Page 7 (1/2)

Author: Robyn Carr

When Devon and Mercy arrived at the beach bar, ready to go to the job fair, she found Sarah and Spencer sitting on the deck with coffee She didn’t want to intrude, so she just said, "Hi I’ out of his chair "It’s a whole new you!"

"That’s darling," Sarah said, s Ryan Ithair"

"Nah, I was ready to let that go It’s ine" But she often found herself reaching for that long braid, running a hand down the back of her neck

"Pull up a chair, we have ti Cooper down on the beach"

Rawley came out onto the deck "If you want to leave Mercy with ets done on the beach and coo out on the dock I’ll make sure she has a life vest"

"I don’t want you to be stuck babysitting, Rawley," Devon said

"Let her go," Spencer said "I kno to run the bar if anyone shows up Austin’s down there already, trying to e in," Sarah said "He’ll help"

"She can’t swionna swionna eat worms, either I hope" He reached for her hand and she looked up at his grizzled face and beamed "Wanna catch some fish?" he asked her And she nodded enthusiastically

Sarah got up, draining her cup once she was standing "I’e--I’ve been out on the bay thisI’ll be back in a minute Help yourself to coffee Then we’ll hts at the open house" And with that she was gone

Neither Spencer nor Devon said anything until Rawley and Mercy were down the stairs and Sarah had closed the door to Cooper’s upstairs apart of sticking around awhile"

Devon looked at him sharply "There’s rumors about me already?"

He chuckled "Not the scary kind, like that you dabble in witchcraft or eat puppies for breakfast Rawleyfor work around here"

"Oh Right Of course Well, it all depends I’m unknown here If there were jobs, I’ time would have them"

"You’d think so, wouldn’t you? I’m from out of town I came here for a job"

"Really? What job?" Her interest was immediately piqued

"I’h school" Then he laughed "Really, though, I’hed audibly "A drealanced away "My wife passed away a few o That’s why I wanted to move Austin and I needed a fresh start"

"I’osh, I barely meet you and I put my foot in my mouth"

"No harm done And no, she wasn’t particularly athletic She liked boating and a little waterskiing, but that was it And I have to give her a lot of credit--she caah "But she was there"

"You h days I try to take colad that’s over for her"

Devon sed hard Yet another reht her life to be on some days, here was a bravewith a loved one who had suffered

"And why Thunder Point? Just the job?" she asked

"Not just the job, but I’m real happy about that It’s a surprise, really I was looking for soood friends"

"We’re getting there Cooper’s a pretty okay guy He’s also Austin’s father"

"I thought you were Austin’s father"

He took a breath "Well, it’s coht and coached Just before Bridget passed ae learned that Austin is actually Cooper’s biological son Cooper was engaged to Bridget way back--we honestly didn’t know So we did the right thing--contacted Cooper, explained to Austin" He gave a shrug "So it goes Life isn’t always cut-and-dried"

"No kidding," she said Co-dads? Just what she needed--another co "So far What about you?" he asked

"Me?"

"Uh-huh, you Divorced? Widowed? And why Thunder Point?"