and cocked it to the side. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight.” She stared at me until I added, “Old enough to know that you’re never too old for little treats?”

Her lips twitched. “Go on, then.”

I grabbed strawberry for Delly, and then three at random for Ireland, Pops, and Beck.

“You’re Wilbur Smith’s boy?” she asked.

I’d just popped the sucker into my mouth, so I nodded in answer, then removed the sucker awkwardly. “You were working when he came in yesterday?”

“I was,” she said. “Lovely man.”

“He is,” I agreed.

And I had no idea how to start the talk I needed to have with him today, but that was my next stop. In a low moment, I’d considered saying nothing about the surgery. He wouldn’t have been crazy worried if I only called for a few days instead of dropping by, but that wasn’t right.

That wasn’t the kind of person he raised me to be.

When I made it to Apartment 3A, I knocked quietly, sucking on my blue raspberry Dum Dum to ward off my growling stomach. And my nerves.

Nobody answered.

I checked in with the nurse on duty. She looked up Pops’s whereabouts on her tablet and let me know he was finishing up physical therapy down on the first floor.

If I had thought harder, I would’ve known that, but I was all out of sorts.

I still had twenty minutes left in my break, so I went back to the elevator and pushed the Down button.

The elevator opened, and I about choked on my sucker.

Ireland .

I hadn’t seen her this close since the night of the storm—and the kiss —two days ago.

Our gazes locked, and she seemed just as surprised to see me, making no move to get out. I stuck my hand that was still holding the sucker through the opening, keeping the doors from closing.

“Hi,” I said, my heart pounding. Not as fast as when her lips were on mine, but God, just looking at her made it spring into a gallop .

“Hi,” she said, her gaze drifting down me, snagging on the crook of my elbow.

She frowned as she looked back at my face, a question in her gaze. I didn’t say anything. My brain was too stupefied.

The clip-clop of heels on tile sounded as Director Links strolled by, breaking the moment as she greeted us before carrying on down the hallway.

Ireland stepped out of the elevator, almost close enough to touch. My eyes shut briefly, my body aching to follow her.

Keeping my arm in the elevator, I turned toward her. “Care-team meeting?”

She fiddled with a loose string on her jean shorts. “Yeah.”

“Hope it goes well.” I smiled at her again, but it didn’t come as easily this time.

Our gazes locked for a moment, and she nodded before following Director Links.

Ugh. That can’t be how this goes.

“Ireland, wait!” I called, remembering the suckers in my pocket.

She turned back in my direction, and I fumbled in my scrubs pants pocket for the suckers. I thrust my hand toward her, presenting them like a bouquet.

“For you and Beck,” I explained.

Her lips quirked up as she closed the distance between us and took two from my hand, her pinky brushing against my skin.

“He’ll love this,” she said. “He gets antsy during these things.”

“Understandably.”

Jillie didn’t invite me to all the care-team meetings for Pops, but I had been to a couple since I’d been here .

Ireland reached out and squeezed my forearm, bringing me back to the present. “Thank you.”

I took a deep breath and glanced at the suckers in her hand. “Blue raspberry or root beer?”

She rolled her lips together as her gaze drifted to my lips, her cheeks flushing the faintest pink. “Blue raspberry.”

I swallowed thickly. “I’ll, ahh… write that down. For my records.”

Her flush deepened, but I only got a few more heartbeats to study it before she nodded and started back down the hallway.

The elevator doors closed behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder at them with a frown, having no idea when my arm had given up and dropped to my side.

I called the elevator again, and when the doors opened, I stepped inside, keeping my gaze on the hallway. Right before Ireland went into the room, she unwrapped her sucker and popped it into her mouth, her eyes flicking in my direction.

A pitiful groan fell from my mouth as the elevator doors closed, and I popped my sucker, the same flavor as hers, back into my mouth and found it more appealing than ever.

Leaning back against the rail, right where she had been, I took a deep breath.

I’ll be damned if it didn’t smell like lavender in here. Like her.

Stepping out onto the first floor, I tossed the blue-stained stick of my sucker into a nearby trash can and held up a nearby wall until Pops, a caretaker, and his physical therapist stepped out into the hallway from the gym.

God, I did not want to do this, but I was out of time.

“Hey, Pops,” I said, walking up to him with as even a gait as I could .

Based on the way his gaze zeroed in on my left foot, I hadn’t done a good job.

“I’m getting a late lunch from the cafeteria. Wanna come?”

His brow furrowed when his eyes met mine. “Okay, Bud.”

The caretaker made a note in her tablet, then left with a wave.

When we entered the cafeteria, I guided us to a quiet table in the corner. Once we’d settled into our chairs, I raked my fingers through my hair, annoyed with myself for not thinking about how I was going to do this.

“Addy,” he said tiredly. “Don’t beat around the bush. What is it?”

“I don’t know how to start,” I admitted.

Sitting beside me right here, Pops seemed smaller than I remembered. Almost fragile. The changes since that day on the mountain had never been more obvious, but I’d been blind to them before now.

I really had to face that this wasn’t just a vacation for him.

And it wasn’t for me either.

“You’re over there working yourself into a lather when it’s my fault,” he said, his voice quiet and rough. “Whatever it is.”

My nerves turned to nausea. I should’ve talked to him about this sooner, and it really wasn’t easier to broach the subject now, after so much time had passed.

I rubbed the back of my neck, staring down at my lap.

“I know we haven’t really talked about the ravine, but that’s because I thought there wasn’t anything to talk about.

And maybe I was being a coward, too. But… I was wrong.”

I caught his faint nod out of my peripheral vision.

“You’re wrong about a lot of that, but….” He scrubbed the back of his own neck like I just had. “You’re right. We need to talk about what I did.”

Nope. I could not let him think like that a minute longer.

I looked him straight in the eye and squared my shoulders.

“You saved my life that day, Pops. I don’t care about the concussion or the ankle.

I could’ve fallen anywhere, hurt myself doing any number of things.

I used to see these kinds of accidents every day, all ages and circumstances.

But they’re all just accidents. And I hate that you’ve been carrying that. ”

Pops shook his head like he wanted to argue, but I barreled on.

“Without you, Delly wouldn’t be here.” I held his gaze. “And I mean that. If I hadn’t brought her to you and Grams that day when she was sick? She wouldn’t have made it. Which means I wouldn’t have either.”

“Adair….” His voice trembled on my name just as badly as his hands were.

Pops blurred as tears welled in my eyes. I could not stand this man who had saved our lives— literally saved them—feeling guilty over what happened.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. He covered his face with trembling hands, resting his elbows on the table.

“Pops,” I said gently, tears falling down my cheeks as I reached for his hands, peeling them off.

“Please. If you need me to say I accept your apology, I will. But there has never been anything to apologize for. And my ankle is gonna be just fine. I promise. That part is all my fault.” I cradled his trembling hands in mine.

“I’m having surgery to fix it soon. Outpatient.

Minimally invasive. It should fix me up for good. ”

His shoulders trembled as he finally looked at me, but then his gaze flicked over my shoulder .

“Addy… Pops…,” Delly said as she approached our table hesitantly. “What’s going on?”

I squeezed his hands before letting go, then wiped my face on my shoulder.

“I’m getting my ankle fixed,” I said, turning toward my sister.

Delly looked between me and Pops, frowning as she studied us. Then she sat down in the chair beside me and threaded her hands in her lap. “I’d like to know what really happened at the ravine.”

I looked at Pops, not needing his permission, but wanting it. He dipped his chin.

“I slipped and fell, Delly. Hit my head and hurt my ankle. Mild concussion and some shallow cuts. Pops pulled me up from the ledge and dragged my unconscious butt through the snow to the four-wheeler.” I smiled, still in awe after so many weeks.

“Which was broken, by the way. He got it fixed, hoisted me onto it, and got me to help. I still don’t know how he did it, but then again… he’s always been Superman, hasn’t he?”

“He has,” Delly agreed, her voice thick as she fixed her gaze on Pops.

He flushed red, dropping his gaze to his lap. “Tell her the rest, Addy,” he said softly.

“Okay,” I agreed. “I didn’t follow my treatment plan very well.

I should’ve stayed off my foot for several weeks, but I didn’t.

So, I’m getting the damage I caused repaired now.

The scheduler should be calling today to let me know how soon they can squeeze me in.

Dr. Patel is pulling some strings for me to get it fast-tracked. ”

“Adair was looking for me,” Pops said, lifting his chin.

“That’s why he was out there in the woods.

And kids.…” He frowned, looking so despondent that my tears started again, but I ignored them.

“I was hiding things from you. The way I’ve been forgetting things, on top of…

.” He raised his hands from his lap, displaying the fine tremble in them.

“But Pops,” Delly started, “What if Adair hadn’t been so clumsy, and you kept hiding it?

What if we came back to the cabin and something terrible had happened?

” She looked between us seriously as a tentative smile bloomed on her face.

“So, really, it’s all kind of a good thing, isn’t it? It worked out?”

Damn.

Flashes of the past few weeks flipped through my mind like a Rolodex.

The first time I saw Ireland’s indigo blue eyes.

Bearing witness to the quiet, deep care she provided for her dad.

The way my heart had started to beat faster whenever I saw Ireland, begging her to take it.

I swallowed thickly. “Let’s call it good, okay?”

Pops looked unconvinced but nodded.

“For the record,” Delly said, leaning toward us. “This could’ve already been settled. Addy is the dummy who went against medical advice.”

His lips twitched at that, and my heart felt lighter for it.

“Oh, speaking of dummies.” I reached into my pocket for the Dum Dums. “Here.”

“Huh,” Delly said, squinting at me as she plucked the sucker out of my hand. “So that’s why your teeth are blue.”

She pulled the wrapper off and got to work on the strawberry sucker while I short-circuited.

Blue teeth.

Blue teeth.

Had I smiled big enough for Ireland to see them ?

I couldn’t remember, but surely, I had. I couldn’t help it around her.

A huff of frustration cut through the beginning of my meltdown, and I saw that Pops was having trouble with his wrapper, his hands shaking too hard to open it.

That brought me out of my social spiral. I reached out and wordlessly removed the wrapper, then stuffed the plastic into my pocket.

His voice was barely a whisper. “Thanks, Bud.”

“Sure thing, Pops.”

I reached over and pulled him into a tight hug before he got started on the sucker. “I love you.”

He grasped me back with his free arm, the faint tremble of his body easing as he gave me his weight and leaned his head on my shoulder. “I love you, too, Adair. So much.”