Sand Castle Bay

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His candor wasn’t a total shock, but his lack of faith in her hurt more than she’d expected it to. “Boone, he’s a wonderful boy. I won’t let him down. I promise.”

His gaze locked with hers. “I’m holding you to that, Em. That boy is the most precious thing I have in my life. He’s been through enough.”

“And so have you,” she said, understanding the pain they’d both suffered. “I get it, Boone.”

He hesitated, holding her gaze, then nodded. “I’ll see you later, then.”

She swallowed hard as he turned and walked away. “Later,” she whispered, wondering if she hadn’t just made a huge mistake by making a promise she’d never be able to keep, no matter how good her intentions were. After all, what did she really know about protecting a little boy’s heart?

* * *

It was about six-thirty, and Boone was wrapping things up for the day, preparing to head over to Cora Jane’s house to pick up B.J., when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID but didn’t recognize the area code or number.

“Boone, it’s Emily,” she said when he answered.

The shakiness in her voice put him immediately on full alert. “What’s wrong? Has something happened to B.J.?”

“He fell in the parking lot and cut himself on a nail sticking out of a board,” she blurted as if she had to get the words out in a hurry. She drew in a deep breath, then added, “It’s a pretty deep gash, but he’s fine. I swear, Boone, he really is fine. He’s handling it like a real trouper.”

“Where are you?” he asked, trying to temper panic and the need to lash out. He’d known leaving B.J. behind today was foolish. What had he been thinking?

“We’re at Ethan Cole’s Emergency Clinic,” Emily told him. “Grandmother called Ethan and he met us here. B.J. needs stitches and probably a tetanus shot, unless he’s already up-to-date on that. That’s really why I’m calling. Ethan doesn’t want to give him the shot if he doesn’t need it.”

“Let me speak to Ethan,” Boone demanded, needing not only the insights of an expert, but his reassurance.

“Of course,” Emily agreed at once.

“Hey, Boone,” Ethan said, sounding calm and completely unruffled, exactly the demeanor one wanted from an emergency physician. “B.J.’s going to be just fine. Hasn’t shed a tear. In fact, he’s excited about having a scar. I’m numbing the area right now so I can do those stitches. He’ll be good as new in a couple of weeks.”

“Swear to me he’s okay.”

“He’s okay,” Ethan said. “Emily had the bleeding stopped by the time they got here. She really kept her wits about her and kept B.J. calm in the process.”

“What the hell was he doing running around in the parking lot, anyway? And where’d that board come from? I cleaned the parking lot of debris myself.”

“You’re asking the wrong person,” Ethan said. “But, if you’re looking for speculation, seems to me it could have washed into the road overnight on high tide and somebody tossed it into the parking lot. Does that really matter?”

Boone sighed. “I suppose not. I knew I shouldn’t have left him over at Castle’s today. Emily was supposed to be keeping an eye on him.”

“Sounds to me as if she and Cora Jane were both right there when he tripped and fell. It was an accident, Boone. Things like this happen, especially to little boys who don’t think about the dangers that might be underfoot after a storm.”

“But I warned him,” Boone said in frustration.

Ethan chuckled. “Do you not recall that eight-year-old kids have the attention span of a gnat? I can’t tell you how many people I’ve patched up this week from incidents just like this one. Where does B.J. stand on his tetanus shots?”

“He’s up-to-date,” Boone said.

“Then it’s all good. I’ll have him out of here in a half hour.”

“I’m on my way.”

“Why don’t you just meet them at Cora Jane’s as planned?” Ethan suggested. “It’ll give that temper of yours time to cool down. I know you’re looking to place blame, but I’m telling you it’s an accident that could have happened to anyone. Don’t make Emily the scapegoat. If you do, you’ll just make Cora Jane feel guilty, too, and she’s shaken enough.”

Boone sighed. “You’re probably right.” He hesitated, then asked, “How are your sewing skills? He’s not going to look as if he was sewn up by a butcher, is he?”

Ethan laughed. “You do recall that not that long ago I was stitching up soldiers on the battlefield in Afghanistan, right? The United States Army trusted me to know what I was doing. The scar will be real pretty, I promise.”

Boone finally managed a chuckle. “Okay, okay, I get it. I’m overreacting. Thanks, Ethan.”

“Any time, pal. See you soon. I’ll want to see B.J. to remove the stitches in a couple of weeks. Just stop by during office hours or if that doesn’t work, give me a call and I’ll come by the house.”

“We’ll settle up the bill then, too,” Boone promised.

“Just invite me over for steak next time you’re grilling,” Ethan said. “It’s been a while since we’ve gotten together.”

“Then we’ll plan it,” Boone promised. A guy’s night was way too rare these days. He could use one, too, a night free of the complications that seemed to be piling up in his life these days.

When he’d disconnected the call, he drew in a deep breath and said a little prayer thanking God that B.J.’s injury hadn’t been worse. He understood that accidents could happen anytime, anyplace to anyone. But this had been his boy, and B.J. had been in Emily’s care. He wondered if he had it in him to forgive that, despite the logic that told him no forgiveness ought to be required.

* * *

“Daddy’s going to be really, really mad at me,” B.J. said, looking dejected as Emily drove him and Cora Jane home.

“He’s just worried, that’s all,” Emily assured him, though he’d certainly sounded angry on the phone. She hoped that had been the fear talking and that Ethan’s reassurance had settled him down. The last thing B.J. or Cora Jane needed was to have Boone storming in on a tear.

They’d barely pulled into the driveway at home when Boone turned in behind them, tires squealing as he hit his brakes. He was out of his car practically before the engine cut off. He yanked open the back door of the rental Emily was driving, his expression easing only when he saw for himself that B.J. was essentially in one piece.

B.J. held out his bandaged arm. “Dr. Cole says I’m going to have a scar,” he said excitedly. “I had to have stitches. I didn’t even cry.”

“He was incredibly brave,” Cora Jane confirmed, giving Boone a warning look.

Emily watched Boone blink back a tear as he forced himself to give his son a congratulatory high-five.

“You’re not going to ground me, are you?” B.J. asked worriedly. “Or yell at anybody? Or keep me from going to Castle’s?”

“You might need to take a couple of days off till your arm’s healed up,” Boone said. “But, no, I’m not going to ground you.”

“How about the yelling?” Emily asked quietly. “I imagine you’d like to direct a few pointed words at me.”

Boone glanced up at her, his eyes filled with emotion. He looked as if there was plenty he wanted to say, but he managed to censor himself.

Cora Jane seemed to sense that the two of them needed to talk privately. She put an arm around B.J.’s shoulders. “Come on, B.J. Let’s get those cookies and the milk I promised you. I’ll bet Samantha has them on the table waiting for us.”

“All right!” B.J. enthused, then took off running.

Boone shook his head as he watched him. “That boy never slows down. I’m sure that’s how he fell in the parking lot.”

“It is,” Emily confirmed. “I’m really sorry, Boone.”

“Intellectually, I know it wasn’t your fault.” He tapped his chest. “But in here, I’m looking for somebody to blame.”

“I get that, and it did happen on my watch, right after I’d assured you he’d be safe with me.”

“And I was standing right here when he took off running across the lawn just now, oblivious to all the branches that could trip him up. He’s a rambunctious kid.”

“That almost sounds as if you’re letting me off the hook,” Emily said.

“Trying to,” he admitted, grinning. “Ethan gave me an earful. That helped to put things in perspective, too.”

“You two are still good friends?”

Boone nodded. “Ethan didn’t make it easy when he first got home from Afghanistan. He was angry and bitter and pretty much hated the world after he lost his lower leg.”

Emily’s eyes widened. “He lost his leg? I had no idea.”

“He’d be delighted to hear that. The truth is that most people don’t even notice. He’s mastered the prosthesis, had a huge attitude adjustment and finally seems to be on track again.”

“That’s amazing. Good for him.”

“It really is good for him,” Boone said. “There’s nobody around I admire more.”

“Wasn’t he engaged? Is he married now?”

Boone hesitated, then said, “That didn’t work out. And, word of advice, don’t bring it up around him.”

Emily stared at him. “They broke up because of his injury?” she guessed.

Boone nodded. “Talk about being bitter where women are concerned? Ethan wrote the book on it.”

“That’s a shame,” she said.

Boone nodded.

Emily met his gaze. “You coming in for cookies and milk? Or would you rather have something stronger? I think we have some beer.”

Boone looked torn. She had a hunch if it hadn’t been for B.J., he’d have taken off right then. He surprised her, though, by suggesting she get a couple of beers.

“Maybe we could sit down by the water,” he said. “Catch up?”

“Sure,” she said, eager to accept the olive branch he was extending.

When she went inside to retrieve the beers, she found her sisters doting on B.J., exclaiming over his bandaged arm and his bravery.

“Where’s Boone?” Cora Jane asked.

“Outside. I’m going to grab a couple of beers and join him for a little while, if that’s okay.”

The three women at the table exchanged amused looks.

“I win!” Samantha said, holding out her hand.

“Win what?” Emily asked with a narrowed gaze.

Cora Jane and Gabi each put five dollar bills into Samantha’s outstretched hand. The sight of her sister gloating grated.