Page 19 (1/2)

Author: Robyn Carr

"Sure That’s awfully nice of you, after I disrupted your sleep in the ht"

"Nah, not that serious I was just reading"

"Where’s Gabriella?"

"Sleeping in I have no idea when Charlie brought her home, but it must have been very late Sunday is her day off unless I have so on I’m on call for Bandon ER today and if they call, I’ll need her She usually spends Sundays studying or with Charlie"

"You could just call onna do that, Devon?" he asked

"Right No phone I’ to have to take care of that Maybe I should take the kids down to the beach, let them see the flower arch, play in the water a little bit I’d be happy to do that In fact, it’s the least I can do"

He flipped a clown pancake onto her plate and she thought, This is so nored for noruy in the kitchen, a regular house, work, fahed and said, "So, you call this a clown, huh?"

"My best effort," he said

"It kind of looks like asquirrel" She cut off what appeared to be the tail, popping it in her mouth "Now it looks more like a clownor a hamster"

When breakfast was over, Devon took care of the cleanup and loaded the dishes in the dishwasher Then she drove hoed into clothes for the beach before heading to theafull of beach toys "You sure you’re up to this?" he asked "I was called to Bandon I could be a couple of hours"

"I can handle the three of theet them all home I just have the one booster seat"

"We can trade cars," he suggested "Just put Mercy’s seat in entle with her--she belongs to Rawley and he restored her"

The transfer wasby, in case I get stuck at the ER"

But Devon was leaning into his beautiful new vehicle She was sht just take this baby out for a little spin Is this new?"

"Pretty new, yeah You’re going to have to drum up some business for reat car I’ve never in my life had a new car" She re and handed it to Scott

"So for the tightwad doctor, but someday" He took the truck key fro out well Kids and all"

"Kids and all," she said

With three little kids in tow, she grabbed up the towels, the sunscreen and toys They went about halfway down the beach before they stopped Devon spread out their towels and slathered their wiggly, excited little bodies with sunscreen She laughed at their excitee, only No farther than your knees!"

This was Devon’s coe She found the They could also be very bad, but she’d never wondered what to do--Aunt Mary had had the patience of Job and had taught her well

They had all played in the water and the sand for about an hour when someone plunked down beside her and she turned to see Spencer sitting next to her

"Goodhere?"

He pointed to the dock "Austin wants to take out one of the boards and if soets out too far He wants to be like Landon--taking that board all the way out to theus on the life jacket issue" He nodded toward the littler kids "The doctor’s kids?"

"Yes, he’s on call and I volunteered to babysit," she said

"Listen, about last night"

She laughed in spite of herself "Regrets, Spencer?"

"If I offended you, I’ether?"

A huff of laughter escaped her "While I’m flattered beyond reason, ht be way too soon for you to think about relationships Your wife has been gone how long?"

"Not long and yet, a long, long ti problem"

She tilted her head He hadn’t seeht "Oh?"

"Yes" He circled his knees with his ar I please Whether or not it’s a good idea"

"I see," she said, laughing "So this is about regrets"

He sighed "I can be more suave You should try me"

She turned toward hiuy, but I warn you--I’m painfully out of practice at this And it’s possible you’re just lonely"

He turned toward her "Devon, my as a wonderful woman I didn’t deserve her That’s a fact And she battled cancer for almost four years She had brief periods of respite, but every tiht it together till the end Was I lonely? Yes, absolutely If I could’ve taken it on for her I would have In the end I was glad she could give up the fight--it was terrible for her"

Devon was quiet for a long moment Finally she said, "You must miss her so much"

"Of course But that’s not why I danced with you That’s not why I kissed you"