“Cooper, may I?” Peyton asked.

“Sure, of course,” he said. “She’s very nice to hold. Sarah says we probably hold her too much.”

Peyton reached for the baby. “There’s no such thing.” She brought the baby against her and instinctively her lips and nose went against that little cap of brown hair.

“You’re awfully good at that,” Sarah said.

“I’m a professional,” Peyton said. “I have seven siblings. I held my first baby when I was two. Very big extended family. There have been many since.”

“I’m surprised you don’t have one of your own,” someone said.

She laughed. “Maybe that’s why I don’t....”

But her heart gave a tug. She hadn’t been in a hurry to have children, but now she was starting to feel something was missing from her life. Lots of things were missing. She began to hum to the baby without even realizing it. She swayed with little two-week-old Summer in her arms. She wanted more. She wanted a good, strong, faithful man, a child of her own, a family, a future, a life beyond her life. It almost caused her eyes to tear. She kissed the baby’s head, and when she looked up, everyone was staring at her. She laughed uncomfortably. “Sorry. I got a little lost there for a second.”

“She’ll do that to you,” Sarah said. “You’re a natural.”

“Call on me anytime your arms need a rest,” she said.

“You can expect a call at around 2:00 a.m.,” Cooper said.

Ham was soon sitting very close to Peyton, giving the little pink bundle an occasional sniff. While Peyton and Devon visited with Sarah for a little while, Ham wasn’t the only interesting thing they observed. Austin was in and out of the house, and everywhere he went, Will was on his tail, asking questions, trying to share a bag of pretzels, acting goofy. After about three or four trips on to the deck and back into the house, Devon leaned toward Peyton and explained. “Will has a man-crush on Austin.”

“And the Great Dane has an Alpha dog attachment to Summer,” Peyton added.

“Big-time. Well, Sarah, I’m getting the kids out of here. You’re probably kind of sick of them by now,” Devon said.

“Actually, I think I’m having an adrenaline rush, but I don’t want to use it cooking for a bunch of kids. Will you invite Austin over?”

“Sure,” Devon said with a laugh. “Spencer and I will throw some food at them. Peyton, will you join us for dinner? It won’t be fancy, and it could be loud.”

“That’s very sweet, but I think I’ll call it a day. Let you get your family settled.”

* * *

Peyton walked back to the clinic where her car was parked. She had some stuffed peppers from Carrie’s deli at home in the freezer. She could heat up a nice big one and park in front of the TV with it.

But she sat in her car and texted Scott. Any news on Kevin?

Surgery went well. He’s in recovery and will be in his room in a half hour.

She looked at her watch. Just under four hours since she’d seen him in the clinic. That indicated he went quickly into a surgery that was under two hours in length, a very good sign. She started her car and instead of going to her little duplex where a stuffed pepper waited for her, she drove out of town and headed to North Bend.

Six

It wasn’t routine for Peyton to visit her patients in the hospital. She had, of course, if she was concerned or had a patient with whom she’d developed a close relationship. Rounds were more a function of the physicians, not their assistants. But she wanted to see how Kevin and his family were getting along. Al, this single man in his fifties, taking on three teenage boys even though he had major responsibilities to his employer, just plain intrigued her. Though she didn’t know him well, she didn’t think she’d met a more likable man in a long time.

She was given the room number, and when she went to the second floor, she saw Scott just exiting the room. “Well, Peyton! I didn’t know you were coming up here.”

“Last-minute decision,” she said. “How’s he doing?”

“He’s a little goofy,” Scott said. “But he’s in good shape. I’m sure he’ll be discharged in a day, maybe two. And he’s going to sleep very well tonight! Al and the other boys were here when he came out of recovery. I just sent them on their way—I think they’re convinced he’s all right and won’t be much company tonight. He has plenty of people to wait on him if he needs anything.”

“Aw, I was hoping to see Al. Is he doing all right with his youngest just out of surgery?”

“Holding up fine,” Scott said. “It went like clockwork. Have you eaten?”

“No, but I have one of Carrie’s stuffed peppers in the freezer at home.”

“Save it. I’ll buy you dinner. Then I have to pick up the kids. Devon fed them and has them parked in front of a movie, and I’m hungry. What country do you feel like—Japan, Italy, Mexico or some good old Pacific ocean fare?”

“You don’t have to do that, Scott....”

“I should have done it a couple of weeks ago! I’d be glad for the company. I could manage some nachos and a big fat burrito. I’m not on call tonight, and I’m in the mood for a cold beer. Want to follow me? I know a great little place.”

“All right. Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. I’m starving!”

Twenty minutes later they were seated in a small but crowded Mexican restaurant, with a beer each and separated by a bowl of chips and salsa.

“So, you have the weekend off?” she asked Scott.

“More or less. I’m on call to the hospital Saturday night and Sunday night, but that doesn’t mean they’ll need me. For that matter, I’ve been called to North Bend when they need help, even when I’m not on call. It’s rare for me to say no, but I like it better when I’m being paid to sit at home.”

“But what do you do with the kids? Especially now with your babysitter out of town?”

“Devon and I have an arrangement. Mercy is at my house a lot, too. When Spencer’s teaching and coaching and Devon is working at the clinic, Mercy has been at my house with my kids and Gabriella. I have her overnight now and then, so Spencer and Devon can have time alone. And now we’re going to have to figure out a few things, because Gabby is coming back next week, but she’s decided to move back home at the end of summer to go to college in Washington state so she can be closer to her mom. I think that cancer scare got to her.”