“You’re not boring me.”
“Thank you.” Her cheeks turned pink. “Feel free to go to the library in town and look us up. Several people have written local histories.” She returned the picture to the living room, then came back to stand in the doorway. “Can I get you something to eat or more to drink? I have food left over from lunch today.”
“No, thank you. I’ve eaten.” He stood beside the glassed-in books, wanting to simply stay and talk, thinking asking her if they could just get going was rude.
As if she read his mind, she glanced at an oversize watch strapped to her left wrist. “Did you bring those directions with you?”
“I did.” Relieved that he could do something proactive, he removed the paper with the directions from his coat pocket and unfolded it on top of the desk.
Ashley crossed the room to stand beside him and read them. Her hair smelled sweet yet tangy, like lemons and spring flowers. He breathed deeply and wished he hadn’t. The scent set up a longing inside him he couldn’t explain, something about the memory of a time when he felt secure and sure of where he had come from and where he was going.
He stepped away under the pretext of scanning the bookshelves. “Do you have an atlas of this area?” As he spoke, he spotted one behind the desk and rounded it to bring the book down. “I don’t know how those directions and a map of the area coincide, but perhaps it will help.”
“I think so.” She took the book from him, her hand warm against his for a moment.
She spread the atlas open to a page with crisscrossing roads and rivers, mountains and valleys in colorful display. Glancing from directions to map, she traced her finger along a circuitous route that would go up and down and loop-de-loop enough to make the most ardent roller-coaster devotee happy. The more she followed the course, the grimmer her mouth grew.
“Bad news?” Hunter asked.
“Not bad, as in possible for us to reach, but it will take a while.” She glanced toward the window.
Though no rain fell, the sky had grown overcast in the past half hour.
“More rain?” Hunter asked.
“Not necessarily. We get a lot of gray skies here. Clouds get trapped between the mountains. Mostly they amount to nothing, but I’m concerned about how dark things can get under the trees even without their leaves, and down in the hollers.” She glanced at her watch again. “Thing is, if we’re going to go up here”—she tapped on the map a ways north of their current location—“then we need to leave in the morning or risk being out there late at night.”
“Not recommended?”
“Much of that land is national parkland. You won’t find a lot of people around and probably no cell service. If there’s a problem, you’re kinda on your own.”
Hunter opened his mouth to say he had been in similar situations, then said nothing of the sort. He hadn’t been. He was always with a crew of men. This woman, however, probably had been in that remote area on her own. What courage, what dedication to her job that took.
“It’s waited this long, another day or two won’t matter.” Disappointment accompanied his words. He had nothing to look forward to but an empty hotel room or northern Virginia and an empty condo.
“You can stick around here?” She closed the atlas, then folded the directions with graceful hands.
“I can.”
He shouldn’t, but he would.
“Do you think I could persuade that library to lend me a book or two, though? I don’t have anything to do in my motel except watch TV, and I’d rather read a book.”
“I’ll get you something.” She handed him back the directions. “Do you want to go now?”
He did. He followed her into town, which proved to be a pretty tourist-type town, with little shops that appeared expensive and rather nice restaurants. The library was small, an old house converted into a place for books. Other than the solitary librarian, Hunter and Ashley were the only ones there.
The librarian, a gentleman who looked old enough to be retired from somewhere else, greeted Ashley by name and gave Hunter a curious stare. “May I help you?”
“He’s visiting, Mr. Jamison. I’m going to let him check something out on my card.” Ashley produced a stack of books she must have had in her Tahoe, since Hunter hadn’t seen her carry them from the house. “I’m checking these in.”
“Good thing. They’d be overdue tomorrow.” Mr. Jamison began to check the books in with one hand and waved with the other. “Help yourself.”
The selection wasn’t anything to write home about, consisting mostly of bestsellers and classics. Hunter found a couple of books that caught his interest and carried them to the desk.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Ashley called from another room.
“Miss Ashley,” Mr. Jamison scolded, “quiet in the library. You might disturb someone.”
Ashley’s giggle rippled through the musty air like a shimmer of sunlight. “Who would I disturb? The mice? The silverfish?”
Mr. Jamison grumbled something.
Hunter left his books on the checkout desk, then ducked into another room that appeared to be almost a museum. Models of coal mining equipment, an old train, and a house whose significance the locals must know stood on tables interspersed with stands of books on local flora and fauna, sightseeing guides, and local histories. One was called The Tollivers and the Brookses: Before the Hatfields and McCoys. Sadly, a sticker shone in one corner of the cover proclaiming that the book was for reading in the library only. He may as well stay.
Ashley was standing at the desk with her own stack of books.
“I think I’ll stay and read, if that’s all right.” He gathered up the books she had checked out for him. “And thank you for these.”
“Sure.” She gathered up her own books. “If you’re bored after the library closes, we’re having game night at the church. The one next door to here. You’re more than welcome.”
“Thank you.” He couldn’t imagine what game night at a church would be like and doubted he would go.
Yet when the library closed at five o’clock, Hunter needed supper, so he ate at one of the restaurants, an Italian one of better than average quality. An evening with books to read was far preferable to a night of TV, yet the sight of all the cars parked beside a church promised people and perhaps some conversation.
What was wrong with him? He never minded being alone. Not quite true. He did mind being alone; he was simply good at entertaining himself out of feeling lonely. Yet if he didn’t have to feel lonely, he may as well go.
When he saw Ashley setting a stack of cups beside a coffee urn, he knew he had come for the opportunity to see her again—if he could get near her. She was surrounded by males and females of all ages, from eight to eighty. She called each of them by name, squeezing hands or ruffling hair. A woman with a baby in a carrier on her back rushed up and hugged Ashley. Ashley smiled and ran a fingertip over the baby’s chubby cheek. Because he watched her so intensely, Hunter caught an instant of yearning before she turned away to speak to a man who looked about her age.
“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?” A contralto feminine voice spoke in Hunter’s ear.
He turned to face a tall, slender blonde who was something beyond stunning. “She seems popular.” That sounded like Ashley was a high school prom queen, but he didn’t know how to describe how those around her behaved.
“That’s putting it mildly.” The blonde laughed and held out a hand. “Heather Penvenan. And you are?”
Hunter shook the proffered hand. “Hunter McDermott.”
“Ah, the mysterious—or is it heroic—Mr. McDermott.”
Hunter grimaced.
Heather patted his arm. “Do you want Ashley and me to keep the sycophants away if they come crawling?”
“Thank you—I think.”
He should probably just leave.
But Heather had hold of his arm and started to drag him toward Ashley. “Hey, Ash, look what I dragged in, cat that I am.�
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Ashley glanced around. Her smile lit up the room—and a flame inside Hunter he wasn’t prepared to examine. “You came. I’m so glad. Let me introduce you to Pastor Tom, and this is—” She rattled off the names of everyone within earshot. She said he was a friend of hers, which seemed to be enough for him to be accepted. In moments, he found himself seated at a table with an octogenarian, a teenager, and Heather with a game board in the middle. For the first ten minutes, he wondered how he could extract himself from this stupid decision. After that, the jokes and teasing and poking harmless fun at one another loosened him up enough that he managed to join in with more than his next move. Most of the time he found himself distracted, glancing around the room to see where Ashley was.
Not playing. If she wasn’t handing out hot drinks, she was making sure everyone was included in a game. He regretted not being able to spend time with her.
Then, halfway through their game, Heather pulled her phone out of her purse, tapped the screen, and rose. “I gotta go. Let me get Ash to replace me.” She crossed the fellowship hall, said a few words to Ashley, and departed.
Looking momentarily concerned, Ashley made her way to their table. “Y’all get to put up with me now.”
From wanting to leave earlier, Hunter now wanted the evening to last longer. But at nine o’clock, the pastor flicked the lights. A chorus of protests arose from the players.
“School night,” Pastor Tom reminded them.
“Good thing we didn’t finish,” said Mr. Harris, the octogenarian. “That way this young man can’t be ashamed of losing.” Chuckling, he patted Hunter on the head as though he were six and tottered away.
Ashley flashed him an amused glance. “Never played before?”
He shook his head.
“We should have found you a game you know how to play.”
“I, um, haven’t ever played a board game before.”
Ashley stared at him. “Never? What did you do for fun?”
“Video games mostly.”
“I did—do—too, but I mean with other people who are right across from you.”
“Chess for a while. I wasn’t good enough to be a champion player, though, so I stopped.”
“One other person and keep quiet during the moves.” She shook her head. “Well, you’re always welcome here if you’re in town.” She touched his arm. “I hope you’re glad you came anyway. Sorry, but I gotta clean up.”
“I’ll help.”
He helped box up games and throw away cups, then walked out with Ashley. If any place had been open, he would have invited her for hot chocolate. But the street was dark save for the streetlights.
“The McDonald’s will be open on the highway. We could stop for hot chocolate if you like.”
“Do you read minds?”
“Not usually, but it’s a hot chocolate kind of night.”
They met at the fast-food restaurant and drank hot chocolate while talking about nothing more significant than tales of growing up, school, college, career choices. Their backgrounds were a world apart, except that both had focused hard on their educations, loved to read, even a few of the same books, and preferred being outside to inside. At midnight, Ashley slid out of the booth with obvious reluctance. “I am afraid I’ve gotta get to bed. Tomorrow is a busy day. But if nothing goes wrong, I can drive you over the Ridge day after tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
For the offer to help him find out about the woman on the phone, for the invitation to the game night, for the conversation afterward.
“For everything.” He spoke over a heart that felt full of unfamiliar emotions that added up to a warm glow of joy.
“Thank you for coming tonight.” She held out her hand.
He shook it, clasped it for too brief a moment. “I’ll walk you out to your car.”
They exited the restaurant. The wind had picked up, increasing the cold. They remarked on the weather like strangers making polite conversation. Except he no longer felt like she was a stranger to him. The beginning links of friendship had been forged.
He left her at her Tahoe, then went to his own SUV and drove across the highway to his motel.
That deputy friend of Ashley’s was sitting in the lobby drinking coffee. He nodded to Hunter. “I see you’re back.”
“My business here isn’t concluded yet.” Hunter paused on the bottom step.
The deputy—Fox?—narrowed his eyes. “What is your business here?”
“Personal.” Hunter took another step up.
Fox stood. “What’s it have to do with Ashley?”
“She can tell you if she likes.” Hunter climbed the rest of the steps knowing the deputy watched him.
He didn’t laugh until he got inside his room. The poor man obviously had a thing for Ashley. Hunter had noticed that the other time they met. She had treated him with her usual warmth and friendliness, as, Hunter suspected, she treated everyone. For a moment, he felt a little sorry for the deputy, followed by a moment of regret for himself. How would an interested man ever know if she held any special feelings for him?
He didn’t bother to deny to himself that his feelings toward her were pretty special. And he would see her in less than two days. Less than thirty-six hours.
He laughed again, this time at himself, and picked up one of his newly acquired books to read.
READING, GOING FOR a run, and working for several hours on the motel’s rather good Wi-Fi passed the time until he could go to Ashley’s house on Thursday morning. This time when he drove up, no cars other than Ashley’s Tahoe sat in the driveway. Ashley herself stood on the deck with a cell phone to her ear. She waved to him but kept talking, looking distressed.
Hunter got out of his vehicle but remained leaning against the door to give her privacy. She didn’t talk for much longer and came toward him as she tucked her phone into her pocket.
“Sorry about that. I’ve been waiting for that call.”
“I hope it wasn’t bad news.” He hastened to add, “Not that it’s any of my business.”
“It’s nothing to do with a patient.” She tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and urged him toward the house. “I just made coffee to put into a thermos. Come in while I get it. It’s too cold out here.”
Hunter hesitated. “You’re sure you can come with me today?”
“I’m sure. That phone call was from the woman who helps me out with patients sometimes. She is just short of getting her certification to be a nurse-midwife, but she went home to Texas for an emergency and now I have no idea if she will come back after all. She’s very close to her family.”
Their footfalls echoed on the wooden boards of the deck.
Ashley opened the door to the warmth of the house, the rich aroma of brewing coffee, and the ringing of a landline. She snatched up a cordless phone sitting on the table and glanced at the caller ID. “I’ve gotta take this.”
“Hello?” She answered the phone as she exited the kitchen.
To keep from thinking about what he might be headed into, Hunter busied himself pouring steaming coffee into a thermos sitting beside the pot. He was just screwing on the lid when Ashley strode back into the kitchen. She was still on the phone. Her voice rose and fell, calm, but affective and firm. The words were indistinct until she said, “All right. I’m on my way,” as though she were right outside the door.
The door opened. The pallor of her face said the calmness of her voice had been an act.
Hunter started forward. “What’s wrong?”
“One of my patients needs help.” Her hand shook, and she dropped the phone as she tried to slip the cordless landline into her pocket. She sank to her knees to retrieve it, then remained there, head bowed. Praying? Hunter remained motionless, not wanting to intrude if she was.
After a moment she rose, phone in hand. If she had been praying, it hadn’t calmed her.
“What can I do to help?” Hunter asked.
“Nothing, thank you. That is, I can
’t go with you today. This is an emergency I can’t ignore. I need to get to her house immediately.”
CHAPTER 14
ASHLEY GAZED UP at him with her wide brown eyes full of regret. “I’m so sorry to let you down. It’s probably a serious case of Braxton-Hicks, but she sounds—” She pressed her fingers to her lips as though needing to hold the words in. “She’s in no condition to drive herself.”
“Never mind that. Let me drive you.”
“Nonsense. You don’t know the way.” She turned her back on him and headed to the door of the exam room.
“I’m free right now if you want me to drive you.” Hunter wasn’t about to let her go into the hills alone as upset as she appeared.
“You would slow me down.” She flung the words over her shoulder as she opened a door to a room full of highly modern-looking equipment. “I’ll just grab my things and get going.”
“I don’t think you should be driving, Ashley. You dropped your phone trying to put it into your pocket. And it’s not even your cell phone. That doesn’t give me confidence you are capable of driving in the mountains.”
She reappeared in the doorway lugging two cases. “I do this all the time.”
“But something’s wrong this time.”
“Yes, something’s wrong.” She kicked a kitchen chair farther under the table, and her mouth worked. “I’m certain she needs a doctor right now, not a midwife. If I were a doctor—” She clamped her mouth shut and came toward Hunter before the kitchen door. “Please excuse me.”
He took the cases from her and was startled at their weight. “Could you call an ambulance?”
“She won’t accept it if I do, and I can get there faster.” She glared at him. “If you let me go.”
“Of course.” He carried her cases across the deck and down to her Tahoe.
Behind him, she locked the door and followed. “I can get there faster if I’m not trying to navigate you around a half dozen hairpin turns.”
“I drive through scarier mountains than these. These are mere foothills compared to the Alps.”
The Mountain Midwife Page 14
