He got out his electric razor, turned it on, then frowned at his reflection.
“I see you, Parnell Knox, but I’m nothing like you,” Hunt muttered, and ran the razor straight up the side of his cheek, leaving a streak of smooth skin within the whiskers, then kept it up until they were gone.
After that, he showered and changed into clean clothes, then went to check on Ava. She was kicked back in the recliner with her feet up, eating a cookie and talking on the phone.
All was well in his world.
He called Ray to check on the progress at the house, as he had every morning, and was pleased to learn that the painters were gone, and the crew from the granite company in Savannah was coming to install new countertops in the kitchen and bathroom.
“I got this,” Ray said. “You just stay home with Ava today.”
“Yeah, thanks,” Hunt said. “I’ll get her mom to stay with her tomorrow, so if your boss calls, don’t turn down any jobs, okay?”
“Okay,” Ray said. “Give Ava my best. Talk to you later.”
Hunt dropped the phone in his pocket, poured himself a Coke, snagged a couple of cookies from the cookie jar, and went back to the living room with Ava.
“Everybody is going to Potluck in the Park today,” Ava said.
“I know. Birdie was going, so I gave her our tickets and asked her to get us some stuff to go.”
Ava sighed. “I was so looking forward to going, but now, not so much. I’m not ready for all that and I know it. I hope the turnout is good so Mrs. Hollis can get home. Do you think she’ll be there?”
“She’s going to be the guest of honor. It will be her chance to thank everyone. Birdie said Dub got all of the damaged goods hauled off and the burned part of the building cleared away. He’s opening the store back up tomorrow, so she’ll be back at work.”
Ava picked a raisin out of the oatmeal cookie she was eating and put it in her mouth, talking as she chewed.
“Rhonda came up to tell me goodbye when you were checking me out this morning. She said the Ryman boy went home yesterday, but that it will be another couple of days, at least, before the Dillon girl is released.”
Hunt glanced at her, and then focused on the look on her face. Either someone said something to her about that day or she was remembering more.
“Good to know they’re healing,” Hunt said.
Her eyes narrowed, studying his expression. He gave away nothing.
“She said Josh Ryman’s charges were more serious than the others.”
“Oh yeah? I hadn’t heard anything about their charges, but I knew the Blessings police hauled them out of the ER and took them to jail,” Hunt said.
“They have security cameras in the ER,” Ava said.
Hunt sighed. “I would have assumed that. What are you trying to say, Ava?”
“The crew who works in the ER kept saying that you saved my life.”
“Honey, I haven’t said much about that because Dr. Quick told us not to tell you anything, that you needed to remember it by yourself.”
“Oh.” She put both hands on her chest. “Am I sore because of CPR?”
“Maybe, but that isn’t what hurt you,” Hunt said. “You got hit in the chest. It cracked your sternum. After that, we did CPR.”
“I know I died, Hunt, so stop skirting the issue, okay? How did it happen?”
“To keep a long story short, Josh Ryman hit you in the chest so hard it stopped your heart.”
“Oh my God. Did they use the defibrillator?” she asked.
“Not at first. They were already using it on the Dillon girl. I did CPR until they freed it, and then Dr. Quick shocked your heart into a normal rhythm.”
Ava got up and sat down in Hunt’s lap and put her arms around his neck.
“You saved my life.”
“A whole bunch of people saved your life. I was just in on it. And on Ryman’s behalf, I will say he was horrified at what he’d done. I wanted to break his damn neck, but you mattered more than revenge.”
“This is the second time I’ve been physically hurt working in an ER. I thought coming to a small town would be safer, but I was wrong.”
“Fear makes good people do crazy things. Sometimes bad things,” Hunt said. “You don’t have to go back to nursing until you feel ready. You don’t have to go back at all if it bothers you. I make enough money that you wouldn’t have to work at all unless you want to.”
Ava nodded. “There are lots of things I can do with my nursing degree, including teach. I won’t waste it, and I love the work. But right now, I’m seriously reconsidering my options. I know one thing. I’ll never work ER again.”
“Then so be it,” Hunt said. “Now let all that go. What can I do to entertain you until Birdie shows up with our food from the potluck dinner?”
“I don’t know,” Ava said and buried her face against his neck.
“I think you need to stretch out in your bed for a bit, okay?”
She nodded, then slid out of his lap and let him walk her to her room. She sat down on the side of her bed long enough for him to pull off her shoes, then she eased down on her back and stretched out. Hunt pulled up the covers.
“Close your eyes, darlin’. Let all this shit go and just rest. Your mom and dad will probably be over this afternoon. You need to rest up for them.”
“Love you,” Ava said.
“Love you,” he replied, and walked out, leaving the door open so he could hear if she called.
Chapter 19
Ruby Butterman was in her element. The park was packed. Tables were filling up with food faster than she’d expected, and every eating establishment in town had not only shut down for the day to ensure anyone wanting to eat out today would be doing it here, but also had donated food from their businesses to share.
Ruby delegated Peanut to get the tables and chairs from the school cafeteria to the park and back, and the local churches had brought their tables and chairs from their dining halls to add to the seating. There were quilts spread out on the ground for some people to sit on, and portable picnic tables and folding chairs scattered about the park.
For Ruby, it was a re-creation of their wedding reception all over again, only this time the weather was cool and there was no threat of rain.
Donna Hollis had a seat of honor in the gazebo and was in disbelief at what was being done on her behalf.
Ruby had styled Donna’s hair, and Donna was wearing a new dress. It was the first time in years she’d felt pretty, and sad Arnold wasn’t alive to see her this way.