The Doctor's Family

“And you apparently didn’t try to find out.”

“Yes, I did,” Jonathan said, getting up to pace across the brick tiles. “I did. Many times. But Aaron wasn’t one for sending greeting cards. He could hold a grudge, that’s for sure.”

“And where is he now? Or do you even care?”

A sick feeling hit Jonathan in his stomach. “You mean, you haven’t heard? He’s dead. He died about a month ago in a car crash. He was driving drunk.”

Arabella put a knuckle to her mouth. “Oh, no. Oh, my goodness. Jasmine doesn’t know that. No one contacted us.” She gripped the bench, her hands down beside her skirt. “How am I supposed to tell her that?”

Jonathan wished he could make it easier. “She has to hear it—and understand I just found out a few weeks ago. I’d have come sooner if I’d known. I didn’t even get to attend his funeral.”

“And why didn’t you know? Why didn’t you two keep up with each other?”

Jonathan looked down at the pretty garden tiles. “He hated me. Because I left. I got out.”

“Got out?”

Jonathan wasn’t ready to give her an up-close-and-personal history of his family dysfunctions. “It doesn’t matter. We drifted apart after … after our daddy died. But I’m here now. I don’t want to let the same thing happen with Jasmine. I want her to know she has an uncle.”

“And how will your family feel about this?”

He glanced at the praying hands set in stone. “I don’t have a family. I’m not married and our mother died when we were little. Our father died years later.”

“That’s tough—losing your mother like that. I’m sorry.”

He nodded at the understanding in her eyes. “That’s why I want to get to know Jasmine. I’m her only close relative.”

She stood, too, anger seeming to push away her compassion. “And you’re willing to entice her to the big city even though she doesn’t know you? Have you even considered what that might do to her?”

“More than you can imagine,” he said, his own doubts matching the darkness in her eyes. “As you said, she’s an adult now. Neither of us can force her to do anything. I hear she’s engaged to some kid—Cade Clayton. Are you related to him?”

“He’s a cousin, yes. Second cousin. His daddy, Charley, is my cousin. And let me tell you, you don’t want to mess with Charley Clayton or his two stubborn brothers.” She sighed. “He’s fighting this marriage and he’ll fight you, too, if you start in on Cade.”

Jonathan pressed two fingers against the throbbing in his forehead. “I’m getting that we have some good Claytons and some not-so-good around here. Am I right?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Our uncle Samuel has three sons—Charley, Pauley—our honorable mayor—and Frank. He’s the quiet one who lives on the outskirts of town. But between them and their offspring, it’s always high drama around here.” She glanced toward the church. “Listen, I need to get back inside. I’ll have to make up an excuse if Jasmine sees you. We can’t blurt this out in front of everyone inside.”

Jonathan wasn’t ready to let her go. “Wait. This Cade—is he a good kid?”

“Yes, surprisingly. Smart, too. And … he loves Jasmine. I’m not all excited about them getting married so young but they’re determined.” She gave him a pointed look. “You might want to keep that in mind when you tell Jasmine you have grand plans to invite her to check out Denver.”

She started across the parking lot, her skirt swishing against her boots.

“When can we talk again?” Jonathan called. “When can I see my niece?”

She turned around, her hands on her hips and her head tilted. “Come by the house tomorrow. We’ll have lunch. Until then, stay away from her. Let me talk to her. She doesn’t need to hear all of this from a complete stranger.” She stood still, giving him another thorough glance. “I believe you know where I live.”

Then she whirled with all the dignity of a queen and left him standing there. Jonathan hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath until she was out of sight. He gulped in the cool night air, wondering what he would have done if she had refused to let him visit with Jasmine. And wondering why this particular woman made him bristle like a grizzly each time she looked at him.

Chapter Two

Arabella slammed the back door to the church kitchen, her mood shifting from confused to mad to sad. She shouldn’t feel sorry for the man. It was ridiculous to hold her breath in awe against the person who’d spied on her, scared her silly and floored her with that bombshell of an introduction. But there was something about Jonathan Turner. Something that tore at her heart.

Maybe it was that haunted look of regret in his eyes or the way he’d put his hands in his pockets when he tried to explain things to her. Maybe he truly wanted to do right by Jasmine. And where was the harm in that?

He’d come here to find his niece. Now that she knew his real reason for being here, Arabella could let out her held breath. Only now she had a whole new set of worries.

One, Jasmine wasn’t going anywhere with Jonathan Turner. Arabella was certain of that. Cade wouldn’t allow it, either. He’d fight the good doctor on that one, same way he’d fought Arabella and his entire family on trying to stop them from marrying so young. Arabella had finally caved—her romantic heart overruling her pragmatic head. Jasmine and Cade were both adults now. They could live wherever they wanted and they could visit any city they wanted, including Denver.

And two, in spite of her sympathy for the loss of his brother and Jonathan’s being alone in the world, Arabella didn’t trust the man. She needed to learn more. Needed to see that he had Jasmine’s best interest at heart. Arabella didn’t cotton to shiftiness and lying, no, sir. The doctor had started off on a bad foot by not coming to her and explaining himself the minute he’d come into town.

And three, she didn’t like the way he made her feel—kind of shaky and unsure, as if she’d stepped on a rock’s edge and the foundation was about to give way underneath her feet. She was in shock, nothing more. Too much chaos would do that to a person, especially a person who thrived on order and routine. Her whole life had tilted over the past couple of months. For her kids’ sake, she needed things to settle back down. This sudden development would not help, not at all.

First, her grandfather had gone and died on her just when she was beginning to truly understand him. Then seeing him on that strange video, demanding her cousins all come home and make nice by living in Clayton for a year so they could receive their proper inheritance. And now, a city slicker coming to town and announcing he was Jasmine’s only living kin.

What else could happen?

Take a long breath, she told herself. And say a long prayer.

She entered the warm kitchen and went to work helping the bustling women finish getting the meal on the table. Staying busy was her way of blocking out all her problems. But when she carried out a big pan of baked chicken, Zach met her halfway and took it.

“Okay, so how’d that go?” he asked on a low whisper.

She shrugged, motioning for him to put the container on the table. “Fine … I guess. He seems sincere but I have to be sure. He wants to meet Jasmine. I told him to come by tomorrow.”

“Want me there?”

She thought about that for a minute. “No. I think he can’t be intimidated, even by you. And I get the impression he won’t give up so easy.”

“He has a right to know his niece, Arabella.”

“Yeah, well, I have a right to protest that.”

“Not a legal right,” Zach reminded her. “But as a mother—a guardian of sorts—yes, you have certain rights. You’ve been taking care of Jasmine for a while now. Besides, from what I could find out, he’s not married. Why would a bachelor want to deal with a niece?”

Arabella fussed with the silverware on the table. “I won’t let him talk her into moving away.”

“She’s entitled to make up her own mind. She and Cade have been planning to move anyway. Or at least Cade’s planning on going away to college.”

“What if she does decide to go to Denver, though? What if she wants to leave for good?”

Zach patted her arm. “We’ll deal with that if it happens. You’ve always said she was free to go if she wanted to. Don’t go borrowing trouble.”

Arabella wanted to tell her handsome cousin that trouble always had a way of finding her before she even thought of borrowing it. But a commotion near the entranceway to the fellowship hall caught her attention.

Zach started to speak again, but Jasmine pushed through the room and hurried toward them. “Arabella—”

Someone called from across the room. “Arabella?”