Page 10 (1/2)

Author: Robyn Carr

"Okay Yes, that’s wonderful" When Devon stood, she found her legs eak, her knees shaky She put out her hand "I don’t kno to thank you for giving ood job" She took a breath She was exhausted She sine"

He stood as well, taking her hand "You’ve had soles, haven’t you, Devon?"

"You have no idea," she said on a breath

"Then I’s around From this moment on, it’s all up to you"

Five

As Devon walked back across the beach, her spirits rose with each step In her previous life, things had been so i a job, she was found acceptable In fact Dr Grant said "highly qualified"! It was beyond her i down her cheeks before she even realized it She wiped at them impatiently

When she was halfway across the beach, she stopped and looked out past the big rocks to the Pacific There was a boat out there, a mere spec on the horizon Sarah’s brother was on his paddleboard and it appeared he had a young boy along for the ride The sun was high and bright; the air alon the beach, a stroller and a little cooler beside her towel Mercy would like that--to be able to play and read and romp on the beach under a warm summer sun

And she thought, God, if I’h to make a life for myself and my child in this sain!

She was halfway up the beach stairs when she saw hi down As he made to pass her on the stairs, he frowned and stopped He reached out a hand and rested it on her shoulder "You all right?"

He must have noticed her tears She wiped her cheeks and sot a job," she said in a faint whisper She cleared her throat and tried that again Louder Stronger "I got a job!"

He smiled at her "Good for you Where?"

"In the doctor’s office Full-tihed, silently

She pushed past him and ran the rest of the way up the stairs and into the bar There was just Cooper behind the bar, putting things away She knew her sht with excitement "Where is Rawley?"

"Well, now Looks like that job intervieell," Cooper said with a s bread with Mercy--a first I hope she’s taken charge He’s never done that before"

With a laugh, she darted into the kitchen With a stool propped up to the counter, Mercy was kneading green dough, rolling it out and ?" she asked

"Mercy said she was good at reen would be fun" He wiped his hands "How’d it go?"

"I got it," she said in a near whisper "I start tomorrow And unless there’s some problem I don’t know about, I can share Dr Grant’s babysitter He’s a single father with two little kids, so he knows it can get cole parents"

"Good for you," he said "How’s ’at feel?"

"Oh, Rawley, you can’t iain "All weekend I prepared myself for the inevitable--that he wouldn’t find me qualified Or even that I wouldn’t look the part You just can’t irab his coffee "I reckon I can iine"

"I shouldahlook around for a place of ave her a half smile "That so? Last time I looked, you didn’t have no truck full o’ furniture"

"Maybe there’s so furnished," she said "We don’t need much"

"You do that if you want to, but it ain’t necessary I got used to the two of you If I didn’t know better, I’d think ere cousins Family Ain’t hardly had any family My mother, she passed when I was barely a man I had no brothers or sisters and, don’t tell anyone, but there ain’t never been cousins And there sure weren’t no woman who could stand a crazy old vet likea slight blush to his cheeks "You’re the furthest thing froht? Well, don’t tell Cooper He thinks he’s doingme work because I’m an odd one"

"You’re not," she said "And I think Mercy loves you a little bit I should pay you rent at least," Devon said