Merry with a Brewmaster (The Love Beach Holiday Collection)

12. Vienna

12

VIENNA

NOVEMBER

“ M iss Greene?”

“Yes?” I ask cautiously, totally unsure why I felt compelled to pick up the unknown number. It’s local—but I still can’t place it.

“My name is Kathy Fields and I’m the nurse over at Love Beach Elementary. Mr. Reiser listed you on Haven’s emergency contact list, and we need her to be picked up as soon as possible.”

“Is she okay? You couldn’t reach her father?” I ask as I grab my purse and keys and slide my feet into the flip-flops by the door.

Belatedly, I jog back into the bathroom and grab the thermometer and medicine before heading out the door. We’d made it through the first few months of school without Haven contracting the plague, but apparently, our luck had run out.

“We left him a message, but Haven is running a fever, the poor thing. She needs some rest and maybe a trip to the doctor if the fever doesn’t break.”

“Can you tell her I’m on my way? I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”

Mrs. Fields tells me she will and then hangs up while I back out of the driveway and punch in Wells’s number. It rings before going to voicemail, so I leave a message and then try the bar.

No answer.

Pushing down the panic, I park my car in front of the school and type out a message as I walk up to the front doors.

VIENNA: Haven is sick. The school called, I’m getting her now, I’ll let you know what’s going on.

The woman behind the glass smiles, and after signing me in, she directs me toward the nurse’s office where Haven’s little face lights up as soon as she sees me.

“Are you ready to go home, kiddo?” I ask with a smile after exchanging pleasantries with the woman I spoke to on the phone.

“My ear hurts,” Haven says as I press my palm to her forehead. She’s burning up, and I bend down to kiss the top of her head.

“We’ll get you feeling better soon,” I say, taking her hand. Mrs. Fields indicates she hasn’t taken any medicine, and I nod and thank her even though I want to scream.

Buckling her into her seat, I take her temperature and then calmly pour some medicine into the little plastic cup when it registers over one hundred and three degrees.

VIENNA: She’s at 103—what should I do?

VIENNA: I just gave her some over the counter medicine for the fever.

I try Wells’s number again but it just rings until his voicemail picks up, so I end the call and try the pediatrician’s office. By some miracle they had a cancellation and can see us in the next half hour.

VIENNA: Going to the pediatrician’s office. I’ll come by the bar when we’re done.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and will myself to calm down. I know what to do, but right now, the stakes feel so much higher than when I was teaching.

“Do you think Daddy will let me have a popsicle before dinner?” Haven asks from the backseat, making a smile pull at my lips.

“I’ll make sure of it.”

WELLS

I’m halfway through inventorying the cooler when the door chimes. It’s been happening all day, but when Isaac calls my name, dread immediately fills my stomach as I hustle out into the bar.

“There you are! Why isn’t your phone on?” Vienna says, holding Haven in her arms, my daughter’s head on her shoulder.

“What happened?” I ask at the same time I grab the damn thing from my pocket.

Silent.

It’s been on silent all day with missed calls and a dozen messages I didn’t hear.

“The school called because she had a fever, but when I got her she said her ear hurt so we got lucky with the pediatrician’s office because she fit us right in.”

“And?” I ask, already knowing the answer as I round the bar to rub Haven’s back.

“Ear infection and antibiotics,” Vienna says with a watery smile as Haven reaches for me. Pulling her into my arms, I wrap her in a hug and breathe in the comforting scent of her shampoo as I kiss her hair. “We have to go pick up the prescription, but I gave her medicine for her fever already.”

“Thank you,” I manage around the lump in my throat. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get the call…”

“She’s okay,” Vienna says with a small smile, and I want to pull her into my arms and thank her for taking care of my baby. “Just wants a popsicle before dinner.”

A surprised laugh escapes my lips but I nod. “Anything she wants.” Ducking my head, I tip Haven’s face up to look at me. “Do you need me to come home?”

“Vienna said we can snuggle on the couch and watch a movie after we get my medicine.”

“And popsicles,” Vienna whispers loud enough to make Haven giggle.

“Call me if anything changes or you need me, okay? I fixed the ringer so that won’t happen again,” I say, squeezing Haven tighter.

“Her prescription is ready,” Vienna says, looking up from her phone. “I’ll get her settled and we’ll see you at home.”

My daughter goes back to Vienna willingly, and my heart stutters in my chest at the picture they make.

“Text me when you get there,” I call out as they reach the door, Vienna nodding as she pushes it open.

“I will.”

Her easy agreeance has me halfway to palpitations as I watch them get into the car and drive away. We bicker and it’s the hottest kind of foreplay, but it’s also our norm, and having this version of her—even for my daughter’s sake—has me off-kilter.

“Do you need to leave?” Isaac asks from behind me. “I can call someone to come cover for you.”

“No,” I say, blowing out a breath that could knock a house down, “she’s got it.”

“She does,” Isaac says, his inflection making me turn and look at him, his lips twitching just the slightest bit.

“What?” I snap and he barks out a laugh.

“Oh man. You got it bad,” he says, looking far too gleeful, “and my only advice is to go slow and expect setbacks. I haven’t known Vienna to be with anyone, except you honestly, but from what I understand, she’s not the relationship kind of girl.”

“So, you’re telling me to stay away from her?”

He laughs harder and claps me on the shoulder. “Hell, no, I think y’all are perfect for each other, but Vienna isn’t a girl who is single because she can’t find a guy.”

“Thanks,” I murmur.

“It’s a choice she’s made, and she’s got dreams for her flower shop, and if you want to be the one to get her to settle down, you’re gonna have to make sure you’re in it with her. She loves Haven—talks about her all the time—but it’s still a huge jump from single to stepmom.”

I open my mouth and then close it again because what do you say to that? Isaac is Vienna’s age—eight years younger than I am—but still seemingly so much more put together than I am.

I’m at the divorced, single dad, relocating to beach town and living with cousin before landing a job and convincing summer hook-up to be nanny time of my life.

It’s a mouthful and far less satisfying than the one I give Vienna.

“If that look on your face is any indication, I’d start making a plan.” He winks as the door opens and a customer steps inside. “And a couple of backup plans too.”