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The nurse, an old battle-ax of a woman with short white hair and glasses, shoved the curtain aside and blustered in. “Mr. Graham?” she barked.
Seth winced. She was a health care professional. Couldn’t she speak softly? “Yo.”
She raised an eyebrow and gave him a dispassionate look. “Listen up,” she said, shoving a clipboard in the air. “I have your discharge instructions.”
Like a general marching into war, she reiterated what Dr. Anderson had said—that they hadn’t done a CT scan because he had only been unconscious briefly, he had no retrograde amnesia in three hours of observation, and that he was to engage in no sports for a week. She added, quite succinctly, that if he had any lingering or severe symptoms, such as vomiting or onset of amnesia, he was to come back at once for a scan.
“Last but not least, Mr. Graham, you are not to be left alone for twenty-four hours,” she said pointedly, glaring at him. “No exceptions.”
“Excuse me?” he said.
“Standard procedure.” She shrugged. “Those are the rules.”
Sensing it was useless to argue, Seth took the paperwork she handed to him and signed it. He’d figure out what to do about the twenty-four-hour thing later.
His store wouldn’t run itself.
Then she handed him his post-care instructions and left.
“Let’s get you out of this place,” Drew said. “I grabbed a T-shirt from my truck you can put on.”
Seth stood and took his gown off—he still had on his board shorts from the beach—and pulled on the T-shirt Drew had brought, being careful not to touch his bandage. He looked down at his feet. “I don’t suppose I came here with shoes on, did I?”
Drew shook his head. “Nope, you were barefoot, and I was so intent on staying with you, I forgot to grab your stuff. Dana Hiatt called and told me she picked up your shoes, shirt and sweatshirt when she left the beach and would drop them at your house.”
“I’ll have to be sure and thank her.” A thought occurred to Seth. “Hey, how’s Kim?” He’d been glad to see that she seemed okay when he’d come to on the beach, but you never knew.
“She’s doing all right,” Drew responded. “In fact, she and Lily have been camped out in the waiting room anxiously waiting for news on you.”
“Hmm. I didn’t expect that.” Surprise tinged with pleasure bounced through Seth. For some reason, he was looking forward to seeing Kim again.
With Drew by his side, Seth made his way out of the E.R. His legs felt like he’d run a couple of marathons, and his head was pounding even more than it had when he’d been sitting.
Just as they stepped into the waiting room, a young woman rose from a chair near the exit and approached them. Her dark hair hung in damp strings around her face, and the gray fleece sweatshirt she wore was still slightly wet-looking around her shoulders. But it was her big brown eyes that stood out like hunks of topaz against the paleness of her face.
His heart sped up. Kim. After they’d locked gazes on the beach, he’d recognize her anywhere.
“S-Seth?” she said, her voice quavering. “I’m Kim. Kim Hampton.” She tried to smile but only made her pale lips quiver. Obviously she was still shook up and exhausted.
No surprise there; he felt exactly the same way, and impersonating a banged-up piece of hamburger wasn’t floating his boat.
An odd feeling twisted inside him, and a reply stuck in his throat; all he could think about was reaching out and wrapping his arms around her, giving the comfort she clearly needed.
Whoa, Graham. Slow down. Taking her in his arms? What was up with that? He barely knew her. The blow to his head must have really done a number on him.
While he stood there, wrestling with the strange urge to comfort her, she moved closer. “You rescued me today,” she said, smoothing her hair behind one ear with a shaking hand. “From the water?”
“I, um, remember,” he replied inanely. Oh, real smooth. When was the last time he’d sounded like an idiot while trying to talk to a woman? He guessed it was probably when he was about fifteen. He hadn’t even been this tongue-tied when he had met Diana back in his rowdy college days, and he thought he’d perfected the art of casual conversation with a pretty girl since then.
“I…uh, just wanted to be sure you were okay,” Kim said.
Drew cut in. “Why don’t I go bring the car around while you two talk?”
“Okay,” Seth said, agreeing only because he wasn’t sure how far he could walk.
After Drew left, Seth looked at Kim. “I’m doing all right,” he replied, even though he felt as if he had a herd of horses with sharp hooves galloping through his brain.
“Oh, good. I’ve been so worried.” She let out a heavy breath, then eyed his bandage. “How’s the cut?”
“It needed stitches, but I’ll heal up.” He’d had worse in his baseball days, compliments of a few wild pitches. And his knee had recovered pretty well, too, even though that injury had put an end to his baseball career.
She nodded, wringing her hands together.
He noted again how dead on her feet she looked. But not actually dead, which was good. Very good.
“Listen, I also wanted to thank you. If you hadn’t come after me, I’m sure I wouldn’t have made it back in.” Her pretty brown eyes glistened with tears. “You saved my life. You’re a true hero.”
Her praise unnerved him; being called a hero…well, it wasn’t necessary. He hadn’t rescued her for accolades or attention. He’d rescued her because it was the right thing to do. “I only did what anyone else would have done.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” she replied, her tears welling at the corner of her eyes.
The tears in her eyes made his chest tight. Struggling to breathe, and make sense of his reactions to her, he again shoved away the urge to touch her, comfort her.
To be her emotional rock.
Whoa. That was not a place he needed to go. Emotional connections with women weren’t his thing. Never had been. Not since Diana. Too much drama there. “I’m no hero, but I was glad to help.”
She wiped at her eyes. “Well, I’m glad you helped, too. And my son certainly will be.” She reached out and squeezed Seth’s arm. “Because of you, he still has a mother.”
His face went warm, along with the spot on his arm where she touched him. Thoughts zinged through his brain. She had a son? Was she married…? No, no, she’d been at the church singles event… Single mom, then. Okay.
He shook his head slightly, regretting it instantly when the horses started stampeding again. He sucked in a large breath, trying to focus around the pain. “Again, I’m happy I could help,” he stated.
Just then, Lily came out of the ladies’ room to Seth’s right. She, too, had slipped on a sweatshirt, but she looked as bedraggled as Kim. Her long blond hair was stringy, and her legs had sand all over them.
As she walked over, she nodded knowingly, looking at Kim. “See? What did I tell you?” She gestured to Seth. “He’s okay.”
Kim smiled, revealing sparkling white teeth and cute little crinkles around her eyes. Wow, she was pretty. Even when she was as pale as a ghost and fresh from a near-drowning.
Seth’s knees went weak. From her smile and pretty face? Nah. He was just injured, right?
“That’s a relief,” Kim said. “The Lord was watching over all of us today, wasn’t He?”
Seth didn’t quite know what to say to that, seeing as how he and God weren’t that close. He may have prayed for help earlier, but he knew crises made people do weird stuff—even pray to a God who had never answered any prayers in the past.
But he did know that he needed to get home. ASAP. His eyes felt as if they were going to pop right out of him. And the horses had turned into elephants.
Drew came hurrying back into the E.R. waiting room. He put his hand on Seth’s shoulder and spoke up. “You don’t look so good, dude. We should go. My rig’s waiting.”
Just then, Drew’s pager went off. He looked down at it, scowling. “Sorry. It’s the fire department.” Drew had been part of Moonlight Cove’s local volunteer fire brigade for years. He pulled out his cell. “I’ll call and see what they need. You gonna be okay for another minute?”
Seth nodded, then flinched. “No problem.” He needed to man up and sit tight.
His legs shaky, Seth found the nearest chair, resisting the urge to drop his head into his hands and groan. Kim and Lily followed and sat down, one on either side of him.
Even though he felt like he’d been run over by a truck, he wanted to know more about Kim. Odd, but there you had it. “So, I take it you’re new in town,” he said. Wow. Nice line. Really suave. And why did he care about his suaveness, anyway?
“How did you know?” Kim asked.
Lily piped in. “Moonlight Cove isn’t that big a place, and Seth was born and raised here, like me.” She smiled. “We were neighbors growing up.”
He wanted to nod, but caught himself in time. “I… we know just about everyone who lives here.”
“Then you probably know my aunt, Rose Latham,” Kim said.
Ah-hah. “Yes, I do. Lovely lady. Rose is one of the nicest women I’ve ever met.”
“My son, Dylan, and I are living with her.”
“Now that you mention it, I do remember hearing that Rose’s niece had moved in with her.”
Kim raised her eyebrows. “Where did you hear that?”
He kicked up his mouth into a bemused half smile. “Moonlight Cove has a thriving grapevine, which I can’t get away from because of my business,” he told her. “Occupational hazard.”
“Your business?” Kim asked.
“I own The Sports Shack, on Main Street.”
“Hmm. I’ve never thought about a sports store being gossip central,” Kim said.
“The Sports Shack is the only sporting goods store in town, and everybody shops there.” He snorted under his breath. “Old guys are worse than any quilting circle. They have to have something to talk about when they aren’t trading fishing stories.” Seth avoided all the idle chatter and socializing as much as he could, preferring to spend most of his time in his office handling the business end of things while his mom handled the customer contact.
Kim gave him a lopsided smile, dimples flashing, and pushed her hair back behind her ear. “News travels fast around here, then?”
He stared for a moment, again struck by her fresh prettiness. Even though he was hurting, he couldn’t help but smile back. “You have no idea.”
Living here definitely had its downside for a guy like Seth—the downside being all kinds of small-town relationship drama. Drama that had also, unfortunately, been part and parcel of his childhood; his mom and dad had fought all the time. And still did.
And Diana? He’d been in love with her his senior year in college, and she’d told him she loved him, too. But the day after he’d gone engagement-ring shopping, she’d dumped Seth for his best friend. Now, there was a black hold of turmoil if he’d ever seen one. He never wanted to go to that painful place again.
Still, it had seemed like a no-brainer to come back to town and take over his dad’s store when Seth had suffered a career-ending knee injury three years ago and Dad had been looking toward retirement.
Seth loved all sports and had a degree in marketing from Washington State, so it made sense to return and run The Sports Shack. Besides, his dad had built the business from scratch, and Seth and his brothers, Curt and Ian, had grown up working in the store. It hadn’t seemed right to sell the place to a stranger when his dad had wanted out.
The clincher had been when his parents had announced they were divorcing. Though the split had been a long time coming, his mom had needed support when she’d finally decided to go through with the divorce, and had really needed Seth around. She still did, so he stayed. She wasn’t good at coping on her own.
Seth sat in silence for a few moments, and despite his best efforts to curb his compelling curiosity about Kim, he wondered what her story was. She was single, but had a son. What had happened to the boy’s father?
It seemed tactless to ask; they barely knew each other. But he was intrigued by Kim. Very intrigued.
Maybe too intrigued.
Drew hurried back, his face grim. “There’s a fire out on Old Mill Road, and I’m one of the only volunteers available. Unfortunately, I have to go.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Seth said. “I’ll just call my mom and she’ll come get me.”
“Didn’t you tell me that your mom went to Seattle this weekend?” Drew asked.
Seth mentally slapped his head, and even that hurt. “Yeah, I forgot. Maybe Curt can come get me.” Granted, his eldest brother was at work and he and Seth weren’t close, but hopefully he could leave early. Ian, the baby of the family, lived in California.
“We can take you home,” Kim said. She belatedly looked at Lily. “Can’t we?”
“Of course.”
Seth chewed on her offer, noting Kim’s pale skin and generally exhausted look. No. No way. “I can’t impose like that,” he told her. “Besides, you’ve got to be beat after what happened.”
She put up a hand to stop his protest. “You wouldn’t be imposing, trust me. You saved my life. It’s the least I can do.”
Seth hated asking anything of Kim. Or Lily. Or anyone, really. He was usually the one taking care of people, at least in his family. But Drew needed to get going, and Seth didn’t want to hold him up. So he looked at Drew, bit the bullet and said, “Looks like I’ve got a ride. Go take care of that fire.”
Drew nodded. “What are you going to do about the twenty-four-hour deal?”
“What twenty-four-hour deal?” Kim asked, peering intently back and forth between Drew and Seth.
Drew replied before Seth could head off any talk about the nurse’s “rules.” “Concussion patients aren’t supposed to be alone for twenty-four hours after their injury.”
Seth glared at Drew for opening his big mouth. The last thing he wanted was Kim feeling responsible for him for the next twenty-four hours. Plus, he liked his space.
Kim drew her eyebrows together. “Well, then, we’ll have to make sure you’re not alone.”
Seth opened his mouth to protest.
“Doctor’s orders,” Kim said, cutting him off before he could get a word out. She pointed at him. “Right?”
“You’re right. I’ll call my brother.” Seth went for his cell phone in his pocket, but came up empty. He’d left his cell in his sweatshirt pocket on the beach. He rose, scoping out the nearest pay phone, but Kim stopped him with a gentle touch to his arm.
“I’m taking you home to my aunt’s house, and I won’t take no for an answer.”
“You mean I’m taking you guys to your aunt’s house,” Lily interjected.
Kim inclined her head. “Right. Lily’s taking us.”
Drew interrupted the discussion. “I need to go, so I trust you guys will work this out.” He put a hand on Seth’s shoulder. “I’ll check in when I can.”
Seth nodded. “Thanks, Drew. I appreciate all of your help.”
“No problem,” Drew said, then quickly headed out the door.
Seth watched him go. The will to argue was sap-ping out of him, fast. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed to get prone. Anywhere. He didn’t have the energy to be picky. “You sure it won’t be an imposition?” he asked Kim.
“I’m sure, and even if it was, I’d still insist. You saved my life, and I owe you. Big time.”
Seth digested that. He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of being so connected to Kim. But doctor’s orders were doctor’s orders and connected didn’t mean involved with, right? Because that was the last thing he wanted.
“Will your aunt mind?”
She gave him a chiding look. “What do you think? She’ll love having someone to take care of.”
From what he knew of Rose, Kim was right. If anyone in Moonlight Cove ever needed anything, Rose Latham was there. Still…
“So are we all on the same page?” Kim asked, almost, it seemed, daring him to argue. Her unwavering, stunning gaze bored directly into him.
He wanted to keel headfirst into those gorgeous eyes. But suddenly another bout of wooziness overtook him and the floor tilted. Stupid concussion.
He sat. He looked like he wasn’t going to get the space he liked, or any more time to mull over his decision. He let out a heavy breath, hesitating, trying to think. If he gave in and let Kim take care of him—for now—they’d be even, and it would be easier for them to go their separate ways. Sounded like a good trade-off, given the circumstances.
“Same page,” he finally spoke, hoping he wasn’t going to regret his rushed decision.
“Excellent,” Kim said. “You’re a smart man, Seth.”
He wasn’t really sure about her assessment of his smarts, but he was too worn out to apply more mental force to the question. Hopefully being helpless would be a temporary affliction.
Summoning every bit of strength he had, he stood again. Vertigo overtook him and he sagged. Kim was there instantly. She took one arm, her touch at once gentle yet solid. Awareness zinged through him. He tried not to think too much about how much he liked the combination. What would be the point?
Lily came up on his left side and took his other arm. He couldn’t help but notice her touch didn’t cause any zings. But, then, he’d known Lily forever; she was like his cousin or something.
Seth fought the urge to lean on Kim as they walked toward the sliding doors leading to the parking lot, reminding himself that he only needed her for the next twenty-four hours. And then everything between them would be dead even. Strictly casual. And definitely disconnected.
No matter how much the pretty newcomer intrigued him.
Chapter Three
Kim, Lily and Seth made their way up the crushed-shell path that led from the gravel driveway to the wooden stairs that ascended Aunt Rose’s back porch. A stiff breeze blew Kim’s hair into her face and the fresh scent of the sea filled her lungs. She could hear the roar of the waves breaking on the beach just one hundred yards or so from the ranch-style cottage.
Like a trooper Seth went up the stairs by himself, although Kim noticed he used the handrail, which she was pretty sure an in-shape guy like him wouldn’t normally do. When they reached the porch, he turned, his blue eyes shining bright against the backdrop of his pale face. “You’re sure Rose won’t mind?”
“I’m sure,” she said, sounding amazingly normal considering she almost melted every time he looked at her. Not good. At all.
And even if by some wild stretch of the imagination Aunt Rose did mind, Kim would convince her otherwise. She had caused Seth’s injuries with her careless foray into the ocean. Taking care of him was the least she could do.
Before they reached the door, it opened. Kim’s maiden aunt Rose stood there, her round face wreathed in a smile. Her gray hair was pulled back into its customary bun, her wire-rimmed glasses were shoved up on the top of her head. She had a spatula in her hand and what looked like flour on her cheek.
Rose’s eyes darted from Kim to Lily to Seth, obviously taking in their injured, drowned-rat appearances. Her face fell. “Oh, goodness me,” she said, her forehead creasing. Her concerned gaze held on Seth’s bandaged head. “What happened?”
“Kim almost drowned and Seth saved her,” Lily blurted.
Aunt Rose’s eyes widened and her mouth gaped open.
Kim glared at Lily, then held up a hand. “Don’t worry. Everyone is okay, but Seth needs to lie down and isn’t supposed to be alone for a while, so I brought him here. Let’s go in and I’ll tell you the whole story once he’s settled.”
Aunt Rose, bless her heart, didn’t argue. She was a deeply practical woman, and knew when to ask questions and when to just go with the flow. She stepped back, gesturing them inside. “Of course.” As soon as Seth was in the house Rose hurried over and had him sit on the sofa.
Kim followed her aunt into the house, drawing her eyebrows together. “Where’s Dylan?” she asked. He was usually first to answer the door when someone arrived.
“He’s at Benny’s,” Aunt Rose replied. “The puppies needed exercise.”
“Ah. Of course.” Kim looked at Seth. “Aunt Rose’s neighbor has a dog who gave birth to seven puppies a month or so ago.”
“Nothing like puppies to keep a kid interested,” he replied.
“Dylan could hardly wait to get over there after you left,” Rose added.
“Not surprising.” Dylan loved all animals, but dogs in particular. Kim had promised him that he could have a dog as soon as they had their own place. Another reason, among many, that Kim needed a job and her independence.
“I can’t keep him away,” Rose said. “Good thing Benny loves having Dylan around.”
Kim was pretty sure Benny, a retired widower, had a bit of a crush on Rose, too. He blushed and stammered like a schoolboy every time he talked to her. Truth be told, Kim was envious of the awkward attention Benny paid to Rose. It made her yearn for someone of her own…but that would be a mistake.
Kim turned and noticed Lily holding back on the porch.
“Um…now that everyone is here safe and sound, I think I’m just gonna head home,” Lily said, rubbing her eyes. “I’m pooped.”
Kim knew that feeling. “All right.” She went out onto the porch and hugged Lily. “Thank you so much for all your help today.” She stepped back and gave Lily a gentle smile. “I appreciate it. I haven’t really made friends since I got here and, well, I’ve been a bit lonely. Even though we only met today, it’s nice to know I have a new friend.” Kim was a social butterfly at heart, and had joined the church’s singles group for friendly fellowship; it was high time her social life arose from the dead. Well, most parts of it, anyway. The safe parts.
“I’m glad I could help out,” Lily replied, returning Kim’s smile. “Call me if you need anything. I’m in the phone book. And remember, the singles group is having a progressive dinner in three weeks. You should definitely come.”
“Sounds good,” Kim said. Spending time with people her own age was definitely on her To Do list.
Lily waved goodbye and headed back to her car.
Kim noted it was raining now, the fine drizzle coating everything in gray mist. Funny how fast the weather could change in Moonlight Cove.
She shut the front door, noting that Seth and Aunt Rose had left the living room. Expecting to find them in the kitchen, she made her way through the cozy living room.
The smell of freshly baked cookies permeated the air—snickerdoodles was Kim’s guess. With fatigue rolling over her in a wave, she headed through the arched doorway that led from the living room into the kitchen to the left, determined to see to Seth’s care before she gave in to her exhaustion.
The homey blue, white and yellow kitchen was the heart of her aunt’s house. Remnants of her aunt’s cookie making session sat on the tiled counters…but Rose and Seth weren’t there.
Frowning, Kim headed back out into the living room, turned left and went down the short hallway that led to the house’s three small bedrooms.
Sure enough, Aunt Rose and Seth were in the first bedroom on the right, Dylan’s room. Seth was already stretched out on Dylan’s twin bed, and Aunt Rose was spreading a handmade patchwork quilt over him.
Rose turned when Kim walked in. “He wasn’t looking good at all, so I decided it would be best if Seth, here, got some rest right away.” She smiled serenely. “This seemed like the best place for him.”
Kim was so glad her aunt had seen what needed doing and had simply done it. She silently thanked God for making her aunt so intuitive, nurturing and levelheaded. A blessing, really, and a much-needed balancing force in a life turned upside down by Scott’s desertion.
“Thank you, Aunt Rose,” she said. “As usual, you’re right.” She turned her attention to Seth, who definitely looked worse for wear. He must feel really rotten if he’d let her aunt put him to bed without any fuss.
Kim moved closer, resisting the urge to sit on the bed the way she did when she said good-night to Dylan. This wasn’t her son, here. No, this was a full grown, very handsome, masculine man.