by The Hero
The service station in Thunder Point had been a good piece of property, one that he could easily renovate. It wasn’t a rich town and he hadn’t expected to turn a big profit on gas and repairs, however some of his customers had come from far away for his custom restoration work and if he added space and equipment to any property, many of them would follow him. Classic car restoration was not only good business, most of his customers collected cars—it wasn’t usually a matter of one or two, but many. To that end, Eric had looked at many similar properties. He’d begun to like the idea of taking the investors’ money and putting it into something new, some little gem he could grow into something good.
When he arrived in Gina’s neighborhood at the edge of town, he felt an odd kind of happiness knowing that she’d settled herself so well. Life couldn’t have been easy for her, living with her mother and raising their daughter alone. But now, while she was still young, she had a fine husband, a good home and many nonjudgmental friends in Thunder Point. It gave him a sense of comfort, if not relief, to know he hadn’t completely destroyed her life. And she’d done an outstanding job with Ashley—she was as fine a young woman as any he’d ever met.
He had to park across the street and down the block. He walked to their house, up the walk and knocked on the door. Gina answered, smiling. “Hi, Eric. You’re right on time.”
“You said four o’clock. Listen, I hope you know I just want to be considerate of your feelings. Yours and Mac’s.”
“I know. That was thoughtful. And I want you to know, we discussed it at great length and you will have an honest response.”
“Thanks, Gina. I understand, I really do. I know I asked a lot. Ashley doesn’t really understand what it’s like to have ghosts and hard memories.”
“Oh, Eric,” she said with a laugh. “Ashley understands that better than just about anyone.”
“Right, I guess that’s right,” he said, remembering the rough spring she’d had, terrible breakup with a serious boyfriend, some cruel texting going on meant only to cause her hurt. “And I sure wouldn’t want to cause her any more...”
“We’re in the backyard, Eric. Follow me.”
She turned and walked through the house. He passed by the kitchen and saw a couple of women who seemed to be preparing food in there. Then out the sliding doors onto the deck and there, in the backyard, mingling around a couple of barbecues and sitting at picnic tables were many teenagers and children and older couples.
“I’m interrupting something,” he said.
Gina laughed. “No, Eric. You’re definitely not.”
Mac broke away from the grill, passing his spatula to a man beside him. He approached with his hand outstretched. “Welcome,” he said. “Glad you could make it.”
“What’s going on?” Eric asked, immediately uncomfortable.
Gina put a hand on his arm. “The answer was easy,” Gina said. “If you find a good business in this town and this is a place you’d like to settle, we’d be happy to welcome you to town. So we thought we’d introduce you to some of our friends.”
It was a good thing he wasn’t a crying fool, he thought. Not only was this one of the last things he ever expected, it was one of the kindest things anyone had ever done for him. “I don’t know what to say....”
“Well, say hello. I’ll make some introductions. Then you can tell me how you’d like your burger, not that I’m very great at getting it right,” Mac said. “Most of these folks have been here forever, but there are a few newcomers. They can give you some tips on settling in.”
“If you decide this is the right place for you,” Gina said. “We just thought we’d find a way to let you know—it would make us happy to have a new business and responsible citizen come to town. This seemed like a good way to demonstrate that.”
Good way to let him know? he thought. If these people had any lingering hope that he’d give up this opportunity, they were going to be disappointed.
He wanted to be a part of a community that behaved with compulsive kindness.
* * *
There were only two more football games left in the season and the Thunder Point team was going to regionals. It was an outstanding team; Spencer was very proud of them. But on this overcast late October Sunday afternoon he stood on the beach with Cooper and Devon. They were looking not at the bay but up at the hillside. Cooper’s house was framed already—no doubt because Cooper was relentless and wanted that house done enough to move into before his new baby was born.
Cooper pointed at the hillside, designating lots as he had divided them. “I’ll show you the plot map, but understandably we have the lot next to the bar. There are twelve more single family sites available. I’m leaving a large piece of land between the last home site and the edge of town—I won’t sell it. It’s a nice buffer zone. Now how big a hurry are you in?”
Spencer dropped an arm around Devon’s shoulders. She now wore a shiny diamond engagement ring, and it really hadn’t taken that much convincing. “We’re not as desperate as you and Sarah are, obviously. We have plenty of space for now. My house in San Antonio closed and there’s no lease on the house I’m in, as you no doubt know. Devon has four more months on her lease, but we can always work with that. Another month or two, she’ll be ready to move in with me.”
“But when’s the wedding?” Cooper asked.
“We’re still talking about that,” Devon said. “There’s no hurry. I’m still giving interviews to the FBI and I really want us to have some time to adjust. And maybe get married when we both feel we’ve recovered from some of the challenges of the past few years.”
He squeezed her tighter. “I’m ready right now,” Spencer said. “And I’m ready to build her a house by the sea. Right here. It appears we’re going to have some excellent neighbors.”
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Newcomer by Robyn Carr!
If you loved The Hero, don’t miss The Wanderer, the first title in #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr’s Thunder Point series, and The Newcomer, the second title in the series, featuring a small town of rocky beaches, rugged charm and people you’ll never forget!
The Wanderer
The Newcomer
Be sure to also catch the Virgin River series—in the redwood forests and quiet hamlets of northern California, where the men are handsome and honorable and the women are strong and beautiful, and everyone has a stake in seeing love thrive. Read them all!
Virgin River
Shelter Mountain
Whispering Rock
A Virgin River Christmas
Second Chance Pass
Temptation Ridge
Paradise Valley
“Under the Christmas Tree” (novella)
Forbidden Falls
Angel’s Peak
Moonlight Road
“Midnight Confessions” (novella)
Promise Canyon
Wild Man Creek
Harvest Moon
Bring Me Home for Christmas
Hidden Summit
Redwood Bend
Sunrise Point
My Kind of Christmas
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One
It was a warm, sunny afternoon in early April, a rarity on the Oregon coast at this time of year. The frequent spring rainstorms meant that the beautiful wildflowers—the best in the country—were on their way. Hank Cooper sat out on the deck of Ben & Cooper’s Bar in his white T-shirt and jeans, his feet propped up on the deck rail. Hamlet, Sarah’s harlequin Great Dane, sat beside him, watching the sea, his ears
perking up when a person, a boat or bird caught his eye. Cooper was enjoying a heavily creamed coffee and watching his lovely Sarah Dupre paddleboarding out on the bay. She wore the wet suit—short sleeves, knee-length—he’d given her for Christmas. It kept her warm even though the water hadn’t warmed up yet; it was icy cold. The Pacific was always cold, except maybe down San Diego way. But Sarah was an expert; she rarely got her feet wet.
The way that wet suit hugged her body—it was like art. She had incredibly strong legs, a perfect round tush, breasts about the size of his palms. She’d been born in a coastal town and was probably as comfortable on the water as she was on the land or in the sky—diver, swimmer, surfer, helicopter pilot.
Cooper and Ham had been watching Sarah for an hour; she’d gone all the way out to the mouth of the bay and back. She was finally coming in, just ahead of the fishing boats headed home to the marina.
This life was the furthest thing from what Cooper had ever envisioned for himself. He had come to Thunder Point last October to look into the death of a good friend, Ben Bailey. To his surprise he had inherited what was Ben’s falling-down bait shop and bar. For lack of a better idea he renovated the place, turning it into a first-class beach bar, and had found himself a new home. He also found a woman in Thunder Point, another surprise he hadn’t been looking for. After all the women in his life, short- or long-term, Sarah was everything he’d been waiting for.
He had officially opened the beach bar—minus the bait—in late February. Now, as the proprietor, there was plenty of time to visit with folks from town, let the gentle lapping of the bay soothe him, watch his woman on her board, gently gliding across the calm water between the huge offshore boulders in the bay. Cooper had a farmer’s tan, stronger shoulders from lifting and hauling bar supplies and a lot of new friends when he’d always considered himself a solitary kind of guy.
Sarah leaned her board and paddle against the dock and came up the stairs. When she reached the deck, Cooper tossed her a towel and she dried off her feet, glad of the warm sunshine.
“What have you been up to?” Sarah asked.
“Absolutely nothing. Just watching my mermaid.”
She laughed. “Did Hamlet behave himself?” Hearing his name, the huge dog got up and walked over to Sarah.
Cooper nodded. “He said he’d prefer to live here, with me.”
“Did he now?” she asked with a laugh, giving Ham a gentle pat. “Get your own dog.”
“There isn’t room for another dog around here. Come here,” Cooper said, pulling her onto his lap.
She went to him, sat down, picked up his coffee and helped herself to a sip.
“Want me to make you a hot cup?” he asked. “You cold?”
She shook her head. “It’s nice out there. Breeze gets a little chilly sometimes, but the sun is so wonderful. You start to crave sun around here after all the winter rains and winds.”
Her cell phone rang. She’d left it on the deck with Cooper when she took her board out. She picked it up and looked at the caller ID then said, “Yes, little brother?” She listened intently and then laughed. “I’m at Cooper’s. I just took my board out—the bay is beautiful. I have the Razor and the dog. Then yes, have fun and I’ll see you later.”
She clicked off.
“How many times a day do you talk to Landon?” Cooper asked. Sarah and sixteen-year-old Landon were a family of two and they kept pretty tight tabs on each other. And with Sarah being a Coast Guard search-and-rescue pilot who worked out of the North Bend station, sometimes it wasn’t easy.
“As many as it takes. Now that he’s dating Deputy Yummy Pants’s daughter, I don’t worry so much. Well, I worry that Mac might shoot him if he gets too frisky with Eve, but I figure that’s a long shot, forgive the pun. I think we check in three or four times a day.”
“At least,” Cooper said. “Did I interpret that last call to mean you’re now free for dinner?”
She grinned at him. “Is the chef preparing something special?”
“It won’t be busy here tonight, at least after seven—it’s a weeknight and by then the sunset will be over. I have some steaks in the freezer, potatoes in the cooler....”
“Do you have anything green?” she asked.
Cooper’s bar menu was based on deli items purchased from Carrie’s deli in town—simple things from pizzas to sandwiches as well as some desserts, things that could be served cold or warmed. His place was not a restaurant per se. Cooper bought himself a grill for his own use, but it was never used to prepare food for the patrons.
Cooper had also inherited a helper, Rawley Goode, a Vietnam vet who was not overly comfortable dealing with the public. While he was a good cook, he was needed for other things—maintenance, cleaning, running errands to the big box stores like Costco. Cooper had to admit that between Rawley and himself personal groceries were often in short supply.
“I bet you have something green,” he suggested.
“I live on green things,” she said.
“I know this.”
“And you eat like a fourteen-year-old boy. You’d live on steak, hamburgers and home fries if it weren’t for me. If I go home to shower and change and bring a salad or a vegetable back with me, will you clean your plate?”
He loved her. He was frequently shaken by the intensity of his passion for her. He’d clean his plate and then he’d tune her up for good measure. He knew his eyes glowed and knew she interpreted him correctly. When the closed sign was on the front door and the doors were locked, they’d eat steak in front of the fire and then retire to the playpen, his large bed upstairs. “Take my truck and leave the Razor.”
“I have to work in the morning.”
“That’s okay. You can take my truck and your dog home later. Much later. Then I’ll drive your Razor across the beach and trade vehicles tomorrow morning.”
* * *
That night Sarah was home in bed before eleven. Not only did she have an early start the next day, but she also wanted to be home because of her brother, Landon. Landon wouldn’t be either shocked or disapproving about the fact she and Cooper were sleeping together—in fact, he had met Cooper first and they were pals. If Sarah wasn’t mistaken, Landon would consider it a personal favor if Sarah and Cooper somehow made a lasting commitment. That might be a possibility in the future but there were complications, not the least of which was Sarah’s recent brief, disastrous marriage. She was understandably gun-shy and she had Landon to think about. He was just finishing up his junior year in high school and was headed for a fantastic senior year—his athletic prowess and academic performance would undoubtedly land him a scholarship. And they needed that scholarship. Sarah did all right financially but sending someone to college for four years would be a big challenge.
* * *
The next morning Sarah was finished in the bathroom and on her way out the door before Landon had even stirred for school. She left him a note and twenty dollars for gas or lunch or incidentals. She headed off to work feeling fit and fresh after her day off on the bay yesterday. A nice dinner with Cooper, followed by a couple of hours of recreation under the sheets—something Cooper had a particular talent for—helped make her feel brand-new and full of energy.
The Coast Guard station was getting ready for a big inspection in the next couple of weeks and there was plenty to do, from preparing for check rides to auditing maintenance records. They’d have to show the command they were one of the best air stations in the Coast Guard, and they’d have to get ready for this inspection while continuing to perform business as usual. Given that Sarah—Lieutenant Commander Dupre—was second in command of the flying operation at the station, her role in this prep would not be small. It was no surprise that when she turned on her computer she found a note from her immediate boss, Buzz Bachman, asking her to come to his office ASAP. She was sure, if she knew the man at all, he had a long list of things for her to do.
She made herself a cup of coffee on the way, stirring in some cream
and sweetener. “Morning, boss,” she said, entering his small office.
“Morning, Dupre. Shut the door, okay?”
She turned to close the door and thought, Uh-oh, someone’s in trouble. The commander’s door was seldom closed and when it was someone would generally say, “The spanking light has been lit.”
“We have a busy week and an inspection team en route the end of the month.”
“We’ll be ready,” she said, sipping her coffee.
“I want to tell you something I’m not supposed to know,” Buzz said. “How’s your poker face?”
She lifted an eyebrow. “When has my poker face ever let you down?”
“This could be tough. It affects you directly.”
The eyebrow dropped. “Make it fast,” she said. “Rip that Band-Aid off.”
He took a breath. “I have a mole in HR,” Buzz said. “I’ve been cultivating him for a long time. I want as much warning as possible for my next change of assignment. What I didn’t expect was to learn that one of my ‘men’ was being looked at for a reassignment. An early reassignment because of compelling need. This means you, Dupre.”
Sarah was stunned into silence. Her mouth hung open slightly. She forcibly closed her mouth. “I get an automatic refusal if they don’t know I’m a woman. Right?”
“I wish. I shouldn’t say anything. It could all go in another direction. Between now and notification, someone could put in for those air stations and this could all go away. But I wanted you to have as much time to think about this as possible—we have two retiring commanders and a compelling need with no outstanding applications for those locations and they’re both...” He paused to cough lightly. “They’re both on the east coast. Maine and south Florida. As you might surmise, you’re probably going to be awarded a promotion to commander within the year. I suspect this makes you a better than prime candidate.”