His Unexpected Twins. Carrie Nichols

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       Chapter Two

      “Check out the guy who just walked in.” Stacy, the triage nurse on duty, elbowed Ellie.

      Ellie looked up from the notes she’d been studying to glance out the large glass window into the emergency waiting area. Her heart sped at the sight of Liam dressed in jeans and a dark blue Red Sox championship T-shirt approaching them. She hadn’t seen him since the community luncheon two days prior, but he hadn’t been far from her thoughts. If Stacy hadn’t spotted him first, Ellie might have wondered if he was figment of her overactive imagination.

      Ignoring Stacy’s obvious curiosity, Ellie opened the door to the triage area. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

      “Hey, yourself.” He gave her that sexy half grin that threatened to leave her in a puddle.

       Janitorial, mop up triage, please.

      She clutched the clipboard across her chest as if it could protect her vital organs like a lead apron during X-rays. “Everything okay?”

      “Heard you’d be getting off soon.” He shrugged. “Thought you might like to grab some supper with me.”

      In the little office, Stacy cleared her throat, but Ellie ignored her.

      Was he asking her on a date? “And where did you hear my shift was ending?”

      “I asked Meg.” He put his hands into his front pockets and hunched his shoulders forward. “So, how about some supper?”

      A pen dropped, followed by a sigh. Stacy was probably memorizing every word and detail of the encounter to pass along later in the cafeteria.

      Ellie shuffled her feet. Was she going to do this? Repeat after me: “not a real date.” “Sure. I’ve got some extra clothes in my locker. If you don’t mind waiting while I change.”

      From the sound of it, Stacy was rearranging files on her desk, and evidently, they were fighting back.

      Ellie grinned and turned around. “Stacy, have you met my friend Meg Cooper’s brother, Liam?”

      Stacy stepped forward and stuck out her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Liam.”

      “Let me get changed. I’ll be right back,” Ellie said while Stacy and Liam shook hands.

      Stacy laughed. “Don’t rush on my account.”

      Despite Stacy’s comment, Ellie hurried to her locker. Had this been Liam’s idea or was Meg somehow behind this? After changing into jeans and a short-sleeved cotton sweater, she undid her hair from the braid and brushed it out. Even if this wasn’t an honest-to-goodness date, she wanted to look her best. She fluffed her hair around her shoulders and applied some cherry lip gloss and went in search of Liam.

      Hands shoved in his back pockets, Liam stood in front of the muted television in the waiting area. He turned as she approached and smiled broadly. “I gotta say, Harding, you clean up nicely.”

      “Not so bad yourself, McBride.” She put her purse strap over her shoulder and waved to Stacy through the window. The triage nurse was with a patient but glanced at Liam and back to Ellie with a grin and a thumbs-up.

      “I thought we’d take my truck and I can bring you back here for your car,” Liam said as the automatic doors slid open with an electronic whoosh.

      A light breeze was blowing the leaves on the trees surrounding the parking lot. A thunderstorm earlier in the day had broken the heat and humidity, making the evening warm but comfortable.

      “Sounds good.” Sounds like a date.

      Using his key fob to unlock his truck, he approached the passenger side and opened the door for her. “Riley says that new hard cider microbrewery on the town square has great food.”

      “They do. Best burgers in town, if you ask me.” She sucked on her bottom lip as she climbed into his truck. Everyone in Loon Lake knew Hennen’s Microbrewery was the place to hang out with friends, while Angelo’s was the restaurant you brought your date to. So, not a date. At least we cleared that up.

      Once she was in the passenger seat, he shut the door and strolled around the hood of the truck. He climbed in and settled himself behind the wheel.

      “Yeah, Meg mentioned that Angelo’s has added a dining patio but—” He started the truck and music from the Dropkick Murphys blasted from the speakers. Leaning over, he adjusted the volume. “Sorry about that.”

      His movements filled the front seat with his signature scent. She was able to pick out notes of salty sea air, driftwood and sage. Thinking about his aftershave was better than trying to figure out what he’d been about to say about Angelo’s. Okay, color her curious. “You were saying something about Angelo’s new patio.”

      He checked the mirrors and the backup camera before leaving the parking spot. “Hmm...oh, yeah. Meg said during the winter you can see across the lake to their house from the patio.”

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