MIRACLE ON KAIMOTU ISLAND/ALWAYS THE HERO

by Marion Lennox

  Freedom?

  ‘It was a heinous crime not to be blonde,’ she managed, and Ben grinned.

  ‘Yes, it was. So can you stand in the dock, look your accusers in the face and say it wasn’t your fault?’

  ‘I guess.’

  ‘You want to have fun?’

  ‘Fun,’ she said, and the word was weird. Foreign.

  ‘I’m not marrying you unless you turn back into the Ginny I knew,’ he said. He motioned to the gently sloping rise behind the beach. The earthquake had shaken free a great swathe of loose, soft sand. It looked...sort of poised.

  Poised to slide straight down the slope into the shallows beneath it.

  ‘The Ginny I know would ride that slope,’ Ben said.

  ‘I’d get wet.’

  ‘You’re already soggy.’

  ‘So I am.’ She looked at him, her gorgeous, kind, clever Ben, her love who’d magically waited for her for all this time, who’d made her see what she should have been yelling at the top of her lungs for years.

  ‘I believe I’m about to burst a few chains,’ she said, and Ben looked startled.

  ‘Pardon?’

  ‘You don’t know what you’re getting into. If it’s not my fault I’ll break cups all over the place. And...’ she eyed the sandy slope thoughtfully ‘...I’ll get sand in my knickers. But I won’t do it alone.’

  ‘I don’t want you to do anything alone any more,’ he said, and then added a hasty rider. ‘Within reason. It seems to me you’ve been on your own all your life. You hook up with me, you have a whole island. We’re part of a community but we’re a team. You and me, Dr Koestrel. Together for ever.’

  ‘Prove it,’ she said, and he blinked.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Remember all those years ago when I wanted to be your friend. Prove it, you said, by rowing this bathtub all the way across the pond.’

  ‘Haven’t we moved on from that?’

  ‘Maybe you have,’ she said. ‘But I’m still wary. See this slope? It’s gentle sand—a gentle slope. It shouldn’t hurt someone who had his surgery laprascopically and I’ll kiss the bruises. Together or nothing, Dr McMahon.’

  ‘I’ll get sand in my knickers.’

  ‘Yes, you will,’ she said serenely, because suddenly she was serene. She was happy, she thought incredulously. She was totally, awesomely happy. She was in love, in love, in love, and miraculously the man she loved was smiling at her, loving her right back, and all she was asking was that he slide on a little sand for her.

  She thought of the impossibility of asking either of her parents to do such a thing, or James, and she wondered why she hadn’t seen it? The fault had never been in her. It had been in them. They’d chosen the wrong daughter, the wrong wife. Their perfect daughter, perfect wife was maybe out there somewhere but it wasn’t her, and whoever it was who wanted to be blonde and perfect and servile, well, good luck to them. It wasn’t her.

  ‘Slide or nothing,’ she said.

  ‘You will kiss the bruises? Slide and everything?’ Ben asked, and that gorgeous twinkle was back, the twinkle she’d first met twenty years ago, the Ben twinkle, of mischief, life and laughter.

  ‘Everything,’ she said, and turned and headed up the sand bank, and she knew he’d follow.

  And he did.

  Two minutes later two very wet, very sandy doctors emerged from a shallow wave, laughing and spluttering, and Ben was holding Ginny and Ginny was holding Ben, and she knew that here was her home.

  Here was her love. Her life. Her whole.

  And then—after all the bruises had been very satisfactorily kissed and a few other places besides—because it seemed like the right time, the right place, the right everything, Ben took Ginny’s hand and led her back to the pub. Squid’s wake was just starting to wind up but most of the islanders were still there.

  They turned to stare in amazement at the picture of the two sodden island doctors, Ben’s suit dripping, Ginny even wearing a bit of seaweed.

  They stood in the doorway and Ben held Ginny’s hand tightly while the voices faded and every eye was on them.

  ‘We have an announcement to make,’ Ben said to the whole pub, the whole island, the whole world. ‘I’d like to tell everyone who’s listening that Ginny has just agreed to marry me. And, Squid, if you’re listening up there, no, it’s not your fault but you lent a hand. The lady loves me, ladies and gentleman, and the next ceremony on this island’s going to be a wedding.’

  * * *

  And so it was.

  Ginny’s wedding to James had taken place in Sydney’s biggest cathedral, with a luxury reception in a lush ballroom overlooking Sydney Harbour.

  Ginny’s wedding to Ben took place in the small island chapel where they’d said goodbye to Squid, and the reception took place on the beach.

  Simple, Ginny had decreed, but she didn’t quite have her way. The islanders prepared a party to end all parties. Ailsa made her a dress that was breathtakingly lovely, with a sweetheart neckline, a cinched waist and a skirt that flowed out in a full circle if she spun.

  And she did spin, as Ben took her into his arms and proceeded to jive instead of doing a bridal waltz.

  ‘You can’t waltz on sand,’ he decreed, and she didn’t think she could jive on sand either, but it seemed she could.

  And did.

  So did Button, dressed in a gorgeous pink dress the same style as Ginny’s, jiving along with Henry, who was enjoying himself very much indeed. He was back living in the manager’s residence at the vineyard now, pottering in the vineyard, falling in love with Button, deeply content with the way life was turning out. Looking forward to Ben and Ginny and Button sharing the big house.

  He’d decreed Button was now his family, as was the tiny black and white kitten that followed Button everywhere. As for Button, she was pretty much in heaven. The heart specialist had decided surgery would be necessary to repair a slight abnormality but it could wait, he said. No rush. No drama. For now they could settle into what they were.

  Family.

  The islanders had lit the campfire to beat all campfires. Dusk was settling into night. The local band was playing its collective heart out, there was enough food for a small army, people were dancing, singing, gossiping, rolling tired children in rugs and settling them to sleep on the sun-warmed sand...

  ‘This’ll go on for hours,’ Ben said into her ear, and she felt so happy she could melt.

  ‘Let it.’

  ‘But you’re my wife,’ he said. ‘Is it my fault that I want you now?’

  ‘Yes, it is,’ she said serenely. ‘All your own fault. I take no responsibility.’

  He grinned and held her tighter. They danced on, drowsy with love and desire, knowing they had all the time in the world for each other, but there was still this desire to have that time now.

  No one looked like going home. No one wanted this party to end.

  ‘Tell you what,’ Ben said. ‘Why don’t we have a medical emergency?’

  ‘An emergency?’

  ‘A serious one,’ he said. ‘Did you know you can make your own phone ring?’ And he twirled her over to a place where the fire torches were less bright, he whirled her round so his bride was between him and any onlookers—and, lo, his phone rang.

  ‘Uh-huh?’ he said in a voice that carried. ‘Goodness, that sounds serious. Really? Well, if you say so, we’ll be on our way right now.’

  He replaced his phone in his jacket pocket and turned to face the bemused islanders—and his bemused and brand-new wife.

  ‘We have an emergency on the other side of the island,’ Ben said. ‘It needs two doctors. Sorry, guys, keep up the party, but you need to excuse...my wife and me.’

  There was a ripple of laughter and more than one mutter of disbelief. />
  ‘What sort of emergency?’ someone yelled.

  ‘Heart,’ Ben said promptly. ‘You can’t mess with hearts.’

  ‘Whose?’ someone else yelled.

  ‘Patient confidentiality,’ Ben said. ‘How can I tell you? All I can say is that it’s a multiple problem. Two hearts that need attention. Ginny...Dr Koestrel can care for one, and I’ll take the other.’

  There was a whoop of delighted laughter. ‘You’re making that up,’ someone else yelled. ‘You just want to get away all by yourselves!’

  ‘So what if we do?’ Ben said, taking his bride by the hand and then changing his mind and sweeping her into his arms to carry her up the beach, to his waiting Jeep, to the night beyond, to the future together.

  ‘So what if we do?’ he said again. ‘This is my love and my life. Have you seen my bride? If we did want to get away, all on our own, it’s not our fault. It’s life, guys. It’s life and laughter and love and it’s our future, just beyond the campfire. And, fault or not, we’re stepping into it, right now.’

  * * * * *

  ALWAYS THE HERO

  Alison Roberts

  Will discovering he’s a father finally tame this daredevil?

  It broke Abigail’s heart to leave Tom Kendrick, but the delectable rescue paramedic was always chasing danger, always being the hero. It made Abby feel she came second in his life—she couldn’t risk their baby feeling that way, too.

  When an earthquake strikes Kaimotu, Tom is flown in to the rescue. Seeing Abby again is devastating—he’d thought he’d put the past to rest, but that pounding in his heart is not adrenaline… And to learn he is a father, too—amid all the turmoil—is galling…until he realizes he has this one chance to fight for his child and the woman he loves.

  Dear Reader,

  I live in Christchurch, New Zealand, and on February 22, 2011, our city suffered a catastrophic earthquake. As a paramedic, I was privileged to be within the Red Zone in the early hours and days, but people the world over soon became aware of the heroism of our emergency services like firemen, police officers, paramedics and USAR teams. And not only the professionals. Many of our heroes were ordinary people who just happened to be thrown into extraordinary circumstances.

  Disasters bring out the best in the vast majority of people, and I’ve learned that they can have some other interesting effects. The rate of deaths from heart attacks increases, for instance, but it’s balanced by an uncannily similar increase in births. People make big decisions, too, especially about relationships, as the reminder of how precious life is makes us realize what’s really important. I heard of many people who made a lifelong commitment to each other in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake.

  Marion Lennox and I didn’t set our Earthquake! duet in Christchurch, for obvious reasons, but we were drawn to explore the emotional repercussions of a natural disaster.

  My people, Abby and Tom, certainly needed something earth-shattering to get them back together and make sure it worked this time.

  I have every confidence that they will have a very happy future.

  I hope you’ll agree. :-)

  Happy reading!

  With love,

  Alison xxx

  MIRACLE ON KAIMOTU by Marion Lennox

  is also available this month from Harlequin® Medical Romance™

  Praise for Alison Roberts

  “The Legendary Playboy Surgeon is written with superb understanding of human emotions. Author Alison Roberts touches the heart with this poignant tale of fresh starts, past wounds and second chances.”

  —Contemporary Romance Reviews

  “Readers will be moved by this incredibly sweet story about a family that is created in the most unexpected way.”

  —RT Book Reviews on The Honorable Maverick

  “Alison Roberts brings her characters to life on the pages of this tender and intensely emotional story.... This entertaining story, that’s full of medical drama, is a good addition to your holiday season reading list!”

  —RT Book Reviews on The Night Before Christmas

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ONE

  ‘WHAT’S SO INTERESTING out there, Abby?’

  ‘Nothing.’ Abigail Miller jerked her gaze away from the window, sending an apologetic smile to the young woman who’d asked the question.

  It wasn’t a completely truthful response. There was a lot to be seen out of the window of this consulting room in Kaimotu Island’s medical centre. The modern building that housed the consulting rooms and surgical facilities was attached to the old wooden cottage hospital that had been built many years ago on a prime piece of land.

  Being on top of a hill, they had one of the best views—encompassing the township where most of the permanent community lived and the small, sheltered harbour against a backdrop that had ragged bush-covered slopes created by an ancient volcano on one side and a seemingly endless ocean on the other.

  She could see a gorgeous, fresh-out-of-the-box April autumn day for one thing, with the intense blue of the sky only surpassed by the deeper blue of the sea. A stunning stretch of golden sand on a beach bordered by huge pohutukawa trees. She could even see the red stars of their flowers, which were unusually long-lasting this year. She could see people on the main street of the village, stopping to talk to each other as they went about their tasks for the day, the pace of life here encouraging them to take their time and stop to smell the roses.

  It was a view Abby adored but she’d seen it many times a day for more than five years, now. There was no excuse to be caught staring out the window during working hours. Especially right now, when she was in the middle of a heavy outpatient clinic and the island’s only doctor at the moment, Ben McMahon, was out on a house call.

  She’d been actively trying to persuade mothers to bring their children to this clinic for weeks, determined to make sure that every baby and preschool child on the island was up to date with their vaccinations. She had a responsibility to keep things moving as efficiently as possible because she’d hate Ben to come back and find chaos.

  Ruth had her six-week-old baby, Daisy, in her arms and a very active toddler, Blake, who was trying to climb up onto the examination couch.

  ‘You want to sit up there?’ Abby scooped up the little boy and sat him on the bed. ‘Don’t move, okay? We’ll both get into trouble if you fall off.’

  Coming up to two years old, Blake was overdue for his protection against some of the more dangerous childhood viruses like measles, mumps and chickenpox. Baby Daisy was due for her polio drops as well as an injection. Right now, Blake was grinning up at Abby but he’d be crying very soon, unfortunately. It was never enjoyable having to inflict pain on small children, even if it was for the greater good. Ignoring the ping of a heartstring, Abby reminded herself that she could at least cheer the older children up pretty fast with a bright ‘I’ve been brave’ sticker and a sugar-free jelly snake.

  Maybe that reluctance to inflict pain could explain the procrastination of getting caught by the view.

  Except it was more than that. Abby had been the clinic’s senior nurse for years now. She was experienced and professional, and personal feelings were not allowed to interfere with her job. What was bothering her so much? She couldn’t help another frowning glance outside as she went to the fridge to collect the vaccines she needed.

  Ruth removed her breast from Daisy’s mouth and got up from her chair to have a look out the window herself, rocking baby Daisy when s
he started grizzling about having her feed interrupted. A moment later, she was also frowning.

  ‘You’re right,’ she told Abby. ‘Something doesn’t feel quite right, does it?’

  ‘You feel it, too?’ Abby was holding the small glass vials in her hand, warming them up so the injections might be less painful. ‘It’s weird, isn’t it?’

  ‘There’s nothing out there that I can see.’

  ‘No. It’s kind of like that feeling you get when you’ve gone on holiday and you’re on the plane and then you suddenly wonder if you’ve left the iron on, or a tap running or something.’

  Ruth laughed. ‘Can’t say I’ve ever worried about an iron. We’re lucky to get enough hot water from solar power. Clothes stay wrinkly in my house.’

  The laughter broke the shared unease.

  ‘My mother used to tell me off for worrying too much,’ Abby confessed. ‘She said I was a born worrywart and I was never happy unless I had something to worry about and if there wasn’t anything real, I’d just make something up.’

  And that was definitely a truthful statement.

  Of course she was an expert in the mental game of finding potential causes for a premonition that something bad was going to happen. She’d been doing this kind of thinking since she was three years old. Imagine a disaster, think of every possible reason for it to have happened and then take steps to make sure it didn’t actually happen.

  It was why she’d come to Kaimotu Island in the first place, wasn’t it?

  Why she hadn’t even tried fighting to keep the man she absolutely knew would prove to be the love of her life.

  ‘Maybe it was that earthquake a few weeks ago,’ Ruth suggested. ‘It was enough to get everybody a bit on edge and old Squid hasn’t helped with his forecasting doom and gloom about the “big one” being so imminent. There’s a few people upset at the way he chased off the last of the summer tourists.’

  Abby laughed. ‘And then all we get is that tiny tremor the other day that most people barely noticed. I hear that poor Squid’s been getting a hard time about that being the “big one”.’