Kitabı oku: «The Doctor's Redemption», sayfa 2

“Well, fancy meeting you here,” he drawled in a deep voice that made her think of a dark velvet night.

“It’s not that amazing really. I work here.”

“I figured that out. So how’s your daughter? Healing nicely?”

“She’s fine. A little tender but fine.”

“Good. By the way, I’m Dr. Mark Clayborn.”

“Yes, I know who you are. As in the Clayborn Building, Clayborn Bank, Clayborn Shipping.

He gave her a studying look. “Do I know you?”

“I’m Laura Jo Akins. Used to be Laura Jo Herron.”

“Herron? My parents used to talk about the Herrons. Robert Herron. Real estate.”

She looked away. “Yes, that’s my father.”

He had pursed his lips. “Well, that’s a surprise. Isn’t it a small world?”

Too small for Laura Jo’s comfort. It was time to change the subject. “Thanks for helping out. Now I need to talk to the family.” She gave the door to the exam room a quick knock and pushed it open.

It turned out that she was wasting her time. “The nice Dr. Clayborn” had updated them and also seen to Lucy, their little girl, but they appreciated Laura Jo coming in. By the time she’d returned to the nursing station things seemed to be under control in the ER. All the exam and trauma rooms were full. The critical cases were being cared for. Those waiting were not serious.

“Why don’t you take your supper break while you can?” the lead nurse said.

“Are you sure?”

“It’s now or never. You know the closer we get to Fat Tuesday the merrier it gets around here.”

Laura Jo laughed. “If merry is what you want to call it. Okay, I’ll go.”

“I’d rather call it merry otherwise I think I might cry,” the lead nurse said with a grin.

Laura Jo grabbed her lunch box. It had become a habit to pack a lunch when money had been so tight even before Phil had left. Reaching the cafeteria, she scanned the room for an empty table. The busy ER translated to a full room. As soon as a table opened up she headed for it. Before she could get to it Mark slid into one of the two seats available. Disappointed, she stopped and looked around for another spot.

He waved her toward him. “You can join me, if you like.”

Laura Jo looked at him. Did she really have a choice? She was expected back in the ER soon. “Thank you.”

He grinned at her. “You don’t sound too excited about it.”

What was he expecting her to say? You’re right, I’m not? “I have to eat. The ER won’t stay calm for long.”

“It did look a little wild in there. I’ve certainly had more than my share this evening. I haven’t done this much emergency work since I was on my med school rotation. Don’t see many head trauma and heart attacks in family practice.”

Laura Jo pulled her sandwich out of the plastic bag. “I understand that the girl was sitting on top of her father’s shoulders and toppled off. When the grandfather saw what had happened he had a heart attack.”

“Yeah. Thank goodness it all happened within running distance of the med tent. For a few minutes there wasn’t enough of us medical personal around to handle all that was going on. I’m just glad the girl has regained consciousness and the grandfather is stable.”

“The girl will be here for observation for at least one night and the grandfather for much longer, I’m afraid.”

He took a large bite of his hamburger and they ate in silence for a while before he asked, “So you knew who I was the other day. Why didn’t you say something?”

“There just didn’t seem a right moment.”

“So you’ve seen a lot of Mardi Gras.”

She straightened her back and looked directly at him. “I’m not that old.”

He grinned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that.”

Laura Jo had to admit he had a nice smile. She grinned. “That’s not what it sounded like to me.”

“I was just trying to make pleasant conversation and didn’t mean—”

“I know you didn’t.” Still, it would have been nice if he’d at least thought she looked familiar. She’d been invisible to her parents, unimportant to her husband and just this once it would have been nice to have been memorable. But, then, it had been a long time ago.

“So do you attend any of the krewe festivities?” He chewed slowly, as if waiting patiently for her answer.

“No. I don’t travel in that social circle anymore.” She took a bite of her sandwich.

“Why not? As I remember, the Herrons were a member of the same krewe as my family.”

“I’m an Akins now.”

“So Mr. Akins isn’t a member either, I gather.”

“No, and Mr. Akins, as you put it, isn’t around to be a member.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. He left years ago.”

“Oh, I thought …”

“I know. For all I know, he’s alive and well somewhere.”

Having finished his meal, Mark leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, it has been a pleasure running into you, Ms. Atkins.”

Laura Jo stood to leave. “You, too, Dr. Clayborn. We do seem to keep running into each other.”

“Why, Ms. Akins, you don’t believe in serendipity?”

“If I ever did believe in serendipity, that would’ve been a long time ago. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.”

CHAPTER TWO

ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON Mark made his way through the side streets of Mobile, working around the parade route, which was already blocked off. It was one more week before Mardi Gras weekend and there would be a large parade that afternoon and another that night in downtown Mobile.

Throughout the week in the surrounding towns parades were planned, culminating in three or four per day until the final one on Fat Tuesday. Then Ash Wednesday would arrive and end all the revelry.

He’d been assigned to work in the med tent set up just off Government Street at a fire station. He’d wanted to say no, had even suggested that he work one or two of the parades in a nearby town, but he’d been told that he was needed there. His gut clenched each time he crossed the bay but his partners wouldn’t like him not being a team player during this time of the year. Plus, Mark had no desire to admit why going into Mobile bothered him.

All he hoped for now was a slow day, but he didn’t expect it. He wanted less drama than the last time he’d worked a med tent a few days earlier. Still, there had been some interesting points.

Dinner with Laura Jo Akins had been the highlight. He had at least found out she wasn’t married. And she seemed to be anti-krewe for some reason. He had no doubt that she’d grown up on the social club festivities of a krewe, just like him. Why would she have such a negative view now? Or was her pessimistic attitude directed toward him? Did she know about the accident? His part in it?

Laura Jo Akins also appeared to be one of those women who knew her mind and stood her ground, but it also seemed there was a venerable spot to her, too. As if she hid something from the world. What was that all about?

Mark looked over the crowd again. At least she took his thoughts off worrying that he might see Mike at a parade. He looked forward to seeing her pixie face if they ever met again. People were creatures of habit and usually showed up in the same places to watch the parades. He wasn’t sure why she interested him so, but she’d popped into his head a number of times over the past few days.

He had been at the med tent long enough to introduce himself to some of the other volunteers when he looked up to see none other than Laura Jo walking toward the tent. She caught sight of him about the same time. He didn’t miss her moment of hesitation before she continued in his direction. He smiled and nodded at her. She returned his smile.

A few minutes later he was asked to help with a woman who was having an asthma attack in the unseasonably warm weather. It was some time later before he had a chance to speak to Laura Jo.

“I believe we might be caught in some Mardi Gras mystical mojo,” he said, low enough that the others around them couldn’t hear.

“I don’t believe any sort of thing. I’m more of the dumb luck kind of person,” she responded, as she continued to sort supplies.

He chuckled. “Didn’t expect to see me again so soon, did you?”

She spun around, her hands going to her hips. “Did you plan this?”

“I did not,” he said with complete innocence. “I was told when and where to be.”

“I thought maybe with the Clayborn name …”

What did she have against the Clayborns? Did she know what he’d done? If she did, he couldn’t blame her for not wanting to have anything to do with him. “Excuse me?”

“Nothing.”

“Dr. Clayborn, we need you,” one of the other volunteers called.

Mark had no choice but to go to work.

Half an hour later, the sound of a jazz band rolled down the street. Because the med tent was set up at the fire station, no one could park or stand in front of it. Mark and the others had an unobstructed view of the parade. Thankfully there was no one requiring help so they all stepped out toward the street curb to watch. Laura Jo seemed to appreciate the parade. She even swayed to the music of “Let the good times roll.”

He wandered over to stand just behind her. “You enjoy a good parade as much as your daughter does, I see.” Mark couldn’t help but needle her. She reacted so prettily to it.

“Yes, I love a good parade. You make it sound like it should be a crime.”

“And you make it sound like it’s a crime that I noticed,” he shot back.

“No crime. Just not used to someone taking that much notice.”

“That’s hard to believe. You mean there’s no man who pays attention to you?”

“Getting a little personal, aren’t you, Doctor?” She glanced back at him.

“No, just making conversation.”

“Hey, Mom.”

They both turned at the sound of Laura Jo’s daughter’s voice. She was with another woman about Laura Jo’s age and there was a boy with them about the same height as the daughter.

Before her mother could respond the girl said to Mark, “I know you. You’re that man who helped me the other day. Look, my hands are all better.” She put out her hands palms up. “My knee still hurts a little.” She lifted her denim-covered knee.

“And I know you.” He smiled down at her. “But forgive me, I’ve forgotten your name.”

“Allie.”

He squatted down to her level. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Allie.” Standing again, he glanced in the direction of the woman he didn’t know. Laura Jo must have gotten the hint because she said, “This is Marsha Gilstrap. A friend of mine.” She looked toward the boy. “And Jeremy, her son. I thought ya’ll were going to watch the parade over on Washington.”

“We wanted to come by and say hi to you,” Allie said.

Laura Jo gave her daughter a hug then looked down at her with what Mark recognized as unbounded love. He liked it when he saw parents who really cared about their children. Her actions hadn’t just been for show when her daughter had been hurt at the parade. She truly cared about her child. He recognized that love because his parents had had the same for him. That’s why his father had insisted Mark not get involved with Mike’s case after the accident. His father had feared what it might do to Mark’s future. He been young enough and scared enough that he’d agreed, despite the guilt he’d felt over leaving the way he had. Now he didn’t trust himself to get close enough to care about someone. If he did, he might fail them, just as he had Mike. He hadn’t stood beside Mike, whom he’d loved like a brother, so why would he have what it took to stand by a wife and family?

A float coming by drew Allie’s attention. Mark put a hand on her shoulder. “Come on. This is a great spot to watch a parade.”

Allie looked at her mother in question. Laura Jo took a second before she gave an agreeable nod but he got the sense that she didn’t want to.

Allie glanced at the boy. “Can Jeremy come, too?”

“Sure.”

Jeremy’s mother, in contrast to Laura Jo, was all smiles about the boy joining them.

“We’ll just be right up here if you need us.” Mark made an effort to give Laura Jo his most charming smile.

He nudged one of the volunteers out of the way so that the children had a front-row place to stand. A couple of times he had to remind them not to step out beyond the curve. Because they were standing in front of the fire station, there were no barriers in place. After a few minutes Laura Jo and her friend joined them.

“Thanks, we’ll take these two off your hands,” Laura Jo said, as if she was helping him out. What she was really doing was trying to get rid of him.

“Look at the dog. How funny.” Allie squealed. The dog was wearing a vest and a hat. “I wish I had a dog to dress up. Then we could be in a parade.”

Laura Jo placed her hand on top of Allie’s shoulder. “Maybe one day, honey.”

There was something in the wispy tone in the girl’s voice that got to him. It reminded him of how he’d sounded the first time he’d asked if he could be in a dog parade. When he and his brother had participated in a parade it had been one of the greatest pleasures of his childhood. He could surely give that to Allie without becoming too involved in her and her mother’s lives. “You could borrow my dog. Gus would be glad to let you dress him up,” Mark offered.

“Could I, Mom?” Allie looked at Laura Jo as if her life depended on a positive answer.

“I don’t know.”

“I think Allie and Gus would make a great pair.” He had no doubt Laura Jo hated to say no to something her daughter so obviously wanted to do. But why was he making it his job to see that Allie had a chance to be in a parade? Was it because Laura Jo was a hard-working mother who couldn’t do this for her daughter and it was easy enough for him to do? It would be a great memory for Allie, just as it had been for him.

“Please, Mom.”

“Fairhope has a parade on Sunday evening that I believe dogs are allowed in. Why don’t you and Allie come and meet Gus that afternoon? You could bring some clothes for him and see how he likes them.”

Laura Jo gave him a piercing look that said she wasn’t pleased with the turn of events.

In a perverse way he liked the idea he was able to nettle her.

“Allie, I don’t think we should take advantage of Dr. Clayborn’s time.”

“Please, call me Mark. And I don’t mind.” He really didn’t. Since he’d been back in town he had kept to himself. It would be nice to spend the afternoon with someone. “I’m sure Gus will be glad to have the company. I’ve not been around much the past few days. Marsha, you and Jeremy are welcome, too.”

“Thanks. It sounds like fun but I can’t. Jeremy can if Laura Jo doesn’t mind,” Marsha said, smiling.

Laura Jo shot Marsha a look as if there would be more to say about this when they were alone.

“Mom, please,” Allie pleaded. “Please.”

“Won’t your wife mind us barging in? Won’t your children be dressing him up?”

“No wife. No children. So there’s no reason you can’t.”

“Then I guess we could come by for a little while but I’m not making any promises about the parade.” Laura Jo looked down at Allie.

“Great. I’ll expect you about two. Here’s my address.” He pulled out a calling card, turned it over and, removing a pen from his pocket, wrote on it. “I’ll have Gus all bathed and waiting on you.”

Allie giggled. “Okay.”

Mark looked at Laura Jo. “See you tomorrow.”

She gave him a weak smile and he grinned. He was already looking forward to the afternoon.

Laura Jo wasn’t sure how she’d managed to be coerced into agreeing to go to Mark’s. Maybe it was because of the look of anticipation on Allie’s face or the maternal guilt she felt whenever Allie asked to do something and she had to say no because she had to go to work or school. Now that she was in a position to give her child some fun in her life, she couldn’t bring herself to say no. But going to Mark Clayborn’s house had to be one for the record. She didn’t really know the man. She’d admired him with a young girl’s hero worship. But she knew little about the man he had become. He’d been nice enough so far but she hadn’t always been the best judge of character.

She’d searched for a sound reason why they couldn’t do it. Marsha certainly hadn’t been any help. It was as if she had pushed her into going. For once Laura Jo wished she had to work on Sunday. But no such luck.

Allie was up earlier than usual in her excitement over the possibility of being in the dog parade. Jeremy had been almost as bad, Marsha said, when he ran to meet them at the car later that day.

“So are you looking forward to an afternoon with the handsome, debonair and rich Dr. Mark Clayborn?” Marsha asked with a grin.

They’d had a lively and heated discussion over a cup of coffee late the night before about Mark. Marsha seemed to think she should develop him as an ally in funding the single mothers’ house. Laura Jo wasn’t so sure. That was a road she’d promised herself she’d never go down again. She wasn’t ever going to ask her parents or her society friends for anything ever again. That certainly included Mark Clayborn.

After today she didn’t plan to see him again. This afternoon was about Allie and seeing a smile on her face. That only. Allie had been begging for a dog for the past year but they didn’t have a lifestyle that was good for taking care of a dog.

Laura Jo pulled her aging compact car off the winding, tree-shaded road into the well-groomed, riverbed-pebbled drive of the address she’d been given. The crunch made a familiar sound. Her own family’s place just a few miles down the road had the same type of drive, or at least it had the last time she’d been there.

The foliage of the large trees with moss hanging from them gave the area a cozy feel. Soon she entered an open space where a sweeping, single-story beach house sat with a wide expanse of yard between it and the bay beyond.

“Do you see Gus?” Allie strained at her seat belt as she peered out the window.

“Now, honey, I don’t want you to get your hopes up too high. Gus may not like being dressed up.” Laura Jo didn’t want to say “or you.” Some owners thought their dogs loved everyone when they often didn’t.

“He’ll like it, I know he will.”

“I think he will, too,” Jeremy said from the backseat.

Laura Jo looked at him in the rearview mirror and smiled. “We’ll see.”

She pulled to a stop behind a navy blue high-end European car. To Mark’s credit, it wasn’t a sports car but it was finer than Laura Jo had ever ridden in, even when she’d still been living with her parents.

Her door had hardly opened before Allie ran toward a basset hound, whose ears dragged along the ground. Not far behind him strolled Mark. For a second her breath caught. He had all the markers of an eye-catching man. Tall, blond wavy hair and an air about him that said he could take care of himself and anyone else he cared about. It was a dazzling combination.

She’d been asked out a number of times by one of the men at the hospital, but she’d never had a man both irritate her and draw her to him at the same time. That was exactly what Mark Clayborn did.

He looked down with a smile at Allie, with her arms wrapped around Gus, and Jeremy, patting him, then at Laura Jo.

Her middle fluttered. If it wasn’t for all the baggage she carried, her inability to trust her judgment of men, maybe she might be interested. She’d let Allie have her day and make a concerted effort not to see Mark again.

“Hey. Did you have any trouble finding it?”

“No trouble. I knew which one it was when you told me you lived in Fairhope.”

“Really?”

“I remember passing it when I was a kid.” She’d been aware all her life where the Clayborn summer home was located.

He glanced back to where the children played with the dog. “I think they’re hitting it off.”

Laura Jo couldn’t help but agree.

“Allie, did you bring some clothes for Gus? I got a few things just in case you didn’t,” Mark said, strolling toward the kids and dog.

“They’re in the car.”

“I’ll get them, honey,” Laura Jo called, as the kids headed toward the large open yard between the house and bay. “Don’t go near the water and stay where I can see you.”

She walked to the car and Mark followed her. “You’re a good mother.”

Laura Jo glanced at him. “I try to be.”

“So when did Allie’s father leave?”

Laura Jo opened the passenger door then looked at him. “When I was three months pregnant.”

Mark whistled. “That explains some of your standoffishness.”

She pulled a large brown sack out of the car and closed the door with more force than necessary. “I’m not.”

“Yeah, you are. For some reason, you don’t want to like me, even when you do.”

She was afraid he might be right. Thankfully, squealing in the front yard drew their attention to the two children running around as a dog almost as wide as he was tall chased them.

Mark checked his watch and called, “Allie and Jeremy, we need to get started on what Gus will wear because the parade starts in a couple of hours.”

The kids ran toward them and Gus followed.

“Why don’t we go around to the deck where it’s cooler? We can dress Gus there,” Mark said to the kids.

Mark led the way with the kids and Gus circled them. Laura Jo hung back behind them. Mark was good with children. Why didn’t he have a wife and kids of his own? She imagined she was the only one of many who didn’t fall at his charming feet.

The deck was amazing. It was open at one end. Chairs and a lounge group were arranged into comfortable conversation areas. At the other end was an arbor with a brown vine that must be wisteria on it. Laura Jo could only envision what it would look like in the spring and summer, with its green leaves creating a roof of protection from the sun. She’d love to sit in a comfortable chair under it but that wasn’t going to happen.

“Allie, why don’t you and Jeremy pull the things you brought out of the bag while I go get what I bought? Then you can decide how to dress Gus.”

Allie took the bag from Laura Jo. With the children busy pulling feather boas, old hair bows, purple, green and gold ribbon from the bag, Laura Jo took a seat on the end of a lounge chair and watched.

Mark quickly returned with an armload of stuff.

“I thought you only got a few things,” Laura Jo said.

He grinned. Her heart skipped a beat.

“I might have gotten a little carried away.” He looked directly at her. “I do that occasionally.”

For some reason, she had the impression he might be talking about sex. She hadn’t had a thought like that in forever. Not since Phil had left. He’d made it clear that she hadn’t been wanted and neither had their child.

Mark added his armload to the growing pile on the deck.

“Okay, Allie, I want you and Jeremy to pick out a winning combination. They give prizes for the funniest dog, best dressed, most spirited and some more I don’t remember. Let’s try to win a prize,” Mark said, as he joined them on the planks of the wooden deck and held Gus. “I’ll hold him while you dress him.”

Laura Jo scooted back in the lounge to watch. It was a February day but the sun was shining. It wasn’t long until her eyes closed.

She didn’t know how long she’d been out before Mark’s voice above her said, “You’d better be careful or you’ll get burned. Even the winter sun in the south can get you.”

“Thanks. I’m well aware of that. Remember, I’ve lived here all my life.”

“That’s right, a Herron.”

“Who is a Herron, Mommy?”

“They’re a family I used to know.”

Mark’s brows rose.

“Now, let me see what ya’ll have done to Gus while I was napping,” Laura Jo said quickly, before he could ask any more questions in front of Allie.

Mark didn’t question further, seeing that Laura Jo didn’t want to talk about her family in front of Allie. But he would be asking later. Allie didn’t even know who her grandparents were? There was a deep, dark secret there that he was very interested in finding out about. Why hadn’t he recognized Laura Jo? Probably because she had been too young to take his notice. His mouth drew into a line. More likely, he had been so focused on his world he hadn’t looked outside it.

“My, doesn’t Gus look, uh … festive?”

Mark couldn’t help but grin at Laura Jo’s description. Festive was a good word for it, along with silly. His dog wore a purple, gold and green feather boa wrapped around his neck. A dog vest of the same colors was on his body, bands on his ankles and a bow on the end of his tail. This being the one thing Allie had insisted he needed. Mark was amazed the Gus was as agreeable as he was about that.

Allie pronounced him “Perfect.”

“I think we should be going if we want to make the start time.”

“Start time?” Laura Jo asked.

“For the Mystic Mutts parade.”

“I don’t think—”

“We can’t miss it. Isn’t that right, Allie and Jeremy?”

“Right,” both children said in unison.

Great. Now she was being ganged up on.

“Come on, Mommy. We have to take Gus,” Allie pleaded.

Laura Jo glared at Mark. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

Allie and Jeremy danced around her. “Yay.”

“Let me get Gus’s leash and we’ll be all set.” Mark went inside and returned with a lead.

As they rounded the house and headed toward the cars he looked at Laura Jo’s. It was too small for all of them.

“I don’t think we can all get in my car,” Laura Jo said from beside him.

Mark stopped and looked at hers again. “I guess I should drive.”

“You don’t sound like you really want to do that. We could take two cars but I’m sure parking will be tight.”

Mark’s lips drew into a tight line. The thought of being responsible for Laura Jo and the kids gave him a sick feeling. Children had never ridden in his car. Since the accident he’d made it a practice not to drive with others in the car if he could help it. Often he hired a driver when he went out on a date. Unable to come up with another plan, he said, “Then we’ll go in my car. Please make sure the children are securely buckled in.”

Laura Jo gave him an odd look before she secured Allie and Jeremy in the backseat. Gus found a spot between them and Allie placed an arm around him. Laura Jo joined him in the front. Mark looked back to check if the children were buckled in.

“Is there a problem?” Laura Jo asked.

If he kept this up he would make them all think he was crazy. He eased his grip on the steering wheel and let the blood flow back into his knuckles. “No. I was just double-checking they were okay.”

Laura Jo shook her head as she ran a hand across the leather of the seat. “Worried about having kids in your fancy car?”

“No.”

“Nice,” she murmured.

“Like my car?”

“Yes,” she said, more primly than the situation warranted, as she placed her hand in her lap.

He grinned. At least this subject took his mind off having a carload of passengers. “It’s okay to say what you think.”

“I wouldn’t think it’s very practical. The cost of a car like this could help a lot of people in need.”

“I help people in need all the time. I also give to charities so I don’t feel guilty about owning this car.” Taking a fortify breath, he started it and pulled away from the house. At the end of the drive, he turned onto the road leading into town.

“I’m just not impressed by fancy cars and houses. People with those think they can tell you what to do, how you need to live. Even look down on others.”

He glanced at her. “That’s an interesting statement. Care to give me some background?”

“No, not really.”

“Well, you just insulted me and my family and yours as well, and you won’t even do me the courtesy of telling me why?”

“I’m sorry I insulted you. Sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain.” She looked out the side window.

Yes, he was definitely going to find out what gave her such a sour view of people with money. He’d always prided himself on the amount he gave to charities. He had nothing to be ashamed of where that was concerned. Standing beside someone he loved when there was a disaster was where he failed.

A few minutes later he pulled the car into a tight space a couple of blocks from the parade route. It was the only spot he could find after circling the area. How had he gotten through the short drive without breaking into a sweat? Amazingly, talking to Laura Jo had made him forget his anxiety over driving. “This is the best I can do. We’ll have to walk some.”

Laura Jo saw to getting the children out. He leashed Gus and then gave him over to Allie. The girl beamed.

“I checked the paper this morning and the start of the parade is at the corner of Section and Third Street.”

They weaved their way through the already growing crowd. As the number of people increased, Mark took Gus’s leash from Allie and made sure that space was made for the dog, children and Laura Jo. A few times he touched her waist to direct her through a gap in the crowd. At the first occurrence she stiffened and glanced back at him. When he did it again she seemed to take it in her stride.

Mark was pleased when his little party arrived at the starting line without a loss of personnel. He looked at Laura Jo. “Why don’t you wait here with the kids while I check in?”

“We’ll be right over here near the brick wall.” She took Gus’s lead and led Allie and Jeremy to the spot she’d indicated.

“I’ll be right back.”

“You hope.” She smiled.

It was the first genuine one he’d seen her give. It caught him off guard. It took him a second to respond. “Yeah.”

Fifteen minutes later he had Gus, Allie and Jeremy signed in for the parade. He found Laura Jo and the kids waiting right where she’d said they would be. She had her head down, listening to something that Jeremy was saying. The angle of her head indicated she was keeping an eye on her daughter at the same time. Once again he was impressed by her mothering skills. The women he’d gone out with had never shown any interest in being mothers. He’d always thought he’d like to be a father, but he wouldn’t let that happen. What if he ran out on them, like he had Mike, when the going got tough? He couldn’t take that chance.