In Over Her Head: An Anchor Island Novel by Terri Osburn (reading eggs books .TXT) 📗

When Nick moved to Anchor Island, cell service was spotty at best. In the two years since, nothing had changed. Thankfully, most businesses on the island offered free Wi-Fi so while making calls remained difficult, islanders were still able to stay connected through the needy little devices in their pockets.

Nick wasn’t a slave to his phone, but it did come in handy on days like today, when he was stuck in Alex Fielding’s waiting room while his grandmother had her regular appointment. Though Nota insisted otherwise, she was no longer a safe driver. That made Nick and Mia her chauffeurs and today was his turn.

The text from Jackson was a welcome distraction. Lauren was bringing back the entire Marina crew plus a few additional team members. She’d also asked for Jackson’s input on picking staples from the previous menu to offer on Pilar’s. Basically, the woman had taken all of Nick’s suggestions after telling him he could shove them up his ass.

Both annoyed and vindicated, Nick didn’t notice the doctor enter the waiting room until he’d tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey,” he said, looking up from his phone. “Is Nota okay?”

“She’s fine,” Alex said. “Can we talk?”

He glanced around the doctor and didn’t see his grandmother. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he assured him. “Nota is as healthy as she was when she walked in. This is something else.”

Nick relaxed. He and Alex were more acquaintances than friends, but if the doc needed to talk, Nick saw no reason not to oblige him. He followed the man down a narrow hall to a small office on the left. Alex motioned for him to enter first, then followed him in and closed the door.

Either he’d been lying about Nota’s health, or the doc had some confession to make. Why he’d choose Nick of all people to tell was a mystery yet to be revealed.

“How are you?” the doctor asked once they’d both taken a seat.

“I’m good. How are you?” he replied, going along with whatever this was.

“I’m okay, thanks for asking. No one ever does that.”

“Does what?”

“Asks me how I am.”

Right. Was the doc raiding his own medicine cabinet?

“When was the last time you had a physical?” Alex asked next, taking Nick by surprise.

He had to think about his answer. “Before I moved here so I guess a couple of years ago.” Leaning forward, he said, “Does Nota need a kidney or something? What is this about?”

“You just had a birthday, didn’t you?” the doc said, ignoring the question.

“Yeah, I did.”

“Thirty-five?”

“Thirty-six,” Nick corrected. “Can we get to the point? I have to get back to the restaurant.”

Alex sighed. “Nota says you think you’re going to die soon.”

He should have known. “There’s nothing you can do about my family history, Fielding. If you’re doing this just to make Nota feel better, then fine. We talked.” Nick rose from his chair but Alex wasn’t finished.

“How old was your father when he died?”

Jaw locked, he replied, “Thirty-seven.”

“Was he a relatively healthy man?”

“He ran a restaurant so there wasn’t much time for working out, but he was fit.”

“Smoker?”

Nick returned to his seat. “He quit ten years before he died.”

“I see.” Alex tapped a finger on his desk. “How about you? Do you smoke?”

“I never took up the habit.”

The doctor opened a manila folder. “Per Nota’s request, I looked up your father’s and your grandfather’s death records. What were you told about their deaths?”

Pissed now, Nick said, “You’re sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“She’s worried about you, Nick. Stress affects her health and her health is my business.” Lifting a paper from inside the folder, he said, “Your father died of a heart attack caused by damage brought on by what was most likely a series of silent heart attacks. He may have thought he had indigestion or a pulled muscle.” He flipped to another page and continued. “Your grandfather died of a brain aneurysm brought on by high blood pressure.”

Nothing Nick didn’t already know. “And they both died before they were forty. What’s your point?”

Alex leaned his elbows on his desk. “My point is that their deaths were wholly unrelated and unless you’re ignoring some severe heartburn or headaches, there’s little chance that you will share their fate.”

“You don’t know that.”

“No, I don’t.” He let out a long sigh. “Contrary to what some physicians like to believe, we are not higher beings. You could walk out of this office and get struck by lightning. Or keel over in your bathroom from a major heart attack there was no way to predict. But that’s the case for all of us, Nick. Your chances of dying in the next few years are no higher than mine.”

“Again, this is none of your business.”

“Is Nota right?” he asked. “Are you so busy waiting to die that you’re refusing to live?”

Nick rose again. “Your job is to treat my grandmother. Stick to that and keep your nose out of my life. If you can’t do that, I’m sure we can find another doctor who will.”

Furious, he left the office to find Nota waiting at the front. She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

“Don’t. Just don’t.”

Her lips snapped shut as she nodded. She knew she’d crossed the line.

He escorted her to the car as gently as ever, and together they rode in silence. Once he’d gotten her home and inside, Nick had only one thing to say.

“Your meddling in my life stops today. Do you understand?”

“I just want you to be happy.” When Nick stayed silent, she said, “Yes, I understand.”

At the door, he turned. “I love you, Nota. But today you went too far.”

“I’m sorry, Nick.”

Eyes on the floor, he said, “Me, too,” before closing the door behind him.

Lauren preferred to do her workouts first thing in the morning, but she’d opted not to hit the gym before the interviews, deciding instead to spend extra time on her appearance. She wasn’t a makeup person and kept her hair just long