Accept Me

by Marion Ueckermann

  “A–and my biological father? Do you know anything about him?” Surely he was named on the original birth certificate?

  Her father’s head swayed slowly from side to side. “Father unknown is what was recorded.”

  A sick feeling welled up inside Haddie. Had her mother been—? She closed her eyes. Please, God, don’t let it be. Don’t let me be the product of r–rape. I–I couldn’t bear that too.

  Chapter Four

  THE TASTE of coffee and chocolate still lingered on his tongue. Riley ditched his empty take-out cup from The Pancake Shoppe as he passed a trash can. Mmm, that Paula Montana certainly knew how to make a mean mocha choca.

  He pulled his black woolen cap over his ears and tightened the scarf around his neck as he followed closely behind Pete, snaking his way through the horde. Despite the frosty weather, it seemed as if the whole of Chapel Cove had bundled up against the elements and trooped down to the boardwalk, the beach, and the amusement park for the fireworks display that would herald in the new year. And why not? This was the first time something like this had happened in Chapel Cove, and property tycoon, Bill Patterson, was scoring major brownie points with the townsfolk by footing the bill—he chuckled at the pun—for this event. Something to cheer up the residents after the recent floods, Mr. Patterson had said. Riley was certain that the moment the display was over, everyone would scatter like the foam on a crashing wave. And if he had his way, he’d be leading the pack. It wasn’t that the temperature was below freezing, yet, but with the wind-chill factor coming off the sea, it certainly felt quite arctic.

  It was nice of Paula and her daughter-in-law, Melanie, to keep The Pancake Shoppe open until the fireworks display at midnight, although Paula had already looked exhausted when he’d ordered those coffees for himself and Pete. Still, an astute business move for those two ladies. He could only imagine how their hot drinks sales had soared this evening. Not to mention their delicious treats. He would’ve ordered a slice of that warm gingerbread if it wasn’t for the fact that he didn’t like eating late at night—and nearly midnight was late. Besides, it had been nigh on impossible to get a seat inside, and eating cake while on the run in these crowds would’ve been challenging. Half the reason he’d downed his drink so quickly.

  Pete turned and flashed him a grin, seemingly relieved to see that Riley was still hot on his heels, although it had been a feat to keep up and not get separated. If this became an annual event, then the Chief should consider throwing this obstacle course into a training manual for his firemen and EMTs.

  His friend pointed ahead. “Over there… An open spot beside the railing.” Pete bulldozed his way through the people milling about chatting, determined to snag a place that would give an unobstructed view, according to him. Riley couldn’t quite understand his reasoning. Everyone would be gazing up into the sky to see the exploding fireworks, not across the dark ocean toward the horizon. Unobstructed view unnecessary.

  “Pete, you made it.”

  Riley gazed past Pete to a pretty young woman wearing a faux fur hat. Her short blonde bob stuck out beneath the soft pink fabric. Ah, now he understood Pete’s insistence on heading through the crowds to that particular spot.

  Pete wrapped an arm around the woman and drew her into a kiss before turning back to Riley. “I’d like you to meet Summer.”

  Riley bit his lip for a moment, resisting the urge to respond with a “Nice to meet you, but you look more like a Winter to me.” Instead he held out a hand and greeted the woman.

  “So, this is a surprise. Where did you two meet?” His index finger oscillated between Pete and Summer.

  “You know the bachelor auction ‘date’ I had to go on with Old Mrs. Pfefferkorn?” Pete asked.

  Riley nodded and Pete continued.

  “Well, Mrs. Pfefferkorn is Summer’s grandmother.”

  Groan, another chuckle to suppress. Could Summer’s surname be Pfefferkorn as well? This was too much, if it was. He knew peppercorns came in different colors—black, white, green, pink—but he didn’t know they came in seasons too.

  “Uh-huh…” Riley smoothed his left thumb and index finger around his mouth, struggling not to laugh.

  “I haven’t told you yet, but on my date with Mrs. Pfefferkorn, we went Christmas shopping in Portland. That’s where I met Summer. So on my days off, I’ve trekked to Portland to see Summer. She unfortunately had a family-only dinner this evening she couldn’t get out of, but promised if she could get away, we’d meet here tonight.”

  “Our family dinners can go on, and on, and on.” Summer rolled her eyes. “And being New Year’s Eve, my family wanted to see it in together. They barely permitted me to leave to see the fireworks and couldn’t quite understand why I couldn’t just watch them from my grandmother’s balcony. Of course, the view from her cliffside mansion would be incredible. It was only because I said I was meeting my friend Anna at the boardwalk just before midnight that I managed to escape.”

  Riley stared at Pete and waggled his brows. “Well, hello, Anna.”

  Unamused at being called Anna, Pete thumped Riley in the arm, barely making a dent in his thick jacket.

  Shifting his fingers down to his chin, Riley narrowed his gaze, his smile disappearing. “So, why didn’t you crack an invite to the Pfefferkorns?”

  Pete shrugged and glanced at Summer. “Should I tell him?”

  She shook her head. “No, it’s all right. I’ll tell him. They’re my stuffy parents anyway.” She planted a quick kiss on Pete’s cheek before turning her attention to Riley. “My parents have grand ideas of me marrying someone…affluent…like a lawyer, or investment banker one day.”

  “Not a lowly EMT, right?” Riley hitched his foot onto the boardwalk railing, then leaned against the wooden barrier. He disliked rich, opinionated people who thought they were better than others. Was Pete’s new love interest like that? If so, he hoped whatever was going on here, didn’t last.

  Summer pursed her lips and gave a slow nod. “Right... That’s why Pete and I have kept our relationship a secret. We need to see if this will work out before I rock the Pfefferkorn boat.”

  And his friend was okay with that? Sneaking around? Chapel Cove was small. Not much was secret in this small town. It wouldn’t be long before the town’s tongues would wag. Maybe that would be a good thing. Summer seemed like a nice girl, but not the right girl for his best friend.

  “Summer!”

  Riley caught his breath. Oh no, he knew that voice.

  All. Too. Well.

  Long, red hair breezed past him as Anna Alverson wrapped her arms around her friend. Then she turned to Riley and threaded her arm through his, leaning her head against his shoulder. She gazed up at him and smiled. “Well, hello, lover.”

  Ugh. Second time she’d referred to him by that name.

  Second time serious chills rushed up his spine.

  Riley shifted his foot from the railing and straightened, loosening Anna’s grasp on him.

  Only momentarily.

  Suddenly, someone started counting down, the sound of voices intensifying with each number shouted.

  Ten!

  Nine!

  Eight!

  Seven!

  Six!

  Anna’s fingers tightened around his arm and she inched closer. If that was even possible.

  Three!

  Two!

  One!

  The skies exploded in an array of colors. What an incredible sight. Cracks, bangs, and booms echoed in the night.

  “Happy New Year!” Riley cheered with a few thousand other voices.

  Before he knew what was happening, Anna’s lips were pressed firmly against his.

  When she finally pulled away, she winked and purred in a low, seductive voice, “These fireworks have nothing on what I have planned for our date.”

  Their date. He’d hoped that she’d forgotten it by now. This was the first time Anna had mentioned the date since she’d “bought” him for a day—or night, please, Lo
rd, no—at the bachelor auction. And this date had hung over his head like the sword of Damocles for the past six weeks. If only he could’ve planned the date, he’d have been done with it long ago. But Anna had insisted that she be the one responsible for choosing and arranging their outing. And after she—or her father—had forked out over twelve thousand dollars, for the good of the town, how could he have refused to give her free rein?

  “W–when is that?” Riley ventured.

  “Oh, I’ll let you know soon enough.” She ran her tongue lightly over her ruby-red lips.

  He was in trouble. No doubt about it.

  Give him Granny Pfefferkorn any day.

  As the skies darkened once again, Riley wriggled out of Anna’s hold. He smacked Pete on the arm. “Happy New Year, buddy,” then planted a quick kiss on Summer’s cheek. “Nice meeting you. I need to go.”

  “Aw, leaving so soon.”

  Riley turned to see Anna’s pout.

  “I’m on duty at six tomorrow morning. I need to get in some beauty sleep.” Without waiting for a response, Riley turned and followed the flow of the dissipating crowd.

  Seemed Anna wasn’t taking his dismissal. She stuck to his side like gum to the bottom of a shoe.

  Well, he’d be safe in his car soon.

  As he walked past The Pancake Shoppe, he noticed a commotion, people flocking around the storefront. What was going on?

  Instinct kicked in and Riley elbowed his way through the mob. Paula lay outside on the boardwalk near the entrance. Dr. Mark Stewart knelt beside her. Riley reminded himself that he should head home. He wasn’t on duty, and he had a shift in a few hours. But he couldn’t ignore the pull of someone in distress. And the doctor might need help with her.

  He rushed forward and sank to his haunches beside them. “What can I do?”

  Unable to sleep, Haddie perched on the interior bench of her bedroom’s dormer window, staring into the dark night sky. No New Year’s starbursts to admire out here in the country—they would spook the horses.

  Her father had suggested they drive through to Harrodsburg to ring in the New Year there, enjoy the festivities. Get out of the house. Forget.

  But Haddie didn’t want to forget.

  And she had a lot on her mind. Important decisions she’d grappled with for the past six weeks, choices she felt compelled to make. Tonight. No New Year’s resolutions. Just decisions.

  She’d tried so hard to process the truth of who she really was—not a Hayes biologically—and tried to act normally, as if the words spoken to her on her mother’s deathbed hadn’t changed everything. But they had. It all made sense now why she bore no resemblance to either of her parents.

  So she and her father had retired early. In the privacy of her room, she’d stared out of her window for hours, counting the stars and thinking, thinking, thinking.

  Downstairs the grandfather clock that stood proudly in the hall chimed, a Hayes heirloom handed down from generation to generation. An ache formed in her chest as her heart squeezed tight. Did the clock stop here, with her? She wasn’t a Hayes.

  Her eyes burned with tears. Who was she then?

  She’d fought the urge to find out since the funeral and her father’s confirmation of her mother’s words. But Dad had needed her. Now she needed something. Answers. Answers that might fix the fissures threatening her relationship with her father.

  She couldn’t put this off much longer. She needed to start making preparations to take the long journey to the west coast.

  Oregon.

  Chapel Cove.

  “Pulse thready, fast, and irregular. My guess is she’s in rapid AF.”

  Dr. Mark’s words sent chills down Riley’s spine. Could be yet another heart attack.

  The doc looked up. “If we get her to the medical center, we can do an EKG.”

  Yes. Of course. Riley fumbled for his phone in his jacket pocket. “I’ll call the on-duty guys to get an ambulance here stat.” He punched in 911 and called it in, spotting Anna’s red hair making its way through the swarm of people. He wished he could just tell her to go home. Well, as soon as he was done helping here, that’s exactly where he was headed.

  Alone!

  “Then get these people to stand well back, and grab my medical bag from the living quarters,” Dr. Mark ordered.

  A teenage girl emerged from the bystanders. “I’ll do that. I know where it is.” She rushed inside the restaurant. Riley recognized her as the one helping in The Pancake Shoppe earlier.

  He dropped his phone into his pocket and started to clear the assembly. The ambulance would be here in minutes. “Okay, people, move along. There’s nothing here to see. Give the good doctor space to work, and the emergency services a clear run to the patient, will you?”

  The crowd shifted back, and Riley walked down the boardwalk, clearing a path to the parking lot out back. In the distance, a siren wailed, coming closer.

  The thought crossed Riley’s mind to wait for the ambulance so he could brief his co-workers the moment they arrived. But there wasn’t much more to tell than what he’d said on the 911 call. No matter. The fear that Paula might arrest had Riley rushing back in case Dr. Mark needed help with CPR.

  When Riley got back, the doctor already had a pulse oximeter attached to the end of Paula’s finger, and he was checking her blood pressure. Riley hunkered down beside him. “How is she?”

  With a slight shake of his head, Dr. Mark lowered his voice. “Her heart rate is so fast and irregular, I’m struggling to get accurate readings on her BP and oxygen sats.” He pressed a glucometer and lancet into Riley’s palm. “Will you check her blood sugar while I try her BP once more?”

  As Riley pricked Paula’s finger, she began to stir. She tried to sit up.

  “Just relax, Paula,” Riley soothed, trying to allay any fear she might be feeling.

  Paula nudged his arm away and mumbled, “I’m fine.” Her weak voice said otherwise. “It was just a faint, that’s all.”

  Dr. Mark coaxed Paula back into a supine position, a gentleness on his face as he spoke to her. “Maybe, but let’s just run some tests to be sure. All right?”

  She tightened her lips and nodded.

  “I noticed her pressing on her chest earlier. She insisted she was fine.” Melanie’s narrowed eyes held more than a hint of accusation.

  The doc raised an eyebrow. “Do you have any chest pain now, Paula?”

  “Nope. And I didn’t then.” Paula huffed at her daughter-in-law. “Tattletale. I am fine. You’re all making a fuss about nothing.”

  “Let’s do those tests and then decide.” Dr. Mark remained calm and patient.

  The siren’s wail ceased, and seconds later, two of Riley’s colleagues rushed toward them, pushing a gurney.

  Once Paula was safely on her way to the medical center, Dr. Mark by her side, Riley turned to go.

  A hand seized his arm.

  “Ooh, I just loved seeing you at work. So macho and s—” For the second time that night, Anna ran her tongue along her red lips as if she was about to devour him.

  Please, don’t say sexy.

  “Dare I say, sensual?”

  Groan. Just as bad. Maybe even worse.

  “Anna, I hate to be rude, but I really have to go. I’m only going to get five hours shuteye tonight, and that’s not good enough in my line of work.”

  With a quick goodbye and a wave, Riley broke into a trot, then a full-out gallop back to his Jeep. If Anna tried to follow him, she’d eat his car’s dust by the time she caught up with him.

  Chapter Five

  HOURS BEFORE the sun would rise, Haddie tiptoed out of the house. She couldn’t believe it had taken her more than two weeks to make her preparations since that New Year’s Eve decision, but finally she was ready. Nothing more left to be done. She’d worked her last two weeks at the library, booked her flight and rental car, and packed sufficient for an extended stay. She’d decided to wait until she got to Chapel Cove to find somewhere to settle in. Toda
y, she’d have the afternoon free—surely she’d be able to find somewhere nice to stay. It wasn’t as if hotels or B&Bs would be booked solid in the dead of winter. From what she’d read online, Chapel Cove was more a hidden treasure for summer vacationers.

  Light rain speckled her waterproof jacket and her jeans. She flipped the hood over her head and hurried through the faint fog toward the stables, a flashlight lighting her way. She only had half an hour left before she and her father needed to leave for the airport. She hated that her flight was at the crack of dawn, making it necessary for them to stumble out of bed before 3 a.m. Why on earth did airlines require passengers to check in two-hours before a flight, anyway? It wasn’t as if she was traveling internationally—merely to the other side of the USA.

  Suddenly the west coast seemed so far away from the bluegrass fields of home. Had her decision to go searching for her biological mother been too rash? Not even two months had gone by since they’d buried her dear mom. She should stay, be here for her father at this time—his pain was still so raw, as was hers—but she needed to do this. No, she had to do this. Hopefully she could find her biological mother quickly—she had a name, after all—get the answers to the questions surrounding her conception and be home with her dad before Valentine’s Day.

  Right… Highly unlikely. She couldn’t just blaze into a new town—a stranger—and start asking questions. Not that she was the blazing type…more the creep in unnoticed and edge along the boundaries kind of person. Or in a corner. She would need to gain the trust of the locals before she could enquire about her real mother, otherwise people might just clam up. Then she’d find out diddly-squat.

  Her heart squeezed. It could be spring or summer before she found the answers she sought and made it back home to Kentucky. If she ever found them. Was she prepared to stay away from home for that long while her father grieved alone?

  While she grieved alone?

  If she wasn’t still angry with God, she’d have shot a prayer to heaven for help.