LITMIR.BIZ

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to eat outside to enjoy the weather. Unlocking the door to one of the many porches, he picked up his plate and drink then stepped out. He sank into a wicker chair with a comfortable-looking pillow. With a sigh, he propped his feet up on the small table in front of him, which matched the chair.

      The cell phone resting against his thigh in his hip pocket vibrated. It would be his mom. She’d already called a number of times during the day and he’d been too busy to answer. Because she was a mom she worried. The old saying that you were always your mom’s baby, no matter how old you got, was no truer than when you were sick. His mom had more than jumped into caretaker mode when he’d required help. Now he needed her to let go, for his sake as well as hers. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to tell her to back off. That was one of a number of reasons he’d wanted to leave Chicago.

      Some time later, his meal finished, he pulled his phone from his pocket and pushed the speed-dial number assigned to his mom. His chest contracted at the sound of relief in her voice when he said, “Hi, Mom.”

      “Honey, it’s so good to hear from you. How’re you doing?”

      Payton told her about his day, the house and the town. He left out his two meetings with China.

      “Well, at least it sounds like a nice place.”

      Payton watched as the sun became a half circle on the horizon. “It is. I’ll call you in a few days.”

      “Okay.” The wispy tone in her voice said she was still holding out hope that Payton would return to Chicago. That wouldn’t happen. All he wanted right now was to regain all his strength and make the most of life. He’d start by calling the marina and seeing if his sailboat had arrived. On his first day off he would be on it. It had been far too long.

      Gathering his plate and glass, he took them inside. He’d call around to see where he might go parasailing. He hadn’t done that since he was a kid. It would be fun to try again. He’d be looking for a skimboard tomorrow.

      He hadn’t missed the surprised then disapproving look on China’s face when he’d been asking the boy about learning to skimboard. It would be the first of many new things he planned to experience.

      The corner of his mouth lifted. China had made his first day at work in Golden Shores memorable.

      The next morning Payton rose early to take a run on the beach. The distance wasn’t what he could have done months ago but he was pleased with his effort. He felt invigorated and ready to face the day. His mom had admonished him not to overdo it but Payton was determined to get back to peak health as soon as possible and put having cancer behind him.

      As he came down the hall of the clinic an hour and half later he heard the women talking but there was also a deep voice mixed among them. Payton placed his coffee and sack lunch in the office and walked to the front.

      Jean and Doris were sitting behind the desk. Standing beside China in front of them was a tall, lanky man dressed in blue scrubs.

      “Good morning, Dr. Jenkins,” Jean said.

      “Please, make it Payton.” He looked at everyone.

      “Payton it is,” Jean said with a smile. “This is Luke.” She indicated the guy beside China. “He’s one of the nurses that rotates in when either China or Robin have a day off.”

      Luke extended his hand and Payton took it. “Nice to meet you.”

      “You too,” Luke said. “We’re glad to have you around here.”

      The front door opened and a patient entered, ending their conversation. Over the next few hours Payton saw a steady stream of people, the highlights of which were a stomachache, severe sunburn and a twisted ankle. He loved it. This was nothing like the high-pressure, impersonal work he was used to. This was the kind of medicalcare work he wanted to do. At least when a patient returned to see him he would recognize a face, maybe remember a name. Everything his parents couldn’t understand. He no longer wanted to be one of the doctors in Chicago.

      It was late afternoon when China handed him a chart. “The patient is complaining of vomiting, running a low-grade fever and weight gain.”

      Payton’s chest constricted. It sounded so much like his symptoms. The ones he’d put off addressing, along with the swelling in his neck, until it had been almost too late. Deep in his gut he’d known it was cancer, but fear hadn’t let him admit it. That was behind him now. He had a new lease on life, and he planned to make the most of it.

      “Dr. Jenkins? Are you okay?” Concern underscored her words.

      China’s hand resting on his arm brought him back to reality. “I thought we agreed it was Payton.”

      She looked at him far too closely. Could she read his apprehension?

      He moved his arm and her fingers fell away. He’d had his fill of concern months ago. “I’m fine,” he said, far too sharply. “What room is the patient in?”

      China stepped back and her eyes flickered with a look of what struck him strangely as fear before she said in a businesslike tone, “Exam three.”

      Why would she be scared of him? He’d spoken more harshly than he should have but not enough to bring that type of look to her eyes.

      Thankfully the patient had nothing more serious than an infection. Was he always going to overreact when someone came in with the same symptoms he’d had? For a second there he’d slipped and the all-too-perceptive nurse China had noticed. That couldn’t happen again.

CHAPTER TWO

      TWO DAYS LATER, China came in on the one to seven shift. Evening shifts were her favorite. Busy, with often interesting patients but it allowed her to get some gardening done in the morning. Her plants were where she put all her energy outside of nursing. It had been her way of escaping the unhappiness in her house when she’d been growing up and it had become her way of coping. She was a member of a couple of garden clubs in town and made the most of what she learned.

      “Hi, there,” she said to Robin and Doris as she approached the front desk.

      “Hey,” they chorused absently.

      “So what’s been going on today?” China asked, as she put her purse away.

      Jean leaned toward her. “Nothing special. Robin’s been mooning over Payton. She thinks all doctors are good looking, especially if they drive a nice car.”

      China sputtered in an effort to contain her humor. Evaluating a man’s looks wasn’t China’s usual thing and particularly if it was based on a car, but she had to admit Payton was attractive beyond the average male. Something about him intrigued her. She’d dated but had never let a guy get really close. When a guy started making demands she backed off. She’d had enough of that in her life. Could a man ever understand her need to be a partner, feel secure? It certainly wouldn’t be someone like the sports-cardriving, silver-tongued, charismatic Dr. Jenkins. Her mother had warned her about becoming involved with men like her father. More than once her mother had said she wished for her daughters an easier life than the one they would have with a man like their father.

      Robin’s shoulders squared and she gave Jean her indignant look. “That might be so, but it doesn’t change the obvious. He’s got the hottest car in town.”

      The sound of a throat clearing came from behind them. “I’m not sure that’s a compliment as it sounds like I have a four-wheel personality,” Payton said from the doorway of his office, before he stepped into it.

      Robin and Doris giggled.

      “We really do need to quit talking about him. He seems to always catch us,” Doris hissed.

      China had learned her lesson way before now.

      Payton strolled up to the desk. “Robin, how would you like to go for a ride some time since you

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