Life After Perfect (17 page)

“You’d think, right?”

Peggy hugged her. “You are better than this. Better than this plus so much more.”

“I’m going to head out. I’ll make sure he sees my car leaving the neighborhood, so he won’t bother you.”

“Don’t worry about me. He isn’t going to bother me at all. Do you want a soda or snack to take on the road?”

“No. I’m good.”

They walked back out to the garage and Katy got in her car as Peggy hit the button to open the garage door.

She had a sick feeling as she drove by her house this time. Was Ron inside? Was he watching her drive by?

An hour into the ride back to Boot Creek, Shaleigh rang Katy’s phone.

Katy put it on speaker.

“I’m in the car. I’ve got you on speaker.”

“Are you alone?”

“Of course.”

“I can’t believe you came back to town. What were you thinking?” Shaleigh’s voice held an edge that made it quite clear she wasn’t overly impressed with what Katy had done.

“I wasn’t. I guess I had a weak moment, but that’ll teach me.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that, but great video. You might make some money on one of those video shows with that one.”

“Am I in trouble over the lipstick?”

“Only if Ron gives her the video and she presses charges. Just lay low and see what happens.”

“That’ll be easy.”

“Look. He’s mad. I got a call from his attorney a few minutes ago. He’s threatening to file for alimony since you make more money than he does.”

“What? Are you kidding me?”

“Not kidding. I told you these things could get ugly. Look. Until we get it all settled, no need in making it look like you’re trying to take advantage of anything, so don’t use the checking accounts or credit cards. You can open a new account and have your paycheck deposited in it.”

“But I took an unpaid leave of absence. I don’t have any money coming in.”

“That might actually work to your favor.”

“But I don’t have any money. Well, I have that cashier’s check from our savings account.”

“If you have to, use that. It’s rightfully yours anyway.”

“If I don’t go back to work, it might be all the security I have left.”

“Well, then take a little part-time job in that little town of yours. He can’t get alimony off of you if you’re making minimum wage. At least not for a while.”

“Why am I the one that just seems to keep getting screwed here?”

“Sorry, honey. I told you to let me handle it.”

“Point noted.”

She pressed
END
.

It was time for a change.

So tonight, when she was back safe and sound at Lonesome Pines Inn, she’d dream of new beginnings and better days ahead, whatever those looked like.

Derek woke up in a great mood. When he’d left Katy at the door last night, he’d wanted to kiss her so badly, but instead he’d given her a hug and a gentle kiss on the cheek. He was wading into new territory, and he liked the way she made him feel. Just to feel anything was a start.

He’d lain in bed for hours, unable to shake the feeling that there could have been more, but slow was probably better. At least what was keeping him awake was a good feeling for a change. He’d had his share of miserable sleepless nights.

Finally the night faded away and he got up and took a white dress shirt from his closet and pulled a tie off the rack. He hadn’t bought a new tie since the last one Laney had picked out for him. She had a knack for picking out a good-looking tie.

He pulled the next one in line. Rotating them had seemed like the easiest way to not wear the same ones too often, so he’d hung them up in rows and just wore whatever was next. He pulled the fine silk around his neck and tied a perfect knot.

Sometimes he could still feel Laney peeking over his shoulder on tiptoe and kissing his neck. Telling him how sexy he was all dressed up in a tie.

Normally he was up with the sun and had already checked a few things off of his list, but this morning he was moving more slowly. He wasn’t quite sure why except that he’d been a little sidetracked thinking about Katy.

He got in his truck and drove over to the clinic.

Wendy was already there, looking concerned.

“Good morning,” he said.

“I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up,” she said, a little on the snippy side.

“Patients don’t start for another fifteen minutes. I’ve got time to spare.”

“Yeah, but you’re always here early.”

Her attitude struck him as funny. “Not always. Apparently.” She’d probably been worried that she was going to have to reschedule all of the patients.

“Everything okay?” he asked, looking her dead in the eye, challenging her to say anything else in that tone.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. What do we have today?”

She handed him the printout of the schedule.

He scanned it. “Good. Busy morning and a light afternoon.” It always seemed that the walk-ins happened late in the day—people need more time to get into trouble. He walked down to his office, put on his coat, and grabbed his stethoscope off the hook where he kept it.

Derek was tempted to give Katy a call. He looked up the number to the inn and jotted it on a notepad on his desk. But just as he began to dial her, he was called out of his office for an emergency.

The whole day turned into a string of back-to-back emergencies, and by five o’clock he hadn’t even taken a lunch break and still had three more patients to work in. He walked out to the reception area. There were two more patients sitting there too.

“Can I see tomorrow’s schedule?” Derek asked Wendy.

She turned her computer screen toward him. “I haven’t printed one out yet. It’s been so busy.”

“Don’t I know it? This is fine.” He scanned the schedule for Wednesday. “I’d like you to schedule Mr. Peters for a follow-up tomorrow in this slot at eleven. And then I need you to mark out this hour and a half at one o’clock where we don’t have anything. I have something I need to do.”

“Yes, sir.”

Now that he knew there was a window of opportunity tomorrow when he could slip out and go see Katy, he didn’t really care if he worked all night. Hopefully, she’d be available too.

“I have some messages here for you,” Wendy said.

“Thank you,” he said, sifting through them as he walked back down the hall. Only one in the bunch actually was important. Laney’s mom had called. He was overdue to talk to her. They usually talked every couple of weeks, but with the extra work that went into the Blackberry Festival, he’d gotten off schedule. Maybe that was a part of moving on, too.

His workday didn’t end until close to seven. A summer cold was running through the area and everyone was pretty miserable.

When he finished up with his patients he dropped off the messages that Wendy could complete by calling in refills, then went to his office to call Laney’s mom, Terri.

He sat in his chair and then got up and carried the picture of Laney back to his desk. Her mom wasn’t one of those pain-in-the-butt mother-in-laws like the ones men complained about. She and Laney were a lot alike, and Laney’s death had been just as hard on her parents as it had been on him. They’d always been close, but they’d made an extra effort since Laney was gone to be sure they stayed connected.

It had been hard for him to come to grips with burying Laney in Adams Grove, but since the two of them had met there and it was in the middle between Boot Creek and her parents’ home in southern Virginia, it had seemed the right thing to do. A good compromise. Besides, since Ted Hardy, the florist there in Adams Grove, had done all of the flowers for their wedding, he knew exactly what to put together to adorn her headstone. He always did a great job.

As the months had gone by, it got easier and easier to not feel like he had to be at the graveside to get that closeness with Laney. For a while there, he was driving down to Adams Grove practically every day. Now, he didn’t have to be at her grave site to feel like she was with him all the time. No matter where he was, she was there.

Talking to Laney’s mom was always hard. Her voice sounded just like Laney’s, especially her laugh, and sometimes that was more than he could bear.

Slumping in his chair, he stared at the picture of Laney. She’d been his whole life for so long, figuring out how to move on while still carrying the good memories was no easy task. He wanted to push away the bad ones, except there were good bits and pieces in those too.

Wendy knocked on the door. “Need anything else from me tonight?”

“No, Wendy. Thanks for everything today. It was a busy one.”

“I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Yeah. I’ll see you.”

He pulled his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. He sat there with Laney’s picture for nearly an hour. By then it was too late to visit the inn just for a social call. He’d just have to take his chances on stopping by tomorrow.

It was too late to call his mother-in-law back too. He wasn’t really up for that tonight anyway. The longer the time between calls, the harder they were to make. Derek forced himself to get up and go home.

Chapter Fifteen

As
Derek drove down Main Street the next day, he was half tempted to stop in Bootsy’s Bouquets and pick up some flowers before heading to Naomi’s, but that seemed a little too presumptuous. Besides, Bootsy was his mom’s best friend and she’d have twenty questions for him, wasting time he could spend at the inn.

He drove on past. When he got to the bridge, the water had risen so high in the creek already that the road crew had put out the high-water sign. It wasn’t unusual for this stretch of road to close down when the tides got high, and with the storms they’d been calling for tomorrow, the road would probably be washed over by noon. He’d spent a night or two at the office because of that in the past. But for now it was still passable.

The weather continued to be unpredictable as the first tropical storms of the season continued to pop up off the coast and drive warm, then cooler, air into their area. They’d already sped through the first few letters of the alphabet and it was early yet. The rain last night had come in buckets. A frog strangler, Laney would have called it.

He took the turn toward the inn. When he pulled into the driveway, he realized that he’d been hoping Katy would be out on the porch again. That wasn’t the case today, though her car was there.

When he walked inside, the whole house smelled of something sweet.

Naomi greeted him in the front room. “Angie was here earlier. She said you were coming by again today. I thought maybe she was confused.”

“Nope. She was right, and I told you I’d stop in every couple days.”

“Thank you, Derek. Kelly Jo seemed so much more at peace after your talk.”

“I felt more at peace after our talk too.” He’d been surprised. He had to admit that it had felt good to talk to Kelly Jo and hear what her thoughts were about the treatments and when to stop. It was like getting to air his concerns with Laney almost, like when Kelly Jo looked him in the eye and said, “Do you mean to tell me that you don’t have any problem pushing aside the way Laney looked those last few months from your mind? That you can see her beautiful and happy without that interfering?”

He’d had to be honest, though he knew she probably wished he could tell her it wasn’t so. “You’re right,” he’d said. “Those images haunt me sometimes.” Laney had gotten so thin that a skeleton looked sturdier, and her skin looked like it could tear. She’d aged. There was barely a hint of her youthful, vibrant self. “But I wouldn’t have left her side for anything. I wanted to be with her for every single breath of her life. Kelly Jo, you have to know that love isn’t about what someone looks like. We even commit before God for sicker and for poorer.”

He’d seen the struggle in her yes, in the way she clenched her fists. “Yeah, and I’m leaving Todd in debt too. It’s awful, and so unfair to him. On one hand I wish he could find someone else right now and move on, and on the other hand I hope he pines for me every day.”

“He will.” Derek knew that feeling. You couldn’t pray or wish that loneliness away, but hearing her internal struggle opened his eyes to something new. He’d never really considered that there was an emotional tug-of-war along with the physical one for Laney.

“Right, and then that makes me feel guilty for wishing it was already over and I was gone. I don’t want him to be sad. See. There’s no way to win.”

“You’re right. It’s not a win-lose game though, Kelly Jo. This is life. We don’t have any control over it.” He caught himself choking on the word
control
. “God knows I sure thought I had some control for a while there. But even medicine, for all the advances we’ve made, cannot change God’s plan.”

Derek forced himself to let that conversation drift back into his memory. Today was a new day.

“Is she still in the room downstairs?” he asked Naomi.

“Yes. I told her she should stay down here. Family has always stayed upstairs, but that is just silly. If she took another tumble, I don’t know what I’d do. Thank goodness Katy was here the other day.”

“I’m just going to . . .” He lost his train of thought when he saw Katy walk out with a tray of something that appeared to be baked goods. Pushing the side of his white lab coat back, he shoved a hand in his pocket trying to look casual, but just the sight of her made his heart two-step. He looked back at Naomi, and then at Katy with a grin. “Hi, Katy.”

“Derek? Hi. I didn’t know you were coming today.” She set the dish on the sideboard and walked toward him. “Here to see Kelly Jo?”

Tendrils of hair softened the line of her face, loose from the warmth of the kitchen. It became her. “Yeah. I’m . . . I was just going to see her.”

“I just made little carrot cake cupcakes. Be sure to take one when you leave.”

“I smelled them when I came in. I’ll be sure to do that,” he said. He made an awkward departure down the hall, cursing himself for always bumbling when he was around her.

Kelly Jo was sitting in a chair staring out the window. He tapped lightly on the door and walked in. “How are you today?”

She turned toward him, pulling her feet up tighter underneath her. “I’m good. You came back.”

“Told you I would.”

She nodded. “I did something this morning.”

“Care to share?”

She nodded. “It’s thanks to you and our conversation that I called Todd.” Tears streamed down her face.

“You did?” He leaned against the dresser near the chair. A huge feeling of relief rose from his chest. He could only imagine what Todd was feeling. “I’m glad.” He glanced out the window, trying to maintain control of his own emotions. From here she had a lovely view of the creek.

“Me too.”

He waited. It was tough work for her . . . talking. He’d learned that early on in his career. In some cases, it was a choice between breathing or talking; in others just the effort to talk was too much. He gave her plenty of runway to finish her thoughts. He had the time.

Her lips moved uncomfortably, and finally she uttered the words. “I was being selfish, and there’s no time for that.”

“Time.” He took her hands. She knew she was running out of time. “You need him too. Let him be there for you.”

“He’s coming,” she said. “Soon.” She ran her tongue across her lips. Her eyes teared up. “Thank you so much.”

“You are welcome. And thank you.” He laid his hand on top of hers. “Kelly Jo, you helped me too. You brought up some new things. We needed each other.”

“I’m glad.” She nodded and forced a weak smile. “I can hardly wait to see him now.”

“Good. You can bet he’s just as excited as you are.”

“Can you help me to the bed? I’m so tired.”

“Sure.” He stepped over and held out his arm, and then rather than let her struggle, he lifted her into his arms. She was so light. She barely weighed as much as his turnout gear bag. He moved slowly, gently placing her on the mattress.

She let out a breath, and he pulled the sheet and blankets up over her.

Kelly Jo snuggled under the covers, drawing them up high against her chin.

“Laney was very blessed,” she said, and then she closed her eyes.

He sat in the chair near the bed and watched her sleep for he wasn’t sure how long. Her tiny frame barely made an outline under the heavy quilt. The soft yellow pattern looked pale compared to her skin. Her liver was failing. She was right. There wasn’t time for much of anything anymore.

When he walked back out to the front of the house, Naomi was sitting on the couch, but he didn’t see Katy anywhere.

“Thanks, ladies,” he said anyway, raising a hand.

Katy swung through the kitchen door. “I thought I heard your voice.” She came toward him. “I wrapped up a couple of those cupcakes for you. They’re right there on the desk.”

He reached for the small plate with a piece of plastic wrap across the top. Toothpicks tented the plastic from the frosting.

“Thanks.” He lifted it and gave her a nod. “Didn’t know you could cook.”

“I think anyone can be a good cook in this kitchen. Have you ever seen it?” Her eyes were wide, like a kid who had just spotted Santa at the mall.

Derek shook his head. “Can’t say that I have.”

“Naomi, do you mind if I show him the kitchen? It’s amazing.”

Naomi shook her head. “Sure, honey. Grab me a cup of tea while you’re in there, would you?”

Katy waved Derek back, and then picked up Naomi’s teacup and headed through the swinging door to the kitchen. She held the door wide. “Look at this!”

Derek had heard the stories of this place, of course, but even though Marshall and Dillon Laumann threw a lot of parties and had quite a public following, few of the locals had actually ever been on the grounds of the huge estate until after Marshall died and Naomi had turned their home into an inn.

“I’m glad I didn’t have to repaint a pink kitchen this size.”

“I used to love being in the kitchen, but I’ll admit I’m a little out of practice. I sure am enjoying rattling around in here. I can’t seem to keep myself from cooking. You might have to put Naomi on a diet when I leave here.”

“I think she could do with a few pounds. Probably with the help too.”

Katy nodded thoughtfully. “You know, I’d had the same thought. Maybe that’s why I landed in Boot Creek. I mean they say everything happens for a reason.”

“Right.” That made him think about his own project. “Maybe you’d like to come over to my house. I’ve got this thing I’ve been thinking about. I wouldn’t mind bouncing it off you. It’s not fully fleshed out, but maybe you could let me know what you think. With your project background, you might even have some suggestions.”

She didn’t answer right away, and that caught him off guard. In his head, this conversation had gone a lot more smoothly. She’d answer with a big smile and notable excitement in her eyes. Instead, she sucked in a breath like she was going to make a wish and blow out a candle. He wasn’t quite sure if she was going to say yes or no.

“Yeah. Sure. That sounds good.”

He tried to hold back the obvious relief he was feeling. “I’ll pick you up when I finish up at the clinic today.”

“Okay. I’ll see you later then.” She poured Naomi’s tea and then headed for the door, holding it for Derek.

But he put his hand above her head and scooted her through first. His mom raised a gentleman and he wasn’t about to compromise on that.

Naomi poked her head up over the couch like a meerkat. “I’d heard you bought Clancy Jennings’s old place after their kids shipped his wife down to Florida.” She started laughing, a raucous you-got-stuck kind of belly laugh. She had to catch her breath. “Oh, Lordy, when Clancy died, she was so mad at him for letting things get in such disrepair. She’d been hounding him to paint forever. You’ll love this, Katy. When the old fart died, just for spite, his wife hired a bunch of college kids over the summer and had them paint it pink. And I’m not talking some peach pink or burgundy pink. I’m talking fluorescent highlighter pink!”

“Very John Cougar Mellencampish,” Katy said trying to make light of the fact that she’d already been to his house.

“Tonight at six-thirty?”

Naomi was nodding her head, as if encouraging the words out of Katy’s mouth.

“See you then.”

“Great.” He wanted to run out the door before she could change her mind. “Good.” He shoved his hands in his pocket and backed out. “Looking forward to it.” He started to walk away, but then turned around. “Got your phone?”

She pulled it out of her pocket and held it in the air.

“Hand it over.”

Katy typed in her security code and then thrust it in his direction.

He typed his phone number in her phone and called himself. His phone rang. Now he had hers too. “There you go. In case anything comes up.”

He walked out of the house with his confidence spiraling upward.

In the truck, he typed in her name on the contact entry and saved it.

True to his word, Derek picked Katy up at six-thirty. He helped her into the truck and they made the short drive from the inn to his house.

When they got to his house, Katy could see what he meant about all the plants being pink, too. Every flowering plant on the property was pink. Pink crepe myrtles and pink petunias. She could guess that the azaleas that filled the flower bed following the fence line probably bloomed in a hot pink or magenta in the spring too. At least it played nicely in the sunshine with the new wine color he’d painted the shutters. She could only imagine his reaction when he’d first rolled up to this house only to find it painted pink.