2. Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Catch of the Day
This wasn’t Lachlan’s usual beach, but he knew it well. He lived close by, up the winding hill and along the shore, maybe ten kilometres away. There was a quieter, more idyllic beach closer to his home. He preferred that one over this beach right in the middle of town. It was typically busier here, more touristy.
He came into town this evening for a business meeting with a potential client. Most of the trendy restaurants were along this strip. It was always a perfect location for business dinners. The meeting went well, and he was pleased. He’d worked hard and earned a solid reputation in the industry. Nowadays, securing new clients came rather easily. As he left the restaurant, he was thoughtful about his success. He appreciated how far the business had come.
Lachlan noticed the waterfront was unusually quiet. Surprising as it was a rather warm March day. The salty sea air drew him in as it always had since he was a small boy. He’d lived by the sea all his life, and it never got old. He decided to sit and watch the sunset before heading home.
The beach was virtually deserted, but then she came along. A lone jogger with her golden blond hair up in a messy bun, she wore typical running wear, a sleeveless top, calf-length stretch pants, and trainers. Lachlan sat back on the grass and watched her as she slowed her pace and took in the view. It was one of his favourites when it was quiet like this. The old wooden pier stretched out into the breathing sea.
He found himself strangely captivated as she walked onto the pier and out toward the sea. He knew all too well how salubrious it was. You could see the water below you between the cracks of the pier, making you feel almost like you were literally walking on water. The rest of the world, the busy, the stress, all of it could wash away. It was mesmerizing watching her, as if he could feel her reaction to the effect of the gentle waves and the setting sun.
The serenity of the moment came to an abrupt halt. Lachlan watched, horrified, as if in slow motion, but so fast he was powerless to do anything. A familiar, brief fear tangled in his gut as a helpless memory splintered through his mind. No .
She must have caught her foot on an old board because the next thing he saw was her body propelling forward. And as she went down, her head caught on one of the long wood benches that stretched down the sides of the pier. Her neck snapped back in an odious fashion that had Lachlan springing to his feet and racing toward her. His worst fears threatened him. By the time he reached her, she’d recovered enough to sit up, and he felt an instant palpable sense of relief.
“Ye okay, lass?” he asked breathlessly, more from panic than the run. He squatted down beside her. She looked up at him with a soft smile, taking him off guard. She was captivating up close.
A light chuckle escaped her. “Oh, yes, thank you. I’m not sure how I ended up here.” She looked puzzled as she gingerly stood up.
Lachlan reached out to steady her.
She swayed and grabbed onto his forearms. “Just a little dizzy, I guess.” She tried to smile, but her brows pinched together. He couldn’t tell if it was from pain or confusion, but it troubled him.
“Can I help ye get somewhere?” He asked, feeling a growing concern for the lass. She was already stepping back toward the beach with a hand to her head. He noticed her unsteady gate with each wobbly step. “Are ye sure ye should be walking? Maybe ye should sit for a minute or two?” He walked alongside her, wishing he knew how to help, his worry deepening as her balance faltered.
She abruptly stopped and looked at him, and this time, there was no doubt. Her expression was one of utter confusion. And in the next instant, she tumbled toward him. He caught her with ease, but his worst fears coursed through him.
“Lass? Hello?” Lachlan tried to get a response, but she was completely limp in his arms and didn’t make a sound. “Shite,” he bit out, feeling dread coil in his belly.
Without a thought, he scooped her up and carried her off the pier to the grassy reeds at the edge of the beach. He gently laid her down. She was breathing but still out cold. With shaking hands, he pulled out his mobile and called for help.
To his relief, she regained consciousness while he was on the phone. Hanging up with the emergency dispatcher, he focused his attention back to the lass. Not giving a thought to his Armani suit, he knelt in the grassy sand in front of her, and she moved to sit up.
“Easy, lass,” he said, gently helping her to sit.
She grasped her bare arms around her bent knees, and her mossy green eyes landed on his. He smiled lightly. The bewilderment he sensed in her broke his heart, but God, the way her eyes clung to him like he was a lighthouse in a storm. It shook him.