LITMIR.BIZ

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“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

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