Diamonds or Donuts

by Lucie Ulrich

  “I think I should have kept my mouth shut until after the fact.”

  She laughed again. “Speaking of, what did you say to Tony last Sunday?”

  “Not much. I got him to open up a little about his family. Said I’d see what I could do about locating his sisters. I asked Brian, but he said they’d gotten lost in the shuffle.”

  “Wow, I’m impressed. Tony never talks about his family. What’s more, he told me last night that he’d like to study for his GED. Did you have anything to do with that?”

  “Very little. I simply told him his options were limited without it.”

  “I think you need to come back more often. Brian and I have told him the same thing countless times. You obviously have a way with kids.”

  “I was thinking it might be nice to come for Christmas this year, if it’s okay with you.”

  Tears pooled in his sister’s eyes. “That would make it the best Christmas ever. Maybe by then…never mind.”

  “Yeah, let’s not go there. I can’t think that far in advance where Sarah is concerned.”

  “You didn’t talk much about her all week.”

  “The way you and Brian worked me, I didn’t have time to think about her, never mind talk about her. And I fell asleep so quickly, I barely had time to whisper a prayer.” He shrugged. “Besides, there wasn’t anything to add to what we’d already talked about.”

  Amy turned onto the airport property. “What happens when you get home?”

  “I go back to my daily routine.”

  “I mean about Sarah.”

  “She knows how to contact me.”

  “Good for you.” Amy drove to the terminal entrance and pulled to a stop. The earlier tears returned. “I’m going to miss you. Christmas is going to be a long time coming.” She leaned across the cab and tugged him close. “I love you, baby brother. Call me when you get home.”

  Always the mom. “I will.” After a prolonged hug, Kevin slid from the truck. He grabbed his bag from the back then waved as his sister drove away. With nothing else to keep him occupied, all the thoughts he’d stifled about Sarah crash-landed in his brain.

  It was going to be a long flight home.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Three weeks and three phone calls later, Sarah missed Logan more than ever. Though she wouldn’t admit it to anyone but herself, she missed Kevin too. She’d gotten a glimpse of him at church last Sunday. He’d nodded, but hadn’t said a word.

  Sarah was getting what she asked for and hated it. This Sunday, as she half listened to the sermon, she was determined to at least get a proper hello. When the final song was being sung, she slipped outside and headed over to the fenced-in play area where Pippa waited for parents to collect their children.

  “Is church over already?” Pippa asked.

  “Almost.” Though she spoke to Pippa, Sarah kept her eyes focused on the front door. She knew Kevin and Pippa had lunch plans, so there was no way he could avoid her.

  Pippa’s cell phone rang. She plucked it from her pants pocket and glanced at the screen. “Hey, Kev, what’s up?” She frowned. “Okay, I can do that. See you there.” She disconnected.

  The church doors opened and Sarah craned her neck to get a view of those exiting.

  Tapping Sarah on the shoulder, Pippa waited to get Sarah’s attention. “He’s not coming over.”

  Heat tickled Sarah’s cheeks. “What? Who’s not coming over?”

  Family after family’s arrival kept the conversation from continuing. Sarah smiled and waved to people she knew and some she didn’t, while still facing the front of the church. When the final person pushed through the doors, Sarah’s heart dipped in her chest. Kevin was nowhere to be seen.

  “I told you Kevin wasn’t coming.” Pippa closed the gate behind her.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Pippa’s throaty laughter chipped away at Sarah’s resolve to play it cool. “So, you caught me. I just wanted to thank him for all his hard work.”

  “You already thanked him the day you arrived unexpectedly, and about a dozen times before that. He knows you’re grateful.” Pippa moved toward the parking lot. “Why else did you want to see him?”

  “I miss him.”

  “Really?” Her friend’s eyes widened.

  Sarah bumped hips with Pippa. “As a friend. We got along well, and now that things are settled with Logan, I thought I might ease up on my restrictions.”

  “Ease up?” Pippa unlocked her car door. “So that it suits your purpose? Kevin is very fond of you, Sarah. How do you think he’ll read the lessened restrictions? And what about Logan? Does he know about your friendship with Kevin?”

  Guilt at her own selfishness rippled through Sarah’s body, knotting her insides. “You know he doesn’t.” She leaned against Pippa’s car door. “What is wrong with me?”

  Pippa stretched her arm across Sarah’s shoulders. “Nothing that hasn’t afflicted countless men and women from the beginning of time. I’m not suggesting you ignore your feelings for Kevin. If they’re real, they’re real. I’m simply saying that since you’ve been honest with Kevin, don’t you think Logan deserves the same?”

  The knot in Sarah’s stomach tightened. There was no way she could tell Logan something like that over the telephone. It wasn’t as though she loved Kevin or anything. He filled the need for companionship and nothing more—at least that’s what she chose to believe. “You’re right. Thanks for setting me straight and being such a good friend.” Sarah pushed away from the car and worked her way to her own vehicle.

  “Sarah?”

  Pivoting, Sarah pasted a smile on her face. “It’s okay, Pippa.”

  “No, it’s not.” Pippa took three steps in Sarah’s direction. “You can’t just close the door on your feelings.”

  “I have to. I wasn’t thinking about Kevin when I suggested seeing him again. I was only thinking about myself, which is so wrong that it makes me physically ill.”

  Pippa huffed out a laugh. “Melodramatic much?”

  “I’m not being melodramatic. I’m being realistic and honest with myself.”

  “Realistic? You’re being anything but. In the last two minutes you’ve changed your mind twice.” She held up her hands. “Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that I thought you and Kevin would be good together. Still do, but then I backed off when you decided to cool it with Kevin and focus on Logan. Kevin did too.”

  Realization finally penetrated Sarah’s tough skull. “He’s going out of his way to avoid me?”

  “Now you’re catching on.”

  “I know I asked him to back off, but I figured a smile or a hello couldn’t hurt.”

  “But would it stop at that?” Pippa shrugged.

  The knot of guilt released Sarah’s gut, moved north, and pinched her heart. Kevin was far more honorable than she was. “In that case, I guess it’s time for me to head on out.” Sarah pulled her keys from her purse. “Give Kevin my regards.” She quickly shook her head. “On second thought, don’t say anything.” After a quick wave, Sarah left with her head held high but her heart split in two.

  ****

  Kevin stood and waved Pippa over to his table. He pulled a chair out for her. “I already ordered an iced tea for you.”

  “Thanks, you’re a love.” She took a long swallow immediately after sitting.

  “Am I now?” He grinned. “Is that what Sarah said?”

  “Don’t make fun of her. She’s really struggling with this.”

  He sipped his tea. “Is she? I know it sounds selfish, but what did she say when I didn’t show up after church?”

  “She was surprised at first, but soon realized you were doing the right thing by staying away.”

  Kevin scanned his menu, but saw nothing more than Sarah’s beautiful face. He’d much rather be cooking for her than sitting here, pretending he was doing the right thing. He set the menu down and looked across the table at Pippa. “I’m a cad.”

  “Cad?” Pippa narrowed
her eyes. “Have you been reading Regency romance novels again?”

  He laughed. “Guess that did sound a little outdated, but for whatever reason it fits.”

  “It does not.” The waiter came over and Pippa asked for a few more minutes. She scooted into the chair next to Kevin. “You, my friend, are the cream of the crop, the top of the line, the best of the best, and if I could ever get past thinking of you as a brother, Sarah wouldn’t even be a consideration.”

  Heat crept up Kevin’s cheeks as patrons all around them looked his way, some chuckled while others frowned. “You want to lower your voice, please?”

  More laughter. “Why, am I embarrassing you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, too bad. You’re a great guy, but you and Sarah are driving me crazy. I want to be supportive, but neither of you can figure out how best to handle the situation. One minute it’s I need to stay away, while the next minute it’s I need to explore my feelings, or I’m a terrible person. All the stress is wearing me out.”

  “And your brilliant response would be?”

  “Talk to each other. Lay it all on the line.”

  “Easier said than done.”

  “Maybe, but at least you’ll both be able to drop the guilt issues.”

  The waitress returned. “Have you decided yet?”

  “Yeah, Kev.” Pippa grinned. “Have you decided?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Before Sarah had a chance to realize it, the summer was more than half over. Her lazy days on the beach were drawing to a close, but that only made her more excited about the school year ahead.

  Avoiding Kevin had been easy, seeing as he’d started working nights not long after her failed ploy to meet him after church. His absence had made speaking to Logan easier, yet the draw hadn’t completely gone away. But today was not a day to think about men. It was a girls’ day, to be filled with shopping, eating, laughing, and walking on the beach.

  With her beach bag packed and sitting by the front door, Sarah waited for Pippa to collect her. She was looking forward to scoping out the “rich” end of town. With all the money she’d saved by renting from Antonio, Sarah planned to treat herself to a nice piece of jewelry to celebrate her upcoming twenty-sixth birthday. That, and spend a full day with her best friend before Pippa and her parents headed for their two-week European vacation.

  The buzzer sounded, letting her know Pippa was downstairs. Before Sarah walked across the living room, it buzzed twice more. She chuckled at Pippa’s impatience while pressing the intercom button. “Chill out, girl. I’ll be right down.”

  “No. Let me up. I need to tell you something.”

  Pippa’s rapid-fire explosion of words sent a tingle zipping down Sarah’s spine. She released the downstairs latch and yanked her front door open. Stepping out onto the landing, she waited for Pippa, who hurried up the stairs.

  “What’s going on?”

  “It’s Kevin.” Pippa took Sarah’s hand and tugged her inside.

  A second tingle was followed by a third. “What about him?”

  “He’s in the hospital.”

  Sarah’s lungs constricted. She backed toward her couch and sat down. She wouldn’t let her mind go to the worst scenario. “What happened?’

  “I don’t know. His friend, Mike, called me twenty minutes ago and said Kevin had requested assistance. Mike called for an ambulance, and I haven’t heard anything since. I’m headed over to the hospital now.”

  Sarah pushed herself from the couch. “Let’s go.” She grabbed her purse and locked the door behind her. Kevin was hurt and she needed to be there for him.

  The drive to the hospital, though a mere ten minutes away, felt like an eternity.

  “Can’t you go any faster?” Sarah drummed her fingers on her lap.

  “I’m already doing fifteen miles over the limit.” She slowed for a turn and pointed. “The emergency room is ahead on the right. We’ll be there in less than a minute.”

  Sarah pushed her door open the second Pippa pulled into a parking space. Side by side, she and Pippa hurried into the emergency entrance and to the desk.

  While Pippa questioned the receptionist, Sarah looked around, surprised not to find a group of policemen waiting for information. That was the way it always played out on TV. Didn’t the other cops care? And where was Mike? Sarah had only met him once, but she knew he and Kevin were close.

  “Thank you very much.” Pippa took Sarah’s hand and pulled her toward the blue faux-leather seats. “We’re going to have to wait for Mike to come out.”

  “Seriously?” She pulled her hand free. “They didn’t tell you anything?”

  “No. It’s the whole HIPAA thing, us not being relatives and all. Mike’s with him now, so all we can do is wait.” Pippa sat, tugging Sarah to her side. “I figure if Mike is still back there, it must mean Kevin’s not in emergency surgery or anything.”

  “You think?” Sarah bit her thumbnail. She couldn’t sit, so for a good ten minutes she paced in front of the row of seats Pippa occupied.

  Laughter greeted Sarah’s ears before the double doors opened with a hiss. Two policemen came their way, laughing and talking. Sarah recognized Mike, with his shock of curly brown hair, but not the shorter cop. Despite their jovial manner, Sarah’s heart sat in her throat.

  Pippa edged past her. “Mike, what’s the news?”

  Mike rested his hands on Pippa’s shoulders. “You can relax little sister. Casanova is going to be fine.”

  Sarah’s heart worked its way back into her chest, as relief pulsed through her veins. “What happened?”

  Mike glanced her way. “It’s Sarah, right?”

  “Yes. We met at a cookout at Pippa’s parents’ house some time ago.”

  He reached out to shake Sarah’s hand. “Kevin’s going to be happy to see you.”

  Heat infused Sarah’s cheeks, but she ignored the sensation as well as the comment. “What happened?”

  The other policeman patted Mike on the back. “I’ll see you back at the station, Mike. I’m going to see that Kevin’s vehicle is returned to his place.” He nodded. “Ladies.”

  “I won’t be long, Ben. I think these ladies will make sure Kevin is well taken care of.”

  “Not if you don’t tell us what’s going on.” Pippa backed away from Mike and crossed her arms in front of her.

  “Sorry.” He offered a sheepish grin. “Kevin was on his way home after his shift this morning when he noticed some suspicious activity at the back of the St. Andrew’s Church. He stopped to check it out, and three kids took off running. Kevin pursued on foot, but when he rounded the corner, all three came toward him on their bicycles.”

  Sarah cringed. “This doesn’t sound like it’s going to be good.”

  “It didn’t take long for Kevin to realize the kids weren’t much more than nine or ten, all with a look of terror on their faces. He recognized one of the boys, and not wanting to hurt them by trying to stop them, he leapt aside, only to end up tripping over one of the cement parking blocks and landing on some exposed tree roots.”

  Sarah sucked in a deep breath. “Ow!”

  “Indeed. He fractured three ribs and ended up with a small gash on his forehead. The doctor is patching him up as we speak. I figured you might be out here, so I came to check.”

  “When can we see him?” Sarah asked.

  “There isn’t room for all of us, and he’s in one of those lovely gowns, and might not appreciate female company at the moment. Why don’t you wait here until he’s ready to leave? Shouldn’t be much longer.” Mike headed back the way he came.

  Pippa yanked on Mike’s arm, stopping him. “Be sure to tell him we’re here, and we’re not leaving until we see him, lovely gown or not.”

  “I’ll tell him you and Sarah are here.” Mike’s chuckles followed him back to the emergency area.

  Ignoring Mike’s comments, Sarah found herself breathing easier. What could have been disastrous for Kevin would end up being more of an
inconvenience.

  In typical hospital style, shouldn’t be long turned out to be close to an hour. When Kevin emerged from the double doors, he did so with an arm crossed over his stomach and a slight limp on the left side. Four nylon sutures formed a small arch over his left eyebrow.

  Pippa rushed over with outstretched arms, but stopped short of hugging him. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like I was run over by the ambulance that brought me here.” He smiled despite the obvious pain.

  Tears welled in Sarah’s eyes. Kevin was going to be fine, so there was no reason for her to be upset, yet she was. She hurt because he hurt. When he looked her way, a smile creased his face, making it hard to hold eye contact.

  Pippa cleared her throat. “We should probably get Kevin home.”

  “He’s not to be alone for the next twenty-four hours,” Mike said. “I’m going to spend the night, but if one or both of you could stay with him until then, I’d appreciate it.”

  Kevin tilted his head Sarah’s way. It was as though he could read her thoughts and sense her anxiety. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

  “Not a chance,” Pippa said. “There isn’t a thing Sarah and I would rather do. Isn’t that right, Sarah?”

  Sarah thought of all the fun plans they’d made, then felt selfish for thinking buying a gift for herself was more important than helping a friend—even a friend she had chosen to stay away from. “Pippa’s right. We’ll do whatever we can to make sure Kevin is comfortable and not doing more than he should.”

  The smile Kevin sent Sarah made the decision that much harder to deal with. Now if she could get her heart to cooperate with her brain, Sarah might just make it through the day without any collateral damage to her heart.

  “Guess I’ll head out now that I know Kevin is in good hands.” Mike kissed Pippa’s cheek then leaned in to kiss Sarah’s. “Is it okay?”

  Sarah appreciated that he asked first. She stole a quick glance Kevin’s way, only to find him looking off into the distance. There might have been a smile on his face. “Of course it is.”

  Mike turned back to Pippa and squeezed her hand. “I’ll be back after my shift is over. If Sarah doesn’t mind, maybe we can grab a bite to eat after we’re sure Casanova won’t try to escape.”