Page 32 of Harbor Lights (Inishderry Island Romances #3)

TWENTY-ONE

“What the hell happened, Joey? Why was Shiv out there?”

Con half jogged to keep up with Joey’s long strides as they rushed back from the helipad. She hadn’t wanted to leave Shiv, but Joey needed her backup to tell the Coast Guard officers Shiv didn’t need a hospital examination.

“How the hell should I know? I tried to ask her, but she wasn’t making much sense when we pulled her out of the water.”

“You saved her life. All of them.” Con was regularly in awe of how Joey and their team battled all weathers to rescue people.

“We were lucky. If the wind had picked up any more we’d never have been able to pick them out in the surf.” Joey’s voice was gruff. They were still dressed in their waterproof kit, and they sounded exhausted.

“The Coast Guard would have arrived and helped you locate them.”

Joey stopped and turned. Con had to stop or run into them.

“Doc, when we got there, she was in the water, barely conscious. If she hadn’t had the sense to tie herself to the boat she’d have drifted off, for sure, and we’d still be out looking for her body.” Their voice broke. “She gave her fucking life jacket to that kid.”

Con rubbed their arm. “But it worked out okay. Thanks to you and your team. Think about that, not what could have been.” Her comforting tone took every ounce of professionalism she possessed to compete with the cold pit of terror in her stomach at the thought of losing Shiv.

They continued back to the station. “Tierney’s offered us a cottage for the night. Kasia’s in there getting the fire lit and the heaters on. Do you think we can walk her up there? It might help warm her up.”

Joey shrugged. “Can Tierney and Aoife help? I need to get home to Mari.”

Con stopped and pulled on Joey’s sleeve until they turned. Their eyes were hooded. “Speak to me,” she implored.

“It was just too close. It terrified me, Doc. Why would Shiv put herself at risk?”

“Because she’s fearless? Because she saw that something needed to be done, and she did it. I think that pretty much sums up her whole personality.”

When Joey slumped, Con tucked her arms around their waist. “You saved her life.”

“It made me realize how much a part of life she’s become here. Saving anonymous lives is one thing, but I really care about Shiv, and this scared me.”

Con leaned into their chest. “Me too, Joey. Me too.” She pulled back. “I’ll go and see to her. You get home.”

They approached the lifeboat station to see Peter, one of the other crew members, outside, rinsing his kit with a hose.

“Drop your kit there and I’ll sort it.”

Joey nodded gratefully and stepped out of their waterproofs.

“I’ll go and get the paperwork finished with Seán. Then I’ll check up on you before I leave.” They trudged up the stairs toward the briefing room.

Con watched them go and turned back to the kit room. Inside, Shiv stood cocooned in coats and blankets. Con’s heart flooded with relief. She was pale and shaking, but she was upright, and her eyes had lost some of the confusion that had frightened Con when she’d first seen her.

She wanted to throw her arms around Shiv and tell her she could never leave her sight again.

Instead, she pushed up Shiv’s sleeve, took hold of her cool wrist and checked her watch.

They stood in silence while she took the pulse reading.

She could feel Shiv’s eyes searching her face, but she kept her gaze on her watch, as though she needed to note every second as it ticked away.

With Tierney and Aoife still in the room, Con didn’t trust she’d keep her shit together if she looked into Shiv’s face.

It was easier to do her job. She was good at that.

“Am I still alive?”

Shiv’s voice was still a little indistinct.

“Just about. No thanks to your actions.”

She didn’t mean to sound gruff, and Shiv tensed under her fingers. “Sorry. You scared me. How are you feeling?”

“Like shit. I got a cramp in my leg in the water, and everything hurts like hell.”

“Your muscles are warming up, so you’ll get the sensation back. If it was a serious muscle spasm, it’ll hurt for a few days.”

She let go of her grip on Shiv’s arm and covered it back up with the various layers Tierney had added.

“Are you feeling up to a slow walk to the hotel? It’ll warm you up.”

“M’not feeling up to anything, but I’ll give it my best shot.”

Con took a firm hold of Shiv’s elbow and put her other arm around her waist. She was so slight, even bundled up in all the blankets, Con thought it would be easier to carry her.

But she needed to keep her circulation moving.

Anyhow, Con wasn’t prepared for the fight needed to get Shiv to agree to that.

“I’m here, too.” Tierney materialized on Shiv’s other side. “Aoife will tidy up here and lock up with Seán when the paperwork’s done.”

Con threw Aoife a grateful glance as Shiv shuffled forward. “Take it easy, now. There’s no rush.”

“I think I’m gonna need a ride up to the cabin,” Shiv mumbled.

Tierney laughed. “You ain’t going nowhere, cuz. Joey only got the Coast Guard off your back by promising Doc here would be observing you overnight.”

Shiv’s eyes flicked to her briefly before she focused back on getting one foot in front of the other.

“Lucky for you we had a last-minute cancellation on one of the cottages. The one with the best view, in my opinion. So, you’ve got it as long as you need it.”

Tierney kept up her chirpy chatter all along the road past the quay where the ferry docked, and up to the hotel. Con hoped it was taking Shiv’s mind off her discomfort. She was just grateful she didn’t have to think of any small talk.

When they finally crossed the lawn behind the hotel, Tierney steered them toward the correct white cottage on the shoreline. The door opened and Pegeen ran out, carefully navigated the small step, and toddled across the lawn toward them.

Kasia appeared at the door, her hair escaping from her ponytail. “She was watching at the window the whole time.”

Tierney dropped to her knees and caught the little bundle of chatter and swung her into her arms.

“We’re back now, sweetie.”

Con led Shiv into the house and immediately wanted to throw off her coat. It appeared Kasia had taken the instruction to make the house warm very seriously. The fire blazed in the hearth and an oil heater had been set up at the other end of the open plan living area.

She helped Shiv drop into a chair near the fire, then removed her own layers as the creeping heat radiated out from her core.

Kasia took her coat and dropped her a sympathetic glance. Her face felt red from the heat. Her glasses steamed up and she pulled them off, running her sleeve across her face.

“Perfect conditions for Siobhán to warm up. Not so ideal for me.”

Shiv turned her head upward. “You don’t have to stay. I’ll be good here with the fire.” Her tawny eyes flickered with a different message. Were they pleading with her to stay, or was Con kidding herself?

“I do have to stay, as it happens. As the only available medical professional, it’s my duty to make sure you’re okay.” She pulled her cashmere sweater over her head before it killed her and replaced her glasses. “So, you’re stuck with me.”

Kasia headed toward the door, where Tierney waited with Pegeen on her hip. “Soup’s warming on the stove. There’s fresh bread there, too, if you want it.” She indicated. “And the tea’s brewed. We need to get Peggy to bed, but if there’s anything at all you need, just text.”

Con saw them to the door. “Thank you for everything.”

“Like I said before, Shiv’s family. It’s no trouble.” Tierney let Pegeen to the ground and skipped across the lawn with her. Kasia winked and followed.

Con closed the door, and the heat hit her again.

How was she going to cope with a night of this?

She’d dressed for a winter ferry trip and a visit to Shiv’s clifftop cabin, not for a furnace.

She had the urge to strip off her heavy corduroy trousers, but she wasn’t up for parading around in her boxer shorts in front of Shiv. Besides, this wasn’t about her.

She dropped to the floor in front of Shiv and took her pulse again.

“It’s getting more regular. You’ll be fine in a couple of days.”

“Days?” Shiv’s eyes opened wide. Con was pleased to see their usual sharpness back, instead of the dull expression that had confronted her when she first saw Shiv.

“I just got a little cold. I’ll be okay after a night’s sleep.”

“We’ll see. But in my experience, people who’ve been mildly hypothermic can find it takes up to a week or two to get back to normal.”

Shiv looked down and Con followed her gaze. She hadn’t let go of Shiv’s wrist, rubbing her thumb over the soft skin. She stilled the movement, but she didn’t want to release the contact just yet. “Don’t worry, we’ll look after you.”

Shiv pulled away her hand. “I don’t need looking after.”

Why does she make it so hard? “Well, humor me, then. I’m worried about you, and I need to stick around to reassure myself.”

Shiv nodded. “I’d like you to stay.”

A quiet knock at the door startled Con.

“Sorry.” Kasia stuck her head around the door, holding out a pile of clothing. Con stood and joined her.

“As you weren’t planning to stay over, I’ve brought Tierney’s warmest winter pajamas for Shiv, and something lighter for you. Everything else you might need you’ll find in the bathroom.”

“Thanks. That’s very thoughtful.” She said goodbye and locked the door behind Kasia. “Right.” She carried the bundle across the room and laid out the blue checkered pajamas over the back of a chair near the fire.

She rested the back of her fingers on Shiv’s forehead. It was no longer clammy and cold, but she wasn’t as warm as she should be.

In the kitchen space, she found the mugs Kasia had left out. She filled one with soup and took it to Shiv.

“Try to get this down.”

Shiv took the mug with a frown. “I’m not hungry. I feel too nauseous.”

Con lowered to her haunches. “Will you try? It’ll help you feel better.”

Shiv nodded like an obedient child, then sipped at the soup.

The heat from the fire on the back of Con’s thick cotton shirt was raising her temperature once more.

“I’m going to go and clean up. Then I’ll come back and check you over.”

She escaped into the bedroom with her borrowed pajamas and stripped out of her shirt and cords as quick as she could.

True to her word, Kasia had provided a pair of light cotton cropped pants and a ribbed tank top.

Con held it up and wondered if it would fit.

It was probably a loose fit for Kasia, but they were nowhere near the same size. Ah, beggars can’t be choosers.

And surely a snug-fitting top was better than dripping sweat all over Shiv. She pulled the clothes on. The tank was a little tight over her bra top and bulged in more places than she was comfortable, but it was better than nothing.

She located the bathroom. As Kasia had promised, there were towels, toiletries and even a pair of bamboo toothbrushes.

She used the cold tap to refresh herself as much as possible, although she feared she’d be in the same situation the moment she walked back into the room.

She fixed her hair and patted her face dry, laughing at herself for the effort she was putting in.

Shiv had just had a near death experience.

She wasn’t going to notice a stray lock of hair.

“Hey, did you manage the soup okay?” She put a bounce in her step as she reentered the furnace-like room.

Shiv’s pale face smiled up at her. “Yep, but I still feel sick, and now my head is banging.”

She checked the mug, finding no more than dregs. “You did good.”

She grabbed her bag and sat down on the couch alongside the pile of blankets that covered Shiv. “Apart from that, how do you feel?”

“Cold, still. My skin is tingling, but deep inside I’m still real cold. I put on the pajamas.” She nodded toward the pile of clothing on the floor. “I didn’t have the energy to fold them, sorry.”

Con did her checks as quick as she could. “Your blood pressure has evened out. Pulse is still a little slow. I think we should keep you here overnight. The bedroom’s nowhere near as warm.” She stood and added fuel to the fire, pulling away from the heat as soon as she could.

“What about you? Will you stay with me?” The tremor in Shiv’s voice tugged at Con’s chest.

“Of course. I said I would, didn’t I? I’ll take that armchair and pull up the stool. I’m pretty tired anyway.” She had no intention of sleeping. She would watch over Shiv all night until she was sure she was okay.

“The couch is plenty big enough for both of us.” Shiv pulled aside the blankets. “And aren’t you meant to get up close and use body heat to warm someone with hypothermia?”

Shiv’s grin held a touch of mischief and Con felt her already hot cheeks notch up another few degrees.

“If there’s not enough warmth available, yes. I’m pretty sure you’re not wanting for heat at the moment.”

“Okay.” Shiv pulled up the covers to her chin with a sigh.

“Okay, I’ll do you a deal. Drink some tea and another mug of that soup, and I’ll get in there with you. But don’t complain if I self-combust.” The truth was, she wanted more than anything to get under the blankets—hot flashes or not— with Shiv and hold her close. To warm her with her own body heat.

She set the kettle to boil for tea. The more she could bustle about and do practical things, the longer she’d put off the immediate heaven and eventual hell of being up close with Shiv.