Chapter 3
Tiffany 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.”