Sweet Surrender Read online

  He met her halfway across the deck. “Is everything all right?”

  “A little boy is sick. Jesse is four years old and he vomited not long ago. He’s really hot, pale, and floppy.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “At The Welcome Center. He needs to see a doctor, but Doc Reilly isn’t here and Jesse’s mom doesn’t have insurance.”

  “My medical bag is in the back of my truck.” Zac quickly explained to John why he was leaving and headed outside with Willow.

  “I’m sorry I interrupted you.”

  Zac unlocked his vehicle and pulled out the bag. “There’ll be another meeting. Let’s go.”

  “If we go in the back door it will be faster.” Willow’s dark hair blew around her head as they ran down the side of the building. She threw open a wooden door and walked toward a room on the right-hand side of the corridor. “While you’re looking at Jesse, I’ll check the Internet to see if the road to Polson has been cleared.”

  Zac nodded. “Hopefully, we won’t need to go to the hospital.” But as soon as he saw Jesse, he knew he’d been too optimistic.

  Mabel was placing cold towels on the little boy’s forehead to cool him down. “Thank goodness you’re here, Zac. This is Barbara and her son, Jesse.”

  Barbara was holding her son on her lap, trying to provide what little comfort she could.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Barbara.”

  “Thank you for coming.”

  “That’s okay. Would you mind if I moved Jesse onto the bed? It will be easier to examine him.”

  “I can carry him across.” Barbara carefully placed her son on the top sheet. “Jesse had some Tylenol about an hour ago.”

  “Did it make any difference?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  Mabel placed a glass of water beside the bed. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “If there’s a fan in the building, bring it into the room. It will help cool Jesse down.” Zac took the little boy’s temperature and did a quick but thorough examination of his body.

  Barbara waited beside the bed. “Why does he have a rash on his back?”

  Zac placed his stethoscope around his neck. “The rash is a reaction to his high temperature.” Jesse’s armpits and groin were clear of any spots or marks that looked like bruising. “Has he mentioned anything about a sore neck or eyes?”

  “He was complaining of sore eyes this morning.”

  Mabel returned to the room.

  Zac moved out of her way as she plugged in the fan. “Have you taken Jesse to the doctor to be immunized?”

  “He’s had all the shots he should have been given.” Barbara’s bottom lip trembled. “Will he be all right?”

  “He’s dehydrated. Mabel, do you have any popsicles in the freezer?”

  “I’ll check. If there aren’t any, I’ll ask Allan to bring some across.”

  “Thank you.” Zac moved the fan closer to Jesse. Gently, he lifted the little boy’s head and shoulders.

  Jesse’s eyelids fluttered open.

  “Hi, buddy. I’m Zac. I’d like you to drink some water.” The trickle of water he drank wouldn’t rehydrate him in a hurry. “That’s it. Just a little more.”

  Jesse’s eyes filled with tears. “I want Mommy.”

  “Mommy’s right here.”

  Barbara held her son’s hand. “It’s okay, Jesse. Zac is a doctor. He’s going to make you feel better.”

  Zac handed her the glass of water. “Try and get him to drink a little more. When Mabel returns with a popsicle, give him one of those.”

  Barbara nodded and tried to coax her son into drinking more water. He gave it his best shot, but he was completely exhausted. The only thing Jesse wanted to do was sleep.

  All it would take was one vomit and they would be worse off than when Zac arrived. “When was the last time Jesse used the bathroom?”

  Barbara hesitated before answering. “Last night, just before he went to bed.”

  Willow stood beside Zac. “The road has been cleared.”

  “Thanks.” Jesse still wasn’t drinking enough. If Zac had a clinic in Sapphire Bay, he would have given him fluids through an IV line. But with his limited resources, he couldn’t help Jesse beyond what they were doing now.

  Mabel rushed into the room with a popsicle. “We had some in the freezer.” She unwrapped the frozen treat and handed it to Barbara.

  Jesse was more interested in the popsicle, but he was so weak his mom had to hold it to his mouth.

  Zac knew what needed to happen. All he had to do was convince Barbara to agree. “I know you don’t have medical insurance, Barbara, but I really think we should take Jesse to the hospital.”

  “I can’t afford to go.”

  “The hospital has to treat him. I don’t know your particular circumstances, but you may qualify for Charity Care or public financial assistance. If all else fails, I’ll pay Jesse’s bill myself.”

  “I can’t…” Barbara looked down at her son. When she looked up, pride and determination were etched into her face. “Thank you. As soon as I can, I’ll pay you back.”

  Zac understood how hard it was for her to accept his help. In a country with so much, it was wrong that being looked after in a hospital was difficult for anyone who couldn’t afford insurance.

  He picked up his bag. “Hopefully, everything will be covered. Could you pack an overnight bag for you and Jesse? I’ll bring my truck around to the back entrance and we’ll leave from there.”

  Mabel touched Barbara’s arm. “I’ll hold the popsicle while you get everything ready.”

  Willow gathered some towels and blankets together. “I’ll arrange these on the back seat of the truck. Do you want a bucket in case Jesse’s sick?”

  Zac nodded. “If you could pack a damp hand towel in a plastic bag, we’ll take that, too.” He placed his hand on Jesse’s hot brow. “Be strong, little man. I’ll get you to the hospital as quickly as I can.”

  Willow looked over her shoulder at Jesse and his mom. They were nearly at the hospital, which was just as well considering how lethargic the little boy had become.

  Before they’d left Sapphire Bay, Mabel had given them a cooler full of popsicles. Barbara had encouraged her son to suck on the frozen treats, but it was a struggle for him to do anything.

  With the air conditioning turned on, Zac was hoping the cold air would help lower Jesse’s temperature. If nothing else, it had enabled them to arrive in Polson without any vomiting.

  Zac glanced at Willow. “I’ll stop in the drop off zone by the emergency entrance. Would you be able to find a parking space while I take Jesse inside?”

  “Sure. If you’re not in the waiting room when I arrive, I’ll send you a text.”

  “If you don’t get a reply right away, don’t worry. I’ll come and get you as soon as I can.”

  Barbara leaned forward. “I don’t know how to thank you both for everything you’ve done.”

  “You don’t need to thank us,” Willow said. “I’m just glad we were at The Welcome Center when Jesse became sick.” She’d known for a long time that the world worked in mysterious ways. Driving to the hospital twice in three days had to be more than a coincidence. If Zac was looking for a reason to stay in Sapphire Bay, he didn’t have to look far.

  “Here we go,” Zac murmured.

  When the truck stopped, Willow unclipped her seat belt.

  Zac reached across the cab and held her hand. “Thank you.”

  A lump formed in her throat. She had no idea why he was thanking her. All she’d done was talk to Barbara and made sure Jesse had everything he needed. If anything, she’d talked too much. But filling the tension inside the truck with random snippets of conversation seemed to make the journey a lot easier.

  While Zac gathered Jesse into his arms, Willow held open the door. “Don’t worry about your backpacks, Barbara. I’ll bring them with me.”

  Barbara took a well-loved toy rabbit off the seat. “Thanks. I’ll see
you soon.”

  As soon as everyone was clear of the truck, Willow slid into the driver’s seat and drove toward the parking lot. Hopefully, Jesse wouldn’t have to wait long to see a doctor, especially when Zac was holding him.

  “Penny for your thoughts.”

  Willow nearly leapt off the hard, plastic, hospital seat. Zac had snuck up behind her while she was sitting in the waiting room. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

  He didn’t look sorry for making her heart pound. “You were a million miles away.”

  She slipped her cell phone back into her pocket. The email Megan sent her could wait until later. “How’s Jesse?”

  “He’s asleep and doing a lot better since the doctors gave him an IV line. If you want to spend some time with Barbara, I can wait out here.”

  “I’ll give her a few minutes alone with Jesse. She’s exhausted.”

  Zac sat beside her. “It can’t be easy raising a child on your own, especially when they’re sick.”

  “Or when you don’t have a home of your own or a job that pays more than the minimum wage.”

  “Hopefully, the tiny home village will be able to help people like Barbara.”

  Willow nodded. When Barbara wasn’t working at a gift store in Sapphire Bay, she helped cook meals at The Welcome Center. She was always there for everyone else, and now it was time for her to be looked after.

  A man and a woman walked into the room and headed straight to the water cooler. They looked every bit as stressed as Barbara.

  An hour ago, Jesse had been moved into an isolation room in the children’s ward. Until the doctors knew what was causing his high temperature and vomiting, they didn’t want to risk anyone else getting sick. Thankfully, the tests had already ruled out meningitis.

  Willow turned to Zac. He was flicking through a magazine. “I bet you never thought you’d become Sapphire Bay’s next doctor.”

  “I haven’t.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “In the last three days, you’ve delivered a baby and looked after Jesse. Even Doc Reilly doesn’t have as many emergency cases when he’s here.”

  Zac closed the magazine. “I was in the right place at the right time.”

  “Exactly. It’s called divine intervention.”

  “Are you telling me I’m supposed to stay in Sapphire Bay?”

  Willow wanted him to stay, but he needed to do what worked best for him. “It’s not my decision to make.”

  “I seem to remember there were some distinct advantages to living in Montana.”

  The gleam in Zac’s eyes made her smile. “Are you talking about the amazing scenery and friendly people?”

  “I’m talking about one friendly person in particular.” Zac held her hand. “How would you feel about dating a man who has a lot of issues he needs to work through?”

  “That has to be the worst sales pitch I’ve ever heard.” As soon the words left Willow’s mouth, she regretted them.

  The gleam in Zac’s eyes disappeared and his face became a blank mask. “I wasn’t trying to sell you anything. I was being honest.”

  She gently squeezed his hand. “I know you were. I’m sorry if that comment came across as flippant. If you were talking about PTSD, I don’t know much about it, but I’d like to learn. I’d also like to spend more time with you.”

  Zac lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “I want to spend more time with you, too.”

  Willow bit her bottom lip. “Before we go too much farther, I have a confession to make. I haven’t dated anyone since I moved to Sapphire Bay. I might be a little rusty.”

  That made Zac smile. “You aren’t the only one. I can’t remember the last time I took someone on a date.”

  “It sounds as though we’re a match made in heaven.”

  “Or a disaster waiting to happen.”

  Willow kissed his cheek. “I’m going to be optimistic and say we’ll both be happy.”

  Zac’s hand tightened on hers. “I hope so.”

  They were both taking a risk, stepping so far out of their comfort zones that it made Willow tremble. But she’d never met anyone like Zac and she doubted she would again.

  Zac checked his watch. Five hours after arriving at the hospital, he was walking back to the parking lot with Willow.

  Although Jesse’s blood test results had come back negative for the measles or any highly contagious virus, the doctors wanted him to stay in the hospital. Whatever had attacked his little body had left him weak and dehydrated.

  Barbara had decided to stay with her son. An orderly moved a big, comfy chair into the room for her, but with the noise coming from the ward, Zac doubted she’d get much sleep.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive home?” Willow asked him.

  He shook his head. “I’m okay. As long as there aren’t any issues on the road, we should be home by eleven-thirty.” He glanced at Willow. For most of the night, she’d seemed distracted. “Is everything all right?”

  She zipped up her jacket. “I think so.”

  That wasn’t the answer Zac was expecting. “Why do you think so and not know so?”

  “That would make a good tongue twister.”

  “You’re doing it again.”

  Willow frowned. “What?”

  “Changing the subject.”

  “I didn’t mean to.” Willow stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “I thought everything was going so well. I’m making a good income from my photography business and I’ve made lots of wonderful friends in Sapphire Bay. I’m happier now than I’ve ever been. But I let my guard down and now everything is blowing up in my face.”

  Zac had no idea what she was talking about. “What do you mean?”

  Willow stuck her hands inside her pockets. “Not long after we left Sapphire Bay, Megan sent me an email. Someone recorded the songs I sung at Levi and Brooke’s wedding and the video is going viral.”

  “Viral?”

  “More than four million people have watched the songs on YouTube.”

  Zac didn’t know why she was so worried. “Is that a bad thing?”

  Willow sighed. “If I was still in the music industry, it would be great. But I’m not. I’ve tried hard to keep away from the spotlight. I don’t want people to know where I live and what I’m doing—I had enough of that while I was in Nashville.”

  “Will the video make that much difference?”

  Willow pulled out her phone and found her Facebook page. She showed him the screen, pointing to the number of messages waiting for her.

  His eyes shot open. “Good grief. What could twelve hundred people want to ask you?”

  “Believe me, you don’t want to know. What am I going to do?”

  She was asking the wrong person. When it came to social media, he was hopeless. “You could ignore the messages. By tomorrow, another story will appear and no one will be interested in watching the video.”

  “I hope you’re right.” She slid her phone into her pocket and took a deep breath. “At least while I’m here, no one will know who I am.”

  Zac pulled a ski cap out of his jacket. “If you want to hide, you could always wear this. It might keep any die-hard fans from knowing you’re in Polson.” He’d given her the cap as a joke, but she thought he was serious.

  With a relieved sigh, she pulled the black wool over her head. “Thanks, but be warned. If someone knocks on your front door at two o’clock in the morning, it could be me, on the run from a persistent fan.”

  As if jinxing her disguise, Willow’s phone rang. She looked at the caller display and frowned. “It’s Ryan Evans.” She must have realized he didn’t have a clue who she was talking about. “He’s a country singer. Ryan is bigger than Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, or anyone else I could name. We’re performing together in a fundraising concert for the tiny home village.”

  “Maybe you should answer his call.”

  Willow looked defeated, but she held her phone to her ear. “Hi, Ryan. It’s Willow.” A
s she listened to what he was saying, her mouth dropped open. “Are you sure?”

  Zac couldn’t hear what was being said, but whatever it was, Willow was surprised.

  “Okay. I’ll see you soon. Say hi to Sophie from me.” Before she put the phone away, Willow turned it off. “All the tickets for our concert sold out this afternoon. Ryan wants to stay an extra night and do a second concert.”

  “How do you feel about that?”

  “We’ll raise twice as much money for the village.”

  Zac frowned. “But?”

  “Everyone thinks I’m relaunching my career. Two concerts will make it seem even more likely.”

  “Are you sure that’s not what you want to do? I heard you sing. You’ve got an amazing voice.”

  Willow pulled the ski cap lower. “I’m not going back to Nashville. How do I look?”

  “Like a fugitive on the run from the law.”

  A wide smile replaced Willow’s frown. “That’s good enough for me. Are you ready to go home, partner?”

  Zac held out his arm. “I’ve been ready for a long time. Let’s go.” And before Willow started over-thinking the upcoming concerts, he led her toward his truck.

  Chapter Ten

  “Arrgh!”

  Brooke looked up from behind the counter at Sweet Treats. “It sounds like someone needs some fudge.”

  “Sorry. I forgot where I was.” Willow turned off her phone and looked around the store. Even though it was Monday, there should have been a lot of people shopping for candy. “Where is everyone?”

  “I’m usually closed by now, but Emma needed an emergency supply of marshmallow bars. By the time I’d wrapped her order, it was after five.” Brooke walked across to the front door and flipped the sign to “Closed”. “I thought you were going with Zac to pick up Barbara and Jesse.”

  “I had to change my plans.”

  “Because of the video?”

  Willow sighed. “You’ve seen it.”

  “Who hasn’t? For an amateur recording, it’s really good.” Brooke took a bar of fudge off the shelf and popped it into a bag. “While you’re eating this, you can tell me what’s wrong.”