Catching Serenity (11 page)

~
CHAPTER 11~

“
What’s up with you and the most gorgeous child psychologist in the land?”

Serenity looked up from her paperwork as Deidre waved at Kelsie and sashayed through her half-open
office door on Wednesday afternoon. “Don’t you ever knock?”

“
Why would I do that?” Deidre’s deep southern accent dripped with affection as she sat down in the chair in front of her desk. “As your oldest and dearest friend, not to mention I’m now your landlord, I’ve earned certain rights and privileges. It works both ways, you know. Feel free to drop in at my office any old time you please. Knocking’s not a requirement.”

“
Want some coffee or a cup of water? I got my new water cooler today.” Serenity laughed. “Funny the things that make me happy these days. I must be getting old.”

“
Never. Fill me in, please. I need details about you and Dr. Ross-a-licious.” She leaned closer, putting one well-manicured hand on the desk.

Serenity
couldn’t hide her grin. “Don’t get your hopes up, Deidre. There’s nothing to tell.”

Deidre sat back
in her chair, skepticism written all over her pretty face as her pink-rouged lips upturned. “Nothing, you say? That’s not what I hear around town, girlfriend. The good old boys’ club down at Martha’s is laying odds on how long until your big wedding.” Dressed in what must be the latest designer label, Deidre’s hair and makeup were always perfect without looking overdone. In spite of appearances, she was one of the most down-to-earth, approachable women Serenity had ever known.

“
Even if we
were
a couple, what are the odds on how long it’ll take to get to matrimony? Oh wait, I should get pregnant first.” Serenity cringed.
Ouch
. It was bad enough to think it, but she really should think before speaking her mind. “Sorry,” she mumbled, embarrassed. “I’m trying to work on my sarcasm.” Being around her crotchety father hadn’t helped her disposition.

“
Get over yourself, honey. You’re not the only girl in the history of Croisette Shores to get pregnant before you were married and you won’t be the last. It happens in the best of families. If you want me to start naming names, I will, and I’m sure some of them will shock you.
Shock
you! You loved Danny and you married him.” Deidre’s cheeks colored and she twirled a short dark curl around her finger. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be bringing up the past.”

“
It’s okay,” Serenity said. “No sense in burying it. It’s time to face what happened five years ago and try to make sense of it all.”

“
No luck in finding out who wrote that note, huh?”

Serenity shook her head.
“You, me and the person who wrote it are the only ones who know. Since I started working, I haven’t had time to think much about it.”

“
How many clients do you have now?”

“
Four, including Jackson.”

“
Great! Now we’re getting somewhere. Glad to hear you’re on a first-name basis with the psychologist. That’s a good start.”

She i
gnored Deidre’s raised brow. “Back to the note, please. You saw it, and it wasn’t threatening in any way. Still, I can’t help but wonder why the sender hasn’t stepped forward to tell me what he—or she—knows.”

A frown creased Deidre
’s brow. “Could be their motive was to get you back home and, if that’s the case, their plan certainly worked. You’re positive your dad didn’t write it?”

“
I’m sure as I can be. You should have seen him when I was at the house the other day. He was as sentimental as I’ve seen him since Mama disappeared. In-between all his raspy coughs and blowing out smoke, he was actually very sweet and told me he was glad I was back home even though he didn’t know why.”

“
Didn’t know why he was glad?”

“
No,” Serenity said with a small laugh. “Didn’t know what brought me back home. That’s how I know he couldn’t have written the note.”

Deidre brightened.
“How about Charlie?”

“
That’s a possibility. I saw him at the beach Sunday afternoon and almost asked him then. I can’t explain it, but something stopped me.”

“
What? God?” Deidre’s question sounded so spontaneous and innocent, it almost made her laugh.

“
I don’t really know. Charlie and I had a nice talk and he told me he’s praying for me to find my answers. Told me he’s been praying for me a long time.”

“
Well, you know I’m generally not a praying kind of gal, but you can count on me to put in a good word.” Scooting closer to the desk, Deidre’s grin widened. “Not to change the subject, but it’s time to tell me more about you and the handsome doctor.” Deidre used to compare every guy to the men in her mother’s romance novels, the ones she’d been forbidden to read but snuck under the covers and devoured anyway. She’d enlightened a number of the girls in their class, including Serenity, about the ways of the world and the facts of life. Only problem was, most of the guys they knew paled in comparison to the tall, chiseled and passionate yet sensitive men in those books. Deidre had always liked Danny, though. Likewise, Serenity adored Wes and she’d been Deidre’s maid of honor in her wedding the year after they graduated from high school.

“
Jackson’s wonderful, and he’s becoming a good friend. I thought about showing him the note, but I’m not sure if I should.”

Deidre leaned her chin on one hand.
“I’m listening.”

“
You sound like that radio personality with the saccharine, velvety-smooth voice that drives me crazy. Jackson’s been nothing but kind. He’s a complete gentleman, polite to senior citizens and kids and perfect—”

“
Yeah, he’s a real saint,” Deidre interrupted, waving her hand. “I’m sure he’s a friend to all mankind and animals, to boot. Not to discount those fine qualities, but is there any heat between you two? You know, the sizzling stuff that curls your hair and fogs your imaginary glasses?”

Serenity
smiled. “I’ll admit there’s an attraction, but more than that, I like the way he looks at me, Deidre. It’s like he wants to know everything about me. Jackson’s sensitive, caring and has a great sense of humor. He makes me laugh and he really listens, you know? Like a friend and not just because he’s a psychologist. Even though my history’s not pretty, somehow I don’t think it’d change his opinion or the way he treats me. For all I know, he
does
know my history since a lot of people in this town seem to have loose lips. Present company excluded, of course.”

“
Well, he’s quite the man,” Deidre said. “All that, gorgeous eyes, a head of hair most men only dream of, and muscles that won’t quit. What’s not to love?” Shifting in her chair, Deidre gave her a sly grin. “I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Ross yet, but I’ve seen him from a distance. I swear the man’s like a magnet. Not to mention half the women in town are chattering about him.”

“
I’ll be happy to arrange an introduction. Do your kids need a psychologist to help them cope with their mother?”

“
Very funny. You know I believe my Wes hung the moon, but Jackson’s got even old, blind-as-a-bat Mrs. Alston primping before church on Sundays. Cheryl Jenkins at the bank puts out extra mints at her station hoping he’ll come over to her window. I heard Marcy Watkins actually shoved another cashier out of the way at McHenry’s so she’d check out the doctor, in more ways than one. And then there’s—”

“
I get your point,” Serenity said. “Jackson’s the best thing to hit Croisette Shores since the last royal graced our shores. Whenever that was. For all I know, it’s a fabricated legend, anyway.”

“
It’s a fact and you know it or else all our teachers in grade school were seriously delusional. Don’t get off topic, girlfriend.” Crossing her arms on the desk, Deidre leaned closer. “Has Jackson asked you out yet?”

Serenity met her
friend’s intense blue eyes. “I need this job and Jackson’s my boss, more or less. By the way, I’m working on another project with him, too. He’s renovating the playground in my old neighborhood.”

Deidre
’s brows rose. “The one over by Beacham Elementary?”

“
The same.”

“
Well, that’s quite admirable, isn’t it? I’ve been expecting them to bulldoze that whole block. How are you going to help with the renovation? Are you going to play in the sandbox together? Now,
that’d
be fun.”

Shaking her head,
Serenity smirked. “You don’t give up, do you?”

“
No, but you should know that by now. Still, have I taught you nothing? It’s really black or white. Either a man’s interested or he’s not. Either he asks you on a date or he doesn’t.” As always, Deidre used her hands, moving them up and down on an invisible scale, weighing the options. “When a gorgeous male specimen like Dr. Ross asks, you need to allow your basic instincts to guide you. I was thinking about a double date. You and Jackson, me and Wes. Dinner and dancing next Saturday night sounds about right. How about it?”

“
Like I said, I work with the man, so I can’t date him,” Serenity said. “And I’m not about to ask him, either.”

“
So what? I’ll ask him for you. Where does he live? Is he in the market for a house?”

Serenity gasped.
“You wouldn’t dare! Ask him on my behalf, that is. Even for you, that’s bold. You’d actually pick up the phone and call someone you don’t know and ask him to come to dinner?”

“
Why not? I’m a realtor. We’re not exactly known for being shy. I’m also on the Welcome Wagon committee in town. Which reminds me, I owe you a plant. Welcome home.”

“
They still have Welcome Wagon?”

The smile crossing Deidre
’s face was infectious. “Here in Croisette Shores we do.”

“
Thanks for the welcome, but I already have a lovely plant out front.” Deidre didn’t need to know Jackson gave it to her.

“
I noticed, and it’s lovely, but it needs a companion. So do you. Honey, consider going to dinner. Guaranteed you’ll enjoy yourself. Who knows? If you wear a pretty dress and heels and smile at the man every now and then, you might even get a slow dance out of it.”

“
I couldn’t dance before, so I doubt my talents have improved the last five years.”

“
So what?” This conversation was beginning to sound repetitive. “Half the male population can’t dance. All Jackson needs to do is wrap his strong, manly arms around you, hold you close and shuffle his feet. Bottom line? We’re talking about
dating
, Serenity, not finding a cure for cancer. Look, if you two were in lab coats, working side-by-side, where every teensy weensy little thing mattered and you could change the world—or possibly blow it up—by what you concocted in a test tube, you might consider holding off on romance. But this is an entirely different kind of chemistry, my friend.”

Deidre moved one hand over her heart and deep-breathed in an exaggerated, dramatic way,
a reminder why her friend had been the female lead in most of their school plays from the time they were in fourth grade. A dying Juliet had been her finest hour on the stage. “Give up the protests. For one thing, I know you like Jackson because your eyes light up every time I mention his name. I wish you’d admit it already.”

Serenity fixed her with a hard stare.
“Fine. I like him. A lot. Satisfied? But no dates. Final answer.”

“
Okay, fine. No dates, but promise me one thing. Please stop overthinking everything. Allow yourself to relax a little and
enjoy
life. You can’t punish yourself forever.”

Serenity shook her head.
“It’s kind of hard for me to do that. You, of all people, know that.” The only blow-up they’d ever experienced in their long friendship was when Deidre accused her of “dumbing down” in order to make Danny look good. She had, but it’d been worth it. Sometimes you need to sacrifice for the ones you love.