Saved by the Single Dad

by Annie Claydon

  ‘Careful.’ He nuzzled against her neck, the warmth of his lips against the cold rivulets of water that trickled from her wet hair. One hand cupped her bottom, supporting her, and the other seemed to be burrowing inside her jacket. Then she felt his fingers, cool on her spine, just above the waistband of her jeans.

  His touch made her breath catch in her throat. Caressing, tantalising. If he could do that with one square inch of naked skin to work with, then goodness only knew what he might do with more.

  Then, suddenly, he stopped. ‘Cass... Cass, we have company...’

  ‘Uh?’ No!

  ‘Feet on the ground, honey.’ His voice was gentle, holding all the promise of what might have been if fantasy had any power to hold off reality. She slowly planted her boots back down on to the grass, feeling his body against hers, supporting her until she felt able to stand. When she turned, she saw lights tracing a path down towards where the dinghy was kept.

  ‘Too bad...’ She picked up the flashlight and switched it on, signalling to the group on the other side of the water.

  His fingers found hers, curling around them. ‘Yeah. I can’t imagine...’

  ‘Can’t you?’ She smiled up at him.

  ‘Actually, I can. I’m imagining it right now.’ He bent towards her slightly. ‘What I’d do...’

  ‘Don’t. Jack...’ Her skin suddenly seemed to have developed a mind of its own and was tingling, as if responding to his touch.

  ‘What you’d do.’

  ‘Jack, I’m warning you...’

  ‘Yeah. I’ll consider myself well and truly warned.’ He squeezed her hand and then let it go, one last brush of his finger against her palm making her shiver. Lights shone across the dark water and the sound of the dinghy’s motor reached her ears. And Jack’s smile beside her, indicating that in his mind he was still touching her.

  * * *

  It was easy to tell himself that it had been a delicious one-off moment in time that wasn’t going to happen again, when there was so little chance of he and Cass being left alone for long. They’d missed supper and ate in a corner of the kitchen, the bustle of clearing up after the evening meal going on around them. And afterwards there were people waiting to see Cass, to discuss plans for shoring up the makeshift dams which were keeping the water away from a number of houses in the village.

  She didn’t once mention her own house. A few times, Jack saw her press her lips together in an expression of regret over something she didn’t want to talk about and he wondered whether he might get her alone, later. But by the time the meeting broke up, everyone was yawning, Cass included, and clearly they were all off to their own beds.

  * * *

  He hadn’t kissed a woman since Ellie had come into his life. Maybe that was why he couldn’t stop thinking about last night. Jack felt a quiver of guilt as he made his way to the church hall the following morning and deliberately slowed his pace. He shouldn’t be so eager just to get a glimpse of Cass.

  ‘Watch out!’ A burly man in a red waterproof jacket cannoned straight into him as he walked through the lobby, and then shouted the warning in his face.

  ‘Sorry, mate.’ Jack stepped back as the man staggered a little. ‘You all right?’

  ‘Yeah. Sorry. Splitting headache this morning.’ The man stopped and seemed to collect himself. ‘Must be a stomach bug. The wife and kids have got it too; when I left, my youngest boy was throwing up.’

  ‘Yeah? You need anything?’

  ‘No, it’s okay. The walk here seems to be clearing it.’

  A slight prickling at the back of Jack’s neck. It was probably nothing but he asked anyway, keeping his tone conversational. ‘Any other families got it?’

  ‘Not that I know of.’ The man straightened. ‘The power’s off at my place and it gets cold at night, even though we keep the heater on in the hall. Probably just a stuffy head from too many blankets.’ He took off his coat, hanging it with the others, and opened the hall door to let Jack through.

  Cass was easy to pick out immediately, her red hair shining like a beacon that seemed to draw him in. Jack reminded himself that he had more important concerns at the moment, and that wanting to touch her could wait.

  ‘Can I have a word?’ He motioned her to one side. ‘The guy in the brown sweater who’s just arrived.’

  Cass looked round. ‘The one with the beard? That’s Frank.’

  ‘Where does he live?’

  ‘Over on the other side of the village.’ She shot him a questioning look. ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘Have you heard about anyone else with a stomach bug? Headaches, sickness?’

  ‘No. We all know about the dangers of flood water, if that’s what you’re getting at. Everyone’s drinking bottled.’ She paused. ‘The whole family usually comes up here for breakfast; the power’s out down there.’

  ‘He was on his own this morning. And he says that all of the family have had headaches and sickness, which clears in the open air.’

  ‘You don’t think...?’ As a firefighter, Cass probably knew the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning better than he did.

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘Best make sure.’

  They found their coats, and Jack quickly packed a few things that he hoped he wouldn’t need into a small rucksack. Cass led the way, turning away from the river, taking the path they’d taken yesterday. He wondered whether he should mention last night to her, perhaps even apologise, but Cass had already pulled her phone from her pocket and was scrolling through the contact list.

  ‘No answer. Maybe they’re on their way up to the church.’ Even so, she quickened her pace, striding along the perimeter of a field of corn, the crop rotting where it stood. On the far side they slid down a steep incline and then back on to the road.

  Cass had called again and there was still no answer. She and Jack almost ran the few feet along the road and then up the path of a large modern house. She banged on the door, bending down to look through the letter box.

  ‘Someone’s coming.’

  The door was answered by a heavy-eyed lad of about eighteen. ‘Cass?’ He shielded his eyes against the light. ‘What is it?’

  ‘This is Jack; he’s a paramedic. Can we come in, please, Harry?’

  ‘Yeah. If you’re looking for Mum, she’s not very well. She and Alex have gone back to bed.’

  ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Not too bad. I went out for a walk this morning and it cleared my head. But it’s so stuffy in here...’ The lad shrugged, standing back from the doorway and eyeing Jack. ‘I heard all about you...’

  It seemed that most of the village had heard all about him, and at the moment that was a good thing because he could dispense with the usual formalities. Jack walked straight into the house and up the stairs.

  Behind him, he could hear Cass telling Harry to wait in the hallway. There was a portable gas heater on the landing, which looked as if it had been hauled out of the garden shed and pressed into service when the power failed. Jack reached out, turning it off as he passed.

  The first of the back bedrooms was in darkness, and from the mess of posters on the wall its occupant must be fifteen or sixteen. Jack opened the curtains and a drowsy protest came from the bed.

  ‘Geroff. My head...’

  ‘Alex, my name’s Jack. I’m a paramedic. Get up.’ Jack didn’t bother with any niceties. He stripped the duvet off the bed and the dark-haired youth protested.

  His speech was so slurred that Jack wasn’t entirely sure what he was saying, but it sounded like a none-too-polite request to go away and leave him alone. He hauled the youth up on to his feet, pulling his arm around his neck. ‘Walk. Come on.’

  Jack supported the boy over to the bedroom door. He was showing all the signs of having flu—flushed cheeks, dro
wsiness and, from the way he was clutching one hand to his head, a headache. But flu didn’t get better when you went out for a walk in the fresh air, and carbon monoxide poisoning did.

  ‘Coming through...’ Cass’s voice on the landing. She was carrying a woman in the classic fireman’s lift, her body coiled around her shoulders. She looked to be unresponsive.

  ‘Harry, get out of the way!’ Cass called to the lad, who was now halfway up the stairs, and he turned and ran back down again.

  ‘Mum...? What’s the matter?’ He flattened himself against the wall of the hallway, letting Cass past to the front door, and Jack followed.

  ‘Harry... What’s going on?’ The boy at Jack’s side grabbed at his brother.

  ‘You’ll be okay, but you need to get into the fresh air. Now.’ Jack tried to reassure the panicking boys. He seized a couple of coats from the pegs in the hall and thrust them at Harry.

  Harry transitioned suddenly from a boy to a man. ‘Go on and help Mum. I’ll see to Alex.’

  * * *

  Jack followed Cass out of the front door and she led the way round to the car port at the side of the house, where there was at least some protection from the rain. He tore off his coat, wrapping it around the woman as Cass lay her carefully down.

  ‘Her name’s Sylvie.’

  ‘Thanks. Will you fetch my bag, please?’ Sylvie’s breathing was a little too shallow for Jack’s liking, but at least she was breathing. Her eyelids were fluttering and she seemed lost somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness. Cass nodded and a moment later the rucksack was laid down on the concrete next to him.

  ‘Oxygen?’ She anticipated his next instruction, opening the bag and taking out the small oxygen cylinder.

  ‘Thanks. Can you see to the boys? And try and knock for a neighbour; this isn’t ideal.’

  ‘Right you are.’ Cass disappeared and Jack held the oxygen mask to Sylvie’s mouth. ‘Sylvie... Sylvie, open your eyes.’

  A figure knelt down on the concrete on the other side of the prone body. Harry picked up his mother’s hand, his face set and calm. ‘Mum...’

  ‘That’s right. Talk to her.’ Jack knew that Sylvie would respond to her son’s voice better than his. He cradled her, holding the mask over her face.

  ‘Mum... Come on now, wake up.’ Jack allowed himself a grim smile. Harry’s voice was firm and steady. ‘Open your eyes, Mum. Come on.’

  Sylvie’s eyes opened and Jack felt her begin to retch. Quickly he bent her forward and she was sick all over the leg of her son’s jeans. ‘Nice one, Mum.’ Harry didn’t flinch. ‘Better out than in...’

  Jack grinned, clearing Sylvie’s mouth and letting her lie back in his arms. She opened her eyes and her gaze found her son’s face.

  ‘Harry...I feel so ill...’

  ‘I know, Mum. But Cass and the paramedic are here, and you’re going to be okay.’

  ‘Alex...’

  ‘He’s okay. He’s gone with Cass.’ Harry stroked his mother’s brow.

  ‘I’m going to put a mask over your face, Sylvie. Deep breaths.’ Jack replaced the mask, and Sylvie’s chest rose and fell as she breathed in the oxygen.

  ‘That’s right, Mum.’ Harry’s gaze flickered towards Jack and he nodded him on. ‘Deep breaths, eh. Do as the man says.’

  ‘Well done.’ Jack didn’t take his gaze from Sylvie but the words were for Harry. ‘You just passed the first responder’s initiation. Don’t back off when someone’s sick all over you.’

  The young man gave a nervous laugh. ‘What the hell’s the matter with her...? With us?’

  ‘I think it may be carbon monoxide poisoning. She seems to be coming out of it now.’ Sylvie was quiet but her eyes were open and focused.

  ‘What...like car exhaust fumes?’

  ‘Something like that. One of those heaters may be faulty. Where did you get them?’

  ‘Dad’s mate lent them to us. He uses them in his greenhouse.’

  Sylvie stirred in his arms and Jack smiled down at her. ‘All right. You’re doing just fine, Sylvie.’

  Cass knelt down beside him. ‘Next door. They’re waiting for us.’

  ‘Thanks. Help me lift her?’ Jack gave the oxygen tank to Harry to carry, more as a badge of honour than anything else, and Cass helped settle Sylvie in his arms. A middle-aged woman was standing at the door of the next house, and Jack carried Sylvie carefully up her own front path and back down her neighbour’s.

  The house was neat and warm. He was waved through to a sitting room, two large sofas placed on opposite sides of the room. On one sat a man, his arm clamped tightly around Alex’s shoulders.

  ‘She’s all right, Alex. She just needs fresh air and she’ll be okay. We all will.’ Harry seemed to have taken over Jack’s role and he relinquished it gladly to him. When this was all over the young man could feel proud of the way he’d acted.

  He laid Sylvie gently down on the sofa. A roll of kitchen towel was produced, to wipe Harry’s jeans, and Jack asked him to sit with his mother. Cass appeared from the hallway, pocketing her phone.

  ‘You’ll be wanting her seen at the hospital?’

  ‘Yeah. All of them need to have blood tests for carbon monoxide.’

  ‘Okay, there are a couple of cars coming now, and we’ll take them down to the motorway and get them across there. A lot quicker than calling an ambulance...’ She stopped suddenly, reddening. ‘What do you think?’

  ‘I think we’d better get a couple of cars down here and take them across at the motorway. It’ll be a lot quicker than calling an ambulance.’ His eyes sparkled with amusement.

  ‘Yeah. Right.’ Cass wrinkled her nose at him and Jack tried not to laugh. She was irresistible when she second-guessed him, and that thing with the nose was the icing on the cake.

  ‘How long?’ He had to make a conscious effort to get his mind back on to the task in hand.

  ‘Ten minutes. I’ll go and get some clothes for them.’

  ‘Just coats, from the hallway.’ The front door must be still open and the air in the hallway would have cleared by now. ‘I don’t want to have to carry you out.’ Though he’d carry her pretty much anywhere she liked if given half a chance.

  ‘I’d like to see you try.’ She turned her back on him and marched out of the room, leaving him to his patient.

  CHAPTER TEN

  SYLVIE’S HUSBAND WAS in one of the cars that arrived and the family was ferried down to the motorway together. Cass had disappeared, and Jack saw her waiting on the other side of the water with her SUV. She dropped the keys into Jack’s hand and told him she’d meet him at the hospital and Jack helped Sylvie into the front seat, the rest of the family squeezing into the back.

  He drove away, leaving her standing alone on the road. There wasn’t any point in wondering exactly how she was going to get to the hospital. She’d said she’d be there, and Jack had little doubt that she would.

  She arrived, pink-cheeked, nearly an hour later and sat down next to him on one of the waiting room chairs.

  ‘Hey.’

  ‘Hey yourself.’ He wasn’t going to ask.

  ‘Everything all right?’

  ‘Fine. They’re being seen now.’ Jack reached into his pocket and took out her car keys. ‘Blue.’

  ‘Blue?’

  ‘When Sylvie was called in I nipped out and put your car through the car wash around the corner. Just in case you happened to be looking for it, it’s blue.’

  She gave him a sweet smile, refusing to rise to the bait. ‘I’ll bear that in mind. Thanks.’

  They sat in silence for a few minutes. Cass took off her coat and dropped it on the chair next to her.

  ‘You could at least ask.’

  Jack smirked. He’d been determined that she would be the first
to break. ‘All right. How did you get here?’

  ‘I walked for about a mile and then I hitched a lift. On the mobility bus.’

  Jack snorted with laughter. ‘The mobility bus? Didn’t they want to see your pensioner’s card before they let you on?’

  ‘No, they did not. I showed the firefighter’s ID card I have for home safety checks and cadged a lift.’

  ‘And said you were on your way to a fire?’ This was the first opportunity he’d had to sit and talk alone with Cass since they’d kissed. It felt almost as if he’d been holding his breath, waiting for this moment.

  ‘Very funny. Next time you have a fire, don’t expect me to put it out.’ She turned her head away from him and Jack saw that she was blushing furiously at her own gaffe.

  ‘I can put out my own fires, thank you.’ Something about the delicate pink of her pale skin just wouldn’t allow him to let this go. That, and the thought of letting her put out the delicious fire that her kiss had ignited.

  She turned, grinning at him, and Jack suddenly wondered what he’d just got himself into. ‘You’re no fun, are you?’

  * * *

  That smile. Those dark eyes, full of all the things that might have been last night. She hadn’t stopped thinking about it. It had been running at the back of her mind, like a piece of music playing over and over on the radio. Unnoticed for most of the time, but still there.

  Maybe she should just get a grip. Put Jack away in a box, lined with tissue paper, ready to take back out again when she was old and grey and wanted to remind herself of what it was like to be young.

  ‘That was a nice lift. Good technique.’ He spoke quietly, almost daring her to rise to the challenge.

  ‘Thanks. One of those things that firefighters do.’ She shot him a smile, daring him back.

  ‘Better than paramedics, you mean?’

  ‘Much better.’

  He was unashamedly sizing her up. Cass returned the compliment. Jack was a good deal heavier than her, but she’d lifted men before. It was all a matter of technique. And the stubborness to give it a go. Right now she’d do practically anything to avoid thinking about the responsibilities waiting for her back at the village.