by Lois Richer
“I knew telling you about the staff position would throw you off.”
“You did that with your message to Lexi about our meeting I knew we didn’t have.”
He leaned back and gave her the famous Hanlon smile. Today it seemed different, more intimate, and went right to her core, melting her from the inside out.
Jon dug into his salad, giving her time to recompose herself.
“This is really good,” he said. “It’s not something I’d normally order. I tried it because Jamie said you loved it.”
Autumn almost choked on her shrimp. “Isn’t that laying it on a little thick? The lunch is enough for me.”
He shrugged and grinned. They talked about nothing and everything while they finished their lunch.
“Before we have to get back to work,” he said, “would you like to take a cruise of Lake George some evening next week? It would give us an opportunity to broaden our kissing horizons beyond medical facilities.”
“When you put it that way, how can I refuse?” Autumn had been on various cruises of Lake George. None of them had had the appeal or promise of Jon’s invitation.
“I’ll see what night I can get tickets for and let you know.” His office phone rang. “Excuse me.” He walked to his desk and picked it up. “Yes, we just finished.” He hung up and turned to her. “My next appointment is here.”
As if on cue, Jamie and Lexi reappeared and swept the lunch dishes away.
“I’ll let you know about the cruise and see you Sunday.”
“Sounds good.”
As she headed back to her office, it struck her that today was only Tuesday. He’d said he’d see her Sunday. Maybe he was taking some time off. But why wouldn’t he have mentioned it to her?
* * *
So that’s why Jon had said he’d see her Sunday. She slapped her copy of the Times of Ti against her leg as she stomped over to his place to give him a good piece of her mind. While she’d been acting like a high schooler, all jazzed about the Lake George cruise, and daydreaming about her and Jon working together to make the birthing center a premier facility, he’d been destroying that possibility. This was the same man who’d said he’d broken up with her former roommate because Kate hadn’t been straight with him?
“Hi, you’re just in time to sample my crullers,” Mrs. Hanlon said when she opened the door. “I made them for coffee hour at church tomorrow.”
“No, thanks. I need to talk to Jon.”
Mrs. Hanlon ushered her in. “He’s not here. Didn’t he tell you?”
“No, he didn’t.” She dropped the newspaper open on the coffee table.
“I’m sure he meant to. He’s had a lot on his mind.”
She eyed the newspaper on the table. I’m sure he has.
Mrs. Hanlon pulled the door closed. “He’s been gone the past three days on his annual birthday canoeing trip in the Catskill Mountains with a couple of his college friends and my grandson-in-law, Angie’s husband.”
Apparently there were a lot of things he hadn’t told her.
“He didn’t mention it to me. Nor did he say anything about this.” She pointed at the front page story in the Times.
Adirondack Medical Center to Sell Ticonderoga Birthing Center.
“It’s to your husband’s company.”
Rather than the surprise Autumn expected to see from Mrs. Hanlon, the woman dropped her gaze to the newspaper, then picked it up and skimmed the article.
She folded the paper and put it back on the table. “The article says the sale isn’t finalized.”
“It says it’s being finalized.” Mrs. Hanlon’s hairsplitting made Autumn’s heart sink. She couldn’t believe the woman would have lied to Jon about not knowing anything about any sale of the birthing center. But her demeanor indicated she knew something now. Autumn’s thoughts jumped from Mrs. Hanlon to Jon. What did he know?
“Would that be so bad, the center being spun off?” Mrs. Hanlon asked, twisting her diamond ring back and forth on her finger.
“No offense. But your husband’s business model isn’t one I could work under.” And, from what Jon had said to her, she’d thought he couldn’t, either.
“No offense taken. I don’t agree with the direction my Jon has taken the company.”
Mrs. Hanlon got a faraway look in her eyes. “He was different, more like Jay, your Jon, when he was practicing surgery.”
Autumn ignored the possessive Mrs. Hanlon had put on Jon. The way he’s acting, he’s not my anything, she thought, her heart shrinking in her chest.
“My Jon once took great satisfaction in helping people and started JMH to help keep medical facilities open in areas where there are health professional shortages. He surprised me by curtailing his surgery practice to devote time to JMH. He loved surgery.”
Autumn didn’t know why Mrs. Hanlon was telling her all of this. She wanted to cut to the chase and find out when Jon would be home. But she wasn’t about to interrupt. Mrs. Hanlon seemed to need to talk.
“He became bitter when the arthritis forced him to stop practicing. He was too young. Not ready to retire. He tried to hide it, but his partners noticed. After they asked him to step down from doing surgical procedures, he poured all of his bitterness into making money, with JMH as his moneymaking vehicle.” Mrs. Hanlon wrung her hands. “What am I doing, dumping all of this on you?”
“It’s okay.” Autumn put her arm around the older woman. She couldn’t say that she felt any warmer toward Jon’s grandfather or JMH as it was now. But she could sympathize with Mrs. Hanlon and wondered how much of this, if any, Jon knew. From his outburst when she’d asked him about JMH buying the birthing center, she knew he’d disagree with his grandmother that he and his grandfather were anything alike. Or—she eyed the newspaper—could that outburst have been staged for her? She didn’t want to believe that.
Mrs. Hanlon caught her gaze when she raised it from the newspaper. “You did read that the sale isn’t entirely to JMH.”
“Would your husband and JMH take a minority interest?” Autumn shook her head. “I have trouble believing that. It goes against his and the corporation’s cutthroat reputation.”
Hurt passed over the older woman’s face.
“Sorry,” Autumn said. “I’m upset, although that doesn’t excuse me.”
The older woman rubbed her temples. “I’m starting to get a headache. It must have been the heat from the deep fryer.”
Or the way she’d stormed in and insulted the woman’s husband. “Sit down.” Autumn stepped to the side so Mrs. Hanlon had access to the couch. “Can I get you aspirin?”
“No, I’ll get it and go lie down for a while. That is if you can pick up Jon at the train station for me.”
Talking to Jon had been her purpose for coming over here. But uncertainty about his knowledge of, and possible role in, the sale of the birthing center made a part of her rebel against being trapped in a car with him for the half hour drive home. Since she’d let down her barriers against falling for him, it could be too painful.
Mrs. Hanlon’s pale complexion quelled the rebellion. Autumn couldn’t let the older woman drive if she was unwell. She was a big girl. She could get past her disappointment. “Of course. Will you be all right until we get back? I can call Gram, and I’m sure she’d come and stay with you.”
“I’ll be fine.” She checked her watch. “Jon’s train is due in a half hour. I’ll call and let him know you’re on your way.”
“Okay.” Autumn picked up the newspaper. She’d almost told Mrs. Hanlon not to call, to let her surprise Jon. On second thought, though, whether he was part of the birthing center sale or not, telling him she’d found out about it would probably be enough of a surprise.
* * *
Jon didn’t know what was wrong with him. He always looked
forward to the guys’ annual canoe trip and had been disappointed that he could only take three days off for it this year. The weather had been fabulous, the company good and the food great. What more could a guy want? He looked out of the train window, but instead of the mountain scenery, he saw Autumn looking up at him, her eyes bright with the relief that Christie and her baby were fine.
If only they’d reconnected two years from now, after his mission in Haiti was complete and he’d done his part to make sure his cousin’s death wasn’t in vain. Would Autumn understand why he had to leave the birthing center when his contract was up next year? Could they build something between now and then that would be strong enough for him to ask her to wait for him to return?
The train pulled into the Ticonderoga stop and Jon made his way to the door, the only passenger getting off. He looked around the small waiting area for Nana. When he didn’t see her, he sat on the wooden bench and checked his cell phone. No service. The station door opened a couple minutes later, and Autumn, not Nana, walked in. He grabbed his duffel bag and met her midway across the room. Autumn’s thin-lipped expression raised hairs on his neck. “Where’s Nana? Is she okay?”
“I think so. She has a headache and wanted to rest so she asked me to pick you up. Didn’t she call you?”
“She did and left a voice mail. When I tried to check it, I had no service. Did you take her temperature?”
“No, I took her at her word that all she needed was some rest. It’s hot and she’d been cooking crullers in the deep fryer.”
The short way Autumn answered troubled him, as if there might be a reason Autumn wouldn’t take her word. Nana hadn’t been feeling well earlier in the week but had told him it was fine for him to go on his trip.
“Thanks for looking after her.” He pushed the door open with his shoulder and let Autumn go out ahead of him. Whenever he thought he’d adjusted to Nana living with him, something like this would happen that would throw him off. How many minor illnesses had Nana had over the years that he knew nothing about? He’d never given it a thought. Living in close proximity of someone you cared for who also cared for you was new to him. He liked it, even if it was sometimes trying.
Jon glanced over the car at Autumn. He was beginning to understand her attachment to Paradox Lake and living near her family and friends. It was nice having Nana with him, and he’d miss her when she left or—he thought of the lake house she was buying—when he left for Haiti.
He picked up the newspaper that was on the passenger side seat and slid into the car.
“It’s this week’s Times,” Autumn said. “Look at the lead story. They’ve scooped the Glens Falls daily.”
Jon turned the paper over in his lap and read the headline, Adirondack Medical Center to Sell Ticonderoga Birthing Center. He slammed his hand on the dashboard. “He wouldn’t!”
“You didn’t know about this?” Skepticism laced her question.
He rolled the newspaper into a tube and rapped it against his leg. The pain he’d felt when he’d broken his ankle playing basketball in high school couldn’t hold a candle to the pain caused by Autumn’s accusation that he’d lied to her when she’d asked before about JMH buying the birthing center.
“No, I didn’t know anything about Grandfather buying the birthing center when you asked me before, and I don’t know anything now.”
“And you’re not one of the consortium of private investors who’s buying it with your grandfather?”
“Ha!” His laugh was bitter. She should know he didn’t have that kind of money. He’d told her so. And while Autumn might be angry with him, he was equally angry. Only his anger was directed 100 percent at the proper target. His grandfather.
“No, I’m not one of the private investors. Can I call a truce here? I’m as much in the dark about this as you are.” One thing he did know was he wasn’t going to let his grandfather kill what was between him and Autumn before it even had a chance to get started.
Autumn’s shoulders slumped. “Sorry. That was harsh. I jumped to what I thought was the obvious conclusion. When you told me Tuesday that you’d recommend me for the new staff position if it’s approved, it was the answer to my job prayers. Then I read that.” She poked a finger at the rolled newspaper. “I took my disappointment out on you. I can’t work for your grandfather, even if the staff job is still a possibility.”
“I know.” The air conditioner ruffled a strand of hair at her temple that had worked loose from her braid. He lifted his hand and smoothed it back behind her ear. She turned her cheek into his palm, her skin soft against his. Maybe this was God’s work. This could solve the problem of their impending separation. If Autumn didn’t have a job at the birthing center, she might come with him to Haiti. His heart lightened. Grandfather could be doing him a favor.
Autumn pulled up in front of the duplex and turned off the car.
“I’m going to get a hold of Grandfather and see what details I can find out,” Jon said. If his grandfather would even talk to him after he’d ignored his order to send Nana home. “Since the medical center hasn’t given me any official notification, I figure the deal is still in negotiations and, in that case, I’m not likely to learn much.”
“You’ll let me know? The news article doesn’t say how much of an interest the other partners have.” Autumn looked at him in expectation.
He longed to reassure her. But he couldn’t imagine Grandfather going into business with anyone but like-minded dollar-first people. “I’ll share what I learn, officially and unofficially. And Adirondack Medical Center will have to issue some kind of statement to employees now that news of the sale is out.”
“True. I’d better get in.” She opened the door. “I’m catching a movie tonight with Lexi.”
“What, no Josh? I thought he and Lexi were inseparable.” He was stalling to keep Autumn with him and put off his call to his grandfather. He had no real interest in Josh and Lexi’s dating.
“Josh’s high school girlfriend has returned to Paradox Lake and he wants to see her, too. Since Lexi is most likely here only for the summer, they’ve decided to cool it some. I thought I’d take Lexi out to cheer her up. Tessa is going to join us afterward.”
Jon felt sorry for Lexi, even though there was a time not too long ago when he’d dated a different woman every few months and, at times, more than one woman and hadn’t thought anything of it. He looked back at his former actions with distaste.
They got out of the car. He slipped her hand in his and walked her to her door. “I’ll let you know what I find out,” he said again, squeezing her hand and releasing it before he trudged over to his side of the duplex.
He didn’t get Nana’s usual cheerful “hello” when he entered the house. She must still be resting. That left him nothing to do except make his phone call. He punched in Grandfather’s number and paced the living room while the phone rang. He stayed out of his grandfather’s life. Why couldn’t Grandfather stay out of his? Finally, at the point where Jon expected the call to go to voice mail, his grandfather picked up.
“Grandfather, it’s Jon.”
“Jay,” his grandfather said. “I’ve been expecting to hear from you.”
Jon gritted his teeth at his grandfather’s intentional use of the nickname he’d dropped years ago. “I want the details. All of them. What are you doing with my birthing center?”
“Making it yours. But I’m the silent partner on this deal. If you want details, you’re going to have to talk with your grandmother.” His grandfather clicked off.
Chapter Fifteen
Jon pulled his bike into the parking space on his side of the duplex. His ride had done little to blow off his anger at his grandfather for hanging up on him or help him puzzle out what was going on. He’d gotten as far as figuring out that Nana must be one of the private investors. But why? Grandfather had to be be
hind her investment. Maybe JMH was having credit problems. He’d long ago given up reading any press about JMH. That is, until today. In a childish action that matched his mood, he tossed his bike helmet on the couch, knowing that bugged Nana.
“There you are.” Nana walked in drying her hands on a dish towel. She eyed the helmet on the couch. “Did you and Autumn go for a ride? It’s a beautiful evening, now that it’s cooled down.”
“No, I went by myself.” He ran his hand over his hair. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine. It was only a headache from the heat. I hope Autumn didn’t make it out to be more. Are you hungry or did you stop for something while you were out? We could have sandwiches and some of the potato salad from yesterday.” She danced around the elephant in the room.
“Nana, please, sit.” He dropped onto the couch next to his helmet. “What’s going on?”
She twisted the towel. “I didn’t mean for you to find out that way. We just made the offer. I don’t know how the newspaper got wind of it.”
He patted the seat and she walked over and joined him. “Explain it.”
“After you asked me if I knew anything about your grandfather having designs on buying your birthing center...”
His birthing center again. He swallowed, remembering that’s what he’d said when he’d talked with his grandfather.
Nana folded the dish towel in her lap. “I’d had the thought in my head since shortly after I came up here and saw how well you’re doing. I called the daughter of a friend of mine who’s involved with raising venture capital and had her do some investigating for me.”
So that’s why she’d seemed to be holding back when he’d first asked her about Grandfather’s buying the birthing center.
She patted the towel. “I have all that money from my parents and time is running out to use it. I’m not young anymore, and your parents certainly don’t need it. The financial adviser and I put together the offer to Adirondack Medical Center.” The smile she gave him radiated pride.
That was something, but it didn’t answer the big question. “Why?”
