If for Any Reason (Nantucket Love Story #1) - Courtney Walsh Page 0,84
sense to hold on to your heart and protect it like it’s a treasure to be kept.”
She looked at him.
“I wish I’d had that kind of sense when I was younger,” he said. “I had something perfect and wonderful and I blew it.”
“Your wife?”
He inhaled a slow breath, then looked away.
“Maybe it’s not too late,” Emily said. “Maybe you can still get her back?”
Jack met her eyes, his face drawn with sadness. “Sadly, that’s not possible.”
“Why not?” Emily asked, knowing she was being nosy but not feeling even a little bit sorry for it.
But Jack wasn’t so forthcoming. “I should get this out to the Dumpster.” He moved toward the debris on the ground.
“Seriously?” She laughed. “I just told you my whole life’s story, and you’re bailing at my first question.”
He picked up a large pile of plaster and tossed her an amused smile. “It’s been nice chatting with you, Miss Ackerman.”
She shook her head. “Turnabout is not fair play, Mr. Walker.” She pounded another hole in the wall. “But thanks for teaching me how to knock down a wall.”
“Of course.” He walked out of the room toward the front door, leaving Emily to contemplate the oddity of having a heart-to-heart with her contractor, but feeling like when this whole remodel was over, she’d have a big dinner party and Jack would be on the guest list.
CHAPTER 30
MID-AUGUST 1989
Even under her parents’ very watchful eyes, Isabelle found ways to see JD. She’d sneak out at night after her mom and dad had gone to bed, race down to the beach, and find him there, waiting.
She’d find reasons to visit the yacht club, where he was now working as a waiter, and they’d steal kisses in the staff locker room when no one was watching.
Their relationship turned innocent again, as if they’d never slept together. As if that was a mistake, and while it couldn’t be remedied, Isabelle didn’t believe JD had any intention of taking advantage of her. If she were to explain the situation to a friend, she would’ve said they were caught up in the moment or they thought they might never see each other again.
It didn’t make it right, and it didn’t take away the fleeting bits of shame that found their way into her mind, but going back to the way they’d been before was comforting. JD felt, in every way, like a part of her. He allowed her to be more herself than anyone else.
With him, she felt like she was home. And the days when she couldn’t be home were hard.
It was strange, not doing exactly what was expected of her. Strange and . . . exhilarating.
Until it wasn’t.
Until the day she had to go to the clinic for an antibiotic and ended up getting tested for mono.
“Miss Ackerman, your blood test turned up something interesting,” the doctor said.
“I’m not dying, am I?” Isabelle half laughed.
Dr. Solstrom’s smile looked forced. The man had been treating her for years. He was her “summer doctor,” as her mother said.
“No, nothing like that,” the doctor said. “Isabelle, when was your last period?”
Isabelle didn’t keep track of these things. She should probably, but she didn’t. She tried to think back and drew a blank.
He sat down on his rolling stool and looked her in the eyes. “Is there a chance you might be pregnant?”
Isabelle’s face turned hot. Though her mother was sitting in the waiting room, she still felt like she should whisper and almost asked the doctor to do the same. She swore her mother could hear through cement walls.
“I don’t think so,” she said. Her mind spun back to the day she found out JD had been fired, the day she’d gone to see him, the day they’d slept together. “Oh no.”
The doctor let out a slight sigh and pushed back on his stool. “Should we talk about your options?”
Isabelle covered her face with her hands. “No, I know my options, but thank you.”
He patted her on the shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.”
Easy for him to say. He wasn’t seventeen, pregnant, and the daughter of Alan and Eliza Ackerman.
“Do you have to tell my mom?”
The doctor inhaled, then sighed again. “I should.”
“No,” she said. “I should.”
“Do you want me to have the nurse get her from the waiting room?”
Isabelle shook her head, suddenly overcome with the need to see JD. “I have to go, Dr. Solstrom, but thanks.”
“Isabelle, you need to talk to your parents—sooner rather than later,” he said. “Or I’ll have to.”