That was all her.
She wore a black coat that went past her butt and a bright pink scarf, but he remembered every curve under the layers and his body instantly responded to the memory.
He straightened as she turned and came up short. “Oh.” She frowned. “Hi.”
He didn’t know why, but he stood and faced her awkwardly. He hadn’t felt awkward around a woman since he’d been twelve.
“Hi.”
Tara looked around the waiting area. “What are you doing here?”
“I have a meeting with Mr. Benson.”
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“So do I.”
Fate. That’s what it had to be. What were the chances that they both had a meeting with the same lawyer and that one of them had gotten the time wrong? They were meant to see each other again.
“It’s nice to see you,” he told her. Completely honestly.
She blushed.
Jason grinned. Ah yes, he knew exactly what memories were going through her mind. They were the same ones that had kept him awake much of the night.
“I’m…I didn’t think I’d see you again,” she said, her voice wobbly.
“Guess it’s my lucky day.”
The inner door swung open and a tall African-American man came out. He gave them both a wide smile. “Good morning.” He didn’t seem surprised to see either of them.
Jason stepped forward. “Mr. Benson. I’m Jason Gilmore.”
“Thank you for coming.” Benson was in his fifties, with smile lines around his eyes and mouth and a little gray peppering his temples. His handshake was warm and firm.
Then he turned to Tara. “Good morning, Tara.”
Jason glanced at her. So she and the lawyer already knew one another.
She frowned. “What’s going on?”
“We’re going over the will,” Mr. Benson said.
“Yes. Why is he here?” Tara asked, nodding toward Jason.
The will? Tara was here about a will too? Or even the will? David’s will?
“I need to speak with you both,” Benson said calmly. He turned sideways and gestured toward his office. “Why don’t we get started?”
Jason was beyond curious at this point. He’d been wondering about his need to be here for two weeks, ever since Mr. Benson had called and asked him to come to Hope Falls. This was the first time he’d been able to get to California from Nebraska, where he had been the sole practitioner in his small hometown of Sapphire Falls until Kyle Ames, his new partner, had gotten to town.
Of course, had he known this was more than a simple gift from an old friend, had he known he’d meet Tara, he would have been on the plane the very next morning.
But what was Tara doing here? What did this have to do with her?
Jason waited for Tara to pass in front of him.
It was clear that she kept her body stiff and carefully avoided brushing against him, but he still caught the whiff of buttercream. He took a deep, appreciative breath and he knew she noticed. She shot him a glare as she walked past.
Not exactly how he’d expected her to react when he saw her again. Or at least not how he’d imagined it. He hadn’t expected it at all, but he’d let himself entertain a short fantasy about running into her again before he left town. The fantasy had caused him to spend a few more minutes in the shower than usual, easing the ache even the thought of Tara caused.
But glaring had not been a part of it.
At all.
Jason followed her into the lawyer’s office and took a seat in the chair next to the one she chose in front of Benson’s desk.
Mr. Benson took his chair, rested his forearms on the top of the desk and folded his hands.
“Thank you both for coming. Jason, I appreciate you coming all this way. Tara, I appreciate your patience in getting this done.”
Jason glanced at Tara. She was here for David’s will reading as well. What were the chances of that? And why, even when he was preparing to hear his friend’s final wishes, did he want to lean over and kiss her?
Tara didn’t seem to be having any similar thoughts. Or really any positive thoughts at all. She was slumped in the chair, one leg crossed over the other, arms folded, looking pissy and pouty.
“I’m happy to be here,” Jason said, shifting on his chair to attempt to look open and casual to counteract Tara’s obvious attitude.
“Let’s just do this,” Tara said.
Benson nodded and opened the folder in front of him. “There’s no reason to do a formal reading of the will. David just wanted me to be sure to talk with the two of you in person and together.”
Jason sat up a little straighter. David had specifically requested that he and Tara be here together? What was going on? Why would she need to be here for him to receive the pocket watch or David’s old copy of Huckleberry Finn or his prized skeleton model that had hung in the corner of his office all his years in practice? Jason had fully been expecting a sentimental token of their relationship as mentor and mentee in medicine. What did that have to do with Tara?