by Laura Scott
“Maybe we should head back,” she murmured.
There was a long silence while he steered the boat off into a small cove where there weren’t many other boats. When he killed the motor, he turned to look at her with a smile. “I promised you a picnic, so why don’t we drop anchor here and eat?”
Since she didn’t really want to leave—being out on the boat was so much nicer than being stuck at home—she nodded. “All right.”
“Great. Just give me a minute.” Reese pulled the anchor out from beneath the bench seat and dropped it over the side. She was surprised at how he seemed to ignore the wound in his left arm. Surely it had to still hurt? He wore a T-shirt today, and it looked like a fresh gauze strip had been wrapped around his arm.
“Seems like you’re the type to have a boat of your own,” she said, watching him move around with confidence. “You obviously know what you’re doing.”
He froze for a moment and then shrugged. “Boats cost money, and I work too much to make the investment worthwhile.” He avoided her gaze as he pulled up the short canopy to provide some shade. Maybe it was her imagination, but he seemed tense. Or maybe defensive. “You should sit under here so you don’t burn.”
“Believe me, I lathered up with sunscreen, but thanks.” She took the seat directly beneath the canopy, wondering if she’d made him mad. Was he sensitive about money? She had no idea how much DNR game wardens made, but surely he didn’t have too many bills living alone.
Not that it was any of her business. She waited as Reese pulled out the sandwiches, chips and two bottles of water.
“I hope you don’t mind turkey on whole wheat,” he said, handing her a wrapped package. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I took a guess based on the chicken sandwich you had last night.”
“Turkey on whole wheat is exactly what I would have ordered,” she assured him. “Why? What do you have?”
“Roast beef.” When he grinned, he looked younger, more carefree, and she decided her imagination had been working overtime earlier. Right now, Reese Webster looked as if he didn’t have a care in the world, despite being shot in the arm by a poacher. “But if you didn’t like turkey, I would have traded.”
She laughed and bit into her sandwich, suddenly starving. “Guess today is your lucky day.”
“Absolutely,” he agreed, and his intense gaze made her wonder if he was talking about being out with her, rather than the sandwich.
She told herself to get a grip. They were friends helping each other out. Nothing more. Averting her gaze, she looked out over the lake, amazed to realize it was actually much larger than she’d originally thought. And so many people. Kids and adults alike were tubing, skiing and playing around on Jet Skis. There were even a few kids swimming, but they were on a floaty thing closer to shore, well out of the way from the motorized toys.
“Is this your first boat ride?” Reese asked.
She grimaced. “Is it that obvious? Yes, this is my first boat ride. I grew up in the city, and even though Baltimore is on the coast, I never had the opportunity to go out on the ocean.”
“Crystal Lake is way different than being out on the ocean,” Reese said dryly. “The waves get pretty choppy out in the Atlantic.”
“Did you live on the ocean?” she asked, curious about Reese’s life. He’d mentioned not having any family, no one to worry about him, but she sensed right now he was speaking from experience.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I did live on the ocean. On a boat in the ocean.” At her puzzled glance, he clarified. “I did a four-year stint in the navy.”
“And here I thought your mother drilled those manners into you,” she teased. “I should have guessed you spent time in the military.”
“Oh, my mother expected manners too,” he said dryly. “She’s been gone for three years, but I’m sure I’d hear her chiding me if I didn’t keep up what she taught.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” she said. “Cancer?”
“Brain aneurysm.” The words came out clipped. “We were told to be happy she went quickly and didn’t suffer.” His expression told her what he thought about that idea.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated, understanding this topic was treading on shaky ground. She knew from dealing with patients that sometimes the abrupt deaths were the most difficult just because they were so unexpected. Most families grieved about being unable to say good-bye. “I’m sure that was very difficult for you and your family. I hope you can find a little comfort in knowing she’s in a much better place now.”
He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Maybe. Once I might have believed that, although I’m not so sure anymore.”
She didn’t know what had happened to cause him to lose his faith, but she sensed he had secrets. But what difference did it make? So did she. For a moment, she sat back, wondering if this was the reason that God had thrown Reese into her path.
To help him rediscover his faith.
A mission she couldn’t refuse.
Reese finished his food, searching for a way to change the subject. How had they gone from sharing a picnic to talking about death? Not exactly a good topic for spending the afternoon on the lake.
“Do you want to swim?” he asked. “I can’t because of the stitches, but you could.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I don’t think so. I didn’t bring a swimming suit.”
Her laugh made her look innocent, a far cry from the determined doctor he’d watched perform surgery on Boyle. It was difficult to ignore Katy’s beauty, the way her hair came loose from her braid, trailing around her face, and her cheeks turning pink from the sun.
“Well, then, I guess we’ll do another swing around the lake before heading in.” Strange how he didn’t want this day to end. Normally he preferred spending time alone, hiking in the woods with no one but Duke for company. His buddies called him a hermit, and maybe that was partially true. He didn’t particularly care for crowds, but it was also easier to save money when you didn’t go out or do anything for fun.
In fact, the money he’d spent today, gas for the boat and their modest lunch, was the first money he’d spent on something frivolous since Suzanne had left him.
He waited for the flash of guilt, but it never came. Even knowing he’d have to come up with the cash for the deductible on his insurance didn’t make him regret the money he’d spent today.
“Here, let me,” Katy said, taking the wrapping and napkins from his hands. Their fingers brushed, sending a little zip up his arm.
“I’ll get the anchor then,” he muttered, edging around her to the bow of the boat. By the time he had the anchor pulled up and the canopy down, she had all the garbage tucked away in a neat little bag.
“Thanks for the picnic,” she said. “And for the boat ride.”
“You’re welcome. Hang on.” He pushed the throttle forward, steering the boat back out to the center of the lake.
Katy put her hand up to shade her eyes as she gazed out at the skiers. He’d love to get her up on skis and wondered if she’d be willing. Not now, but maybe in a few weeks or so.
Wait a minute, what was he thinking? This wasn’t a date. This was just a way to say thank you for the way she’d helped him out.
“Reese, hurry! Look over there! That boy is having trouble.”
Her shout pushed his thoughts aside, and he squinted in the direction she pointed. He caught sight of a kid who looked to be about ten years old, floundering in the water. He cranked the wheel and pushed the speed as far as he dared to reach the boy.
“He’s under! Hurry!” Before he realized what she intended to do, she kicked off her shoes and climbed up along the side of the boat.
“Wait, I’ll go,” he called, but it was too late. Katy dove into the water.
He pulled back the throttle, trying to come up alongside the spot where he’d last seen the child. The lake was murky, mostly from all the mud that had been churned up from the boat motors. He held his breath until K
aty’s head broke the surface in roughly the spot where they’d seen the boy go down.
She took another deep breath and then went back down in the water. How in the world she’d find the kid was beyond him. He struggled to come up with another plan, but if he dove into the water, who would manage the boat? No, he couldn’t risk it.
Suddenly, the boy surfaced, waving his arms frantically.
“Over here!” Reese called, pulling out the round lifesaver. He tossed it toward the boy, but the kid was too panicked and abruptly sank back down beneath the surface again.
“Come on, come on,” he urged under his breath. And for the first time in years, he sent up a silent prayer.
Lord, please save him! Save them both!
After what seemed like an eternity, two heads broke the surface of the water, and he felt an overwhelming relief. Katy had the child, but he soon realized the boy was limp, as if he was unconscious.
Not dead. Please, Lord, not dead!
“Grab the life preserver. I’ll pull you in.” Reese knew they had to move quickly.
Katy grabbed ahold of the life preserver and used it to help keep the boy’s head above water. Reese slowly pulled them in, amazed to see that she was trying to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation right there in the water. It couldn’t have been easy, but somehow she was making it work.
“Help me get him up,” she gasped when he pulled them to the edge of the boat. He flipped the ladder down and leaned over the side to grasp the boy beneath his arms. The kid was light, so it didn’t take much to yank him out of the water.
He put the boy down on the floor of the boat while Katy climbed in. Water poured off her in tiny streams as she came over to kneel beside the boy. He swallowed hard as she pressed her fingers to the child’s neck. “He has a pulse, but we need to get the water out of his lungs.”
Reese nodded. “I can help. Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Just keep his head turned to the side.” She straddled the boy and performed several abdominal thrusts. Then she went back to try and give more mouth-to-mouth breathing, forcing air into his lungs.
Abruptly, the boy started choking, and she quickly rolled him over on his side just in time for him to throw up all the water he’d swallowed. He continued to cough and gag, struggling for air while Katy quietly reassured him.
Once Reese saw that the boy was okay, he stepped over them to take the wheel. Now that he was paying attention to the other people on the lake, he could see there was a boat barreling down on them. Not the blond dude, but several people crowded around, looking anxious.
“Jacob! Are you okay?” one of them called.
“Are those your parents?” he asked.
“My friend’s parents,” the kid mumbled. “They’re gonna be mad at me ’cause I told them I could swim.”
Reese met Katy’s concerned gaze over the boy’s head. She put her arm around the boy’s bony shoulders and gave him a reassuring squeeze. “First of all, they’re going to be happy that you’re okay. But you shouldn’t have lied to them, Jacob. Not about something this important. You almost drowned today.”
“I know,” Jacob said, his tiny body shaking now that the immediate threat was over. He sniffled loudly. “I’m sorry about the mess on your boat, mister.”
Reese flashed the boy a warm smile. “Hey, don’t worry about it, I’ll get it cleaned up in no time.”
“Jacob? What happened?” A woman called out as the boat slid alongside them. “Are you all right?”
“He’s fine,” Katy assured them. “But he should probably be checked out at the hospital, just to be sure. I’m afraid he inhaled quite a bit of water.”
“I’m sorry,” Jacob said, hanging his head low. “I should have been wearing a life jacket the way you told me to.”
“Yes, you should have, but right now, I’m just thankful you’re all right.” The woman flashed a grateful smile at Katy. “You look familiar,” she said. “My name is Andrea Walters.”
“I’m Dr. Katy Reichert. I work in the Hope County ER.”
“Lucky for us you were here to help Jacob,” Andrea said with a smile. “When we realized he’d fallen in, we swung around but couldn’t see him. I’m so glad you were able to find him.”
“It’s no problem.” Katy reached over to hold the boats together so Jacob could get across. The family welcomed him by wrapping him in a towel and then plunking a life jacket over his head and tying it securely.
Katy pushed the boat away and turned back to face Reese. “Do you have a towel, by chance?” she asked, trying to wring out her soaked clothing.
“Right here.” He pulled a towel out, and she took it gratefully.
“Well, that was an exciting end to our picnic,” she said, pulling the towel across her shoulders and crossing the ends in front of her chest. “Although I wouldn’t have minded skipping the water rescue part.”
“Once again, you were amazing,” he said as he turned the boat toward the community pier. “I nearly had heart failure when you jumped in. Why didn’t you let me do it?”
“Did you forget about your stitches? Besides, I don’t know how to steer a boat.”
Maybe he had forgotten the stupid stitches, but that wouldn’t have held him back from trying to rescue the boy. “You must have lifeguard training.”
“No, just instincts.” She sighed. “But that was too close. I couldn’t see anything in the water, and I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to save him. All I could do was pray.”
“I prayed too.” The words popped out of his mouth before he could stop them.
Katy’s quick smile made him feel like a fraud. Just because he’d prayed in a time of crisis didn’t mean he was a reformed Christian or anything.
“God is always there for us, Reese,” Katy said softly. Even with her matted-down hair and soaking-wet clothes, she still looked beautiful. “No matter what may have happened in the past. I hope you give Him another chance.”
“I’ll try,” was the extent of what he was willing to commit to.
She smiled again, and he forced himself to concentrate on what he was doing. He knew better than to encourage her. Why had he even suggested this picnic in the first place? It wasn’t as if he could offer her anything more than friendship. There was no way he could risk getting involved in another relationship. Not when his job required him to be gone for long hours at a time. Maybe it wasn’t as long as the stints he’d pulled in the navy, but long enough.
Katy was smart, talented, and a doctor, for heaven’s sake. She saved people’s lives every day. Even if he was in the market for a relationship, she was way out of his reach. She deserved far better than a loner who was up to his eyeballs in debt.
The sooner his brain got that message, the better.
Chapter Six
“Are you sure you don’t want me to drop you off at your house?” Reese asked.
Katy shook her head. “As much as I’d like that, there isn’t a pier over there. I guess I’d rather not wade through the muck to get on land.”
“All right.”
She watched as Reese deftly maneuvered the boat along the community pier. Walking back to her house wouldn’t take too long, although she knew her appearance would make people curious enough to stare and ask questions. The hardest thing to get used to in Crystal Lake was the way everyone knew everyone else’s business.
“I’d offer you my motel room, but I don’t have clothes that would fit you,” Reese said apologetically.
Had he figured out what she was thinking? She really needed to work on her poker face. “It’s not a big deal. Think of the possible rumors. Maybe the citizens of Crystal Lake will assume you tossed me in the water after I broke things off with you.”
He chuckled. “Now there’s a thought. Or maybe you were so upset by our breakup that you jumped in the water on purpose.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “Anyone who knows me wouldn’t believe that for a minute.”
He opened his mouth as if he
were about to say something but then must have thought better of it. “Do you want me to walk you home?”
“No need,” she responded hastily. “But maybe I should help you clean up the mess first.”
“No, just head home to change your clothes,” he said firmly. “Duke can keep me company while I clean this up.”
She nodded and told herself she was not afraid of Reese’s dog. But the animal was a reminder that they were friends and nothing more. “All right. Thanks again for the picnic and boat ride.”
“You’re welcome.” He didn’t meet her eyes as he helped her off the boat. She was halfway to her house before she realized she still had his towel.
She made a mental note to make sure to get it back to him as soon as she’d washed it. Not that he probably cared one way or the other about a beach towel.
Was she looking for an excuse to see him again? No, absolutely not.
But after she showered and changed, she put a small load of laundry in the washing machine, including the towel and her smelly lake clothes.
Better to return the stupid towel than to keep it as some sort of memento of their afternoon together.
As the afternoon wore on, the weather grew more stifling, to the point that cooking dinner was not a viable option. She was almost out of fresh veggies too, so she couldn’t even throw together a salad.
There was an old-fashioned ice cream parlor on Main Street, unfortunately a little too close to the Crystal Lake Motel for comfort. But was she really going to sit here just to avoid Reese? Talk about ridiculous. For all she knew, he was probably back out on the boat, with Duke for company.
She left her house and walked toward town, cringing at the number of people crowding the sidewalks. Not that she should complain—Crystal Lake depended on tourism for a good portion of its financial stability. Summer was the high point, but they saw good business during the fall festival and hunting season. They were even blessed to have tourists come to cross-country ski and snowmobile in the winter.
No doubt the hunting season was the busiest for Reese and the rest of the DNR game wardens. Although she hadn’t realized poaching was such a problem until Reese had first shown up in the ER after being clawed by a wounded bear.