Chapter 34
34
JOE
Joe arrived back at the farm exhausted but relieved that everyone had survived pretty much intact after the dramatic rescue. Dan was still at the hospital waiting for a scan on his arm but his wife was with him now and Joe had been told to go home, so after a hot shower at the station and changing into dry clothes, he had driven home looking forward to spending time with Skye and having something to eat.
‘You’re back,’ Skye said as he walked in through the front door. Spud pushed past her to give their usual excited, waggy welcome and he crouched to pat and cuddle the dog before standing slowly. ‘You must be hungry, or have you eaten something?’
He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination but she seemed out of sorts. ‘Starving but it’s late. I can get something myself. Why don’t you sit and tell me how your meal went with Carlos and Bruno. Did you have a good time getting to know them a bit better?’
‘I did, thanks, but I’m more interested in how you are after your evening.’
‘Not much to tell,’ he said, unsure of the undercurrent he was picking up from her. ‘Are you OK? You seem a little…’ He wasn’t sure what.
‘I’m fine. I suspected you might need something to eat so took the liberty of ordering a delivery,’ she said. ‘I wasn’t sure what to get so took a chance and chose for you. Go and get comfortable in the living room and I’ll sort out the plates.’
He hoped the drama of the evening hadn’t caused Skye’s meal to be interrupted. ‘Didn’t you three get to eat at the restaurant yet?’
She shook her head. ‘The food hadn’t arrived when Bruno noticed something happening and soon after I insisted on coming out to see what was going on.’
‘How did you know? I would have thought it was almost impossible to see with all that rain and sea spray.’
‘Someone was filming it and live-streaming. Bruno found it and shared it with Carlos and me.’
Why had Bruno done that? Joe mused. Surely he must have known that Skye would be concerned. Maybe it hadn’t occurred to him.
Wanting to placate her, Joe did as she asked. He sank back into the comfortable sofa and noticed she had also lit the fire. It was a sweet touch and made him smile. This was the difference between being with someone and living alone, he reminded himself, deciding he could get used to this sort of welcome.
She carried in a couple of drinks and a bowl of crisps and set them down on the table. ‘There you go,’ she said, indicating the nibbles. ‘Something to keep you going until the food arrives.’
‘Don’t you want any?’
She shook her head. ‘I might have a little something but I’m not that hungry.’
Rain pattered against the windows and the wind howled outside. ‘I’m glad we brought the animals inside earlier today,’ he said.
‘So am I. It was a good thing you suggested it. The weather was so lovely this morning it never would have occured to me that a storm might be on its way to the island.’
He saw her staring at the fire and assumed she was worried about the rescue. ‘Hey, you all right?’
She snapped out of her reverie. ‘What? Of course I am. You’re the one who was in danger, not me.’ There it was again, he noticed. That tone. It wasn’t her usual way, but there was something wrong. He wondered if it was simply that Skye wasn’t used to the intensity of watching a rescue. He realised she was still speaking. ‘Tuck in. You don’t want my culinary delights getting cold after all the effort I went to taking the packet out of the cupboard and opening it to pour these tasty morsels into the bowl.’
Joe laughed. He was being oversensitive. He was tired after all, he reminded himself. Skye was great company and the perfect tonic after what he had faced earlier. ‘Heaven forbid.’
She sat back on the sofa and he smiled at her, enjoying the two of them being in the warm, cosy living room. The storm hadn’t abated at all; in fact he suspected it was still getting worse.
The dogs were snoozing in front of the fire and when the rain increased against the window, Spud opened his eyes, his ears pricked in case of any emergency. Then seeming to presume there was no cause for alarm, he settled back down again.
‘How are you feeling?’ she asked, her face the picture of concern.
‘This is exactly what I needed,’ he said. ‘You, the dogs chilling and crisps.’
‘Don’t forget the Chinese food we have to look forward to.’
‘Oh, I haven’t. I’m looking forward to tucking into that lot very much.’
Skye sat closer to him, sighing happily when Joe put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her gently against him. He suspected she needed the comfort of them snuggling up to each other as much as he did right now.
Certain there was nowhere else he would rather be, or with any other person, Joe closed his eyes. He felt Skye’s head rest against his shoulder. ‘Are you sure you’re all right?’
She took a deep breath. ‘It was scary knowing you were in that water tonight,’ she said quietly.
‘It was for me too, if I’m honest. Thankfully this situation is rare for us, which is a relief.’
They sat in silence for a while and he wished the evening could last forever.
‘It’s far nicer being warm in here than outside in that dreadful storm,’ she said quietly, making him wonder why she was talking about the weather. ‘Lettie and Brodie will be back here in a few days when Lindy and Gareth return from their trip.’ She snuggled closer to him and sighed.
He looked down at her. ‘I suppose we should be grateful we’ve ended up getting along well. I’m beginning to feel as if I’ve known you for months rather than days.’
‘Me, too,’ Skye said, sounding sad. He sensed she was trying not to let the emotion of the evening take over.
He closed his eyes again, but sensing he was being watched, opened them and looked down at Skye, surprised to see her beautiful face turned up to his, studying him. He wanted desperately to kiss her, but was nervous about taking things too far, or too soon.
Suddenly Skye moved back from him and knelt next to him. Leaning forward, she kissed him. Joe took a second to gather his thoughts, then immediately took her in his arms and kissed her right back.
He was surprised but happy he must have been wrong to sense an atmosphere between them. The touch of her perfect lips against his own sent sensations through him, and he slipped his arms around her and pulled her against him. Hearing a barely audible groan escape Skye’s lips, it dawned on him that she might have been waiting for this to happen again, just like he had been. Could that be why she had been acting oddly since he got back?
Skye pushed him back onto the sofa and, lying down, he drew her on top of him, grateful that they were the only two people on the farm and wouldn’t be disturbed. Her lips moved from his and she began kissing his neck, then undid his shirt and kissed his chest.
Not wishing her to stop, Joe reached up and pushed his fingers through her hair. Then, feeling stirrings in his body he wasn’t sure Skye might be ready for, he drew her up so her mouth was level with his and kissed her again.
A loud banging on the door set the dogs off barking and made them both jump. Skye leapt back from him as if a switch had been flicked.
‘That must be our food,’ he said, trying to gather himself. ‘I’ll go and see to the delivery.’
‘Yes,’ Skye said, looking as shell-shocked as he felt and smoothing down her hair. They stared at each other for a second before she stood and followed him out of the room. ‘I’ll get some cutlery and plates out ready.’
Joe reached the front door and exhaled sharply, unsure whether he was glad of the interruption or infuriated by it. He wanted Skye, very much. He knew that much but wasn’t sure how to read the undercurrent between them. He was going to have to say something.
Discovering Skye had paid for their food over the phone, he withdrew a tip from his back pocket and opened the door to greet the delivery person.
Thanking the delivery guy, Joe took the bag from him and handed him a tip before closing the door again and taking the food to the kitchen. Skye had her back to him and was busying herself setting up two trays.
‘I thought we could serve ourselves in here,’ she said. ‘Then take this through to the living room and watch something on TV.’
Amused, Joe laughed. ‘I thought you weren’t hungry?’
She pulled a face at him. ‘I’ve changed my mind. It smells delicious and far too tempting for me to be able to resist eating some of it.’
Happy to have the distraction of food and television, Joe agreed. ‘I’m not sure what’s on, but there’s bound to be something.’ He placed the bag of food on the worktop and stepped back to let her choose what she fancied to eat.
‘Did you know there were only three channels when my parents were younger?’
Skye stopped taking packets from the bags and looked over her shoulder at him. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’
Assuming she must have been focusing on the food, Joe shook his head. ‘Nothing. I was only talking nonsense. Found anything you fancy pinching from the food you ordered for me?’
He watched as she sorted out the boxes and removed two of the lids. Pointing at them, she grinned. ‘I thought I’d have the boiled rice and this.’
Joe laughed and walked to stand next to her. He peered down. ‘Ah, the Kung Pao chicken.’
‘You can have it if you want? I really don’t mind.’
He shook his head. ‘No, it’s fine. I’m happy with whatever’s left.’
‘The, er, chow mein?’
He nodded, amused. ‘Or the dumplings.’
‘Well, it all looks delicious,’ she said, looking him in the eyes for the first time since they had kissed. ‘You’re being very generous with your food. I should really have ordered something for myself too.’
‘It’s fine. Anyway, I feel happier with us both eating.’
‘That’s sweet of you.’ She served her food and, picking up her tray, turned to him. ‘I, um…’
Seeing how awkward Skye seemed and that she was struggling to put something into words, he said, ‘Why don’t you carry yours through to the living room and get started eating? You don’t want your food to get cold and it’s never as hot as it is in the restaurant when it’s been delivered. I’ll join you in a couple of minutes.’
She stared at him briefly then nodded. ‘OK.’
He watched her walk out the kitchen, his heart racing. Never mind Skye feeling awkward, he was behaving as if this was his first encounter with someone from the opposite sex. Why was he acting so oddly? Why was she?
Forcing himself to focus on his food and not wishing to make the atmosphere between them any more uncomfortable than it already seemed, he began serving chow mein and dumplings onto his plate. Then placing a couple of boxes of the other food she had ordered onto the side of his tray, he carried them through to join Skye once more.
‘Good?’ he asked, happy to see her tucking into her food.
She finished chewing her mouthful and nodded. ‘Delicious.’
He rested his tray on the edge of the coffee table, moved the boxes from the tray to the table and sat down next to her, pulling his tray onto his lap. He breathed in the smell of the tasty meal in front of him. ‘It certainly smells good.’
They ate in silence for a while and he wondered if Skye was as relieved as he was to have something to focus on to escape the awkwardness that had fallen over them.
He wondered what was going to happen next though, because as much as he would like things to continue this way, there seemed to be something on Skye’s mind.
He noticed she wasn’t eating much and was playing with her food, seemingly lost in thought. Unable to stand it a moment longer, Joe turned to her. ‘What’s the matter, Skye? You seem troubled by something, or am I imagining it?’
She stared at him, looking sad. When she didn’t speak he tried to work out what might be wrong. He watched as she placed her tray on the coffee table and waited for him to do the same. A sense of dread coursed through him.
‘There’s something I need to speak to you about, Joe.’