Page 69 of The Lighthouse on Plum Island
“Brad?” Daniella’s voice caught his attention. “I’m going to be keeping Dawn here for a while. She told me to tell you to go.”
“How is she?” Brad asked.
“Dehydrated,” Daniella told him. “I have her on a drip at the moment, which will replenish her, and it has medication to relieve her nausea and headache.”
“Thank you.” Brad sighed with relief. “May I see her?”
“She was drifting off to sleep when I left her,” Daniella said. “Besides being severely ill and dehydrated, Dawn was also exhausted.” She shook her head. “Don’t any of you showbiz types sleep?”
“Not when we’re stressed!” Brad smiled, running his hand through his hair. “Let me know when Dawn’s ready to be released, and I’ll send Sam to get her.”
“I will,” Daniella promised, showing Brad through the door they’d entered the clinic.
As Sam drove Brad back to the Summer Inn, he decided to visit Caroline and find out if she was feeling well enough to attend a dinner party. He was about to lean over and ask Sam to take him to the lighthouse when the memory of the last time Brad had invited her to a party on the yacht flashed through his mind.
Brad closed his eyes and hesitated momentarily, remembering how they’d almost kissed earlier that day. He was sure he hadn’t imagined the look in her eyes, which mirrored his as they’d drawn closer. Brad glanced out the window and noticed they were nearing the Summer Inn.
“Sam, can you please take me to the Cobble Cove Lighthouse?” Brad decided to take a chance.
Sam nodded, overshooting the hotel as he headed for Caroline’s house. Brad would feel out the situation before asking her to go to Alex’s dinner party with him. He did have some news to tell her about the intruder and what the police had found on her laptop. That was the excuse Brad had been looking for to see Caroline.
If you’d be honest with yourself and Caroline,a nagging voice in his head said,you wouldn’t need excuses to see her.
Brad shook the thought away and let himself get caught in the breathtaking scenery to relax the nerves that were suddenly worrying him as they drove to the lighthouse. His heart lurchedwhen they turned into Caroline’s driveway a few minutes later, and Sam pulled to a stop near the barn-style door Brad knew led into the kitchen.
“Thank you, Sam,” Brad said as he slid out of the car.
“I’m going to take a walk down by the cove,” Sam told him. “Let me know when you need to get back.”
“Will do,” Brad said as he knocked on the back door.
He heard Sandy start to bark and absently ran his hand over the scratches on his face. They still stung and made him look like he’d had a fight with a cat, but Daniella had assured him they were healing nicely when she examined him earlier for his headache.
“Sandy, Blue Beard, shh!” Brad smiled, hearing Caroline’s voice call to the animals a few seconds before a key turning in the lock and bolt sliding echoed to him.
The door opened slightly, and Caroline peeked through the crack. Her face showed relief when she saw it was Brad, and she opened the door wider. Before Brad could step into the house, Blue Beard flew at him, but he managed to duck, only to be bowled over by Sandy, who leaped at him.
“Sandy!” Caroline yelled. “Blue Beard! No!”
She reached out to grab Brad as he toppled. He held onto her hand, and they landed in a heap on the ground. Caroline pushed herself up onto her arms, looking down at him. Their eyes met, and before Brad realized what he was doing, their lips met and melded together. Time and their surroundings started to fade around them until the crunch of wheels in the distance yanked them back to reality, and they sprung apart.
Caroline shot to her feet, as did Brad, as a town car pulled up alongside Sam’s limo. Brad and Caroline stood side by side as Sandy’s hair stood on end, and a low warning growl rolled in her throat.
“Sandy,” Caroline warned the snarling dog, looping her hand through Sandy’s collar.
“Onward!” Blue Beard squawked as the car driver got out to open the back door. “Onward!”
As Vanessa Turner stepped out of the car, anger sparked in Brad’s chest.
What is she doing here?Brad’s eyes narrowed suspiciously as she started walking toward them.
Sandy’s growl turned into a vicious bark. The dog yanked herself free of Caroline and rushed at Vanessa while Blue Beard swooped down at her. The parrot stole her hat as Sandy pounced, knocking Vanessa to the ground.
“What the…” Vanessa screamed, landing with a thump. Her purse went flying, and the Yorkie was dumped out of it with an indignant yelp before Blue Beard dropped the hat and attacked the little dog. The Yorkie took off yelping, running away from a squawking Blue Beard.
“Sandy!” Caroline’s eyes were huge with shock as she ran after her dog.
Brad stood watching the scene unfold like a slapstick comedy of errors and had to try not to laugh at the absurdity of it.
