Seaside Heartbeats_A Sweet Romance Read online

  "What else would you expect, Dwight?"

  "Nothing."

  "When are Cora and Marcus arriving with the kids?" Lana asked. Her sister and family were supposed to have arrived days earlier, but Cora wouldn't pull herself away from her interior design business. She'd hired some of the most competent people in the field, but she didn't trust anyone to do their jobs when she was away.

  "Supposed to be tonight," said her mom.

  "That's what you said the last two days." Lana frowned.

  "I know. I can't wait for them to see this cute town. They're going to adore it."

  Lana looked over at her dad scribbling away on the plans. They were a family of workaholics. She was determined to be successful without being obsessed. Everyone raved about her natural talent, so it shouldn't be a problem. Or so she hoped.

  Besides, if she had someone to come home to that looked like Dr. Hunter…. There was no way she would work overtime. Lana sighed, imagining his gorgeous smiling face as she came home every night.

  "Are you tired?" asked her mother. "Have a seat. I'll make you some chamomile tea."

  "Sounds good to me." Lana wandered over to the sofa and flipped on the TV. She'd agreed to this vacation to rest and relax. Let Cora and their dad work the whole time.

  She found a movie and watched it until her eyes grew heavy. It had been a long night going to the ER and waiting hours to get released. After coming back home, she remained shaken up from the whole thing and hadn't slept well. If the ER staff hadn't insisted that she return to the hospital for the follow-up visit, Lana would have stayed at the beach house in her pajamas all day.

  Her eyelids grew heavier until she couldn't fight them any longer. She listened to the movie, trying to follow it, until she drifted off to sleep. Sweet smelling steam woke her. Lana opened her eyes to see her mom holding a mug in front of her face.

  "Asleep already? Here's your chamomile, dear. Maybe you should go up to bed."

  Lana stretched. "Thanks, Mom." She took the tea and sipped it. It certainly wasn't a mocha. Every morning on the way to her internship or architectural exams, she got a different flavored mocha.

  She couldn't imagine going the rest of her life without caffeine. Maybe she could make weak coffee at home. It wouldn't be the same as the little stand she always went to, but it would be better than having another episode.

  "I'm going to go lie down." Lana got up and took her empty cup to the sink.

  "Get some rest," her dad said, not looking up from the papers. "I'm sure you need it after last night."

  "Don't you need some extra sleep, Dad?" she asked.

  He held up a liter of pop. "This'll keep me going. Want us to wake you when Cora gets here?"

  "Yeah," Lana said. "If she gets here. Though I'm sure the kids will wake me if you don't."

  He chuckled. "True, true."

  Lana went upstairs to her room. Well, not technically her room, but it was hers for the summer. She turned the air conditioning unit higher, afraid to wake up from another episode. That was part of the reason she'd had such a hard time sleeping after returning from the hospital.

  She couldn't fall asleep knowing it could happen again, then when she finally did get to sleep, she had nightmares. Now she was too tired. If heat was part of the problem, at least she could freeze her room as she slept.

  Lana woke up with her teeth chattering. She pulled up the comforter to her face, trying to warm up. She felt rested, so at least she had gotten some real sleep. No nightmares, either.

  There was a thud downstairs. Could Cora and company have actually arrived? Lana got up and stretched. Her clothes were wrinkled from sleeping, so she put on some fresh clothes. Her hair was a wreck, too. She looked in the mirror and brushed it. That didn't help, so she pulled it back into a loose bun. It wasn't like she was trying to impress anyone.

  She went downstairs, and her two nephews, Nolan and Ryder, immediately shrieked. "Auntie Lana!" They ran over to her, and nearly knocked her over with hugs.

  Lana picked them up. "You guys are getting big. I don't know if I can carry you two around at the same time anymore."

  They squirmed and laughed. She set them down, and they proceeded to run circles around the kitchen and living room.

  "I wish I had their energy," she said.

  "You and me both." Cora came over and gave her a hug. "Congrats to the new architect. How does it feel to be official?"

  "I'll let you know when I start. I'm determined to take the summer off. Dad on the other hand…."

  They both laughed, looking over at him still poring over the papers.

  "How's business?" Lana asked.

  Cora's eyes lit up as she spoke about plans to expand into a nearby city. "Business is booming, and if I can set up another office we'll have the boys' college funds complete before they turn ten."

  "Or even earlier," said Marcus. He kissed Cora, and then gave Lana a hug. "Good to see you again."

  "Likewise. How's the team?"

  "This year looks good. We have some stars from the junior high moving up, so I have high hopes of making it to state."

  "Oh, good." Lana went into the kitchen and helped her mom with dinner. She talked with Cora and Marcus while they made sure Nolan and Ryder didn't break anything as they ran and tackled each other.

  By the time dinner was over, Lana felt caught up with their lives. It was almost like it hadn't been over six months since they'd last seen each other for Christmas.

  After clearing the table, Cora leaned close to Lana. "Any love interests?"

  Lana thought of Dr. Hunter, and her cheeks burned. She looked away, hoping her sister wouldn't notice.

  No such luck. "Oh," Cora said in a sing-song voice. "Do tell."

  "There isn't anything to say."

  Cora squealed. "You're blushing."

  "Honestly, it's nothing."

  Cora bumped her with her hip. "You can have both, little sis."

  "Little, huh?" Lana asked, trying to change the subject. "I'm pretty sure I've been two inches taller than you since the eighth grade."

  "Doesn't change the fact that I was born first." Cora stuck her tongue out.

  Lana laughed. "Doesn't mean you're more mature, either."

  A crash sounded in the next room, followed the sounds of both Nolan and Ryder crying. Cora ran out of the kitchen.

  Saved by the wild twins.

  Three

  "You know what you need, Brayden? A tattoo."

  Brayden stared at his brother, Cruz. "That's the last thing I need." He leaned against the counter of the Hunter Family Shop where Cruz manned the register for the evening shift.

  "Dude, what you got against tats? They're a great conversation starter."

  "What makes you think I need an ice breaker?"

  "I haven't seen you with a chick since you dated that redhead when you were a resident. That was, like, three years ago, dude." Cruz pulled up his sleeve, showing off his latest tattoo. It was a heart with Mom in the middle and a flower wrapped around it. "You think Mom will like this one?"

  Brayden shook his head. "A small part of her dies every time you get a new one."

  "But look. It's her favorite flower."

  "Well, that changes everything." Brayden laughed.

  "You goin' to the big concert tonight?" Cruz asked. "That's all everyone's been talking about today. I might swoop in after closing shop."

  "Too tired tonight. I was on call last night, and the ER took full advantage of that. I don't think I had two consecutive hours of sleep."

  "Dude, when are you going to open that clinic here in Kittle Falls? You keep talking about it, but haven't actually done anything."

  Brayden bit back a defensive comment. "I'm in the process of finding a couple partners. I can't just open an Urgent Care clinic with cardiology and family practice departments by waving a magic wand."

  "No kidding, but you could at least look around for a building. Have you done that, yo?"

  "Why are you on my case?"
Brayden asked.

  "I know you don't wanna keep working at the hospital. You never even wanted to start. Hey, I'll skip the concert, and we can wander the town."

  "Thanks, but I'm really too tired."

  "What about the old elementary school? I heard they're going to tear it down since they built the new one."

  "A school? That's too big."

  "Hmm." Cruz looked deep in thought. "Hey, I know, dude. The old pancake house behind the bar. That's just waiting to be remodeled."

  "Maybe. I'll tell you what. We'll both think about it, and then brainstorm when we have dinner at Mom and Dad's on Sunday."

  "Now there's a good plan." Cruz held up his fist, and Brayden bumped it with his fist. "Go get some sleep, bro."

  "Will do." Brayden turned toward the door just as it opened. He blinked twice as Lana Summers stepped inside and stopped, seemingly as surprised to see him as he was to see her. She had her hair down, wore a jean jacket over a long yellow top and black leggings.

  He held her eye contact, and neither spoke.

  Cruz cleared his throat. "Welcome to the Hunter Family Store."

  Lana didn't take her gaze from Brayden. "Dr. Hunter?"

  He nodded. "Lana."

  She looked between Cruz and Brayden, obviously trying to figure out if they were related. At first glance, all of the Hunter brothers looked too different to be related, but that was mostly due to their varied interests. Though there were five of them, they were each as different as could be.

  Lana turned back to Brayden. "Do you live around here?"

  "I do." Why couldn't he think of something more interesting to say?

  Cruz took a step forward. "What brings you in here, Lana? Besides my brother, that is."

  Her face turned pink, and then she looked away. "Do you guys carry tea? I was told I could find some here."

  "He can show you where it is," Cruz said, giving Brayden a look of approval.

  Lana looked into his eyes. "I don't want to put you out. I'm sure you're—"

  "It's no problem. I know where everything is."

  "Okay. If you're sure."

  Brayden walked down the aisles to where the tea was kept, and then gestured to the row of teas.

  Lana looked at the choices for a minute before taking a couple boxes of decaffeinated teas. "I decided to take your advice and drink some tea instead of coffee."

  "You can still drink moderate amounts of caffeine," Brayden said. "In fact, I wouldn't recommend dropping it if you're used to drinking a lot. You'll have killer headaches for a while." He searched for something more interesting to say, but found it hard to think straight with Lana there.

  "Really? I have been drinking a lot lately."

  Brayden grabbed a box of black tea and handed it to her. "Add a little honey or sugar to sweeten it up. It has a lot less caffeine than coffee, but hopefully enough to keep the headaches away—and keep you awake."

  Lana looked back and forth between him and the box of black tea. "I think I'll try this other stuff first, but if I get a headache, I'll move to this. You know, live life on the edge." The corners of her mouth twitched.

  Brayden smiled. "Sounds like a plan." He tried to think of a funny retort, but came up empty. He'd probably think of something after she left. "Well, don't hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions."

  "Why don't you give her your number?" Cruz asked, showing up from nowhere. "Then she can ask you directly."

  Lana's eyes widened. "Oh, no. I couldn't. I don't want to bother you."

  Brayden liked the idea of her calling him at home, but would that be mixing business with pleasure? She was his patient.

  "He doesn't mind," Cruz said, whacking Brayden's back. "Do you?"

  "Of course not. You might have a question when the clinic is closed. The ER is always open, but you shouldn't need them again." Brayden took out his wallet and pulled out a business card. "Now where did my pen go?"

  "Don't you love how old-fashioned he is?" Cruz asked Lana. "Just call her cell phone. Then you'll both have each other's numbers."

  Heat crept into Brayden's cheeks. "If you don't mind giving me your number."

  "Not at all." She told him her number, and he typed it into his phone. Hers rang, and she looked at it. "Got it."

  Brayden ended the call, and then saved her number. He didn't plan on calling her while she was a patient, but it was nice to have. Part of him wished she wasn't his patient. Maybe more than part of him, but it was a good thing because he didn't have any time to date anyone. Not even casually.

  Like he'd just discussed with Cruz, he needed to focus on finding a building, and that would likely take up what little free time he had.

  Lana put her phone back into her purse. "Thanks for the tea suggestion."

  "My pleasure. And if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask." Brayden hated how awkward he acted around Lana. He was used to being a quick thinker, but now he just felt like a geek.

  They went back to the counter, and Cruz rang her up.

  She said goodbye, holding Brayden's eye contact as she did. Then as she turned around and walked away, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

  Once she was gone, Cruz turned to him. "Dude, I totally approve."

  "What do you mean?" Brayden asked. "She's just a patient."

  "Right. The tension was so thick, I could have designed a tattoo on it."

  "You need a girlfriend," Brayden said.

  "Not as bad as you do, which is why you need to start getting serious about the urgent care thing."

  Sirens sounded not far away as if to prove Cruz's point. Brayden frowned.

  "Do you have enough partners to get it started?" Cruz asked.

  "Almost," Brayden said. "Have you checked on Dad today?"

  "Yeah. He was in here earlier taking stock on inventory."

  Brayden yawned. "Okay, so he looked good?"

  "That he did. Whistled the whole time."

  "If they're still up when you get home, tell them I'll stop by tomorrow. I should be more rested."

  "Probably in the morning, man. I plan to hit the concert. You should ask that hot tea-chick to go."

  Brayden shook his head, his eyes growing heavier by the minute. "I need sleep, and she needs to take care of her heart."

  Cruz frowned. "Is she going to be okay?"

  "She should have a long life. All she needs to do is make some minor changes, which it looks like she is."

  "Good. So, tomorrow give her a call now that you have her digits."

  Brayden raised an eyebrow. "She's my patient."

  "Then give her case to another doctor. Both of you are into each other. Don't let the summer go by without at least giving it a chance."

  "You're one to talk."

  "If the right chick comes along, I won't push her away. But it'll take quite a woman to distract me."

  "I don't doubt that." Brayden chuckled. "See you tomorrow."

  "If you change your mind about getting a tat, let me know."

  "Yeah, I'll do that." He walked toward the door, unable to get Lana's pretty smile out of his mind.

  Four

  Lana fell into bed, hardly able to keep her eyes open. She'd spent the entire day at the beach with the twins. Herding two dozen cats would have been easier than keeping up with those two. Her mom and sister had stopped by at various points, making her rest, both concerned about Lana's heart.

  She insisted she was fine, and could keep living life normally, and that was all she wanted. She had never been weak or fragile, and she wasn't about to start now. It was a minor condition, and every doctor said she should be fine. Her parents had heard it for themselves at the ER.

  Lana stayed in the shade as much as possible, and drank as much ice-cold water as possible. It had worked beautifully.

  Her heart went into erratic patterns on occasion throughout the day, but nothing like the episode that had landed her in the hospital. When it started to quicken its pace, she did as the hot doctor had sa
id. She either held her breath or coughed, and that was all it took for it to go back to normal.

  SVT wasn't going to get the best of her—she was going to kick its ugly butt.

  Lana closed her eyes, and instead of picturing the wild boys or the sandy beach, Dr. Hunter's gorgeous face appeared. She sighed, wishing she had a good reason to call him. She'd followed everything he said, and almost felt back to normal.

  She hadn't seen a wedding band, but he probably had a girlfriend. And if that wasn't the case, he had to have had women crawling all over him. Handsome, sexy, and a doctor. He was practically perfect.

  Why hadn't she asked him for his first name? Had his brother mentioned it when they were in the shop the night before? Lana couldn't remember, but then again, she'd been so nervous. If she would have been smart, Lana would have asked for it when she got his number instead of putting Dr. Hunter for his name in the contact field.

  It should have unnerved her that he held such an effect on her, but it didn't. She was always strong and confident, usually scaring away guys because she wasn't the typical damsel in distress. She didn't need a man, and she knew it. Even when she was attracted to someone, it had never been anything like this.

  No one else would have thought she'd broken a blood pressure machine. Even though that had been a day earlier, she still felt embarrassed by the whole thing. What if Dr. Hunter had figured out why the machine had such different results? She would never be able to look at him again.

  Actually, that was a lie. She could look at him all day long, and never get bored. In fact, she wanted to see him again. Would they run into each other again in town? What were the chances of him being in his family's store if she showed up again?

  She tried to think of excuses to call him, but fell asleep. When she awoke, Lana felt rested and revived. She could take on the world, or at least the twins. Instead, she showered and dressed, ready to accidentally run into the doctor.

  When she got downstairs, everyone was eating dinner already.

  "How long did I sleep?" she asked.

  "Three or four hours," Cora said. "I knew we shouldn't have left you at the beach with Ryder and Nolan."

  Lana sat and filled her plate. "Nonsense. I was just tired from the other night, and I'm not used to chasing after kids." She asked about their day, managing to get the focus off her.