Page 15 of Fool Me Twice

“Well?” she asked, turning her steely glare on Cy, Gaz and Joey once the ambulance had pulled away. “What the hell happened?”

“I’m not sure,” Gaz said. His eyes darting between Cy and Joey. “One minute he was there and next-.”

“I’m not talking about that, you idiots,” she snapped. “I’m talking about you guys. What the hell were you thinking taking him out there on a board? He could have . . .” she paused and took a deep breath. “He could have died.”

After changing out of her yoga pants and top, Evie grabbed a quick shower before rearranging her classes for the day with Reeva and Matt. She was surprised when Matt offered to go with her, like they were a couple and he was her supportive other half, but she quickly brushed off his offer, convincing him he’d be more use to her if he split her classes with Reeva.

An image of Peter lying on the sand with blood pouring down the side of his head flashed through her mind as she waited at the junction at the end of her drive. What if they kept him in overnight? He’d need some toiletries and pyjamas. She could pick up toiletries in the mini-market, she told herself, trying to ignore the minor fact that they didn’t sell pyjamas there. Reluctantly, she reversed back down the drive a little before turning the car in the opposite direction, toward Jaxon’s house.

She let herself in, turned off the alarm and headed upstairs to the guest room she assumed Peter was using. She’d probably been inside the room a hundred times before, but with Peter’s things laid out on the dressing table and in the bathroom, she felt like an intruder.

Noticing a photo frame on the nightstand, she couldn’t help but pick it up for a closer look, expecting it to be a photo of him and Shari. God, she couldn’t stand that woman. She was the reason Evie hadn’t attended Jaxon and Anya’s wedding blessing on Mac’s island. It had been easy enough to exaggerate a head cold into a severe ear infection, preventing her from making the plane journey.

The black-and-white photo was of Peter and Jaxon, and judging by the clothes they were wearing and the exotic-looking backdrop, it must have been taken at the blessing. Both of them beamed, each with their arm around the other’s shoulders. Her chest tightened and her breath caught in her throat. It was a lovely photo of a father and his son sharing a joyous moment, one she would have been proud to display on her own nightstand if things had been different.

But things weren’t different. Returning the photo to its place, she set about gathering up Peter’s toothbrush, toothpaste and some other toiletries she thought he’d need if the doctor decided he needed to stay in overnight.

She walked across to the wardrobe and searched through the drawers for underwear and pyjamas. It felt so wrong rummaging through his boxers, but she forced the thought out of her mind while gathering up several pairs into a carry-on bag she’d found at the bottom of the wardrobe. In search of pyjamas, she pulled open another drawer, but it was empty. The same with the next and the next. Maybe he didn’t wear pyjamas.

A warm flush flashed through her at the memory of Peter sleeping naked beside her. Of course, he’d been a lot younger then, and a lot fitter, especially his upper body, which she’d put down to the years he’d spent drumming, but the rest of him hadn’t been too shabby either. And he wasn’t bad for his age now, she grudgingly conceded, inhaling the fresh citrusy aroma laced with sandalwood and amber that filled her senses as she fingered the shirts hanging in the wardrobe.

She jumped as her mobile phone sprung to life, vibrating on the bed next to her bag. It was a text from Jaxon, asking how much longer she was going to be.

Evie grabbed a pair of shorts and a shirt from the wardrobe, folded them neatly and placed them inside the bag with the other things, then locked up the house and left for the hospital.

Chapter seven

The traffic was a nightmare, and the usual fifteen-minute drive took twice that. Finding a parking space in the hospital carpark took almost as long. As soon as Evie entered the building, she called Jaxon and followed his directions through the endless corridors until she found him.

He quickly brought her up to speed. Peter was still with the doctor while they ran some tests and checked him over. Sensing they could be in for a long wait, Evie went off in search of a coffee machine, returning twenty minutes later with two coffees, a couple of packs of sandwiches, and some snacks. Jaxon was pacing the corridor, guilt written all over his face. Evie had been waiting for it to kick in.

“It wasn’t your fault,” she said, sitting down on a chair and placing the food and drinks on a small table beside them.

“Of course it was.” He flopped down on the chair next to her and took one of the cups. “I shouldn’t have let him go in the water. He’d only had a quick lesson. It was too soon.” He ran his free hand through his hair, his movement causing the hot coffee to spill over the side of the plastic cup. “He wasn’t ready, but I was so desperate to get out there with the guys that... If I hadn’t been so selfish, none of this would have happened.”

“You, selfish?” Evie almost laughed. “You are one of the most loving, generous people I have ever met.” She turned in her chair to face him. “And no, I’m not just saying that because you’re my son. You don’t have a selfish bone in your body.” She reached out and squeezed his hand.

“You’re biased.” He smiled weakly.

“Maybe, just a little.” She gave his hand another squeeze. “But it doesn’t mean it’s not true. What about what you did for Cy?”

“It’s only money, Mum.”

“I’m not talking about the deposit you loaned him. I’m talking about all the hours you spent knocking down walls and sanding floorboards.”

“Yeah, well, he’s a mate.” Jaxon shrugged. “Anyway, we all mucked in.”

“I know you did, but the others didn’t have to fly back every weekend to do it, did they? And there’s the way you take care of Anya, making sure she takes her meds and that she eats right.” She tried to blink away the tears that were trying to escape. “And me, you always find time to call me, just to make sure I’m doing okay. Whew.” Evie blew out her cheeks and blinked. “Now see what you’ve done. I’m going to cry now.”

Jaxon slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in. “Come here.” He kissed the top of her head. “You are such a cry-baby. Ouch.” He laughed, bending forward as Evie nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.

When Gaz called by forty-five minutes later, on his way back to London, there was still no news. Just like when Joey and Cy phoned two hours later. Jaxon had spoken to Anya, who’d offered to fly back, but Evie reassured her there was no need.

Why were all these people so concerned about Peter? Gaz, Joey and Cy barely even knew him, she thought bitterly.

Time rolled on and it was another hour before the doctor finally came to find them. Evie didn’t mind. She’d have gladly waited another five hours if it meant she got to spend time with her precious son.

Luckily, the gash on Peter’s head had been quite superficial, but because of the proximity of the blood vessels to the surface in head wounds, they tended to be messy, even if they weren’t serious. The team had sealed the wound with some liquid stitches; the doctor informed them.

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