by Lisa Carter
He moved so quickly she found herself pressed against the wall of the entryway, rimmed in on either side by grocery bags and his arms. A nervous giggle escaped from her throat.
“I told you from the beginning, Dr. Duer, cooking is not one of my more notable skills.”
From this up close and personal, the blue in his eyes blazed, full of her. Her gaze flicked to the strong, angular line of his jaw. Beneath the palm of her hand against his shirt, she felt his heart hammering with a beat to match her own. And if he hadn’t been halfway holding her up against the wall, she wasn’t sure her knees could’ve supported her.
“And this, I’m guessing, is what you regard as one of your hidden talents, Commander Clark?” Her voice emerged husky.
The blue in his eyes went opaque. “Why don’t you find out?” He drew closer till only inches separated his mouth from hers.
His breath mixed with hers. She inhaled. Her lips parted—
“Daddy! Caroline! Let’s get this cooking show on the road,” Izzie bellowed from the kitchen.
His head slumped forward to rest on the pine-paneled wall. “My daughter, the ultimate chaperone.”
Caroline let a breath of air trickle between her lips. Then she laughed. “Coming, Ladybug!”
He released her from the circle of his arms. “Thank you, Caroline. This means a lot to Izzie.”
“Don’t thank me too soon.” Caroline headed toward the kitchen. “I’m no Honey when it comes to cooking. But with this old recipe of my mother’s, I think Izzie and I can hold our own with Kiptohanock’s finest.”
Plunking the bags onto the counter, Weston removed the ingredients.
Switching on the water faucet, Caroline washed the cucumber at the sink. “What were y’all trying to bake? Something really hard?”
Izzie dragged the counter stool to be beside Caroline. “Just the frozen pop-and-bake cookies from the grocery store.”
Caroline tore off a paper towel from the roll. “And they let you command men, run a cutter and rescue people in the Coast Guard, Commander Clark?”
“When you say it like that, it sounds as if you doubt my abilities.” He grinned. “You’re not so bad at performing rescue operations, either.”
She placed the cucumber on the cutting board and withdrew a paring knife from the butcher block. “So you’re admitting you need a rescue?”
He leaned against the countertop. “I guess I am, and I’m not too proud to admit it. Long time coming, huh?”
Long time, indeed. For her, too.
Weston Clark looked way too good in his jeans and T-shirt. She found it difficult to stare at him, slice a cucumber and, at the same time, not lose a finger.
Izzie propped her chin in her hand. “What’s this recipe called?”
Caroline’s attention once more focused on not losing a finger. “Cucumber rounds. It’s elegant party food.”
“Whew!” Izzie blew out a breath. “Long as we’re not making those foe pa thingies.”
Faux pas? he mouthed.
Caroline’s lips twitched. “No faux pas here, for sure. Not on my watch.”
*
One thing led to the other and before any of them realized, it was time to dress for the baby shower. Weston went home to do a quick search and grab of Izzie’s dress and other fashion accessories per Caroline’s instructions.
She and Izzie disappeared into the one bedroom at the cabin while he finished plating the open-faced cucumber rounds. Which he nearly dropped when Caroline emerged in her brand-new party dress. He settled for his mouth dropping open.
“Wow.” He made an effort to close his mouth. To be safe, he placed the crystal tray on the counter and out of harm’s way.
Her dress was indeed similar to Izzie’s, except an all grown up and amazing version. For once, she’d allowed her hair to remain loose and long, where it waved around her shoulders.
“You clean up very nice.” And he could’ve kicked himself for the backhanded compliment. When what he meant to say was she looked incredibly beautiful as always, only more so.
“A step above my turtle Tshirts.” She gave him an uncertain smile. “But Izzie is the star attraction.”
She made a sweeping motion toward the bedroom. “May I present Miss Isabelle Alice Clark?”
Izzie’s head popped around the doorframe before the rest of her followed. “Hey, Daddy.”
“You look gorgeous.”
Izzie touched a hand to the black silk headband. “How do you like my hair? Caroline fixed it.” The red curls no longer frizzed, but artistically framed her small face. “Don’t I look like a real church lady now?”
“A real lady is exactly what you are.” He opened his arms but stopped. “Am I allowed to hug the tower princess or will that mess up your hair?”
Izzie looked at Caroline.
Caroline smiled. “I think hugs are always in fashion.”
He swept his daughter into an embrace. “Thanks for everything, Caroline.”
“My pleasure. It’s been so much fun tapping in to our inner girly-girl, hasn’t it, Izzie?”
“Women like us, Daddy, don’t have to be either or.”
“Either or what?”
“Girly or brainy.” Izzie gave him a firm nod. “We are both.”
“Yes.” He made sure his gaze encompassed Caroline, too. “You are.”
A blush stained Caroline’s cheeks.
“Can I give you ladies a ride to the fellowship hall?”
“That’d be great, if you don’t mind.”
“What guy wouldn’t be proud to escort two such lovely ladies to the party? Besides, a bunch of us guys are going to keep Sawyer company at the diner while you sip punch or whatever ladies do at these shindigs.”
Five minutes later, Izzie squeezed into the seat behind the extended cab. Weston held the tray while Caroline slid her long, slim legs into the passenger seat and buckled the seat belt. He handed off the tray to Caroline and got in on the other side.
Signs posted on Highway 13 advertised the upcoming Wachapreague Fireman’s Carnival next week. And he deliberately chose the roundabout way from the Duer Lodge to Kiptohanock. Izzie kept a running commentary going about her favorite foods and rides at the Virginia State Fair near Richmond, where her grandparents lived.
“What about you, Caroline?” Izzie paused for breath. “What’s the best thing about the fireman’s carnival?”
“It’s been a long time since I attended my last fireman’s carnival.”
He palmed the wheel as he turned off the highway. “I doubt much has changed since then. It’s one of the things I love about the Shore—how so much remains constant.”
“Which brings problems of its own. Change doesn’t always have to be bad.” She gestured at the passing glimpses of ocean between fields of soybeans and isolated white farmhouses. “Like the marine rescue center.”
“True,” he acknowledged. “But constants such as family-focused, Eastern Shore friendliness make ’come heres like Izzie and me feel we’ve finally found a forever home.”
“And then there’s the food.” Izzie’s stomach growled as if on cue.
He caught Caroline’s gaze, and they smiled at each other. He forced his eyes onto the road as they bumped over the small, picturesque bridge near Quinby. “My favorite is the ham biscuits.”
“I like the cotton candy.”
Caroline balanced the tray in her lap. “My favorite is the Ferris wheel.”
Pulling into the church parking lot, he jumped out and made his way around to Caroline. Holding the tray aloft, he clasped Caroline’s smooth hand in his and helped her alight from the vehicle.
Spotting Amelia and baby Patrick on the steps, Izzie ran over to greet them. “Patrick’s not a lady. What’s he doing here?”
Amelia fluttered her fingers at them. “His daddy’s on duty, and his grandpa Seth is on Max duty.”
Izzie squared her shoulders. “Right. ’Cause this is for ladies. Church ladies. Are you coming or what, Ca
roline?”
Amelia put a hand on Izzie’s back. “Why don’t we go ahead? I could use your help in getting Patrick settled before the rest of the guests arrive, Izz.” She winked at Weston as she shuttled Izzie inside.
He’d always liked Amelia Scott, wife of a fellow Coastie. He loved Izzie to pieces, but time alone with the beautiful vet was hard to come by.
Caroline, he noticed, hadn’t let go of his hand. And he didn’t want to let go of hers, either.
“I guess I should go inside and make sure everything is ready when Honey arrives.”
He needed to say something, but he was so out of practice with this dating thing. Scarier than any rescue in the Bering Sea.
Caroline ran her tongue over her plum-tinted lips. “I appreciate the ride…”
Weston broke out into a cold sweat. This was way scarier than dealing with his drill sergeant at boot camp. He felt Caroline pulling her hand out of his grasp. His heart pounded. All she could say was no.
Not true. She could laugh. She could stare at him like he’d grown horns. She could shatter his heart into a million pieces.
“I’m sure I can catch a ride home with Amelia…” She released his hand and reached for the tray.
Maybe he misread the signals. Maybe she didn’t like him at all. Not in a romantic way.
She’d said she wanted to be friends. Maybe her only interest lay in his motherless daughter. His pulse ratcheted.
He held on to the tray. She tugged. He refused to let go. She frowned at him. It was now or never. He took a deep breath.
“Would you go with me to the fireman’s carnival Thursday night? Izzie’s going with Max and Amelia. It would be just you and me.” He gasped for air.
She blinked at him. “What?”
He gulped. “Just you and me.” The tray in his hand wobbled.
She took it from him. He let her.
“You said that already.” She pursed her lips. “Just so I’m clear, are you asking me on a date?” Her eyes narrowed. “Or are you apologizing for Izzie not being able to join our group?”
“No…” He swallowed. This was harder than he remembered. “This would be a date. If that’s okay with you.”
He had a sudden and horrendous thought. “You’re not dating, seeing or engaged to someone, are you?” He held his breath.
She lifted her chin. “No, to all the above.”
He exhaled. “That’s good. And Thursday night?”
“I’d love to go to the carnival with you on Thursday.”
He leaned over the tray she held between them. “And what I failed to make clear at the cabin is that I think you look fantastic in that dress. I think you are a wonderful person, too.”
Caroline shook her head. “I’m not so sure about that.”
“I am. I’ve watched how you’re drawn to help the hurting—the turtles, my daughter.” He stared into her eyes. “And me.”
Something passed between them.
“Likewise, Commander.”
“Caro—”
“In fact.” Her lips curved. “If my sister, your daughter, the entire Kiptohanock church women’s guild and townsfolk weren’t watching us from the café and the fellowship hall…” She tilted her head down and looked up at him out of those big brown eyes of hers. “I might have even kissed you right now.”
His heart skipped a beat as his eyes cut left and then right. She was correct. Genteel church ladies peered out of the fellowship hall window. And Caroline’s male relatives plus half the Auxiliary were agog looking out of the plate-glass window of the Sandpiper.
“Rain check?” His mouth had gone dry.
She smiled and swept by him with the crystal tray. “Thursday. It’s a date.” Her sling-back pumps crunched across the gravel.
Weston threw a grin toward his Coastie compatriots at the café. Mission accomplished.
Chapter Eleven
Kiptohanock Banner—“Wednesday, June 17, after rehabilitation at the marine rescue center, six sea turtles will be released along the Kiptohanock shoreline at 10:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend.”
Caroline kept careful watch as her grad students transferred the turtles to the tide foaming at her bare feet. A lot of teamwork had made this moment possible. The turtles—dubbed the Kiptohanock Six by locals—had been rescued and saved by having the marine center nearby.
On the waterfront in Kiptohanock, a crowd had formed to cheer the sea turtles’ return to the ocean. Izzie perched on her father’s broad shoulders and waved. Caroline’s heart did a small trill at the warm light in Weston’s eyes. A look just for her.
With effort, she refocused on the reason everyone had gathered. “First into the water—Ariel.”
Caroline scanned the crowd. There, at the back of the ring of people, her father hunkered. “Ariel was accidentally hooked off the Quinby pier.”
Placing the loggerhead under sedation, Caroline had successfully extracted the hook caught in Ariel’s upper esophagus. With antibiotics and nutritional supplements, Ariel was now ready to resume her oceangoing life.
The grad students on each side of Ariel gently placed the turtle in the water. As the waves rolled onto the beach, the tide lifted Ariel and swept the turtle farther from shore. Everyone applauded.
Caroline gave the onlookers a brief rundown on sea turtles Snow, Belle and Elsa.
“You named ’em after Disney princesses? Gross…” Max pantomimed gagging.
She winked at Izzie. “Yes, I did. But once school starts, I’m giving the fifth grade dibs on naming the next round.” The next three turtle princesses were released without incident.
“Aurora—”
Max gave a dramatic groan. Her father laughed.
“Aurora,” Caroline continued. “Swallowed a large shark hook that was removed under sedation. Once the swelling went down, she began to eat well, and our veterinary staff cleared her for release.”
Caroline stepped aside as her team transferred the final two turtles. “Tiana was reported hooked by a fisherman using a small J-hook, but no hook was observed when the Stranding Response Team arrived. Tiana’s blood work and X-rays indicated no other health concerns. Tiana and the last turtle, Mulan, are Kemp’s ridleys, the most endangered of the sea turtle species.”
There were oohs and aahs.
Caroline waded shin-deep into the water. “Mulan was caught by a treble hook in the corner of her mouth.”
She surveyed the crowd. “But she and the others are fine now, thanks to everyone who contacted the twenty-four-hour hotline and helped us rehabilitate these magnificent animals.”
Caroline gestured toward the water. “All six turtles will carry an acoustic tag that transmits information about their ocean journeys. Adding to our scientific knowledge of their species, this will further ensure that there are sea turtles on the Eastern Shore of Virginia for generations to come.”
Her father raised his hand as the last of the turtles found their sea legs—aka flippers—and swam away toward the deep. “And if a waterman encounters a hooked turtle, what should we do?”
“I’m so glad you asked.”
Was her father finally thawing toward her and her life’s work?
“Call the hotline and bring the turtle onto the dock or into your boat with a net. But do not attempt to remove the hook yourself. If possible, keep the turtle moist or better yet, in a shaded area until our response team arrives.”
Amid more clapping, the crowd dispersed and the grad students repacked the gear. Weston set Izzie on her feet. Tonight? he mouthed.
Caroline nodded. Mixed degrees of anticipation and fear curdled in her stomach. With Max in tow, Weston and Izzie headed toward the library for summer story time.
Roland pulled Caroline into a hug. “Great job working the crowd. Your dad was perfect. Did you two rehearse?”
She made a face. “That would be a no.”
As her father approached, Roland clapped the waterman on the back. “Your daughter is a treasure. You must be so pr
oud.”
She winced.
Her father glared at Roland from underneath his bushy brows. “Don’t let us hold you up, Teague. I’m sure you’ve got somewhere you need to be.”
Roland gave a nervous chuckle. “Sure. Sure.” He made as if to move past Caroline. “This is why we need you, kid.” He scuttled past. “Once a ’come here, always a ’come here.”
Her father crimped the brim of his cap and adjusted it on his head. “You’re good at what you do.”
She waited for the other shoe to drop.
He folded his arms across his chest. “You’ve got a real way of inspiring people. And this turtle hospital is a worthy cause, I’ll grant you.”
But… There had to be a but coming.
“I’m still waiting to understand how a woman as intelligent as you could pour herself with such passion into these creatures, and yet walk away from your family.”
Truth be told, Caroline was still waiting to understand, too.
“Your sisters have been over-the-moon now that you’ve come home after all these years.”
“But not you,” she whispered.
“You’re after the Watermen’s endorsement. And when you get it, will you move on somewhere else to enhance your résumé?”
For the first time in her career, Caroline knew she wouldn’t. Not if someone asked her to stay. Someone like her father. Or Weston Clark.
When she didn’t answer right away, her father’s jaw tightened. “Consider yourself endorsed, then, daughter. Don’t let me be the one holding you back.”
“I don’t want to leave, Daddy. The aquarium board has offered me a permanent position here on the rescue center staff.”
He sighed. “For how long, though, before you get the urge to wander again?”
“I had to go.” She clamped the bracelets against her side. “Don’t you see? I couldn’t survive and stay. And even then, I nearly didn’t…”
He stiffened. “What does that mean?”
The old, dreadful blackness spiraled in front of her vision. Her breath accelerated. She’d been so busy this week she’d not taken her usual precautions. And with their semitruce regarding the egg laying last week, she’d not foreseen coming face-to-face with this particular trigger. Not today, leastways. She worried her lower lip with her teeth.