“Gavin’s not a cheater. And Jesse’s not a woman—it’s his son. Was his son.”

  Her lips parted. “Oh, my gosh.”

  “That’s all I’m going to say. I’ve already said too much. He doesn’t talk about Jesse, and he doesn’t like us talking about him either.” Gavin kept all that guilt he carried over his son’s death locked up like Fort Knox. It couldn’t be healthy.

  “No, I understand. Thank you for telling me that much. I won’t say anything to Gavin. You’re right. He can tell me when he’s ready.”

  Cooper should’ve kept his big mouth shut. That normally wasn’t a problem for him. Time to lighten the conversation. “How’s your head feeling? I see the bandage is gone.”

  She touched her forehead. “Oh, it’s fine. And I got my car back. It’s running great, and they were very reasonable. Thanks for suggesting them.”

  “No problem.”

  Headlights appeared down the drive, heading their way. A truck. Moments later Gavin pulled into the space beside them.

  Time to go. Cooper pulled the sticks from the fire, leaned them against the cooler, and stood.

  “Everything all right?” he asked as Gavin approached.

  “Yeah, all taken care of. Nice people.” He held out his arms, giving Kate an apologetic look. “I’m afraid I need a quick shower though. Sorry.”

  She smiled. “No worries. I’m fine.”

  Cooper watched Gavin disappear into the camper, his stomach deflating. And once again he sank into the chair.

  10

  Cooper seemed a little twitchy tonight. Maybe it had something to do with the current that ran between them. They definitely had chemistry. Katie had been aware of it from the beginning.

  But let’s face it, Cooper probably had chemistry with a mailbox. She obviously wasn’t the only woman to feel it. Those eyes and that uniform . . .

  “Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?” she asked.

  “Just the paperwork I mentioned before.”

  “Don’t feel as if you have to stay. I can go inside the camper if you’re worried about me.”

  He eyed the tin can where Gavin was getting ready to step into the shower. “That’s all right. I don’t mind.”

  Silence settled in. The walls of the camper were so thin she could hear the shower kick on. She hoped Gavin wouldn’t be long. She really did like him. He treated her like gold, and he had a lovely family. Everything was great between them so far.

  Except she seemed to be a wee bit attracted to his brother. She winced. This wasn’t like her at all. She kept telling herself it was just the connection of their shared experience on the cliff. But she was starting to wonder if it was something more.

  Cooper broke the silence. “How do you like living in Riverbend so far?”

  “I like it a lot. I’m not used to living in such a small town though. Recognizing people I know everywhere I go. After living here all your life it must feel like you have a giant extended family.”

  “Complete with drama, disagreements, and general meddling. Not to mention the grapevine.”

  “Oh yes. The grapevine. I’ve heard a little here and there.” Cooper seemed to have his very own vine.

  “Okay . . . What have you heard about me?”

  “What makes you think it was about you?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, the look on your face?”

  “I’ve heard you’re very good at what you do. People depend on you. People know they can count on you.”

  “And . . . ?”

  “And . . . I heard you’re the town’s most eligible bachelor.”

  “A gross exaggeration.”

  “You apparently break a lot of hearts and somehow manage to come out unscathed—and still well liked by the women whose hearts you’ve broken.”

  His lips tilted at the corner. “Is there an insult in there somewhere?”

  “Not at all. But what skills you must have.”

  His gaze sharpened on her as he hiked a brow.

  Her cheeks went warm and she chuckled. “Not those kinds of skills. Jeez. I just meant it takes a special kind of talent to remain friends with the women whose hearts you break.” Though she imagined those lips of his could do some real damage.

  Her face was probably lit up like a Christmas tree. “Anyway, your reputation is intact. That should help your campaign. Your family name works in your favor too—everyone seems to love the Robinsons.”

  “Our roots are deep here. Jeff’s family goes back a long way—his father was responsible for bringing the Appalachian Trail through town. It really revived the town’s economy.”

  “So you’re basically a shoo-in for sheriff?”

  “Not at all. Riverbend is just one town. I need to convince the rest of the county to vote for me.”

  “How do you do that? Attend pancake breakfasts, Little League games, all of that?”

  “You got it. It’s been a busy summer, and I’m sure it’ll get busier as Election Day gets closer. Can we change the subject? All this talk of glad-handing is stressing me out.”

  “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

  “How’s your job at the clinic going? Having a dictator boss can’t be easy.”

  Katie laughed. “You must be kidding. Avery’s a great boss and a wonderful doctor. She really cares.”

  “I was teasing. But she’s driven, our sister.”

  “You have to be to get through med school and open your own clinic. You’re really lucky to have a big family.” There was a forlorn note in her voice she’d tried and failed to avoid. When she glanced at Cooper, she found him studying her face and couldn’t look away.

  “You’re welcome around anytime. Everyone likes you a lot.”

  Something pleasant bloomed inside her. The Robinsons seemed like the kind of close-knit family she’d always wanted. To be included as one of them would be a dream come true. But they barely knew her. And she and Gavin were a long way from that kind of commitment.

  From inside the camper the shower kicked off.

  Gavin would be out soon. Katie found herself both anticipating and dreading Cooper’s departure. He was just easy to talk to. Like Avery. If things progressed with Gavin it would be good to have solid relationships with his siblings.

  “I gotta take this,” Cooper said.

  She hadn’t even heard his phone ring. “Sure.”

  He said very little to the person who called, but she could tell by his professional tone it was business.

  He ended the call and stood. “I’ve got to go. There’s an accident on 209.”

  “Duty calls. I’ll tell Gavin you said good-bye.”

  And then he was gone. Katie waited for her boyfriend to rejoin her—but somehow she felt as though the night had already ended.

  11

  Downtown Riverbend was busy this Friday evening. Hikers wandered in and out of the Iron Skillet and the Trailhead Bar. Later they’d bed down somewhere that didn’t include a sleeping bag and would wake up to a warm shower. Cooper loved that the town was a respite for weary travelers.

  He strolled down the sidewalk, drawing in the summery scents of freshly mowed grass and the marigolds the garden club had planted in the terra-cotta pots along Main Street. He greeted neighbors and tourists alike as he passed by.

  When he reached his campaign office he pulled up short at the dozen or so signs on the plate-glass window. The red-and-blue signs featured white print that read Robinson for Sheriff. He was taken aback every time he saw them. It still didn’t seem possible he could be running for sheriff of Madison County—at the age of thirty no less.

  Yeah, the Robinson family had deep community roots and a good name. But Cooper also had his birth dad’s reputation to contend with. Over the years Cooper had tried to live it down, set himself apart. He’d made the grades in school, never caused trouble. He’d become a public servant, for crying out loud. A person usually had reasons for becoming a deputy—Kate had really hit the nail on the head with her assessment. That burning drive to win the sheriff’s seat made more sense than ever now. There was more to lose here than an office.

  He spied his sister behind the plate glass and entered the building, the stuffy air an assault to his senses. His sister’s hair was still up from work, and her small earrings glittered under the fluorescent lights.

  “The buttons are here,” Avery said by way of greeting, holding one up for his perusal.

  He wasn’t sure it was necessary—the buttons, the pens, the bumper stickers. This was small-town stuff. But Avery didn’t do anything small. And Sean Curtis wasn’t exactly lying down and playing dead. Last week he’d provided cupcakes for the Rotary meeting.

  “They look great,” Cooper said.

  “We can take them to the Bluegrass Festival in Marshall tomorrow. Also, you’ll be happy to know we got two more volunteers.”

  “That’s wonderful.” The volunteers met on the first Monday of the month to make phone calls and spread literature on his behalf. They were doing a great job. He showed up with donuts and provided decent coffee to keep them fueled and made sure they knew how much he appreciated them.

  “And guess what? Last night David Logan contributed five hundred toward your campaign.”

  “Hey, that’s terrific news.” He gave Avery a sideways hug. “You’re a good sister—I don’t care what Gavin says.”

  “Just remember that next time my Jeep battery goes dead.”

  “It’d help if you remembered to turn off the lights.”

  Campaigns cost money—Cooper hadn’t realized how much. Mailings, yard signs, buttons, and bumper stickers; it all added up. He was thankful and humbled that the people of Riverbend believed in him. Now if he could only get the rest of the county on board.

  “Help me unbox all these postcards. The volunteers will start canvassing the county next Monday.”

  “Sure.”

  “Dad would’ve been here, but he’s helping a friend move. And your mom had a meeting with the garden club.”

  Cooper grabbed one of the box cutters and got started. “They do plenty. I’m thankful for all the help.” He wasn’t sure how Avery was doing it—running his campaign and her new clinic. But then she didn’t have a social life to speak of.

  “I’m surprised you don’t have a date tonight,” Avery said. “You didn’t forget it’s a Friday night . . .”

  “I don’t have a date every weekend, you know.”

  “Practically.”

  “Well, you could take a lesson.” He couldn’t even remember the last time Avery had brought a guy around. “Rodriquez asks about you all the time. When are you going to put him out of his misery and go out with him?”

  “I’m too busy to date. I’m trying to get my brother elected sheriff.” Avery sliced through the box tape and took out the packets. “What do you think of Gavin’s new girl?”

  “Everyone’s asking me about her. You, Gavin, Mom.”

  “Well, of course we are. Gavin’s finally coming out of his funk, and it doesn’t take a genius to see why. We’re hopeful.”

  “Sure. But this is pretty new. Relationships come and go. This one may not last forever.”

  “Gavin’s not like you.”

  Cooper scowled at Avery.

  “That didn’t come out right. I only meant Gavin tends to have long-term relationships.”

  “Well, he got married when he was twelve so . . .”

  “Twenty-six is not that young.”

  “Fine, but he was young when they started dating.” Gavin had gotten Laurel pregnant, and they married soon after in a small ceremony at Riverbend Community Church. Her parents, long-time residents, weren’t happy about the order of events, but they came around eventually.

  Of course, all of that had changed when Jesse died in a car accident two years ago while Gavin was at the wheel.

  As they worked Cooper and Avery talked about the campaign, the clinic, and the family. When the boxes were unpacked, Avery went over the financials with him. There were a lot of rules about campaign funding, and she was fastidious about knowing and following them. He was grateful as spreadsheets weren’t his cup of tea.

  The sun had set by the time they were finished. On their way out the door, Avery grabbed a box of buttons and shoved it at him. “Run these by the church office on your way home. Mrs. Doolittle said she’d have her husband pass them out at the Better Business Bureau meeting. That’ll be good exposure to other parts of the county.”

  “Sure.” He didn’t have anything better going on anyway. Avery was right. He was used to dating on the weekends when work allowed. But this was his second weekend without a date, and he didn’t have to think too hard to figure out why.

  He locked up the building, said good-bye to Avery at her Jeep, and continued down the sidewalk toward the church.

  As he passed the darkened hardware store, a text buzzed in. It was Amber, the hairstylist he’d gone out with twice. They’d texted on and off since their last date a couple weeks ago—the night before Kate’s accident. Cooper hadn’t decided if he wanted a third date with her. He should do that soon so as not to string her along, but his feelings about Katelyn were clouding his thought process.

  Feelings. He didn’t like the way that sounded. Could he really have feelings for someone he’d known only two weeks? For his brother’s girl?

  He rejected the idea, slowing to text Amber back. She was a nice woman. Avery’s words lingered in the back of his mind along with Kate’s, regarding his reputation. He did date around a lot. Maybe he moved on too quickly. Maybe he didn’t open up enough. The thought of being that vulnerable scared him. What if he went all in with someone only to let her down? There were probably reasons he worried about that, but he didn’t want to unpack them right now.

  He tapped in a response to Amber’s text. He needed some time to get his head on straight. Then he’d ask her out again.

  * * *

  After berating herself all week for chickening out at the AA meeting, Katie showed up at the next meeting with fresh determination. It was going basically the same way it had last week, just with a few new faces and stories.

  She was still nervous about encountering her mother, but this time she also felt a pang of guilt. She was intruding on other people’s pain for her own selfish reasons. She didn’t belong here. This would be her last meeting. She would find another way to get to know her mother.

  But she’d nearly made it through the whole meeting, and there was no point in giving up now. Her mom sat in the front row again. Katie studied the graceful curve of her neck, so much like her own. Her heart pounded. She would hang around after the meeting. Maybe even get up the courage to greet her mother.

  When the meeting finally ended Katie took her time gathering her purse and standing. Her legs quaked beneath her. Several people had darted out the door right away, but others stayed in their seats and chatted with their neighbors.

  A few people, her mother included, approached a table containing a coffee urn and cookies, lined up like soldiers on cafeteria trays. Katie made her way over to the coffee. She filled a Styrofoam cup and added a heaping teaspoon of powdered creamer, which hardly even lightened the brew.

  She lifted the cup to her lips.

  “Careful, that stuff is hot as a tin roof.”

  Katie glanced up to her mother’s face, catching on eyes the same shade of blue as her own. Up close she saw lines at the corners of the woman’s eyes and on her upper lip.

  Would Beth Wallace recognize the daughter she’d basically abandoned?

  Over the years Katie had thought of all kinds of things she wanted to say to the woman. All the questions she wanted to ask. But the words were lost to her now. She’d waited too long to respond. The silence had turned awkward. She hoped her nerves would be attributed to the AA situation.

  “The taste isn’t so great either,” the woman offered kindly. “But at least it’s caffeinated.”

  Get it together, Katie. She cleared her throat. “That’s all that really matters, I guess.”

  Her mother extended a hand. “I’m Beth, director of the group.”

  “Katie.” She shook her mother’s slender hand. There was no recognition in the woman’s eyes. Katie was both relieved and profoundly disappointed by that.

  “You were here last week, I think.”

  Katie didn’t think Beth had noticed, the way she’d slunk in and out. “I probably should’ve said something.”

  “It’s not like that around here. Come and go as you like. No pressure at all.”

  “Okay.” Katie didn’t know what else to say. Her palms were sweaty, and her mind spun with things to say—none of them appropriate for the occasion.

  Instead she took a sip of coffee—and yes, it burned her tongue. But she welcomed the distraction of pain.

  Beth checked her watch. “I’m afraid I have to run. I’m late to meet someone.”

  “Well, it was nice to meet you,” Katie said automatically.

  Her mother withdrew a card from her purse and held it out. “I’d like to give you this. Feel free to call me anytime, day or night.”

  “Oh.” Katie inched backward. “I don’t think—I’m not—”

  “Just take the card, Katie. Please. No pressure at all to use it.”

  Katie did as she said. “Thank you.”

  “I hope you come back next week.”

  Katie didn’t reply, and her mother scooted out the door as though she was, indeed, late for an appointment.

  Katie’s hand was shaking so badly, coffee sloshed over the lip of her cup, burning her. She had to get out of there. A young woman who couldn’t have been more than twenty frowned at her as she darted toward the door. But Katie couldn’t bring herself to care. She was just trying to remember how to breathe.

  She exited the room and slammed into something hard. “Umph.”

  Katie looked up into Cooper’s brown eyes. He was just inches away, steadying her with his big hands.

  “Katie.”

  “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”