Carolina Grace (Southern Breeze Series Book 3)

by Regina Rudd Merrick

“When?”

  Rance smiled, a little embarrassed he hadn’t told anyone. “A few days after I got home from Nashville. I went to see Sam that day, and on the way out, Tom Livingston was coming in, and we talked. He told me I was making it too hard. Took me a little more time to settle it, but it’s settled.”

  “Trusting God is the easiest, and the hardest, thing you’ll ever do, Son.”

  “I agree. I’ve been working through stuff and seeing a lot of things come together.”

  “Have you seen Charly?”

  Rance sobered, looking down. Clifton squeezed his hand. “I saw her before I came.”

  “Have you told her you’re a Christ follower?”

  He shook his head. “Not yet. She was on a date, so I didn’t get to talk to her.”

  “I’m sorry.” Clifton narrowed his eyes in sympathy. “You’re gonna have to settle things with her, Son. I can tell you have pretty strong feelings for her.”

  He let out a humorless laugh. “Strong feelings don’t begin to describe it. I want to get this family situation settled before I start thinking long-term.”

  “She might be the key to helping you figure things out.”

  Pam opened the curtain. “Dr. Butler, we need to get you prepped, and the anesthesiologist needs to start getting Mr. Watson off to sleepy town.” She grinned when Clifton laughed.

  “Best part of surgery. Free nap.” He held his arms out, and Rance hugged him. “Get going. Pray. It’s the only thing you can do right now, and we’ll both have plenty of time to do it.”

  “I will. Thanks, Dad.”

  Clifton grinned. “That’s the first time you’ve called me Dad.”

  Rance noticed the mist of tears in his father’s eyes. “Won’t be the last, I promise.” He winked at his dad and then followed Nurse Pam to a nearby cubicle.

  What had started out as a great evening with Matthew had turned to dust, at least inwardly, after the encounter with Rance.

  “I can’t believe I got the hole-in-one prize.” Charly smiled at Matthew as he handed her the teddy bear and coupon for a free game.

  “You’re good.”

  “I did grow up on the Grand Strand, after all.” Charly hugged the teddy bear.

  “As did I. With fifty mini golf courses in twenty miles, there always seemed to be a new one to try.” He opened her car door for her. “Fun fact. Did you know they have pro mini golf players? The Master’s Tournament was at Hawaiian Rumble and Aloha Mini Golf in Myrtle Beach this year.”

  “I was aware. I had friends who played in the charity tournament one year. It was pretty cool to watch. One of the courses actually has bleachers outside the fence so you can watch.” She grinned. “Someday maybe I’ll get a team together and play.”

  “Sounds like fun.” He looked at her as she fiddled with the bear. “Is everything okay?”

  She looked up in surprise. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” Had she dropped her guard? Let him see she was bothered?

  “You’ve been a little, I don’t know, quiet since supper.” He pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward her house.

  “Long week.” She smiled brightly. She hoped he would accept her explanation.

  “I get that.” When they pulled into the drive of the house, he turned toward her. “I had a great time tonight, but I have a feeling you’re torn.”

  Jake must have told him about Rance. Not all the details, just that she was between relationships. Or was she?

  “It’s a little confusing right now. I had a great time, too, and I’m sorry if I was a little ‘off’ after seeing Rance. We met when the twins were born and dated for a little while. Some things happened, and we decided to cool it.” She shrugged. “That’s all.”

  It wasn’t all, but it was all she was willing to share.

  Rance heard clicking and clanking sounds and muffled voices. It was as if only one layer of sound came through at a time, and from a distance. By the time he realized what was going on, he had opened his eyes to see a nurse hovering, talking to him.

  “Mr. Butler, can you hear me?”

  His mouth felt like there had been cotton in it. Probably because up until a few minutes ago, there had been a tube down his throat.

  “I can hear you. Is the surgery over?”

  “It is, and you did fine.” Nurse Pam was covering him with more blankets, preparing him for the trip to recovery.

  “How’s my dad?”

  “Mr. Watson? He’s doing admirably as well. His surgery is taking a little longer, as expected. He’s a trooper.”

  He cleared his throat to get some sense of normalcy back. “When can I see him?”

  “We’ll put you in adjoining cubicles in recovery ’til we take him to ICU. How’s that for service?” She chuckled as she checked the monitors before she unhooked them for the trip down the hall. “I’ll be moving you in a minute.”

  “Thanks, Pam.”

  She left to go into the next operating room, probably where his father was still in surgery.

  Before he drifted off again, he prayed. “Be with my dad, God. He loves You, and I know You love him.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Charly didn’t always check the news on a Monday morning. There was a story on Facebook that she clicked through, leading her to the online presence of the South Strand News. The first headline caught her attention immediately.

  “Local Businessman Clifton Watson on the Mend”

  “Lydia, come here.”

  Her roommate came out of the bathroom, half-dressed and with a toothbrush sticking out of her mouth.

  “Wat?” The toothbrush impeded her speech.

  “Look at this.”

  Lydia ran to the sink to spit and rinse then came back, toothbrush in hand. “Who’s Clifton Watson?”

  Charly looked up at her friend. “Rance’s biological father.”

  Lydia’s eyes widened. “He had the surgery.”

  “He told me it was going to be in three weeks unless his dad worsened.”

  “Wow. That’s big.” Lydia looked at Charly intensely. “Does it say where it happened?”

  “Georgetown General, which surprises me. I would think anyone with his connections would be in Charleston or somewhere even bigger.”

  “Unless the doctor he likes is here.” Lydia shrugged.

  “True. When I saw Rance the other night, he got a text while we were talking. I wonder . . .” Charly took a deep breath. “He seemed out of sorts and hurried away.”

  Lydia read the article over Charly’s shoulder. “It says here it was an emergency surgery, and the donor had agreed to waive the waiting time and have it done immediately. Doesn’t mention a name though.”

  “It’s Rance.” Charly closed her eyes. “I need to find out if he’s okay.”

  “I know.”

  “I’m not saying there is anything between us, but I do care about him as a friend.” Charly felt the heat on her face even as she tried to convince herself more than Lydia.

  “Right.” Lydia arched an eyebrow and said nothing more. She walked away and went back to prepare for her work day.

  She read the article again, reading also the background material they wrote about Clifton Watson. It was a name she had heard of as a lifelong resident of the county, not anyone with which she ever thought to have any connection. And this was Rance’s father.

  Lydia came back to her, fully dressed in her distressed jeans and coffee shop uniform top. “I can check on him for you, if you’d like.”

  She looked up at her and saw her smock in her hand. “Thanks, Lyd.”

  Should she go and see him? Or not. She wasn’t sure how it worked with transplant surgeries. Was the donor in as much danger as the one receiving the organ?

  “Gotta go.”

  “Right. Have a good day.”

  “You, too, and don’t worry. I’m sure he’s fine.” She gathered her purse and keys, ready to go out the door. She stopped and turned back to Charly. “Listen, I know Rance is uppermo
st in your mind right now, but don’t lead Matthew on.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it. We had a nice time, and even he knew I wasn’t over Rance.”

  “He’s been hurt too. Just wanted to give you a heads up.”

  “He didn’t say anything.” She paused. “It was our first date, and how many people spill their guts on a first date? I know I didn’t.”

  “Exactly. Be careful, for both your sakes. He’s too nice a guy to get involved if you’re not interested.” She walked to the door. “I’ll be home to change. Jake and I are going to the beach this afternoon. Wanna come?”

  “No, I’m meeting with Emma and Lucy at two, so I’ll probably miss you. You two have fun.”

  “You too. I’ll text you if I find anything out.”

  Charly walked over and hugged her. “Thank you. And thank you for being the voice of reason. Would you believe Rance called me his voice of reason?” She laughed.

  Lydia looked at her soberly. “Most of the time, you are. This is different, isn’t it?”

  Charly nodded. “Is it normal to be so out of sorts?”

  Lydia smiled. “It is when you’re in love.”

  “Mom, I’m fine.”

  Rance wished he hadn’t left his mother on his next-of-kin list. If he had changed it, she might not be hovering over him like she had been since the surgery was over.

  Anna Butler took a step back and waited until he rose from the bed unaided. “I’m only trying to help. They said you might be shaky for a week or so.”

  “I’ve got to get used to doing things on my own. I don’t mind you being here, but you need to let me do this.” The pain in his left side almost took his breath away, but he wasn’t going to admit it. He also wasn’t going to admit to the slight vertigo he experienced when he first stood up.

  She simply watched as he stood quietly, slowly stretching the muscles that weren’t used to being in bed. Maybe if he showed her he was fine, she would leave him alone for a while.

  “I need to go and check on Dad.” He watched her as he called Clifton Watson Dad. She flinched. It wasn’t his intention to hurt her, but even as a new child of God, he wondered how she could have kept his own father from him.

  “I’ll go with you.” She turned and pulled a tissue from the box next to the hospital bed, dabbed her eyes, and blew her nose.

  “I’m sorry, Mom.” He sat down on the side of the bed. His emotions had been all over the place since the surgery, and he knew it was to be expected.

  How did God make people to be so complicated? He was told he would experience a sense of loss and have days of being blue. How do you feel a loss of a body part you spent zero time considering on a daily basis?

  Rance reached for his mother’s hand, and she came to him. “I guess I’m a bad patient. You know they say doctors make the worst ones.”

  She smiled. The first genuine smile he’d seen from her since all this started.

  “You never were a good patient, even before you were a doctor.”

  “True, that.” He winked at her and grinned. “Let’s go see how he is. Does it bother you for me to call him Dad?”

  “A little. I’ll try to get used to it.” They walked to the door, and she paused, her hand on his arm. “What about Ashton? He raised you, and you’ve considered him your father all your life.”

  “I’m still working on it, Mom. I love him. He’s the only dad I ever knew, but there was always a distance between us I couldn’t understand.”

  She looked down. “I know. I felt it. I think it was the real reason why I was afraid to give him a child of his own. I was afraid of the difference he would make, even unintentionally.”

  He nodded. “I get it. At least now, I do.” He shrugged. “I guess, for now I have two men I call Dad.”

  She grinned. “I can’t think of two men I’d rather you call by that name. Clifton is different now. I can see it.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “I didn’t tell you, but I saw Sam last week, right before your surgery.”

  This was unexpected. She had been so fearful for so long and now she was definitely stepping out of her comfort zone. “How did it go?”

  “It was awkward, at first. I wouldn’t let Ashton come in with me.”

  Rance snorted. “Good call.”

  She looked at him over her glasses. “We talked. He told me he forgave me a long time ago.” She wiped her nose again. “I was thankful, but it still hurt. I asked him, what kind of mother did such a thing to her son?”

  He put his arm around her shoulder. “What did he say?”

  “He said, a mother who was desperate and who didn’t know God.” She blew her nose, then straightened her spine and took a deep breath. “Then he told me about his experience there in prison, and with Tom Livingston. I never knew about his part with the girl who died in the car accident.”

  Rance nodded. “He told me.”

  “I’ve hidden my head in the sand too long. Starting now, or rather starting last week, no more secrets. Deal?”

  He smiled. “Deal. Now can I have a real hug? But not on my left side.”

  “Noted.” Anna hugged her son with genuine love and confidence.

  Good grief. How could a guy recovering from surgery look so good? Lydia was surprised to see Rance show up in her line at the hospital coffee shop, Cafe George.

  “Rance! How are you?” Lydia knew she was turning red on Charly’s behalf, but that’s what you do when you need to interrogate your best friend’s ex-boyfriend.

  “I’m doing well, and they tell me I can have coffee now. Can I get my usual?” He smiled and looked a little nervous. As well he should.

  “Double shot espresso on ice, with a shot of syrup?”

  He pointed to her and said, “Bingo. By the way, how’s Charly?”

  She twisted her lips and paused. “She’s okay.” She looked up into his eyes after giving him his change. “Worried about you.”

  His eyes brightened. “Is she?” He coughed and looked back at the lobby where his mother was waiting. “Tell her I’m okay.”

  “Tell her yourself. You have her number.” These kids were going to have to figure stuff out, because she was done being the matchmaker and intermediary to relationships.

  He paused. “I will. Thanks, Lydia.”

  “You’re welcome.” He started to walk away, but she stopped him with her voice. “How is Mr. Watson?”

  “He’s recovering well. They expect to move him to a regular room today, and I’m supposed to go home tomorrow.”

  She tilted her head, hoping to soften what she had said earlier. “I’ve been praying for you guys.”

  He gave her his killer smile. “Thanks. We need it.”

  She nodded and watched as he went to the next counter to pick up his drink, then smiled brightly at her next customer.

  When there was a small lull, she looked up to see the one customer she always wanted to see.

  “Jake, what are you doing here?” There was no doubt she was red-faced this time.

  “Came to check up on a certain purple-haired pixie, only to find her talking to this good-looking patient.”

  She waved her hand in dismissal. “It was just Rance.”

  “Rance? The Rance? Ra-ance?” He dragged the name out dramatically, in whisper-mode.

  “Shh. Somebody will hear you. He’s been here for three years, and people know him.”

  “Humph. When do you get a break?”

  She looked over at her shift manager, who nodded. “Right now, mister. What can I get you?”

  He gave her his order, and while the barista was making his white chocolate caramel macchiato, she made her own mocha with extra espresso, then carried both with her to a table in the lobby, secluded by a couple of planters full of palms.

  “I feel like we’re having a secret rendezvous or something.” She settled into her seat and took the lid off her mocha to let it cool down.

  “No, just trying to get out of the fray.” He took a sip of
his drink. “This is great.” He took another sip then blew on it and stirred it with a spoon. “So, that was Rance.”

  “That was Rance.”

  “What did you find out?”

  “He’s doing fine, his father is doing fine, and I basically told him if he wanted Charly to know he was fine, he would have to contact her himself.”

  “Harsh.”

  She frowned. “I know. I lightened it up by telling him I’d been praying for them.”

  Jake laughed. “Did you tell him you’d been praying he’d get his act together and make up with your best friend?”

  “Not exactly. That would be rude.” She took a sip of cooled mocha and sighed with pleasure. “This is so good, if I say so myself. How was your morning?”

  “Good. I had a meeting at the high school with the new special ed director. I guess Charly will have the same meeting tomorrow.”

  “Probably. She’s meeting with Emma and Lucy this afternoon. Wedding stuff, I assume.”

  “I talked to Matt this morning.” Jake swirled his cup to mix the contents of the bottom.

  Lydia leaned toward him across the table. “Did he say anything about the date?”

  “Only that they had a good time, but Charly wasn’t ready for another relationship, if she was even done with the last one.”

  “I thought so. Is he okay?”

  “I think so. You know Matt. He’s pretty low-key.”

  Lydia grinned. “You’re trying to say, ‘unlike us,’ aren’t you?”

  He laughed. “Actually, I feel like since I met you, I’ve been more low-key.”

  “It’s because you can’t compete with my effervescence.”

  “Oh?” He raised his eyebrows and leaned toward her, his tall frame having no trouble meeting her in the middle, settling a lingering kiss on her lips. “If you say so.”

  She smiled and put her chin in her hand, eyeing him closely. “I’ll say it again if you’ll do that again.”

  “I’ve always heard it was better to give than receive. The way I feel right now, I think I got the best end of the deal.” Clifton laughed as Rance and Anna came to his bedside. “How are you feeling?