Just a Kiss

by Denise Hunter

  “Riley.”

  His head popped up, his back straightening. He blinked.

  Noah came into focus, standing just inside the office door, his lips pressed together. Dan, one of their roofers, was at his side.

  “Dan needs his check.”

  “Oh, sure. Sorry.” He rifled through the mess on his desk, heat climbing into his face. He couldn’t believe he’d fallen asleep on the job. He finally found the envelope. “Here you go.”

  Dan approached the desk. It was his day off, so he wore a T-shirt and basketball shorts.

  Riley’s eyes trailed down to the man’s prosthetic leg. He blinked in surprise.

  Dan took the check. “Thanks. Have a good weekend, y’all.” Then he strode from the office.

  Riley stared at the empty doorway. The guy was a workhorse. He showed up at seven a.m. to load his truck, then spent all day climbing ladders and scrambling around on a hot roof. Hard labor. Physical.

  “Didn’t know he was an amputee?” Noah asked.

  “Never seen him in shorts.”

  “Yeah, you’d never know. He’s one of my best workers. I tend to forget it myself.”

  Riley wondered how long ago he’d lost his leg. And for just a second he wondered if he’d sold himself short. He thought about the conversation he’d had with Beau months ago. He’d been adamant that he’d never be able to do something as physical as lobstering. Had he been wrong?

  Noah lowered himself into the chair across from the desk with a big sigh. “We need to talk, man.”

  Riley winced. Bad enough he’d overslept three times, now he was napping on the job. Heat climbed into his face again. “I’m sorry. I just drifted off for a second. It won’t happen again.”

  “I’m not worried about the job. I’m worried about you. You got bags under your eyes, man.”

  “I’m just getting used to a new place, a new bed, that’s all.”

  Noah stared back with knowing eyes. “I was outside your office the other day when that car backfired.”

  A tingling swept up the back of Riley’s neck and into his face. One minute he’d been clacking away on the keyboard, the next he’d been flat on the ground, his nose in the carpet. He hadn’t thought anyone had seen.

  “It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Noah said. “A lot of guys hit the wall when they come back. Are you seeing someone about it?”

  Riley’s chair squeaked as he sat back. “No. I was back home.”

  Okay, one time. But the man hadn’t understood. Didn’t get it. How could he when he’d never been over there? Never seen the things Riley had?

  “Look, I’m no expert, but everyone knows soldiers sometimes come back with PTSD. You got all the signs, man.”

  Shame crawled through him, making his stomach turn with nausea. A denial was on his lips, but he suppressed it. Suppressed the instant desire to cross his arms over his chest and get defensive. Noah was right. He did have all the symptoms. And they’d only gotten worse since he’d arrived in Copper Creek. Seeing his old buddy again probably hadn’t helped. It just brought everything back.

  “I care about you, man,” Noah said. “I have a pastor friend. He’s got a degree in psychology, but most importantly, he’s very wise and a good listener. Believe me, I’ve been bending his ear plenty lately. I can text you his number if you want.”

  Riley exhaled. He was tired of fighting this. Tired of feeling this way. And just plain old tired. If he didn’t do something, he was going to lose his job, and then where would he be?

  “Sure. That’d be great.”

  “All right.” Noah pushed to his feet. “Well, I got a job waiting. Forbes called in sick, and the Malloys say their windows can’t wait till Monday.”

  The Malloys were a pain. “Have fun.”

  Noah strode from the room, and Riley watched him go, his heart beating up into his throat at the thought of dragging all his crap out into the open. But he had to do something. Lord knew, what he was doing now sure wasn’t working.

  Chapter 39

  Paige took a sip of her coffee and nearly spit the cooled brew back out. Vending machine coffee was one thing. Cold vending machine coffee . . . blech.

  She stood from the chain of waiting room seats, dumped the Styrofoam cup into the trash, and returned, sitting between Miss Trudy and Lucy.

  As soon as they’d heard that the sheriff had been whisked away to the hospital in Ellsworth, she and Lucy had offered to escort Miss Trudy here. The older woman had been withdrawn the whole way, her eyes closed, no doubt storming heaven’s gates for the man’s life. Paige had been on the phone gathering facts.

  The sheriff had been using the crosswalk in front of the Mangy Moose Gift Emporium this morning when a car struck him. The deputy said it was a tourist, an elderly lady, who hadn’t seen him. Fortunately she hadn’t been going very fast, but Danny had still taken a hard hit.

  Now Miss Trudy’s hands were wringing themselves to death. It had been almost two hours since they’d received word that he was headed into surgery. The hospital staff would tell them nothing, since they weren’t family. He had no wife or children, and his parents had passed on, but his cousin had recently arrived from Penobscot, so they hoped for an update soon.

  Paige set her hand over Miss Trudy’s, stilling them. “The deputy said the car wasn’t going very fast. I’m sure he’s going to be fine.”

  “We don’t know that.” Her voice sounded strangled.

  “We’re praying, Aunt Trudy,” Lucy said. “We’re praying hard.”

  Paige closed her eyes and breathed another heartfelt prayer. Miss Trudy might be the most stubborn woman on the planet, but she loved the sheriff. There was no doubt in Paige’s mind. She begged God to give the couple a chance to resolve their differences. If something happened to Danny with all this conflict between them, Miss Trudy would have so much regret.

  Hearing the squeak of shoes on the sterile floor, Paige opened her eyes. The sheriff’s cousin approached, running a hand through his thinning gray hair.

  “Lloyd.” Miss Trudy popped to her feet. “What’d they say?”

  Lloyd lumbered to a stop. With his towering height and broad shoulders, he reminded Paige of an older Danny. “He got out of surgery a bit ago. He came through fine. His thighbone was broken, and he’s pretty scuffed up and bruised. They said when they move him to recovery they’ll let me go back.”

  Miss Trudy’s legs seemed to buckle. Paige caught her elbow as she sank into her chair.

  “See, he’s going to be fine,” Lucy said.

  “He took a knock to the head too,” Lloyd said. “He’s got a concussion, so they’re keeping an eye out for swelling, but he was lucid after the accident, so that’s a good sign.”

  Half an hour later Lloyd was allowed into the room. Beau had arrived, and he sat on the other side of Miss Trudy. He’d brought her knitting bag, and the woman’s hands hadn’t stilled since he’d arrived.

  Paige was grateful Miss Trudy had something to keep her busy—though her hands were uncharacteristically clumsy with the knitting needles. And she hadn’t had a bite of the food Beau had brought.

  “You should eat something, Miss Trudy,” Paige said. “I can see about warming up the breakfast wrap.”

  “I couldn’t eat a thing. My stomach’s like a big ol’ knot.”

  Lucy shifted forward in her seat. “You heard what Lloyd said. He’s going to be fine.”

  “You heard what he said about the swelling. My friend’s son took a knock to the head. Next thing they knew he was in a coma and brain-dead.”

  “Don’t borrow trouble, Aunt Trudy,” Lucy said. “You gotta have a little faith.”

  “He’s on the prayer chain,” Beau said. “Everyone’s praying. I’ll go get you some coffee.” He got up and headed toward the nearest vending machine.

  He’d no sooner disappeared around the corner than Lloyd reappeared, his tall frame lumbering toward them.

  “How’s he doing?” Paige asked.

  “He w
as still asleep, but his color’s good. It’ll take a while for the anesthesia to wear off. One of you can go back now. Room 311. Just down that hall on the left.”

  “Aunt Trudy,” Lucy said. “You go on now.”

  Miss Trudy set her knitting aside and stood, smoothing her shirt with trembling hands.

  “I’ll walk with you,” Paige said. For all the woman’s eagerness, she took her time getting to the room. Paige wondered what was going on in her mind.

  Miss Trudy paused at the open doorway.

  The sheriff lay still in the bed. His legs were propped up, his feet hanging off the end. There were wires and tubes and the steady beeping of the heart monitor.

  “You okay?” Paige asked.

  Miss Trudy pulled her spine straight, her shoulders rising. “I’m fine.” Then she walked through the door, clutching her purse to her stomach.

  Despite her bravado, Paige was worried about her. Her face was ghostly pale, and she’d been so quiet. And then there was the way her knees had buckled earlier. She didn’t see a chair in the room, so she went to the desk to request one.

  A minute later Paige returned with the chair. Upon nearing the doorway she heard Miss Trudy’s voice and paused.

  “When you left me, Danny,” the woman was saying, “I was just heartbroken.”

  The sheriff’s eyes were closed, his strawberry-blond eyelashes fanning across his ruddy cheeks. His stomach rose and fell steadily.

  “I didn’t know what to do about the baby. I know I should’ve told you. But I loved you so much, and I was afraid. I was stuck here taking care of Mama, and I was afraid you wouldn’t give up your big chance in the NBA for me. And then I was afraid you would. And how could I let you do that? It was your dream.

  “One day I was sitting on the porch weeping, trying to figure things out, and Tom came by. I spilled my guts. Told him everything, and he just listened. He came back the next day and told me he’d been pining after me for a long time, and would I do him the honor of marrying him?”

  She wrung her hands. “Maybe I should’ve said no. I cared about him as a friend, but I didn’t love him. I knew it wasn’t fair to him. But he seemed to know how I felt. Told me he understood, and he could live with that. So we did it. And when I lost the baby he was so kind. He said there’d be others . . . but I guess that wasn’t part of God’s plan.

  “He was a good man, Danny. And I did learn to love him. Just not the same way I loved you.” She drew a deep breath and let it out. “I’ve been so busy being angry with you I never stopped to sort through that whole mess. Our past.”

  She looked down, her head bowed for a long moment before she looked up again. “I forgive you, Danny. And I hope you’ll forgive me too.” Her voice quivered with emotion. “I still love you, you old coot. I don’t know why it took me so long to see it. I guess I’m just a stubborn old fool.”

  “Been telling you that for years,” Colton said with a raspy voice.

  Miss Trudy sucked in her breath. A long pause ensued, filled only by the steady beeping of the machines. “You’re awake.”

  His eyelashes fluttered, and his hazel eyes locked onto Miss Trudy, softening. He wet his lips. “Couldn’t have you talking to yourself like some crazy lady, now, could I?”

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Like I was hit by a car.”

  “That’s not funny. You have a broken leg and a concussion.”

  “That explains a lot.” He slid a hand up his torso, stopping on his chest. “But what about the pain right here?”

  “Your heart?” Miss Trudy leaned forward. “You have chest pain?”

  “I sure do.”

  Miss Trudy reached for the call button, but the sheriff grabbed her hand, holding it for a second before he spoke. “I’ve had a pain in my heart since I lost you. And I’m afraid it’s gonna hurt till I let this out.”

  He paused to catch his breath, wet his lips. “I’m sorry I left you. And I understand why you did what you did. I forgive you.” A long pause filled the air. “I love you, Trudy. Hasn’t been a day that’s passed I didn’t.”

  His heart rate beeped faster on the monitor as his eyes pierced hers.

  “Well.” The word came out on a long breath.

  His red mustache twitched. “That all you got to say?”

  Her chin jutted out. “I think I already said my piece, Danny Colton.” Her tone sounded more like the old Miss Trudy. With maybe a hint of something softer.

  “I suppose you have.” The bedsheets rustled as he shifted. “Now are you going to get me some water, woman? I’m dry as the Sahara.”

  Smiling, Paige set the chair down and backed away, blinking back tears. Tears of relief. Tears of joy. She loved a good happily-ever-after.

  Even if she never seemed to get one of her own.

  Chapter 40

  The community center had come alive with the sounds of boisterous chatter and the slap of the basketball on the court outside the huge garage doors. An old fire station made an excellent hangout for kids. Lucy had done a terrific job making the place feel young and energetic, yet homey.

  In the homework area Paige leaned closer to the table where twelve-year-old Brittany Conley sat hunched over her paper, pencil poised.

  “Remember what to do next?” Paige asked.

  Brittany began solving for the variable.

  “Good job. You’re really getting the hang of this.”

  Brittany never said much. But she was here every day after school. She liked to play basketball when she first arrived, as if decompressing from the school day.

  Brittany finished the last problem, then tucked her paper inside her textbook.

  “Do you have any more homework?”

  “No.” She looked up shyly, her big brown eyes meeting Paige’s. “Did you bring Muffet?”

  “Not today.”

  Brittany had bonded with the mixed breed Paige had brought the last few weeks. One of the kids had started calling him Muffet, and the name had stuck. The dog was becoming the community center mascot.

  Paige checked her watch. “We have about fifteen minutes until your mom comes. Do you want to work a puzzle?”

  When Brittany shrugged, Paige took that as a yes and grabbed the zoo puzzle from the nearby shelves.

  She felt a bond with the girl. Though she’d never talked much with Brittany or her mom, the pair of them had attended Paige’s church for years. Her dad had left last year, and Mrs. Conley was working long hours to make ends meet, which left Brittany here at the center until six each night.

  They worked the hundred-piece puzzle, mostly in silence. Paige tried several times to start a conversation, but Brittany wasn’t very responsive. She’d bring Muffet tomorrow. Maybe she’d even talk to the girl’s mom about adopting the dog.

  Brittany set a piece down and sat back in her chair. Paige’s eyes glanced off her face only to dart right back. Brittany’s eyes were filled with tears.

  “Honey, what’s wrong?”

  The girl shook her head, but the tears spilled over and her lip quivered.

  Paige dug in her purse for a tissue, then handed it to Brittany. “You can talk to me about anything. Whatever it is, things have a way of getting better with time. Is it anything I can help you with?”

  When Brittany only continued crying, Paige went on. “When I was your age I lived with my mom and dad. My mom was never very nice to me, and I tried so hard to make her happy. It was my family, but I didn’t feel like I really belonged.”

  Brittany sniffed. “Why wasn’t she nice to you?”

  “Well . . . that’s kind of complicated. I found out later she wasn’t my biological mom. Do you know what that means?”

  “You were adopted?”

  “Not exactly.” Paige had gotten in a little deeper than she’d intended. “My dad had me with another woman, and the mom who raised me kind of held that against me.”

  “You can’t help who your real mom is.”

  “I know, right? But that d
idn’t seem to matter.” Paige picked up an edge piece and placed it in the frame. It slid into place with a quiet snap.

  “I miss my dad.” The quietly spoken words broke Paige’s heart.

  Paige put her hand over the girl’s. “Oh, honey. I’m sure you must.”

  Her lip quivered. “He used to work puzzles with me sometimes.”

  “I’m sorry. We can do something else. You want to play Jenga instead?”

  “I like puzzles.” She shrugged. “My dad didn’t really work them with me anyway. He just sat there and typed on his phone.”

  “Oh.”

  “He just got married to some lady in Milbridge.”

  “Do you get to see him very often?”

  She wiped her face with the tissue. “Every other weekend. She has two kids, but they’re older than me. They just act like I’m not there, and I don’t think my dad’s wife likes me much.”

  “That’s hard. I’m sorry.”

  She was definitely talking to Brittany’s mom about Muffet. They needed each other. Maybe having a dog wouldn’t solve the girl’s problems, but having a loving pet would be a great outlet for her.

  “I know what you mean about not belonging anywhere,” Brittany said, one last tear slipping down her flushed cheeks. “My mom works all the time, and when she’s home she’s too tired to do anything with me. And when I’m with my dad . . . nothing’s the same anymore.”

  Paige’s chest squeezed tight. “You’ve got a mom who loves you very much. You belong with her. And you belong here. And you know what? You belong to God. I remember when you were baptized a few years ago. You gave your heart to Him, and that means you’re one of His, and He’ll never let you go. He’ll never ignore you, He’ll never be mean to you, and He’ll never leave you.”

  It was only as she said the words that the impact of them hit Paige square in the heart. Her breath left on a quick rush as a shiver ran through her.