Saved by the Single Dad

by Annie Claydon

  He nodded. ‘Yeah. Needs a cool head, not a hot one.’

  Good answer. Cass turned to the door. ‘Shall we go and see whether there’s any more tea going?’

  * * *

  They collected their tea from an apparently unending supply in the kitchen, and Jack followed Cass as she dodged the few steps into the back of the church building. She led him along a maze of silent corridors and through a doorway, so small that they both had to duck to get through it.

  They were in a closed porch. Arched wooden doors led through to the church on one side and on the other a second door was secured by heavy metal bolts. Tall, stone-framed windows, glazed in a diamond pattern of small pieces of glass, so old that they were almost opaque. A gargoyle, perched up in a corner, grinned down at them.

  ‘I reckoned you might like to drink your tea in peace.’ She reached up to switch on a battery-operated lantern, which hung from one of the stone scrolls which flanked the doorway. ‘Martin’s lent me this place for the duration. I come here to think.’

  It looked more like somewhere to hide than think. Jack wondered why she should need such a place when she was clearly surrounded by family and friends here. She seemed so involved with her community, so trusted, and yet somehow she held herself apart from it.

  All the same, for some reason she’d let him in and it felt like too much of a privilege to question it. Jack took his jacket off and sat down on one of the stone benches that ran the length of the porch. She proffered a cushion, from a pile hidden away in an alcove in the corner, and he took it gratefully.

  ‘You’ve made yourself at home here. It’s warm as well. And oddly peaceful.’ Jack looked around. Listening to the storm outside, rather than struggling against it, made the old walls seem like a safe cocoon.

  ‘I like it. These stones are so thick it’s always the same temperature, winter or summer.’ She laid her coat out on the bench and smoothed her half-dried hair behind her ears.

  ‘Makes a good refuge.’ He smiled, in an indication that she could either take the observation seriously or pass it off as a joke if she chose.

  ‘Yeah. You should ask Martin about that; he’s a bit of a history buff. Apparently there was an incident during the English Civil War when Cavaliers claimed refuge here. They camped out in this porch for weeks.’

  Fair enough. So she didn’t want to talk about it.

  ‘I’d like you to stay with Lynette tonight, at the vicarage. Keep an eye on her.’

  She nodded. ‘I don’t have much choice. My house is a little way downriver from the bridge. It was partially flooded even before this afternoon.’

  ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

  Cass leaned back, stretching her legs out in front of her. ‘I’ve been expecting it for days and at least I had a chance to get everything upstairs, which is a lot more than some people have had. It’s my own stupid fault, anyway.’

  ‘So you’re the one, are you? That’s been making it rain.’

  She really was stunningly beautiful when she smiled. Warm and beautiful, actually, with a touch of vulnerability that belied her matter-of-fact attitude and her capable do-anything frame. But she seemed far too ready to blame herself when things went wrong.

  ‘I wish. Then I could make it stop. The house has been in my family for generations and it’s always been safe from flooding.’

  ‘But not on your watch?’ Jack realised he’d hit a nerve from the slight downward quirk of her lips.

  ‘There used to be a drystone wall, banked up on the inside, which acted as a barrier between the house and the river. My grandparents levelled a stretch of it to give easy access to build an extension at the back. When they died they left the house to Lynette and me and, as she and Steven already had a place up in the village, I bought her out. I was pretty stretched for cash and thought I couldn’t afford to reinstate the wall for a few years. Turns out I couldn’t afford not to.’

  ‘You’re being a bit hard on yourself, aren’t you? I’d be devastated if my place were flooded.’

  Cass shrugged. ‘I’m concentrating on Lynette and the baby. Bricks and mortar can wait.’

  Jack nodded, sipping his tea.

  ‘So how about you?’ She seemed intent on changing the subject now. ‘You have children?’

  ‘A little girl. Ellie’s four.’

  She smiled. ‘That’s nice. I’m sorry we’re keeping you away from her.’

  If he was honest, he was sorry about that too. Jack knew exactly what it was like to have to come to terms with the idea that his father was never coming back, and he’d promised Ellie that he would always come back for her. Right now the storm and the floods made that impossible, and the feeling that he was letting Ellie down was eating at him.

  Cass didn’t need to know that. ‘I’m concentrating on Lynette and the baby too.’ He received a bright grin in acknowledgement of the sentiment. ‘I’d really like to call my daughter to say goodnight, though. Would you mind if I borrowed your phone?’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ She stood up, handing her phone over. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’

  ‘That’s okay. Say hello to her.’

  She hesitated and then sat back down with a bump. Awkwardly, she pointed to one of the icons on the small screen.

  ‘You could try a video call. She might like to see you.’

  ‘Yeah, she would. Thanks.’

  Jack couldn’t remember his sister’s mobile number so he called the landline, repeating Cass’s mobile number over to Sarah. ‘My sister’s going to get back to us.’

  ‘Your wife works too?’

  ‘I’m a single father. Sarah has a boy of Ellie’s age and she looks after her when I’m working.’

  ‘Sounds like a good arrangement.’ She seemed to be getting more uncomfortable by the minute. If he hadn’t already come to the conclusion that Cass could deal with almost anything, he would have said she was flustered.

  He didn’t have time to question why because the phone rang. Cass leaned over, jabbing an icon on the screen to switch on the camera and answer the call.

  * * *

  He was so in love with Ellie. Cass had reckoned that a wife and family would put Jack firmly out of bounds, which was the best place for him as far as she was concerned. But he was handsome, caring, funny...and single. She was going to have to work a little harder now, because allowing herself to be tempted by Jack was just an exercise in loss.

  ‘Daddeee!’ An excited squeal came from the phone and Cass averted her gaze. Jack held the phone out in front of him, his features softening into a grin that made her want to run away screaming.

  ‘Ellie! What are you up to, darling?’

  ‘We’re having tea. Then Ethan and me are going to watch our film.’

  ‘Again, sweetie? Doesn’t Auntie Sarah want to watch something else on TV?’ He chuckled as a woman’s voice sounded, saying that if it kept the kids quiet, she was happy.

  ‘Listen, Ellie...’ He waited until the commotion on the other end of the line subsided. ‘Ellie, Daddy’s got to work, so you’ll be staying with Auntie Sarah for tonight.’

  Silence. Then a little voice sounded. ‘I know. Miss you, Daddy.’

  Cass almost choked with emotion. When she looked at Jack, he seemed to have something in his eye. ‘I miss you too, sweetie. You know you’re always my number one girl. And I’ll be back soon to give you big hugs.’

  ‘How big?’

  ‘As big as a bear. No, bigger than that. As big as our house.’

  A little squeal of delight from Ellie. Cass imagined that Jack’s hugs were something to look forward to.

  ‘As big as our house...’

  ‘Yeah.’ Jack was grinning broadly now. ‘Be good for Auntie Sarah, won’t you.’

  ‘I’m always good.’ Ellie’s voice carried a
note of reproof.

  ‘Sure you are. Would you like to meet my new friend?’ He winked at Cass and her heart jolted so hard she almost fainted. ‘She’s a firefighter.’

  ‘She has a fire engine?’ Ellie was obviously quite taken with the idea.

  ‘Why don’t you ask her?’ Jack chuckled and handed the phone over to Cass.

  A little girl was staring at her. Light brown curls and luminous brown eyes. She was the image of Jack.

  ‘Hi, Ellie. I’m Cassandra.’ She wondered whether Ellie was a bit young to get her tongue around the name. Child development wasn’t her forte. ‘All my friends call me Cass.’

  ‘You’re a fire lady? With a fire engine?’ Ellie was wriggling excitedly.

  ‘Yes, that’s right.’

  ‘Do you have a ladder?’

  ‘Yes, more than one. And we have a hose, for putting out all the fires.’

  ‘Auntie Sarah...!’ Ellie clearly wanted to share this exciting news.

  ‘Yes, I heard. Tell Cassandra that you’ve seen a fire engine.’ The woman’s voice again, laughing.

  ‘I’ve seen a fire engine.’ Ellie turned the edges of her mouth down theatrically. ‘It was a long, long, long way away...’

  Suddenly Cass knew exactly what to say to Ellie. ‘Tell you what. We’re having an Open Day at our fire station soon. We’re showing all the children around...’ She was about to add that Ellie would have to ask her father if she might come, but that seemed to be a foregone conclusion.

  ‘Yesss! Daddeee!’

  Jack shot Cass a wry smile. ‘Do I get to come along too, Ellie?’

  Cass thought she could almost see the little girl roll her eyes.

  ‘You have to take me, Daddy. I can’t drive...’

  ‘Ah, yes, of course. Looks like it’s the two of us, then. Say thank you to Cassandra.’

  Jack leaned in, speaking over her shoulder, and Cass swallowed a gasp, suddenly aware that his body was very close.

  ‘Thank you, Cassandra.’

  Ellie managed the name without even blinking, and Jack chuckled.

  ‘Time to say bye-bye now, sweetheart.’ Ellie responded by waving and blowing a kiss, then Jack took the phone from her to say his own goodnight to his daughter.

  Cass stood up, her limbs suddenly trembling. It was impossible to fall in love in so short a time and over the phone. And, if she was honest with herself, she hadn’t fallen in love with Ellie’s brown eyes but with Jack’s. But he was a grown man. It was much easier to admit that his child was all she could see.

  ‘She’s gorgeous.’ Cass had let him finish the call, looking away when he blew kisses to Ellie.

  ‘Yeah.’ His fingers lingered lovingly over the blank screen for a moment, as if he couldn’t quite let go of the memory of his daughter’s face, and then he handed the phone back. ‘I didn’t think she’d manage to pronounce Cassandra.’

  The second time he said her name was just as disturbing as the first. Awakening thoughts of what it might feel like to have him whisper it.

  ‘She must be growing up fast.’

  ‘Seems too fast, sometimes.’ He shrugged. ‘She loves fire engines...’

  ‘Yeah, me too. You didn’t mind me asking her to the Open Day?’

  ‘Mind...?’ He laughed. ‘Sounds like fun. Do I get to sit in the driver’s seat?’

  ‘No. Children only. Dads get to watch.’

  CHAPTER THREE

  THEY’D EATEN IN the church hall, the dreaded Monday Club turning out to be a group of perfectly nice women who cooked good food in large quantities and didn’t mind a laugh. The evening was spent at the vicarage with Lynette and Cass, who persuaded Martin to make up a fourth for board games. Then Jack made his apologies and retired to his sleeping quarters, shutting the door and lying down fully dressed on the camp bed.

  Suddenly he felt very alone. Ellie would be tucked up in bed by now and although he knew that Sarah would have given her bedtime kisses on his behalf, he hadn’t been there to give them himself. Mimi was probably exhausted and looking forward to a good night’s sleep. Cass was...

  He wasn’t going to think about where Cass was. He had a child, and he had to protect her. Jack had made up his mind a long time ago that the best thing for Ellie was that he remained single.

  He must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing he knew was a tingle behind his ear, and his eyes shot open involuntarily as he realised that someone was rubbing their finger gently on his skin. He blinked in the light that was flooding in through the doorway and saw Cass.

  For one moment all he could think was that this was a delicious way to wake up, coaxed out of unconsciousness by a red-haired goddess. Then the urgency on her face snapped him back to reality.

  ‘Her waters have broken. Jack...’

  ‘Okay. I hear you.’ Jack swung his legs from the bed and shook his head to bring himself to. He’d been hoping that this wouldn’t happen. He had the training and the experience for it, and this certainly wasn’t the most outlandish place that he and Mimi had delivered a baby before now. But without the possibility of any backup, and only the medical supplies that Rafe had sent, it was a heavy responsibility, which he had to bear alone.

  This was no time to panic. Contrary to all his expectations, Cass was panicking enough for both of them at the moment.

  Keeping his pace brisk but unhurried in an effort to slow Cass down a bit, he picked up his medical bags and made for the vicarage. As they reached the back door they passed Martin, who was hurrying in the other direction, a sleeping child in his arms.

  ‘Go through, Jack. Just getting the kids out of the way.’

  Jack nodded. Following Cass through the kitchen and up the stairs, he found Sue and another woman on either side of Lynette, supporting her as she paced slowly up and down.

  ‘We’ll take her into my bedroom.’ Sue looked up at him. ‘There’s an en suite bathroom, and the mattress in here is wet.’

  ‘Thanks.’ First things first. Jack smiled at Lynette, wiping a tear from her face. ‘How are you doing?’

  ‘Um... Okay. I think.’

  ‘Good. You want to walk a bit more?’

  Lynette nodded.

  ‘All right. I’m going to get the other room ready for you, and then we’ll take it from there. Tonight’s your night, eh?’

  ‘Yes... Thanks.’

  Cass took Sue’s place at Lynette’s side, and Sue led him through to her own bedroom. Jack pulled the plastic under-sheet from his bag, silently thanking Rafe for thinking to pack it, and Sue set about stripping the bed.

  * * *

  When Cass supported Lynette through to the main bedroom, it seemed that everything was ready. She helped her sister sit down on the bed. ‘Do you want your scented candles?’

  ‘No!’ Lynette’s flailing hand found Jack’s sweatshirt and held on tight. ‘I want to keep a close eye on the guy with the pain relief...’

  ‘I’m here.’ Jack was calm and smiling. ‘I’m going to wash my hands and I’ll be right back, okay.’

  ‘Yeah. Whatever.’ Lynette frowned and closed her eyes.

  Get the candles anyway... Jack mouthed the words to Cass and she hurried through to the other room to fetch Lynette’s hospital bag.

  When she got back, Sue waved her towards the bathroom door and Cass tapped on it tentatively. Jack was standing in front of the basin, his T-shirt and sweatshirt hung over the side of the bath, soaping his hands and arms. ‘There’s a clean T-shirt and some dressings in my medical bag. Will you get them, please?’

  ‘Dressings? What’s the matter?’

  ‘Nothing. They’re for me.’ He grinned, turning round, and she saw the new bruises on his chest, the bright red gashes that ran across his sternum and upper arms.

  Her siste
r was in labour. Now was a fine time to notice that his muscle definition was superb. Or to feel a tingle at the warmth of his smile. Cass swallowed hard.

  ‘How did you do that...?’ She pointed to the spot on her own arm to indicate the patch of red, broken skin on his. That had to hurt.

  ‘It’s just a friction burn. It’s bleeding a little so best I cover it up.’

  She nodded and went to fetch what he’d asked for. The dressings, along with a roll of tape and some scissors, were right at the top of the bag. Jack must have been thinking ahead.

  ‘Okay, will you tape these on for me, please? Right around the edge so that there are no openings anywhere.’

  Couldn’t Sue do it? The temptation to run away and hide from his body almost made her ask. But her sister was out there having a baby, and Cass had already decided she’d do whatever it took.

  He held the gauze in place and she taped around it for him. Trying not to notice the fresh smell of soap on skin. Trying not to think about how close he was, or how perfect.

  ‘Thanks. That’s great.’ He nodded his approval and Cass stepped back, almost colliding with the linen basket. Then, thankfully, he pulled the T-shirt over his head.

  ‘Ready?’ His smile held all of the warmth that she could want for Lynette. Which happened to be a great deal more than Cass could deal with.

  ‘Yes. I’m ready.’ Cass had told herself that this was going to be the best night of her life. Being with Lynette all the way, seeing her nephew being born. Now, all she could feel was fear, for everything that could go wrong.

  * * *

  He was calm and quiet, soothing Lynette when the contractions eased and helping her concentrate and breathe when they came again. When Lynette became frightened and overwhelmed, he was there with reassurance and encouragement. When she wanted to change position, he let her lean on him. When she needed pain relief, he was there with the Entonox.

  Lynette seemed almost serene when she wasn’t crying in pain, switching from one to the other with astonishing rapidity.

  ‘Is this right?’ Cass mouthed the words to Jack.

  Jack’s gaze flipped to the portable monitors at Lynette’s side. ‘Yeah, we’re okay.’