The Promise (Thunder Point #5)(73)

“I’ll say. Maybe I won’t raise the subject with old Norm.”

“Brilliant idea,” Gina said. Then she smiled, leaned over the counter and whispered, “Congratulations, Lieutenant McCain. I’m very proud of you.”

* * *

Scott walked into the diner just after the lunch hour. When Gina saw him coming, she smiled and gave a little shake of her head. This was the second time he’d come in today. Gina had worked on Saturday, and he’d been in then, too. She sure hadn’t seen this much of him before Peyton left town.

“And what can I get for you, kind doctor?” she asked.

“Is the tuna fresh?”

“Yes.” She laughed. “Stu may not be the best fry cook, but we’re very conscientious about the quality and freshness of the food. Have you ever been sick after eating here?”

“Sick? No. But I had to struggle to get through his meat loaf.”

She laughed. “I don’t recommend the meat loaf. Or the meat loaf sandwich. I don’t know what’s in that recipe, but isn’t it awful? We’ve talked about it, but obviously Stu is in denial.” She slapped a ticket on the cook’s counter and then got back to Scott. “Drink?”

“Coke.”

She poured it, put it in front of him and asked, “How’s Peyton?”

“Good,” he said. “She called a little while ago. The baby is perfect, the Bay Area relatives are visiting in droves, and she’s managing them. Her sister is doing very well.”

“When will she be back?” Gina asked.

His gaze dropped.

“We can either keep tiptoeing around this, or you can spit out what’s bothering you,” Gina said. “You know I only love listening to gossip, but I never repeat it. Especially when it concerns a dear friend.”

“Be careful with that word....”

“Friend?”

“Dear,” he corrected. She frowned in total confusion. He took a deep breath. “You saw the Lamborghini on Friday, right?”

“Scott, people took pictures of the Lamborghini. This is a little fishing village. Devon said the car belonged to the ex, who I didn’t see, but she described him as an older version of Brandon Routh. You know, Superman. And she said he wasn’t nice.”

“Devon talked to him?” Scott asked.

Gina took a breath. “I believe she talked to Peyton.”

“Oh. Sure.”

“Scott! Why shouldn’t I say dear?”

“After Adonis left, Peyton was a little upset. Understandably. She told me I was a dear, sweet man, and that was not what I what I wanted to hear. So I was an ass and jumped all over her for calling me that.”

“Really,” she said with a cynical tone. “Lost your mind a little, huh?” She turned and picked up the sandwich from Stu’s counter and delivered it. “I guess a handsome guy driving a Lamborghini is a little in-your-face, huh?”

He picked up his sandwich. “I could pay off the clinic and stock it with state-of-the-art equipment we need with what that car cost.” He took a bite, chewed and swallowed. “I bet it’s the only one in the state.”

“Well, I’ve never seen one before,” Gina said. “I had a similar thing happen. Not quite a Lamborghini, but still... Before the clinic was open, before Mac asked me to marry him, this woman came into the diner. I thought some movie star had missed a turn, gotten lost and ended up here. She was dressed to kill in designer clothes, jewelry, gorgeous thick dark hair, perfect makeup and a dazzling smile. I thought I’d seen her in toothpaste commercials. Great figure, too. I know this is hard to envision, but she was even more beautiful than Peyton.”

“I’d have to see that to believe it,” he said.

“I know. But I thought any second George Clooney might walk in to join his girlfriend. She even drove up in a Lexus convertible, one of those sporty things. And the second I saw her I felt like I should probably have a little work done.”

“Come on,” Scott said. “You’re one of the prettiest women in town. Maybe the prettiest.”

“Aw, that’s very kind of you to say. But, no, this woman made me feel frumpy, dumpy and pathetic. And then it got worse. She asked me if I knew the deputy because she wanted to see him and the office was closed. I told her I thought he’d be stopping by for coffee. He usually did. I asked her if she’d like me to give him a call to be sure he was headed this way, and she lit up. She’d appreciate that so much, she said. And in the meantime, she’d have a cup of coffee and piece of pie. So I served her and asked her if I could tell Mac who was waiting to see him. And she said, ‘His wife.’”

“Mac was married?” Scott said. “I thought he was divorced.”

“He’s been divorced for years, but the beautiful woman still thought of herself as his wife. I’m surprised I didn’t faint. She had walked out on Mac and the kids ten years before, and I knew that. That doesn’t exactly recommend her, right? But I still had visions of her moving that fabulous wardrobe into his closet. I was panicked for a while, until I remembered who Mac was. And until he had a chance to catch his breath and figure out how to deal with her. It was very hard to be patient, to trust him.”

“I know there’s a lesson in here somewhere,” Scott said.