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Healing nicely?”

      “She’s fine. A little tender but fine.”

      “Good. By the way, I’m Dr. Mark Clayborn.”

      “Yes, I know who you are. As in the Clayborn Building, Clayborn Bank, Clayborn Shipping.

      He gave her a studying look. “Do I know you?”

      “I’m Laura Jo Akins. Used to be Laura Jo Herron.”

      “Herron? My parents used to talk about the Herrons. Robert Herron. Real estate.”

      She looked away. “Yes, that’s my father.”

      He had pursed his lips. “Well, that’s a surprise. Isn’t it a small world?”

      Too small for Laura Jo’s comfort. It was time to change the subject. “Thanks for helping out. Now I need to talk to the family.” She gave the door to the exam room a quick knock and pushed it open.

      It turned out that she was wasting her time. “The nice Dr. Clayborn” had updated them and also seen to Lucy, their little girl, but they appreciated Laura Jo coming in. By the time she’d returned to the nursing station things seemed to be under control in the ER. All the exam and trauma rooms were full. The critical cases were being cared for. Those waiting were not serious.

      “Why don’t you take your supper break while you can?” the lead nurse said.

      “Are you sure?”

      “It’s now or never. You know the closer we get to Fat Tuesday the merrier it gets around here.”

      Laura Jo laughed. “If merry is what you want to call it. Okay, I’ll go.”

      “I’d rather call it merry otherwise I think I might cry,” the lead nurse said with a grin.

      Laura Jo grabbed her lunch box. It had become a habit to pack a lunch when money had been so tight even before Phil had left. Reaching the cafeteria, she scanned the room for an empty table. The busy ER translated to a full room. As soon as a table opened up she headed for it. Before she could get to it Mark slid into one of the two seats available. Disappointed, she stopped and looked around for another spot.

      He waved her toward him. “You can join me, if you like.”

      Laura Jo looked at him. Did she really have a choice? She was expected back in the ER soon. “Thank you.”

      He grinned at her. “You don’t sound too excited about it.”

      What was he expecting her to say? You’re right, I’m not? “I have to eat. The ER won’t stay calm for long.”

      “It did look a little wild in there. I’ve certainly had more than my share this evening. I haven’t done this much emergency work since I was on my med school rotation. Don’t see many head trauma and heart attacks in family practice.”

      Laura Jo pulled her sandwich out of the plastic bag. “I understand that the girl was sitting on top of her father’s shoulders and toppled off. When the grandfather saw what had happened he had a heart attack.”

      “Yeah. Thank goodness it all happened within running distance of the med tent. For a few minutes there wasn’t enough of us medical personal around to handle all that was going on. I’m just glad the girl has regained consciousness and the grandfather is stable.”

      “The girl will be here for observation for at least one night and the grandfather for much longer, I’m afraid.”

      He took a large bite of his hamburger and they ate in silence for a while before he asked, “So you knew who I was the other day. Why didn’t you say something?”

      “There just didn’t seem a right moment.”

      “So you’ve seen a lot of Mardi Gras.”

      She straightened her back and looked directly at him. “I’m not that old.”

      He grinned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that.”

      Laura Jo had to admit he had a nice smile. She grinned. “That’s not what it sounded like to me.”

      “I was just trying to make pleasant conversation and didn’t mean—”

      “I know you didn’t.” Still, it would have been nice if he’d at least thought she looked familiar. She’d been invisible to her parents, unimportant to her husband and just this once it would have been nice to have been memorable. But, then, it had been a long time ago.

      “So do you attend any of the krewe festivities?” He chewed slowly, as if waiting patiently for her answer.

      “No. I don’t travel in that social circle anymore.” She took a bite of her sandwich.

      “Why not? As I remember, the Herrons were a member of the same krewe as my family.”

      “I’m an Akins now.”

      “So Mr. Akins isn’t a member either, I gather.”

      “No, and Mr. Akins, as you put it, isn’t around to be a member.”

      “I’m sorry.”

      “I’m not. He left years ago.”

      “Oh, I thought …”

      “I know. For all I know, he’s alive and well somewhere.”

      Having finished his meal, Mark leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, it has been a pleasure running into you, Ms. Atkins.”

      Laura Jo stood to leave. “You, too, Dr. Clayborn. We do seem to keep running into each other.”

      “Why, Ms. Akins, you don’t believe in serendipity?”

      “If I ever did believe in serendipity, that would’ve been a long time ago. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.”

CHAPTER TWO

      ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON Mark made his way through the side streets of Mobile, working around the parade route, which was already blocked off. It was one more week before Mardi Gras weekend and there would be a large parade that afternoon and another that night in downtown Mobile.

      Throughout the week in the surrounding towns parades were planned, culminating in three or four per day until the final one on Fat Tuesday. Then Ash Wednesday would arrive and end all the revelry.

      He’d been assigned to work in the med tent set up just off Government Street at a fire station. He’d wanted to say no, had even suggested that he work one or two of the parades in a nearby town, but he’d been told that he was needed there. His gut clenched each time he crossed the bay but his partners wouldn’t like him not being a team player during this time of the year. Plus, Mark had no desire to admit why going into Mobile bothered him.

      All he hoped for now was a slow day, but he didn’t expect it. He wanted less drama than the last time he’d worked a med tent a few days earlier. Still, there had been some interesting points.

      Dinner with Laura Jo Akins had been the highlight. He had at least found out she wasn’t married. And she seemed to be anti-krewe for some reason. He had no doubt that she’d grown up on the social club festivities of a krewe, just like him. Why would she have such a negative view now? Or was her pessimistic attitude directed toward him? Did she know about the accident? His part in it?

      Laura Jo Akins also appeared to be one of those women who knew her mind and stood her ground, but it also seemed there was a venerable spot to her, too. As if she hid something from the world. What was that all about?

      Mark looked over the crowd again. At least she took his thoughts off worrying that he might see Mike at a parade. He looked forward to seeing her pixie face if they ever met again. People were creatures of habit and usually showed up in the same places

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