The Newcomer (Thunder Point #2)(56)

Gina was reluctant to be very far away from home these days, but she thought her reasons for wanting to see Eric after all this time were important enough to pursue. She needed to ask Eric about the medical history on his side of the family.

She wasn’t going to tell Ashley about this plan—at least not yet. She wasn’t sure how her daughter would react to the news that Gina was going to try to talk to her father. She might even ask to go along, and that ’twas not going to happen. What Ashley did not need right now was one more unstable relationship in her life. So Gina told her she was going over to Bandon to the doctor’s office for her annual exam and since she had to take time off from work to do it, she thought she might shop a little. Ashley was told to call her grandmother if she needed anything.

On the drive to Eugene, Gina wondered what Eric would be like. She expected him to be a slightly older version of the boy she’d known. The fact that he now owned his own small business kind of threw her; she did not exactly remember him as being responsible.

His body shop—Gentry’s—wasn’t in a particularly nice part of town but it was large, on a clean lot surrounded by a cyclone fence and a couple of signs that said there were guard dogs on the property. She shivered. There was only one small reception counter inside the front door—the place where people dropped off their keys and phone numbers—and the rest of the building was all garage and service bays. She peeked in—there were at least eight work bays and there looked to be six employees working on cars. She saw brutalized bumpers, crunched-up sides, but also vintage and classic models undergoing restoration. And the garage was spotless.

A young man came to the counter, wiping his hands on a rag. He had his name, Rafael, sewn on his work shirt. “Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for Eric Gentry,” she said. “He was recommended.”

“That’s great—what do you need done?”

“I was told to only talk to Eric,” she said smoothly.

“I’ll see if he’s available.” And the guy disappeared.

Not two minutes later Eric walked through the door from the garage, wiping his hands on an identical blue rag. And it was like stepping back in time. He was the same guy, just older and more mature. He’d have to be about thirty-six now and his red hair was a little darker, but those green eyes, Ashley’s green eyes, were just as breathtaking. He still had that bad-boy aura that had once put her afire. And he recognized her immediately. His eyes grew wide and his mouth formed a handsome O of surprise.

“Don’t call the dogs,” she said, putting up a hand. “I don’t want anything from you. You’re not in trouble or anything. I just have to ask you a few questions. Health questions. For my daughter’s health.”

“Daughter?” he said, as if he didn’t know.

“Yes, daughter. Do you have fifteen or twenty minutes? I won’t keep you long, I promise. And there are no wrong answers—you’re not at risk. It’s medical history stuff and it’s important for her, so she gets the best medical care.”

“Is she sick?”

Gina allowed a small smile. “It’s one of the first things a doctor asks when you need medical attention and we don’t know anything about the medical history of your side of the family. Is there somewhere sort of private we could talk?”

“There’s a Denny’s a few blocks away. I’d be happy to buy you a cup of coffee. I’ll just let my guys know I’m leaving.”

“Should I follow you?”

“That’ll work. Give me a couple of minutes—I want to wash my hands. I’ll be backing out of the lot in the tow truck.”

“I’m in the old Jeep,” she said.

Gina left to wait for him in the Jeep. While she sat there she wondered what her next move would be if he bolted again. But he had a business—surely he wouldn’t run now. When he ran at eighteen, he’d had nothing to hold him. He couldn’t possibly believe she’d be coming after him now for support, or to charge him with statutory rape! At this late date? But then, the big tow truck backed out and she put her Jeep in gear and followed him.

Eric parked around the back of the restaurant and Gina parked in front. She had the passing thought that Denny’s was certainly getting a workout lately—Mac had met with Cee Jay in a Denny’s. Gina hoped this conference would be much more productive.

She waited for him inside the door and once he was there, the waitress appeared, all smiles.

“How’s it going, Eric?” she asked.

“Great, Jenn. Can we have a booth?”

“You bet,” she said, grabbing menus and showing them the way.

They settled in, menus closed and Eric immediately asked, “Is she all right?”

“She is. She’s had some challenges lately, as all teenage girls will, but the only thing I could use help from you with is a medical history.” She pulled a slip of paper from the side pocket of her purse. “Like—any history of cancer, heart disease, mental illness, epilepsy, diabetes? Any chronic illnesses or hereditary conditions I should know about? Kidney failure? High blood pressure? Breast cancer, uterine cancer? How about clinical depression or bipolar disorder?”

He frowned. “My dad had bypass surgery, but I’m pretty sure it was more about fried foods and no exercise than genetics. Mental illness? My mother’s pretty crazy, but I think it’s just that she’s pretty crazy, not mentally ill.”