Now, the times he had sneaked in after curfew as a teen were a different story. But that hell-raiser had grown up, leaving the proverbial good times behind.
Leaving Nora Parker behind. Now that he was going to be home for a good bit of time, dodging the one woman who still owned a small portion of his heart would be nearly impossible. Not only was she his parents’ neighbor, she was a recent widow, and his parents loved her like she was the daughter they never had.
Turning his attention back to the reason for his homecoming, Eli eased back from his mother’s embrace and met her gaze.
“What’s this?” she asked, brushing her fingertip along his most recent scar.
Refusing to get into the reasons behind the scar, he shrugged. “Army injury.”
He wasn’t lying, technically. There was no way he would ever come clean about the ugly reminder of how he’d spent his last encounter with his best friend.
The last time he’d seen Todd alive, they’d gotten into a drunken fistfight. Out of character for both of them, but Eli would do it again in a heartbeat, given the reasons behind the unleashed rage.
His mother hugged him again. “I’m so proud of you for serving, but selfishly I’m glad you’re done for good.”
Bev pulled back and Eli stepped into the foyer.
“How’s Dad?”
Nodding, she started forward toward the living room. “He’s okay. You of all people know doctors make the worst patients.”
Eli laughed, thankful that he was home, but worried what he’d encounter when he saw his father. The man had always been so robust, so full of life and busy caring for others. But his father had failed a stress test earlier in the week and a heart cath showed he had some major blockage.
Eli had been a medic in the army the past several years, but since he got out six months ago, he’d been an ER doctor in Atlanta, and he’d seen his fair share of massive heart attacks. Chest pain was nothing to mess around with. Since his father hadn’t been having pain, they scheduled the surgery for tomorrow, for which Eli was thankful. The drive on his way up from Georgia had given him enough time to prepare himself.
And enough time to work on scenarios and reactions to seeing Nora. Why did he care? Shouldn’t time and distance have severed any ties he had to her? They were different people now and whatever feelings they’d had in the past were left there when he chose to walk away from her.
Hardest decision of his life, to leave her and go fight for his country.
The scar on his face proved he’d never fully gotten over her, even though they’d both moved on.
They’d each made their choices, and there was no going back.
Eli tried to slide those thoughts from his mind as he followed his mother toward the living room. He was here for his father first and foremost...not to rehash or run from emotions he’d felt years ago. He had his own life now, one he loved and was eager to get back to once his father was cleared to return to work.
Eli had seen countless patients laid up, recovering or even dying, but when your father was the one being treated, the whole scenario changed. Eli wasn’t a fan of being back home for a long period of time, but there was no way he’d leave his father or his father’s patients in a bind.
Fortunately, Eli had handled seventeen years in the military and in medical school so coming home to a disgruntled father, who was waiting on quadruple bypass surgery instead of practicing medicine himself, was nothing Eli couldn’t handle.
Eli moved through the old bungalow-style home, leaving his suitcase in the foyer. As much as he loved coming home for visits, he’d never done so with the intention of staying longer than a few days. And in those visits home, he’d managed to avoid Nora for the most part. He’d seen her and even exchanged the requisite pleasantries, but other than that, he’d kept his distance.
Now he’d be home—at a minimum—for the rest of the winter and into the spring.
Nothing like being thirty-five years old and living with Mommy and Daddy again. Of course he’d do anything for his parents, including give up his bachelor lifestyle. Family had always come first, no matter what. At least he was going to be staying in the apartment above the garage. That was still somewhat private.
Eli stepped into the living room where his father was reclined in the old, plush chair that should’ve been retired to a garbage dump about five years ago. The man was a doctor; he could afford new furniture, for heaven’s sake.
Familiar ornaments adorned the full artificial tree that occupied the corner of the space. His mother still hung all of their stockings along the edge of the mantel even though Eli and his brothers had each moved out right after they graduated. The worn-in comfort of the home, especially now at Christmas, helped ease his nerves in dealing with the inevitable reunion with Nora. He wasn’t so worried about the old feelings creeping up; he was more worried about how he could look her in the eye when he knew a truth she could never uncover.
Eli glanced from the television to his father. Remote in one hand, Dr. Mac St. John gave the television the one-fingered salute with the other.
Suppressing a chuckle, Eli stepped closer, but he knew what he’d find on the TV—sports. His father had always been a sports fanatic, namely football. Apparently this game was not to his liking. Or, more to the point, the refs’ decisions weren’t to his liking.
“Still disagreeing with their calls?” Eli asked.
His dad turned to face him and in one swift motion Mac had the footrest down and was on his feet. “Well, there’s one of my boys.”
Mac wrapped his arms around Eli’s shoulders and gave him a manly slap on the back. Eli returned his father’s embrace, welcoming the comforting touch. At one time Eli and his brothers feared the wrath of their father, but Eli now understood that the anger from his dad had only stemmed from fear and love. Eli didn’t even want to think about what he and his brothers had put their parents through.
His mother had once said that raising teenagers wasn’t for wimps. At the rate Eli was going with his career really taking root, he didn’t have time to date, let alone find a wife and have children. Besides, he’d settled pretty well into his bachelor status. Working in Atlanta with a promotion on the horizon was the main component in his life, other than his parents and brothers.
“Let me look at you.” His father eased back down into his chair, resting his hands on his knees. “You look good, son. Real good. You don’t know how much this means to me that you’re willing to fill in.”
Eli didn’t want to think about the patients at his dad’s office. More than likely they were the same judgmental people who lived here when he was a havoc-wreaking teen. He and his brothers hadn’t exactly been the town’s golden boys.
Apparently stealing street signs, racing down Main Street in dual-exhaust trucks and spray painting old buildings was frowned upon. Not that anyone could prove the St. John boys had anything to do with such shenanigans. Eli and his brothers were way too sneaky and smart to get caught.
On a sigh, Eli shook away the memories. People in small towns never forgot the person you used to be. Even worse, they never let you forget it, either.
