Born Ready (14 page)

Amidst the bright blood staining the blue water, Scott’s temple pounded as he reached down to scoop the limp boy into his arms. Poor kid. He couldn’t have been more than ten.

He was vaguely aware of people ringing the shoreline. He sloshed over the rocks, slipping and tripping. Salt water splashed up, stung his eyes. Undaunted, he slogged on. When something banged into the back of his leg, Scott went tumbling forward.

The pain hit a split second later.

Sharp and jagged agony seared through his calf and knocked him to his knees. On the shore, someone screamed. He felt sticky blood bloom, and slip hotly down his own leg.

Hell’s bells. He’d been bitten by a shark out in the middle of nowhere with a critically wounded child in his arms.

Coast Guard is on the way. You’ll both be okay. Just get out of the water before the damn shark attacks again.

Scott forced himself to stand in spite of the pain. His leg burned and throbbed. Dammit. This was not how he’d pictured the day ending.

“He’s been bitten, too!” The child’s mother screamed. “Oh, my God, oh, my God. The shark got him, too!”

Great. Here he was getting cold and clammy and dizzy and he had to deal with a hysterical mother.

Scott collapsed on the shore, the kid cradled tightly against his chest. He looked up at the sky and noticed how pretty and white the clouds looked. Fluffy. Nice.

“Scott?”

A soft, calm soothing voice came from a beautiful blonde staring down at him.

“Mermaid,” he croaked and reached up a finger to trace the prettiest strawberry-red lips he’d ever seen. He felt her warm hands on his leg. Inhaled her scent. Mermaids smelled so good. Not fishy at all.

“You’re going to be fine. Hang on.” Then the mermaid took the child from his arms. “I’ve got him. You can let go, Coastie.”

Reality faded in and out. He heard voices, but his vision was blurry. What a wimp. Passing out over a little shark bite.

Snap out of it, Everly. Rise to the occasion. Get up.

Shark bit. He’d been shark bit.

It’s not as bad as when you got shot with the harpoon.
That random thought passed through his head. Because this time the mermaid was here. Everything was easier with a mermaid around.

The ground vibrated beneath him. What was this? An earthquake? Then he heard the familiar whir of helicopter blades.

Here comes the cavalry. Thank God for the Coast Guard.

“Scott, stay with me,” the mermaid commanded. “You’re doing fine. You saved the boy and he’s going to be fine, too.”

Hot dusty air blew over him. The sound of the helicopter blades grew deafening.

“Scott?”

He felt a smart sting against his cheek. The mermaid had slapped him? Who knew mermaids were so damned saucy. “Mermaid.”

“You are not going under. You hear me? How embarrassing would that be? Hotshot Coast Guard done in by a little bitty bull shark?”

A trash-talking mermaid. He reached up to finger a tendril of her blond hair. The earth shook so hard he could barely breathe. The sounds of a helicopter filled his ears. He smelled motor oil. His vision dimmed.

“Scott, stay awake.”

The mermaid sounded very faraway now.
Please, pretty mermaid. Don’t go away. Not yet, not yet.

For one instant he was nothing but sensation. Enveloped in sound, vibration, smell. Except for sight. He couldn’t see much now. All he could see was a tunnel and at the very end a beguiling mermaid waited.

And then Scott heard nothing at all.

JACKIE FELT OUT OF PLACE in a hospital and she didn’t really know what to do, but it seemed like bad form not to show up.

There hadn’t been enough room for her in the helicopter what with Scott, the injured boy, the boy’s mother and the medic packed onboard.

So Jackie had taken Scott’s boat back to Key West, with all kinds of horrible scenarios circling in her mind. When she got to the hospital, the staff directed her to the waiting area. There she’d found a room packed with Coast Guard. She’d almost fled, but the Sector commander, Carl Dugan, had seen her and motioned her inside.

“How bad is Scott?” she asked bluntly, trying her best to tamp down the dread that had been building inside her since the incident.

“Scott’s shark bite was a just bump and run,” Carl said. “The shark hit his calf but didn’t take any tissue. He lost a small amount of blood. Not any big deal really.”

“But he lost consciousness. Surely that’s cause for concern.”

“Not from blood loss,” Carl said. “His blood pressure dropped and he fainted. The doctor called it neurally mediated hypotension. Apparently, it’s not all that uncommon an occurrence in young, healthy people. The usual triggers are standing or sitting for prolonged periods, strenuous exercise, hot weather, emotional stress, and it most frequently happens after eating a meal. It’s not a condition that needs treatment.”

They’d stood during the long boat ride to the Dry Tortugas. They’d scuba dived. The weather had been warm and humid. The stress of taking care of the boy and getting shark bit. They had just eaten.

“Scott fainted? That was it?” Relief pulsed through her. Scott was going to be okay.

“Yeah.” The entire room rolled with laughter. “He fainted.”

“Well,” Carl said in Scott’s defense. “There was a shark involved. It’s not a pleasant experience.”

“If Scott is fine, then why is everyone here?”

“We’re here for the boy,” Carl said. “He’s in surgery. They’re working to save his leg.”

“What about the blood loss?”

“They had to give the boy blood, but thanks to Scott, he’s going to make it. If Scott hadn’t been there…” Carl left the sentence unfinished. “He’s a true hero. Even if he did faint.”

More snickers went around the room.

“So where’s Scott?”

“In a treatment room getting examined.”

“Well, if he’s going to be fine…” Jackie hesitated, torn on whether to leave or stay.

“Sit down.” Dugan patted the chair next to him. “He’ll be happy to see you.”

Jackie thought of a dozen excuses not to stay, but Dugan eyed her expectantly, so she sat. Secretly, she was glad that she could stay.

Half an hour later, a side door opened and a nurse appeared. She stood aside and Scott came through the door on crutches, a sheepish grin on his face. His right leg was wrapped up in an Ace bandage.

“He’s all yours,” the nurse announced.

The Coast Guard in the room jumped to their feet and saluted him as he hobbled into the waiting room.

“Sit down, knock it off,” he growled sheepishly.

Several guys came over to slap him on the back and call him a hero. He shook his head, burdened by embarrassment. Midway across the floor, he stopped. His eyes lit on hers and Jackie felt an inexplicable tightening in her chest.

“I fainted,” he said. “Like a little girl.”

“You saved a boy’s life. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

He arched an eyebrow. “You came.”

“I did.”

“I didn’t expect it.”

“Well, if I’d known you’d just fainted…” she teased. “I brought your boat back.”

“Thanks.”

Just then, two women rushed into the waiting room. One was a pretty girl in her mid-twenties with hair as dark as Scott’s, the other woman was older. Early fifties.

“Scotty! My poor baby.” The older woman ran to him. “You scared the daylights out of us!”

Scott’s face reddened. “Mom,” he mumbled, tolerating her exuberant hug. “It’s no big deal.”

“We were in Miami when we heard,” the dark-haired girl said. “Wedding shopping.”

“C’mon, I’m fine.”

His mother placed a palm over her heart. “After you got shot with that harpoon. After your father…” She trailed off.

“I know, I know, but everything is okay.”

Jackie started inching backward. She didn’t belong here. She was nothing more than Scott’s potential bed buddy. She didn’t want to get in the middle of a family reunion.

“Mom, Megan, there’s someone I want you to meet,” Scott said.

No, no, don’t do this.

Feeling like a rat in a trap, Jackie forced a smile as the two women turned to see who Scott was grinning at.

“Jackie, this is my mother and my younger sister, Megan. Everyone, this is Jack Birchard’s daughter, Jacqueline.”

She glowered at him.
Gee, thanks for that.

“Oh, hello,” Megan said brightly and moved to extend her hand, forcing Jackie to take it. “Your father is amazing. I caught his latest documentary on PBS last week.”

“He’s pretty special.” Jackie nodded, tight-lipped.

“What’s it like having such a brilliant parent?” Scott’s mother asked.

“Brilliant,” Jackie echoed.

“Are you two—” Megan toggled a finger between Scott and Jackie “—seeing each other?”

“I was at the Tortugas with him when Scott fainted. I brought his boat back when he was airlifted.” Jackie jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “I was just leaving.”

“You were airlifted!” Scott’s mother exclaimed, clucking over him like a hen over her chick.

Jackie shifted uncomfortably, gazed longingly at the door. It was just a few feet away. So close and yet so far.

Megan touched Jackie’s arm. “I just had a marvelous idea. Why don’t you come to our party Saturday night as Scott’s plus one? It’s at the aquarium. My boss is throwing my fiancé and I a belated engagement party.”

“You’re getting married? Congratulations.”

“Next weekend. Wait…” She turned to her brother. “You can still make it to the party, can’t you?”

Say no.
Jackie prayed.

“Like a shark bite is going to keep me away from your engagement party,” Scott scoffed.

Megan directed her beaming smile back on Jackie. “So can you make it?”

“Um, I don’t know…I’ve got a lot of work to do and—”

“C’mon, Jackie,” Scott coaxed. “It’s the aquarium. Besides, I owe you. Let me make up for today.”

If you owe me, let me out of this!

She mentally willed the message to him, but he didn’t pick up on it. “No need,” she said. “We’re cool. Cucumbers.”

“You’ve got to come,” Scott’s mother insisted. “You were there for my Scotty in his time of need.
I
owe you.”

“I’m really busy. I’m a graduate student doing research for my doctorate and…”

“Everyone needs to take a break now and then.” Scott’s mother clicked her tongue.

What was it with this family and taking breaks? How did they ever get anything accomplished?

“Pretty please?” Megan coaxed.

Apparently, they weren’t going to let her out of this. Her eyes met Scott’s and he mouthed one word.

Sex.

Jackie fought to suppress a smile. Great. This was what she had to do to get laid?

“Yes,” she relented, even though she’d rather have a root canal than go to an engagement party. It was the reward afterward that she was searching for. “I’ll come.”

Her gaze met Scott’s again and she could have sworn he whispered, “Yes, you will.”

8

Living life one wave at a time.

—Megan Everly, daughter and sister of Coast Guard

IT BOTHERED JACKIE that she was looking forward to the party. In the past, parties had been nothing more than boring social obligations where she was forced to orbit her father’s sun.