Page 100 of Hard Hat Hottie

My eyes instantly well with tears at the knowledge she’s soon going to be so far away. “I can’t believe it’s your last day.” Uttering the words out loud is all it took for my emotions to get the better of me. Blinking rapidly to hold back the waterworks isn’t helping. “How am I supposed to work like this?”

“Aww, Harlow. Don’t get me going.” She sniffles. “We’ve got twelve hours of ick to get through before we say goodbye.”

“We aren’t saying goodbye!” I snap. “It’s only see you later.” I blubber. “It’s a travel position. You’re not moving away for good.” Sadie finally managed to convince her boyfriend, Aaron, to give moving in together a try. He’s always on the road. So it really doesn’t matter where his home base is located. He can do much of his work from home on his laptop. And most in person sales calls required air travel anyway. Now he can simply fly from wherever Sadie’s contract is. She makes a much better income working as a travel nurse in understaffed areas, and the company she’s signed on with pays for housing. It really is a win-win. I just have to remind myself of that when I’m missing my tiny friend and her big personality.

“You’re right. And it’s only the other side of the state. Maybe your hunky hard hat hottie can bring you for a weekend getaway. Wow, that’s a mouthful.” She giggles.

I bite down on the corner of my lower lip, imagining such a trip. Now that Harrison’s beloved mother is no longer here, he’s taken to staying the full week out of town when he’s working. It only makes sense. The flying back and forth has to be as exhausting as it is costly. Not to mention, he can likely get a lot more work done without constantly going back and forth. Yet with two weekends committed to the emergency room and one to drill, it doesn’t leave much for each other.

Harrison’s beach house is basically like a staycation. Whether the boys are in tow or not, we manage to relax and enjoy each other’s company. We simply have to force ourselves to keep things PG. And when we haven’t been alone together in a month, it can be a struggle.

While spending quality time together around our chaotic life hasn’t been easy, Harrison has been good about communicating. He calls every morning to wish me a good day, and ends my days the same way. If I’m working late or he has a dinner meeting, we send quick texts to the other. A healthy relationship takes nurturing by both parties. Looking back on my failed marriages, I’ve learned a lot. I could’ve tried harder with both of them. I have no regrets. Yet, it’s clear from slowing down with Harrison, that my focus during my marriage was on my children. Not my spouse. My boys will always be my priority. But we’ve given our relationship the seeds it requires to grow with attention to each other’s needs, and watering with open communication.

At times, I’m tempted to backslide. Jump on a plane and meet him in Miami or wherever he’s working. Because I miss him so much it hurts. As we get further into our relationship,that could be a possibility. Yet, diving into relationships head first has proven, time and time again, it only complicates matters. However, I have to keep reminding myself that going slow is for the best. I’m in this for the long haul. And there’s no one else on earth I’d want to share the journey with.

As we exit the little white shuttle bus and head for the ER doors, I subconsciously find myself rubbing an ache in my chest. The melancholy of Sadie’s last day and missing Harrison causing my heart to clench. As committed as I am to doing things right from now on, I’m still human.

“Come on, sista, let’s get this show on the road.” Sadie giggles as she loops her tiny arm through mine. “There’s no one I’d rather spend my last shift in the Candy Cane Key ER with than you.”

“Stop. I’m going to start crying again.” I throw my head back, hoping the strong rays of the sun will cause any remaining moisture to evaporate. Yet as I bring my gaze back front and center, I catch something out of the corner of my eye.

Is that?

Blinking rapidly to verify I’m not hallucinating, my entire body whirrs with excitement as my hard hat hottie comes into view atop the scaffolding. He’s standing tall, his hands tucked into the pockets of his charcoal gray suit pants as he smiles down at me. Frozen in place at the sight, I watch as he carefully descends the ladder.

Darting inside their makeshift office, he returns with a bouquet of beautiful flowers in varying shades of green. He rushes over to where I’m standing, drops a sweet kiss to my cheek, and proceeds to escort me inside. “I don’t want to make you late.”

“What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”

“Yes, yes. I… Well, I missed you. I know we’re supposed to take this slow, but?—”

Grabbing the front of his dress shirt, I pull his hot sweaty body to me and plant a kiss on his big dreamy lips. Who cares if we’re standing in the doorway to the emergency room. His timing is impeccable.

“Well, I need to bring you flowers more often.” He chuckles.

“It’s not the flowers.” The tears are back. But these are the happy variety. “I’ve been missing you so much. Especially today. I want to do this the right way with you. But… I’m so happy to see you, I can’t even explain how much.”

“Aww, baby, all you ever have to do is say so. I’ll be on the first plane back here.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, these are for you.” He laughs pulling them from where they’re crushed between us. He nervously tries to fluff them back to their original presentation.

“They’re beautiful. I love all of the green.”

“They reminded me of the dress you wore. Your eyes.” His gorgeous orbs twinkle in delight as he stares down at me. “I read where green flowers symbolize rebirth and renewal. And good health and good fortune. That’s what I want with you. A second chance to make a happy, fruitful life for ourselves. And the boys.”

I’m so caught up in this unexpected moment that I nearly miss Sadie waving her arms above her head. She mouths “I told Gretchen you had bad cramps and went to the bathroom.” My eyes flick over the people in the waiting room who are watching all of this unfold like a tella novella and laugh.

“Thanks,” I mouth in return. Looking at Harrison, I let out a sigh. “I have to get to work.”

“I know. I don’t want to get you in any trouble. The calendar says the boys are with their dads tomorrow. Since you’re working the night shift, any chance you can leave them with your mom tonight and come to my place? We can swing by and takethem out for pancakes before dropping them with Jimmy and Rob.”

I practically bounce on the tips of my toes. “Yes. They’ll be almost as excited as I am.

Harrison bops me on the tip of my nose, a sultry grin crossing his features. “Oh, trust me my little mermaid. No one’s as excited as me.”

EPILOGUE

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