“You had a funny look on your face when I came in. Is something wrong?”
“Just daydreaming.”
He came to stand beside her. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a daydreamer. I see you as far more practical than that.”
“Maybe I’m full of surprises.”
He wrinkled his brow in thought. “Maybe you are at that. Uh, about last night. I know I overstepped the boundaries with that kiss. I hope you don’t think that’s going to happen again. I’d like us to be friends. I don’t what that to stand between us.”
She swallowed. Obviously he hadn’t reacted to that moment like she had. China mentally shook herself. Payton was a co-worker and the type of man she needed to be involved with on a personal level. They were professionals and it needed to remain that way.
“How about we start over and try for friends?” Payton offered.
That sounded safe enough. She smiled. “Friends sounds good to me.”
* * *
Payton wasn’t so sure he was completely comfortable with China’s ready agreement to them just being friends. He shouldn’t have kissed her but, still, he had enjoyed it. It was just as well they didn’t become more involved. She knew too much about him. What if he started to care and she realized she couldn’t deal with his health issues? No one would have that kind of power over him again. Remaining friends was a good plan.
He pulled into China’s drive. “Who lives here?” Payton indicated the house.
“Mrs. Waits.”
Payton studied the yard and the lush greenery around the house. “You do her gardening for her, don’t you?”
Taking on a bashful look, China said, “I help her.”
“You have a green thumb. The yard is beautiful. Would you consider helping me with my place? Pick out a few plants?”
A glow to compete with the lights of New York on a clear night came over her face then faded. “I don’t think I can.”
She didn’t need to get mixed up with him. Despite appearances, he might leave just as quickly as he’d arrived. What kind of person just picked up and left everything they knew and loved? Her brother had but, then, he’d just been a kid. Kelsey had in every sense of the word, except the physical. Did the fact she was still in town give her a chance to get to know her sister again?
“Why not?” Payton demanded. “I can see you want to.”
“You can’t.”
“China, can’t you help out a guy that’s clueless?” He made a pitiful face. “We could go shopping on our next day off. Have a friendly outing.”
“Outing? That sure is an old-fashioned word.”
“It’s a friendly word. Like one friend helping another pick out plants.”
“You’re not going to give up on this, are you?”
“I’d rather not.”
She grinned. “Okay. I’m off Thursday. How about you?”
“Yep.”
“I promised to help my mom that morning but I’m free that afternoon.”
He tapped the steering wheel with his palm. “Then it’s a date. I mean, a friendly outing.”
China looked as if she might back out for a moment before she said, “I’ll be ready.” She opened the door and stepped out but leaned down again to look at him. “See, it isn’t so hard to ask for help.”
“Are we back to that?” He didn’t want to talk about what had happened last night.
“I just don’t want you to get into trouble.”
He grinned. “So what you’re saying is that you care about me.”
“No. What I’m saying is that even I would stop and help a dog if it was hurt.”
Payton couldn’t contain the laugh that burst from him. “So is that a move up or down, in your estimation?”
She glared at him. “Bye, Payton.”
Payton was disappointed to hear the car door click closed. The sudden silence wasn’t as peaceful as it had been before China had come into his life. He drove away with a feeling flooding him he’d not experienced in a long time—happiness.
He’d made the right decision. Their kiss the night before hadn’t been his smartest move. China was the type of woman he had no business trifling with. She was permanence, stability, and he’d just come out of a hurtful relationship with no intention of returning to one any time soon. China, of all the females he knew, wouldn’t accept half measures. She was marriage, a house, car and two children sort of person. He wasn’t that guy, at least not anymore.
At one time he’d believed that he and Janice would settle down together and have a family. His illness and her inability to deal with it had ended that dream. Now all he wanted was to make the most out of life, live to the fullest. To stay away from anything more emotional than how he felt about his boat. If he did get involved with China and they became serious, she’d be the type to stay with him out of guilt if he became sick again and he wouldn’t accept that, on any level.
The next morning Payton arrived at the clinic feeling better than he had since he’d been told he had cancer. Yesterday’s sail in the bay had been stimulating. It had felt good, being active again. Despite his aggravation with China, he’d done just as she’d instructed and made sure to drink plenty of fluids and wear sunscreen.
Leaving his lunch in the office, he made his way to the front to check in for the day and was disappointed to find that China wasn’t standing at the counter, as was her habit.
“Good mornin’, Payton.”
“Morning, Doris. Any patients for me this morning?”
“Not yet, but I’m sure we’ll have one soon.”
“Hey, Payton,” Robin called, as she came out of Jean’s office.
“Good morning.” He worked to keep his regret off his face. If Robin was working the early shift, China wouldn’t be in until two.
Going through his usual routine for the day, Payton caught himself checking his watch more often than he was comfortable with to see if it was time for China to come in. He’d managed to ask discreetly if it was her or Luke who would be there that afternoon.
His heart beat faster when China’s voice carried down the hall from the front as he came out of an exam room. This wasn’t good. The woman had become an infatuation he couldn’t afford. He was making more of a few cordial moments on his porch the day before and his ability to convince her to help him buy plants. For heaven’s sake, he’d never cared about a plant in his life. Had all that chemo affected his brain? He was enamored with China and he was acting like a schoolboy on Valentine’s Day.
He had to put a stop to it. Someone who was easy and uninvolved was what he was interested in. That didn’t describe China. He didn’t want to hurt her, and he would if he continued on this path. So why had he been looking forward to seeing her with such anticipation? It was time to find some female company that wasn’t China. Plan made, he was out of the clinic in thirty minutes.
Payton was on his way to the front desk when a booming voice said, “My China doll.”
Sid. Payton couldn’t help but grin. The man was a character.
“Come on back,” China said. “I’ll find Dr. Jenkins and let him know you’re here.”
Payton met them coming down the hall. He had to force himself to take his gaze off China. He was going out tonight to meet some women. “Hi, Sid. I thought I might have to go to the restaurant to check on your hand.”
“China told me to wait until she was here. She said you’d still be around.”
“Good. Come on in here and let me have a look.” Payton headed into an examination room. Sid followed and China came in behind him. “So, have you been keeping it clean and dry?”
“The best I can,” the older man said in a noncommittal tone.
Payton gave him a pointed look.
“I’ve not been cooking, I promise. I do ha
ve to take a bath sometimes, but even then my wife made me wear a plastic bag over it.”
Payton smiled. “Understood.” He turned to China. “Please get some antiseptic liquid. I’d like to rinse Sid’s hand in that just to make double sure it doesn’t get infected. Then I’ll rebandage it.”
China nodded and left.
Sid watched China leave. “That’s a good girl there. She sure hasn’t had it easy.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know her that well. Let me see you hand.”
Sid swore and lifted his injured hand. “With China what you see is what you get. Pure goodness through and through.”
“She is nice.” Payton found that he meant that. Too much so. China had been great to him when he’d been sick and had cared enough to go out of her way to check on him yesterday. Against his better judgment, he liked her attention.
“Smart, too. Top in her class at nursing school and while taking care of her family.”
Panic filled him. China has a husband? Children? No one had ever said anything. Had he kissed a married woman?
“I didn’t think China was married.” The statement came out with a little waver in his voice.