Desperately Seeking Fireman (12 page)

But none of them had involved a late-term pregnant woman with premature rupture of the membranes. His expertise was just enough to know that she needed a damn doctor. They had to get on that boat.

“Is there a ramp we can use?” He called to Charlie. But just then, Jeb heard a shout and turned to see several other people in oilskins jogging down the wharf. Behind them he spotted the bright yellow Santa Lucia fire engine parked at the top of the long ramp. Relief flooded through him.

The Santa Lucia volunteer firefighters were coming to the rescue.

They cheerfully swarmed around Jeb, Melissa and Nita. “Charlie got ahold of us,” one of them explained. “We were clearing some downed power lines.”

“You guys know the ocean better than I do,” he told them. “How do we get her safely on that boat?”

“I’m right here,” muttered Melissa.

Quickly, the firefighters organized themselves into a sort of bucket brigade, with two guys on the boat and two standing next to Melissa, each holding one of her arms. “When I say ‘Go,’ you step forward, ma’am,” said one of them. “That’s all you have to do. We’ll do the rest. Sir, you can step back for a minute.”

“You know what you’re doing?”

“Boats, we know. It’s the fires we’re a little shaky on.”

Muttering a quick prayer, Jeb stepped back. His hand slipped into Nita’s. They clung to each other, holding their breath as they watched the firefighters poised for action. One of them made a smiling comment to Melissa, which seemed to relax her.

“They’re good guys,” Jeb murmured to Nita. “Really good guys.”

And then, during the still moment between waves, when the ocean took a breath before its next onslaught, Melissa stepped forward. The two men onboard grabbed her by the arms as the other two let go. They leveraged her onto the deck of the boat, where she stood, shaking and laughing and bestowing kisses on each and every one of them.

“Come on,” said Jeb. “Our turn.” He propelled Nita forward, into the waiting arms of the firefighters.

They helped Nita aboard first, swinging her across the spitting ocean in the same rhythm they’d used with Melissa. By then Jeb had gotten the hang of it and stepped onto the heaving deck by himself.

“You’re a natural, sir,” said one of the firemen. “Next time you come out we’ll take you fishing.”

“You’re on.” He clapped the nearest two on the back. “You guys keep up the good work.”

“Will do, sir. You’re in good hands with Charlie.” They swarmed off the boat and waved goodbye as Charlie swung the wheel to guide them toward the tossing, rampaging ocean.

Away from the dock, the fishing boat’s rocking, rolling motion felt like that of a bucking bronco. As soon as they hit the first swell, Melissa threw up. There was so much water running across the decks, rainwater and seawater mixed, that it got washed away in seconds.

“I can’t go in that cabin,” she gasped. “Too claustrophobic.”

“That’s fine. But you have to sit down.” If she stood the whole time, she might slip and fall, or get knocked into the ocean.

He guided her to a spot where she could lean her back against the outer bulkhead of the cabin and helped her slide down until she sat, her legs stretched in front of her. Jeb crouched next to her, positioning his body so he was blocking some of the wind and sluicing water. Nita took the bags into the cabin, then came and settled next to Melissa. Nita put her arm around her friend, trying to keep her warm.

After a few more episodes of retching, Melissa closed her eyes and seemed to slip into a trance. Maybe she found the slamming rhythm of the craft and the drone of the engine soothing. At any rate, unconsciousness seemed like an improvement.

“You can sleep too,” he told Nita.

She looked at him as if he were nuts. “I can’t sleep. I need to be here for her if she wakes up.”

“I’m awake,” Melissa murmured. “Just don’t ask me anything challenging.”

“Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m aiming for an out-of-body experience until I’m with Brody. Nothing counts until I see him.”

Jeb exchanged a worried look with Nita. He didn’t like the sound of “out-of-body experience.”

“Anyway, you guys have plenty to talk about without me. You need to figure out how you’re going to do this,” Melissa said.

“An ambulance will be waiting for us at the ferry landing.”

“Not that. You.”

“Me?” Jeb pointed to himself in confusion.

“You and Nita.”

Jeb’s gaze flew to meet Nita’s. It was hard to tell under all her wet, dark hair, but he thought she was blushing.

“What makes you think there’s a Jeb and me?”

“Pregnant woman’s intuition.”

“Well, you’re off base. It would never work out with me and Jeb.” The boat crested a wave, the engine whining as it lost contact with the water. Then it slammed down, jarring every bone in Jeb’s body.

The impact was nothing compared to that of Nita’s statement. “Excuse me? Why not?”

“You just got out of a long marriage.”

“I got divorced a year ago. And the ‘marriage’ part of the marriage died long before. Not a good reason.”

“I’m still trying to get my life back on track after everything that happened.”

“Okay, I’ll give you that one. So we go slow. I’m not pushing anything on you.”

“I’m not like Belinda.”

“You’re not gay? Glad to hear it.”

“Okay, I’m officially asleep now,” said Melissa. She faked a snore, then arched her back as another pain struck.

They helped her through it, letting her squeeze their hands until they turned white. When the pain had passed, and Melissa was once again discreetly pretending to sleep, Nita lowered her voice. “I can’t do it, Jeb. Maybe you look at me and see someone who’s very confident, but let me tell you, it’s all a fake. That’s how I became a press agent. Fake it till you make it; that was my motto. But you know what you can’t fake? You can’t fake making your boyfriend stick around. You can’t fake making your
baby
stick around. That’s the truth about me, Jeb. I’m a failure. Life has shredded me like . . . like . . . cabbage on a taco.
That’s
why we can’t get involved. That’s why you should let it go. Before either of us . . . well, me . . . gets hurt.”

“That’s it? Your reason? Or is there more?” A slow fury was building inside him. She was ready to jettison not only him, but worse than that, herself.

“Th . . . that’s it.”

“If you think that’s what I see when I look at you, you’re dreaming. I don’t see a failure or some kind of overconfident superwoman. I see a woman who I haven’t been able to forget for three years—a woman who doesn’t have to do anything but exist to make me want her. A woman who’s so beautiful my eyes hurt from staring. A woman I want to talk to, and make love to, and sleep next to. You’re not a failure. You’re a beautiful, smart, compassionate woman who’s taken some blows. Why does that mean you have to lock yourself in your little tower room and throw away the key?”

“I . . . I’m not throwing anything away.”

“You’re throwing
us
away.”

“But—”

“Take a look around you. We’re on a little fishing boat in the middle of an ocean that’s trying to drown us, in a rainstorm trying to do the same, with a woman who could give birth at any moment. Do you think this is safe?”

Melissa piped up with a sound of alarm, but Jeb barreled right over her. “No, it’s not safe. It’s
life.
”

Chapter Eleven

A
S IF EMPHASIZING
Jeb’s point, a curling wave swept across the deck, splashing a huge amount of shockingly cold water in Nita’s face. She squeezed her eyes shut and hunched her body against the force of it. When she opened them again, she saw Jeb braced protectively over Melissa. His back was completely drenched. Melissa shivered violently.

“Everyone okay back there?” Charlie called.

“Nita, can you crawl into the wheelhouse and ask if he has any extra gear we can use?”

Nita did as he suggested, making her way on hands and knees into the little wheelhouse. Standing up seemed much too risky. She came back with an extra rain jacket made from thick orange rubbery material. Jeb draped it over Melissa, and they spent the rest of the wild trip huddled together in the corner of the fishing boat. No more talking. That was fine with Nita; Jeb had already given her enough to think about.

When they reached the wharf, the boat riding up against the pilings, Melissa finally opened her eyes. Even though the harbor was much calmer than the wild open ocean, the waves still tossed them around like a bath toy.

“We made it,” Melissa gasped, as Nita and Jeb helped her to her feet. “Where’s Brody?”

“He’ll be here soon,” Nita told her, hoping to God it was true.

Melissa let out a wrenching sob. “I need him. I need Brody.” The words were like a primal cry ripped from her heart. Nita felt tears run down her own face.

Jeb steered Melissa toward the gunwales of the boat. His brisk tone acted like a tonic. “No losing it now, Melissa. Brody’s meeting us at the hospital. We have to get you off this boat so we can find him. Now say goodbye to Charlie.”

Charlie finished fastening the lines to cleats on the wharf, and hurried to join them. “Sorry it was a bit rough out there. On Santa Lucia we say it’s good luck to be born during a storm.”

Melissa’s face, drenched with tears and ocean spray, brightened. “We’ll name the baby Hurricane or something. Stormcloud.”

“Seasick’s a pretty word, if you don’t think about the meaning,” Nita threw in. Melissa laughed, which Nita considered a personal triumph. Jeb shot her a grateful smile, which made her feel like a million bucks.

An ambulance, lights flashing, swung into view. Two paramedics jumped out and dashed toward them. Jeb waved them over, and gave them a quick rundown in medical jargon while Nita supported Melissa.

Then they were whisking her off. Nita’s last glimpse of Melissa was of her white face and brave wave. “See you at the hospital,” she called to her. “We’ll be right behind you.”

Charlie shoved aside his oilskins and dug in his pocket. “Take my car,” he told them. “It’s the old yellow mustang parked around the corner.”

“Charlie,” Jeb began, then broke off as a powerful emotion gripped him. He swallowed, cleared his throat, then tried again. “You did good. Real good.”

“Yeah?” The kid’s face lit up. “Even compared to a real fireman?”

“You are real. Real as anyone. If you ever need anything, you call me. If you come to San Gabriel, first round’s on me. And the second. In fact, don’t even bother to bring your wallet.”

Charlie grinned. “Who are you kidding? You won’t be able to stay away from San-L. You can buy me a shot at Old Mort’s. I gotta get back out and see what kind of mess the guys are dealing with. Leave my car keys with the harbormaster if you aren’t coming back.”

With a last wave, he jumped back on his boat. Nita watched him go, blinking away her own tears. That cheerful young sprig of a man had saved them. But Jeb had made it possible. Without Jeb . . . she shuddered. She didn’t even want to think about that.

“Come on,” he said now, grabbing her hand. “I don’t know when Brody’s going to get here, and Melissa needs familiar faces. You ready?”

She nodded. Maybe she ought to feel awkward, since she didn’t really know where they stood, she and Jeb, after that conversation on the boat. But she didn’t feel awkward. The only thing she felt was gratitude for his quick-thinking, rock-solid presence, and pure happiness to be holding his hand.

He didn’t let go much at all during the drive to the County Hospital. Only when he had to shift gears or make an extreme turn. They stayed latched together, unwilling to lose contact, as they located the hospital, parked, and made their way into the emergency room. The charge nurse directed them to the maternity ward.

“That means it’s really happening,” Jeb murmured. “The baby’s coming. Brody better get here soon.”

A
N HOUR LATER,
Brody burst into the waiting room of the maternity ward, waking Nita from her exhausted slumber against Jeb’s shoulder. Anchored by Jeb’s arm, surrounded by the scent of his leather jacket and the ocean salt drying on his body, she’d slipped into a delicious sleep. But the wild-eyed man who careened into the hospital lounge changed all that.

“Stone!” He practically leaped across the room. His hair stood up from his head in all directions. Nita had always known Brody as a powerfully contained, calm sort of man. She’d never seen this side of him. “Where is she? How’s she doing? What did the doctor say?”

“She’s fine. Premature membrane rupture, she’s been in labor for about two hours. They said you should go in as soon as you get here. She’s been asking for you every two minutes.”

“Thank God. I’m going.” He turned, then spun back around and yanked Jeb into a hard hug. “I owe you, man.”

“No you don’t. What are brothers for?”

“I’ll never forget this.”

Then it was Nita’s turn. Brody hugged her too, then speared her with that intense charcoal-gray gaze. Suddenly she felt like a bedraggled duckling with her damp hair hanging down her back. “Thanks for taking care of my heart,” he said seriously. Then he was gone, leaving Nita to sink back into the chair next to Jeb and ponder his phrasing.

His heart. Melissa was his heart, his core. He must have been terrified of losing her. Melissa must feel something similar every time she watched Brody head to the fire station. Storms, fires, accidents . . . anything could happen. But that didn’t keep Brody and Melissa from loving each other with all their hearts.

Jeb was right. Avoiding love might keep her safe. But was that the life she wanted?

She stole a sidelong glance at him. His legs were stretched to their full length, his head tilted back. His eyes were closed, those thick black eyelashes vulnerable against his cheeks. Soft snores riffled his nostrils. He’d worked so hard to get them here, to stand in for Brody, to keep Melissa safe and her spirits high. No wonder he was exhausted.

She curled up against him, even though the armrest between their two seats dug into her ribs. Her desire to be close to him kept growing with every second she spent with him. The shocking truth was . . . the shocking truth was . . . she’d fallen for him.