by Kay Correll
Julie took a half a sandwich and a bottle of water and sat cross-legged on the blanket. “This is so good. I love the inn’s sandwiches.”
“On your bread, I’d bet.”
“Well, there is that.” Julie laughed.
The ocean water had dried to a slightly sticky feeling on his skin, but the breeze kept him comfortable. Julie entertained him with stories of people in the town and explained how crazy busy it was during the tourist season in the summer, then again in January through March with people coming to the island to escape the winter.
He didn’t know how long they sat talking, or when he’d rested against the tree trunk and Julie had leaned against his shoulder. He loosely wrapped his arm around her shoulder and realized he was trailing his finger up and down her tanned arm resting against him.
She stopped talking then and turned her face up to him. He looked at her, memorizing the moment, her sun-kissed cheeks, her parted lips, her green eyes that looked so trusting. He leaned down and kissed those lips. Gently. Questioningly.
She kissed him back with a softly whispered, “Oh.”
She turned slightly and wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. His heart pounded in his chest and his breath quickened. This woman touched his heart in a way he thought would never happen again. His cold, frozen, protected heart began to melt.
He finally pulled away. “I… that was nice.”
“It was.” Her voice was low and wispy. “Reed… um… I think I’m falling for you, too.”
“Well, that’s fine by me. Perfect even.” He kissed her again, content with his life, content with this woman in his arms. The woman who had just said she was falling for him. Which was a good thing, because he was totally taken with her.
He leaned back against the tree and pulled her close to his side. She nestled against him and reached over to entwine her fingers in his. He sensed, more than knew, that they were drifting off to sleep, and it felt so right with her here in his arms.
Chapter 22
“Reed.”
He opened his eyes, trying to focus and figure out where the heck he was.
“Wake up.”
He blinked again and saw Julie kneeling before him. His arm was asleep and he shook it and rubbed it.
“Hey.” He flashed a lazy grin at her.
“We need to go. Look, a storm is coming in.”
He looked out at the ocean and saw the dark clouds gathering in the distance. White caps tripped across the waves now. He scrubbed his hands over his face, coming fully awake. “You’re right. We should hurry.” He jumped to his feet and started gathering up their things.
Julie dumped the remains of their lunch into the picnic basket. He grabbed the blanket and cooler and they hurried to the cove.
When they got to the cove, Julie looked up at the sky. “Maybe we should wait it out here. I’m not much of a boat person on rough seas.”
“There’s not much shelter here. I think we can make it.”
“Are you sure?” She looked doubtful and glanced back to the grove of trees behind them.
“I’m sure, come on.” He reached out a hand to steady her. “Jump on.”
He untied the ropes and climbed on after her. He started the engine and pulled away from the pier. The waves were rough as they pulled out of the cove. “Why don’t you sit down here next to me?”
Julie didn’t argue. She sat in the seat and grasped the side of the boat. He noticed her knuckles were white where she clasped the seat beneath her.
About halfway back to Belle Island, the heavens opened up and started pounding them with rain. The surf grew wilder and the boat tossed back and forth on the waves. He concentrated all his energy on steering them safely to shore.
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
He looked over at Julie. She started to stand up.
“No! Don’t stand up.”
She staggered to her feet and grabbed hold of his arm. He tried to steady her and steer the boat at the same time. He lost his concentration on steering for a split second to steady her and they hit a wave cockeyed. Julie slipped out of his arm as the boat dropped away, seeming to fall through space. He could see her fall and he swore it was in slow motion. He reached for her again, but he couldn’t catch her.
“Julie.” He yelled her name over the storm.
Julie lay motionless on the floor of the boat. He didn’t dare let go of the wheel to bend down to check on her. He concentrated on maneuvering the boat through the storm, steering their way through the rising waves, racing to Belle Island.
He thought he heard a small moan from Julie. “Julie?”
“Ah… ouch.”
“Don’t move. Stay down. We’re almost to the bay.”
Julie curled up into a ball at his feet. His heart pounded and he gripped the wheel. He wanted to reach down and comfort her, to scoop her up in his arms, but he focused on the important job at hand, getting them to safety. He steered the boat into the bay. It was calmer than the ocean, but not by much. He spotted the inlet to the marina and headed there. After what seemed like hours but was probably more like minutes, he pulled the boat into the slip and tied her up.
He finally leaned down over Julie. “Are you okay?”
“I. My head.” Julie reached up and touched the back of her head.
“Come on. I’m going to take you for help.”
“I’m okay.”
“We’ll have someone with a bit more medical knowledge tell us that.” He leaned down and scooped her into his arms. He climbed out of the boat and rushed down the pier to the parking lot. “The keys. Where are the keys?”
“My pocket, but—”
“I’ve got this. Give me the keys.”
He pressed the keys into the palm of his hand. He unlocked the van and put her in the passenger seat. His heart pounded and guilt washed over him. They never should have tried to outrun the storm. What was he thinking? He should have listened to Julie and found shelter on the island until the storm passed. He knew nothing about gulf coast storms.
He slid into the driver’s seat, clenched his teeth, and turned on the engine. He pulled out of their spot and headed down the road towards the emergency clinic he’d seen on Seaside Boulevard.
His pulse pounded and his knuckles were white where he grabbed the steering wheel. He ignored all of that. He focused on keeping the van on the road. The wipers were struggling to keep up with the downpour of rain. He leaned forward, concentrating.
You can do this. You can do this.
He repeated the words like a litany of wishes to the lighthouse.
He swerved to avoid a flooded part of the road and Julie let out a whimper of a moan.
“Hang in there. We’re almost there.”
He pulled up to the front door of the emergency clinic and flung open his door. He rushed around to Julie and swept her into his arms. He pushed through the doors to the clinic. “I need help here.”
A man and a woman in scrubs rushed forward and showed him to a room where he carefully placed her on an examining table. “She fell. Hit her head. On the boat.”
“We’ve got her. Why don’t you go move your van?” A kind nurse touched his arm. “She’ll be okay. Really. We’re going to check her out. Park your van and I’ll come out to the waiting room with some paperwork for you to fill out.”
Julie’s eyes were closed and he didn’t like the pale color to her skin.
“She’s Julie Farmington.”
“I know her. We’ll take good care of her.” The nurse led him to the doorway.
He walked down the hallway, dripping water with each step. He exited the front door and stood in the pouring rain. He looked up at the sky, taunting him. He’d insisted she come with him today when she hadn’t really wanted to go. And she’d asked him to wait out the storm on the island, but he’d insisted they could make it back to Belle Island. This was all his fault. Once again he’d gotten his way, wheedled until Julie agreed. Now, l
ook where it had gotten them. Julie was hurt.
All. His. Fault.
He clenched his jaw, climbed into the van, and slowly pulled it into a parking space. He walked back inside. Another worker offered him a towel and some scrubs to change into so he could get out of his wet clothes. He stood in another exam room and tugged at his wet clothes that were glued to his skin. He sucked in a deep breath and wrestled off his swimsuit and t-shirt, resisting the urge to hurl them across the room when he finally freed himself. He slipped on the dry scrubs and towel-dried his hair.
He glanced at his reflection in the mirror and saw the haunted look in his eyes, the fear etched on his face. Julie just had to be all right, she had to.
* * *
Julie slipped in and out of knowing what was going on around her. She would swear at one point she was in the back of the van and the van was going… somewhere. How did Reed manage all this driving? Then her thoughts drifted away and disappeared into the night.
A pounding headache woke her, and she gingerly opened her eyes. She’d no idea where she was. She struggled to sit up a bit in the bed she was in.
“Sh. Stay still.” Reed’s voice drifted towards her.
She closed her eyes again, hoping it would make the room quit spinning. She reached up and touched her head and felt a bandage of some sort.
“You hit your head. A concussion and a few stitches.”
She tried to remember what happened. They’d been out on Blue Heron Island, having a wonderful time. She’d finally told Reed that she cared about him. She remembered that part. Then that storm had come in. They’d left the island, but the rest of it was hazy.
“Reed?”
“I’m right here.”
She felt him take her hand.
“What…”
“We were trying to get to Belle Island before the storm hit. I should have listened to you. We should have just stayed on the island and waited out the storm. It got really rough. You fell and hit your head.”
“Where… am I?”
“You’re in the hospital on the mainland. I took you to the emergency clinic on Belle Island and they called an ambulance to bring you here. You gave me quite a scare.”
“I… don’t remember much.”
“That’s okay. Just take it easy. The doctor said you might not remember everything. It’s okay.”
“Julie!”
She heard Tally’s voice and tried to open her eyes a bit, but that just made her head throb. She sensed Tally at her side and felt Tally’s hand brush her hair back. “I came as soon as I heard. Thanks for calling me, Reed.”
“No problem. I knew you and Susan would want to know.”
“Susan will be here soon.”
Julie felt Tally take her hand and Reed, on the other side of the bed, let go of the hand he’d been holding. She wanted to tell him no, hold on to her, but the words tangled in her mind.
“Is she going to be okay?” Tally’s voice was tinged with concern.
“The doctor said it was a bad concussion and she needs to take it easy for a few days. She has a few stitches. I’m so sorry…”
“What are you sorry about?”
“It’s my fault. Julie didn’t really want to go to Blue Heron Island. I talked her into it. Then, I insisted we could outrun the storm coming in. She wanted to stay on the island and wait out the storm. Then she got hurt… and it could have been so much worse. I was so wrong.”
Julie wanted to say something, to tell him she had wanted to go with him and the break had been so nice. Wanted to tell him again that she cared about him… that she loved him.
Oh my gosh, she loved him.
She needed to tell him right now, but the words wouldn’t come, they stayed wrapped up in her mind and she drifted off to sleep, knowing Tally and Reed were right there with her.
Chapter 23
Susan drove Julie home the next day. Julie wondered where Reed was, but then she was sure he didn’t want to drive all the way to the mainland. Tally had told her how Reed had driven her from the marina to the emergency clinic.
Julie leaned on Susan as they walked up the pathway to her house. Susan got her settled on the couch, fussing over her.
“I’m fine.” Julie rested against the pillows Susan had placed at the end of the couch for her. “I’ll be fine. I know you have the inn to run. Speaking of which, I should check in on the bakery.”
“You’ll do no such thing. You know what the doctor said. Take it easy for a few days.” Susan pinned her with a listen-to-me glare. “Tally went by and checked on things for you. Nancy and your new worker have everything under control. Give it a few days before you go back.”
“I can’t just sit here.”
“Yes, you can, and you will. I mean it. I’ll stay here twenty-four seven if I have to.”
“No, you have work to do. I’ll be good, I promise.” Julie looked up and grinned at her friend. “But I might not listen to you the next time you tell me I need to take an afternoon off. This one didn’t turn out so well.”
“Did you have a good time before the storm?”
“I had a wonderful time.” Julie looked at her friend. “I… like Reed. A lot. I had the best time with him. We had… fun. We talked and laughed. I felt so at ease with him and so connected. Susan, I think… I know… that I love him.”
“Ha, then it was a good idea to go. Well, not the whole concussion part. You might try it without that next time.” Susan smiled at her. “I knew you were falling for him. Knew it. He seems like a good guy. It’s nice to see you interested in someone again.”
“Where is Reed? I kind of thought he’d be here when I got home.”
“I’m not sure. I’ll see if he’s at the inn when I go back there and tell him I’ve got you all settled in.”
That would be nice. She wanted to see him again. To be honest, she wouldn’t mind if he decided to kiss her again. Wouldn’t mind that a bit.
“I’m going to fix you a sandwich and some tea before I go.”
Julie figured there was no use arguing with her friend. Susan came back with a tray with the food and placed it on the coffee table right by Julie.
“Do you have your new cell phone to call me if you need anything?”
“Yes, it’s right here.”
“Okay, call me. For anything. Or just to talk.”
Julie smiled. “Go. Go run the inn. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, but I’m going to check in later this afternoon.”
“Of course you are.” Julie started to shake her head, but decided that just made her head ache a bit. “If you see Reed, you’ll tell him I’m home?”
“Sure will.”
Susan let herself out the door and Julie settled back against the pillows. Maybe she’d just take a little nap before eating her sandwich.
* * *
Reed stood looking out the window in his room at the inn. The guilt over Julie’s accident swept over him… and it felt so strangely familiar. His fault. His decisions had caused this. He’d gotten his way. Convinced her to go even though she didn’t want to. Convinced her they could outrun the storm. Was he never going to learn? He was like some kind of spoiled two-year-old always insisting on getting his way. And his way always seemed to have dire consequences. He had no business dragging Julie to the island.
He heard a knock at the door and went to open it.
“Hi.” Susan stood in the doorway. “Just wanted to let you know I went and got Julie and brought her home. She’s all settled in at her house if you want to go visit her.”
“How is she doing?”
“Well, she’s arguing about taking it easy, of course. But I fixed her some lunch and I’m hoping she’ll stay put.” Susan looked at him expectantly. “So, are you going to go see her?”
Reed stood silently, his thoughts rolling around in his mind.
Susan shifted her weight and looked directly into his eyes. A frown creased her forehead. “You are going over?”
He sigh
ed. A deep sigh that seemed to come from somewhere so far inside that it tore through him and made his heart ache. “I… am. I need to talk to her.”
“Okay…” Her voice drifted off and she looked at him like she didn’t totally trust him.
She turned and walked away down the hallway, and he watched her measured steps. Julie was lucky to have such a good friends as Tally and Susan. They would be there for her… after he talked to her.
* * *
Reed stood beside Julie’s couch, watching her sleep. The bandage on her head mocked him, reminding him of the pain he’d caused her. What if it had been worse? He couldn’t bear to think about that. This was bad enough.
Julie stirred and opened her eyes. A smile spread across her face when she saw him. “Reed, you’re here.”
He moved the tray down and perched on the edge of the sturdy coffee table. He took her hands in his. “We need to talk.”
“We do. I have something I need to tell you.” She pushed up and sat on the couch.
He held up a hand to stop her. He needed to just get this over with. “I… I’m leaving.”
“What?” Her eyes flew open wide.
“It’s time for me to get back to my real life. We’ve always known it was going to happen.”
“But you still have another week, at least.”
“Julie, I’m sorry. Sorry about everything. The accident. Insisting you go to the island with me. Everything. I should have listened to you about the storm, too. I never learn my lesson. I keep repeating history. I’m sorry.”
“But, this isn’t your fault.”
“I just can’t keep doing this. I make the same mistake over and over and people get hurt.”
“Reed, it was an accident. And I had one of most wonderful afternoons of my life with you on the island.”
Her words tore at his heart. He’d had the best time with her, too. He could almost still feel her in his arms. Feel her lips against his. But there was no way he was going to endanger someone again. The fates were laughing at him for thinking he even had a chance at love again.
