Читать книгу The Promise - Robyn Carr, Robyn Carr - Страница 7

Two

Peyton went to look at the town’s beach. She knew it would be unique and interesting—she’d grown up in this state, and all the beaches were so magical, so different from each other. She parked in the marina lot and walked from there. It was late June, school was out, it was warm and sunny, and people were enjoying the beach. A couple of women sat in low beach chairs on the sand under an umbrella; between them a baby played with a bucket and a few toys, and two children, about four years old, were at the water’s edge. The Pacific was cold, and the children chased the waves, trying not to get too wet. There were a couple of teenage boys on paddleboards out on the bay, a couple more tossing a Frisbee around the beach. The Great Dane she’d seen in front of the diner now sat out at the edge of the dock watching the boys on the water.

It was a very clean beach, and she took off her sandals to walk. At the far end there was a flight of wooden stairs leading up to a small restaurant—Ben & Cooper’s, according to the sign over the door. A few people sat out on the deck, and under the deck there were kayaks and paddleboards, obviously available to rent.

Peyton figured this beach was probably much busier on weekends. There weren’t many people now—a dozen maybe. But it was two o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon, and while school might be out for the summer, most people were at work. She spotted a weathered log. It had been used as a bench before; the remnants of a fire pit, carefully surrounded by large rocks that wouldn’t wash out with the tide, sat in front of it. She sat down to consider her options. Could I hear myself think in a place like this?

Peyton was thirty-five and single. She had a prestigious degree and a lot of experience, had a great big loving family with healthy parents, four brothers and three sisters. All of the Lacoumette siblings got along but were not all best friends. Matt got on her last nerve because he liked being the prankster of the family, Ginny annoyed the hell out of her the way she was always playing cruise director and taking control of everyone and everything, Ellie was trying to copy their parents and reproduce the nation with her five kids and counting, but Adele was her best friend, and big silent George, second oldest, still ranched on their family land and was her rock. George didn’t usually have much to say, and yet when Peyton needed to talk, they had wonderful conversations. The rest of the time everyone else was talking too much.

In a family of eight children you could have sibling issues and rivalries and alliances—it was a very interesting balance, loving all of them, but definitely some better than others. She was the only one with no romantic partner, no family of her own. Well, except Matt, who was recently divorced, but that would surely be temporary—he was funny and handsome, and women loved him. But Peyton was alone. That was once by design. She couldn’t wait to move away from the farm and have a life that didn’t make her at least partly responsible for seven siblings. And then while the other young women her age were looking for husbands, she’d been looking for a career, travel, adventure and perhaps some great dates, but not to be tied down. She was in no hurry to have kids, if ever! Lord, she’d had enough of kids. Her first niece had arrived before she graduated from college, and the numbers were still growing. There were ten so far, and Adele, thirty now, was expecting her first. Peyton’s mother, Corinne, was in heaven; her parents loved being grandparents. Her father, Paco Lacoumette, loved nothing so much as sitting at the head of a huge clan.

All Peyton had wanted was to live in a place not crowded by people, have her own bedroom, closet and bathroom. She wanted to do fun things, the kind of things her siblings with kids didn’t have the time or money for—skiing, scuba diving, river rafting. She wanted to be able to spend money on clothes that wouldn’t go missing from her drawers when some younger sister absconded with them; she wanted to drive a car no one had driven before her. She liked being able to watch anything she wanted on TV and reading until four in the morning if she felt like it. And she had done all that. For ten years following college, she’d lived the life she’d always dreamed of and hadn’t taken it for granted for one second. She was not lonely one day of her life. And then, at just over thirty, she was finally ready to share her space again.

That’s when she met The Man. Ted Ramsdale. He was so handsome he stopped her heart and took her breath away. Six-two, built like a god, dark hair, piercing blue eyes, straight white teeth. That was the first thing she’d noticed, but it was not what caused her to fall in love with him. He was a brilliant and powerful cardiologist, one of the best known and most admired in the state. He was charismatic; his success with patients had everything to do with his bedside manner. He could charm even the crankiest old man into doing everything exactly as asked. Ten minutes with a patient and Ted had them eating out of his hand. He could give courses on being a loving, giving physician. His staff would follow him anywhere; his colleagues went to him for advice. Ted always got his way, and at the same time everyone who dealt with him believed they had gotten theirs.

Just as luck would have it, Ted came with three kids. He shared custody with his ex-wife, and she wasn’t exactly cooperative. They lived within a few miles of each other so the kids could spend equal time with each parent and never change schools. Getting to know Ted professionally and then personally before she met his kids, there had been nothing to prepare Peyton for the fact that Ted had no parenting skills at all. Too late, she’d learned he was totally unable to manage or discipline his own children. It was uncanny that Ted, the charming doctor, was somewhat useless as a father. When she’d first met the kids, they were aged seven, nine and twelve, and they were incorrigible. It had been a shock, really. It seemed the only people in the world Ted could not relate to were his ex-wife and their kids.

At first, Peyton had rationalized their behavior was sulky and insubordinate due to divorce issues. But, no.

For over two years she’d spent several days a week with three rude, insensitive, lazy and obnoxious tweens and teens. When she was growing up, her own parents had been firm but kind and fair, but after meeting Ted’s children, her father had said, “Those three would’ve been taken out behind the shed a long while back.” Paco, who rarely raised his voice in anger, whose worst corporal action had been a gentle cuff on the back of a son’s head or a light swat on a rump, had only been half joking when he’d given Peyton his assessment. “I think I’d have to beat ’em.”

For the first time in her life, Peyton had felt lonely. Ted had worked long hours and was frequently on call, his kids were horrid and abusive, and he could not seem to do anything to help. They fought with her, each other, ignored rules, were in trouble at school, and Ted was no help in any of it. Indeed, he excused them. The distance between them had grown; Ted had not only been absent, he’d been emotionally unavailable. She’d eventually realized he treated the kids like his patients—he gave them a good attentive ten minutes and then was out the door, moving on to his next challenge. He’d treated Peyton that way, too. He’d had no patience for her concerns. Peyton had tried so hard with the kids, believing if someone didn’t get through to these little hellions, they were doomed to become incorrigible adults. She had given it her best shot, but she couldn’t do it, couldn’t stay with them any longer. Peyton had left her lover, his home, his children and, because he was her boss, left her job.

Now she needed a place to unwind and clear her head. She was desperate for her own space again...where she was never lonely. She looked out at the still bay. I bet it’s very quiet on the water, she thought. She knew what fall and winter would be like on the coast—wet and cold and on many days it would be dark and foggy. If I had a small house or apartment with a fireplace...

A very pregnant woman walking across the beach from town paused in front of Peyton and gave her big belly a gentle stroking. “If I promise not to talk or wiggle around, can I share your log? I need to sit before tackling the stairs.”

“By all means,” Peyton said. “And you can talk. Out doing the pregnancy walk?”

The woman eased down on to the log, and instinctively Peyton reached out and grabbed her elbow, assisting. “Thank you. Yep, a long walk every day, then a little reading time on the left side for twenty minutes every couple of hours.” She lifted her feet, ankles swollen. “Look at these things. Pretty soon I’ll be wearing my husband’s shoes.”

“At the risk of seeming presumptuous, it appears that complication will be behind you soon,” Peyton said.

“Very soon. I’m due in a month, and like every pregnant woman I’ve ever known, I’m hoping for an early debut. I’m Sarah,” she said, putting out her hand.

“A pleasure,” she said, taking the hand. “Peyton. Where will you do the deed?”

“North Bend. I’m told there will be plenty of time to get there. It’s a first baby.”

“First babies rarely come fast,” Peyton said.

“You speak as one who knows?”

“I don’t have children, but I am a physician’s assistant. I’ve worked in family medicine. I looked after the occasional mother-to-be.”

“Do you live around here?” Sarah asked.

“No. I grew up north of here, near Portland. But I was spending a little off-time at Coos Bay and saw an ad for a PA and decided to look around the area. Do you like it here?”

“I do,” Sarah said. “I was stationed in North Bend—Coast Guard Air Station. I decided to get out and start a new career.” She grinned. “I lived in Thunder Point and commuted to North Bend, so I know the route with my eyes closed.”

“Please, keep them open on the trip to the hospital,” Peyton said with a laugh.

“My husband will be driving. At least that’s the plan. So, where are you applying? One of the local clinics or hospitals?”

“I’d say so. I dropped off a résumé with Dr. Grant.”

“Really? I heard he was looking for an assistant or associate, but that was a while ago, and I wasn’t sure he had actually moved ahead on that project. We love Scott. He’s a darling man. I think everyone in town loves him.”

“He seemed very nice,” Peyton agreed. “Devoted family man, I’m told.”

Sarah gave a nod. “That would definitely describe him. Very involved in the town. Not just medically, but generally. Every town meeting or function or ball game or party, you’ll find the Grants are there.”

Peyton took a deep breath. “This seems like a sleepy place. Pretty peaceful.”

“Most of the time,” Sarah said. “That’s my little brother out there. He starts college in the fall. He’s teaching the taller, skinnier kid to paddleboard. It’s a favorite pastime around here. That and kayaking and snorkeling, but...”

“You need a wet suit ten months of the year around here.”

“You got that right,” Sarah said.

“I grew up on a farm. Mount Hood was our view. Beautiful Mount Hood. I learned to ski there. Two of my brothers worked on the mountain. First in the resorts and then as ski patrol.” She took another deep breath. “I like the coast, too. I like the waterfront. I worked in San Francisco for three years.”

“I’ve lived on water my whole life,” Sarah said.

“Woo-hoo!” came a girl’s shout from across the bay. Three more teenagers were paddling across the still water from the marina.

“And here comes the Armada,” Sarah said. “Landon’s girlfriend, Eve, and a couple of other good friends from town. Paddleboarding is one of their favorite things, but I’m sure the volleyball net will go up now. If those kids aren’t at work, they’re at play. I’m afraid I have to get going,” she said, struggling to get up from the log.

Peyton got up and extended a hand. “Time for that left-side rest?”

“Well, probably,” Sarah said. “But mostly, I have to pee.” Then she laughed. “I’m headed up to Cooper’s. That’s our place, my husband is Cooper. If you feel like a drink or snack, I’d love to treat you. I’d rather watch the kids play from up there.”

“I think I’ll take you up on that,” Peyton said.

* * *

Peyton found herself at a table on the deck at Cooper’s, nursing her bottled green tea, getting to know a few people from town. She had lifted Sarah’s feet up on to a chair and said, “This won’t get you out of the twenty minutes on your side, but this and plenty of water will help.”

“Oh, you’re darling. You must stay.”

“Stay?” a big man leaning on the rail asked.

“Al,” Sarah said, “meet Peyton, a physician’s assistant who’s considering working with Scott in town.”

Al turned to her. “You’d like working with him. Scott helped me become a father.”

Peyton frowned. The man was in his fifties. Stranger things had happened for older men. But helped? “I have to ask, helped how? Is he into infertility studies or something?”

Al laughed heartily at that. “I know I have a dumb look about me, but I’m not that dumb. No—those three down there. The kid on the board with Sarah’s brother is Justin, he’s seventeen. The two with the Frisbee are Kevin and Danny. They’re my foster kids. I was all worried about being approved, and Scott said, let’s get Sally, their mother, to appoint you as guardian—that should speed things up. Now I’m a foster father, final approval due any second.”

Peyton was stunned. “You must know them quite well to sign up for that. Or you’re gifted with teens?”

“Neither,” he said. “I’ve only known them for a little while, but they’re pretty amazing boys. They took care of their disabled mother at home all by themselves until she was put in a nursing home.” He jutted a chin toward the bay. “We’re having paddleboard lessons today. They’re pricy, those boards. I’m not investing until two things are established—one, they like it a lot and two, they’re not likely to drown!” He chuckled. “Kevin and Danny have been at the water’s edge a dozen times, begging Justin to come in so they can have a turn. Even though the boys can swim, sort of, I only want them out there one at a time. If one of them falls off the board, Landon is a certified lifeguard. I think this idea is going to cost me.”

“Just out of curiosity, how long have you been at this foster parent thing?” Peyton asked.

“Couple of weeks,” Al said. “These boys haven’t had much time off. You know, kid time, because of their mother’s health. I work full-time, but I don’t intend to waste a day of the rest of summer—I want them to be boys for a change. They still pile in the car and go see their mom in the nursing home at least twice a week, more if they can. But I think it’s important they play ball, get in the water, have some fun.”

“How long did they take care of their mother?” she asked.

“Near as I can figure, about four years. And according to Scott, they did a damn fine job of it.”

And I couldn’t get Ted’s kids to carry a dirty plate to the kitchen, Peyton thought.

Al wandered off as she was introduced to Cooper when he came on to the deck wearing a tool belt. “Aren’t you due for a little rest to try to achieve ankles?” he said to his wife.

“I’m much more interested in achieving labor,” she said. But she let him pull her to her feet.

“Don’t be in too big a hurry,” Peyton said. “You want that baby nice and plump.”

“Do I?”

“Well, you want her lungs and heart nice and plump,” Peyton said with a smile.

“Stay awhile, Peyton,” Sarah said. “Enjoy the view. I hope I see you around.”

Peyton was happy to stay awhile. This spot was calming. The group from the bay moved to the beach, erected a net and got the volleyball going. Al’s three foster sons played with Sarah’s brother and his friends. She met an older gentleman named Rawley who had two youngsters in tow with buckets and poles—a boy and girl. He nodded at her. “How do,” he said. The kids raced off ahead of him, down the stairs.

She smiled. “Grandfather duty?”

“Sorta. That there’s Cooper’s boy, Austin. And my friend Devon’s girl, Mercy.”

“Ah, yes, I met Devon. But I thought Austin was her fiancé’s son?”

And the old boy nodded. “Yep,” was all he said, taking the kids down to the dock to fish.

“Well, that was clear as mud,” Peyton muttered to herself.

She was almost to the bottom of her tea when another guy in a tool belt came on to the deck, followed by Al. This guy had a beer and was pretty sweaty. Al had himself a Coke and a bowl of chips and salsa. Al said, “Spencer, that’s Peyton. Peyton’s thinking of working in the clinic...”

“You know Devon?” he asked with a smile.

“I met her,” she said. “I talked with her awhile and left my résumé.”

“We’re engaged.” He brushed his hands off on his jeans and reached across the space between the tables to shake her hand. “I’ve been working on the house. We’re getting married pretty soon, and there might still be some work to do, but we’re going to move in the second it’s livable. How do you like our town so far?”

“Quaint,” she said.

He laughed. “Only on the surface. It’s a tough little town.”

“How is that?”

He thought for a second. “These people don’t have a lot of advantages. The cost of living here is low, but there’s one doctor, one lawyer, no dentists—it’s a working-class town, and a large percentage of the population holds second jobs. Our teenagers carry as many credits as the teens in upscale city schools, yet most of them also work part-time. And they do well in school. We get a fair number into college.”

And that would explain why Scott Grant ran on a tight budget. “Yet you like it here?”

“This was a good decision for me, coming here,” Spencer said. “My last high school had a lot. It was flush with money—supplies, equipment, tutors, special programs, you name it. If the school needed it, they found a way. It was a well-heeled district. Not very many of my students had to work to get by. There were plenty of kids who held jobs, but there were more who didn’t. The student parking lot was always full, and the cars weren’t wrecks.” He grinned again. “The Thunder Point High School lot looks very different. These people work hard to stay above water. I find it’s kind of inspiring to be around a bunch of kids who don’t have it that easy.”

This was something Peyton had devoted a great deal of time to thinking about lately. She’d grown up on a farm, and it was a very successful farm. But they’d never been spoiled; the kids each had tons of responsibility. Everyone had worked hard, and because Paco was always worried about next year’s growing season, which could be bad, no one had spent money frivolously. One early freeze could mean disaster for the pears; a terrible winter could stunt the sheep. If hand-me-downs worked, why buy new? And although her dad had hired hands on the farm, every last one of his children had had farm chores. “Work is good for the soul,” he’d said. “What are you gonna learn from sleeping late? You pick pears for a few weeks, you have time to think and you have a chance to learn.”

At the time, Peyton had not given her farmer father much credit for wisdom, but when she was in college she’d had classmates who’d gone out a lot or played cards in the student lounge all the time while she’d been at the library studying because she learned that you work first, then you play. She was not a recluse by any means—she had a great social life, just not a frivolous one. That beer with her friends had tasted a lot better after she’d gotten an A on a test rather than after a D. Hard training on the Lacoumette farm had served her well.

Ted’s kids were overindulged, there was no question. Peyton had taken the Ramsdales back to the farm where twenty or more people would squish around a long oak table and that wasn’t even the whole family. They’d yell and laugh and fight for space to say a word. It was a place where all those staying in the house would bang on the bathroom door to oust someone who seemed to be homesteading in there, where breakfast was at five in the morning. The Ramsdale kids had not been impressed. Nor had been Ted, for that matter. His oldest, fifteen-year-old Krissy, had said, “Smells kinda like shit, doesn’t it?” Peyton’s mother had gasped, and her father had scowled.

“That’s manure,” Peyton had snapped. “It’s cultivating time!” Her father always said, That smell? That’s the smell of money.

“Easy, Peyton,” Ted had said. “It’s not her fault she has no farm experience.”

Thinking about that, she realized it might help her get her mojo back to stay in a town where the kids weren’t spoiled. Her nieces and nephews were well mannered and had been taught to mind the feelings of others, but like all kids, they had their moments and got into their share of stand-offs with their parents. But they were so much better behaved than Ted’s kids.

The other thing she’d realized since leaving the Ramsdale household was that she’d been without friends while she was there. She’d lost touch with her friends; the demands of Ted’s practice and household had left no time. His ex-wife had never stuck to their schedule, causing changes to plans so often, requiring Peyton to take personal time to supervise the kids because Ted had to be at the hospital or on call to the ER It had seemed to Peyton it was deliberate, but Ted was insistent. “You can’t take joint custody issues personally. We have to be flexible.”

We? Ted didn’t have to be flexible. He lived at the practice or hospital. He played golf and tennis; he said they were important professional relationships. He went to meetings out of town—he was a much sought-after presenter, given his relative notoriety within the cardiology specialty. He spent so little time with his children, Peyton was surprised he could remember their names.

Maybe she could use a little time in a town that knew about hard work. It wouldn’t hurt to be around a few friendly people. She could have space again—her own bathroom, closet, TV, bookshelf. Her belongings would be safe. She could build up her armor once more so her feelings weren’t hurt all the time by callous remarks and disrespect. She could figure out how she’d gotten into that mess and how to never let that happen again.

Maybe working in a clinic that ran on a tight budget would be inspiring in a way that Ted’s rich practice hadn’t been.

This little Pacific Coast village was only three hours from her parents’ farm, a place she had long ago grown out of but still fled to in times of heartache or confusion. Maybe she could sit here for a little while and recover her lost mind and knit together her frayed emotions. But at the salary of forty-thousand per year, she wouldn’t live extravagantly. Her last salary had been ninety-five. But, because of her living arrangement and Ted’s veritable wealth, she had saved a lot of money. In fact, she had always been careful with money and saved quite a bit, but she didn’t want to spend it by volunteering in a little clinic. Unless, of course, there was a point to it.

Before finishing her tea and leaving Cooper’s, she met a couple more people from town—a Realtor, the caterer who supplied Cooper’s with deli items, the local sheriff’s deputy and, while crossing the beach she met the Great Dane, Hamlet, who was loath to be too far from Landon, Sarah’s brother, a handsome and athletic young man. The teenagers all said hello very briefly since they put their game on hold for the time it took her to pass. That enchanted her. Then she considered what a mess her life had to be for her to be that impressed by teenagers halting their ball-batting game while she passed.

It was four-thirty by the time she was parked back in front of the clinic. This time the waiting room held people—six of them. She walked up to the counter and once again, Devon stood. “Oops. I guess the doctor is busy,” Peyton observed.

“He’s with a patient and a few are waiting to see him, but depending on what you need, I can snag him for a minute.”

“Is it always this busy, so late in the day?” Peyton asked.

“There were two appointments for after work and a few walk-ins. This isn’t the case every day, but it’s not uncommon. Would you like his cell number?”

“Seriously? Isn’t that kind of...you know...a little too personal?”

Devon shook her head. “I think everyone in town has his cell number.”

“Oh, that’s scary.” Patients never had Ted’s cell number. They had to go through his service.

Peyton took a slip of paper off the counter and scribbled on it. Three months? “Give him this note. He has my cell number from the résumé. I’m afraid that’s the only commitment I can make at this time. And I’d also need time to find somewhere to live around here. Ask him to let me know if he’s interested.”

Devon grinned hugely. “I’m so glad, Peyton. I have a good feeling about this. I look forward to working with you. And you might want to give this woman a call,” she said, scribbling on a sticky note. “She’s our local Realtor and is really good at finding hard-to-find rental property.”

That coaxed a smile out of Peyton. “I met Ray Anne at Cooper’s. I have her card.”

“Kismet,” Devon said.

Peyton thought Devon was a darling girl. She turned to go, then turned back. “Can I ask a question? I hope it’s not too personal. You’ll tell me if it is. I went out to Cooper’s to enjoy the ocean, and I met a few people—one of them was your intended, Spencer.”

“You did? Oh, good! Isn’t he the most handsome, wonderful man?”

Peyton tilted her head and gave a brief nod. “He seems to be, as a matter of fact. I also met Cooper and Sarah and some old guy who didn’t introduce himself.”

“Rawley. He was taking Mercy fishing off the dock today.”

“Yes, I saw her. And the boy, Austin, who he said was Cooper’s son?”

“That’s right.”

“But you said he was Spencer’s son,” she said. “I’m just a little...”

“Cooper is his biological father. Spencer is his stepfather. Austin’s mother passed away about a year ago. Spencer was the only father Austin had known, so they moved here so Cooper could be more involved. Oh, and to take the job as athletic director and coach at the high school. Some angel was definitely smiling on me.”

“That explains it.”

Devon laughed. “As soon as you start here, we’ll get you a program.”

* * *

It was five-thirty before Scott came up for air and the last person had left the clinic. He was making notes in a chart when he looked up to see Devon standing in the doorway. “I bet you’re ready to get out of here,” he said.

“I’m fine. Spencer and Rawley have been entertaining the kids this afternoon. But I wanted to be sure to tell you—Peyton stopped by. She left a note.” She presented it to him. “She said that’s all the commitment she can make at this time.”

“Well, it offers some help and time to look around for someone more permanent.”

“Maybe she’ll like it here,” Devon said.

“Don’t count on it, Devon. She’s sought after. She could name her price in a lot of clinics or practices. Doctors fight over PAs of her caliber and start bidding wars. I really didn’t expect her to take even a temporary job here on the salary I offered her.”

“Then why would she?”

“I think Thunder Point is a place holder while she decides where she’s going next, for a great deal more money. And prestige.”

“Why wouldn’t she just go somewhere else now, then?”

“Because she’s clever. She’ll research, take her time, choose well, negotiate a terrific package.”

“Hmph,” Devon said. “You could be wrong.”

“Could be,” he said. “But I bet I’m not. Give her a call, will you? Tell her we’ll be happy to take her offer when she’s available and for the three months she suggested. Ask her if she can call with her start date when she knows it.”

“I wish you’d be more positive,” Devon said. “This could be perfect.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled to have someone of Peyton’s experience on board,” he said. “But why would anyone in their right mind go to work for less than half the salary they could receive in other practices or hospitals?”

“I don’t know, Scott. You did.”

“True,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t think our circumstances are similar. I don’t want you to be too disappointed, Devon. I think she’ll be great. And hard to replace. By the way, make sure she has my cell number. If she wants to call me while you’re away on your honeymoon, she should call that number.”

“I tried to give it to her. I got the impression she didn’t want to impose....”

“Sometimes that’s the only way to get my attention,” he muttered. “Get going. Go find your family. If I know you, you’re going to be out at that new house, tinkering around, getting it ready.”

That brought a big smile to her face. “We’re very close. There’s flooring to put in downstairs and painting to do and endless cleanup, but we have all the walls, doors that lock, appliances that work, and we’re sleeping there starting this weekend. Any work Spencer doesn’t get done before football practice starts in August will wait till play-offs are over.”

“Why? How many hours a day does he devote to football practice before school starts?”

Devon just laughed. “It’s not the hours! Have you ever seen Spencer during football practice? He might only be out there with those teenage boys a few hours a day, but he tries like the devil to keep up with them. He can barely move afterward!”

Scott smiled. “Pride comes before the fall.”

“In this case it’s not pride so much as pretending to be sixteen when you’re staring forty in the eye. I’ll see you tomorrow, Scott. Don’t stay too late.”