Stone in Love (9 page)

Lindsay hadn’t meant to hurt Charlie’s feelings, but her stance on certain issues was uncompromising. Though she worried that it would change how Charlie felt about her.

Standing at the front door of her apartment, she said, “I think the Dodgers are playing on Fox tonight. Why don’t you stay and watch it with me? It’s still early.”

“Tell you what, I’m going to give you some time to yourself.”

Oh, no. Was he ever coming back?
“No, don’t.”

“Let me finish,” Charlie said. “I’m going to take this van back to Phil and go check my mail. I’ll be back in time for the ball game. What time does it start?”

It took everything she had to keep her smile from running away with her face. “Six.”

Charlie looked at his watch. “I’ll be here … with my Tom Lally jersey on.”

Lindsay made her way to the bathtub, and hosed the mud off her feet. Saving Asher had been the dirtiest of jobs—in every aspect—but somebody had to do it. A joker–esque smile formed across her face, as she imagined giving him a lobotomy as an alternative. Soon Ireland would call with good news on his recovery, and Lindsay would have no regrets for her less–than–benevolent thoughts.

After she unpacked and showered, Lindsay opened her phone and searched for the number to North Charleston Emergency Care. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she clutched a throw pillow in front of her and awaited an answer. “Hello. This is Lindsay Martin returning a call about an interview.”

“Oh yes, Ms. Martin,” said a friendly woman’s voice. “Thanks for returning my call. Listen, we are opening our North Charleston office in a couple of weeks and need to quickly fill one more position. Is it possible for you to come in today to interview?”

“Absolutely. What time should I be there?”

“Is two o’clock good for you?”

“Yes, I’ll see you then.”

Finally, she could dust off that perfect, black career suit that she’d bought six months ago for this very occasion. For her interview, Lindsay went light on makeup and pulled her hair into a bun. After one last check in the full–length mirror, she grabbed her purse and headed out.

When she walked into the office, the first thing Lindsay noticed was the brand new construction smell.

“Now, don’t be nervous,” Dr. Mason’s assistant said, leading Lindsay down the hall. “The doctor is very personable.”

The assistant opened the door to the office. “Lindsay, this is Dr. Kenneth Mason,” she said.

The man stood behind his desk. “Just call me Dr. Ken,” he said extending his hand. He motioned to the chair in front of the desk. “Please make yourself comfortable.”

“Do you have any experience working in the medical field?” he asked, reviewing her application.

It’s over now
. “No sir. Unfortunately, I don’t have any.” Hands folded in her lap, Lindsay dug the nails of one hand into the other.

The doctor pulled his glasses down, resting them on the bridge of his broad nose. “It’s okay; I see that you have a college degree. Everyone has to start out somewhere.” A friendly smile shaped his mouth, and his tiny eyes turned into mere slits. “Do you live nearby?”

“Yes, sir, in Goose Creek.”

“You won’t have a long commute. And you have reliable transportation, yes?”

“I do.”

“Good. I’m sure you’ve heard that our grand opening is less than two weeks away. If your hours are flexible and you’re available to start then, I’d like to offer you the position.”

“Yes, to both questions,” Lindsay answered eagerly. “That’s it?”

“That’s it, Miss Martin. As long as you’re okay with what I’m offering for your starting salary: fourteen dollars an hour, and I will re–evaluate you for an increase after six months.”

Lindsay nodded. “That sounds great.”

“Then I look forward to having you join my practice, Miss Martin.”

With a firm handshake the offer was sealed.

On the way home, Lindsay pumped up the volume on her factory–installed car radio. She rolled down the window and pretended she was driving the Camry with the sun–roof. Soon, she could afford to pay for her own. Heck, things were so good now, she was reconsidering accepting the one Charlie had already bought for her. With the amount of money she’d be making, she could afford to make payments to him, rather than accept it as a gift.

With the promise of a steady,
higher
income, Lindsay stopped at Walmart on the way home for some goodies. Normally, she didn’t touch the little bit of money in her savings, but Tom Lally was the starting pitcher of tonight’s game. That, along with her new job, was cause for celebration.

She walked the frozen–food aisle and grabbed some pizza rolls and mozzarella sticks. Hopefully, Charlie wouldn’t be disappointed by her lack of culinary skills. She hated cooking and believed staying out of the kitchen had contributed to her stable body weight too. In her opinion, the benefits of kitchen abandonment outweighed the cons by a considerable margin.

In her high–spirited mood, she chucked a two liter Diet–Coke into her cart. For special occasions, she’d forgo her normal drink of choice: water.

As she turned the corner of the aisle, she noticed her sister and lawyer husband heading her way. Lindsay twirled her buggy around and dashed to the nearest checkout.

Lindsay loved Kelly, but doubted she’d be very supportive of her new job. Kelly had the same attitude as their mother—that the woman should stay home while the man takes care of her. Sometimes Lindsay felt like an alien, not fitting in with their ideal lifestyle. Growing up they had an excellent family dynamic, but she felt they didn’t know her at all as an adult.

Lindsay wondered what Kelly was doing shopping in Goose Creek, rather than closer to her huge Charleston–style home in Mt. Pleasant. They were probably having a get together at her parents’ place—that Lindsay hadn’t been invited to again. Not that she would go, anyway. Not when … Charlie was coming over.

* * *

Lindsay showered again and curled her hair before Charlie arrived. She opened the door to the living room closet and pulled out a box full of candles. She selected jars with the scent of apples and cinnamon. She lit them and set them on the end tables beside the sofa. Just as soon as she tuned her television to ESPN, there was a knock at the door.

“Hello, doll,” Charlie said when she answered.

“Wow, look at you,” Lindsay said, pleasantly surprised that he was wearing a Dodgers jersey. “Of all the things. Don’t tell me you just had that lying around your house.”

Charlie walked past her and put two bags on the kitchen counter. That’s when Lindsay noticed what was on the back: Lally’s name and number.

“You’ve got to be kidding me! You’re too much!”

Charlie took something out of one of the bags and turned around. “You wear a small, right?” he asked, handing her her very own Tom Lally jersey.

“Aah!” Lindsay shrieked. She held it stretched out in front of her, mouth wide open. “I love it!” She slid it over her T–shirt.

“Thank you so much,” she said giving Charlie a hug. “This is a gift I more than welcome.”

“Good, I thought you’d like it,” Charlie said. “Something smells good. What are you cooking?”

“Don’t get too excited. It’s just some frozen finger foods—mozzarella sticks and pizza bites. Have I mentioned I can’t cook? No, allow me to be more specific—I despise it.”

“Consequently, you maintain the most becoming of figures,” Charlie said, giving her an extended look. “And that Dodger–blue sure looks good on you.”

“Likewise,” Lindsay said, winking. I better take the food out of the oven before it burns.”

Charlie sat on the sofa. “I picked up some chips and salsa from the grocery store, and some chocolate chip cookies. Looks like we were thinking along the same lines.”

“So much for that becoming figure,” Lindsay said, flinging the piping–hot mozzarella sticks onto a platter. “Ouch! Hot hot hot!”

“You can afford to take a night off from calorie counting,” Charlie said. “You might also consider taking the rest of your life off from operating an oven.”

“I was thinking the same thing, on both accounts.” Lindsay said, setting the platters on the coffee table in front of the sofa. “I’m celebrating because my interview was today.”

“Today? That was fast. And?”

“And I start Friday, the 13th.” She sat beside Charlie. “Maybe that number’s not so unlucky after all.”

“Congratulations. I know how important that was to you, and I couldn’t be happier.” Charlie draped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. “And look at that,” he said pointing to the television. “Tom Lally is tossing his warm–up pitches.”

“Perfect. I don’t know how this night can get any better? Do you?”

“I could think of something,” Charlie said.

“Yeah?” Lindsay said, raising a brow. “And what’s that?”

Before he could answer, the cell phone rang.

Lindsay walked into the kitchen and dug her phone out of her purse. “Curses!”

“Curses?” Charlie repeated. “I don’t believe I’ve heard you say that before.”

“You haven’t been around when my mother calls, have you?” Lindsay rolled her eyes. “I better get this over with.”

“Good evening, Mom. To what do I owe this honor?”

“Is that any way to greet your mother?”

“Sorry. I was just about to sit down and watch a Dodgers game.”

“We are too. They’re playing the Braves. Your dad still doesn’t understand why you switched teams on us, traitor.”

“We’ve been through this before, Mom. Did you need something?”

“Actually, yes. Your sister thought she saw you in Walmart earlier today. You were walking out and she wasn’t able to catch up with you.”

“Oh?” Lindsay said, faking surprise. “What was she doing over this way?”

“She and Preston were on the way to our house. They’re watching the game with us. You should’ve come.”

“I don’t have ESP, Mom. How was I supposed to know you were getting together if no one calls me?”

“You should remember we get together to watch the games on the weekends.”

What was I thinking?
“I couldn’t have come anyway. I have company tonight.”

“A man?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” Lindsay imagined her mother’s ears standing straight up.

“Tell me all about him.”

“We met at the beach,” Lindsay said curtly.

Lindsay’s mother sighed. “Not another surfer boy, Lindsay. What kind of future can someone like that provide you?”

“Correction. He’s a pilot.”

“Wonderful!”

“Guess what else—I got a new job today, as a medical assistant.”

“Oh,” her mother said plaintively.

“Thanks for the support, Mom. Goodnight.”

Lindsay took her place back on the sofa next to Charlie. A commercial was playing on the television. “Did I miss anything?”

“No, the first pitch is after the break,” Charlie said. He rested his hand on her thigh. “I’m assuming that didn’t go over well?”

“That’s typical Mom, always bursting my bubble. And she wonders why I never visit. Oh well, I’m not letting her ruin my night.” She leaned against Charlie and curled her legs behind her. Wrapping her arms around him, she rested her head on his chest. “I feel better already.”

Charlie stroked the back of her hair and placed a kiss on her forehead. “So do I.”

Lindsay thought about the time her mom told her she thought Lindsay was resentful of her sister. They’d had arguments before, but that wound really cut deep. Resentful of what?

Maybe her mom simply wanted her daughters to have a closer relationship … or for Kelly’s home–making lifestyle to appeal to Lindsay, so she’d choose the same path. If Lindsay spent more quality time with Kelly, she could establish that she had no ill feelings toward her. All Lindsay knew was that it was pretty lonely being the black sheep. She didn’t realize that she’d groaned out loud.

“What? You thought that was a strike too?” Charlie said.

“Come again?”

“That sigh. Was it because the umpire called that perfect curveball–down–the–middle–of–the–plate a ball?”

Lindsay chuckled. “No, not that. Although Lally does have an awesome curveball.”

“Don’t change the subject on me,” Charlie said, tilting her chin. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Lindsay scooted over slightly, making room to confer with him straight on. “I was just thinking about my mom again.”

“I figured as much.”

“It’s hurtful that she doesn’t see the good in anything I do, and my sister can do no wrong. When I told her about my new job, all she could muster was a disappointed ‘oh’.”

“I wish I could wave a magic wand and make your pain disappear,” Charlie admitted. “Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. My best advice is to filter the negativity as fuel to make you stronger. Look at what you did today: You potentially saved a guy’s life. Imagine having your name in the news for being so heroic. Your mother would want to shout from the rooftops, ‘That’s my daughter!’”

Lindsay wiped away a tear that slipped from her eye. “Well, by then it would be too late. Her lack of support has possibly hindered our relationship beyond repair. The damage is done.” One tear after another fell in a chain reaction that she was unable to restrain.

Charlie wrapped both arms around her, whispering words of consolation.

Her mind was juggling an untold number of emotions: inferiority, abandonment, and vulnerability, to name a few. She was especially troubled by her newfound vulnerable side.

The soothing words Charlie offered, down to the tone of his voice, stilled the aching in her heart. As Charlie’s grip strengthened, she recognized another emotion she was struggling with: fear … the fear of losing something she’d inadvertently come to depend on: his love.

Chapter Eleven

Idiot! How could you let yourself get all clingy?
There was so much wrong with this predicament.

Falling in love wasn’t supposed to happen now. Not when her first priority was her budding career. Her mother would love nothing more than for Lindsay to become highly involved with someone as well–credentialed as Charlie. But Lindsay wasn’t the least bit inclined to give her mother that satisfaction.