Is It Any Wonder (Nantucket Love Story #2) - Courtney Walsh Page 0,6
far.”
She’d been careful to stay within the designated swim zone—was it really her fault the current had picked her up and dragged her so far out? Maybe the empty beach should’ve been a clue. Everyone else knew better. She wanted to hide—it was her fault!
“Lou—” But he quickly caught himself. Probably realizing they weren’t friends anymore and calling her by any nickname was a little too familiar for two people who’d split twelve years prior and had never spoken again.
He appeared to take a deep cleansing breath. “I’m sorry,” he said—much more levelheaded this time. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said.
“You do know you could’ve died.”
She stilled. “I know.”
He was staring at her. She wasn’t looking at him, but she could feel him studying her. Her face flushed with heat.
“Thanks for saving my life, I guess.”
“You guess?”
She forced herself to look at him then. “Thanks for saving my life. I would’ve hated to have to tell my parents that I drowned. Especially since I wasn’t wearing a life vest. My father would’ve killed me.”
He kept his eyes trained on her for several seconds, then looked away. “This isn’t funny, you know.”
“I know,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
Then he was looking at her again, and as soon as she realized it, her toes tingled. Traitors! “It was pretty scary.”
He wore that serious expression again, like an angry principal who’d just found out she was the one who’d vandalized the girls’ locker room.
What was she supposed to say? That she’d been terrified out there? That she was panicked and counting the minutes before a big wave hit and took her under for good? That she wasn’t so sure she deserved to be saved and, oh, wasn’t it ironic he’d been the one to pull her from the water when her actions had inadvertently led to his father’s death?
Did he wish he could throw her back?
“So you’re in the Coast Guard now,” she said dumbly.
He pressed his lips together as if trying to decide whether or not to respond to her statement of obviousness. In the end, he didn’t get the chance because the door opened and Doogie walked back in.
“How are we feeling?” He gave his boyish smile, and Louisa glanced at Cody, who showed no sign of emotion. Did they teach them that in Coast Guard school? Good afternoon, men. Today we’re going to learn how to affix a permanent scowl to your face and double as a robot.
“Just ready to go home, Doc,” she said.
“I’m told we have you to thank for saving this one.” Doogie turned to Cody, who shifted uncomfortably but gave a firm nod.
At least he wasn’t denying he was the one who’d done the saving. That was something, she supposed.
“We sure are grateful, aren’t we, Louisa?”
Eyes back to Cody. “Yes, we are.”
She wouldn’t dare say so, but she thought she might’ve seen just the slightest twinge of a smile right there at the corner of his glorious mouth, but robot training had paid off and he quickly returned to his factory settings.
“Well, I don’t have to tell you how lucky you were today, Miss Chambers,” the doctor said.
“No, you don’t.” Hadn’t Cody already done that?
“But I’m going to anyway. If this man hadn’t spotted you, you would surely have drowned out there.”
She stared at her folded hands in her sheet-covered lap. “I’m aware.”
And whoever it was that had called the Coast Guard—that was someone she should send a box of chocolates to.
“Great,” he said. “Your tests have all come back normal, but do you have someone at home who can keep an eye on you?”
“I’ll be fine,” she said.
“That’s not what he asked,” Cody said, glaring.
She glanced at him, wishing she had someone to claim as her own so she’d seem less pathetic.
“Yes, I have someone to keep an eye on me.”
The doctor did a surprisingly good stink eye for someone so young.
“I’ll be fine,” she repeated, this time more slowly.
“We do want to watch out for any odd or unusual behavior.”
“You mean odder and more unusual than my normal behavior?”
He stared at her for a few seconds before clearing his throat, evidently unsure how to respond to her—which wasn’t all that uncommon, now that she thought of it.
“Who will take care of you? Is there someone we can call?”
“A family friend. Maggie Fisher? You probably know her.”
The doctor went quiet. “I do. I was sorry to hear about—”
“She’ll make sure I don’t die in my sleep,” she cut in, avoiding Cody’s curious expression.