Guilt had fought with a sense of loss and of being let down. ‘What do you expect, Vicki? That I’m going to let you walk away without a fight?’
‘I don’t know what to think about anything at the moment, Cole. Losing the baby dominates my thoughts. I feel so sad, it’s unbearable. It makes me feel useless.’ The most emotion he’d heard from her since she’d told him she’d lost the baby had come at him.
He had let her down. Big time. He had known it. The guilt wouldn’t let up. And yet what was he supposed to have done, even if he hadn’t ended up in hospital, fighting for his life? ‘It’s going to take time, sweetheart.’ All he had wanted was a little understanding that he couldn’t always do as she needed, that the army was in charge.
Tell her where you are. Let her come to you.
It had been so tempting. As his mouth had opened, he’d heard, ‘That’s all just about everyone says.’ Back to the flat tone. ‘I didn’t expect it from you, Cole.’
He’d got it wrong again. ‘I’m sorry. I’m at a loss for words.’ A hug would have gone a long way further, but wouldn’t happening any time soon. The next day he would have to demand to be allowed to try and sit up and put his feet on the floor. The next day he would have to start getting his life sorted so he could work at making Vicki happy again. If she’d let him.
CHAPTER THREE
‘IDIOT! WATCH WHERE you’re going.’
Vicki’s raised voice interrupted Cole’s thoughts.
He looked around, saw a car skidding on the wet surface at the traffic lights ahead. ‘Going too fast?’
‘Definitely.’ Vicki swore, braked slowly as she pulled to the side of the road. ‘What the—?’
A kid on a skateboard shot across the road out of control, directly into the path of a car coming the other way.
Cole held his breath, watching with horror.
The board flicked sideways, throwing the boy in the other direction, where he landed heavily against the kerb. The approaching car skidded to a stop less than a metre from the boy.
‘Phew.’ Air rushed out of Vicki’s mouth. ‘That was close.
‘It sure was.’ Cole was already clambering out of her vehicle. ‘Better make sure he’s all right.’
The kid was lying in water, looking stunned. ‘What happened?’
He squatted down. ‘You lost control. What did you think you were doing out on the road?’ Did he not know how dangerous his actions had been?
‘It’s cool, skating in the water.’ The boy moved, tried to sit up and let out a yelp. ‘That hurts.’
‘Where?’
‘My arm.’ The left one was at an odd angle.
‘Let me look. I’m a doctor.’
Vicki joined them. ‘I’ll help you sit up. What’s your name?’
‘Evan. Is my arm broken?’
‘Could be,’ Cole replied as he felt gently along the already swelling forearm. ‘You’re going to need an X-ray.’
‘What the hell were you doing, Evan?’ a woman shouted as she stamped across to them. ‘I could’ve killed you, you little brat.’
Vicki turned to her. ‘I’m sure he’s sorry. He has to go to hospital to have his arm checked.’
‘Serves him right. I panicked when he crossed in front of me.’
‘You deserve a medal for the way you kept control of your car and avoided him.’
‘Didn’t feel like I had any control.’ The woman was quietening, her stance softening. ‘What if I’d hit him?’
‘You didn’t. That’s what matters.’ Vicki looked down at him. ‘Cole? How’s it looking?’
‘Definitely broken. Mind diverting to the hospital?’ It would be quicker than waiting for an ambulance.
‘No problem,’ she answered.
The woman was shaking her head. ‘I’m Evan’s teacher. I’ll take him to his mother. She works just along the road,’ the woman said. ‘Then I’ll drive them both to hospital. No argument from you, young man,’ she added.
‘Thanks, Mrs Waring.’
‘I’ve got a small cotton towel in my car to use as a sling and keep that arm up.’ Vicki went to get it.
Cole carefully helped Evan to his feet, and kept an arm around him when he began wobbling. ‘Easy. You’ve had a shock.’ He explained about the sling and held Even’s arm away from his body when Vicki placed the towel underneath and then tied it behind his neck.
Within minutes Mrs Waring and Evan were heading up the road.
Cole turned to Vicki. ‘I can’t believe how lucky he was.’
She nodded. ‘Doesn’t bear thinking about.’ Her gaze was on the disappearing car.
‘We’re soaked more than ever.’ At least the rain wasn’t cold. He was watching Vicki. Her blue eyes were clear and her mouth soft. ‘Vicki?’ he croaked.
Turning towards him, she looked into his eyes and smiled. ‘Some things are out of our control, aren’t they?’
‘Sure are.’ Being with her, after attending to the boy, sent a buzz of need throughout him. Hesitantly, he placed his hands on her shoulders, and when she didn’t pull back he leaned forward to brush his lips across her
s. Instantly, the need intensified, and he pressed closer, feeling her lips under his, her mouth opening slightly.
Oh, Vicki. He breathed deeply, drew in her familiar scent. Vicki, my love.
She was kissing him back, returning the pressure, drawing him in, relaxing her body into his.
Toot, toot. ‘Get a room,’ someone yelled out.
They jumped apart, staring at each other, their chests rising and falling fast.
‘Damn.’ Vicki swung around and leapt into her car.
Damn, all right. She wasn’t happy. While he wanted more. Not that she’d been trying to avoid kissing him. No way. She’d been fully into it. As he had. He swore. This was all wrong. They were husband and wife, and had always had a great relationship, and now they couldn’t kiss? His lungs expelled the air they were holding, and he trudged across to the car and dropped into his seat, gasping as his leg protested at the sudden movement. When he was breathing normally again, he turned to face her. ‘I’m not apologising.’
Her beautiful mouth quirked, giving him some hope they’d not drag this out. ‘Okay.’
He nearly laughed. But he was fresh out of laughs right now. He was hurting; in his leg and his heart. This was nothing like how they acted together. But there was the threat of their failing marriage hanging over them. ‘I’ve never worked with you medically before.’
She turned the ignition on. ‘We didn’t do a lot this time.’ Her voice had a quiver in it. She didn’t know how to handle the situation any better than he did.
His love soared. She could tell him whatever she liked but he loved her, and that was that. Vicki existed, hadn’t disappeared off the face of the earth, which had been a recurring nightmare in the dark days and nights he’d lain in a hospital bed, drugged to the eyeballs with heavy pain relief. Even when he’d stopped taking the drugs the nightmare had been a constant companion.
His apprehension over this weekend remained. Maybe he had to prove to Vicki how he felt, because she didn’t believe him any more. Or believe in him.