Count on Me (Bayview Heights Trilogy) (7 page)

“Zoe?” he said more firmly when he looked up. His green eyes were wide with concern.

“I’m fine.” She shook her head. “I twisted my ankle.” She glanced around her. “Let me get off the court so you guys can play.”

“Not yet.” His hands slid down to her leg. With trained nimble fingers, he untied her sneaker and removed it and her sock. His touch was light as he felt her ankle, wiggled her toes and just for good measure, gently prodded her calf. Tears formed in her eyes. He must have seen them.

His dark brows knitted. “Hurt?”

She nodded. Their gazes met in silent communication. His were apologetic. “But it’s eased a little.”

“Seems like a minor sprain.” He took her pulse again. “Let’s get you onto a chair. We’ll elevate the foot and ice it down.” He glanced up. “Seth, could you get my bag out of Mitch’s car?”

“Sure,” Seth answered as Kurt stood and started to reach for her hand. “Can you stand?”

“No need.” Big arms slid under her, and she was caught in Alex Ransom’s strong grasp.

“Alex,” she said with a soft cry, “what are you doing?”

“It’s called seizing the moment.” He grinned boyishly. “Don’t think I’m gonna pass up this opportunity, do you?”

In spite of the tension, she smiled.

Until she caught Kurt’s expression. It was purely male and primal. With a trace of pain.

Well, that couldn’t be helped, she thought, hardening herself against him. She looped her hands around Alex’s neck and let him carry her off.

In no time she was seated, her leg elevated under a cushion as they waited for the ice. “Go play,” she told the group. “I’m fine.”

Kurt handed her a glass of water and sat beside her. Cassie approached them. “What happened?”

“While you were off fighting with your husband, Zoe took a tumble,” Alex told her, smiling down at Zoe.

Cassie straightened. “We weren’t fighting.”

Mitch came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She leaned into him, and he kissed her hair. Seth was right—Cassie and Mitch could work this out.

Seth returned and handed Kurt his bag. “Want us to stay with you?” he asked.

“I want everybody to go play volleyball.” She took a bead on Alex. “You, too, young man.”

“Ah, I love it when you get tough.”

Abruptly Kurt stood. “Where the hell is that ice?”

A waitress finally brought it. His movements were efficient as he encased the ice bag in cloth from his kit, placed it around her ankle and then wrapped it in large ace bandages, which he called cravats. His hands were gentle, and Zoe was reminded of his skill as a doctor.

And in bed.

He rummaged through his bag again as Cassie, Mitch, Seth and even Alex went back to the court. For all intents and purposes, they were alone. He handed her some tablets. “Ibuprofen,” he said simply. “It’ll help the pain and reduce the swelling. Be sure to take two every four hours.”

“Thanks.” She swallowed the pills with water.

Sitting down, staring out over the court, Kurt linked his hands between his legs. He appeared a little more rested tonight, or maybe it was the exercise. His face had a healthy glow and his cheeks weren’t so gaunt. She was glad he was on the mend. “I’m sorry,” she heard him say.

“It’s not your fault that I fell.”

He shook his head, raked back his hair impatiently. “I’m sorry that I’m here. I should have known better.”

“I wasn’t supposed to play tonight, Kurt. You’re entitled to go out for an evening with your brother.”

“We just never imagined your meeting would be canceled.”

“I know.” She watched Cassie’s spike fly past an orderly from the hospital, and then Seth served again.

“If I could change this...being in Bayview, I would.”

“Look,” she said firmly, “some things can’t be changed. We just have to deal with them.” She gave him a hard stare. “I’m over the worst of it, Kurt.”

Was that sadness in his eyes?

“I can handle your being here.” She hoped she could.

His look was grave. Torn.

“Can
you?
” she asked.

“I have no choice,” he whispered raggedly.

“Yeah, well, like I tell the kids, it’s the tough things in life that make you strong.”

He nodded. And adjusted the ice on her leg. She returned her gaze to the court, trying to concentrate on the play and wondering just when she’d get strong.

o0o

ON THE LAST MONDAY AFTERNOON in September when Kurt came to Zoe’s class to talk to the clinic volunteers, he recognized what was happening right away—and why. He thought about putting an end to the hostile behavior; the clinic work was too important to allow personal feelings to endanger it.

But given that six of his new workers who seemed bent on using him for target practice were Zoe’s girls, he held back. His only ally appeared to be a dark-haired boy dressed in black named Dan.

The fact that Zoe’s classroom was decorated with streamers and balloons and a big
Happy Birthday, Ms. Caufield
sign, didn’t help. It was a visual reminder of what had happened exactly a year ago today.

At the beginning of class Zoe had explained who was working where, then divided the students into four groups, each headed by the supervisor of the particular area—an elementary-school principal was in charge of the students who would be helping with the lower grades; Carolyn Spearman, another vice principal was overseeing the Study Buddies for reluctant learners at the high school; one of Seth’s former students, Mary Jarrett, was in charge of day-care placements; and, of course, Kurt got the group for the clinic.

Seated in a circle, he smiled at the kids. Only one smiled back. “Let’s start with why you volunteered for the clinic.”

A pretty, dark-haired girl Kurt recognized as Erica, one of Zoe’s favorites, scowled and gave a slight shake of her head. All the others caught it and averted their gazes from him. Nobody spoke.

Ah, a teenage girl’s biggest weapon. Freeze out the adult. Kurt had experienced it numerous times with his daughter, Lauren.

Finally Dan said, “I did my junior research paper in Ms. Lansing’s class on how towns need teen health centers. I think they’re a cool idea.”

A girl Kurt had seen in a play here at school with Zoe, kicked the boy who spoke, without trying to hide the censure.

Enough, Kurt thought. The kids needed to see who was in charge. He waited, then said, “Since no one else will volunteer, we’ll go around the circle.” He zeroed in on the leader. “Erica, is it?”

She nodded haughtily.

“Why did you ask for this placement?”

“I asked to be out of the school system, and I didn’t want the day care,” She shrugged slender shoulders. “Process of elimination, I guess.”

“All right.” He turned to a striking black girl and read her name tag. “Shondra, what about you?”

“I’m thinking of med school. Working at the clinic is a logical choice, though
now
not such an appealing one.”

Bingo. Girls had gotten better with their barbs than in his day. And feistier.

“Rachel?” He smiled again, though it was getting harder.

She stared at him blankly, then flicked a gaze at a blond girl.

“Why did you choose the clinic, Rachel?”

Rachel shrugged. “Dunno. It’s a place.”

Kurt zeroed in on the blonde. “Ashley?”

“Same here.”

Erica sighed dramatically. It must have been a signal that the cold war was over and the offensive was to begin. “To tell the truth, Dr. Lansing, we didn’t exactly ask to work at
your
clinic. Most of us said we wanted a place that helped teenagers. We thought we’d get the rec center or maybe a branch of Planned Parenthood.”

A girl named Shelley, who wore a BVH Soccer T-shirt, jumped in. “We didn’t know Planned Parenthood would be part of your clinic.”

He straightened and scanned the rebels with a forthrightness that seemed to surprise them. “Would you like me to ask your teacher to switch your placements?”

Caufield’s Chicks all scowled. Zoe would never tolerate their rudeness, and they knew it.

“No?” he pushed.

The girls shook their heads weakly.

“Okay, then I’d like some cooperation. And enthusiasm.”

From the looks on their faces, he knew they got the point.

Just then Zoe approached the group. “Everything okay here?” She was dressed in a classic white-silk pantsuit that fit her perfectly and contrasted with her dark eyes and hair.

“Just fine,” Kurt said dryly.

“The necklace looks good, Ms. C,” Julia told her.

Zoe’s hand went to a single jet-black stone at her throat. Kurt cocked his head.

Before Zoe could tell him what the reference was, the actress added, “We got Ms. C a special gift for her birthday, Dr. Lansing. It’s an Apache Tear.”

Again, as if by silent signal, Erica picked up on the comment. “Stones have mystical properties, you know. We got this one especially for Ms. C at Hecate’s Palace.”

“Hecate’s Palace?”

“A store Julia works at.” This from Rachel of the
Dunno
. “It’s a witch shop.”

“Wiccan,” Zoe corrected.

Shondra said, “The stones have otherworldly powers.” She grinned. “Powers we wanted Ms. Caufield to have.”

Now he got it. Another zing. Well, he’d dealt effectively with thugs in his New York City clinic. He guessed he could take on a few suburban girls who hated his guts.

Ashley finished up. “The Apache Tear protects you from the evil of others. Like when they do rotten things to you.”

Zoe frowned as she finally caught on. Her gaze flicked to Kurt’s. It startled him a minute. He expected to see amusement, perhaps sympathy, even a little anger.

Instead, he saw,
You poor bastard
.

Hmm, Kurt thought, maybe the thugs in the city weren’t so bad, after all.

When the bell rang, Zoe said simply, “I’d like to see every single member of this group after school. No excuses. Be here at three sharp.”

CHAPTER FOUR

THE MAYOR OF Bayview Heights stood proudly before the crowd gathered around the doors of the Bayview Heights Clinic for young adults. No one would ever guess the wiry little man in the expensive suit had thwarted this venture at every opportunity; eventually he’d buckled under pressure from the community.

Zoe rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying to stay warm in the lightweight coat she’d purchased on the Champs-Elysées.

“Neat coat, Ms. C.” Rachel Thompson smiled from beneath her ever-present hat. Today it was army-green to match her cargo pants and jacket. Close behind her, Rob Mason had donned a matching hat and similar clothing.

“Thanks.” She grinned at Rob. “Playing the Bobsey Twins again?”

“Huh?” Rachel said.

Zoe groaned, feeling old. “Never mind.” She glanced around, noticing Erica, Julia, Shondra and Shelley near the wall of the hospital. Because the building in which the clinic was housed had formerly been doctors’ offices, minimal structural renovation had been needed. The clinic had been ready to open in record time after garnering the town’s approval.

 Lucky me
, Zoe thought. She could have used another year to get over Kurt Lansing. Another ten years!

“Where’s Ashley?” she asked Rachel as the mayor introduced the members of the school board. Absently she noted no one cheered for Jerry Bosco, but there was warm applause for Philip Cartwright, who looked younger every day.

“Dunno.” Rachel bit her lip.

Zoe had a fleeting feeling that something was wrong; she frequently got these kinds of blips about her kids. But she was distracted from analyzing it or questioning Rachel when she heard the mayor announce, “And now I’d like to introduce the head of the clinic, who will in turn introduce the staff. Dr. Kurt Lansing.”

Zoe’s heart seemed to stop for a moment as Kurt stepped out of the shadows into the early-October midafternoon sunlight. Dressed in a gray pin-striped suit and an impeccable white shirt and striped tie, he slipped his hands in his pockets and smiled. His hair, ruffled by the wind, was appealingly disheveled. It had gotten a little long.

Give me a haircut.

Hmm...okay.

Naked.

What?

You heard me, woman.

Stop it! she chided herself. But it was hard not to think of the past when she was confronted by him in the present. He was still too thin, but his face seemed a little fuller and he looked as if he’d put on some weight at least. She knew that Cassie, even though she wasn’t happy that he was living with them, would make sure her brother-in-law ate well.

“Thank you all for coming.” Kurt smiled, and Zoe had to glance away from his warm green eyes.

Her wandering gaze landed on her students; she saw Erica stick her hands into the pockets of her short canvas jacket and frown. Shelley adjusted the hooded BVH sweatshirt she wore with a long fleece skirt, then straightened. Julia, decked out today in a yellow slicker and pants to match, whispered something to Shondra, who was wrapped in a tailored black raincoat.

“Excuse me,” Zoe said to Rachel and Rob. She threaded her way through the crowd to the girls. Guilt suffused their faces when she reached them. She’d already made it clear she’d tolerate none of their shenanigans.

Last week, she’d confronted the prospective clinic volunteers after their rude behavior to Kurt…

“What’s going on?” she’d asked bluntly

Dead silence.

“Got me,” Dan Caruso had finally put in. “The chicks were playin’ Dump on the Doctor, big time.”

“Chicks?” Julia had affected an outraged glare. “Join the twenty-first century, Caruso.”

Dan had rolled his eyes. “It’s what you guys call yourselves, Starr. You’re just pi—” he glanced at Zoe “—mad that I wouldn’t go along. Lansing’s an okay guy. Give him a break.”

Getting the gist, Zoe smiled at the boy. “Dan, you can leave. It’s obvious you’re not a part of this.”

When he was gone, Zoe slid onto one of the desks and nodded for the girls to sit down. “Spit it out, ladies,” she said after they circled around her.

Rachel played with her hair. Ashley studied her science notebook. Julia wouldn’t meet her gaze. Only Erica faced her. Zoe wasn’t surprised. The girl loved her like a mother and was probably the ringleader in this little game.