Stacy St. George
“Mom!” Simon’s ten-year-old voice bellowed through the apartment.
Josie rushed out of the bathroom, winding her dripping hair in a purple towel.
“What on earth are you yelling about?” Josie stopped abruptly as she took in the sight of Simon cradling his left arm with his right. Telltale tear tracks dried on his cheeks while his shoulders hunched. Dirt crusted his jeans, and blood trickled from his hairline.
Willing her pounding heart to slow, she placed a comforting hand lightly on his right shoulder. “What happened?”
“I crashed my bike on the jump down at the creek with Lexi.”
“Ouch. Didn’t I ask you not to use that until Mr. Spinelli replaced the rotten board?”
Simon hung his head, with just his eyes peering up at her. “Yes.”
With a sigh, Josie led him to the small table set in the kitchen alcove. “Let me see what we’re dealing with.” She gently palpated his arm.
“Mom! That hurts.” New tears tracked down his pale cheeks, freckles standing in stark relief.
“C’mon. Let’s get you to the clinic.” Josie gathered her jacket and purse, and they made their way to the second-hand car she hadn’t finished paying for. Finances were tight. She winced at the thought of another emergency visit.
Fortunately, the clinic was nearby in their small town. She helped Simon buckle his seat belt and made the quick drive.
After check-in, they waited for his name to be called. She rubbed small circles on his back. “Dr. Wright will fix you up. He does every time.”
The receptionist at the check-in desk glanced over, her curious gaze lingering on Josie. “Dr. Wright retired last month. Dr. Grayson will see Simon. He’s very nice.”
Simon looked up at his mom, eyes wide.
A nurse opened the door next to check in. “Simon? I’m Ronda. Come on back.” She, too, stared at Josie for an extra moment.
Josie gently helped Simon to his feet, and they followed Ronda to an exam room.
“Can you tell me what happened?” Ronda helped Simon out of his jacket and T-shirt.
Josie shuddered at the odd angle of the bone in his arm.
“I was jumping my bike down by the creek. A squirrel ran in front of me, and I swerved. I crashed and hurt my arm.”
Ronda nodded and busied herself with getting Simon’s vitals.
“Knock, knock.” A dark-haired man wearing a white coat over a green polo and jeans entered the exam room and logged into the computer. “Hey, Simon! How’s it going? Lexi texted me and said you’d crashed your bike. I wondered if I might see you.”
“Hi, Mr. Grayson. She said she was going for help, but I made it home, and my mom brought me.”
At Josie’s indrawn breath, Dr. Grayson glanced at where she was sitting. Great. Just great. It’s the guy from the grocery store. She felt the heat climb up her neck and bloom in her cheeks. Wait, how does he know Simon?
As his smile widened, she knew he recognized her. She’d taken an apple off the stack on the produce aisle the week before, and dozens of apples tumbled to the floor, bouncing every which way. He’d gallantly come to her rescue. She’d been so embarrassed she’d barely spoken two words to him.
“Hi. You must be Simon’s mom.” Dr. Grayson turned and offered her his hand.
Josie took it, her eyes widening over the little zing that shot up her arm. His smile widened a little more. He gestured to his head and Josie’s hand instinctively came up to her own. Oh, the mortification. She still had her wet hair wrapped in a towel. She shot a pointed look at Simon, who just shrugged.
“Hi, I’m Josie. Apologies for the towel. I’d just gotten out of the shower when Simon hurt himself. In our rush to get here, I completely forgot about it.”
“I get it. Let’s check him out.” His warm smile put her at ease. “There’s a restroom across the hall if you want to deal with the towel while I examine Simon.”
“Thank you. I’ll be right back, Simon. You’re in excellent hands with Ronda and Dr. Grayson.”
“I know, Mom.” With an eye roll, he shared the runaway squirrel’s antics with Dr. Grayson, who was gently straightening and probing his arm.
Josie slipped into the restroom and, with the aid of a wide-tooth comb from her purse, made quick work of detangling her red curls. She returned to the exam room.
Simon was gone, as was Ronda. “Where’s my son?” Panic bubbled in her throat.
Dr. Grayson looked up from tapping at the keyboard.
“I wanted films right away. He’s in radiology. It looks like a simple break, but I want to be sure before we cast it. He also sustained a small gash on his head. We cleaned and bandaged it.”
Embarrassed again, she sank into the chair, refusing to meet his gaze.
“Josie—may I call you Josie?” Dr. Grayson crouched in front of her chair, putting them nearly at eye level, his deep voice soft.
She met his gaze. Nodded in the affirmative. Couldn’t look away from his mesmerizing green eyes.
“Please call me Liam.”
She nodded again. Hesitated. “Thank you for your help with the apples, Liam. And, of course, with Simon.”
“Ah, so you recognize me. I wondered what else I had to do to get your attention. I wouldn’t have chosen this way, but it works.”
“What works?” Her brows drew together.
“The opportunity to ask you out. Would you have dinner with me on Friday evening?”
She hesitated. Took a deep breath. “I’d love to.” She met his eyes again and smiled shyly.
“Mom, guess what? My arm’s broken. Cool, huh?” Simon looked sheepishly at his mom as he entered the room.
Lexi peeked into the room, her eyes meeting Simon’s. They grinned at one another. Their plan worked perfectly, despite the broken arm. Their parents were going on a date.
She and her husband live on the Pend ‘Oreille River, where they love interacting with nature. They are parents to three grown children and grandparents to three grandchildren. Stacy is also involved in small groups and mission work at church.
With a BA in Business/English from Washington State University, she recently retired from Healthcare Administration. When not writing, she enjoys hiking, skiing, paddle boarding, and cooking.
Her debut novel, Love, Emily, released in April 2025. Connect with Stacy at her website and Instagram.
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