Second First Kiss

Chapter 35

Sage

That stupid tear! Why had it escaped its hold? She dashed it off her cheek. By now those tear ducts should have been completely emptied of their ammunition.

“Of course it’s what I want, Jasher.” Her words came out monotone, like she was some kind of robot uttering them, not a woman whose heart was splitting apart, chamber by chamber. “You will have what’s most important to you, and better, you won’t be affected by me anymore.”

“Affected by you.” He gave a half-laugh. “All I am is affected by you. I’ve been totally infused. You’re in my every cell, Sage.”

“Don’t say that, please.” She clasped her hands at her chest. Really, he needed to stop. “It’s never going to work. Not if I’m with you. You’ll have more days like that heel bone spur surgery. Don’t you see? The second I admitted to myself I was falling for you, things began going south for your career.”

“Sage—that’s not what happened.”

“It is, though. Don’t you see the timing? I realized the other day, it had nothing to do with the rings or the jewelry between me and the men in the past. It had everything to do with my deciding to let them into my heart. It was at that point that their worlds turned sideways. Ivan lost his legs. Leo lost his life!” Her voice cracked, and she couldn’t help letting out a groan of sorrow. “I can’t let that happen to you. I think I love you. And I have to stop. If I stop, you’ll be safe.”

“You—you love me?” Jasher wore one of those happy-drunk half-grins where one eye crinkled and the other grew wide. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear you say that.”

“I said I have to stop loving you. I have to stop loving how kind you are to your stepbrother and how much you want to make your mom’s life better. How well you have cared for these people who have railed on you for years, regardless of their spite. How skilled you are. How much you make me laugh and how fun you are to kiss. I really have to stop loving that.” Since she’d never get to experience it again. Not with Jasher or anyone else. “It’s the only way.”

Jasher cleared his throat and sat up straight. He took both her hands in his. “While I appreciate your generous offer to buy Parrish Medical from me, and all the sentiment behind it, I am going to have to decline.”

From the back of Sage’s throat came a primal wail. “But, Jasher! Your career!”

“Yes. My career. And my happiness. They hinge on you.”

“Yes—on getting away from me.”

He just smiled and wagged his head. “Watch this.” He took his phone from his pocket. “I’m no professional video editor. There are glitches all over the place, but please watch these messages. It took me some time to track them down, so at least honor my effort. And after you’ve watched them, I have something to tell you. From myself.”

“This video isn’t of you?” What kind of video was it? It reminded her of those reality TV shows where someone confesses their love in a recording since they’re afraid they’ll mess up if they have to extemporize. “What’s going on?”

“Just watch.”

He pressed the triangle icon, and video footage began to play. Sage’s hair stood on end. “Is that—Kyle?”

The video screen itself answered. “Kyle Soderberg here.” He chuckled. “In case you’ve forgotten me, which I wouldn’t blame you for. It’s been a long time.”

It had been a long time. Kyle looked older, a little thicker than a high school kid, but he still had that recognizable nose.

“Your friend Dr. Hotchkiss asked me to give you an update on my life from when I last saw you, so here it is. You might remember I injured my rotator cuff in that game. Had to drop out of school for surgeries, but that actually turned my life in a good direction. I met Maddie, my wife, and we have three daughters. I got a job as a history teacher and girls’ soccer coach at our local middle school, and it’s a dream job. Every day I thank my lucky stars I didn’t go into professional basketball. A friend of mine took an NBA contract, and it more or less ruined his life. His character went first.” Kyle’s gaze shifted to the side. “But I won’t go into that. I’ll just say hi, Sage. If you even remember me, I hope it’s with good memories like I have of you.” He gave a little wave and the screen blanked out.

“You tracked down Kyle Soderberg? Jasher, how—?”

“Shh. It’s still playing.” Jasher waved the phone at her, and Sage looked down just in time to see another familiar face appear on the screen.

“Hey. Message for Sage. You remember me? Ivan Musgrove?”

Holy cats. “Ivan Musgrove. You located Ivan Musgrove!”

“Shh. He’s talking. Don’t interrupt the captain.”

Sage sat back against the slats of the bench and listened.

“—and since he seemed like a good guy and was a doctor, I told him I’d do it, even if it does seem a little strange, and I have no idea why you’d really want to know, but here goes. Retired Captain Ivan Musgrove here. After my honorable discharge from the military, I took several drafting classes and now I’m working as a land surveyor and am married to my sweet wife, who I met on the job. If I hadn’t gotten out of the military when I did, my path wouldn’t have crossed with hers. We’re expecting our first baby in December. Kinda personal, I guess. But you were always there for me, and I didn’t treat you really well at the end, and that doctor of yours is right—I owe you at least this much.”

What had Jasher said to Ivan, to make him say that stuff about owing Sage? Oh, no. He hadn’t told him … “You didn’t tell Ivan about my curse, did you?”

“Shh. There’s just one more section, and it’s already starting.”