over town that Meg McBride not only sent her daughter away so she could carry on a raging affair with a hot stranger but ended up in the ER with him. A story begging for embellishment.
“Let’s get you ready to go.” Jan dropped a stack of papers next to Meg’s feet and bustled around, unhooking the oxygen and handing Meg the bra, T-shirt and her hoodie safely sealed in a plastic bag.
Riley straightened up and stepped away from the stretcher. “Ma’am, could you direct me to the nearest head...uh, restroom?”
“The head? Are you saying I run a tight ship?” Jan laughed.
Riley grinned. “Land or sea it’s the same to a grunt.”
She stepped into the hall. “I prefer the tight ship theory, but here, let me get you started in the right direction.”
Meg began dressing while Jan was giving Riley directions. Her fingers shook as she tried to get the bra on and she knew the shakes weren’t entirely due to the asthma meds. Try as she might, she couldn’t block out the fact that Riley had kissed her. She should be furious with him. So why wasn’t she?
“Here, let me help.” Jan helped her get the hooks threaded into the loops. “I must say, everyone is admiring your...uh...um...”
“He’s a friend of Liam’s and just happens to be renting the cottage next to mine.” Meg left out the part how Riley had sometimes spent summers as a child at the lake with his parents and then later as a guest of her family. That was close to ten years ago; no need to remind everyone of a silly childhood crush she’d gotten over a long time ago.
“Yeah, Lorena down at the Pic-N-Save said a hottie in a big black pickup had stopped for gas at that shiny new station off the interstate at the same time she was fueling up.” Jan straightened the papers she’d left on the bed. “Lorena was asking everyone who came in if they knew anything about him. Won’t those girls be jealous when they find out I know something they don’t.”
“Mmm.” Meg pulled the cotton scrub top over her head.
“Oh, but look at me. Goodness, I shouldn’t be talking about your...uh, friend like that.” Jan helped Meg pull her hair from beneath the shirt.
“He’s my brother’s friend,” Meg said through gritted teeth. Who was she trying to convince...them or herself?
Jan picked up the papers. “Yes. Yes. Of course. Your...um, Riley said he’d meet you at the nurses’ station.”
Meg sighed. Her life would be a lot simpler if everyone would just stay out of her business.
* * *
Riley thanked the young, dark-haired nurse at the desk. While the one motel in Loon Lake was closed for renovations, she’d suggested one not too far away and had even called to check availability.
With the room booked, now all Riley had to do was get Meg there. He knew she’d fight him on it, but he wasn’t letting her go back to either cottage tonight, nor was he leaving her alone. As far as he knew, her dad and brother were living three hours away in Boston. He might not want to admit it, but she’d scared him. And he’d been in some terrifying situations during his time in the sandbox. When he returned to his men, he wanted to do it knowing Meg was here in Loon Lake, safe and happy.
And is that your explanation for your boneheaded behavior back there, Marine?
The kiss had been spontaneous and it was a toss-up who’d been more surprised by the gesture. For a split second, the emotions he’d bottled up had threatened to consume him. He’d been afraid she’d pass out or worse before he could get her help. But he was glad he’d been there, able to help her, and that he’d finally helped someone rather than watching them die.
Look on the bright side, Marine—giving her a quick peck was preferable to clinging to her in relief.
“Here’s your confirmation number.” The nurse handed him a yellow sticky note.
He shifted the bag in his hand and took the paper. “Thanks...uh...”
She blushed. “Ellie.”
“Appreciate it, Ellie.” He turned toward the footsteps coming down the hall and went to meet Meg.
He thanked God Meg’s color had returned, but those bruising circles under her eyes and the oversize scrub top gave her a fragile appearance. His gut clenched as he fought the urge to scoop her up and carry her off. To where? The nearest cave? Had he lost his mind? He had obligations that didn’t include Meg and he needed to remember that.
Meg pointed to the white plastic bag in his hand. “Been shopping?”
“I heard the nurse say there was mold on your hoodie and it’s getting chillier out there.” He pulled a pink hooded sweatshirt from the bag and a teddy bear fell out, but he caught the stuffed animal before it landed on the floor.
She raised her eyebrows at the bear but didn’t say anything, and he regretted his impulse buy. And you thought this was a good idea why, Marine?
“Here,” he muttered and handed her the bear.
“What’s this for?” Her glance bounced between him and the toy.
“It’s to replace the one Liam and I used for archery practice.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve...uh, been meaning to replace it for a long time now.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I knew you two had something to do with it.”
“I wanted to tell you but Liam threatened me.” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his cammies.
The corners of her mouth twitched up. “Threatened you? With what? You were always bigger than him.”
“He said he’d end our friendship.”
“Liam’s friendship meant that much to you?”
“Being with your family meant that much to me.” His time with the McBrides had been his escape when things got ugly between his parents. Meg’s family talked to him without giving him the third degree, expecting him to rat out the other parent, depending on which one was asking. At Christmas, while the McBrides gathered around their tree, he’d been dragged to destinations one parent had picked to make it difficult for the other to visit. Now his relationship with them had devolved into awkwardly polite phone calls on birthdays and holidays.
She lifted a tag attached to the bear’s ear. “I don’t believe it.”
“What?” Did he leave the price tag on?
“It says his name is Jasper.” She sounded incredulous.
“That’s what made me think of it.”
“You remembered my bear’s name was Jasper?” she whispered and her eyes lit up.
“I wanted to fix it and give it back to you, but I had no clue how, and anyway Liam would’ve known it was me...” He shrugged.
She gave him a smile that made the embarrassment worth it.
They’d reached the nurses’ station and Meg signed the paperwork, took the small bag of meds Jan handed her and began marching toward the exit before his brain kicked back into gear. With a nod to the nurses gawking at him from behind the counter, he caught up to Meg and placed his hand against the small of her back.
“Why was she giving you her phone number?” Meg increased her pace, but his stride was longer and he easily kept up and maintained contact as they exited the building.
“Who?” He pulled his keys out of his pocket with his free hand, the other still planted against her back.
“Ellie Harding. I saw her giving you that slip of paper.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and settled the teddy bear in the crook of her arm.
She must mean the confirmation number. Where was she going with this? “What paper?”
“The one you