A Time To Heal. Linda Goodnight

night, Kathryn awoke with that one thought in mind. All morning as she’d been puttering around the house looking for something to do, she kept thinking of that moment when Seth had mentioned Alicia.

      The news should not have come as surprise. He’d been married for some time. Having kids was almost a given these days. But for some reason the knowledge that Seth had sired another child brought all the memories tumbling in upon her like an avalanche.

      She never thought about that terrible episode of her life. Hadn’t thought about it in years. What had happened was over, done and behind her. She’d moved on. Seth had moved on. They were both successful people with good lives. She’d gotten over the loss long ago.

      Her frazzled state of mind and uneven sleep had nothing to do with their secret.

      Then why was she shocked by the news that Seth had a daughter?

      Maybe being back in Wilson’s Cove was the problem. Memories waited around every corner. Some good, some bad. Then there was Seth. He not only looked better than ever, he was a great guy. Everyone in town raved about him.

      Maybe she shouldn’t have come.

      Right. But where else could she go?

      She picked up the certified letter she’d been reading and tapped the paper against her forehead.

      Here was part of the reason she’d come home to Wilson’s Cove and why she’d stay. She was tired of the rat race because the rats were winning.

      Last night Danny had told her about several available business ventures. Wilson’s Cove was growing and if she was smart, she could find a new business to throw all her energies into. That’s what she needed. A new project, a sense of purpose here in her hometown surrounded by family and friends. Then the depression would lift and she’d be happy. At the moment, she felt restless and useless. A new project was just what the doctor ordered.

      Pushing aside the rest of the day’s mail, Kat opened her laptop and typed in the password to a medical site available only to licensed physicians. Research was her escape, her solace, her fascination. For the past couple of months she’d been studying necrotizing fasciitis, better known as “flesh-eating disease.”

      That was the exciting thing about the medical field. There was always more to learn, and researching took her mind off everything else.

      She was deeply focused on a fascinating case, taking notes like mad, when the sound of a hammer broke through.

      Sitting back, she rubbed her eyes, then glanced at the tiny clock in the corner of the computer screen. Unreal. She’d been at work for more than two hours.

      The hammer rang out again and she pushed up from the chair and followed the noise. As soon as she stepped out on the back porch, she spotted him. Seth, dressed in an ancient pair of jeans and a white T-shirt stood in the warm sunshine working on the rickety old fishing dock.

      In spite of the uncomfortable history between her and Seth, she’d enjoyed last night’s dinner at Susan’s, and if she was truthful, she’d liked catching up with Seth. He’d told tales of being a street cop in Houston, some funny, some sad. Through the stories she’d gotten a glimpse of who Seth Washington had become.

      And she couldn’t help liking him all over again. After all, he wasn’t to blame about what happened. She was. And if his presence brought back the guilt, maybe she deserved the punishment.

      Going back inside the cabin, Kat poured them both a glass of tea and started out once more.

      The warm sun blinded her and she squinted against the glare. Barefoot, she crossed the thick green grass—the tickle against her tender feet pleasant after years on concrete and tile—and started down the slight incline toward the dock.

      As she drew closer, she watched the concentration on Seth’s face, noticed the muscles of his shoulders bunch with effort as he yanked away a rotting board. From a physician’s perspective, he was a fit and healthy male. From a woman’s perspective, he was a ruggedly attractive man.