You'll Think of Me (4 page)

A
loud, rapid knocking echoed throughout the house.

Silencing her dog, Tom, Olivia threw the rag she’d been cleaning with into the sink, marched over to the door, unbolted it and swung it open.

And a big grin spread across her face. It was Tessa. They slammed into each other and held on tight with a big hug. No matter how far apart, they had a bond like no one else she knew.

God, she missed her so much.

Tessa and Olivia started speaking at the same time, neither able to make out what the other was saying. They looked at each other, waiting to see who would go first. A pregnant pause, then a fit of laughter followed.

Olivia welcomed Tessa inside her home that was set back off the beaten path with a curvy driveway. It was surrounded by trees with a great deal of land, which was surprising considering she lived in Savannah. She wanted the small town charm but with a city feel. Now she had the best of both worlds.

“I can’t believe you’re finally here! And I haven’t even put my makeup on or showered yet. I must look so messy,” Olivia drawled, her accent coming back since moving home.

“I know I was supposed to come later in the day, but I wanted to see you. I waited long enough and wasn’t waiting any longer.”

“Oh, don’t worry one bit!” Olivia yelled out in excitement, batting her hand as if to say it’s totally fine with her. “I’m just so happy to see you. You have no idea.”

Olivia wanted to jump around like a little girl opening her first Barbie Corvette Power Wheels on Christmas morning. Tessa was her life support, the oxygen she breathed. Countless times over the years Tessa was the one person who kept her going when times were rough.

“Take a seat. I just made coffee.”

Tessa looked around, her eyes landing on the round dinner table.

“Well someone had a party last night. Was work so bad? And wine?”

Olivia followed her gaze and stifled a laugh. A box of left over pizza was sitting out with the lid flipped back, a bottle of red wine was uncorked and sitting next to the red Solo cup she had been drinking from.

“Ugh. It has been a long and hard week. The last two days were the roughest. One patient hit on me, I think…”

“No shit,” Tessa cut in, looking eager to hear more. Tessa’s expression made her think of Lisa and how she would eat this up, too.

Olivia glared at her. “Uh uh. No way am I going out with a patient. I know what you’re thinking. Get the thought out of your head right now.”

Tessa pretended to pout. “Fine,” she said. “You're so boring sometimes.”

“HA! He's a patient. That’s against code...I think? Though, I swear he was kind of giving off that vibe…” Shaking her head, she continued, “Anyway, someone else came into my office that I hadn't expected to see.”

Tessa’s brows furrowed as she tried to think of who it could possibly be in Savannah that Olivia wasn’t expecting.

“Let me have my coffee first and then we’ll go there. Give me a minute to get changed, too. Come, come. Let’s go put your stuff in your room then I'll meet you back here.”

Olivia showed Tessa to one of the guest rooms then went to get dressed. She grabbed a pair of white shorts and a yellow tank. She walked into her bathroom, brushed her teeth and tied her hair up, wrapping a hair scarf around it. There. The messy bun look. She applied some makeup, never going anywhere without it. It was a subtle look, not caked on.

Olivia could smell the coffee aroma as it filtered throughout the house. She followed the invisible trail, her feet moving across the soft ivory carpet and into the kitchen where Tessa was waiting for her. She sighed, smiling brightly.

“You look positively happy, Liv,” Tessa said quietly.

Olivia fished two mugs out of the cabinet. “I don't think you realize how much I've missed you,” she shrugged, “or how happy I am that you came to visit me. I haven't even come to see you yet.”

Olivia poured the coffee into the mugs, watching the steam rise from the dark liquid.

“You’re just busy getting settled and into the swing of things. I get it. Now tell me who was in your office. I’m dying to know. All you said was that you needed me and had news. What’s going on?”

They stood at her countertop filling their coffee with cream and sugar as Tess waited for her to spill. They very rarely kept secrets between each other.

Olivia cocked her head to the side and gave a hesitant half smile. “Okay. But you have to promise not to tell anyone.”

Tessa didn’t even respond, just gave Olivia a look as if she’d been insulted.

“If I tell you who was there you can't say a word. I’m not kidding, Tessa. I can get in serious trouble for this, not to mention a huge monetary fine.”

“Do you really think I would do something to jeopardize your career, Olivia?”

“Of course I don’t think you would. I trust you. I’ve just never spoken about patients to anyone before, so I’m just edgy telling you. I can't reveal why they were there, or give you any information, only tell you who it was.”

Silence.

“Well say it already!” Tessa exclaimed.

Olivia took a sip of her coffee and let it travel down the back of her throat. Feeling better with at least a little coffee in her, she spoke up.

“Luke's parents.”

Tessa gasped loudly, her hand flying to her mouth. “Luke. As in your ex, Luke?” Tessa was speechless, her eyes as big as her mouth.

“What other Luke would I be talking about? Of course that Luke.”

“No way.”

“Yes way. Imagine my shock when I walked into the room and saw them. We just stood there looking at each other with uncomfortable silence hanging in the air.”

“What did you do?”

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. “I greeted them and made small talk, of course, before we got into the reason for their visit.”

“Was Luke there? Did they bring him up?”

Nodding her head, Olivia pursed her lips together. She gripped her mug and said, “He wasn’t there, but they did bring him up without me having to ask. They just gave up the information, as if I wanted to know. He's doing well it seems... Out on tour somewhere and busy. Loves the music and playing for the crowds. I didn’t want to ask about him, though…”

Olivia felt a stitch of sadness creep through her. She looked down into her half-full cup and felt her heart sink to the bottom of it.

“Do you ever talk to him? You know, to catch up?”

Tessa’s question was laced with a hint of pity. Olivia didn’t want pity. She’d made a choice and had to live with it, regardless of whether she wanted to or not.

“No. Never,” Olivia responded softly. “There's nothing to talk about. He didn't want to hear from me once I left. I called a few times and emailed, but he never answered. It’s been years, Tessa. Years.”

“I had no idea you reached out to him. Why didn't you tell me?”

Olivia shrugged again. “There was nothing to tell. He didn't want to talk to me, no matter how hard I tried. That’s it. What else is there to tell?” She took a sip of her coffee.

“Wow,” Tessa breathed out, running her hand through her blonde hair. “What a couple of last days it’s been for you. No wonder you got drunk on wine... Wine? Since when do you drink wine?”

Olivia chuckled. “Occasionally I'll have it. I figured since we were most likely going out tonight that I'd have the good stuff then.”

“So what will you do about Luke's parents?”

“I'm going to act like they’re any other patient I treat. What can I do? I'm their doctor and they need care. It's what I do. Nothing more, nothing less. Although, they said something that left me feeling puzzled. They said not to tell anyone of their visit, which I normally wouldn’t, except you obviously, but that’s different. I doubt they ever thought they'd see me, which is why I agreed to their request, but I thought it was strange. It's not like I could reveal information or anything. I'm guessing since South Fork is so small that people talk?”

“Possibly. Everyone loves to talk shit back home. You know that,” Tessa stated the obvious.

“Very true. Or else... Maybe their sons don't know about their visit? That’s my guess.”

They stood quietly, looking at each other for a moment as invisible bubbles of speculation floated in the air around them.

“That’s another possibility. Or it could be that Luke’s in the limelight and they don’t want it getting out? That’s what I assumed, but I wasn't going to ask. If they bring it up again when they come back I may. I'm not sure.”

“They're coming back?” Tessa asked with surprise.

She knew Tessa wanted more, but that was all she could give. She was already going against the code of ethics.

Changing the subject, Tessa asked, “So, what’s on deck for tonight?”

past

nine years earlier

L
uke took one last pull on his cigarette and flicked it into the grass. Blowing out the dry smoke, he removed the food from the grill. He began grilling soon after he arrived at the lake with his closest friends. Now that the burgers and hot dogs were finished and the chicken needed slow cooking, Luke needed his girl in his arms.

This particular spot near the lake was a part of his youth, where memories were laid but never forgotten. The trees were at a height where they arched slightly over the winding lake, creating a shadow over the water. When the wind blew, he could hear the rustling of the trees that caused the most incredibly cool breeze to brush against his hot summer skin. To most, it looked like nothing but a desolate spot that was home to a bare lake and trees. On Friday nights around a fire, with the sun setting and some music playing, the spot was heaven on earth to him and his friends.

Standing barefoot with her back to him and staring at the lake, Olivia was in her black and white striped bikini, which showed way too much skin in his opinion. Her sexy tanned legs were firmly locked in place while her arms were wrapped around her waist. Livy’s dark wavy locks were swept up in a messy tie where a few strands managed to fall around her slender neck. Livy looked so small and lost standing there by herself. Luke wanted nothing more than to hold onto her and never let go.

In a lazy stroll, Luke made his way over to Livy. The high noon temperatures heated the dirt and scorched his feet as he stood behind her, placing his hands onto her sun kissed shoulders. He leaned down and quietly sang behind her ear,

why you makin’ me fall in love with you, no complications, just easy and smooth love like the summer breeze that drifts through the leaves, baby lean into my kiss, every man needs his own whiskey girl like this…”

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” Luke asked, wrapping his arms around Olivia’s slender waist and squeezing her to him. He rested his chin on the curve of her shoulder where his stubble lightly grazed the side of her soft face.

Sighing, Olivia paused before she answered. “Nothing, really. Just thinking what a great day it’s been.” Olivia threaded her small fingers through Luke’s large ones, caressing the back of his warm hands with her thumbs.

“You sure, baby? You look like you have a lot on your mind.” Gently pressing a kiss to the side of Livy’s neck, Luke breathed in her creamy coconut scent as he grazed her with the tip of his nose. She always smelled of coconuts to him. It was mouthwatering delicious in a sense that made him want to run his tongue along her neck until he met her luscious lips and devour them. Not to mention, the taste of sweet tea he knew was lingering on her lips. The combination made him want to consume her every time she was near.