“What’s he like? The doctor?”

“Adele, he’s McDreamy. Very dedicated, and spread very thin. He keeps an ER schedule at a local hospital at least two days a week and sits on call most weekends—he says that’s what’s keeping the lights on. But he’s pretty confident he’s within months of the clinic supporting itself. I’m thinking of trying some grant writing before I leave—that clinic should qualify for assistance. He serves a lot of Medicare patients and folks on state-funded programs. He also volunteers as team doctor for the local high school, which can’t afford certified trainers or medics. This guy, Scott? He wants to make a difference.”

Adele was making a face. “Didn’t Ted want to make a difference?”

Peyton nodded. “Indeed he did,” she admitted. “Ted wanted power—the power over life and death. It brought him great satisfaction. He also wanted to make lots of money. It was his due. A person who routinely works hard and saves lives should make a good living, yes? Ted is brilliant, treats his patients very well and thoroughly enjoys his place in the world. He’s also arrogant, selfish, inconsiderate and, as I’ve learned, unfaithful. All that being said, if I had a serious heart condition, I’d get an appointment with Ted. Despite his shortcomings there is one thing I know he won’t do—he won’t fail as a cardiologist. I know, because I’ve worked with him, for him. He’s meticulous. He’s driven. He wants to make a difference...for himself. I’ll observe the Thunder Point clinic for a while longer, but I think Scott wants to make a difference for the town, for the patients, for his kids. I could be wrong, but that’s what I think.”

Adele smiled. “You like him.”

“God help me,” she admitted.

“You like him a lot.”

Peyton sighed and took a sip of her tea. “You’ll like him, too. He has a generous spirit. A strong moral compass. If the babysitter called him and said his kids were impossible, he wouldn’t ignore it or make excuses. He wants them to grow up strong and good.”

“Would you date him?”

“I think it’s a very bad idea to date a single father, especially a doctor I’m working for. The last time I did that came at such a price! There’s too much at stake. There’s only one small problem. I’m starting to get a crush on him. He’s so wonderful.... But, no, I’m not going to date him.” She sighed. “I hope.”

Adele smiled. “And I was never going to date a Basque man, especially one with a restaurant. Famous last words.”

“Why did you date him?” Peyton asked.

“I don’t know. I couldn’t help it. I was putting together his ads so we spent some time working together, and I couldn’t resist him. He asked me if he married me, would I do his ad copy for free and I said, no, absolutely not. Mama said, ‘That one you should marry.’ I said that would never happen. And it didn’t...for three more months.”

“Mama is afraid for people who don’t get married,” Peyton said. “She can only see the world one way—in pairs. I’m a huge disappointment to her.”

“I think she’s proudest of you, but be warned—she’s going to live to be a hundred, and she will never give up. She’s very close to engaging a matchmaker, and she will see you married.”

“She’d better come up with some new material, then. Single doctors with children are off the table. Or at least they should be.”

“But you like him,” Adele said with a smile.

“Not that much,” Peyton said. But she liked him so much that she looked forward to work after the weekend with her family. And she hadn’t kissed him yet, but she knew she was going to. She wouldn’t dare tell Adele. Adele might start rooting for him, and all she was considering was a possible kiss. Because he was so lovely. And hot.

And then she was going to run for her life!

Nine

The first time Peyton had taken to the hayloft to escape and be alone, she was six years old. No one knew where she was or how long she’d been missing. The younger children were napping, Papa was in the orchard, Mama was in the garden and kitchen. When the little ones were waking, it was noticed that Peyton was nowhere to be found.

While her mother searched in and around the house, Paco and some of his hands were searching the orchard, fields, outbuildings, corrals and the water holes and streams on their property. Although they called to her, she hadn’t heard them. By the time she climbed down from the loft she’d been gone a couple of hours. She had straw in her hair. Everyone associated with the Lacoumette farm came running at the sound of the bell. Mama was on her knees, holding Peyton close. “Peyton, what were you doing up there?”

“Just working things out,” she said clearly as if it made all the sense in the world.

In a loud and busy household, almost each one of them had a place they escaped to when they needed a little quiet space to think or hide. George liked the pasture, Matt climbed the pear trees, Ginny hid in the cellar, Sal liked to sit on the ground in the front yard, hiding behind the large trunk of a very old tree.

On her weekend visit Peyton disappeared to the loft. She lay on her back, hands behind her head, one ankle balanced on her raised knee, and thought things through. Would it be wrong to let him kiss me? Because he wants to and I wouldn’t mind. And it doesn’t mean I want to move in with him and take care of his children, right? If I don’t let that happen too soon, it should be all right. I’m still planning to leave, to live somewhere else, to start my life over...I think. But while I’m taking a leave from my career to do a little community service, I could do with a little love. God knows, it’s been a long dry spell. I will even help him find someone good to replace me and not some trashy little twenty-five-year-old. Of course, a true friend would hook him up with a girlfriend, since I’m not interested in being anyone’s girlfriend...though I might be ready in a couple of months....

It took roughly two hours to come up with something of an agenda. She’d been in his clinic for a month, she would let herself be kissed. They could be social, go out together sometimes, but it would be rare since he was so busy. She would do a few things for the clinic, things that would help him after she left. She would enjoy those sweet kids, but she would not become their nanny. And she might even stay in touch with him because he was, if anything, excellent friend material.

Except, the crush factor was beginning to influence her into thinking maybe she could start over right where she was. If the crush got stronger...

When she went back into the kitchen, her mother kissed her cheeks and pulled a little straw from her hair. “Did you get everything worked out?” her mother asked.

“I don’t think so,” Peyton said with a smile. “Well, one thing is worked out. I was right to leave Portland.”

Sometimes visiting the family farm exhausted Peyton, sometimes it rejuvenated her. This particular visit felt very good. It helped to see Adele so healthy and happy. Since it was not shearing, harvest or Christmas, the homestead wasn’t overflowing with family, so it wasn’t as chaotic as it could be. They used Skype to chat with her brother Sal, currently serving on a Navy destroyer. Twenty-four-year-old baby brother, Mike, called home from grad school; the phone was passed around to a dozen family members.