Page 41 of The Sheriff & the Nurse

Lily was playing with the ring on her finger.

Clint groaned and she darted a glance at him. Had the good Lord given him this chance with Lily and he was messing it all up? It felt so right being with her, talking to her, holding her, kissing her. It had to be ordained from above.

The song continued and he focused on driving.

‘Now I’m gonna give her forever.’

If only he could give Lily forever. He pushed the button to shut the music off again. The silence was thick and Lily didn’t look his way.

When Clint pulled into the hospital parking lot, he jammed the truck into park and jumped out, hurrying around to get her door. He helped her out and placed the listening device in her scrubs pocket. She nodded to him and started to walk off.

“Can I bring in lunch again?” he asked.

She turned back, beautiful in the early morning light. “Sure, thanks. Tell Rhett thanks, actually.”

He grinned and leaned against the truck, folding his arms across his chest. “He likes the chance to see me.”

“I bet he does.” Her eyes swept over him as if she liked the chance to see him. “Bye.”

She walked into the hospital. Clint watched her go, his heart clenching. He paced around the truck, unable to sit. He used earbuds to listen to Lily talking to a young mom, her colleagues, giving instructions, sympathy, and support.

A younger man walked by wearing scrubs and glaring at him. Clint didn’t know him. He tilted his chin up and the guy marched past. Odd.

The sun rose and he finally settled into the truck and prayed for insight. He felt strongly that he should call Walker. Lily was talking to a young mom and dad. It sounded like they were in the last stages of labor. She was safe. They hadn’t heard anything from the perp besides the poster. He was probably okay to let down his guard for a few minutes and see if he could figure things out with his brother. Lily had been angry at him last night and he didn’t blame her. He wanted to show her how important she was to him. Could he go back on his word? With Walker’s permission? Would his brother grant it?

He hated silencing Lily’s voice but he clicked on the phone app and Walker’s number. His brother answered after one ring.

“Hey.” Walker’s voice was cautious.

“Bro, I need to …” What did he need to do? “Listen. I am completely in love with Lily, and I think she loves me back. I told her she needed to date you, and she got angry with me. She told me if she wasn’t worth talking things out with you then not to bother calling her when this op is over.” He groaned. “You know I won’t break my word to you, but she’s everything to me. I feel like God brought us together.” He wanted that song to be their song, but first he had to convince Walker to let her go and Lily to love him.

There was silence for a beat. “Clint.” Walker ground out his name and a heavy breath. “If you feel that deeply about her, and she loves you back…” Another pause. “I’ll be happy for you both. No way am I going to hold you to a promise to let me take her out if you feel she’s the right one for you.”

“But you’ve always been interested in Lily,” Clint protested, wishing he’d just shut up, thank his brother, go find Lily and tell her he loved her.

“So have you.”

Clint straightened. “I never said anything.”

“You didn’t have to. I was ticked on Sunday. I stewed about it all afternoon and couldn’t sleep last night. I should’ve been the one to make this call, but selfishly I didn’t want to give up on my dream of being with Lily.”

Clint wanted to protest that his brother wasn’t the selfish one; Clint was.

“At church, I focused on the two of you. The only thing I heard from the entire sermon was the bit about wanting your brother’s happiness above your own,” Walker continued. “Last night those words pounded through my brain, and I couldn’t get it out of my head how she looked at you in church. She’s never looked at me or even Miles like that. It’s obvious you’re the one she wants. I’m not going to compete with you. If you and Lily are in love with each other, no way am I going to take out your girl. I want you to be happy.”

Clint’s heart thumped against his chest. His girl. It could happen. Walker had given him the green light and it hadn’t been near as hard as he’d feared. “Thanks, man.”

“Yep.”

“Do you have somebody …” Clint fished, hoping Walker had somebody else he was interested in, but there weren’t a lot of single ladies in Coleville. Maybe some pretty cowgirl from the rodeo circuit. He knew they ‘fan-girled’ over both his younger brothers.

“Nah, but I got time. You, on the other hand, are an old man.”

Clint chuckled. “Thanks. I better go. I’m listening in while Lily’s at work to keep her safe.”

“Stop wasting time with me, then. Love ya.”

“Um … love you too.” Clint pushed end quick. He and his brothers weren’t ‘love you’ kind of guys, except with the woman they loved.

---