The Wanderer
“Okay, omelet. Is bacon okay?”
“It’s his specialty. Crispy. And wheat toast and some home fries?”
“Excellent. Then I’m going over to the shop to work a little bit. Want to write down your address for me? Is your house hard to find?”
“It’s two blocks from here, Scott.” She slapped his order ticket on the cook’s counter. “You can see it from the front of the store. I’ll write down the address.”
When he was finishing up his breakfast, he asked, “So, what kind of classes?”
“Social work. I think, after I do an internship, I’d like to be a counselor. That’s way down the road for me, though. Right now Ashley is my priority—getting her through college and on her own.”
“Really? And could the citizens of Thunder Point use a counselor?”
“Every last person here,” she said, grinning.
* * *
Mac went to the diner at around ten in the morning and caught Gina reading. “Hey, slow morning?”
She closed the book. “Day after Thanksgiving is always a little quiet. People have tons of leftovers to plow through.”
He sat at the counter and she poured him coffee. “I had a nice time yesterday, Gina.”
“It was a good day, wasn’t it? I think everyone enjoyed it.”
“And you’re not mad at me anymore,” he said.
She took a steadying breath. “I apologize. You were in the line of fire. I’m not angry with you, Mac. I was angry with myself and took it out on you.”
“And would you mind sharing? What are you angry with yourself about?”
“It’s kind of hard to explain, but here goes. When I saw Sarah and Cooper holding hands and gazing at each other, I became so envious. I haven’t been on a date in years! I haven’t had anyone hold my hand or gaze into my eyes like I’m special in so long...maybe ever! I’m only thirty-two. I have nearly raised a daughter, almost have a degree, and I don’t have a life. And I am bloody sick of not having a life. That’s all it was—just a woman mourning her abandoned womanhood.”
Mac thought, My timing is perfect! Outside of police work, his timing was seldom on, but for once... “Then I’m in the right place at the right time. Let’s go out Saturday night. No kids, no aunt, no mother. Just you and me.”
“Oh,” she said uncomfortably. “Listen, it’s not like I don’t appreciate the gesture, but I’m not looking for another friendly little buddy hookup. I’ll hang out with you anytime, Mac. Your friendship is very important to me. But I actually want a real date with the potential for a little hand-holding. Maybe even a kiss good-night.”
“Well, I—”
“I have a date with Scott Grant for Saturday night. We’re going out to dinner. Without kids.”
“Scott Grant?” he asked, though he knew exactly who that was.
“Dr. Grant?” she returned.
“I know,” he said, irritably. “You like him?”
“Of course I like him or I wouldn’t go out with him,” she said. “He’s very nice. I don’t have any expectations, but he wants to take me out and—”
“You might’ve warned me,” Mac said.
Her brows knit. “Of what?”
“That you needed to have a date. After all, we’ve been—”
“Buddies,” she said. “Pals. No offense, Mac, but I don’t need another pal. I wouldn’t trade you for anything, but I really think I’m now mature enough for a boyfriend. It doesn’t have to be happily ever after, I just want a shot at it. I’m not saying that will be Scott Grant, but what the hell. I’m going on a date!”
“I’ve taken you out!” he boomed.
“Not exactly,” she corrected. “We’ve gone out together, but you made yourself very clear—you can’t have a relationship. You have children to raise. And I am ready for a relationship.”
“Aw, fuck,” he said, which he almost never said in front of a woman.
“Yeah, and that,” she said.
“Gina!” he barked, appalled.
“Well, forgive me for living!”
“I just swore because I was late in asking you out, behind Medical Man. Not because it was a game plan! Look, I’ll take you out, hold your hand, look at you like you’re special—”
“Whoa, thanks so much. But I have plans,” she said, lifting her chin. “And I think three years was enough time to give you to get ready. I’m going to move on. But gee, really, thanks so much for the offer.”
“Come on, Gina,” he said with a bit of a whine. “You know what I mean.”
“Breakfast, Mac? Or just coffee today?” she asked.
“You’re still mad at me. Jesus, I had no idea this was happening in your head. You should have told me!”
She leaned on the counter and looked into his eyes. “Mac, my dear friend, here is something you should probably know about women without being told. We don’t want to have to tell a man we need to be wanted. We’d really like that to come naturally. We’d like a man to pursue us because he wants us, not because he’s out of options.”
“Okay.”
“So—omelet or scrambled?”
“Are we done talking about this?”
“All done.”
Seventeen
As a matter of tradition, the chamber of commerce pulled out the Christmas decorations on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. In between serving and cooking, this was the day Stu and Gina worked on decorating the diner, with the help of Stu’s wife, Belinda, and Ashley. Carrie put up a wreath on her door and garland on the deli showcase. Everyone managed to pass through town at a point, whether to help or watch. Cooper was hanging around and, since he was handy, he was up on a ladder adding streamers and garland to the old-fashioned light posts on the main street. Even Wayland Carmichael was decorating his bar, Wayland’s. The good doctor showed up for a while and hung a decorated sign on his door that said Clinic Coming Soon.
Sarah showed up for a while with Ham, on her way to the beach, and Cooper climbed down his ladder to talk to her. He slipped an arm around her waist, kissed her cheek, laughed with her for a minute. When she went on her way to walk the dog, he gave her a pat on the rump.
Mac made his way to Cooper. “You barely hit town and you already found yourself a woman.”
Cooper just smiled. He gave a nod, but his gaze was following Sarah. When she turned the corner, he looked at Mac. “Which begs the question, what’s taking you so long? Didn’t you say you’ve been divorced for years?”
“Sore subject,” Mac said.
Cooper looked across the street and Mac followed with his eyes. Gina was holding a wreath for the front door, talking to Scott Grant, laughing. “What about Gina? You two seem to get along.”
Mac frowned. “She’s going out with the new doctor.”
“Well, that sucks. Maybe it won’t work out.”
As they watched, Gina and Scott laughed at something. Then Scott tweaked her cheek, whispered something that made her smile and turned to leave. Before getting in his car, he lifted his hand to wave to Mac and Cooper.
“Right,” Mac said glumly.
“I have to go,” Cooper said. “I’m going to meet Sarah at my place.”
“I don’t need to know that.”
“Sometimes she’s tired from her jog and needs to lie down awhile.”
“Really, you can keep it to yourself, asshole.”
“Hamlet likes to watch.”
“You’re a sick fucker, you know that?”
“I’m kidding, all right? I have Gatorade.”
Mac spent the rest of the afternoon either putting up decorations or giving his opinion about what looked right. He did a lot of observing at the same time, watching everyone who had come to help. Like Ray Anne, in jeans so tight it was a miracle she could stoop or squat, heels with the jeans, leather vest over red silk blouse, cleavage and mistletoe in her hair. Talk about obvious. His aunt was giving Ray Anne a wide berth. Everyone knew they didn’t get along.
Puck Morrison was in town for a while, his family notably absent. Mac observed that Puck seemed to be stooping, having a little trouble moving around. Everyone aged differently, but he thought Puck was about seventy, maybe a hair over. He looked worn-out. Maybe it was arthritis, slowing him down. One thing for sure, he’d look a lot better without that damn hairpiece he wore.
At about four, Wayland started passing out beer to the people still working on the street. Lou took off with the younger kids. Eve and Landon followed in Landon’s truck—those two appeared to be joined at the hip. Ashley, Gina and Carrie walked home, giving him a wave as they left.
Right. Gotta get dressed for that date.
Mac went home. There was a nice smell in the kitchen, but no one was around. Then Lou walked in, dressed all nice, fixing an earring. “There you are,” she said. “Eve is going out with Landon tonight—I think to a movie or something. The kids are downstairs playing video games. Dee Dee wanted a sleepover but I said not tonight, not after all day in town decorating. I’m going out. I didn’t check plans with you—are you home tonight?”
“I’m home,” he said wearily.
“It wouldn’t really have mattered. Dee Dee and Ryan are fine on their own. There’s meat loaf and mashed potatoes staying warm in the oven on low. Green beans in there, too. It’s ready whenever you are. I’ll be on my way.”
“Bunco?” he asked, lifting one sardonic brow.
“Here’s a thrill for you, Mac. I don’t even know how to play bunco.”
“Figures,” he said.
“I’ll be home later,” she said. “I’m not staying over or anything. We’re going out to dinner in North Bend, going to walk along the pier, you know.”
“How would I know?” he asked churlishly.
“If you want to go out for a beer or something, give the kids dinner and tell them to lock the door. You have your cell phone.”
But he didn’t feel like being friendly. He’d been as friendly as he could manage all day. He was sunk in a deep pit of self-pity at the moment and it was best to indulge that alone. Everyone had someone, it seemed. Everyone except him. He’d made such perfect sense to himself years ago, when he thought it through and decided dating Gina was a bad idea. He’d been attracted to her—at first because she was beautiful, then he quickly learned that her mind and heart were even more beautiful. Plus, she had courage and she never gave up, even when the hardest times hit her. And naturally, especially with what he’d been through in his short marriage and divorce, the fact that her daughter was her priority earned her every ounce of respect he could muster. So in the back of his head, he’d had a plan. When the girls were college-bound or at least almost college-bound, he’d court her. He’d tell her then that he’d always wanted her, but he worried about the possible conflicts.
Way to go, Deputy Yummy Pants, he thought. He’d waited too long. He had Cooper to thank for that—Cooper hitting town and hooking up practically overnight, illustrating to Gina that she’d put all her eggs in the wrong damn basket. He thought he was being brave and strong, holding off while they each had such complicated lives. How was he supposed to know that she was needing a little loving as much as he was?
He couldn’t get more stupid if he made an effort.
He cleaned the dishes after dinner, giving the kids a night off. He brewed himself a cup of coffee. He sat in his living room with his Labs and sulked, imagining her holding hands across the tablecloth with the doctor in a candlelit restaurant. He hated that doctor. Really, a doctor? A high school graduate up against a doctor? It was hopeless.