One by one, she plucked the berries and let them fall into the bucket. To get the last few, she needed to change hands. The branch strained to snap back into its natural form, and when she tried to find a grip with her other hand, it did just that. Instinctively, she moved to hold it in place, not looking where she placed her fingers.
With all her might, she grasped the branch in her fist. And poked a couple of thorns right into her palm and thumb.
She let go, and the branch tore upward, raining ripe berries everywhere.
“Ouch! Shit.” Lena balled her hand into a fist to stave off the pain. How could she have been so stupid? Hadn’t she learned anything from the apple-picking incident last week?
Jess ran over to her. “Lena? What happened?”
“Nothing. I scratched my hand.” Lena spoke through gritted teeth.
“Let me see.” Jess’s voice was calm and strangely compelling.
Before she could think about it, Lena opened her hand and held it out. A thin red line followed the lifeline like an evil twin, and the inside of her thumb bled profusely. A drop fell on the ground. “Uh, sorry.” Lena pulled her hand back.
Jess stopped her with a gentle grip around her wrist. With her other hand, she pulled a package of tissues from her pocket. “Hold this.”
“But…” Lena could do this herself.
“Do me a favor and let me.” Jess grinned. “I’m a highly trained professional after all. And I need the practice as a mom. If Ella takes after me, even a little bit, I’ll have to take care of a lot of scratches in the future.” She let go of Lena’s wrist.
“Okay, Doctor Riley.” Lena smiled and took the package of tissues with her free hand.
Jess cringed. “Um…about that…” She looked everywhere but at Lena’s face. With a sigh, she took a tissue and soaked up the blood on the palm and the thumb, then inspected the scratches. She took Lena’s bottle from the ground and poured some water over her hand, then blotted it dry. Her fingers were warm where she cradled Lena’s hand in her own. “I think everything came out,” she mumbled, probably more to herself.
“Feels like it.” Lena couldn’t see Jess’s expression since she kept her head down, but a slight blush was visible on the tips of her ears. Or was it sunburn?
Jess pulled out another a tissue, opened it, folded it again into a narrower but thicker bandage, and wrapped it around the bleeding thumb. She pressed her hand around it. “Let’s wait a couple of minutes, and that should do the trick. When was your last tetanus shot?”
About the time she’d last had a job that came with health insurance. But she wasn’t about to say that out loud. “Maybe four years ago? Five?”
“That’s fine.” Jess shifted on her feet and sighed again. Then she squared her shoulders and raised her head, gaze steady and open. “I apologize for my arrogant behavior when we first met. I could say I was cranky because of my recent diagnosis and hormonal imbalance, but there is no justification for treating you that way.”
Lena searched her expression for her intentions but found only honesty and regret. “Are you saying this because we’re friends, and now that you know me you’re sorry you behaved like that? Or are you genuinely sorry you treated another human being like shit?”
“Oh.” Jess’s brow wrinkled. “I’ve never thought about that. Maybe both? If I’d never seen you again, I don’t know if I’d have reevaluated my behavior, but if I had thought about it, I would’ve regretted it. I was full of anger and frustration and poured it out over everyone who crossed my path. That’s not who I want to be.” As she talked, the grip on Lena’s thumb tightened until it was almost painful. “What I do know is I’m genuinely sorry.”
“Okay. Apology accepted.” Lena smiled and softly squeezed the hand that held hers. Maybe she lingered longer than was strictly necessary to convey the message, but the warm flesh under her fingers felt right.
Relief softened Jess’s features as the tension receded. A tentative smile bloomed on her lips.
Her very attractive lips. Considerate and charming Jess was a serious distraction.
Lena wiggled her thumb in Jess’s grasp. “Do you think it’s stopped bleeding?”
“Impatient?” Grinning, Jess unwrapped the thumb and inspected it for a second. When no blood welled up, she blew over it. “There. All better now.”
The warm air tingled on her skin, but Lena chose to ignore it. “You’re going to be a great mom. But what’s your professional opinion, Doctor? Will I live?”
Jess groaned. “I guess I’ve earned the teasing. Yes, you’ll live, at least until you’ve sampled my cooking skills.” She pointed at the bucket she’d dropped when she’d raced over to Lena. Blackberries had spilled everywhere. “And if you keep on teasing me, you’ll get the same as I cook every evening, a bottle of lukewarm formula.”
Chapter Seventeen
A car honked twice, and the motor roared as it overtook Jess’s BMW on the highway. She checked her speedometer. Yeah, okay, she was driving just under limit, but that was no reason to behave like an idiot. She opened her mouth to let everyone know in explicit terms what she thought about guys like that when Lena chuckled next to her.
“I hope the five minutes he gains will be worth the anger eating at him.”
Jess snapped her mouth shut. Right. If she cursed now, she wouldn’t be any better. And hadn’t she decided to let go of her anger? She glanced back at Ella. Still sleeping. That girl really liked to be moved around, whether in a car or a stroller.
At the sight of her daughter peacefully enjoying the ride, Jess’s anger evaporated as fast as it had risen. Lena was right; it wasn’t worth it. She drove on until
