Riverbend Gap, page 13
“So, Mr. Sheriff-to-be, how goes the campaigning? I’ve seen the yard signs up everywhere. I talked Cheryl into putting one in front of the salon.”
“Thanks. It’s going pretty well. A lot of events, a ton of glad-handing.”
“That doesn’t really seem like your thing. Not that you aren’t a friendly guy, but you seem like an introvert at heart.”
“True enough. But I want to be sheriff, so I’ll do what’s necessary.”
She flashed a saucy grin. “And do you always get what you want, Deputy Robinson?”
He thought of Katelyn and just barely stopped himself from glancing her way. “Not always.”
“Well, you’ll get your way this time. Everyone around here loves your family.”
Amber had come to town after his dad had left. Cooper hadn’t mentioned the stigma his old man brought him and didn’t feel like getting into it now.
“It’s more the surrounding towns I’m worried about. That’s why I’ve been out of town so much.”
“I’m glad you’ve finally managed to fit me into your busy schedule,” she teased.
“Come on now. It’s not like that.”
“What’s it like then?”
“I’ve just been busy. Distracted.” That was the truth if ever he’d heard it. He glanced at that nearby table. Beth was still talking.
“What do you make of all this bridge repair stuff?” Amber took a sip of her drink.
“It’ll be hard on the town without the hikers coming through.”
“When I was doing Barbara Jean McCafferty’s hair, she told me the bridge might be closed into next season too.”
“That’s not true. It’ll take no more than six months.”
“Hope you’re right. I mean, the salon will be fine—we don’t get many hikers. But the town needs that income. It’ll put the hurt on your family’s store for certain.”
“It’ll be hard on pretty much all the retailers, motels, hostel, and campground.”
“How is Gavin doing these days? I saw him in town the other day and he seemed better. He was friendly.”
“He’s doing pretty good. Just needed a little time, I think.”
Her lips curved knowingly. “And maybe a certain woman?”
He hiked a brow.
“I do Donna Jenkins’s hair. She was venting last time she was in.”
Donna was Gavin’s former mother-in-law. She was no doubt bitter Gavin was moving on with another woman even though the divorce had been final for a year. Anyway, Cooper didn’t want to hear a bunch of gossip. “Well, I’m sure you get that a lot.”
“For sure. But hey, I think it’s great about Gavin. He deserves to be happy. How’s your sister doing? Is the clinic going well?”
“She’s fine. Clinic seems to be clipping right along, and she’s been pouring herself into it.”
“It’s good to have a doctor on hand. When Gretchen Miller’s husband had that stroke over the winter, Avery saved his life.”
Pride welled up inside. His sister had busted her butt to get through med school and she made a fine doctor. Even if she did pretty much leash herself to the clinic. “That’s my sis.”
Laughter from the other table snagged his attention. With the discipline of a saint he took a sip of his coffee and forced himself to focus on Amber’s doe eyes. “How’s your sister doing?”
“Danielle? Oh, she’s fine. Knee deep in diapers and baby food. I don’t know how she does it.”
Danielle. That’s right, her sister was married with a few kids.
“I mean, some days I think being on my feet all day is going to kill me, but I love what I do. I love doing hair and chatting with different people. If I had to be holed up with kids all day I’d go mad.”
“To each her own, I guess.”
“I do want kids though, don’t get me wrong. Kids are great. I love my little niece and nephews. I’m over there all the time.”
Sister lives in town.
He gazed at Kate’s table. Beth leaned in, listening intently, elbows on the table.
Amber glanced over her shoulder to see what he was looking at.
Get it together, man. “Um . . . did you get to take a vacation this summer?”
The distraction worked. “I’m saving for a hair conference in Orlando next year. It’s like the who’s who of stylists. Gotta keep those skills sharp.”
He couldn’t imagine the folks around here benefiting from the latest in hairstyles, but what did he know?
“What about you? Go anywhere fun?”
“Between work and the campaign I couldn’t get away this year.”
Her eyes twinkled. “You work too hard—always off protecting and serving.”
It was a police motto, but he didn’t bother correcting her. “Somebody’s got to prowl the streets of Riverbend.”
A chair screeched nearby. Kate and Beth stood. Kate shouldered her purse and turned toward the door. Her gaze caught on Cooper, her eyes widening slightly before they swung across the table to Amber. Her smile wobbled.
Beth and Kate said their good-byes, then she stopped by his table. “Hi there.”
“Hey, Katie.” Cooper stood and gave her a brief hug. As he inhaled her familiar scent, his heart gave a traitorous whimper. He was dying to know how her conversation with Beth had gone. He sorely wished Amber weren’t here. He’d invite Kate to sit down and have a nice long chat.
Then you’d be right back to square one, moron.
He pulled away and gestured to the other woman. “Katie, this is Amber. Amber, Katie.”
“Hi there.” Amber’s gaze raked quickly over Kate, no doubt taking in her freshly made-up face and long, shiny blonde hair.
“Hi.” Kate returned Amber’s tight smile with a friendly one. But the tense set of her shoulders and her hand clutching her purse in a white-knuckled grip gave her away.
He couldn’t resist asking about Beth. “How’d your meeting go?”
“Good. I think it went fine.”
He wanted to ask her so much more. Wanted to hear every detail. But now was not the time.
As an awkward silence crept in, Kate glanced between Amber and him. “Well . . . I don’t want to interrupt your, um, date. And my garden awaits.”
“It’s supposed to rain later,” he said.
“I’d better get on it then.” With one last bright smile she left the coffee shop.
Amber didn’t even wait until the door swung shut before she said, “Who was that? I don’t think I’ve seen her around here.”
“Katie.” He took a sip of his coffee. He probably shouldn’t bait her, but he couldn’t seem to help himself.
She gave him a tolerant look.
“Gavin’s new girlfriend.”
Her face brightened. “Oh. She seemed nice.”
The obvious relief on Amber’s face was off-putting—and worrisome. Because he just wasn’t as invested in her as she seemed to be in him.
But he had to make an effort if he was ever going to get over Katelyn. Now that she’d left the shop, he could focus on Amber. And before they left today he was going to ask her out again—this time for supper.
21
Katie settled back into the cushions on Avery’s sofa. They’d just watched the newest Scarlett Johansson movie and were enjoying the homemade brownies Lisa had brought over.
“These are so good,” Katie said. “Must have recipe.”
“No need. Lisa makes them all the time.”
“I like to bake though. And you never know when you’ll need a brownie fix. Plus there’s the batter.”
“Excellent point, my friend. I need milk. Want some?”
“Actually, I could use some water. I feel like I’m still dehydrated from last weekend.”
“Hiking in the heat will do that to you.” Avery slipped into the kitchen only a few steps away.
Boots, Avery’s black-and-white cat, jumped onto the sofa and curled up against Katie. Her fur was the softest thing Katie had ever touched.
Avery’s flat above the clinic was small and homey, decorated mostly in neutrals with a pop of color here and there. It suited her friend. It was neat and tidy except the dining room table, which was cluttered with Robinson-for-Sheriff promotional materials.
Katie’s mind went back to this morning as it had done all afternoon while she gardened and caught up on chores. It wasn’t even the meeting with her mother that claimed her thoughts, though that had gone better than she’d expected.
It was seeing Cooper with that woman—Amber. Katie remembered Lisa mentioning the hairstylist’s interest. Cooper had apparently decided to take Lisa’s advice and move things forward.
But seeing him with Amber had gutted Katie. Even now the memory of them together made her feel hollow inside. She had no right to be jealous. But that didn’t negate the fact that she was. Amber was beautiful and she practically radiated confidence. No wonder the woman had caught Cooper’s eye. Katie had felt like a slouch even though she’d taken care with her appearance. She pulled Boots into her arms and cradled him against her stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Avery set a glass of ice water on the coffee table for her.
Katie dredged up a smile and took the last bite of her brownie. “Nothing. Just getting tired, I guess.”
“It’s not even ten, but I’m tired too. We must be getting old. Have another brownie.”
“I’ve already had two. Remember how late we stayed up at college? We were just getting started at ten.”
“Yeah, those all-night study sessions while everyone else partied.”
“That’s why you made it into med school and I made it into the nursing program.”
Avery raised her milk in a toast. “To hard work paying off.”
Katie clinked her glass. “Hear, hear.”
They reminisced about college awhile, then the conversation turned to the clinic and some of the patients who had come in that week.
“Can I ask you a question?” Avery said after they’d exhausted the topic.
“Sure.”
“If a serious genetic disorder ran in your family . . . would you want to know if you carried the gene?”
“I’m not sure. It’s difficult to know something like that until you’re faced with it. Are you talking about one of our patients? I didn’t come across anything like that in the files.”
“She, uh, wants to keep it private for now.”
Fair enough. It was a small town, and Avery probably knew the patient personally. “Is it a serious condition?”
Avery gave a nod. “Huntington’s disease.”
That was serious. “Has she had genetic counseling?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I don’t think there’s a pat answer for everyone. It’s something each person has to decide for him or herself.”
Avery popped the last of her brownie into her mouth. “You’re right.”
“And further complicated if she has children to take into consideration.”
“Children definitely complicate the issue.”
It was a heavy decision to make, and Katie was glad the woman had confided in Avery. Especially if she didn’t have anyone else to talk about it with. Huntington’s disease was a fatal genetic disorder with an onset of symptoms in the thirties or forties. The probability of offspring inheriting the disorder was 50 percent, and there was no cure.
“It’s me,” Avery said.
“What’s you?” Her gaze locked on Avery’s, and the meaning of her words hit Katie like a tidal wave. A sudden coldness swept through her. Avery’s dad was almost sixty, but her mom had died when Avery was a child. Katie couldn’t remember Avery ever telling her how.
Katie’s breath tumbled out. “Your mom had Huntington’s?”
“Yes.” Avery’s hand was steady as she took a sip of milk.
Katie couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that Avery might have this horrible disease. “Oh, Avery.”
“It’s not like I haven’t known this all my life. I just couldn’t decide what to do about it. I thought the counseling would help—I went through that after undergrad—but the pros and cons of knowing the truth seemed equally balanced.”
“I can’t even imagine what I’d do. On the one hand, if you did the test and found out you hadn’t inherited the gene, you’d be free and clear.”
“But if I found out I did have it . . . I’d know exactly what’s in store for me. I watched my mom go through it. The depression and personality changes, the involuntary movements, and inability to care for herself . . .” Avery swallowed, then her gaze met Katie’s. “In the last year I’ve finally come to a conclusion: I don’t want to know if I have it. It feels a little cowardly.”
“Not at all. I can completely understand that. It would be hard not to spend your life dreading its onset. What does your family think?”
“We don’t really talk about it. They don’t want me to feel pressured to make a decision. I haven’t told anyone else I’m not taking the test, so I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention it to Gavin. I’ll tell them when I’m ready.”
“Of course. And Avery . . . I’m here for you whenever you need to talk.”
“Thanks.”
Katie met her friend’s smile with one of her own. But inside her heart felt as if it had been crushed.
22
It had not been a good day. Cooper hunched over the report on the cheap metal desk, scrawling as quickly as he could. The aroma of popcorn and stale coffee permeated the space, and the window air conditioner hummed over the intermittent calls coming in to Jackie’s office down the hall. Six deputies shared two desks and two computers in the tight ten-by-twelve space, but he was the only one in the office at the moment.
This afternoon’s traffic accident was still fresh in his mind. A man texting while driving had caused two likely totaled cars and three injuries, one of them a child. It wasn’t a pretty ending to his workweek.
Earlier in the day he’d been called to the hardware store where an eighteen-year-old man was causing a ruckus. Cooper arrested the guy on a disorderly charge and found a stash of heroin in his pocket.
Following that, he’d had to serve divorce papers to a woman who had three young kids huddled around her legs. Upon sight of him at her front door, she burst into tears.
Cooper’s mom entered the office, startling him from his thoughts. She gave him that pointed look mothers everywhere had down pat. “All right, out with it. What’s going on?”
“Hi, Mom. Just finishing up some paperwork. How are you doing?”
“That’s not what I meant and you know it. I haven’t seen you in three weeks.”
“Sorry. I meant to stop by, but I’ve been busy with work and the campaign.” It wasn’t a lie. A week ago the Herald had endorsed Sean Curtis, raising the stakes yet again. There was so much more riding on this than a county office. Katelyn had helped him see that.
“I’ll make it over sometime this weekend.”
“No, you’ll make it over tomorrow night for supper like everyone else.”
He opened his mouth with a ready excuse.
“And don’t tell me you have a campaign obligation because Avery already told me you don’t. I’m not taking no for an answer this time.”
“What if I have a date tomorrow night?”
“You’re going out with Amber on Sunday so that’s highly unlikely.”
Darn that grapevine. Why hadn’t he made a preemptive stop to see his mom and Jeff before now? Now he had no choice but to see Kate again. Not that avoiding her had done much good. She was constantly on his mind. Maybe she wouldn’t come.
He signed the report and set it aside. “All right. I’ll be there.”
“What is it with you? Why have you been avoiding us?”
“I’m not avoiding you.”
Her gaze sharpened on him. “Is there something going on between you and Gavin?”
“Why? Did he say something?”
“No, but something must be up. You never miss the chance for a home-cooked meal, and now you’ve missed supper three weeks in a row. Gavin won’t even be there if that makes a difference.”
It made all the difference. If Gavin wasn’t there, Kate wouldn’t be there either. “It’s not that. There’s just a lot involved in running a campaign.” He held eye contact. He was pretty good at being unreadable—it came with the job—but when it came to her sons, his mom had some kind of superhero radar.
“If you need more help, you know the family’s here for you.”
“I know you guys are busy with Trail Days. Anyway, Avery and I have it covered.”
Rodriguez entered the office, his eyes going straight to Lisa, his lips lifting in a cheeky smile. “Hello, Mrs. Robinson. You sure are a sight for sore eyes.”
“Oh, you’re too sweet, Ricky. Is there a serious girlfriend on the horizon yet? If not, you should let me set you up. I’m pretty good at it, despite what Cooper might think.”
“Aw, I’m still too brokenhearted that you’re taken. Why’d you have to go and get married before I grew up?”
Cooper rolled his eyes at Rodriguez’s familiar antics.
His mom laughed and patted his shoulder. “I’m practically old enough to be your mother.”
“You don’t look a day over twenty-five.”
“Listen to the lies coming out of your mouth, young man. I should tell your mother.”
“If you ever change your mind—”
“Did you come here to work or flirt?” Cooper asked.
“I don’t see why a man can’t do both.”
“You’re too much, Ricky.” His mother hitched her purse higher on her shoulder and gave Cooper another pointed look. “I have to run now. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“It’s a carry-in this time so bring a side dish.” She smiled at Rodriguez. “You’re welcome to come, too, Ricky. That is, if you don’t have a hot date.”
“He’s busy,” Cooper said.
As soon as Mom left, Cooper grabbed the stress ball off his desk and hurled it at Rodriguez, who was watching her walk down the hallway.
