behind, shattering her hopes they might one day reconcile and get back together. Now she’d put her work and her professional life first, only dating men who weren’t interested in anything long term, keeping her heart and her emotions out of the equation.
She glanced over toward the corner where an eight-year-old boy played on a tablet. No denying Connor was Nick’s son. Same curly brown hair and adorable dimples as his father.
Belle hazarded another look at Nick, the man who’d once been her whole world. With dark shadows marring the skin beneath his eyes and a shadow of stubble on his jaw, he looked as weary as she felt.
Aunt Marlene had mentioned his wife had passed away two years previously. Being a single parent wasn’t easy and Belle couldn’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for Nick to deal with the loss of a spouse plus raising his son alone. And poor Connor. Belle had lost her own parents at the same age Connor was now. It had been devastating. If Aunt Marlene hadn’t taken her in and given her a loving, stable home, God only knew where she might’ve ended up.
Nick caught Belle’s gaze, his expression wary. Years earlier, his soulful brown eyes had sparkled with mirth, ready for any challenge, always up for anything…
Now they stared at her, flat and somber.
“You said there was a stipulation?” Nick asked, refocusing his attention on the attorney.
“Right. Yes,” Dylan said. “Marlene wants you both to reopen the free clinic one last time before you settle the estate.”
“What?” Belle sat back, shocked. She only had three days of bereavement leave. “The free clinic isn’t held until Christmas Eve.”
“Dad?” Connor said from the corner. “I’m hungry.”
“We’ll eat in a minute.” Nick frowned at Dylan. “That’s nine days from now.”
Belle rubbed her forehead. “I’m sorry. I want to respect my aunt’s wishes, but I’ve got obligations in Beverly Hills. I can’t drop everything. There has to be a way around it. Perhaps we could hold the clinic sooner?”
“That’s impossible.” Nick scrubbed a hand over his face and gave an aggrieved sigh. “It’ll take a week or more just to get everything ready and I’m sure there are repairs to be made. The clinic was pretty run-down the last time I was there. Besides, I have my own practice to contend with before the holidays.”
“Sorry, guys,” Dylan said. “But Marlene had this will drafted through an estate lawyer in Lansing last year and it’s airtight. I’ve checked. Honestly, the fastest way to get all of this settled is to honor your aunt’s final wishes and reopen the free clinic on Christmas Eve.”
Frustrated, Belle finally gave in and pulled out her cell phone, to find a text from Dr. Reyes shown on-screen.
Why aren’t you answering my calls?
Irritated, Belle clicked off the device and slid it back into her pocket, heat prickling her cheeks. In the operating room she was famous for her cool, calm demeanor under pressure, but spending five minutes with Nick beside her again—bringing up memories of the past—had her cage thoroughly rattled. Belle didn’t like it. Not to mention the free clinic was what had brought her and Nick together in the first place, helping out Aunt Marlene, working side by side to clean exam rooms or prep patients or wrap instruments for sterilization. It was because of those days that the smell of antiseptic still made her smile…
Ugh. Belle shook off those memories and turned to Nick. “I’m trying to be practical here. I’d think you’d appreciate my efforts, considering your busy work schedule and your son. I loved my aunt. I’d do anything for her, but—”
“Except honor her final wishes.”
“How dare you?” Outrage stormed through Belle like a thundercloud. She sat back and crossed her arms. “Dylan, are we finished? I’d like to get a good night’s sleep and consider this all again with a clear head in the morning. Can we continue this tomorrow?”
“Not so fast,” Nick answered instead, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “I’ll need to check my schedule to see if I can fit in another meeting. My clinic is slammed this time of year as it is, and I need to check with my physician’s assistant to be sure she can handle the extra workload. Plus, Connor needs to be picked up from school. Then there’s dinner and getting him to bed.” At Belle’s irritated sigh, he narrowed his gaze on her. “Or maybe you’d prefer I pull an all-nighter like I did in college?”
She hid her cringe admirably. Any reminder of college and that awful night she’d made her surprise visit to see him had the knots of tension in Belle’s upper back quadrupling.
“Dad.” Connor’s tone grew more plaintive. “I’m starving.”
“Give me one more minute.” Nick gave a long-suffering sigh, his voice dull. “Look, I realize I’m the last person you want to partner with here, Belle, but Marlene made it clear in her will this is what she wanted and unless we do this together, it will never work.”
Darn it, he was right. Much as she hated to admit it.
Fatigue and sadness crowded in around her once more, but duty compelled her to stand firm. “I want to help, I do. But my boss is already texting me about his unreturned calls.” She shook her head. Disappointing people was her least favorite thing, even people like Nick. “Plus, I’ve got opportunities on the line back in California. I have to keep my priorities straight.”
“What about your aunt’s wishes?” Nick said. “Shouldn’t she be your priority right now?”
The words struck her like a slap in the face and ricocheted inside her chest like shrapnel. When she’d been eighteen she would’ve given anything to hear him ask her to stay. Now it felt like one more complication in an already chaotic mess.
Her cell phone buzzed again, most likely with another text from Dr. Reyes.
Through the window behind Dylan’s desk the sky glowed pink and gold and deepest purple as the sun set and people milled about outside after the funeral. Belle smoothed her hand down her black skirt, her head aching. She’d only returned to Bayside to close this chapter of her life for good. With Aunt Marlene gone, there was no reason for her to come back here again after this. She was alone in the world now and the thought made her weary beyond her thirty-six years.
“Don’t mean to rush you, folks.” Dylan cleared his throat. “But I’ve got a holiday dance recital for my daughter tonight, so if we could wrap this up, I’d really appreciate it.”
“Right.” Determined, Belle stood and grabbed her bright red cashmere coat from the back of her chair. “I guess that’s it, then.”
“Oh, there is one more thing.” Dylan pulled something out of one of his desk drawers. “Marlene had a small amount left in her savings after the medical bills were paid. It goes to each of you.” He passed two envelopes across the desk. “Ten thousand dollars each. And there’s a copy of the will in there for each of you too.”
Belle tucked the envelope inside her handbag without looking at it. “Nick, if you can’t make a formal meeting, perhaps we can schedule a conference call tomorrow to discuss this further?”
He shook his head. “I’ll make it
