Chapter 3

James pressed his nose against the glass casing despite Sara telling him not to do that exact thing only five seconds earlier.

“I want a muffin! No, a donut!” He peered inside like the secrets of the world were inside.

“Hey buddy, how about you have one small donut and one small muffin?” Megan, Sara’s sister, asked with a smile.

Megan had opened this bakery a year ago. Named The Rise and Shine, it served baked goods made in-house along with coffee and tea. Megan had always loved to bake when they’d been kids, and Sara had encouraged her to pursue her dream for a long time. The bakery had become a roaring success.

“Okay!” James bounced on his feet, and Sara shook her head.

“I’ll take a piece of the chocolate cake and a cup of coffee,” Sara said.

After getting their orders, Sara and James sat down at a table near the front. The Rise and Shine was located in the small downtown area of Fair Haven, and on this Saturday afternoon, a week after she and James had met with Dr. Thornton, they watched the populace walk down the street. Well, Sara did. James was too concerned with each of his various baked goods.

“So how’s it going?” Megan pulled up a chair to sit across from them. With her red hair and bright blue eyes, she’d always been the more striking of the Flannigan sisters. She was only a year younger than Sara, but Sara had always acted like a parent of sorts for her sister when they’d been growing up. With Ruth’s struggle with alcoholism, it had been up to Sara to keep food in the fridge and the house somewhat clean. The fact that they managed to stay out of foster care was a miracle—or a tragedy, depending on how you looked at it.

Sara sipped her coffee. “Mom said you’re welcome to come over for dinner tonight.”

At that statement, Megan made a face. Despite living in the same town, she had had little contact with Ruth over the past four years beyond coming around for various holidays. Sara knew she was still angry at their mother for their childhoods, although Sara wished Megan would at least attempt to mend fences now that their mom was sober. Sara moving in with Ruth had helped ease their relationship to some degree, but not by much.

“I’m good,” Megan replied in a clipped voice. “But how are you? You guys doing okay?”

Sara had already told her sister that James’s cancer hadn’t returned, but she’d yet to mention that his doctor was none other than Harrison Thornton. Megan had a chip on her shoulder the size of Argentina in regards to the entire Thornton family. Sara had thought it wise not to mention the association.

But fate had other plans.

“Hey, Aunt Megan, did you know my doctor plays basketball?” James said, mouth full of muffin.

“Don’t eat with your mouth full,” Sara remonstrated. At Megan’s questioning look, she sighed. “His doctor is Harrison Thornton.”

Megan’s eyes widened. “What? Are you serious? Sara, come on, you know they’re the worst. How did you even get into his office? I thought they’d kick out anyone not up to their snobby standards.”

“He’s not like that. He was great with James. Besides, what happened when we were in high school is ancient history.”

Megan curled her lip. “It wasn’t that long ago that the Thorntons made our lives hell while spreading rumors about you—“

Sara held up a hand. She didn’t want James repeating what Megan was saying.

Under her breath, she replied, “Like I said, that was a long time ago. I’m not going to hold it against Harrison anyway, since he had already graduated by the time I was in high school and all of that happened.”

“Harrison? You guys are on a first-name basis now?”

Uh oh. Sara looked away. She prayed she wasn’t blushing. “He’s James’s oncologist. That’s it.”

“And yet you’re defending him and blushing like a teenager just mentioning his name. I mean, I can’t blame you: I’ve seen him. He’s handsome, intelligent, rich—“

Sara held up a finger. “Bite your tongue.”

“I’m just saying, I get it. Kind of. I’ll never like them, though, and don’t expect me to act like they’re God’s gift to mankind like everyone else in this town.”

“You’re just bitter because Caleb arrested you.”

When Megan’s face turned bright red, Sara instantly regretted her words. Megan was still touchy about this particular subject and tended to shut down when it was mentioned. At the age of seventeen, Megan had been arrested for public intoxication. Officer Caleb Thornton had caught her and booked her, for which Megan had never forgiven him.

Sara rather thought it was unfair to blame Caleb for doing his job, but the one time she’d hinted as much, Megan had almost bitten her head off. She had a feeling something else had happened during the arrest that had caused Megan’s particular hatred for Caleb Thornton.

James was now looking at the two women with wide eyes.

“Look, I’m sorry. Let’s talk about something else.” Sara finished off her coffee. “James here can recite all fifty states in alphabetical order.”

James nodded. “I did it in front of the whole school yesterday.”

“I don’t think even I could do that.” Megan smiled as she ruffled her nephew’s dark hair. “You’re going to be smarter than all of us.”

He shrugged. “I know.”

The peace was short-lived, however. Some fifteen minutes later, the two eldest Thornton brothers stepped into the Rise and Shine. Megan stiffened, while Sara looked anywhere but at Harrison because she was afraid of how obvious she’d look otherwise.

Be cool. He’s James’s doctor.

“Hey Megs, can you take over for a second? I need to make a call.” Megan’s employee Daria called from the register.

Megan made a face—not because she’d have to run her business, but because she’d have to serve the Thornton men. Sara had to bite her cheek from laughing.

“Don’t you dare leave,” Megan warned her before going to the register.

“Hello Ms. Flannigan, how’s your day going?” Caleb Thornton leaned against the glass case. Dressed in civilian clothes, he was just as handsome as when he wore his police uniform. But Sara only had eyes for Harrison: dressed in a blue button-up with jeans, he looked casual and yummy. She couldn’t help but stare at the dark hair curling right above his collar. She realized he hadn’t noticed her yet. Or he was just ignoring her, which was a depressing thought.

“It’s going just fine,” Megan replied in a cool tone. “What can I get you two?”

“Well, if you can believe it, my brother has never been here before. So we wanted to know what you’d recommend for first-timers.” Caleb grinned.

Sara couldn’t help but notice her sister’s face flushing. There’s definitely more to her relationship with him than pure hatred, she thought to herself.

“It’s all good, although I’m particularly fond of the pecan pie,” Megan replied.

Caleb asked, “Did you make it?”

“I did.”

“Then we’ll get a piece for the both of us.”

Harrison rolled his eyes. “I can order for myself.” He turned to Megan with a charming smile that made Sara’s heart pound and her stomach clench in envy. “One piece of pecan pie and your largest cup of coffee.”

Megan rang them up, handing them both two steaming cups of coffee. When Harrison turned, his eyebrows rose when he noticed Sara.

She waved, and then instantly felt stupid for waving.

“Dr. Thornton!” James scrambled down from his seat. “What are you doing here?”

“Getting something to eat. How about you?”

“I just ate a muffin and a donut.”

“Impressive.” At Caleb’s look, Harrison motioned at his brother. “James, this is my younger brother Caleb. He’s a police officer.”

Caleb held out his hand, which James took with wide eyes. “You got a gun?” he asked in awe.

Caleb winked. “Not right now. But I do have a car with a really loud siren.”

James made his way back to Sara. “Did you hear that, Mom? He has a gun!”

“That’s great, honey.”

“Mind if I sit?” Harrison took what was Megan’s chair, setting his coffee and pie down in front of him. Sara saw over his shoulder that Caleb had returned to the register to talk to Megan. Based on his grin and her annoyed face, he was needling her as much as humanly possible.

“Oh of course. Go right ahead.”

Harrison smiled, which made Sara’s bones melt. He didn’t have a right to be this handsome! With his good looks, charm, and intelligence, he could get any woman he wanted.

So why was he sitting with Sara Flannigan, once known as the quintessential trailer trash of Fair Haven?

She resisted the urge to sink into her seat.

“How have you been?” Harrison asked as he cut into his pie.

“I recited all fifty states in front of the entire school,” James interjected. “Ooh, what kind of pie is that?”

“Pecan. You want a bite?”

Harrison shared his fork and after getting a hefty bite on it, handed it to James. James smiled as he chewed.

“Good?” Harrison asked.

“Yeah. I should’ve gotten that instead of the donut,” said James, around a mouthful of pie.

Harrison chuckled. After James had swallowed, Sara said, “What do you say?”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Harrison looked like he wanted to say something else, but at his glance at James, he stopped himself.

Sara’s heart pounded. “Hey James, why don’t you go help your aunt Megan. You can help her serve customers.”

James made a face, but knowing he wasn’t going to get out of this, he got down from his chair and went to his aunt. Megan looked like she could use the intervention, given that Caleb was still grilling her and making her madder than a wet hen, by the looks of things. Hopefully a six year old would keep them from coming to blows.

“They look like they’re going to kill each other,” Harrison remarked.

Sara nodded. “My sister is going to get herself arrested again if she’s not careful.” Realizing what she just said, she covered her mouth, but Harrison just laughed. “Oh geez, don’t tell her I said that. She’s really embarrassed about what happened.”

He nodded. “Of course. Your secret is safe with me.” Grinning, he bit into his pie.

Her heart warmed. If only he weren’t a Thornton. If only he weren’t her son’s doctor. If only she weren’t Sara Flannigan.

If only.

“I wanted to thank you again, for everything,” she said into the silence. “I’m sure you’ve worked with way too many overly anxious parents.”

He finished the last bite of his pie. “Not overly anxious, just concerned for very valid reasons. You aren’t the first, and you won’t be the last, parent who is afraid of a child’s illness coming back.”

She appreciated those words. Sometimes the doctors back in Seattle had made her seem hyperbolic, like she cared too much about her own son’s health. When she’d questioned them on their every move, they’d given her looks that screamed, What do you know? But she wasn’t going to let anyone do anything to her son without her understanding what it was first.

“After James went into remission, I had the stupidest thought. I wondered what I was going to do with myself now. I’d become so obsessed with his treatment that the thought of not going to the hospital, calling doctors, fighting with insurance, trying to keep him happy and comfortable as much as possible…it was like a part of me was going away.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Weird, right?”

“Sara,” Harrison said in a low voice, which sent a shiver down her spine. “You’re not weird. You’re like any parent whose life is put on hold when their kid is sick. I’d rather deal with a hundred parents like you than one who checks out, who decides it’s not worth the effort.”

She knew all too well of parents like that. Kyle had already been emotionally uninvolved, but when James had been diagnosed, that had been the catalyst for him to completely disengage.

“And it wasn’t that you wanted him to stay sick. You’d become so entrenched in the war, so to speak, that when it ended, it was like you had to start over.” He pressed her hand. “Don’t beat yourself up about fighting for your son.”

She gazed up at him, and the craziest thought crossed her mind: I could fall in love with you.

As if realizing they were holding hands in public, they both broke contact at the same time.

Sara blushed and looked away.

When Caleb had wanted to stop by The Rise and Shine, Harrison hadn’t planned on doing anything except get a cup of coffee and something to eat. But when he’d seen Sara Flannigan sitting at a table with James, he hadn’t been able to resist talking to her, especially when James had acknowledged him right away. Normally, he wouldn’t approach any patient in public, but this was different. Sara was different.

He knew Caleb would grill him later about this. Caleb liked nothing more than finding out about everyone’s business. He’d been accused of acting like some gossipy old woman more than once, but Caleb had just shrugged. It’s not my fault you guys think you can keep anything from me, he’d say.

Now, sitting across from Sara, Harrison could make out both the creaminess of her skin and the dark circles underneath her eyes. But most of all, he admired how hard she’d fought—and continued to fight—for her son.

He hadn’t planned on asking her out, despite Caleb’s prodding. He was her son’s doctor, and it was a dicey situation.

But that excuse was slowly melting away. What would a drink hurt? It wasn’t a marriage proposal. He didn’t give a single solitary fuck that his parents would disapprove, especially his mom, who had always disliked the Flannigans.

So he did what he always did: he took control of the situation.

“Go out with me tonight,” he said quietly.

She turned and her eyes widened. “What?”

“Go out with me, for a drink.”

She hesitated and looked over his shoulder at James. “I’m not sure if I can…”

“Ask your sister. Wait, don’t you live with your mom? Can she watch him?”

Sara’s eyes darted across his face, like she wasn’t sure if he was being sincere. “Yeah, my mom can watch him,” she finally admitted.

Harrison wasn’t sure if she just wanted to say no and couldn’t, or if there were other reasons at play here.

“Come on, one drink. That’s it. If you hate it, you can leave, or I can drive you home and we won’t mention it again.” He smiled cajolingly.

She inhaled a deep breath. “Okay. Sure. One drink.”

“Good. What’s your phone number? I’ll pick you up.”

She seemed to want to balk at that, but he wasn’t going to let her get out of this that easily. He knew she felt the attraction between them. He had a feeling her hesitation didn’t lie with him, but with various circumstances.

After she gave him her number and he gave her his, Caleb walked up to their table, a scowl on his face.

“Anyone ever tell you your sister is a menace to society?”

Sara bit back a laugh. “What did she do now? Poison your coffee?”

“Honestly, that wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Come on, bro, have you really lost your touch with women?” Harrison teased his brother. “Is there one who’s actually not interested in you?”

“Ha ha, you’re hilarious. You’re also assuming I’d be interested in her. Like I’ve said before, I’d rather date a cobra.” Caleb nodded at Sara. “No offense, and all.”

“Oh, none taken. My sister feels the exact same about you.”

Caleb grunted right as James hurried back to their table. “Aunt Megan said that men are the worst and that she hopes they all fall off a cliff!”

“That’s nice, honey,” Sara responded as the men chuckled.

After they’d all finished eating, Harrison left with Sara and James, with James running ahead to the car. Harrison leaned down to say in her ear, “Seven o’clock work for you?”

“Yes, that works. James will be in bed by then.” She turned, and he couldn’t help but enjoy looking at her pretty face. She had an innocence that he found beyond attractive. Although perhaps it wasn’t an innocence; perhaps it was more that she could still find good in the world despite everything she’d been through. “If you drive, what happens if I want to leave early?” she countered.

He smiled, but he knew it was wolfish. “You won’t, Sara. I’ll have to beg you to go home by the time we’re done.”

“Oh really?” She smiled. “You’re so sure of yourself. Has any woman turned you—or your brother—down before?”

“Not that I know of.”

She rolled her eyes. “Help me to deal with any of you Thornton men. Somebody should knock you from your pedestal.” But she just smiled again. “I’ll see you later tonight,” she said as she got in her car after he opened the door for her.

Harrison nodded. “Tonight, then.”

Caleb walked up to him as Sara drove away. He could feel his younger brother’s gaze on him.

“So I guess you finally asked her out?”

Harrison looked at him. “How could you tell?”

“Considering you look like you just won the lottery…be careful, though.”

“I won’t hurt her.”

Caleb shook his head. “I’m not talking about her.” When Harrison just looked at him, Caleb shrugged. “The Flannigan women are ticking time bombs.”

Harrison wanted to tell him that he was just projecting his own issues with Megan onto him, but he refrained. He didn’t feel like getting a lecture from his younger brother.

As he drove home, though, he couldn’t help but feel that it might be a good idea to listen to his younger brother for once.