Absolute Power (Southern Justice #1 (30 page)

As I finished typing in my last note on a patient we’d sent upstairs, I heard the sound of the automatic door opening. I didn’t dare look up, fearing it would be an entire marching band with a bad case of food poisoning.

Instead of the sounds of sick children, the aroma of freshly baked pizza hit my nose. Ignoring my apprehension, I glanced to the door out of the corner of my eye. Walking with a swagger, which would rival most rap stars, in a black long-sleeved T-shirt with some sort of old English script across the front, was Dylan. Four boxes of what I suspected were filled with cheesy goodness in his left hand, while his right carried a container of amber liquid.

“Y’all look like you’ve been rode hard and put away wet.” He set the boxes on the counter, the jug beside it. “All except you, Miss Claire, you always look pretty.”

His flirtation was natural and not forced. The wink he shot in my direction only added to his character, not caused my eyes to roll. Speaking of eyes, he had cornered the market on those, as well. Dylan possessed eyes that contained depth. In the center of his iris was this almost baby blue hue; there were no specks of gold or amber, just varying shades of the blue. Completing the allure was the much darker ring, which bordered the iris. His eyelashes were just as dark as the hair on his head, achieving the look mascara wearers had tried years to mimic.

“A little birdie told me the ER was a zoo this morning, and since I had business to attend to anyway, I figured y’all might enjoy a bite to eat.” He tapped the top of the pizza box with his open palm. It was then I noticed he had what looked to be a balled up shirt tucked under his arm.

“Hey, I ain’t shy.” Joey rounded the desk, flipped open the first box, and removed nearly half a pizza. “Thanks, Dylan,” he mumbled around his first bite.

“Anytime, man.” Dylan moved to the side, allowing anyone who was hungry to take a slice.

“Dylan, you are going to make some sweet, young thing a great wife,” Dr. Gillman teased. He lifted a slice, taking a bite as he nudged Dylan with his shoulder.

“Mr. Morgan, your momma would be right proud of you, bringing pizza from the best place in town along with Miss Middies sweet tea.” Kitty had her hands on her hips until she made her own plate and a large coffee cup of the tea in question.

“Are you too busy for lunch?” He leaned over the counter, holding what I now recognized as a T-shirt in his free hands. Even if I was swamped, I refused to miss the opportunity to speak with him.

“You have perfect timing actually,” I replied. The smile I could feel on my face came without my permission. It was because of him and the one he was shooting my way. Standing up, I moved to walk around the desk to join him. He turned in the same direction while pulling something from behind him.

With a final step, I was met with a bouquet of wildflowers; a huge and happy sunflower was standing proudly beside daisies and daffodils. The crinkling of the plastic wrapper brought a chorus of “ah”s. Goddamn him and his perfect manners, consideration of others and the ability to pick the perfect arrangement.

“I received some really great news today.” His husky voice was full of cheer; completely different from the f-bombing tough guy he usually was when he was here. “I figured my luck was pretty good and decided to go for broke.” He shrugged as I took the flowers. “I’d like it very much if you would consider having supper with me this evening.” Those blue eyes were working overtime as he silently pleaded for me to say yes.

“I would love to,” I agreed, before the rational side of me could form an argument. “Thank you for these.” My stupid inner schoolgirl was looking at him with heart-shaped eyes.

“You’re welcome. I wanted to do this right,” he admitted. I appreciated his honesty.

“So what was this good news?” I changed the subject before the tongues could start wagging behind me. With the amount of patients we treated this morning, extra staff was called in, including Shayla.

“Well…” He glanced down at his Doc Martins, not his usual footwear, but he rocked it all the same. Then back to my face. “When I purchased the shop, I came across a company who was looking for a particular style of bike. I sent them a photo of the one I’d restored with my dad.” At the mention of his time spent with his father, his eyes shone just a little brighter. He was blessed to have such a childhood, one he could look back on with fondness.

“Apparently, they liked what they saw, because I received an email today.” His joy was contagious and my hand found its way to his forearm, squeezing lightly but enough that he placed his own hand over mine. “But, the best part?” His eyes grew slightly bigger as his face came closer to mine then returned as quick. “Well, maybe not the very best part.” He removed his arm from my grip, pulling out the T-shirt wrapped around a ball cap. He shook it open to reveal the same logo as the one on his shirt. “The best was just a second ago when you agreed to go on a date with me.” His broad smile doubled in wattage.

“What’s this?” I tugged on the hem of the T-shirt.

“This…” He elongated the word as he positioned the shirt up to my shoulders. “…is our company T-shirt; fresh off the presses and only available to certain, exclusive individuals.” The shirt was black with red old English script letters spelling out
Absolute Power.
In the center of the wording was a graphic arts picture of large wheels with a bar between them, a modern depiction of the side of the motorcycle.

“Absolute Power? I thought the name of the shop was Ike’s?”

“Nah, the old owner was Ike. When you came by, the sign guy hadn’t finished the new sign yet.” He placed the ball cap on backward, the same logo as the shirt in the center of the back, only much smaller. Dark waves escaped the edges of the cotton. “What do ya think?”

He meant the cap, the name or how he looked. I knew this and was trying to focus on the simplicity of his question. I had a habit of being an over thinker, and I had a tendency to overanalyze everything to the smallest degree. It was a fault, a curse and I wished there was a pill out there to cure it.

I wanted to be the girl who would take what someone said to me at face value. Not using it to drive myself to a sleepless night as I examined every angle.

“I think everyone is going to want one.” I reached up and tapped my index finger against the tip of his nose. His reaction was to grab my finger and hold on to it, locking eyes with me. The moment was sealed until the ambulance bay door, which had once again delivered our next mission, shattered it.

“Okay, I know you have to work, but I’ll pick you up at your house, say seven forty-five?” He had yet to release my hand, which was now pressed to the center of his chest, his large hand completely covering my fingers.

“Perfect, and thank you for the flowers.” I sniff them once again. “You didn’t have to, but I’m glad you did.”

I watched as he walked away, sidestepping the mom and her triplets. His hat was still on backward and I could now see the lettering on the front. One of the little girls pointed at his hat, so he stopped and kneeled down to listen to what she had to say. She pointed to his bracelet and he told her a very animated story, which made all three girls laugh.

“Do you know how long he and I hung out together?” Shayla’s voice startled me, too lost in Dylan’s sweetness to the girls. His willingness to pause his day to speak with a complete stranger was something special to see.

“Shit Shayla, you scared me,” I scolded. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Six years.” Her voice cracked and she looked down, shuffling some unnecessary papers. “Not once did he ask me to supper or bring me a single flower.” She shook her head quickly and wiped away a tear she failed to keep at bay.

“Shayla, I’m…” I started, but her red eyes flashed to mine, her cheeks wet and face sad from her crying.

“Please, don’t say you’re sorry, not to me.” She pointed her index finger at herself.

“He never promised me anything. No morning after sex, no phone call at work, nothing.” She sniffed as her emotions overwhelmed her. “I always understood what I was to him.”

Her sobs were crushing me, so much I wanted to run after him and tell him to take Shayla instead.

“I convinced myself a long time ago, he was just a go-to guy when I needed a release.” She swallowed hard as she wiped the tears from her eyes, looking to the ceiling as she collected her thoughts. “I know I used him as much as he did me.” She looked pointedly at my shocked face, with her index finger extended in my direction. “But you had better make sure you can handle yourself when he decides this change of his is too boring, when he has that overwhelming itch to look me up.” She picked up her trash and checked the screen of her phone. “I may not welcome him into my bed, but you can damn sure bet someone else will.” She spun on her heels, moving out into the hall as fast as she could.

I was once again speechless and overanalyzing. Not a single thing she said was a lie, vindictive perhaps, but not a lie. How could I be such an idiot as to think a man like Dylan could go from sinner to saint, in the blink of an eye?

“Don’t you dare let the words of a scorned woman derail you from your destiny.”

I looked up and saw Hilda Brimwater, the housekeeper for our department. She knew everyone and never forgot a face. Hilda had worked for University Hospital since before anyone could remember. Her voice was gravely, as if she had sucked on an exhaust pipe, instead of the three packs of cigarettes she smoked a day.

“When I was a young girl.” She placed her mop back into the bucket. It was decorated with lots of cute phrases, the largest being “I break for hot chocolate.” “I was in love with a man who didn’t always follow the rules of society.” She wiped her brow with the towel she kept in her back pocket. “Had my entire family threatening to turn me out into the streets if I didn’t leave him alone.” She picked up and took a drink from her large thermos. Her name was written on it in fading permanent marker.

“Mrs. Hilda,” I started curiously. “What did you do?”

Hazel eyes, which looked a lot like mine, twinkled as she placed her thermos back in her cart.

“I married him.”

Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best thing that will ever happen to us.

~Unknown

“A
ustin, if I wasn’t so happy to see you, I’d tan your back side for keeping this from me.”

Dad and Austin had orchestrated this whole plan to surprise our momma. She had been under the impression she was meeting Dad for a late lunch in his office. The look of surprise on her face as she took in all three of us sitting there was worth any tongue-lashing she could hand us.

She took his face in her hands; a single happy tear cleared the way for her unbridled joy. Turning her gaze to me, with a look I knew all too well. “I expected more out of you.”

“I’m sorry you’re disappointed in me. I guess the news I have will have to wait until another time, after you’ve forgiven me.” I slumped my shoulders in mock sadness and puffed out my lower lip as I turned to walk away.

“Yeah, Dylan. Momma could care less if you have a date.” Austin waved me off, sitting back in his executive chair, while Dad leaned against the windows behind him.

The Tasmanian devil would have his mouth agape at the speed in which she turned to me. “Dylan!” She exclaimed, her eyes bulging and hands covered her mouth.

“Yes, lovie. You don’t want to know it’s the pretty girl from Delmonico’s,”
Dad added, an all-knowing smirk on his face

“Ohh, Dylan. Please, don’t tell me you’re going behind that doctor’s back.” The skin between her brows wrinkled; despite the Botox she denied using. “It’s one thing…”

I grasped her hand, knowing where this was headed and tilted my head as I began to speak. “Momma, please, I didn’t steal her from anyone. Not that I wasn’t willing to go that far, but she came to me by accident.” I credited the good Lord above for creating the rainstorm, which brought her to my shop. “I’ve done a lot of soul searching…”

Momma took my face in her hands, just as she had done with Austin. “You have such a good soul, my sweet Dylan; it just took you a little longer to find it.”