“Take your time,” Betty returned. Once Sam and Kevin were out of sight, she let out a soft sigh and changed the topic as she led the way toward the cabin, which was located on the fertile bank of Hood Canal and was surprisingly modern. She gestured expansively. “You’d think Bernie had constructed the Empire State Building for the amount of time and effort that’s gone into this infamous deck.”

“Bernie built the deck himself?” Marjorie had to admit she was impressed with the wraparound structure, as she followed her hostess into the kitchen. A series of stairs led down onto the sandy, smooth beach below.

“Don’t encourage him,” Betty warned with a short laugh. “In his former life Bernie claims to have been a carpenter. He thinks he missed his calling.” Still grinning, she poured them each a tall glass of iced tea and led Marjorie into the living room. A small fire gave the room a cozy feeling.

Marjorie sat in the overstuffed chair opposite her hostess.

Betty’s chest rose with a deep breath, and she smiled at Marjorie. “You don’t know how relieved I am to finally meet you.”

“Me?”

“Sam’s hardly talked about anything else from the day you went in for surgery.”

“He told you about me?” Amazed, Marjorie flattened her hand over her heart.

“In elaborate detail. Does that surprise you?”

“It shocks me.” And pleased her. And excited her. Then she remembered there could be no future for them.

“Bernie and I have been waiting years for Sam to finally meet the right woman. We’d almost given up hope. He’s so dedicated to his patients. The one thing that’s suffered most over the last few years has been his personal life.”

“He is a wonderful doctor.”

“You won’t get any arguments out of me. I should know—Sam delivered both Kevin and Shelley.”

“Shelley?” She was going to have to deal with more than one child?

“Shelley’s sleeping, like all good four-month-olds. You’ll see her later.”

Marjorie only nodded. She liked Betty and didn’t want to disillusion her with her own lack of anything approaching the maternal instinct.

“You know, I knew Sam before I even met Bernie,” Betty explained, gazing into her iced tea. Her face took on a solemn look.

“Are you a nurse?”

Betty nodded. “I know that sounds old hat, but the path of romance was anything but smooth for Bernie and me. It isn’t like we saw each other from across a crowded room and instantly heard fate calling.”

“No?”

Betty crossed her legs and grinned sheepishly. “Well, to be honest, I was dating Sam when I met Bernie. Later Bernie was assigned to the ward where I was working.”

“So it was being in close proximity that ignited the fires between you?”