Thanks for the prompt guest reviewer :-) I'll work that into a chapter for you soon. But for now...
"Hey" he said smiling and trying to sound cheerful as she answered the phone on the second ring. "How are you guys?"
"Hey yourself" the voice replied with a hint of suspicion. "We're good. Not like you to call this time of day. Everything alright?"
"I'm good" he replied hoping that she couldn't hear the sadness in his voice that he was desperately trying to hide. "Was wondering if you fancied some company? Some free childcare for a few days?"
"We would love that, but we're heading to Breckenridge tomorrow for the week" Jo replied.
"Ah, I forgot" Neil smiled. Jo had made a solid group of friends since moving to Florida a few years ago and with all that had happened recently, he'd forgotten this was the week of their annual ski trip to Colorado.
"What's the matter? Audrey so busy being Chief that she isn't giving you enough attention?" she teased, having no idea of the truth.
"Pretty much" he replied with a little laugh but sounding flat.
"Are you okay Neil?" she asked.
"I'm fine" he lied. "I'll give you a call next week to find out how many times you fell on your ass this year. Give Lucas a kiss from me" he smiled.
"Sure" Jo replied. "Bye Neil."
"Bye."
She sat back heavily and looked over at Matt with a look on her face he couldn't decipher.
"That was weird" she said. "I'm gonna call Audrey" she said moving to pick up her cell phone again.
"Maybe you shouldn't" Matt said putting his hand on her arm. "If they've had a fight, you don't want to be stuck in the middle, do you?" he asked.
"No, but..."
"No buts" he smiled, shaking his head.
"He asked to come visit" she continued, not happy to let the conversation finish there. "Just him?"
"Well there is a spare room in the lodge next week after Geoff and Linda's work plans changed. Tell him he can come stay if he can get a flight. Nobody will mind."
"Are you sure? Maybe you should check with the rest first?"
"I will if you want, but I'm sure it will be fine. Pass my cell" he said with a smile.
X
Three days later, he pulled up on the driveway of a large lodge in his rented AWD. Jo had called him back a few hours after their conversation with an invitation to join them and he jumped at it. After making arrangements to take his leave from the hospital, he booked the first available flight. He was missing the first two days of skiing but that didn't bother him in the slightest. He hasn't skied a day in his life before, and he wasn't intending on starting now!
Feeling the satisfying crunch of the snow under his boots as he slid from the driver's seat, he smiled to himself. He was going to relax and enjoy in a place that didn't hold a single, solitary memory of Audrey for him. He was going to take Lucas tobogganing, have a few beers and catch up on some sleep leaving his cell in his bag the whole time.
Getting his bag and jacket out of the trunk, he made his way towards the front door. When he was just a few steps away, he saw it fly open and blonde blur come running towards him. He dropped his bag just in time to catch the young boy as he launched himself in Neils direction.
"Tioooooo" he squealed as Neil spun him around, his own grin so wide it almost split his face in two.
"Hi" Neil smiled, once he'd set him safely back on his feet, ruffling his fingers through the fair curls.
After being pulled the rest of the way to the door, he greeted Jo with great, encompassing hug. He kicked off his heavy boots and hung his jacket with the rest before following her through to the living area. There were familiar faces among the crowd from previous visits, but a couple of new faces too and once the introductions were complete, Jo suggested he take his bag to his room before it was emptied by the kids.
"We're in here with Lucas" she said as they passed by one of the closed doors. "And this one is you" she said with a smile opening another to reveal a simple double room.
"That's great" he smiled. "Did I say thank you yet?"
"You did. But you could thank me more by telling me what's going on?" she suggested.
"I can't just visit my old friend? There has to be a reason?" he teased, stepping inside and putting his bag on the rack by the window.
"There doesn't have to be" Jo countered. "But I know there is. So when you're ready to talk about it, I'll be here" she smiled. "I'll leave you unpack. See you downstairs."
"Thank you" he smirked, earning himself a roll of the eyes and a shake of the head.
Once she had closed the door behind her, he sat down heavily at the end of the bed. Taking his phone out of his pocket, he unlocked it, dismissed any notifications without reading them, and set it to silent before dropping it into the bedside table.
X
After spending the evening socialising, he was ready for a good night's sleep and almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was lost to his dreams. He woke the next morning with a crushing feeling on his back and a small arm draped casually across his face.
Trying to lift his head, he found he was pinned to his mattress by the sleeping form of Lucas who had snuck in at some point in the night. He smiled to himself and lay as still as possible until the boy was ready to wake, thankfully not a long time later.
Jo smiled softly as she watched the pair of them walk into the kitchen in their pyjamas, hair standing on end and still looking sleepy. They were met within a chorus of 'aaahhh' as Neil directed him towards Matt to get him some breakfast while he headed straight for the coffee.
"Sorry about the uninvited guest" Jo shrugged. "He woke us about 4am asking for you so we just let him in."
"Not a problem" he chuckled. "He's like a little space heater though" he laughed.
"What's your plan for today?" one of the men sat around the table asked. "Going to join us on the slopes?"
"I'll pass thanks" he smiled. "I've gone over thirty years without throwing myself down a snow covered mountain. I'm happy to keep that tradition going."
"There is plenty to do around here still, you'll entertain yourself I'm sure."
"No doubt" he laughed.
He spent the day wandering around the resort, stopping to people watch while sitting with a coffee. The place was packed with people from all walks of life, families, groups of friends and couples sitting close together. He could see why Jo, Matt and their friends kept coming back here, there was a bustle that was infectious and he found himself starting too wind down after a stressful couple of weeks.
He quickly settled into his own little routine, he joined in socially but also took the time to himself that he needed to heal and was feeling the difference.
Sat under the heaters on the porch, they held their hot drinks with both hands in an effort to keep their fingers warm. It was particularly cold this evening, they weren't going to be sat out there long but Jo had insisted. She hoped that if they spent a few moments alone, he'd open up and she'd know why he was really here. The past two evenings had been a bust but she had three more to go!
Neil had his eyes closed and was enjoying the peace after quite the hectic dinner. Feeling Jo shift in her seat, he looked over to see her pull her cell from her jacket pocket. The screen was lit up with a familiar image and before he could say anything, she had swiped the green logo and answered the call.
Casually mentioning Neils presence during their initial exchange she was surprised to hear her friend breath a sigh of relief.
"He's there?" Audrey asked hoping her voice didn't sound as shaky as it felt.
"Yeeeeesss" Jo replied. "What's going on with you two? Why don't you know where he is Aud?"
Her questions were met with silence from both parties. Neil stared stoically ahead avoiding her enquiring look.
"You still there?" Jo asked, moving the handset away from her ear briefly to check the screen was still active.
"I'm still here" Audrey replied. "Is he okay?" she asked.
"Maybe you should ask him yourself" Jo said with a huff, putting the handset on loudspeaker and putting on the side table between them. "I'm not going to be your mediator" she said abruptly.
"Neil?"
"I'm here" he replied. "What do you need?"
"I need to talk to you" Audrey said quietly.
"Work related I assume?" Neil asked abruptly. "I cleared my leave with Glassman, can't it wait until I get back? I'm going to head out for an hour" he said to Jo without waiting for an answer.
"Neil, it's freezing out."
"Just down to the bar. I'm not going to wander off" he said with a small smile. "I'll see you in a bit" he said, standing to leave and dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
"Has he gone?" the disembodied voice came from the handset, briefly forgotten on the table.
"He's gone" Jo confirmed. "What on earth is going on Audrey? Your not stuck in work are you?"
'I'm not" she replied, pausing and taking a deep breath. "I ended it between us last week and he disappeared off the radar a couple of days later. I was worried."
"What, you did what?!"
"We were struggling to function at work, got hauled in by Glassman after arguing in public and it was just too much. I told him I loved him but then I told him it wasn't enough" she said, holding back the tears that threatened to fall again. "I broke his heart."
"Oh Audrey" Jo sighed. "How have things been since?"
"He's been ridiculously nice to me which hasn't helped and Friday he told me he was glad I was finding it hard."
"He did what?!" Jo exclaimed. "That's horrible!"
"It actually wasn't" she replied softly. "He said it showed that it mattered."
"Wow" was all that Jo could muster.
"I made a mistake. I thought that if i ended it, I could go back to being objective. I could go back to seeing him just as i did before."
"And what did happen?" Jo asked.
"I realised that I was never objective. I've always looked at him through rose-tinted glasses, put him on a pedestal, thinking he can do anything."
"And look where it got you? You're at the top of your game, Chief of Surgery and he's been there the whole time, pushing you, competing with you and supporting you." Jo said, knowing that her friend was listening intently.
"I know" Audrey agreed. "But if he won't talk to me, how am I meant to tell him all that?"
"I may have an idea" Jo said with a smile. "It's a bit of a grand gesture but I'll put good money on it."
"Whatever it is, I'm in" Audrey announced as she settled to listen to her plan of action.
X
Walking in the back door with Lucas in his arms, he was stopped in his tracks by the presence of the person sat at the table, sipping at a coffee with Matt and Jo.
"What are you doing here Aud" he asked with a sigh.
"We need to talk" she said, getting up from her seat. She walked right up to him, smiling at the young boy and holding out her arms, into which he gladly climbed. After a bear hug and some tickling, she placed him gently on his feet for him to head off to his parents.
"Can we?" she asked looking him straight in the eye.
"Let me grab a coffee" he replied, feeling he might need it. "We can go out here" he said nodding towards the veranda.
After filling his cup, and topping up hers, he held the door open and followed her outside. Leaning his elbows on the wooden rail, he looked out over the spectacular vistas with a small smile.
She mirrored his position, standing just to one side not quite close enough for them to be touching. She had arrived filled with bravado at her grand plan, which had quickly waned when she found he hadn't actually been at the lodge when she arrived and now she was feeling nervous.
"What did you need to say Aud?" he asked breaking the stalemate.
"That I was wrong" she mumbled into her cup.
"Pardon?" he asked, turning slightly to look at her. He was genuinely not sure what she had just said.
"I said that I was wrong" she said a little louder, trying to seem confident. "I made a mistake and I wanted..." she paused.
"You want me to come back like you didn't dump me on my ass?" he interrupted.
"No, no, no" she said shaking her head. "I just needed to make sure you know that. And make sure you know that I am sorry. If I could do it all again, it would be so different."
He stood in silence, thinking about what she just said. Audrey generally didn't apologise, mostly because she never believed that she was wrong. They were very similar in that manner and that was part of the reason behind the public disagreement that had been a catalyst for this whole affair.
He shuffled his feet so they were now shoulder to shoulder and leaned in to give her a lingering kiss on her cheek.
"Thank you" he said with a smile. "You wanna do it all again?" he asked after a pause, feeling brave.
She nodded and he grinned.
"I should leave you to it" she said, smiling back and standing up straight. She didn't want to push too hard, too fast and mess this up, she knew he'd want some space to process what had happened today.
He took her hand and gave a gentle pull, indicating that she should follow him back inside. There hadn't been a big declaration of undying love but she'd said enough and the fact that she was here at all was the biggest thing. She'd travelled 1200 miles just to say sorry.
"So you two look better" Matt teased as they walked back into the warmth of the kitchen. "Lucas won't be happy to be sharing his new roommate" he laughed.
"I saw the photos earlier, very cute" Audrey smiled. "But he'll be okay, I've got a car waiting outside for me."
"Waiting?" Neil asked, with a frown.
"Waiting" Audrey confirmed. "My flight back to San Jose is in...90 minutes" she said checking her watch.
"You aren't staying?"
"I only had today free on the schedule. Bit short notice for leave, especially as one of my surgeons seems to have taken the whole week" she teased.
"Sorry about that" Neil smiled, feeling quite smug.
"Next time" she shrugged. "C'mere" she said holding her arms open to Jo whispering 'thank you' as they embraced. "I'll see you soon" she said, squatting down to speak to Lucas. "Look after Tio Neil" she told him, the young boy puffing out his chest with pride.
"I'll walk you out" Neil said, not ready for her to be going just yet. Out in the hall, he held out her coat for her to slide her arms in and when she turned to face him, she found him standing close, very close.
He looked down, and distracted himself by doing up her buttons. He found the ends of the belt around her waist and tied a loose knot but didn't let go.
He leaned in and kissed her gently, feeling her smile against his lips.
"That okay?' he asked.
"More than okay" she mumbled so he kissed her again. "But I really do have to go" she moaned before things got too intense.
"You do realise you just made a grand romantic gesture right?" he said with a smirk as they stepped apart.
"I do" she said owning the situation. "And I'd do it again if I had to" she smiled.
"Let's hope you don't have too" he smiled kissing her softly.
"I can't promise that" she replied. "But it's something I'm going to be working on."
"I'll wait" he grinned before kissing her one last time and sending her on her way.