Chapter Two
Sarah Moore pulled open the Lucky Lucy’s doors and entered the darkened establishment only to find her boyfriend, Matt Mullin, in the arms of another woman, her best friend, Lucy Levine. At first it didn’t seem real until halfway across the bar she watched as Matt bent Lucy over and kissed her on the mouth.
The pain ripped through her heart and she didn’t stop to think. Instead she walked up to the bar and ordered, “Give me a beer, please.”
Lucy’s father, Curtis, handed her, her favorite kind, a Miller Lite. She took two swigs of the light amber colored beer then walked over to Matt and Lucy and chucked the bottle hitting Matt on the head. “That’s for your cheating heart, asshole.”
Turning around Sarah found her courage and walked out of the bar. Leaving Matt standing there to deal with his family and friends. Why she hadn’t asked questions first was due to her temper.
How could he cheat on her after years of being together? It was a question she wanted to ask him. Calling him later, Sarah asked him, “Matt, why and with Lucy?”
“Maybe it would be better if you walked away from me, Sarah. Find yourself a good man and get married. Just like you’ve wanted to for the past five years.”
“But, I thought we’re getting married someday.”
“I don’t want to get married. I’m finally getting somewhere and I intend to see how far the rodeo takes me.”
“But, that has to end soon. Matt, your body can’t keep getting hit like it does weekend after weekend.”
“Leave me alone. I intend to go as far as this body will take me. I’m leaving Winslow and I have no fucking idea when I’ll be back.” Matt hung up and she’d heard from his family, he’d packed up and left again.
The words he’d spoken to her that day rang in her mind. Finding out two weeks later she was alone and pregnant sparked a slow burning anger. Her number one priority would be to go back to her residency and finish her doctorate. She had less than nine months to become a doctor and have a baby by herself.
Five Years Later
There was no way in hell Sarah Moore, MD was going to finish up her paperwork and see all the patients that had walked through the emergency room tonight. Fuck it!
Sarah had a moment of pure panic until she’d walked away from it all to grab another cup of coffee. No sleep for the past twenty hours and the nurses had just brought in three critical patients through the doors had sent her into a tail spin. After finishing up on those she craved another cup of the rich black Columbian coffee, her favorite.
Why tonight? What the hell was happening outside in Winslow, Texas a town of a few thousand people?
Harlow Mullin, the town’s Sheriff, stalked her through the breakroom door. “Sarah?” His low toned voice startled her out of her thoughts while he plopped his long lanky frame down next to her on the sofa.
“Hey, Low, what’s brought you here tonight? Coffee?”
“Sure, could always use a cup. It’s been a helluva night out there for me. I can’t believe how many accidents there are. What the fuck are these people doing out on a Friday night so late. I haven’t seen Winslow this busy since the fourth of July. Shit its only August.”
She handed him a tan paper container cup of the black stuff. “Here you go, your favorite, black like your soul?”
Chuckling. “Yeah, tonight I could use this shit.” Harlow looked down at his cup of coffee. “I just wanted to see how that last victim—I mean patient faired under you?” He chuckled.
They harassed each other this way because Low was her best friend and had been for as long as she could remember. Even dating his older brother, Matt, hadn’t changed their friendship.
Even though Matt had crushed her heart and broken off their relationship, she couldn’t hold Harlow Mullin responsible for his brother’s actions. Later, she’d found out from Low that the kiss she’d witnessed between Lucy and Matt had been a dare and there had been nothing between the two of them. It still hurt that he’d crushed her when he told her to find someone else and get married.
Matt and she had been together for as long as she could remember. They’d held hands in kindergarten, pulled each other hair in grade school, flirted in junior high and dated in high school. After she went off to college then medical school, they’d attempted the long-distance relationship but after her residency it had ended with Matt leaving her pregnant and alone with no one. Well, he didn’t know at the time he left that she was pregnant. She still hadn’t told him or his family. The only one that ever knew was Harlow and she’d sworn him to keep it a secret. He’d been a sport about it but she also knew it wasn’t fair for Harlow or herself. But the facts of the matter, was she was terrified that she’d kept the girl away from her father her whole life. It was a little too late to admit that it had been a mistake.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want Matt to know, it was the fact that five years ago he left town and never returned. His family had literally ignored the fact that she had a baby and Low was the only one that ever questioned her, then kept his promise and never told a soul who Emmy’s father really was.
“Why, you don’t trust me yet and you’ve known me for what for twenty-five years or so?” She teased.
“Yeah, but I also care about the people in this town.” He bumped her shoulder and chuckled.
“What you’re saying is I’m a no-good doctor, or what?” She teased him.
“No, I’m saying you got too much on your plate and you shouldn’t be working so hard.”
“What, I don’t work hard enough.” Sarah worked five days a week at the regular clinic here and in Austin then picked up as many shifts as she could at the local emergency room. She worked harder than most doctors but she was still building a name for herself.
“Well, just letting you know, on a serious note, the last patient didn’t make it. I lost him about an hour ago.” Sarah’s heart clenched at the thought of the dead teenager.
Low ran his hand through his dark thick hair. “Damn, I’m sorry, Sarah. That accident up on the county road was a bad one. Those kids shouldn’t have been racing.”
“That’s what brought those people in?” Sarah knew the teen was hit by car but she didn’t realize they’d been involved together. It saddened her that their young lives had been taken so early. He’d only been sixteen years old. “Why in the hell would their parents let them stay out so late at night?”
“I think the kids were out with friends and ended up racing down there on that old highway. You know the one they called Devil’s corner?”
“Yeah, I know the place.”
“They were screwing around and flipped the car on that curve.” She could picture the location and knew it was a dangerous path to take. Why they’d been out there in the first place was a mystery to her.
“Anyways, two of the patients were involved in the racing accident. The other one, the older lady was from an accident here in town. What about her?”
“She’s good. Broken arm and some bruises.” Sarah had treated then turned that person over to an intern. “But, something tells me you’re not here for that.” She raised her eyebrow. She knew this man for years now and he usually tried to stop in the hospital on weekends to give her shit, but tonight he seemed a little more subdued than normal.
“Just letting you know Matt’s coming home.” Those words were something she’d longed to hear for years. Now, though it just wasn’t something she needed. Not while she was at work.
“Well good for him. It’s been what like five years? Hey, forget I said that, thanks for letting me know,” she said in her soft toned voice. She couldn’t and wouldn’t show this man her fear at the mention of his eldest brother coming home.
“What’s with the attitude? I thought I better let you know he’s coming home.”
“Well, it has been five years?”
“Yes, it has. But, there’s something else.” He rubbed his face, knocking his hat off his head. Grabbing it he placed it back on his head and stood up. “Sarah, what about Emmy?”
“What about her, she’s my daughter. That’s that.” Low was her best friend but she wouldn’t admit that this statement scared the hell out of her.
“Sarah?” His question reminded her that she couldn’t concentrate on her emotions right now at this present moment she had to work.
“What? I really got to get back to work. I don’t have time to discuss my daughter with you right now. Matt, choose to walk away from all of us five years ago. I can’t help the fact that he’s strolling back in here. When’s he going to leave again this time. A week, two at the most.”
“What the fuck, you’re still on break. You know we need to talk about Emmy?”
“I don’t think my daughter should be in any kind of conversation with Matt in it.”
“What the fuck. How are you going to walk around town with a little girl who looks just like her father?” Harlow was livid. His red face and sparkling green eyes told her he’d reached his limit.
“Low, calm yourself down. I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. Look, if Matt stays more than a few days it’s a miracle. Five years is a long time to be away from one’s family. That’s what we need to talk about. Not Emmy.”
“He’s coming home for good.” That news quickened her pulse.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s done. He’s coming home for good. Bringing a whole damn motorcycle club with him. It’s not going to be easy to hide anymore from him, you know.”
“What happened?”
“Well you know he fell off a bull and fucked himself up.”
This was news to Sarah. She hadn’t heard about any accident. “When did that happen?”
“I told you about it months ago. He fucked up his back but is recovering.” She remembered something about a back problem. But, she didn’t really care what it had been about. Her feelings for Matt was short-lived. Every time he came home they’d hook up then he’d leave her again. How many times did he have to leave before she got tired of it all and moved on?
“I can’t do it anymore. It’s been five years since I saw him last.”
“I know, baby girl, look I need to get back out there. But, I want you to consider telling the family about Emmy. I think we all have a right to share her with you, don’t you?”
“Um…”
“Look don’t think too hard on it right now. But, consider at least letting me tell the folks?”
“My mom says the same thing. She’s been friends with your mom for years and she hates the fact that I’ve hidden the fact Matt’s her father from your family.” Sarah pushed her hand through her thick blonde hair.
“Why in the hell have you hidden her for so long?”
“Because I’m mad at Matt for leaving me the way he did. It’s not fair to me. He left me when I was six weeks pregnant, alone, and a residency to finish on my own. I’ve raised her by myself for four years. I don’t think I should have to share her with anyone especially your family. Harlow, come on, just give me a little more time and I’ll figure it all out.”
He folded her into his arms. “You know I’d do anything for you, Sarah. It’s hell on our friendship but I made you a promise. I just think it would be cool to share Emmy with my family.”
“I know, let me think about it and I’ll let you know. I’m going to be the one to tell your family though, not you. That is unfair how I’ve made you keep this secret from your entire family.”
“I really don’t mind. It is what it is. I know you didn’t do it to hurt anybody. It just happened. I’ll see you soon. Maybe coffee and breakfast?”
“Yeah good idea.” She hugged him then sat back down to rest while she had a few moments reprieve from the night.
Her relief was short lived. Another call came in and her nurse, Janet yelled, “Sarah, incoming. Stage, now!”
Standing up she stretched then found her stride as her tennis shoes pounded across the tiles and took her to the emergency room doors to greet her next patient. Thoughts of her ex and what the hell she was going to do about it gone for now.