Page 41 of Bountiful
I raised my arms overhead and then bent slowly at the waist, hanging my head, stretching out my back. There. My panic was receding, leaving me with a calmness that was muchmoreme.
Another day. Another chance to get it right. Nobody became a veteran NHL player without being able to center himself. Every professional hockey player worth his paycheck could shake off the prior day’s disasters and startfresh.
Standing up again, I took stock of my day. I’d reserved some gear and hired a guide for a fly-fishing expedition in the very river that ran past Zara’s family’s businesses. But my teammates could go without me. I’d need the day to call the lawyer and learn a few things about my legal obligations to Zara’schild.
A man takes care of his people first and goes fishing with his buddieslater.
I found a pair of shorts in my suitcase and pulled them on, listening to the quiet chatter of my teammates’ voices elsewhere in the house. I’d taken the upstairs master suite for myself, of course. The guy who planned the expedition always got dibs. My teammates weren’t doing so badly downstairs, though. O’Doul had a queen-sized bed with its own bathroom, and Trevi and Castro were doubled up in abunkroom.
“Oh man,” Trevi had complained last night. “I see how it is. The rookie gets thebunkbed.”
“That’s right, college boy,” O’Doul had teased. “You’re used to dorm rooms. You and Castro. This will be likememorylane.”
“You shoulda given the single guy his own room,” Castro had grumped. “If I hook up I’m gonna put a bandanna on the door handle, Trevi. If this bunk bed is a rocking, don’t come aknocking.”
It had just been smack talk, though. We’d all come home from the bar together lastnight.
Now, as I descended the stairs, I heard Castro’s chuckle. Then I was startled to hear a feminine giggle. And not just any femininegiggle.Holy…
I rounded the corner at the bottom of the staircase and walked into the great room to find the giggle’s owner. “Bess?” I yelped. “What are youdoinghere?”
My sister stood up and squared off against me, her face losing every trace of humor. “What am Idoinghere? That is the dumbest question you’ve ever asked me in your whole freaking life. And that’s sayingsomething.”
Right.
Okay.
One more deepbreath.
“I know I caused drama,” I said in my calmest voice. “But I’m going to handle everything that needs handling. You can go back to your other PR disasters, okay? This isn’t a DUI. I didn’t do anything wrong, and it’s not going to end up in the paper. I’m a big boy, and I know how to clean up my own messes. I got it, Bess. I’m going to do the right thing. All of ’em. Whatever the lawyertellsme.”
For some reason, Bess looked even more upset at the conclusion of my rambling little speech. Castro turned his face aside, as if bracing for impact. I couldn’t figure out why. And then Bess stepped up into my personal space, her eyes pinched. Her cheeks red. She lifted her hands and clamped on to my shoulders. “You moron! I’mhere to meet my niece. Our only living relative! My brother’schild…”
She actually began to shake me, and I started to lose it a little. We didnottouch each other in anger. I stepped back and caught her hands inmine. “Bess…”
“What?” she gasped. “This isbig, Davey. I get that it’s easier for you to go into macho damage-control mode right now. But your life just changed for the better. And I hope you’re not too stupid to figurethatout.”
That left me pretty much speechless, while my teammates looked at their feet, their hands. Anywhere but at me. “So what is your plan?” I finally ground out. “Just barge in there and ask to inspect the kid? What if we’re notwelcome?”
Bess lifted her chin. “You have rights. You can sue for visitation. But first we’re just going to asknicely.”
“Uh…” O’Doul said with a chuckle. “If I could make a suggestion? First we’re going to take a deep breath and eatbreakfast.”
I wanted to hug him for breaking up the most intense conversation I’d ever endured before my first cup of coffee. “Right. First things first,” I said. “Time for baconandeggs.”
Ifriedup two pounds of bacon and then whipped up a big frittata. Then, leaving Bess in charge of making toast for everyone, I snuck out onto the porch to dial Zara’scoffeeshop.
“You’ve reached The Busy Bean, this is Audrey speaking. How can Ihelpyou?”
“Hi, Audrey. My name is Dave Beringer. I’m a friend of Zara’s. Is she available by any chance?” Audrey was Zara’s co-worker. I wasprettysure.
“Negative,” Audrey said. “Hang on a sec.” I heard her ask a customer whether they wanted cinnamon or cocoa on their latte. Then she came back. “Sorry. The morning rush is upon us. But this is Zara’s morning off. You should try herphone.”
“I, uh, don’t have that number. I came in yesterday, though. You might remember me. I said hello to Zara, and she took off like she’d seen aghost.”
“Hmm.” There was a silence on the line. “And now you need toreachher?”
“I’d like to see her this morning. Is there any way you could text her my number? She’ll know what it’sabout.”
