Chapter 3
T iffany didn’t know what to do with herself since hearing the news that Jim might be missing. Thank goodness her mom and Ned had come to take the girls to their house for a few hours so she could get herself together.
Her emotions were all over the place, from sadness to fear to anguish for Ashleigh to relief, which made her sick with guilt. How could she be relieved at the possibility of Jim being gone forever?
She couldn’t let her mind go there, or she’d be unable to live with herself.
Blaine’s strong arms came around her from behind, and she melted into his embrace. “I can tell you’re spinning.”
“I don’t know what I am.”
“It’s okay to be upset, Tiff. Anyone would be.”
“It doesn’t feel right to be upset about him. I don’t have any right to be.”
“Of course you do. You were with him for years and had a child together. I’d be worried if you weren’t upset.”
“The last time I saw him… when he brought Ashleigh home before the storm… All I could think about was how I wished he’d go away and never come back. And now…”
“It’s not your fault that something might’ve happened to him. He was probably taking risks he shouldn’t have been taking during the storm. People do that stuff. Deacon and his team rescued thirty people off the rocks on the north end before the storm hit. They’d gone out there to watch the surf. People are so stupid, and my guys had to risk their lives to rescue them. So many think they’re invincible. Jim was probably one of them.”
Tiffany turned and looked up at him. “What’ll I tell Ash?”
“Nothing until we know for sure what happened.”
“What if we never know?”
“Let’s take it one minute at a time and see what happens. I’ve got my whole crew looking for him, the Coast Guard is assisting, and Jack has brought in additional state police help to look for him and Billy. We’ll find them.”
Tiffany rested her head on his broad chest. “You should be out there with them.”
“I’m right where I need to be, babe. With you.”
Her phone rang, and she pulled back from Blaine to grab it off a table. “It’s Maddie.”
“I’m sure she’s worried about you.”
Tiffany took the call from her older sister as she leaned on her husband’s unwavering support. “Hey.”
“I just heard the news, sweetie. I don’t know what to say.”
“Me either. I’m all over the place.”
“I’m sure. Anyone would be. Has there been any word?”
“Nothing yet. Blaine said everyone is out looking for him and Billy. They might’ve been together.”
“What can I do for you?”
“I have no idea. It’s a wait-and-see thing at this point.” Her voice broke on that last word. “I’ve had very bad thoughts about him, so many times, but I never wanted anything like this to happen.”
“I know that, Tiff. We all know that. Do you want me to come over?”
“That’s okay. Blaine is here with me, and Mom has the girls.”
“Call me later?”
“For sure. Thanks for checking on me.”
“Love you. No matter what happens, we’ve got you.”
“That makes everything better,” she said as tears rolled down her face. “Love you, too.”
How in the world was she crying over a man who’d broken her heart in every way it was possible to break a heart? He’d been a monster to her, and still… She wept. In front of her new husband, who was the undisputed love of her life.
That wouldn’t do.
She wiped away her tears and made a valiant attempt to rally. “Are you hungry? You must be. I’ll see what we have.”
He took her hand to keep her from walking away. “Stop, Tiff. Just stop.”
“I need to be busy, or I’ll go crazy.”
“You don’t need to worry about feeding me or what I might think about you crying over Jim or anything else.”
“I want to feed you. It’ll help.”
“Okay then, but only if you let me be your sous-chef.”
She forced a smile for his benefit. “You’re my sous-chef for life.”
He gave her a soft, sweet kiss. “No matter what happens, we’ll be okay. I promise.”
As long as she had him and their blissful life, she would get through this.
But she sure as hell hoped her pain-in-the-ass ex-husband wasn’t dead.
At Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, Kelsey Gordon adjusted the sling that supported her surgically repaired broken right forearm, which was now encased in plaster. The meds she’d been prescribed kept the pain manageable, which was a relief after a rough couple of days following surgery to pin the broken bone. She waited by the nurses’ station, hoping for an update on the condition of her fiancé, Jeff Lawry.
Her fiancé.
She still couldn’t believe they’d gotten engaged during the storm, before the roof over her apartment collapsed on them, leaving Jeff seriously injured. Other than the broken arm, she had bruises and lacerations all over her body, but she was in good shape compared to him.
He’d suffered a broken pelvis and fractured hip, injuries that had also required surgery. For a time, they’d feared he wouldn’t survive long enough to be airlifted off the island to get the urgent care he needed. Thanks to Dr. David Lawrence and the team at the island’s clinic, he’d been stabilized to travel by helicopter to the mainland.
Her parents had spent a week in Providence with her and Jeff and had left this morning to return home to Illinois. Jeff’s brother John had also been with them until yesterday when he went home to Gansett. Kelsey had been staying with Jeff’s mother, Sarah, stepfather, Charlie, and grandparents, Russ and Adele, at Frank McCarthy’s home, which had been made available to them for as long as they needed it.
Debbie, the nurse who’d cared for Jeff overnight, approached the desk and smiled when she saw Kelsey waiting for her. They’d gotten to know most of the nurses who worked on the floor. “He had a restful night, and the doctor upgraded him to good condition when he came through on morning rounds. They’re working on a plan to discharge him to a rehab facility in the next week to ten days.” She squeezed Kelsey’s shoulder, reassuringly. “It’s all good news.”
“Oh, yes, I know. It’s still a lot to process.”
“He’s young and strong, and he’ll bounce right back. Try not to worry.”
“Thank you. It’s been…” The dreadful twenty-four hours she’d spent fearing the man she loved wouldn’t survive had taken a huge toll on her. The fear had been far more painful than the broken arm. She’d never forget the way he’d lunged to cover her in the one second they’d had to prepare as the roof came down on them. A beam had landed on him, resulting in the most serious of his injuries. “It’s been hard. He got hurt saving me.”
“He’s on the road to recovery, honey, and everything will be all right in a month or two.”
“I appreciate your kindness.”
“Go see your love. He was asking for you. I’ll be back tonight.”
“We’ll see you then.” Feeling better after her talk with Debbie, Kelsey walked down the hallway to Jeff’s room.
Sarah, Russ and Adele were outside the room with Jeff’s eldest brother, Owen, who’d come over yesterday, hoping to convince the others to go home to the island so they wouldn’t wear themselves out. Jeff’s recovery would be a long one, and they’d been encouraged to pace themselves. Sarah wasn’t having it, though, and as long as she was staying, so were Charlie and her parents.
“The morning nurse is in with him,” Owen said. “He asked for a few minutes.”
Kelsey nodded. “I just saw Debbie. She said he had a restful night.”
“That’s good news.” Sarah wore a pinched, stressed look about her since her youngest child nearly died in the storm. The four of them had been in Italy on vacation but had flown home when Sarah sensed something was amiss. She’d been right about that, and Owen had filled her in on Jeff’s condition after they landed in the US.
Charlie approached, carrying trays of coffees that he distributed to each of them.
Kelsey smiled at him as he handed one to her. “Thank you.” Charlie was such a love. He’d asked how she took her coffee a week ago and had kept her supplied ever since.
“How’re you feeling, honey?” Charlie asked.
“Sore, but better knowing Jeff is improving.”
She would never forget the ordeal of being pinned under him and a ton of debris for hours while firefighters and townspeople worked frantically to get them out.
Tears flooded her eyes as she relived the horror.
Sarah’s arm gently encircled her shoulders, giving silent support that Kelsey needed badly. The four of them had been so good to Kelsey. She’d be forever thankful to them and her own parents, who’d come running when they heard she and Jeff were badly injured after the storm.
Kelsey was also thankful for her bosses, Mac and Maddie McCarthy, who’d been a huge source of support from the island. Mac was one of the people who’d worked so frantically to get them out of the rubble, and she’d never forget the comforting sound of his voice reassuring her as she awaited rescue.
Both Mac and Maddie had checked in regularly, had offered anything either she or Jeff needed and had told her not to worry about her job. It would be waiting for her whenever she was ready to come back. In the meantime, the grandmothers were pitching in to help with their five young kids.
A male nurse she hadn’t met before emerged from Jeff’s room. “He’s all cleaned up and ready for guests. Is one of you Kelsey?”
“That’d be me.”
“He’s asking for you.”
Kelsey ran the fingers of her left hand through her hair, pinched some color into her cheeks and took a couple of deep breaths, preparing herself to give him whatever he needed while bracing herself once again to see him badly injured. She smiled brightly as she entered the room, wanting to project only positivity and optimism.
Every day, it was all she could do not to crumble when she took in his bruised face, the tubes, machines, monitors, IVs. It was a lot.
“Hey,” he said gruffly. “There you are.”
She went to his bedside and took his hand, noticing the bruises on his face had begun to go yellow, which one of the nurses had told her was a sign of healing. “Here I am. You look so much better today.” That wasn’t true, but she’d never tell him otherwise. He’d been lightly sedated for much of the past week, so she hadn’t had much of a chance to talk to him.
His cracked lips curved into a small smile. “Is that the kind of wife you’re going to be? The kind that lies?”
“I’m not lying! You do look better, and you’re awake, which is a huge improvement.”
“I asked for a mirror earlier. I look like shit.”
“No, you don’t.”
“It’s okay. I had a barn cave in on me and lived to tell. That’s what matters, right?”
“Yes, definitely.” Kelsey’s emotions were like a kettle set to boil. “I can’t stop thinking about what you did, Jeff… You got hurt so badly saving me.”
“It’s worth every ache and pain to know you’re okay.”
She shook her head. “I can’t bear to see you hurt like this.”
“I’ll be okay. Eventually.”
“I’ll be right here for all of it.”
“I want to send you home because a hospital isn’t a fun place to hang out when you’re recovering from your own injuries, but I’d miss you too much.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“How’s your arm feeling?”
“A little better. The meds are helping.”
“I hate that you got hurt, too.”
“It’s nothing compared to what happened to you.”
He gazed at her with love and affection. “I can’t stop thinking about what went on before the roof fell in.”
At times like this, Kelsey wished she didn’t blush so easily.
“Do your rosy cheeks mean you’ve been thinking about it, too?”
“I’ve given it a little thought.”
“Only a little?”
“I was too busy worrying I might lose you.”
“Well, you didn’t, so don’t go thinking I’ve forgotten that you agreed to marry me.”
“Did that really happen?”
“You bet it did, and as soon as I’m standing on two feet again, we’re going for it.”
“I’ll look forward to that.”
“So will I. It’ll give me a goal to work toward in rehab.”
For a few minutes, they gazed at each other like the fools in love they were.
“You were okay after the other thing, right?”
“I was okay.”
“Sore?”
“A little, but it passed.” That’d been the least of her concerns after the roof fell on them.
“I’m glad.”
“Is it okay if I let your family in? Your mom needs to dote on you.”
“Sure but give me a kiss first.”
Kelsey leaned over the bed rail to kiss his rough lips. She needed to get him some more lip balm from the hospital store.
“One more and make it a good one.”
She smiled as she complied with his directive. Then she went to let in his eager family members.
Sarah went right to Jeff’s bedside to hover over him the way she had from the minute she’d arrived in Providence.
Of course, Kelsey was focused on Jeff and what he needed, but lurking in the back of her mind was panic over being out of work for an extended period. Thankfully, they both had health insurance through Mac’s construction company, but with a broken arm, she wouldn’t be able to care for Mac and Maddie’s children—including twin infants—for six to eight weeks.
She had a car payment, car insurance, cell phone bill and other regular expenses she wouldn’t be able to cover.
Not to mention most of her clothing and personal belongings were under a mountain of rubble back on Gansett. Sarah and Charlie had gone to the store to buy her some basics, and she’d need to reimburse them.
Eventually.
Worries about finances had kept her awake last night, long after the pain pills had finally kicked in and taken the edge off the sharp ache in her broken arm.
She could borrow money from her parents, but that was a last resort. They’d helped her and her siblings through college and were now excited to travel. She’d hate to do anything to hamper their plans.
Kelsey wished she could calm down and not worry so much. They were both alive. That was the only thing that mattered, but as someone who’d been born practical, according to her mother, she couldn’t help but fret about the details.
Mac stood before the wreckage of the barn he’d managed to avoid for most of a week, staring at it while trying to get his head around what’d happened there during the storm. Kelsey and Jeff had come close to being killed. He’d never forget the frantic race to get them out from under the rubble before it was too late.
He shuddered as the horror resurfaced in vivid, graphic images that would haunt him forever. He’d refused to go near the site until now because he’d been too raw over what’d happened there and how lucky they were that Kelsey and Jeff had survived.
The former barn-shaped structure had been reduced to rubble by Hurricane Ethel. Mangled boards had formed a pile ten feet high in places, relieved only by the area where they’d worked in the wind and rain to free Kelsey and Jeff.
Big Mac joined him, striking a similar pose as he, too, stared at the ruins, probably reliving some of the same memories that’d tormented Mac for days now. “Thank God they’re on the mend,” Big Mac finally said after a long moment of silence.
“Indeed.”
“Have you heard how they’re doing today?”
“Kelsey texted earlier to say that they’re arranging for Jeff to be discharged to a rehab facility. Probably in the next week to ten days.”
“That’s good news.” He glanced at Mac. “Did you hear Sturgil’s missing?”
“What? No. Does Tiffany know?”
“Ned told me her ex-mother-in-law called to ask if Tiff had heard from him. That’s how she found out.”
Shocked to hear the news about his former brother-in-law, Mac pulled out his phone to see he’d missed two calls from Maddie. Turning the phone on its side, he saw that the ringer was off and turned it back on.
Son of a bitch.
He called her back.
“Hey, have you heard about Jim?” she asked.
“Just now. Sorry I missed your calls. The freaking ringer was off, probably thanks to Thomas playing games on my phone last night.”
“I figured something like that, or you were busy.”
He was never too busy to take a call from her, which she certainly knew by now. “How’s Tiffany?”
“She’s not sure how she’s supposed to feel. I think she’s far more upset than she would’ve expected to be.”
“I get it. He put her through hell, but she doesn’t want him dead.”
“Yes, that exactly.”
“And poor Ashleigh.”
“I know. She and Addie are with Mom and Ned for now. I offered to go to Tiff’s, but she said Blaine’s with her, and she’s doing okay.”
“That’s good.”
“Where are you?”
“Dad and I are at the barn to figure out what to do about it. I was also going to see if I can salvage some of Kelsey’s stuff.”
“Don’t endanger yourself by going in there. Do you hear me?”
“I won’t. My mom is still there with you, right?”
“She is, and she said she’ll stay until you get home.”
“Tell her thanks, and I’ll be home by three. Four at the latest.” He’d been working nonstop since the storm hit, damaging thirty homes on the island at last count. As one of four local construction firms, two of them one-person operations, Mac and his team would be straight out for months, which was not how he’d planned to spend the off-season. They’d get it all done. Somehow.
“We’re fine. Do what you need to.”
“Love you.”
“You, too. Be careful.”
“I will.”
“How’s she doing?” Big Mac asked.
“Shocked about Jim but hanging in there thanks to Mom.”
“She’s happy to help for as long as Kelsey is laid up. We all are.”
“Thank you. It’s very comforting to be surrounded by family at a time like this.”
“I want to get some money to Kelsey and Jeff,” Big Mac said. “I’m sure there’ll be expenses and other needs with both of them out of work for the time being. Can you help me make that happen?”
“Sure, Dad. That’s very nice of you.”
“It’s the least I can do after my building collapsed on those poor kids.”
“They don’t blame you for that.”
“Maybe they should. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if they sued me for damages.”
“They won’t do that.”
“But they could, and they’d have a case, so let’s give them enough that they don’t want for anything while they’re getting back on their feet.”
“I have their bank info for payroll and could get it to them. How much do you want it to be?”
“Maybe a hundred each?”
Mac turned to his father, eyes gone wide. “ Grand? ”
“Yes. I talked to your mom, and she agrees we need to do everything we can to make this right.”
“That’s incredibly generous of you both, but surely you had an act of God clause in the lease.”
Big Mac’s gaze shifted ever so slightly toward Mac. “What lease?”
“You gotta be kidding me.”
His father shrugged. “That’s not how I do business. Those kids got hurt in my building, and I want to do something for them. If I write you a check, will you take care of getting it to them?”
Mac wasn’t as surprised as he should be that there was no lease with Kelsey. His dad operated on faith and gut checks that’d served him well over forty years in business. He was as old-school as it got, and generous as hell.
Mac wouldn’t change a thing about him. “Yeah, Dad. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re a kind and generous man.”
“Least I can do for those kids.”
Mac patted his dad on the back. “It’ll mean so much to them.”
“Tell them there’s more where that came from if they need it.”
“I will not do that. That’s more than enough, and I’m sure they’ll tell you it’s far too much.”
“I’m just so damned thankful they weren’t killed.”
“We all are.” Mac handed his dad one of the two pairs of work gloves he’d brought. “How about we see what we can do about finding some of Kelsey’s things?”
“Let’s do it.”