Healing Hearts: A Second Chance, Small Town Romance Novel

Chapter 25

Sage

Logan has gone down the mountain, I estimate, with the legs he has on him and his faster than my pace, that he will get to the bottom in a couple of hours. There will still be plenty of daylight and the rescue team can come and get me. Hector has gone down with him, after some deliberation we decided that there would be plenty of light still for him to get down and for the team to come and get me.

Thank God. Not that there is anything wrong with Bryce's cabin but you know, who wants to be stuck in a tiny cabin with just one single rickety old bed, a table that has seen better days and the only chair in the place that now just has three instead of four legs? At least there has been no vandalism, it's just tarnished with age. It's not quite like the cabin was many years ago when Logan and I would come up here, the nights we've spent on our own with the small open fire going on chillier evenings, nestled in the single bed and making out like there was no tomorrow.

Despite the throbbing and pain searing through my ankle, it does make me sigh. Life was pretty perfect back then, just him and me, our school days although all those exams and the hard work I had to put in for studies to get my grades for med school, those I do not miss. Not one iota.

All in all, I think I've got at least a five hour wait on my hands and only a few granola bars, some chocolate and a bit of fruit to keep me company. I hobble over to the single porcelain sink that has seen better days and try the tap for running water. It works, well after some weird noises and a bit of clanking – the water spurted out and thankfully, I can get enough of the natural mountain water to replenish my drink bottle.

There's nothing much I can do except lay on the bed and rest my ankle to keep any pressure of it until the team can come and get me. What a drama. I'm angry with myself for spraining it and also that I found Logan so damn irresistible. That cannot happen, no way not under any circumstances. The past is where is should stay, right in the past. I do not want to go back there and besides, like I keep banging on about – I am definitely going to get a placement at a large State hospital. Although preferably one a little closer to home this time. It's good to see my parents and even though I don't want to be actually back in my childhood bedroom, it's still nice to be around them. I missed them both.

My mind wanders to Logan and his sincerity talking about the position he needs filling at the practice. Let's face it, I need some money in the interim period. I can't just stay at my folks house as nice as it is and I love them, which I truly do. But eventually I want my own place to rent until a placement for another hospital turns up. Who knew it would turn out to be this difficult? Surely hospitals are always on the lookout for new doctors and specialists? I humpf and fold my hands behind my head. No point looking at my mobile again since there is a distinct lack of signal up here.

All I can do is look at the beams on the ceiling of this tiny cabin noticing all the cobwebs and no doubt spiders lurking to fall on my face. Ugh. The thought makes me shudder.

The practice. Can I work closely with Logan? Would it actually work doing different shifts? I mean, it certainly has its positive elements. For a start it's within walking distance of my folks house and Bluebell's diner. That is very important since she makes the best coffee and blueberry pancakes I have ever tasted. Secondly, it'd mean I wouldn't have to dip into my savings. Thirdly, err there is no third. It has two positives.

Right, then negatives.

I don't want to be in close proximity to Logan

I don't want to get too close to the locals

I'm not intending on staying in Willowbrook. Ever.

Okay, so it's only three to two. But there must be a whole host of other reasons since my instinct is telling me not to work alongside Logan. Sooner or later we'll get entangled and embroiled in each other's lives. Maybe what is scaring me the most is this damn annoying attraction I am having for him when really I'm still smarting. I'm not even going to go there with why after a decade I am still not over it. It's not like I care about Logan anymore, it's not like I didn't go off and have a great life. So, what is my damn problem?

I'll have to make a decision soon though, only my savings are not going to last too long if I don't get anything asap.

What seems like an eternity later, I do hear the whirring and loud noise of the helicopter. There is a clearing not too far behind the cabin and I guess this is where they'll put down. I'm mortified and embarrassed to have them come out to rescue me, it's just the pits.

Before too long someone knocks on the cabin door. "Are you in there?" I hear the gruff sound of a man's voice.

"Yep, it's open come on in."

The door opens and in walks a large and very tall man dressed in the orange squad protective clothing. He must be sweating buckets in this heat. "Hi there. Heard you had an accident Dr Bennett." And so formal.

"Yeah, sprained the ankle and can't get down on it."

"Right, well don't worry, we'll have you lifted out of here in a few minutes. Dr Logan said he's already inspected you so we don't need to do all of that." He comes towards me. I recognise his face as that of Samuel Jordan, a guy who went to the same school as us. Wow. He was such a ditz at school and a real trouble maker and yet here he is, serving the community.

"Samuel, oh my gosh. I can't believe it's you." I push myself up to a seated position.

"I know, right? Not many people thought I'd make to a real job. Especially not with a drunk for a father and me being Willowbrook's very own bad boy. Got myself sorted out, went to college and here I am. Never looked back." His green eyes are quite attractive as is his dark beard. Come to think of it, he is very good looking in a rugged kind of way. Not that he's doing it for me like Logan did earlier but hell he could be a welcome distraction at some point. Don't tut. A girl's got to keep her options open. Just because I've split from Miles, I can assure you I do not intend to be celibate.

Samuel puts his rather fine arms around me and lifts me up as if I am as light as a feather. "I don't think we need to put you on a stretcher do we Dr Bennett?" I shake my head.

"You can drop the Dr, Samuel. Just call me Sage. I'm impressed you made it through college. Couldn't have been easy for you at all." And I am. He came from the roughest end of town with a father who drank from morning until night causing his mother to flit on him and his little sister, Naomi when they were still young. The marshal had to come and speak to Samuel and be called out for all sorts of misdemeanours. It was a surprise that he never got locked away.

He smells of apples, I bet it's his shampoo as it fills my nostrils. Who doesn't love that smell? His eyes twinkle. "There's nothing of you." He smirks. I bet he is enjoying having me in his arms, it brings a smile to my mouth. Easily he carries me through the small cabin door minding to duck and not hit his head on the low beam.

Within a few minutes he has me in the back of the helicopter and the engine is fired up by his pilot, a blonde man with grey eyes who appears to be older. "Thanks so much for coming all the way up here to get me." I tell him once I am fastened and secured in.

"No problem, that's what we're here for." Mr Pilot says as Samuel positions himself up front. Up in the air I look down at the majestic sight of the Virginian mountains below with the trees starting their slow change in readiness for Fall. I can see the lake in the distance. It sure is pretty and peaceful.

Remind me again, why don't I want to stay?