Charlie wished this wasn’t the first time she’d had to give a police statement, but she’d done her share during her ER rotation. Then there was the time she’d stopped at a gas station for a pint of ice cream and had found herself in the middle of a domestic dispute. As the boyfriend had come charging across the parking lot, the cashier had locked the outside door. Charlie hadn’t thought twice. She’d taken the girl into the storage closet and locked them in until police arrived, spending several minutes trying to calm the girl down.
Her parents had been livid that she’d inserted herself into a potentially dangerous situation. That had been the day that she’d realized that she simply did not think the same way as her mother and father did and she’d known exactly what she was going to do. She asked herself why she’d become a doctor and the answer had been clear—she’d done it to help people. That was the marker of her success—not acclaim or status or money. She didn’t give a rat’s ass about becoming chief of anything or top of her field. Prestige meant nothing to her. She’d been around it her whole life and found it to be an empty ambition. And so she’d stood up for herself for the first time ever, put her foot down, and found herself part of a small practice here in Jewell Cove. No regrets. Not one.
Now here she was again, in the middle of a situation that wasn’t her doing, sitting, waiting. Drinking terrible police station coffee while the baby sat in his car seat, his bright eyes open and staring at a colorful toy bar she’d bought during a very necessary trip to shop for the necessities like clothing and a proper snowsuit. An additional surprise had been Josh’s sister, Sarah, who had arrived at the office with baby items from when she’d had her children, like a playpen with a thick pad at the bottom that Charlie could use as a makeshift crib.
Absently she checked her e-mail on her phone—nothing major other than a couple of e-bills that required payment and a few newsletters she’d read later. She picked up a magazine and flipped through it, but nothing really grabbed her interest. She was about to resort to a game of spider solitaire when the office door opened and she looked up.
And saw Dave.
She was immediately transported to two days earlier, sitting on her floor and kissing him. Her face had to be turning red even as she tried a friendly smile. The look he gave her was sweet, as if they shared a secret, and she melted a little bit. Why was it he could turn her to mush with just an expression?
“Good morning, Dr. Yang,” he said easily. “I guess you’re here for the same reason I am.”
“I guess so.” She pushed on the arms of the chair and stood. Her heels increased her height by a few inches, but she was still a good five inches or more shorter than he was. She tugged at her black skirt, brushed her hands over the fabric.
“Dr. Yang? Come on in.” The officer on duty called her into the office and she picked up the car seat. She was starting to get used to the weight of it.
“It’s good to see you, Dave.”
She moved to pass him and he caught her arm. “How about an early lunch when you’re done?” He leaned close, his words soft. “I don’t have to be at work until one.”
“Me either,” she confessed, and then wondered why she’d been so quick to answer. Hadn’t she decided yesterday that it was better to just let things go? Besides, he’d been the one to say talk soon and then hadn’t texted again … Clearly it was much easier to put him off with a text message than it was face-to-face.
“So we’re on? You can fill me in on how this little guy is doing.” He peered down into the seat, a goofy smile on his face.
She hesitated. It was just lunch, after all. Perfectly platonic and public, right? And she did have to eat before doing her stint as the walk-in doctor this afternoon.
“The Tuesday special at Breezes is meatloaf and mashed potatoes,” he urged.
“That sounds fine to me. I’ll see you when you’re done.”
She didn’t want to keep the officer waiting, so she slipped inside the office and took a chair to answer any lingering questions about Saturday night.
It didn’t take as long as she expected, and she was out thirty minutes later. Dave was sitting in the chair she’d vacated, flipping through the same magazine. “Ready?” he asked, standing.
“I guess.” She put her scarf around her neck and then went to put on her coat. In an instant, Dave was there, helping her slip her arms into the sleeves and balance the baby. “Thanks,” she murmured, buttoning the buttons and taking her gloves from the pockets.
“It’s a cold one,” he observed as he held the door and they stepped outside into the police station parking lot. “Did you walk over from the clinic?”
“No, I drove here straight from home.” She looked around and didn’t see his truck. “You walked up, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
“Guess you’re riding with me, then.”
He took the carrier from her hands and they started across the parking lot. Dave was right, it was bitterly cold; the kind of aching cold that seeped through clothing right into the bones. She hadn’t worn boots today either, and her heels and nylons gave no protection against the weather. Halfway across the lot, her shoe slipped on a sheet of ice and she felt herself careening backward.
“Oopsie daisies!” The funny expression slipped from Dave’s lips as his hand caught her elbow, keeping her upright. “Careful there.”
She could feel the strength of his fingers through the thick wool coat. “Thanks. I should have worn boots today.”
“No kidding. Don’t get me wrong, your legs look great. But those shoes are not made for ice and snow.”
She got out her keys, feeling a bit fluttery from the compliment. “I know. I figured with just four hours at the office today, I’d skip the boots.”
The heater took a minute or two to kick in, and the drive was so short that Charlie’s toes had barely started to thaw when they parked on the street outside the café. It was only eleven thirty; they’d arrived before the lunch rush. This time, when Charlie got out of the car, Dave took her arm securely so she wouldn’t slip on any black ice on the sidewalk, and carried the baby with his other hand.
Breezes was toasty warm and smelled heavenly when they walked in. A local radio station played over the speakers and despite the cold outside, it was cheery and bright on the inside. It had already been decorated for Christmas, with gaudy tinsel draped along the lunch counter and silk poinsettias on every table. Above the wide window overlooking the harbor, a gold and red and green shiny sign said MERRY CHRISTMAS and in the corner, an artificial tree was up and lit with colorful lights and red and green ornaments.
“Lunch for two today, Charlie?” the waitress, Linda, called out from the kitchen. “I’ll be right out. Just putting up a takeout order. Sit where you like.”
Charlie chose her usual table without thinking; a table for two with comfortable wood captain’s chairs and an unimpeded view of the docks. “Hey,” Dave said as he hung his coat on the back of his chair and then sat down. “I can see the boatyard from here. Cool.” He pulled a spare chair over and put the car seat on it. “There you go,” he said softly, smiling down at the tiny face staring up at him. “You get a chair like everyone else.”
She was very aware that the boatyard was visible, and instead of meeting his gaze or responding, she kept her eyes down and reached for the menu tucked in a wire holder on the table.
Linda didn’t waste any time bustling over with two glasses of ice water. “You beat the rush today, folks. And oh my soul, who is this adorable boy?” Linda peered into the car seat and smiled. “Aren’t you handsome,” she cooed, and Charlie couldn’t help but smile.
“I’m watching him for a few days. He’s our baby in the manger.” Charlie knew the grapevine would spread the news anyway, so she filled Linda in on the details. “Dave and I were just at the station, answering a few final questions, and thought we’d grab lunch before going to work.”
“Oh, of course. What can I get you? The special’s meatloaf and your choice of potato with carrots, and we’ve got a holiday special happening all month long. Stuffed turkey breast with mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and carrots, cranberry sauce, and dessert.”
“I’ll have that,” Dave said quickly. “Sounds perfect.”
“And you, Charlie?”
Dave’s meal sounded like an awful lot of food. Usually she went for a salad or a bowl of soup, but today she was starving. Besides, she could go home after work and have something light, right?
“I’ll have the meatloaf with mashed,” she answered, smiling. “Thanks, Linda.”
“It’ll be right up,” she answered. “I’ll bring you some coffee while you wait. It’s wicked cold today.”
The radio station was interspersing holiday songs with their regular playlist, and Charlie caught herself tapping her toe to a country version of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” “Not to be corny,” she suggested, “but it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.”
He nodded. “I know. Now that the tree’s up in the square, every single window is lit up and decorated. I mean, a lot of stuff went up right after Thanksgiving, but it’s a full-court press now.”
She smiled, waited while Linda poured their coffee, and then replied as she added milk to her cup. “So, are you a Santa or a Scrooge?” she asked.
He grinned. “Maybe a little of both. Sometimes it can get to be a bit much. The hoopla and the crowds and how it can all seem like a competition. But then there are other things I like about it too. We always had good Christmases growing up. There wasn’t always a lot of money to go around, but with the five of us there was always something fun. There was always a new board game every Christmas, and sports equipment. One year the three of us boys all got new baseball gloves. We took them outside to play and I swear I couldn’t feel my fingers when I came back in, they were so cold. We used to have New Year’s Eve movie nights too, with all of us crowded around the TV and my mom would make popcorn and Kool-Aid. It was the only time we were ever allowed to stay up past midnight.”
“That sounds so fun. It was only me at home, so the only time anything like that happened was if I had a friend over, or went to their house.”
“And that didn’t happen very often?”
She shook her head. “Not really. My parents always threw a Christmas Eve cocktail party. It was not really … kid friendly. And they went out for New Year’s, and I had a sitter until I was old enough to stay alone.” She shrugged.
“Wow. You missed out on a lot.”
She shrugged again. “It was what it was.”
Linda came back bearing two huge plates of food. “Oh my word,” Charlie exclaimed, but the aroma was so good that her mouth was already watering. “That smells so good, Linda.”
“You just holler if you need anything else. I’ll be back with dessert and more coffee in a bit.”
The café was starting to fill up now, the lunch regulars filtering in, rubbing their hands together to keep warm. The tunes on the radio were drowned out by conversation as Charlie and Dave dipped into their meals. Gus, the main cook at the café, hadn’t let them down. Charlie’s meatloaf was moist and flavorful, the potatoes smooth, the carrots sweetened with just a hint of something.
“If I could cook like Gus, I’d never eat out,” Charlie admitted. “I do okay in the kitchen, but the guy is a master of comfort food.”
“I agree. His crab cakes are almost as good as my mother’s.” Dave dipped a piece of turkey in cranberry sauce and popped it in his mouth. “And this sauce is not from a can.”
“I think Gus would rather die than cook anything that wasn’t from scratch.” Charlie laughed. “So, what are your plans for this Christmas?”
It was a simple, harmless question but it dampened the good mood considerably. “I haven’t decided. I need to talk to Janice about that. I’m sure they have plans. “
“Plans that don’t include you?”
He smiled. “That might be awkward. I’m just, well, at loose ends a bit. Missing my family. So.” He lightened his voice and smiled down at the baby, who was surprisingly content. “Our Baby Jesus. Still no sign of the Virgin Mary.”
“Or Joseph,” Charlie added, letting the matter of Christmas drop. “I honestly thought someone would have come forward by now.”
“I’m thinking someone would have to be in a pretty bad situation to abandon their kid.”
“Well, I’m sure we’ll hear something soon.” She met his gaze. “I think he’s very lucky we happened by at that moment. It couldn’t have been planned any better. I mean, the night of the tree lighting. Everyone in the square for a good hour or more, and then tons of foot traffic. It was almost as if whoever left him wanted him to be found.”
What she said sank in and they stared at each other. Maybe the manger wasn’t that random after all. “I’m sure the police have thought of that.” Dave nodded at her. “But you’re right. I mean … remember what you said about that case you handled? Someone trying to…” his voice tightened, “… dispose of a baby wouldn’t put him in a church manger on the busiest night of the season. Know what I mean?”
Charlie swirled the last bite of meatloaf in rich gravy. “Right. They’d put him somewhere he wouldn’t be found.”
“Still,” he argued, “it’s winter. What if we hadn’t come along? In these temperatures he wouldn’t have survived very long. Even if the intention was to have him found, there would always be a chance he wouldn’t be.” Dave’s face darkened. “Hell of a big gamble to take with your baby’s life.”
“I agree.” She looked up at him and asked the question that had been bothering her for the last two days. “Dave, I can’t go on calling him ‘the baby.’ Is it wrong to want to give him a name?”
Dave chuckled. “Not at all. It’s been getting kind of awkward, actually.” They both looked down at the baby, whose lids were drooping sleepily.
“He looks like an angel,” Charlie whispered. “Even if he does keep me up most of the night. I can’t resist that little face.”
“Then name him after an angel.”
“Gabriel?”
Dave grimaced. “Too predictable.”
“Raphael?”
“The painter or the Ninja Turtle?”
She made a face, then pulled out her phone and Googled angel names. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Most of the names have i-e-l at the end. Jophiel. Hesediel.”
Dave laughed and ate a forkful of mashed potatoes and gravy. “Yuck.”
“Wait. There are gospels here though. Paul. John. And … ooh. Daniel.”
“I like that.”
“Me too.” She looked up at Dave with surprise. “Hey, did we just name a baby together?”
“Well, temporarily. His birth certificate probably says something else. “
Right. Reality. Not her baby. Not her life. She had to be careful she didn’t start pretending it was. She put her fork and knife on her plate and wiped her lips with her napkin. “I should get back, I suppose. It’ll give me time to feed Daniel…” She tested the name on for size, “… before I start my appointments.”
Dave frowned at her. “You’re going now? Without pie? Is it possible to have a meal here without pie?”
Charlie laughed. “Oh, it’s possible, otherwise I’d be the size of a house. I eat here most noon hours.”
She realized what she’d just said and hoped he didn’t pick up on it. But then, why would he? It was her own embarrassment speaking, that was all.
“Your loss,” he said easily. “Pie comes with my meal and I’m going to take full advantage.”
She opened up her purse to grab her wallet but Dave reached across the table and put his fingers on her wrist.
“Lunch is on me,” he said quietly. “I invited you, remember?”
“I don’t mind paying my share,” she replied, still startled by the intimate touch. It was made worse when she looked up and into his dark, chocolaty eyes. They were so beautiful. The kind of eyes a girl could get lost in if she wasn’t careful.
“Would that make you feel better? So you wouldn’t have to call this a date?”
Her lips fell open, and she tried to respond but didn’t know what to say.
“It’s just lunch,” he finally said, slipping his fingers off her wrist. “Falls under the getting-to-know-you-better category. No biggie, okay? You can get the next one.”
Assuming there would be a next one.
“Then … thank you for lunch.”
“Anytime.”
Why was this so easy for him and so hard for her?
With a parting smile, she hefted the car seat and made her way to the doors, out into the wintery air. If anything, it had only gotten colder outside.
Keeping her distance from Dave was proving to be a challenge. As she started the car and felt the cold blast of air as the fan kicked in, she sighed. It would be easier to avoid him if her heart was really in it …
* * *
By Thursday night Charlie was going a little crazy. The last text from Dave sat on her phone, mocking her. Thanks for lunch and talk soon, it said. But there was no talking. He’d gotten her message loud and clear.
Charlie plumped the pillow she held in her lap and stared, unseeing, at the evening news. She couldn’t make up her mind what she wanted to do. She’d always been a planner, with the future mapped out in front of her. Things fit into tidy little boxes and that was comforting. Reassuring. And Dave Ricker didn’t fit in a tidy box. He was a nice guy and he liked her and she liked him. Which, if she were being honest, was frustrating as hell. He was definitely a more go-with-the-flow kind of guy, unsure of what came next or where he’d go. He wasn’t a long-term thinker. His relaxed attitude drove type-A people like her a little crazy.
She reached for the glass of merlot she’d poured and took a restorative sip. If Lizzie were here, she’d have some definite opinions …
Charlie snagged the cordless phone from the base and hit the speed dial. It only rang twice when Lizzie answered. “Dr. Howard.”
“Hello, Dr. Howard.”
“Charlie! Hey, girl!”
Charlie laughed. This was so what she’d needed. Lizzie was driven and borderline workaholic, but she was Charlie’s best friend and always knew how to make her laugh, even with a simple greeting. “Hey yourself. Where are you?”
“Driving home.”
“I’ll call you back.”
“Don’t be silly. Bluetooth, baby.”
Charlie chuckled. “You’re in a good mood.”
“I guess. I’m off shift for three days. That works for me.”
Charlie sank down into the cushions and sipped her wine again. “What? You haven’t taken on extra shifts?” She raised her eyebrows. “There must be a man involved.”
There was a beat of silence.
“Liiiizzziiieeee!”
The warm laughter on the other end made Charlie feel so much better. “Okay. But I’m not spilling because I don’t want to jinx it. Soon.”
“Killjoy.”
“How’s the mystery man? Still watching him from the café?”
“Funny you should mention that.” Charlie stared into the crackling fire, swirled the wine in the glass. “We, uh, actually met.”
“Oooh, do tell!”
Charlie heard the blare of a horn through the phone. “You sure you don’t want to talk later?”
“I’m sure. I’m on my way to pick up my dad and go see my mom. I could use the distraction.”
Charlie got a lump in her throat. Mrs. Howard had always been good to her, and her early onset Alzheimer’s had hit the family hard. If Lizzie wanted distraction, Charlie would give it to her.
“We met when I was decorating the churchyard for the holidays.”
Lizzie let out a hoot that made Charlie grin. “Wait, you were decorating the church?”
“I know. Do you want to hear the story or not?”
Lizzie’s laughter mellowed and Charlie grinned to herself. “Anyway, the next night we hung out at the tree lighting ceremony and we were going to go get a drink when we found a baby.”
The line went quiet for several seconds. “You found a baby? Did I hear that right?”
“Yep. An abandoned baby. So our date turned into calling the cops and dealing with social workers.”
“Well, that’ll be a story to tell the grandkids.” Lizzie’s good humor was back.
“I’m not so sure, Liz.” Charlie put down the glass and sighed. “I was so stupid, having this crush on someone I’d never met. It’s totally different now that I know him in person.”
“Different good or different bad?”
“Both?” She picked at a thread on the pillow. “You know me, Liz. I see men as candidates with potential.”
“Yeah. You do. Which is no fun at all.”
Charlie giggled a little. “Right. And this guy? I don’t know if he’s a candidate. He’s got a kid and just moved to town, and I’m not sure he’s even staying or if he even wants to be a father again…”
The sharp bark of laughter on the other end cut Charlie off. “You already talked about that stuff? Honey, you’re more involved than you realize.”
That’s what she was afraid of.
“Crappy thing is, Liz, that I want to spend more time with him. He … he floats my boat, if you know what I mean.”
Lizzie laughed again. “Yeah, I know what you mean.” Charlie wondered what the heck her friend was being so close-lipped about. Maybe this developing romance of hers was serious. If Charlie had learned anything, it was that Liz would tell her when she was ready. She always did.
“Charlie?”
“Hmm?”
“I think you should have a torrid affair. I mean, you never have. A no-strings, great sex, live in the moment affair. That’s assuming this guy is torrid affair material?”
She thought back to Sunday morning on the living room floor and how badly she’d wanted to rip his clothes off even though they’d kept it strictly to kissing. “He is.” The words came out slightly strangled.
“Sister, you are leaving out some pertinent details.”
“You could always come for a visit. Maybe over the holidays.”
There was a beat of silence. “Tempting, but I think I’ll be kind of occupied over Christmas. It’s Dad’s first one without Mom at home and Ian will be around…”
“Ian. So that’s his name.”
“Long story.”
“Whenever you’re ready.”
Lizzie chuckled. “Damn, I’m glad you called. Really glad.”
“Me too.”
“Listen. You do what you’re comfortable with as far as things go with the mystery man. I’m just saying … not every guy needs to have a wedding registry above his head and tick all the right boxes, know what I mean? Sometimes you can just go with it. In fact, this might be better because you could go into it without any expectations from each other. For Pete’s sake, have a fling, Charlie. You’ve never done anything spontaneous in your life, other than moving to Jewell Cove. And look how that’s turned out for you. It’s a little slow for my speed, but I know you love it there.”
She did, and she was glad Lizzie recognized it. Her family certainly didn’t.
“The torrid affair might have to take a backseat. I’m looking after the baby temporarily. He’s a bit small, and it’s not for very long.”
“You’re looking after a baby?” Liz’s voice came across the line loud and clear. “Are you crazy?”
Charlie laughed. “I’m exhausted. But it’s good practice.”
“Better you than me, sister.”
“I’ll think about what you said,” Charlie promised. “Thanks for the pep talk. I needed it.”
“Next time I want better details. But I’m here at Dad’s, so I’d better go.”
“Love you,” Charlie said, missing her friend desperately.
“Love you back. Text me a pic of the mystery man. I want visuals.”
Charlie was laughing as she clicked off the phone.
Lizzie had certainly given her something to think about. She was right. Charlie had never done anything spontaneous. Plus they were attracted to each other. It could work.
Or … not. Things were rarely that straightforward, were they? Besides, as alluring as the idea was, Charlie wasn’t sure she knew how to go about having a “torrid affair,” as Lizzie put it.