Julia Stewart has been principal of the Lobster Cove High School in Mount Desert Island, Maine since her husband divorced her three years ago. Leaving her with a three-year-old daughter, Ava, her ex left for Thailand, breaking all ties with his daughter and Julia. Taking her now five-year-old daughter to the ER with a broken arm, the new doctor on staff alarms her with his questions concerning possible child abuse. Dr. Alex Campbell insists getting to the bottom of the incident with x-rays and calling in the social worker, only angering Julia with the accusations.
Later the details are revealed that the accident happened at her parents' house while her mother was caring for Ava. It soon becomes apparent that Dora Dawson is inflicted with Alzheimer's and her seventy-five year old husband Paul has been keeping this private, hindering his own health. Alex signs a contract for two years as the ER doctor in exchange for paying his medical school debt. He can't wait to get through his contract and return to San Diego where he isn't compelled to become involved with his patients once they are treated. A small community with no chance of privacy is not what he wants; at least not until he becomes completely involved with Julia. Falling in love with the little girl and her mother, isn't something he expected. Julia can't take a chance again of being abandoned by someone she loves and has no intention of ever leaving Lobster Cove again. Convincing Julia he truly wants to make his life in the small community isn't going to be easy when her confidence and trust has been so cruelly breached.
This story in the Lobster Cove series is a most delightful read. Complete with loving people of this small town and even with the emotional upheavals popping up, everyone is bound by the ties of caring for each other. I was captivated by the warmth and love found throughout the reading of this story. Now that I have read my first book from Jana Richards, I plan to add her to my "favorite author" list of reading as an amazing story teller.
Dr. Alex Campbell has an agendaβfinish his contract to
provide medical services in Maine, pay off his medical
school debt, and head back to his real life in San Diego.
But when he meets Julia, all his carefully laid plans are
put in jeopardy.
Julia Stewart, Lobster Coveβs high school principal,
swears
sheβll never let another man drag her away from the home
she
loves. Her aging parents need her, and the Cove is where
she
wants to raise her daughter. When her motherβs illness
brings her and the big city doctor closer together, panic
sets in. Her marriage taught her men donβt stay.
Can she put aside the heartaches of the past and trust
Alex
enough to accept the love heβs offering? Or will her fear
of
abandonment mean sheβll send him away forever?
βWhat did the x-ray find?β she asked.
βA spiral fracture of the right arm.β He paused for a moment and took a deep breath as
if trying to control his emotions. βIβve seen this kind of injury before. A fracture
like this can be the result of a fall, but it can also be an indication of child abuse.
An arm as small as Avaβs will break like a twig if itβs twisted hard enough. Iβm
obligated to contact the authorities if I suspect abuse.β
Julia stared at him in mute shock, her brain struggling to process his words, as if
trying to translate some unintelligible language. The words child abuse rang in
her ears. Finally she found her voice.
βYou think someone deliberately hurt her?β
βHer injuries are consistent with abuse.β
βI donβt give a damn what theyβre consistent with. Ava has not been mistreated. My
mother said she fell down the stairs, and if thatβs what she said, then thatβs what
happened.β
βI believe thereβs more to the story than a simple fall.β
βIf it comes down to believing you or believing my mother, Iβm going with my mother.β
βPerhaps you donβt know your mother as well as you think you do.β
Julia sucked in a breath and stared into Dr. Campbellβs dark, accusing eyes. The idea
that her mother would hurt Ava was ridiculous. She adored Ava, would do anything for
herβ¦
She blinked and looked away, remembering an incident the other day. Sheβd heard her
yelling at Ava about the milk sheβd spilled on the kitchen floor, making such a huge
deal of it that Ava had cried. It had struck her as strange, since she couldnβt remember
her mother yelling at anyone, ever. She wasnβt as patient as she used to be. And how did
she explain her strange phone call telling her Ava had been hurt? Of course sheβd been
upset, but her mother had been nearly incoherent with distress. Was something going on
she wasnβt aware of? She was seventy-one now. Maybe looking after a rambunctious five-
year-old was too much for her.
No. She shook her head to reject the disloyal thought. Dr. Campbell was the one
who was wrong.
βI know my mother. She didnβt do this. It was an accident.β
βWeβll soon find out. Sharon is questioning Ava now.β
Julia stared at the door. βSheβll be scared, all by herself.β
βSharonβs very good at what she does. She has a way of making kids feel comfortable.β
Julia turned on him, the anger and despair sheβd been holding inside spilling out. βAnd
you? Do you enjoy upsetting five-year-olds and turning familiesβ lives upside down? Does
it make you feel powerful to sic the authorities on us?β
βLook, Mrs. Stewart, I take no pleasure in bringing in the authorities. But Iβve seen
child abuse, up close and personal, and I can tell you itβs damn ugly. The things
parents and caregivers are capable of doing to defenseless childrenβ¦β
He stopped abruptly, his chest heaving. Closing his eyes, he averted his face and took a
deep breath. When he turned back to her, his steely control was back in place. βSo yeah,
if I have even the smallest suspicion that a child has been abused, Iβm going to ask
questions. And Iβm not going to apologize for it.β
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