No, he didn’t want to talk about Harper, not even to a long lost, now found friend. Somehow talking about her felt like he was going behind her back, which made no sense whatsoever. He went with the medical. ‘Her throat and neck are very sore but otherwise she’s physically okay. Apart from a migraine that’s knocked her to her knees,’ he added in case Trent’s lot wanted to question her some more today.
‘Stress will do that.’
Cody got an image in his skull of that gun being held to Harper’s head, and the rank fear pervading her sweet eyes. ‘Not sure how she’ll go with all the head stuff, though. It’ll be tough trying to put aside the fact that someone threatened to shoot her brains out.’
‘I hear she handled the situation well,’ Trent said, then thankfully changed the subject. ‘How long have you been back in town?’
He winced, regretting not phoning Trent sooner. ‘Six weeks. Shifted Mother into a retirement home with hospital facilities and then packed up her house, sold off stuff, all of the usual.’ It had been hard going through forty years of her possessions. She’d kept everything of his dad’s since he’d died ten years back as well, including all his clothes, even his old pipes that he’d smoked in the evenings and the rods from trout-fishing excursions. The rods which were now in his shed in case one day he had a child he could take on similar forays. If he ever got brave enough to start over.
The trip down memory lane had at times made him laugh, and at others caused him to shed tears for the mum and dad he’d loved. Still loved. His mother mightn’t be the same any more, with the dementia doing its number on her, but she was still Mother. Packing up everything and getting rid of most of the clutter had reminded him of fun family holidays to the beach when he’d been small, and of annoying the hell out of his older brother just because he could.
‘So, you up for a pint?’ Trent asked, reminding Cody he was in the middle of a conversation. ‘I’m done for the day.’
He’d kill for one. ‘I can’t tonight. Got something on.’
‘Found a hot female, huh?’
‘Nah, haven’t got time for that at the moment.’ Stretching the truth wasn’t a lie. Harper wasn’t his type of woman; she was too focused on her career from what he’d seen, and obviously with family issues which she wouldn’t want him getting involved in. But she is hot. Sizzling. He was seeing that more and more the longer he spent in her company.
‘I heard about your wife.’
Who hadn’t? It’d been headline news for days. ‘It’s history now.’ Except the consequence was he didn’t talk about personal things or want to put his heart on the line again. He knew the doctors had done everything they could to save her. It didn’t make him feel any better.
‘That when you took up nursing?’ Trent had known he’d considered it, even at school.
‘Yep. It was horrible not being able to help Sadie.’ Huh? He didn’t do talking, remember? It had to be the day that had screwed his brain.
‘You back home for good?’
Cody managed a chuckle. ‘I’ve bought myself a house that needs lots of work, a big sucker on the hill overlooking Oriental Bay. It’s going to keep me out of mischief for years, so yes, I guess I’m here for the long haul.’
‘You staying out of mischief? I must be talking to the wrong Cody Brand.’
If only he knew. Knowing he was stuck in this apartment tonight with a woman he’d only met five days ago, and who he was now babysitting, would bring Trent to his knees with laughter. As Cody stuffed his phone in his back pocket, he wondered just what was stopping him walking out and going to pick up his motorbike before heading down to the pub for that drink with Trent.
A promise that he’d stay the night.
A sense that Harper needed someone to keep an eye out for her. He always knew when someone wanted that—just didn’t always do it right. But he kept on trying.
Cody wanted to be here, making sure Harper got through the night without any nightmares about what might’ve happened if everything had gone wrong.
And if that migraine got worse he wanted to take care of her.
It had to be the nurse in him coming out. He couldn’t think of any other reason for letting his caring side get the better of him in this case. It wasn’t as though Harper needed protecting from her would-be assailant. The guy was behind bars, for now at least.
But he couldn’t help the memories creeping in as he twisted a cap off a lonely bottle of beer he found in the fridge. Looking out for Harper today had been instinctive, and easy. He’d have done whatever it took to get that man away from her. Now he’d do everything possible to keep on his guard with Dr White. Someone had to look out for his heart, and that someone was him.
*
Harper woke slowly. There was a vice around her head and drums behind her eyes. Her stomach ached, as did her throat.
But that was nothing compared to the film reeling through her mind, bringing into sharp focus the man with his gun and how he’d held it to her head.
At least she’d woken up before the pictures had got too violent. But now she didn’t want to go back to sleep—not yet, anyway. She was shaking. How close had Strong come to killing her?
‘Stop it,’ she yelled at herself. Doing this wasn’t helping at all. She had to be tough, put it all behind her.
Her mouth was dry. Reaching for the glass on the bedside table, she was disappointed to find it empty. She’d have to move.
Another tablet for her migraine wouldn’t go amiss. What time had she taken the last one? Pushing up onto an elbow, she paused until the room steadied. Light streamed down the hall. Had she left the kitchen light on earlier? Or the one in the lounge? No recollection of being in those rooms came to her, but that didn’t bother her. It wasn’t unusual for her to drop into a deep sleep after taking the migraine meds.
Carefully sitting up and putting her feet on the floor, she once again waited for her head to catch up with the rest of her body. The headache had calmed down a little. Or was it waiting to pounce when she went out into the light?
Cody Brand. His name slammed into her head.
He was in her apartment somewhere. Sleeping in the kids’ room? Or sitting in the lounge watching television?
It all rushed in, setting her head spinning harder. Gemma being bossy. Cody saying he’d stay the night to keep an eye on her. He was why she’d fallen asleep so quickly, all fear of being attacked again allayed by his presence.
Most of all she recalled being held in strong arms against a broad, warm chest and wanting to snuggle even closer as he’d carried her up the drive. He’d made her feel safe so often throughout the day. There were a few other things he had made her feel too t
hat she’d prefer not to go into.
Oozing a stalled breath over her lips, she debated crawling back under the sheet and pretending she hadn’t woken up. But the pounding in her head and the tightening of that band of pain wasn’t going away if she didn’t have another tablet. And some water. She was so thirsty her tongue was sticking to the roof of her mouth.
Standing on unsteady legs, she aimed for the kitchen, hoping she wouldn’t find Cody in there. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her in her nightie, but searching for the robe that she rarely used somewhere at the back of her wardrobe would expend energy she didn’t have. She just wanted the tablet and water and to climb back into bed.
The kitchen was empty, but the TV was on in the lounge with the sound muted. Harper couldn’t resist. She peeked around the corner and gasped. That big body was sprawled over her couch with the neighbour’s cat curled on top of the chest she’d enjoyed so much. Her heart flipped. Cute. Who’d have thought it of such a large man? A gentle rumble erupted. Cody was sound asleep, snoring softly.
On the floor sat a takeout pizza box with two pieces left. Was she hungry? Stepping closer she bent down to steal a piece but got a whiff of cold melted cheese and something else unpleasant. Her stomach immediately protested. Fair enough. She didn’t usually eat during a migraine episode.
Straightening up, she studied Cody. Stubble had appeared on his chin. What would that feel like against the palm of her hand?
She’d never know. Gripping her hands together in case she gave into the need crawling through her, she backed away.
Of course she didn’t have eyes in the back of her head. Duh. Thump. The back of her leg banged into the coffee table and she sat down heavily on it. Of course the table shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Who’d shifted it? Her eyes went straight to the man now waking up on her couch.
‘Hey, you’re up.’ Cody stretched, carefully lifted the cat off and placed it on what little piece of couch he wasn’t taking up. Then he sat up and Harper felt dwarfed. Not that she was tiny.