32. NowNever
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Dalton
Now or Never
“G ran, are you ready to head to the Solstice?” Dalton called out from his grandmother’s kitchen. He was grumpy after a jam-packed day at the hospital, where he couldn’t get a single minute to talk to Brooke. He wanted to tell her he was staying but he wanted it to be the right moment, and she hadn’t responded to his text asking if he could see her tonight after the Summer Solstice. He knew she was worried about Max’s first visit with his dad, but he wanted to be there for her. After visiting his parents’ graves for the first time in fifteen years that morning, Dalton knew for sure he belonged in Sandy Point.
“Gran, we gotta go,” he called up the stairs.
It was quiet, too quiet.
He walked out of the kitchen into the sunroom-turned-art-studio and was met with dozens of beautiful paintings. Sunrises, sunsets, storms, all done in an intricate dot style of painting. He was almost shocked at how good this art was. It belonged in a gallery, not his grandmother’s damp sunroom. But where were they? He’d spoken to his grandmother or Missy every day to check on them, but had failed to stop by in the last few days because of everything going on. When he heard a yelp from outside he headed out to the garden, where he found his grandmother grabbing Missy and pulling her toward the house.
“Gran, is everything okay?” Dalton asked, taking in the scene.
“Dalton, you are just in time to help me hogtie Missy and get her art into the truck to sell at the table I reserved for this ingrate at the Summer Solstice.”
Missy had paint stains on her oversize men’s shirt and a few smudges on her face.
“Yes, Dr. Hart, you’re just in time to diagnose your grandmother for being crazy, because I have explained to her multiple times that I am not going to stand in a tent and sell my babies to tourists that won’t appreciate them,” Missy huffed.
Dalton couldn’t help but laugh. “Wow, you two really are a duo. Gran, as much as I agree that Missy could make a fortune off her paintings, it’s her decision to make about how she wants to share her masterpieces with the world.”
His grandmother folded her arms over her chest and squinted her eyes at him. “Dalton James, if I wanted your opinion, I would give it to you. Now help me wrap up this art,” she said, stomping up the porch stairs and walking past him.
Missy trudged up the stairs behind her. “You never said I’d have to deal with such a stubborn woman who would commandeer my art.”
“You know, even Picasso and Michelangelo sold their art on the streets before they made their way into palaces and museums.”
“That’s not true, is it?” she asked.
“It could be. How about a compromise: you agree to bring ten pieces to the tent and list your prices as high as you want. Then, if none of them sell, you can prove to Gran she’s wrong. But if they do sell, you can still post them on your social media feeds and you’ll have some money in your pocket for more materials to use to make more pieces.”
Now Missy narrowed her eyes on him. “Are you sure you’re a doctor and not some con man?”
“Yes, but do we have a deal?”
“How am I supposed to deny a man who just wants to make his grandmother happy, a woman who believes so strongly in my art that she was willing to try and lock me in the bathroom and kidnap it?”
“Great, let’s wrap them up or I’ll be late for my slot in the dunk tank.”
“I guarantee there will be a long line of people trying to get you in that water, starting with me.”
Dalton laughed and followed the two stubborn women back inside the house. Twenty minutes later he was hauling every one of Missy’s completed works of art, Missy, and his grandmother into town. They parked, and his grandmother’s friends helped Missy set up her tent. They’d even had a banner made that read Local Artist strung up on the bright yellow tent they’d reserved for Missy. Once they were settled, Dalton made his way to the dunk booth to relieve the young deputy who’d taken the first shift in the tank.
“Oh, good, I was turning into a fried prune between the sun beating down and time I spent in the tank,” the deputy said.
“Maybe we should move the pitching line back?” Dalton asked as he removed his shirt.
“Not a bad idea. I have a feeling you’re going to raise the most money,” the deputy said before he walked away.
Once Dalton was seated on the narrow bench in the tank, the kid handling the money gave him a thumbs-up, then let the first person waiting up to the line to throw the ball at the big red bull’s-eye. The dunk tank was sat between the “Strongest Man” game, where people took turns with a sledgehammer to see if they were strong enough to propel the weight all the way up to a bell at the top, and a ring toss game. The pier and half of Main Street were closed to traffic to make space for all the tents, games, and food stations. There was a live band on one part of the boardwalk, and between the townsfolk and tourists, the event was packed.
Between dunks into the cold water, Dalton scanned the crowd, hoping to see Brooke. He knew she would be manning the first aid tent toward the end of the street and he doubted she’d come looking for him.
He’d wanted to go straight from his brother’s house the night before to her house and tell her that he was staying, but he was worried about the timing. Dalton didn’t like how Tyler was trying to punish Brooke for spending time with him, and he didn’t want to cater to Tyler’s manipulation. But he didn’t want Brooke or Max to suffer because he was being selfish either. He wanted to be with her but also protect her best chance of getting full custody of Max. But there was no way he could wait until the end of summer to tell her he was staying.
Soon he spotted Max in the crowd, and was surprised to see that he was with Tyler until he remembered Brooke said Tyler got one day a week to spend with Max until their next custody hearing. Max wasn’t smiling as he looked up at his father, who looked like he was chastising the boy. Dalton’s urge to punch Tyler in the face doubled. Tyler must have sensed eyes on him, because he looked up and smirked at Dalton then pulled Max to stand in the line for the dunk tank.
When Max spotted Dalton, his face lit up and he waved, and Dalton could see that he had chocolate smeared on his face. Dalton waved back, but then Tyler barked something at Max and his smile fell away. He watched as Max used his shirt to wipe his face and dropped whatever he had been eating on the ground. Then he started to rub at his throat and tug on Tyler’s hand, but Tyler just shrugged him off.
That was enough.
Dalton exited the tank and told the kid taking the money to swap out with him while he put on his shirt. The kid eagerly handed off the money and got in the tank. Dalton told the next couple in line to wait just a sec, and then he sprinted over to Tyler and Max.
“Hey, Max, are you doing okay?” he asked, crouching down to Max’s level as he noticed his breathing was raspy.
“I’m okay, it’s just my throat itches,” Max said.
“What’d you eat, buddy?”
“Get away from my kid, Dalton, he doesn’t need anything.”
Dalton could see that Max’s lips were starting to swell. “Do you have his medicine bag?” Dalton asked calmly as he stood to face Tyler eye to eye.
“What bag?”
“The red bag with his allergy meds and inhaler, where is it?” Dalton asked through gritted teeth. Max was starting to cough, and he clutched his throat.
“I don’t have any bag, he’s fine,” Tyler said, pulling on Max’s shoulder right as Max threw up at Tyler’s feet.
Tyler swore, and Dalton scooped Max up. “It’s alright, buddy, I’m just going to get you to the medical tent and we’ll get you your medicine.”
Max nodded, but Dalton could see that he was wheezing and his pupils were dilated with fear. Dalton started to push through the crowd to get Max to the bright red tent at the end of the street, where he was praying Brooke had an EpiPen. Max wrapped himself around Dalton as he started to pick up the pace, and he finally found the medical tent where Brooke stood watching the crowd. As soon as she spotted them, she looked panicked.
“What happened?” she asked as Dalton laid Max down on the small table Brooke had set up.
“Do you have an EpiPen? I think he ate something with nuts in it.”
“What? Yes, in the blue bag.” Dalton was already opening the familiar medical bag as Brooke pushed Max’s hair back off his brow. “It’s okay, baby, we’re just going to have to give you your medicine, alright?”
Max wheezed and Dalton popped the top off the children’s EpiPen and held Max legs down with one arm. “Just a small pinch, Max, and then you’ll get some relief to breathe, son,” Dalton said, and then with gentle force pushed the EpiPen down into Max’s thigh and held it in place for a count of ten.
Max wailed, but Brooke whispered to him and kissed his brow. Next Dalton gently massaged the area and got an ice pack to place on Max’s thigh. He grabbed a stethoscope and an inhaler from the medical kit just as Wes walked up.
“What can I do to help? You wanna load him in my cruiser and we’ll get him to the hospital?”
“Yah, he might need a second dose, but I’d like to let this one work for a minute or two first.”
Brooke grabbed a few baby wipes that she kept on hand to wipe down Max’s face just as Tyler walked up leisurely, as if there was no emergency.
“He couldn’t breathe! You gave him peanuts, and he’s deathly allergic to them. What is wrong with you?” Brooke yelled.
“I didn’t give him peanuts; I gave him an ice cream and the little shit barfed all over my shoes.”
Dalton saw red, but before he could respond, Wes intervened and put himself between Tyler and Dalton. “Look, Tyler, Max is going to the hospital and you’ve just been reported for child endangerment, so why don’t you do yourself a favor and quit while you’re behind.”
Wes’s two deputies stood close by, ready to react, while Dalton refocused on Max. For the second time he scooped the boy up and Max wrapped his hands around Dalton’s neck and whimpered.
“It’s okay, champ, you were so brave. You did amazing,” Dalton said and kissed Max’s sweaty brow. He would just sit in the back of Wes’s cruiser to transport Max to the hospital. Brooke grabbed her bag and got on the other side to ride with them, and once she was in, she scooted as close to Dalton and Max as she could get.
“I’ve never been in a police car before,” Max said in a soft raspy voice, his cheeks still wet from his hot tears.
His breathing was already back to normal, and Dalton smiled.
“You better make sure you don’t make a habit of it unless you’re driving one,” Wes said from the front seat as he hit the siren.
“That sounds almost as cool as being a ninja,” Max said.
Even Brooke had to laugh. “You Hart boys had better stop influencing my son and making him want to pursue such dangerous jobs.”
Wes pulled in front of the hospital and Dr. Tommy was already waiting there to meet them at the door. “How’s he doing?”
“I think the one pen did the trick, but we’ll want to keep an eye on him. I’m not sure how much exposure he had, but he threw up a lot as soon as the reaction took hold,” Dalton said as he carried Max into a waiting empty bay. Nurse Steph bustled in with an icey and worry etched over her face.
“Max, you brave little man, I heard you had some bad ice cream. How about we get you cleaned up and you let me hook up a few of my cool machines to monitor your breathing?” Nurse Steph asked.
There was a flurry of well-practiced activity, like a dance they all knew well, and then they all stepped out, leaving Dalton and Brooke with Max.
“You don’t have to stay. Dr. Tommy was on call tonight and I’m going to be here with Max,” Brooke said.
“But I want Dalton to stay, in case I need another shot!” Max said. His cheeks were rosy and he looked tired.
“I’ll stay, Max, I’m just going to change out of these wet clothes. I’ll be right back,” Dalton said, and held up his hand for a fist bump. “I’m really proud of you.”
Max bumped Dalton’s fist with less enthusiasm than usual. Brooke didn’t meet his eyes.
Out in the hall, he found Dr. Tommy talking with Wes right before Mrs. Banks and Miles came storming through the hospital doors.
“Where is my grandson, is he okay?” Mrs. Banks demanded, but her voice was shaky with worry.
Dalton held up his hands, unsure whether Brooke would be okay with them going back to see Max. But he didn’t see Tyler, and the concern on their faces certainly seemed authentic.
“He’s still under observation until we’re sure if he needs another dose of epinephrine. If you could both wait in the lobby, I’ll see if Brooke’s okay with you taking turns to see Max.”
“Dr. Hart, could you please let Brooke know that we are not going home until we’re sure Max is okay? And if she needs anything, we’re right here,” Mrs. Banks said.
Miles stuck out his hand to Dalton. “Thank God you recognized the signs of Max having an allergic reaction.”
Dalton shook Miles’s hand. “Tyler didn’t have Max’s meds with him, in fact, he didn’t even seem to understand what they were for. He’s not fit to take care of Max.”
They both stayed silent and didn’t argue. Dalton knew his relationship with Brooke might make his statement less impactful to the court, but he intended to write a report on what had happened during Tyler’s first attempt to spend time with Max.
After changing and checking on Max again then speaking with Dr. Tommy, they all agreed that Max wouldn’t need a second dose but that he’d stay all night for observation just in case, along with Tommy, who could provide an unbiased medical opinion if it was needed during the night. They pushed another bed next to Max so Brooke could stay with her son, who by then was sleeping hard. Dalton sat in a chair nearby so he could hear the monitors and know if Max’s allergy acted up again.
Sometime after midnight Max stirred, and his long lashes fluttered open, and he found Dalton sitting close by.
“I didn’t like spending time with my dad.”
Dalton’s heart squeezed, and he reached out his hand to hold Max’s.
“I’m sorry, Max. I know it’s tough to understand, but the judge is just trying to make sure he figures out the best thing for you.”
“I don’t think he’s really my dad. I hope the judge doesn’t make me spend more time with him. He doesn’t even like me.”
Dalton sighed and leaned forward. “That’s not true, he just doesn’t understand how awesome you are. Sometimes people can become parents but never become good at it.”
Max thought about that for a minute. “If I could choose, I think you should be my dad. You always know what I’m thinking and I liked it when you called me son.”
Emotion gripped Dalton’s throat and he fought back a swell of tears. “I would be proud to have you as a son, and not just because you’re the coolest kid I know who can steal second base and hit harder than Babe Ruth.”
Max laughed. “Are you going to tell my mom what I said about my dad?”
“I can if you want me to.”
Max shook his head. “She’s already worried. But do you think I could tell the judge how I feel?”
“I think that’s a great idea, but you probably need to tell your mom so she can ask her lawyer to arrange that.”
“Okay. Why are some things so hard?”
“That’s a good question. My dad used to say most things worth doing are hard, but that’s where we find the reward.”
“Did you like your dad?”
Dalton smiled. This little boy was turning his world upside down and making him fall more in love with him and Brooke by the second.
“Yes, my dad was a great father. He taught me how to play baseball, fish, shoot a gun, and make pancakes.”
“He sounds nice. I’ve never been fishing.”
“Well, we can fix that.”
Max’s smile beamed even as his eyes grew heavy.
Dalton leaned forward and kissed Max’s brow again. “Get some sleep, buddy, I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Max’s slow breathing proved just how tired he was, and in a minute he’d already fallen back asleep.
Then when Dalton looked over at Brooke, her wet eyes were watching him.
“Thank you,” she said.
“I love you.” He didn’t even think about what else he should say. He didn’t want another minute to go by without telling her.
“Dalton.” Her voice cracked.
He reached his hand over Max and gripped her leg.
“I love you, and I’m not leaving Sandy Point. I’m staying for good. And we can hide our relationship as long as you want, wait until the custody issues are settled, but I want to be with you and Max.”
“You do? You’re staying? But I thought you couldn’t stay because of all the bad memories.”
“I thought so too, but I was wrong, and I don’t want to leave you. You’re my home. I think I’ve always loved you.” Dalton stood to lean over Max.
Her hands framed his face and he kissed her tear-stained cheeks and lips. But then she laughed.
“But I just offered one of the Pattersons your job and they accepted.”
Dalton smiled. “That’s okay, I have a feeling you’ll have another opening once they learn the ropes.”
She gasped. “You do?”
“I think Dr. Tommy has had enough of small-town life, but he didn’t want to leave you hanging.”
“Well, what else have you figured out?”
“That’s it for now. I love you, Brooke, and that’s a promise. The rest of the details will just work out.”