Peyton tried to remember what it felt like to be completely dazzled by Ted, by his polished good looks, his brilliance, his mystique. He had the classiest practice she’d ever worked in, a six-thousand-square-foot decorated beauty to live in, expensive late-model cars to drive. And she believed he had loved her. Until he’d stopped. When had he stopped? She wasn’t entirely sure. Maybe when they began to argue about his kids. Every time she thought about them, it made her sad. She had wanted them to find in her a kindred spirit, a woman who shared a bond in loving Ted.

That hadn’t happened.

Ted had given her beautiful clothes and jewelry. Items she made sure to pack when she left his home, most of which would look painfully out of place here.

Scott brought her cannoli. It made her smile. She had almost never tasted better cannoli in her life. They were almost as good as her mother’s.

* * *

Carrie packed up her beach-mobile with coolers, thermoses, tablecloths and other picnic things. She was ready to head for home when Rawley approached her and said, “I’ll drive over in a few minutes and just help you unload that.”

“I can do it if you have other things to do.”

“I’ll be there directly,” he said.

So, off she went across the beach. She arrived at her house and right behind her came that cranberry-red restored truck that Rawley drove. Without a word, he started carrying things into her house. When all was inside, they met in the kitchen. “I hope you know, I appreciate your help. I’m much better now, Rawley. My knee hardly bothers me at all. I don’t want you worrying.”

“I ain’t worried,” he said, but he didn’t look at her.

“Good. Don’t feel you have to keep up with me.”

“I don’t,” he said.

“You’re here a lot,” she pointed out.

“You’d rather I be scarce?” he asked.

“No. I like you.”

“Good. We have ourselves a deal then.”

“Do we? What kind of deal do we have?” she asked.

“I help out. I don’t have to keep up. I like it. You like it.”

“True,” she said. “Cup of coffee?” she asked.

“I reckon.”

“Have a seat. I’ll put on the pot.”

Before sitting, Rawley put away a few of the things they’d brought in the house. He was so comfortable there, he knew where everything went. Then he sat at the table. “You serve up a good cup of coffee,” he told her.

“I’d better. It’s my business.”

“There’s a thing or two you know about me already. I’m not good around a mess of people. I like being on my own more or less. When your knee went all gimpy, I found out I liked cooking. I’d rather be cooking than serving. On the other hand, you’re awful good with people.”

“Caterers have to be,” she reminded him. “But you like being with me.”

“I don’t mind them other women much, either. You’re all kind of alike.”

“What other women? You mean Lou and Ray Anne? We’re nothing alike!”

“You think not?” he asked. “Well, maybe I can take you in groups of three, then.”

“Maybe,” she said, sitting at the table with him. “What is it you’re trying to say, Rawley? That you like to cook?”

“I always liked to, I just wasn’t sure of that before. And you make passable company.”

“Thank you. I think,” she said. “I’m not exactly looking for a man in my life. But there’s a thing or two you probably don’t know about me. I’ve been alone a very long time. My husband walked out when Gina was five years old and never bothered to drop a check in the mail. Not once. The next time he turned up, he turned up dead. Gina was around thirteen, I think. He never divorced us, but he did get himself a new family—a new wife and child. I’ve been in a bad mood about that ever since. Consequently, I don’t much trust men.”

“I don’t much, either,” he said. “But I do find I like to cook. I couldn’t leave Cooper. He’s perfectly useless on his own, and he does need me around. He’s talked a bit about hiring on some new help, but there’s no evidence he’s done anything about that. I wish he’d get on with it because I’m game to help him around the bar, but I’m not crazy about serving. And there ain’t nothing to cook there. Bear in mind, I have to be around those kids. I don’t know that anyone would see to it they get to go fishing if not for me.”

“That’s pretty obvious. But how many hours a day can one man work? Living in Elmore and all?”

“Well, that has come up as a problem,” Rawley said. “Cooper did offer up that apartment over the bar, but that wouldn’t be right. I think that place is the guesthouse now. But I’m looking for a change or two. I been in that bar five years now, and I don’t know if you noticed, it just keeps getting busier.”

“I noticed,” she said with a smile.

“I like it quiet.”

“And you’d like to cook.”

“I guess that’s right. I don’t mind stocking, cleaning, opening early, closing up. I like to get in a little fishing, work a little on the truck. I particularly like to cook with you. I hope that doesn’t put you off.”

She leaned back in her chair and smiled. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were making me a proposal of some kind.”

“Some kind, but what kind I can’t say.” He cleared his throat. “I wonder if we should keep cooking together. I can do the heavy lifting and make sure what cooking you need gets done.”

“And that’s all?” she asked.

“Ain’t that enough?” he asked.

She just chuckled and shook her head. “For the time being,” she said. “What am I paying you for that?”

“Can’t I just have all the good food I can handle?”

“You could stand a few pounds, I guess. And I can use the help.”

“The way I see it, Miss Carrie, you need the help, I need a little company, and who knows? Maybe I won’t live in Elmore forever.”

“Don’t get any ideas, Rawley Goode. I like living alone!”

And he flashed her a very handsome smile, showing off his false teeth. “I haven’t had a passable good idea in a hundred years, Miss Carrie.”

And so they left it at that. He wanted to work less at the bar, more in her catering kitchen and he liked her company.

A match made in heaven.

Twelve

Peyton quickly learned that the people of Thunder Point had their own ideas about what was and was not their business. Scott remained thoroughly professional on the job and completely respectable about demonstrations of affection in public when they weren’t on the job, but people still regarded them with twinkling eyes and sly smiles. When they went to the high school to provide athletic physical exams, she overheard one of the high school boys make a cute comment about “the doc’s new girl.” It made Peyton blush and Scott laugh.

“Come over to dinner tonight,” Scott said. “Let’s grab something from Carrie’s. I’m on call, but it will probably be quiet.”