Helen pressed her foot to the accelerator
She hugged the side of the road and careened around a bend. Then she saw itâa pearl-gray automobile parked half on the asphalt and half against the roadside underbrush.
She jerked the truck to the left as a man holding a cell phone to his ear stepped onto the road. In the instant before she swerved on two wheels away from his vehicle, she noticed the manâs eyesâlarge, round and filled with terror.
A loud crash followed by the screech of rent metal and the squeal of her own brakes made Helenâs heart thud against her chest. She glanced in the rearview mirror. The man was nowhere to be seen. Had she struck him? She jumped out and ran toward the sedan.
âHey, mister!â she called. âWhere are you?â
âIâm in here.â
Helen walked hesitantly to the gaping hole that had been the driverâs door. She peered into the carâs interior at the tasseled tops of a pair of oxblood loafers and the twin peaks of bent knees encased in perfectly pressed tan chinos. âYou okay?â
The knees parted and an ashen face rose from the passenger seat. âI donât think Iâll ever be okay again in my life.â
Dear Reader,
To those of you who read Claire and Jackâs story in An Unlikely Match, Iâd like to welcome you back to the island community of Heron Point, Florida. To those of you visiting Heron Point for the first time in this book, I hope you will enjoy this quirky little town as much as I enjoyed writing about it.
Itâs autumn and change is in the air in Heron Point. The citizens are hopeful about the future, and some of them are falling in love. The leading lady of this story, Helen Sweeney, is not the typical heroine. Sheâs tough and strong and struggling to make her way in a male-dominated profession. And when faced with the most important decision of her life, whether or not to raise the child growing inside her without its father, she shows a vulnerable, humbling side of her character, as well. I hope you enjoy Helen and Ethanâs journey to a happy ending.
And for those readers who have asked me if Heron Point really exists, take Florida route 24 west until you hit the Gulf. There, among the cedar trees, youâll find the closest thing to it.
I love to hear from readers. Please visit my Web site, www.cynthiathomason.com, or e-mail me at [email protected]. My address is P.O. Box 550068, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33355.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Thomason
This book is dedicated to my favorite
hero/fisherman, my husband, Walter, who was literally my âleft-hand manâ while I recuperated from a broken wrist. All is forgiven, honey, even though I suffered this injury when you took me fishing.
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
EPILOGUE
AT EIGHT-THIRTY WEDNESDAY morning, Helen Sweeney waited for Maddie Harrison to raise the window shade on the door of Heron Pointâs only medical office. As soon as Maddie changed the sign from Closed to Open, Helen got out of her scarred old Chevy Suburban, walked inside and strode to Maddieâs desk. The receptionist looked up and smiled. âGood morning, Helen. What brings you here? Is something wrong with Finn?â
âNo, Popâs all right. Itâs me who needs to see Dr. Tucker.â
âSorry, hon, but the docâs out of town. Wonât be back for three days. Iâm only here for a couple of hours to finish some paperwork.â She searched Helenâs face as if she could come up with a diagnosis by just looking closely. âItâs not like you to get sick, Helen.â
âIâm not sick, Maddie, but I do need to see the doctor.â
âWell, like I saidâ¦â
âI know. Three days.â Helen twisted her fingers together, a habit she had when she was nervous, which wasnât often.
Maddie came around the desk and took Helenâs elbow. âSit down, dear, before you do something stupid like faint on me.â She led Helen to a chair, forced her onto the wooden seat and sat down next to her. âTell me, what can I do?â
Even though she knew no one was in the waiting room but her and Maddie, Helen still scanned all four corners of the office. She looked out the windows, stared at the door. She figured she could trust Maddie, and since Doc Tucker was away, she was going to have to. She turned toward the older woman and said, âIf I tell you something, you have to abide by patient confidentiality, right? Just like if I told Doc?â
Maddie patted Helenâs clenched hands. âI donât know about the official rules, Helen, but I do know if you tell me something you want kept a secret, Iâll go to my grave with it.â She smiled. âNow, is that good enough for you?â
Helen nodded, swallowed, then plunged ahead. âSince Docâs not here, I guess I need one of those things from the drugstore. One of thoseâ¦â She couldnât even say the words.