Page 6 of Hudson

“Cheers to a good first week,” Tanner says, knocking me from my thoughts as he lifts his glass, his son, Connor, and I following suit.

“Cheers,” I murmur, taking a sip of his latest whiskey release, feeling the burn that is much needed.

“So how has it been?” Connor asks me, looking like a younger version of his father. We are close in age, having grown up together, along with my brother, Huxley. Tanner, being a young dad, joined our group in our adult years, and now we are all close.

“Settling in. Getting things organized. I have some new processes I want to implement, but the hospital is a well-oiled machine.” The hospital is great. It’s new, with renovations happening regularly, due to the two men sitting opposite me from Whiteman’s Whiskey and their investment in the town. The staff are older, but reliable and good at their jobs. While this week has been quiet, I know in a small town, things can change at a moment's notice, so one whiskey will be my limit. Even though I’m not on call tonight, as the only doctor within twenty miles, things are always bound to happen.

“Good. How’s Harvey liking it so far?” Tanner asks, and my smile is immediate.

“He’s loving it,” I tell them, thinking about his week at his new school. He has taken to Whispers like a duck to water.

“I knew he would. It’s the best place for kids. How good was it growing up here?” Connor grins at me cheekily, and I laugh at his enthusiasm. He’s right. Growing up here was great. Riding bikes, running around, camping, swimming in the mineral springs. A big outdoor lifestyle and one I want my son to experience.

“He loves school. His teacher, Annabelle, seems great, and the other kids have welcomed him immediately. Not to mention, Mom and Dad are spoiling him rotten. He’s living his best life. The change in him already is noticeable.” I roll the glass of whiskey in my hand, releasing a contented sigh.

It’s nice to have my parents so involved in our lives now. They take care of him while I work, and it frees me up to focus on the hospital and build up the services we can offer. It’s only been a week, but the more time I spend here, the more I feel like myself. High-profile city doctor has been my life for so long that it almost feels like I’m a bear coming out of hibernation or a snake shedding its skin.

The good news is that I know Tanner wants me to develop the hospital into something bigger and better for the town. More technology, more support, new programs. It’s the ideal job for me and one I can’t wait to dig right into. I no longer work for the money. The basic salary I receive will go straight back into local programs. I work to help people, look at new ways of implementing medical care, and get positive outcomes.

“Good. I’m glad. He will be riding his bike around town in no time,” Tanner says, smiling like the king who moved his chess pieces and got it right, because that is exactly what he did. He got me out here months ago to spend some time in the hospital and back in the town to see how I would like it, knowing before I even did that it’s what I would want.

“So where’s Victoria tonight?” I ask about his girlfriend. They are never apart these days.

“Over there,” he says, nodding behind my shoulder, and I turn to look, immediately spotting her blond hair over at a booth on the other side of the bar. I look to see who she’s talking with, and my breath catches in my chest. She’s with Lacy, the two of them in deep conversation. Lacy must sense me watching her because her stare flicks to the side and meets my gaze, and my heart thuds more powerfully. Her deep-brown eyes are intense, like they hold so much. Maybe because they do. We stay connected for a few seconds before she breaks our stare and gets back to her conversation. But I continue to watch. Her long dark hair is down and around her shoulders, her makeup light, and under the bar lights, she looks like an angel. She’s beautiful. I thought it months ago, and I still think it now.

“Are you staring at my woman or my staff member?” Tanner growls.

“How are they?” I ask Tanner seriously, ignoring his question. I haven’t really spoken to anyone from that night, apart from Tanner, and even then, it’s factual and to the point, given how busy we’ve been.

“Good. Victoria is doing great, actually. Still hasmoments, but she’s going to therapy. We both are.” He nods, and my eyebrows shoot up. I didn’t expect a man like Tanner to go to therapy. “I got in with a therapist from Williamstown; we all needed it.”

“Good. And Lacy?” I ask him. As her boss, I’m sure Tanner knows.

“She seems okay. Time heals many wounds. Therapy is doing her good as well, but she has a lot on her plate with her mom and all,” Tanner replies, watching me carefully. On her medical file, Lacy’s mom Veronica lists Lacy as her caretaker. That in itself is a big role, but she is also working full-time for Tanner, which I know would take a lot of effort.

I hear a loud laugh and look back across the room. Both Victoria and Lacy are in hysterics, laughing at something. It’s good to see them laughing and the way her face brightens, it almost makes me stand and walk over, wanting to just be in her presence. My smile is genuine and quick to my lips, as is everyone else's in this bar.

“It’s good to see them both laughing,” I comment, enjoying seeing Lacy smile again and drinking her in. She seems relaxed with Victoria, the two of them obviously close. My stomach drops as I think about how I found her all those months ago, tied to the rafters of the shed at Marie’s Place. I panicked the minute I found her. Sure, I’ve worked in emergency departments at some of the busiest hospitals, but by the time patients get to me, they are removed from danger and need healing. That night, it was up to me to save her, before I could even assess her injuries. It was an entirely different feeling; the urge to get to her overtook allsensibilities, and when I got her, I struggled to let her go.

“It’s been a few months now. There is still a lot they are working through, but they have had each other,” Connor adds, the three of us men now watching them with admiration. My eyes don’t leave Lacy. The smile on her face takes me back to when I was here months ago, seeing the joy on her face, her happiness, as she worked behind the bar. She was pure light and laughter, and while I’ve dated other women since my wife’s death, talking and flirting with Lacy was the first time it actually felt right.

Tanner clears his throat, and I turn back to him, seeing both him and Connor staring at me.

“What?” I ask, brow furrowing.

“What’s going on with you and Lacy?” Connor asks.

“Nothing,” I tell him, then take another sip of liquor.

“You were watching her closely before you took off back to the city months ago, and now you are back and watching her just as closely,” Tanner says, his eyes drilling into mine, not missing a thing.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Removing my gaze from his, I’m not able to look him in the eye because, as usual, he’s right.

“Bullshit,” Connor calls me out.

“There’s nothing going on,” I say again, running my hand through my hair.

“But you want there to be.” Tanner sits back in his seat, watching me like a hawk.

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