Dare to Stay (Dare Nation 4)

“Then let’s go inside.” She exited the vehicle, and he met up with her to walk along the sidewalk, keeping an eye out as they reached the door.

“It’s closed,” she said, pointing to the sign in the window. She put her hand on her forehead to block out the glare and peeked through the glass.

He frowned and knocked on the door, waited, and knocked again.

“Someone’s coming,” Willow said.

He heard the rattling of the door being unlocked and suddenly he was face-to-face with Aurora. She wore the same clothes he’d seen her in over two weeks ago, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Clearly she wasn’t sleeping well, and waiting tables at the diner wasn’t helping. Many pregnant women could work until the end of their pregnancy, but that was if all their other circumstances in life cooperated.

“Dr. Prescott!” Aurora said, obviously surprised to see him. “What are you doing here? I mean, I know you said you’d stop by but it’s a holiday. We’re closed for business.”

“I’m not here to eat. I wanted to check on you.”

“Oh.” Her fingers curled around the door, her knuckles white.

“Aurora, this is my friend Willow James. We work together at my other job. I’m a team physician for the Miami Thunder. Willow is an athletic trainer.”

The young woman’s eyes opened wide at that revelation.

“Hi,” Willow said with a warm smile.

“Can we come in?” Braden asked. “I’d like to talk to you and see how you’re feeling.”

Aurora hesitated and then finally nodded, stepping back so they could enter before closing and locking the door behind them. “We can sit at one of the tables.” She gestured to a square table with four chairs.

Once they were all sitting, he spoke. “I was hoping you’d come in so I could check you out. How have you been feeling?”

“Better especially since I understand what the cramping pain is.” She placed a hand over her belly.

“She was having Braxton Hicks contractions,” he said to Willow.

“Aah. I hear they’re uncomfortable.” Willow rested her elbows on the table, leaned forward, and met Aurora’s gaze.

“Yeah.” Aurora shook her head. “They’re scary, too. I thought I was having real contractions.”

They talked for a little while longer about her pregnancy and how she was feeling before Braden said, “If you ladies will excuse me, I’m going to make a quick call.”

He shot Willow a pointed glance and headed for the back of the diner, planning to snoop around and see where Aurora was living.

Willow had her own instructions.

* * *

Willow studied the young girl who appeared tired and beaten down by life. She bit down on the inside of her cheek and decided to dive in just as Braden had recommended.

“So I take it you’re alone here for the holiday?” Willow asked.

Aurora nodded.

“Well, Dr. Prescott and I are going to a family dinner at his mom’s house for Thanksgiving. Did you know he has four siblings?”

Aurora shook her head. “He’s just a doctor I met once.”

“But he’s someone who takes an interest in his patients, and he’s worried about you. We’d like you to join us for dinner, and before you say no, I want you to know that I’m not all that comfortable going myself. Braden – Dr. Prescott – and I used to date, and it’s awkward for me to show up there.”

Aurora’s eyes had opened wide. “Why does he care if I’m there or not? Why would he invite me?”

“Because he doesn’t want you to be alone on a holiday any more than he wanted me to be by myself. He just showed up on my doorstep and announced I was coming with him today.” Willow shrugged as if it were normal behavior for him, not wanting to freak the girl out any more than she already was. “Will you come? At least I’ll have backup.”

Aurora shook her head, her blonde hair swinging across her face. “I can’t.”

Not won’t. Interesting. Leaning forward in her seat, Willow asked, “Why not?”

A long hesitation followed, then Aurora whispered, “I don’t have anything to wear.” She glanced down at her obviously old shirt and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Willow didn’t want to make her feel like a charity case, so she carefully phrased what she said next. “What if I told you I had that covered? I brought an extra shirt that’s pretty big and should fit and a pair of leggings?”

Aurora lifted her head and met Willow’s gaze, tears in her eyes. “Why would you do that? You don’t know me.”

Because she so easily could have been in Aurora’s shoes, Willow thought. If not for the Jonases she would have aged out and been on her own. But she couldn’t tell Aurora she knew about her past without violating the confidence between Braden and his patient.

So she drew a deep breath and decided she had no choice but to tell Aurora her own story. “I grew up in foster care. Between the age of seven and eighteen, I was in five different homes. I didn’t have much until my last home, when I was sixteen and was placed with a wonderful family. I know what it’s like to be alone, and when Braden told me about you, I just wanted to help.”