Chapter 31
Jasher
“You sure you don’t want a taco or anything?” Mom asked for the second time. “I made lots for Redmond, and then he wasn’t as hungry as I expected. There are some left on the stove.”
“I’m just not that hungry, Mom.”
“Did you have a bad day?”
“You could say that.”
“Well, thanks for coming and playing darts all afternoon again today anyway.”
“It was fun.” And it gave him something to concentrate on while he tried to figure out what had happened in the operating room. “Redmond is getting even better at darts. He could enter a tournament.”
“He’d like that. I’ll talk to Inchy about starting up a town darts tournament.”
Inchy. Jasher’s head fell forward. He still owed that woman one more date with Sage. At this juncture it didn’t seem like Sage would even take a call from him, let alone be willing to set up a date. Which meant, somehow, Jasher would have to cough up the cash and pay Inchy for his failure. And worse, Rhoda wouldn’t have anything to show at the auxiliary barbecue.
Jasher had let everyone down.
“Do you want to talk it out, son? You’ve always been kind of private, but maybe talking about it would help.”
Maybe. Fine. He risked it—and told Mom about Sage’s concerns. “She actually used the word curse.” He didn’t go into detail about her exes but gave a good enough sketch that Mom could get the gist. “And then, I flubbed a surgery.”
“You aren’t starting to believe what happened in the operating room has to do with Sage, are you? She’s a nice girl. I’ve always liked her. Remember what she did for Redmond?”
Exactly. Sage couldn’t be cursed. More likely, she was blessed. Protected from that lineup of Mr. Wrongs.
“Obviously it wasn’t her so-imagined curse that caused my screw-up today. But I’d be lying if I said it had nothing to do with her.”
“You were thinking about her during surgery.”
And every other waking—and sleeping—moment. “Like you say, Mom. She’s a nice girl, and I’ve always liked her, too.” And not just for what she did for Redmond. “She came to Dad’s funeral.”
“Yes, that’s how I first got to know her mother. Good family.”
See? Jasher had every reason to be completely preoccupied with Sage. That, and she had that incredible body and that unstoppable kiss, and that calming presence, and that brilliant mind, and … he could go on for hours.
“There were some other things on my mind, too.” Jasher told Mom about Dr. Volmer’s botched procedure that ruined his cousin’s future. It was highly personal and not his story to share, exactly, but Mom was family. “And to think, I nearly sold Parrish Medical into the hands of the man who hurt Tyanne.”
Mom slapped her palms onto her cheeks. “Sakes alive! I had forgotten about that Quennelle connection with Dr. Volmer. I knew Brent hadn’t liked Quennelle, and that’s why I harbored reservations, but I never knew the extent of the doctor’s infractions, or the personal connection to our family. Oh, goodness.” Mom dragged her hands down to her neck. “That was such a close call. You were preserved. Mendon was preserved. I can’t imagine how Tyanne would have felt toward you if that deal had gone through. You know they want to move back here, right—to purchase Tate’s dad’s farm? They never would have been able to, if that had happened.”
Talk about a close call.
“Well, no wonder you were overly stressed during that surgery. A doctor’s job is much more demanding than most anyone would realize. Doctors have their own set of personal stresses going on, as well. Sometimes it affects them. They’re human, too.”
“Lack of sleep didn’t help, either. They say fatigue is a doctor’s worst enemy.” More than insurance companies or tort lawyers.
“If you’re losing sleep over her, then you need to do something to make it right, Jasher.”
If there were any way to do that, he couldn’t think of how. He’d already apologized and received crickets in return.
Mom left the living room and went to bring him a glass of water. It tasted good. Water here was cold straight from the mountain spring. He’d miss that if he went back to Reedsville.
If he left for Reedsville?Where had if come from? Until now, it had always been when.
“I have that surgery center job waiting for me in Reedsville. Now that I have no buyer for the clinic, I’ll have to delay accepting it even longer.”