Page 169 of Ten Day Affair

I sit on the back deck of the beach house, knees pulled to my chest, watching the water glitter under the late afternoon sun.

This place saved me once, back when I needed to feel rooted in something. Now, it’s not the escape. It’s my anchor.

Behind me, I hear the sliding glass door slide open and Cole’s footsteps thud across the planks.

“I thought you were on a call for two hours,” I say without turning.

He wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses the side of my head. “There was a change of plans, and it’s being rescheduled. I remembered you said Arden might stop by, so I wanted to come out to see her.”

I smile into my knees. “She’ll be here soon. Make sure you keep your pants on.”

“I’ll try. You make it hard.”

“I see what you did there.” I reach for my iced coffee and nod towardthe horizon.

He sits down beside me and puts his hand on mine.

“This view never gets old, right? Our own little slice of heaven.”

“I’m glad you kept it,” he says quietly.

I don’t answer right away as I brush a hair out of my face. Then, I lean my head on his shoulder. “Me too. It’s crazy how things turned out. It’s like everything fell into place for this to be ours, together.”

He presses another kiss to my temple. “You built something incredible this year. You deserve somewhere to breathe. This is yours, Sam.”

I hear the front door bang closed inside.

“Here comes trouble,” I mutter.

Arden strolls out with a tote bag slung over one shoulder and a massive sunhat that’s more drama than function. “Hope you two aren’t naked. I brought lunch.”

“Fully clothed,” Cole says, standing to greet her with a hug. “Can I get you something to drink? Water, tea, coffee?”

“I’m good, thank you. Unfortunately, I’m heading to DC when I leave here,” she calls after him as he heads inside.

She flops into his chair and pulls out her phone.

“DC?”

“Just got a call from a past client, so I’m heading there. You know the drill. I can’t stay, but I’ll be back before y’all leave, though, so we can catch up.”

“Girl, you don’t stop.”

“You’re one to talk. I saw the mobile clinic on the news again this morning about that adorable kid with asthma, what’s his name? The one who said you saved his life. I can’t believe it made the Today Show! You’re big time.”

I shake my head. “I’m not, but I am glad that it had a happy ending. He’s such a sweet kid. And his mom is just amazing.”

Arden grins. “You’re a public health rockstar now. Atlanta’s golden girl.”

I glance down at my phone. There’s a message from Kayla, one of our clinic drivers. She attached a photo of the van outside a park in South Atlanta, a line already forming.

“We have a second unit now. And two part-time docs rotating with us lowly residents. We’ve treated over three thousand patients this year.”

Arden whistles. “From an idea to a movement. God, you are your mother's daughter, for sure.”

“I can’t take all the credit, but it feels good to make a difference.” I nudge her ankle with mine.

“Hate to run, but I do have to. I’ll text to find out when I can come back over to hang once I’m done with this over-sized baby I have to coddle.”