Mr. Right All Along

by Jennifer Taylor

  * * *

  It was tough going, despite the preparations they had made. Ryan could feel his calf muscles aching as he followed Tom Fraser to the summit of Ben Nevis. The rest of the group had fallen silent now, saving their breath for the climb. They finally reached the top and stopped, awed by the view that met them.

  All around them lay mountains, most of them capped with snow as Ben Nevis itself was. Ryan heard everyone exclaim in amazement but he was so moved by the sight that he couldn’t utter a word. These mountains had stood here for millions of years and it heightened the feeling he’d had since Scott had died of how ephemeral human life was. He found himself wishing that he could have shared this moment with his brother, stood here with him and drunk in the timeless magnificence of the view. It would have brought all their plans for the future into focus.

  It was a moment of revelation, a moment that made him wonder if he was wrong to live the way he did. Even if he might pass on the gene that caused LQTS, there had to be a way around it. Other couples coped so why couldn’t he? If he could accept that there might be a problem if he fathered a child and prepare for it then he could have everything he’d ever dreamed about—a woman to love and, one day, a family too.

  He closed his eyes, letting his mind fill in the details. It was so easy too. He didn’t want just any woman; he wanted Eve. He wanted to live with her, love her, have children with her and grow old with her too. They might even be blessed with grandkids one day and he could picture them too, see their smiling faces, hear their laughter. It was all so clear that for a moment he almost believed it could happen, before sanity returned.

  He couldn’t put Eve through all the stress of wondering if their child might be afflicted by this terrible condition. He couldn’t expect her to live in fear if their child inherited LQTS. No woman should have to go through that ordeal and especially not Eve. Not after everything else she had been through.

  Ryan turned away, his heart aching. ‘OK, guys, let’s get moving. We don’t want to waste too much time.’

  Nobody questioned his decision. They all knew that there were time restrictions if they hoped to complete the challenge. Ryan followed Tom down, telling himself it would be easier once he got off the mountain. Easier and far less emotive. It was the sheer magnificence of the setting that had set loose these feelings. He knew what he had to do and he wasn’t going to change his mind. Not for any reason. Or for any one.

  Eve and Steve were waiting when they got back. They had hot chocolate ready and everyone eagerly accepted a mug. Tom drank his chocolate then bid them farewell, obviously keen to get home. Eve was frying bacon on the camping stove, filling rolls with it and wrapping them in foil so they could be eaten on the bus. She handed them out while Steve dealt with the stove, stowing it safely away in its heat-proof box.

  ‘These smell good. Thanks.’ Ryan dredged up a smile but he still felt raw. It wasn’t easy to shake off that moment of introspection but he had to do so. Protecting Eve was his number-one priority and nothing else mattered as much as that. He climbed onto the bus, deliberately opting to sit next to Owen for the next leg of the journey. He would never rid himself of these foolish ideas if he had to spend the next six hours sitting beside Eve.

  * * *

  Eve couldn’t help feeling hurt when Ryan chose to sit with Owen. Had she done something wrong? she wondered as she slid into the seat next to Tamsin. She sighed, realising how silly she was being. Ryan probably wanted to discuss the next leg of the challenge with Owen and it was as simple as that.

  She ate her bacon roll and then tried to sleep. Steve had switched off the interior lights and most of the party were dozing, although she knew that Ryan was awake. She could hear him moving occasionally as he tried to get comfortable. Drawing the fleece jacket around her—one that Patricia Sullivan had lent her—Eve tried to ignore the sounds but it was impossible. Every time he moved, her heart leapt or her breathing speeded up. She was just so aware of him after the thoughts she’d had that day that it was impossible to get him out of her mind.

  She closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep, and dozed off only to wake with a start when the bus swerved violently. Pandemonium broke out as bags rained down from the overhead racks. Steve switched on the lights and Eve could see how shaken he looked.

  ‘Sorry about that, guys. There’s a car back there and it looks as though it’s been in an accident. I had to swerve to avoid it.’

  ‘Better take a look and see if we can help,’ Ryan said immediately.

  He hurried down the aisle and after a moment everyone trooped after him. Eve could see a car lying on its side in the centre of the road and went cold as she realised what might have happened if Steve hadn’t reacted so quickly. Jumping down from the bus, she ran towards it. There were five people inside: a youngish couple in the front and an older woman plus two small children in the rear. Although they could hear the children screaming, the adults weren’t moving and were either unconscious or deeply shocked. Ryan immediately took charge.

  ‘Steve, can you phone the emergency services and explain what’s happened? You should be able to get our location off the sat nav. Tell them we’ll update them as to the severity of any injuries once we’ve examined them.’

  ‘Will do!’

  Steve ran back to the bus while Ryan and Jack attempted to open the car’s doors. They had to climb onto the vehicle, which made it that much more difficult. Jack shook his head when they failed to gain entry after a great deal of tugging.

  ‘It’s no good, the central locking must be on.’

  ‘Bang on the window and try to rouse the driver,’ Ryan instructed. He too hammered on the glass and after a couple of seconds the man looked round. ‘Open the doors,’ he shouted.

  Eve heaved a sigh of relief when the doors were released. Leaving Ryan and Jack to deal with the driver, she climbed onto the car and opened the rear door, smiling at the little boy who was strapped into a safety seat. He looked to be about two years old and was obviously terrified. ‘It’s all right, poppet. We’re going to get you out and make you feel better.’

  She slid her hand behind his head, gently feeling for any signs of swelling that could indicate a head trauma, and was relieved when she found nothing untoward. The child car seat appeared to have done its job and saved him from a nasty injury. The next step was to get him out of the car so she could examine him properly.

  ‘How’s he doing?’ Ryan suddenly appeared beside her.

  Eve looked down from her elevated position and shrugged. ‘No obvious signs of head trauma but I need to get him out of this seat so I can take a proper look at him.’

  ‘Take it really slowly,’ he advised her. ‘You don’t want to jolt his neck and spine as you lift him out.’

  ‘Will do.’

  Eve released the safety catch and eased the child out of the seat, passing him straight to Ryan. She jumped down, nodding when Ryan put his hand under her elbow to steady her.

  ‘Thanks. I’m going to take him back to the bus. It’ll be easier to examine him in there,’ she explained, trying to ignore the little flutter of awareness that had shot through her at his touch.

  ‘Good idea.’ He frowned as he glanced into the car. ‘We need to get the woman out before we can examine the girl. Will you ask Steve to give me a hand? Jack and Owen are sorting out the driver and passenger and I don’t want them to have to break off from what they’re doing.’ He lowered his voice. ‘The passenger doesn’t look too good, I’m afraid.’

  Eve nodded, not wanting to labour the point in front of the little boy. She carried him back to the bus and passed on Ryan’s message. Marie went with her and within a very short time they had made the child comfortable on the front seat.

  ‘I’ll check him over, although I don’t think he’s badly injured,’ Eve explained, unzipping his anorak. She tested his arms and legs for fractures then felt his tummy to see if there was any swelling that could indicate internal bleeding. He had stopped screaming now and w
as lying quietly while she carried out her examination, and she smiled at him.

  ‘What a good little boy you are. Can you tell me your name, sweetheart?’

  ‘Finlay,’ he lisped.

  ‘What a lovely name!’ Eve ruffled his dark curls, feeling much happier now that she was sure he wasn’t badly hurt. ‘My name’s Eve and this lady is called Marie. Marie’s going to look after you while I go and help your sister. OK?’

  Leaving Marie with the child, she ran back to the car. Ryan and Steve were attempting to lift the older woman out, no easy feat when they had to balance on the side of the vehicle. Although Eve knew that moving a casualty should be undertaken with a great deal of caution, she guessed that they were anxious to reach the little girl. The woman was lying half on top of her, which made it imperative they get her out.

  They finally lifted the woman out and laid her on the ground. She was unconscious and her colour was poor. Ryan shook his head as he checked her pulse. ‘Pulse is very fast. Her breathing’s not good either. Can you phone Ambulance Control and warn them we have a casualty who needs immediate transfer to hospital?’

  Eve helped him fit the woman with a cervical collar from the bag of medical supplies they had brought along while Steve made the call. Once that was done Ryan examined her. He frowned. ‘Air intake appears restricted on the left side. It could be a haemothorax. She may have broken a rib when she fell sideways and hit the child seat. If blood is collecting in the pleural cavity, the lung could collapse so she needs monitoring.’ He called Penny over and explained what he needed her to do then stood up.

  ‘Let’s get the little girl out of there. How’s the boy, by the way?’

  ‘Fine.’ Eve smiled, wanting to ease some of the worry from his face. ‘He managed to tell me his name, which is a good sign.’

  ‘It is indeed.’

  Ryan returned her smile and she felt warmth flow through her when she saw the tenderness in his eyes. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind at that moment that he cared about her and not only as a friend either. The thought made her heart lift, filled it with all sorts of emotions so that she felt momentarily giddy before she managed to get herself in hand. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about things like that but later, when they had done all they could for these people, she would return to it.

  A feeling of joy swept over her as she helped him lift the little girl out of the car. Maybe it wouldn’t take as long as she had feared to shake off the past. Not when she had Ryan to help her.

  CHAPTER TEN

  EVEN THOUGH THE emergency services had arrived remarkably quickly, they were still well over an hour behind schedule. Ryan had a last word with the paramedics, who were ferrying the driver and the children to hospital, then ran back to the bus. The two women had been airlifted out by helicopter and were already on their way. Their injuries were far more serious and the sooner they received treatment the better. Everyone was on board and he wasted no time as he told Steve they could leave.

  ‘The police have my phone number. They’re going to contact me later and take a statement,’ he explained as they set off. ‘They’ve also promised to let us know how the family’s doing.’

  ‘The driver and the kids should be fine, but as for the mother and grandmother…’ Tamsin grimaced.

  Ryan shrugged, trying to make light of her fears. Although the two women had been seriously injured, the younger one having sustained pelvic injuries and the older woman showing definite signs of a haemothorax, they themselves needed to remain focused if they were to complete the challenge. ‘At least they’re on their way to hospital so that means they have the best chance possible.’

  ‘I guess so,’ Tamsin conceded.

  Ryan sighed as Tamsin slumped down in her seat. The accident had put a dampener on the day and all he could do was hope that it wouldn’t affect their performance. They’d worked hard to reach a standard whereby they could attempt this challenge and it would be a huge shame if they failed.

  ‘Cheer up. I’m sure it will be fine once we reach Scafell Pike. Everyone’s still a bit shocked by what’s happened but they’ll soon rally.’

  ‘Think so?’ Ryan looked round, immediately feeling better when Eve smiled at him. Although he knew it was crazy, a smile from her was guaranteed to lift his spirits.

  ‘I know so,’ she replied firmly, and he laughed.

  ‘You sound very sure of yourself. How come you’re such an expert in these matters?’

  ‘I’m not.’ She shrugged. ‘I just know what a great bunch of people they are. They’ll perk up after they’ve had a rest—you’ll see.’

  ‘I hope you’re right. In fact, I shall hold you to it.’

  He smiled at her, loving the way her face lit up with an answering smile. That was something he remembered very clearly, that whenever he’d smiled at her she had smiled back with real warmth. She had been such a positive person back then and he found himself praying that she would be the same again one day. To have Eve back, the old Eve whom he had liked so much, would be marvellous. In a funny sort of a way it would feel as though he’d found a bit of himself that had been missing ever since she had disappeared from his life.

  It was the first time that thought had occurred to him and it shocked him. He had missed Eve, missed her far more than he had admitted. Had he deliberately played down his feelings? Refused to admit to himself how upset he’d been when she had left?

  With a sudden flash of insight he realised it was true. Eve had meant a lot to him and she could have meant even more if he hadn’t been so determined to maintain his distance after that kiss they’d shared. He had known that Eve had been attracted to him too and it made him feel guilty all of a sudden to realise that if he hadn’t kept her at arm’s length, she might not have got involved with Damien. Eve’s life could have been very different if he’d had the courage to admit how he’d felt, yet how could he have done that when it could have had such a detrimental impact on her life? Maybe she had been through a terrible ordeal with her ex but it wouldn’t have turned out any better if she’d been involved with him.

  The thought hit him hard. Ryan closed his eyes, trying to control the rush of emotions it aroused. He was no use to Eve; he never had been. The sooner he accepted that, the better. However, the one thing he mustn’t do was to let Eve know how he felt and why. He couldn’t afford to let her convince him that his fears were groundless. He knew they weren’t. He knew it only too well.

  * * *

  They reached Scafell Pike over an hour after they had planned to arrive. Ryan was all business as he chivvied everyone off the bus and made sure they had what they needed. Eve stood to one side, not wanting to get in the way. She frowned when she heard him speak rather sharply to Penny, who had forgotten to fill her water bottle.

  He seemed very uptight and she found it hard to understand what was bothering him, unless it was the thought of them not completing the challenge in time. They had just twenty-four hours to climb all three peaks and the accident had set them back. Ryan must be worried that they wouldn’t make it, which would be a disaster if it meant they couldn’t collect the promised sponsorship money.

  ‘Right, we should be back here by eight-thirty.’ Ryan checked his watch. ‘We’ll need to get a move on so can you have everything ready? Don’t bother about any hot food. We’ll make do with sandwiches.’

  ‘Fine,’ Eve agreed quietly. He turned to leave but she couldn’t let him go like this. Although she knew how important this was to him, his safety came first. ‘Take care, Ryan. I don’t want to have to put you back together because you’ve tried to go too fast.’

  ‘I’ll be fine.’

  He moved away, making it clear that he didn’t welcome her advice, and Eve’s face flamed. It was hard to dredge up a smile when the others wished her a cheery goodbye. Had she overstepped the mark? she wondered as she fired up the stove to make coffee for herself and Steve. Probably. Ryan had always been very independent and probably he didn’t appreciate people fussin
g over him. However, she found it hard to believe it was that which had caused him to be so short with her. She had a feeling there was more to it than that and the thought plagued her. She didn’t want to be at odds with him, especially when she didn’t know what she had done wrong.

  She sighed. Feeling that she was in the wrong was something that she had grown accustomed to with Damien. He’d made her feel that she was always at fault and that nothing that had happened had been down to him. It had been all part of turning her into a victim and there was no way that it was going to happen again. If she had upset Ryan then she would make him tell her what she had done and that would be the end of it.

  By the time the party returned some four hours later, Eve was seething. She handed out the sandwiches and climbed into the bus, meaning to have it out with Ryan. However, once again he chose not to sit with her, opting to sit up front with Steve so she missed her chance. Everyone was worn out after their exertions and there was little chatter as they drove to north Wales.

  Fortunately, the traffic wasn’t too bad and they managed to make up some of the time they had lost but Eve knew they would be hard pressed to meet the deadline. It wasn’t the right moment to broach the subject with Ryan but she promised herself that she would have it out with him later. She needed to know exactly where she stood with him.

  The thought sent a shiver down her spine and she hugged her arms around herself as she watched the group depart. It was hard to believe that Ryan had become so important to her in such a short time. Why, just a week ago she had been determined to keep him at arm’s length but that was no longer possible. He had become a major part of her life now and she needed his support, his kindness; needed him.

  What did it mean? Was it possible that she was falling in love with him? Although she knew it was far too soon to start thinking like that, she couldn’t rule it out when she felt things for him that she’d not felt for any other man.

  * * *

  They made it to the top of Snowdon and down again in the nick of time but only because Ryan had pushed them all to the limit. As he looked at the exhaustion on their faces, he felt guiltier than ever. These people—his friends—had given up their time to support his fundraising efforts and he’d repaid them by behaving like a slave driver.