Time seemed to slow down, as if they were caught in a slow-motion movie. She went up on her tiptoes, lifting her chin a couple of inches, while Jonas lowered his head. The touch light, yet full of promise. It wasn’t a carnal, rip-their-clothes-off-as-fast-as-they-could kiss. No, this was gentle and the best kiss she’d ever had. On her tiptoes she shuffled forward until her body was flush against his. His arm locked around her waist holding her close and she flattened her hand over his heart.
The need to deepen the kiss, to get even closer to him threatened to consume her. She couldn’t let herself fall under his spell. She needed to remember all the reasons why this could never work out between them.
Pulling strength from the depth of her soul, she broke the connection and took a step back. “Umm, why don’t you take a break, I can handle the crowd.” She brushed past him, not giving him a chance to respond. Her mind reeled from the gamut of emotions storming through her like a raging torrent.
Why did a simple kiss have her craving more from Jonas?
More time with his arms around her. Touching her in ways that she knew would leave her breathless.
Before stepping into the main room again she paused and rested her back against the wall, taking a few seconds to get her breathing under control. Her hand went to her hair to smooth it out so it didn’t look like she’d been making out with the handsome pub owner only a few seconds ago.
Tossing her head in the classic hair flip model move and straightening her spine, she pasted her runway smile on her face and marched out into the room and took her position behind the bar.
“Right, who needs a refill?”
*
What the hell was I thinking?
The words rattled around his brain like a chain dragging behind a bike. He hadn’t been thinking. The moment he saw the sadness on Pandora’s face as she stared at his closed laptop, all his arguments for keeping his distance from her disappeared like a welcome breeze on a hot summer day. All he’d wanted to do was wipe the distress away and make her smile again. His intention hadn’t been to kiss her. But then she’d touched him and he’d been lost.
He blew out a breath and paced around his office. He couldn’t afford to let himself do more with Pandora. He couldn’t touch her. And he definitely couldn’t kiss her again. Even though it hadn’t been her intention, and she hadn’t asked him for it, he couldn’t shut off his inane sense of responsibility for her while she was in Bunya Junction.
Her look of sadness had to be related to the press statement. His impression of her was beginning to shift from what he’d initially thought about her. While Ray had been telling his tales and she hadn’t once shown any sign of impatience.
How many times had he had to remind himself that her stay in town was short, when he watched her as she moved around the bar as if she’d been there forever? A lot. They worked in harmony and for one moment he’d allowed himself to imagine that this was his future. He and Pandora running the pub.
He’d pulled himself from that fantasy pretty damn quickly because of the fact that she represented the type of woman he was trying to stay away from. Also, people didn’t envision futures with someone they’d just met.
Had he learned nothing from Gina? City girls didn’t do country living, at least not on a permanent basis. Although Gina hadn’t even tried it, to see if she’d like it. This was a holiday for Pandora, so it was fun and something different from her normal life. Her escape from facing up to what she’d done.
His home was here now and he didn’t see himself ever going back to the city. Even with all the lectures to himself about all the reasons she wasn’t good for him, he was still drawn to her. She called to a part of him that he hadn’t known existed until now.
A loud crash and the sound of splintering glass had him rushing from his office and out into the main room.
“What’s happened?” he demanded as he pushed through the small crowd of people.
“Ray said he was feeling a little lightheaded and then he just collapsed,” Pandora explained frantically as she swept the glass away from the prone man. “He needs a doctor.”
“I’ve already called Ryan,” Matilda, who owned the grocery store, said.
Jonas gently pulled Pandora away from where she was crouched next to Ray, grabbing the dustpan she’d been using and placing it on the bar behind him. From this close he could see his chest rising and falling. His face had a grey pallor and sweat beaded his upper lip and forehead.
“Let me through.” Ryan’s deep voice boomed around the room. Jonas stood to allow him access. “What happened?” Sindy followed behind Ryan and gave his arm a squeeze as she rushed past to help her fiancé.
Pandora related what she’d told him to Ryan. “He was laughing one minute and then bam he was falling to the ground. Is he going to be alright?” Her voice trembled and, once again, his protective instinct kicked in.
“Come here, sweetheart, let Ryan do his work.” He wrapped his arm around Pandora and pulled her gently to his side. He looked at the other patrons and with a simple raise of his eyebrows, they all backed away. Each and every one of them wore worried looks, and he was pretty certain he wore a matching one, too. And he couldn’t blame them. Ray was a regular feature in just about everything involving Bunya Junction.
The next few minutes were tense as Ryan and Sindy worked on Ray. He’d never seen his sister work a medical situation, but he had to admit she was pretty impressive, she seemed to know exactly what Ryan needed and had it ready before he asked. For someone who twelve months ago had been working as a plastic surgeon and not a general practitioner, Ryan looked like he’d been dealing with emergencies like this every day of his medical career. They made an impressive team, both personally and professionally.
He looked up and saw Jonas watching him. “I need you to call Scott and let him know we’ll be bringing in a patient. I’ll call him with details when we are en route, but I want to give him a heads-up.”
“Will do, and I think—” he paused as he heard the faint sound of sirens “—the ambulance is here. Someone must have called the crew.”
“I called Bob and told him that he better get the truck over here,” Matilda piped up.
“Thanks, Matilda,” Ryan responded as he finished taping the IV on Ray’s hand.
Bunya Junction may be small, but with Ryan and Sindy’s practice being a medical hub for the surrounding areas, along with the town, they had raised funds to get an ambulance as well as a fire truck. The Bunya Junction Volunteer Fire Department was small, but was manned by many of the locals to ensure not only the town’s safety but those who needed it around them.
When Bob and Luke strode in pushing a gurney, Jonas rushed over to shift tables so they could get through easily.
Between them all they got Ray transferred and when Bob and Luke wheeled him out, less than three minutes had passed.
“I’ll be right behind you, honey,” commented Sindy as Ryan stopped briefly to give her a kiss.
His eyes narrowed and Jonas was pleased to see the protective side of Ryan come out, although he knew Sindy wasn’t going to like it. “I don’t want you driving by yourself to Waratah River.”
“This is Ray. You’re not stopping me,” Sindy said determinedly.
Jonas stepped up and pulled his sister in for a hug. “I’ll bring her.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Ryan reached out and squeezed Sindy’s hand before rushing behind the volunteer crew.
The door closed behind him and a hush fell over the room. Every single person who had been in the pub knew Ray and loved him dearly. Not one person wanted to think about what might happen between Bunya Junction and Waratah River. They didn’t want to think that their last memory of a town stalwart was him lying on the floor.
A shiver rippled through him. He didn’t want to accept he may have served Ray his last drink. A warm palm slid against his and, like always when Pandora touched him, his skin prickled with anticipation and warmth.
�
�Is he going to be okay?” she whispered. “I only just met him, but he’s like that uncle everyone likes the second they meet him.”
Pulling her close he dropped a kiss on top of her head, aware that everyone was watching them but he didn’t care. “Ryan will make sure everything is done to keep Ray safe.”
“We need to call Scott, and get in the car,” Sindy interrupted, the strain evident in her voice. Shit, stress was the last thing she needed being pregnant.
“Right, we do. Why don’t you call him when we get in the car. You’ll be able answer any questions he may have.”
“Okay, let’s go. We’ll take Ryan’s car. I’ve got the keys.” She held up the key fob.
“I’ll be right out.” He turned to Pandora who was still standing by his side. “Are you going to be okay here?”
She shook her head. “I’m not staying here, I’m coming with you.” Her eyes glittered with determination. If he tried to tell her to stay behind she’d ignore him and drive herself to the hospital. Even though she had no idea where it was, she’d find a way.
“Okay. I know when not to argue.”
“Good.” A ghost of a smile lifted her lips and he was pleased to see the haunted look on her face was fading away.
“All right, let me go grab my phone and I’ll be back.” He glanced at the remaining crowd of people. “I’ll make sure to let Bob or Molly know what’s happening so that they can let you all know as well.”
The group nodded and headed for the exit. Jonas turned and went to his office. He would deal with his usual cleaning-up routine when he got home from the hospital no matter how late. If he had to, he’d open up later tomorrow than he normally did. He didn’t think the townsfolk would mind too much.
He reached his office, scooped up his phone and the keys to the pub and was back out front in a matter of seconds. Pandora and Sindy were still waiting for him.
“Why didn’t you get in the car?”
Sindy sighed. “I wasn’t feeling great so Pandora grabbed me a bottle of water. I’ve got crackers in the car if I need them. Ryan told me you know that I’m pregnant.”
He walked over to her and pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you and Ryan, sis.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Now I think we need to get going. I take it you haven’t called Scott?”
“Of course, I called Scott. I did it while Pandora went to get my water. I just let him know that Ryan was on the way with Ray and that Ray was exhibiting signs of an angina attack and concussion. Call took all of twenty seconds. You don’t gossip in an emergency.”
“I guess not,” he said impressed she’d gotten the necessary information to Scott in the time it had taken him to get his stuff and walk back out again.
They headed to the car after Jonas locked the pub doors. Damn, he’d forgotten to turn the lights off, but he didn’t want to waste any more time. Only about five minutes had passed since Ryan had left, but it seemed like hours.
He held out his hand to Sindy. “Keys, please.”
She huffed a breath, but handed the fob to him. She may have argued with him about it, but her hand went to her stomach and she swallowed a couple of times. It was going to be a long drive and he expected they would have to stop a couple of times.
“You good, Pandora?” He glanced at her in the rearview mirror, once they were all settled in the car.
“Yep, I’m fine.”
He studied her for a few more seconds. Even with his sister going to the hospital with him, he was glad that Pandora was with them.
Chapter Nine
Pandora’s eyes drifted shut, but she forced them open. She had no idea what time it was, but they’d been at the hospital for a while. Ryan was waiting in the foyer for them when they arrived. She’d expected him to be helping with Ray, but he said that he was leaving it to the hospital staff to take over. Ray had regained consciousness in the ambulance and Ryan confirmed it was a good sign. He and Sindy then disappeared down the hallway. Pandora assumed he’d taken Sindy to lie down somewhere, as she hadn’t been feeling well when they arrived.
“I don’t mind if you want to sleep on me.” Jonas was sitting beside her, his presence solid and comforting. Why she was feeling so worried about a man she’d only known a few hours, confused her. She had no connection to him, yet here she was in a hospital waiting room hoping and praying for good news.
“How much longer do you think it will be?” she asked, taking Jonas up on his offer to use him as a support. She curled her legs on the couch and leaned into him. His arm wrapped around her, anchoring her to his side.
“I don’t know. Hopefully it won’t be too long. I mean Ryan did say that things looked positive, but who knows if something happened to Ray while they were working on him.”
She shuddered at the thought that something else had happened to the sweet man. “I hope not. Do you think Ryan and Sindy are still here?”
“Maybe. I think Sindy just needed to lie down and I’m sure after a rest she’ll be feeling a little better. Seems this pregnancy is really knocking her around. I hope she’ll be okay.”
All evening he’d been the strong one. The one who hadn’t shown any emotion. But she’d watched him on the drive from Bunya Junction to the hospital. His fingers had continually flexed around the steering wheel and he’d run his hand over his head quite a few times too. Not to mention he’d darted looks toward his sister every few minutes. Now it was her turn to provide him with a little comfort, even though she was no expert on sibling relationships or pregnancy.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. I think I read in a health magazine that if you suffer from bad morning sickness it means it’s a healthy pregnancy.”
“Poor Sindy. I hope it doesn’t get any worse for her.”
A sound that could’ve been footsteps had her looking toward the entrance to the room. Standing just inside the area was a doctor. Her stomach did a slow tumble as her worry ratcheted up a few notches. She sat up and straightened her top, smoothing down her hair with her free hand. Looking between the two men in the room she could see the family resemblance, even with different coloured hair and eyes. Their face shape was the same. Not to mention their height and the way they held themselves.
“Scott.” Jonas stood and strode over to his brother, giving him a back slapping hug. “How is he? Where’s Ryan and Sindy? Have you seen Sindy? She wasn’t looking too good when we arrived.”
Pandora watched in amusement as Jonas peppered his brother with a million questions. He had no idea how quickly he fired them off.
“Good to see you too, bro. Ray’s going to be okay. While we were working on him, he had a minor heart attack, but because he was here we were able to deal with it immediately. He has a slight concussion from where he hit his head when he fainted. I’ve contacted a cardiologist I deal with in Sydney and he’s going to make the trip out here to review Ray’s case and see what treatment he needs. As for Ryan and Sindy, I believe they’re still here. Sindy is sleeping and Ryan is watching her.”
“That’s a lot to take in.” Jonas rubbed a hand down his face and she wanted to reach out and smooth the frown lines across his forehead. “Poor Ray. He doesn’t have any family. But I’m sure everyone will rally around to look after him when he gets out.”
One thing she was beginning to discover about Jonas: he always looked out for those who needed help around him. Look at what he’d done for her. He hadn’t blinked at her showing up, he’d given her a room and made sure she had everything she needed. Had he been like that in the city? Always helping out a friend or stranger in need? Although in the cutthroat world of stockbroking it was more every man for himself.
Or was it more that he was back in his hometown and so he’d picked up on the small-town values he’d grown up with and run with them?
Whatever it was, she couldn’t deny she was glad to be a recipient of it. What if she’d kept driving through Bunya Junction and stopped at another town, would everyone had been as open and welcoming as Bunya
had been? She’d never know, and she still wasn’t used to the complete acceptance she’d received from the Bunya townsfolk.
Life was full of what ifs and she needed to stop wondering. She’d stopped where she’d stopped and now, a bit more than a day later, she was in a hospital waiting room. Something she hadn’t expected to happen when she’d pulled into the parking bay out the front of the pub.
“Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” Scott’s voice interrupted her musings. She was kind of glad he had. Her thoughts were headed down a rabbit hole she didn’t want to fall into.
“Right. Yeah.” Jonas strode over to her and grabbed her hand. His warmth filled her, chasing her dark thoughts away. As always when he touched her, little darts of pleasure sizzled through her. “Scott, this is Pandora. She’s visiting from, umm, the city.”
In all the times they’d chatted over the last forty hours, she’d never mentioned where she was from. And Jonas hadn’t asked.
Scott smiled at her. The tight lines around his eyes indicated the strain he was under, but his irises gleamed with speculation about her and Jonas. Jonas hadn’t let go of her hand; in fact, he squeezed it a little tighter. “Good to meet you, Pandora. I’ve heard a bit about you.”
“Don’t tell me the bush telegraph travelled all the way here,” Jonas grumbled.
Scott laughed. “You should know our sister by now. Sindy couldn’t wait to tell me all about the mysterious woman in the bridal gown who stumbled into your pub.”
Jonas’s fingers flexed around hers for a moment before relaxing again. “I swear since she’s fallen in love she needs to be in everyone’s business.”
“True, but it’s nice to see her happy.” Pandora noticed Scott’s eyes softened when he talked about his twin, which wasn’t surprising considering they were probably closer than normal siblings.
“It is, although I think you’d prefer her not to be sharing everything she’s going through with you.”
Scott grimaced and Pandora looked between the two brothers. “What am I missing?” she asked.
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