CHAPTER TWELVE

The next day, after running a few errands and taking a little more time than she needed so she could avoid her aunt Regina, Hailey returned and found Gramps snoozing in his chair. He looked so peaceful. For a moment, Hailey worried that maybe he was too peaceful, so she sidled up close to him to make sure he was breathing. He was, and she gave a sigh of gratitude.

It was painful to see him like this. He’d been such a strong man all her life. He was a decorated police sergeant who’d spent his life protecting others. It was wrong, somehow, that now he needed her because it had always been the other way around. Next to her dad, Gramps was her hero.

Watching someone she loved become weak and needy sent a deep ache into her bones. What if Gramps didn’t fully recover? What if he never told his corny jokes again or his fantastic tales of meeting aliens late at night? What if he simply withered away? What if . . . She didn’t want to think anymore.

Gran and Regina came out from the back bedroom.

“Hi, Hailey,” Gran said. “We’ve been getting that room ready.”

“Oh,” Hailey said. Gran seemed to be happy. Even though Regina wasn’t one of Hailey’s favorite people, maybe having her back would heal some old wounds with Gran. At least that’s what Hailey was telling herself.

“I think Hailey can go back home now.” Regina gave Hailey a smirk.

Gran looked at Hailey. “It’s up to you. If you need to get back—”

“I don’t.” Hailey said with emphasis. Regina was trying to strong arm her away from her grandparents and she didn’t like it. Hailey wasn’t sure what purpose her aunt had in being here right now, but she didn’t want to leave her grandparents at Regina’s mercy.

“There’s room for all of us here.” Gran smiled.

“Sure, I guess,” Regina said. “I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?”

“Pasta salad.” Gran said.

Hailey glanced at the large gold clock on the wall. “Gramps has his therapy appointment in thirty minutes.”

“You go ahead and take him,” Regina said, sitting on the couch. “I’ve got an appointment with the TV and Judge Judy.”

“Actually, it’s a home visit. The therapist will be here.” Nerves rippled across Hailey’s stomach at the thought of Peter coming to the house. She assured herself it wasn’t because she was attracted to him. Because that would be wrong. Very wrong. She was nervous because . . . well, it wasn’t because she liked him in any kind of romantic way.

“Oh. Uh, I forgot I had an appointment.” Regina jumped up. “I gotta go.”

Hailey nodded. Of course. Regina wouldn’t want to be involved in therapy so she could help her own father regain his speech. That’d be too hard. Hailey didn’t want to be cynical, but she didn’t like this whole situation with her aunt barging in on her time with her grandparents. Regina was upsetting everything.

***

A knock sounded at the door and Hailey tried to ignore her quickened heart rate. She smoothed her hair and took in a deep breath.

Opening the door, she said, “Hi. Come in.”

“Thank you.” Peter smiled, but Hailey had rules about flirting with married men and she’d almost crossed the line before at the barber shop. It would be business-only today.

Peter walked over to Gramps. “Hello, Harry. How are you today?”

Gramps gave a nod.

“You have a nice home. This must be your favorite chair.” Peter rested his hand on the recliner. “I bet you’ve watched many a football game sitting in this chair.”

“And basketball. Denver Nuggets all the way. Right, Gramps?” Hailey said, recalling the many times she and Gramps had watched games together.

Gran walked into the room wearing a bright multicolored apron.

Peter turned to her. “Hello.” He reached out and shook her hand. “I’m Peter Stafford. Good to meet you.”

“I’m June. Please excuse the way I look. I’ve been baking some bread.” Gran had a dusting of flour on her chin.

“Nothing better than home-baked bread.”

“You’ll have to enjoy some with us,” Gran said. Hailey hoped she was being polite and didn’t really mean it.

“Thank you for allowing me to come to your home,” he said. “It’s very nice. I especially like your display of family photos.”

Gran beamed as she pointed to various photos and explained who was pictured. “And this is one of Hailey when she was in seventh grade. She won the Spelling Bee for the all the schools in the area. It was sure a proud day.”

Peter glanced at Hailey and fire licked her cheeks. Puberty had hit her hard that year and this photo was the epitome of how unattractive she’d looked with her greasy hair, thick eyebrows, blotchy skin, and mouth full of braces.

“That’s a great achievement,” he said.

“Thanks.” What else could she say? Except that once he left, she was going to burn that photo once and for all.

“Thank you for coming,” Gran said, interrupting Hailey’s silent pity party.

“I find that doing a session in the home helps me to better understand my patients and their needs. And it allows the patient to feel more comfortable in his own surroundings.”

Gran put her arm around Hailey. “We can get out of your way.”

“I prefer if you stay so you can see what we work on. That way you’ll know what to do afterwards.”

“Certainly,” Gran said.

Hailey watched Peter work with Gramps. They seemed to fall into a comfortable routine and she was impressed by the way Peter interacted so respectfully with Gramps.

Peter gave Gramps a few words and Gramps struggled to pronounce them. After a few minutes, Gramps pushed out a breath, then let out an expletive. Hailey could see the frustration and discouragement in his eyes. She couldn’t imagine the difficulty of trying to communicate and being unable to. She wanted to throw her arms around her grandfather and reassure him that everything would be fine.

“Harry is making progress,” Peter said with confidence. “He’ll get there.”

Gramps clucked his tongue in frustration.

Peter touched him on the shoulder. “I know it may seem like it won’t happen, but I’ve worked with many in your same situation who are telling jokes again like they used to. And I suspect you tell some pretty good ones.”

Gramps studied Peter.

“Am I right, Harry?” Peter said. “You strike me as a fun-loving, corny-joke-telling kind of a guy.”

Gramps shrugged with a slight grin.

“Keep working with me and you’ll be telling them again.” Peter’s confidence made Hailey feel confident too. He sure had a way with words. And with people. He seemed to have a gift.

They spent a few more minutes going over some common phrases, and Hailey wrote them in her notebook to use when she worked with Gramps.

After the session, Gramps gave Peter a nod that Hailey recognized meant he liked his therapist and trusted him.

“I’ll see you at our next appointment, Harry,” Peter said warmly.

“Thank you so much,” Gran said.

“Yes, thank you,” Hailey said, her interest in this man piqued even more. Remember, he’s not available.

“My pleasure.”

“He likes you,” Hailey said as they walked toward the door.

Peter laughed. “I enjoy him. I’m looking forward to hearing his jokes.” Peter opened the door and paused as if waiting for Hailey to walk out ahead of him.

Hailey stepped outside and asked, “How’d you know he liked to tell jokes?”

“I’ve got a sense about those things.” He smiled and it grabbed at Hailey’s stomach against her will.

“Oh.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say.

Peter cleared his throat. “Have you had a chance to go to the beach?”

“Not yet. I’ve been so busy helping with Gramps.” Hailey hoped she’d make it to her favorite spot down by the Oceanwalk before she left.

“There are a lot of great things to do here. Like the Tiki Lounge. Or the Oceanwalk. Great shopping and restaurants. Bubba Gumps is one of my favorites.” He almost seemed to be rambling on.

“Okay.” She’d been to most of those places many times.

Peter paused for a moment as if he wanted to say something. Awkward silence fell between them. “I guess I better head back,” he said finally.

“Thanks again for coming,” she said, unsure of why things had turned weird.

Peter plunged his hands into his pockets. “See you at the next appointment.”

“I’ll be there.” Hailey nodded. She wanted to say she was looking forward to seeing him, but that would be inappropriate. Wouldn’t it?

Hailey watched him drive away. Their exchange left her wondering, even confused. It was almost as if he was going to ask her out or something. But that made no sense. She was certainly not the kind of woman who flirted with attached men. Even an extremely attractive, kind, gentle man. Married or attached men were off limits. No questions asked.

***

Inside his car, Peter gave himself a face palm. He sounded like a prepubescent teen with a tangled tongue. He was this close to asking Hailey on a date. This close. Being around her made him feel things he hadn’t felt in years. His stomach quivered and his pulse sprinted when he was near her. What was wrong with him?

He didn’t need to ask that question twice. Peter knew exactly what was wrong. He was attracted to her. There, he admitted it. And it was more than her beauty. The way she interacted with her grandparents and how she’d dropped her life to come and help them spoke volumes about her as a person. He enjoyed talking to her and simply being in the same room with her.

Admitting it or not, it was still ill fated. She’d be returning to Colorado, and he was in a professional position of trust. He couldn’t cross the line and ask her out. Could he?

Of course, a specific policy prohibiting him from dating a member of a patient’s family didn’t exist, but it felt off. Like he would be invading her privacy or something. Besides, what if she wasn’t interested in going out with him? That would make the upcoming appointments uneasy, and it would be nearly impossible for him to work with Harry. He didn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. His number one priority was to help Harry regain his speech. Peter had to keep everything professional and impersonal with Hailey.

Except that wasn’t at all what he wanted to do.