Second Chance at Love

by Rhonda Laurel

  His friend grunted sourly but let the subject drop. “So I hear everyone in the cardiac wing is scared to death of you.”

  “Luckily we have defibrillators there.”

  “You do know this job is supposed to be a sweet position for you? I thought we’d be golfing and hanging out at the country club three times a week.”

  “Don’t you have patients?”

  “I have a full schedule for the rest of the year, but I always pencil in some me time.”

  “You need me time three times a week?”

  “I know.” Grayson sighed. “I should schedule more time for myself.”

  Alex pulled into the fairgrounds. It was bustling with activity. There were carnivals rides, food trucks, and a host of activities for the kids. He was trying to decide what to do first when Chloe saw the horses.

  “Dad! Can we ride the horses?” Chloe tugged on his hand. “Please.”

  “Sure.” He turned to Noah. “What do you say Noah? You up for a horseback ride?”

  “OK. But I want to check out the skateboard competition when we’re done.”

  “Deal.”

  He wrangled them over to the horse riding area and got in the line. There were tons of people trying to get rides. But Chloe was so excited, so they’d have to bite the bullet. He looked up and saw the sign. These horses were donated by Austin Holbrook of the Southern Comfort Ranch. Could this person be related to the Holbrooks in Texas? There were a group of guys tending to the horses. One of them looked familiar. He looked like Logan, who co-owned the Tomcats with Seth.

  “Grayson. Can you watch the kids for a minute?”

  “Sure.” Grayson yawned. “We’ll probably be in the same place when you return.”

  He walked past the front of the line and proceeded to the fence. “Excuse me.”

  “Yes?” The man looked up at him, eyeing him curiously.

  “By any chance are you related to Logan Holbrook in Texas?”

  “He’s my brother.” The man sighed. “Listen, I apologize if he stole your girlfriend or wife. He probably didn’t know she was already taken.”

  Yeah, that was Logan’s brother all right.

  Alex chuckled. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’m Alex Popovich. Logan and I met on the Twelve Horseshoes Ranch. I’m a friend of the Blake family. Actually, we’re family now. Seth’s wife Morgan has a cousin named Charisma who married my brother Derek.”

  “Good to meet you. I’m Austin.” Austin removed his gloves and extended his hand. “Derek and I played poker a few times at the ranch. I’m sorry I had to miss the wedding. He talks about you and the kids all the time. You’re the heart doctor, right?”

  “Guilty as charged. It’s good to meet you too.” Alex pointed at the kids in the line. “That’s Noah and Chloe standing in the line by the water fountain with my friend Grayson Bennett. He’s an old friend and a fellow doctor.”

  “The kids are adorable.” Austin grinned. “Derek showed me their photo. He’s a pretty proud uncle. And I hear he’s a dad now.”

  “He and Charisma had a beautiful baby girl, Alexis.”

  “I heard. Baby girls are a rare commodity in the Blake family. She’s going to get spoiled.”

  “It’s already a lost cause.” Alex laughed.

  “The Blakes don’t do anything half-assed.” Austin laughed too and motioned for a ranch hand to come over. “Toby, go down there and get the kids who are with the man who’s hanging onto the water fountain for dear life and put them on the next set of horses.”

  “That’s not necessary,” Alex said quickly. He didn’t want to cut the line. It was pretty long.

  “Sure it is. You know my brother and you don’t want to punch my lights out,” Austin replied. “What brings you to Harper’s Grove?”

  “I moved here for work. I’m the head of cardiology at Serenity Springs Medical.”

  “Wow.” Austin whistled. “The hospital to the superstars.”

  “I’m hoping to make a few changes. Maybe get them to extend their expertise and technology to the rest of the community, regardless of their celebrity status.” Alex waved as Chloe and Noah were being helped onto the horses. Grayson, who still looked hung over, gave him a thumbs-up, then sat down on a bale of hay.

  “Good luck with that. Most of the people around here live in an elitist haze. It would be good for them to think of someone else for a change.”

  “Do you live in town?”

  “No. I’m on the outskirts. I raise thoroughbreds. I also board horses, give lessons, and host the occasional trail ride.”

  “You came all the way to California to run a horse ranch?”

  “My old man and I do better apart. Like several states apart.”

  “Ah. So that’s why you’re not working in the Tomcats organization.”

  “That’s Logan’s thing. But I go back and visit as much as I can. Someone has to keep an eye out on my horn dog little brother.”

  “Logan is quite a character.”

  “So you know the hell I live in.” Austin rolled his eyes. “When anyone approaches me and asks if he’s my brother, I apologize immediately. I got tired of guys taking a swipe at me because my brother can’t keep his zipper shut.”

  “Derek was the same way. His escapades were splashed all over the media. I was relieved when he found Charisma and settled down.”

  “Well Logan’s just ramping up with his public exploits now that he has a more visible role in the Tomcats organization. I feel your older brother’s pain.”

  “I have another younger brother, Theo. There are no words for him. Actually, I do have a few words. Impulsive, reckless, and pig-headed. What are we going to do with them?”

  Austin scratched at his beard. “Love them and try to keep them in line.”

  Alex nodded and looked around. “This is awesome, you donating horses to ride for the festival. Chloe’s eyes lit up when she saw them from the parking lot.”

  “It generates business, and I donate all of today’s proceeds to charity,” Austin said.

  “She loves it when she goes riding at the Twelve Horseshoes.”

  “Why don’t you come by the ranch sometime? I can give both your kids lessons on the house.”

  “Austin, you won’t make any money if you keep giving away your services.”

  “My daddy would have my hide if I charged you a dime. The Blakes and their extended family are our family too. It’s just good manners.” Austin touched the brim of his Stetson.

  “Well, how about I take care of the food when we visit?”

  “It’s a deal.”

  Austin was called away by one of his workers, so Alex went over to check on Grayson.

  “You OK?”

  “I’m getting there. Who’s your new friend?”

  “Austin is a friend of the Blake family. I know his brother Logan.”

  “I could kiss Derek for becoming part of that family.” Grayson grinned. “Thanks to my association with you and Derek, I’ve gotten many perks from Blake friends in California.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Kate Cavanaugh set me up with a personal tour of Pinnacle Studios. It was a blast. I had a personal guide, none of that caravan golf cart with a bunch of other suckers. And Chris was on the lot, so we had lunch together.”

  “Really? Who else have you exploited?”

  “I had a crazy weekend with Marco in Napa. He sends me the best wine.”

  Marco Di Giovanni was the owner of the Paloma Vineyard in Napa Valley and a friend of the Blakes too. Alex had met him at a wine tasting event in Portland after Derek raved about the wines stocked at the Slap Shot.

  “You are insane. How about I get some drinks? Maybe a lemonade will bring you back to life.”

  “Cool. I’ll watch the kids.”

  Confident the kids were OK, Alex made his way toward the food trucks while taking note of the other activities he thought they could try. They’d really gone all out with the old-time carnival vibe. There was a ro
ller coaster, Ferris wheel, and a host of games. But the dunk tank caught his attention. More importantly, the woman perched up on the collapsible ledge. It was the woman he’d had the fender bender with in the school parking lot. She looked stunning sitting up there in a bathing suit top and a pair of jeans shorts. It must have been a slow day, because she was bone dry. The idea of seeing her all wet brought a smile to his face. Suddenly, he was in the mood to play a game.

  “Well. Well.” Alex approached the table. “I see you found a soapbox upon which to sit and lecture. It suits you.”

  “You,” she seethed. “I hope you didn’t crash into any cars in this parking lot.”

  “No. You’re the only bad driver I’ve encountered since I moved here.”

  “Still can’t take responsibility for your actions, eh? Figures.” She gave him a onceover. “No pretentious suit today?”

  He’d worn jeans and a dress shirt today. It did feel strange to have on casual clothes, but he thought he was covering well. Alex reached into his jeans, pulled out his wallet, and handed the attendant a five-dollar bill. “I want to play.”

  The attendant set a tray with three balls on it in front of him.

  “You’d make better use out of that money feeding it to a Billy goat. I can see by those delicate hands of yours that you don’t play a lot of sports.”

  “It’s for charity.” He tossed a ball from one hand to the other. “Before I settled into my life of leisure and excess, I was a pretty good at sports in school. As a matter of fact, I was on the baseball team.”

  “Good for you.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

  Alex threw the first ball, but it was a little off center.

  “Ha! Benchwarmer or bat boy?” She folded her arms across her chest.

  “I was just warming up.” He massaged his shoulder. “I was on the varsity baseball team.”

  “Overcompensate much?”

  “Is that mascara waterproof?”

  “I was about to ask you the same thing. Someone likes to do a lot of manscaping.”

  “You could just admit you like my eyes.” Alex wound up and threw the ball again. He almost nailed it that time. He had one more ball.

  “Maybe it would work if you didn’t throw like a crazy lunatic with no regard for anyone’s safety.” She shrugged.

  He pitched it a little faster this time but missed again. There was no way he should have missed. He was pretty damned good in high school. He turned to the attendant. “Is this thing rigged?”

  The attendant chuckled. “No, sir. The lady’s had amazing luck today.”

  “It’s about to run out.” He gave the guy another five bucks. “I was just warming up.”

  She glared at him. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

  “I like the view.”

  “I don’t know what you do for a living, but I hope you’re better at it than you are tossing a ball around.”

  Dunking her would be satisfying, but he wanted something else. He wanted to up the ante. He’d been thinking about her since the day they met in the parking lot. She’d stormed off in such a tizzy that day after he’d offered to pay for the damages, he hadn’t gotten her name. “If I dunk you, then you have to tell me your name.”

  “Fat chance.” But then her eyes lit up. “OK. If you hit that bull’s-eye, I’ll tell you my name and give you a big ole kiss on the lips.”

  Well that got his adrenaline pumping. Yeah, he’d played sports a million years ago, but he still had some of the magic, even if he’d missed three times in a row. He could keep up with the kids, who were bolting around the house non-stop. He worked out and ran on his treadmill. He could bench press two twenty without getting winded. He was still in pretty good damn shape.

  Alex wound up again, but this time hit the target, dead center. The ledge she was sitting on gave way, and she plummeted into the water. It would have been spectacular to celebrate if he didn’t get the feeling there would be hell to pay when she got out. When she surfaced a moment later, she climbed the ladder in the tank and descended on the other side.

  He went over and handed her one of the towels that was on the table. “So?”

  “So what?” She rubbed her face with the towel.

  “I hit the bull’s-eye. You have to tell me your name, and I get a big kiss on the lips.”

  “Not on your life.” She squinted at him. “Is this how you get dates? Harassing women? Provoking them into making bad bets they instantly regret?”

  “I can assure you I don’t have to harass a woman to get her to talk to me.” He folded his arms across his chest. “A deal’s a deal.”

  “I made that statement when I was pretty sure you’d miss the target.”

  “I always do what I set out to do. Tenacity is a family curse.”

  “Don’t tell me. You always get your way?”

  “Pretty much.” He drawled.

  “You’re not going to go away until I do. Are you?”

  Alex looked in the direction of the horses. The kids were still riding. “Nope.”

  “Peyton.” She continued to dry off. “And I’m not kissing you.”

  “Nice to meet you Peyton. I’m Alex.” He grinned and extended his hand but she didn’t shake it. “The offer is still on the table to pay for the car repairs.”

  “I think we both know where you can stick your offer.” She threw the towel in a chair. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go judge the hot dog eating contest.”

  Alex watched as she stormed off in the direction of the tents. Peyton. The name suited her. She had to live in the area. Why else would she be at the school and at the festival? For the first time in a long while, he felt like engaging with someone. He hoped he’d run into her again.

  * * *

  Peyton opened the portfolio folder and began displaying the artwork for her next appointment. When the teachers started grumbling about Parent’s Night last week, she thought they were exaggerating. But after talking with numerous parents tonight about the curriculum in art class and her expectations for the kids, she was ready to go home and curl up with a big glass of wine and binge-watch her favorite television show. She was happy to have the job; it definitely was a high point in her month. She loved working with the kids and seeing what their creative minds could conjure up. Sure, she had to wash paint and clay out of her hair every night, but it was worth it in pursuit of discovering the next Picasso or Michelangelo.

  Maybe the next generation had a chance. She certainly wasn’t making any headway with her own artistic endeavors. She’d met with a gallery owner who said he might consider showing her photography work if she would get a few more photos. He liked her country and seaside landscapes, but he also wanted something urban in the mix. She’d had plenty of shots of the Big Apple and its surrounding areas. She’d captured skylines, bridges, and everyday minutia of the city life when she lived there. But she needed to add some west coast urban life into her portfolio too. And what better place to capture some of that fast-paced chic than San Francisco? She thought about driving up to San Francisco for the weekend and taking shots in the bustling city and around Pier 39. She was sure to find something interesting there. She also liked photographing Alcatraz, although she’d never been on the prison island. There was something about that empty place’s history that gave her the creeps. She could never bring herself to step off the tour boat, so all her photos were distance shots.

  In addition to the possibility of the gallery showing, she’d applied for an artist residency in Maine with some pretty well-known artists. It was a six-month post in which she’d paint every day and attend seminars.

  There was a knock on the door. It was Carrie, the science teacher. She’d been partnered with Peyton as a mentor. They’d had lunch a few times in the cafeteria, and she’d helped Peyton tremendously in executing a lesson plan that kept the students engaged.

  “Hey,” Carrie said. “I thought I’d come in and see how you’re doing. These meetings can get repetitive quic
k.”

  “I’m fine.” She closed her lesson plan book.

  “Have things eased up for you?”

  She’d been having a challenging time getting control of her class. If one person deviated from the lesson, they would all scatter. “A little. I took your advice. I now think of them as cattle to be herded, and it works.”

  “See?” Carried smiled. “I grew up on a farm. I equate everything with farm life.”

  “Good trick.”

  “It will get easier. What are your talking points with the parents?”

  “The children are having fun and showing signs of fertile imaginations. But I also want to mention that there is structure and rules.”

  “Good, you’re leading with something good, while reminding them art class is not playtime. You are catching on quick.”

  “I haven’t seen any signs of a future fire starter or serial killer. There are a few parents I want to talk to, but it’s nothing major.”

  “Lucky you. I have this one bad seed who keeps asking me how he would go about making a stink bomb.”

  She took a look at Carrie. “You look a little dressed up today.”

  “Haven’t you heard? The hot new single doctor dad is coming tonight.”

  Peyton furrowed her eyebrows. “Is he worth getting all gussied up?”

  “I’d say so. You’d know why if you saw the man. Dr. Popovich is as gorgeous he is intense.”

  She’d heard about this striking man that had all the teachers in a tizzy, but just like Big Foot, she’d never seen him and chalked it up to being some urban legend. But the name sounded familiar.

  Carrie tilted her head as if searching her memory. “Did I mention he drives a Porsche SUV?”

  “What?” Her mouth went dry.

  “Yes. It’s nice. The bumper had a nasty scratch on it for a few days, but he got it fixed. Who would have the nerve to damage his car?” Carrie rolled her eyes. “Anyway, his kids are the sweetest. They’re new to the school this year.”

  “Popovich? Is he Noah and Chloe’s dad?” He was one of the parents on her list. There was a notation that they were new to the school district. She’d wanted to talk about Chloe’s artwork. She’d met quite a few of the parents since she’d started but still hadn’t met him.