EDGE (8 page)

“I can take care of it.”

“One handed? Don’t be stubborn. Sit.”

Nicole bent to pick up the broken pieces of glass.

“Nic, leave it. I can get it later.” Mel wanted her gone. She’d had enough of her sister this morning.

“Next you’ll tell me you can wash dishes with your hand bandaged.” She tossed the broken pieces into the garbage. “Don’t be stubborn,” she parroted Cache’s words.

“Fine.” She took a seat at the table and let Cache doctor her hand. None of this would have happened if Nicole hadn’t—

Leave it alone.

Cache tore opened an alcohol wipe and cleaned the cut. “It doesn’t look too bad now. I thought for sure you’d need stitches.” His voice softened, “Does it hurt?”

Her throat seemed to close with the way he watched her. She licked her lips. “No,” she answered, her voice suddenly raspy. Her hand tingled where he held it in the warmth of his. She felt lightheaded but she hadn’t lost enough blood to blame the sensation on that.

“I think we should use butterfly stitches just in case.”

“No, superglue. Trust me,” she said when he went to object. “Works like a charm.”

“All right.” He opened the tube he found in the box, glued the cut shut, and blew on it until the glue dried. He then added a waterproof bandage. “There. How’s that feel?”

Worth getting cut over.
All she needed now was a kiss to make it all better.
Okay, this—whatever this was between them—was getting out of hand.
“Fine. Thanks.” She needed to create some space between them. “Let me heat you up some breakfast.”

“I’ll do it,” Nicole said, setting mugs in front of each of them. “Hot cocoa, Mel?”

Mel had forgotten Nicole was still in the room with Cache across the table from her. “Uh, sure.”

“Cache?” Nicole asked.

“I’d prefer tea, if it isn’t too much trouble.”

“No trouble at all.” Nicole made herself right at home and had a hot breakfast and tea in front of Cache with cocoa and a plate of day-old donuts in front of Mel. “Dig in. I’m going to check on Emily. Don’t touch the dishes. I’ll take care of them when I get back.” Then she was gone, once again leaving Cache and Mel alone.

Cache scooped up a bite of potatoes and moaned around a mouthful. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a home-cooked meal. “These are great.”

“You’ll have to thank Linnet when you meet her,” Mel said. “She cooked breakfast.”

“We ran into each other in the hallway.” He shoveled in another bite, and couldn’t remember when he’d been this hungry. “So you and Nicole. Not the best of friends?”

Mel’s expression shut down.

Damn, he knew not to push so fast, but he was dying to know what he’d interrupted earlier. Whatever was between them, his shutter bug sense told him it went further than normal sisterly rivalry.

“Just differences of opinion.” Mel laid aside the donut she’d been dunking into her cocoa. “I’m afraid you missed the whale watching tour this morning. Tom said to let you sleep, that you needed the rest. You also missed the safety lecture we give to each guest when they arrive. Mind if I go over that with you now?” At his nod she rushed through the memorized list. “No wandering from the lodge without letting me, Linnet, or Sergei know where you are going. Never leave the lodge without a can of bear spray. They’re located in the gear room with the rain coats and boots. If you have to use the bear repellent, try to remember to spray downwind so you don’t get yourself too. Never leave food outside. Always wear a life jacket when using one of the kayaks, and again you inform us first. You pack it in you pack it out. We don’t leave trash around. If the wind isn’t blowing, we highly suggest you wear bug repellent. We keep that near each door on a shelf so as not to be confused with the bear spray.

“See those blue flowers?” She indicated the spire-like flowers blooming in the meadow. “They are poisonous. If you pick them or touch them, wash your hands. When we take a hike in a few days, I’ll point out other plants not to touch. If in doubt, leave it alone. There is more than animals out there that can get you.” She stood. “That’s it. Feel free to roam around, but always remember, we’re right on the edge of the wilderness. It’s dangerous. There are books in the great room, movies if you feel like watching one. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to see to my chores.”

“Mel.”

She stopped and looked back. “Yes?”

“Thank you and I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. It wasn’t my intention.”

“You didn’t.” Mel’s eyes shifted to the side. “I’ll see you later.”

“Count on it,” he said to the empty room.

Mel met the whale watching group later that afternoon, grabbing the lines young Quentin tossed to her, securing the boat alongside the dock.

“Hey, Aunt Mel.” Pride beamed from Quentin in waves. “I wasn’t the only one baptized this morning. Mr. Spears went for a swim with the whales.”

Before she could ask what had happened, the Whitneys disembarked.

“Such a great experience, dear,” Mrs. Whitney said, her face rosy with wind and sea. “Too bad about the young man falling in. He’ll be all right, though, won’t he?”

“Of course he will,” Mr. Whitney answered. “The stories he’ll get to weave from this incident made me wish I’d taken a tumble into the sea myself. Would have gotten miles out it back home.” He chuckled. “Mel, today was simply amazing. Worth the price of the ticket first day. Never seen whales that close before.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” Mel added. She wished all her guests were as easy to please as the Whitneys. He helped his wife safely navigate the wobbly dock to the beach.

David and Jonah were next off the boat. Jonah and Quentin took off running down the dock to the beach. Too much time cooped up in a small space—they obviously needed to stretch their legs. “Don’t take off too far,” she hollered after them. “Stay in view of the lodge.”

“Yes, Aunt Mel,” Quentin yelled back.

“I’ll keep an eye on them,” David said. He was an average looking man with the kindest eyes she’d ever seen. He gestured over his shoulder at Tom. “You’re going to have your hands full with that one.”

Tom, wrapped in a blanket, shivered off the boat with Sergei’s help.

Could she call them or what? She’d known they’d be fishing him out of the ocean.

“What happened?” she asked, taking Tom’s other arm and helping guide him toward the lodge.

Sergei answered. “He vanted to be closer to vhales. Boat took vave. He vent in.” Sergei tried unsuccessfully to bite back laughter. A snicker escaped.

Tom turned redder than he already was. “Y-you s-should have w-warned me.”

“That’s why you have vest and instruct not to lean over rail.”

“How long was he in?” Mel could have kicked herself for missing Tom’s dunking. She wasn’t too worried over what injuries he’d sustained. His dignity seemed to have taken the most damage.

“Only few minutes. David vas big help pulling him out. I owe the man a drink.”

It didn’t take long to drop body temperature in water this cold. Hypothermia was a real threat in this country.

“I’m the one w-who needs a d-drink.” Tom shuddered. “I’m g-going to have n-nightmares for years. T-those w-whales could have eaten m-me.”

Sergei snorted and tried to cover the sound with a cough.

“Humpbacks don’t have teeth to chew with, Tom.” Heaven save her from tenderfoots. “A hot bath and dry clothes will make you feel like a new man. I’ll have Linnet make you a hot toddy. How does that sound?”

“Divine. That sounds absolutely divine.” He sniffed and wiped his nose. “Could I have the hot toddy brought to me while I’m taking my bath?” he whined.

“I’ll personally arrange it.” Funny how he’d suddenly stopped shivering.

Some men should never venture out of the city.

By the end of the day, Mel was spent. Tom had taken to being waited on like an up and coming celebrity. Linnet had muttered under her breath that Sergei never should have fished him out of the ocean. After his hot toddy bath, Tom was served dinner in bed. After dinner, he requested a library of books brought to him. When that hadn’t entertained, he asked for a TV installed in his room with a selection of movies. After all, he was just too wiped out from the day’s harrowing events to undertake the stairs and the other guests in the lodge. This went on until Cache caught wind of it. Mel wished she’d gotten him involved sooner.

She’d fallen into bed, worried over the beginning of the storm front whistling passed her windows, and how to handle Tom if he planned to continue in the same vein tomorrow. Exhaustion overtook her and she quickly succumbed to sleep, but rest was hard to achieve.

Images of ghosts, thought to have long been exorcised, taunted her subconscious, whispering so close she felt the brush of death on her face.

O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed…the knife sliced through her flesh, searing like flames. Happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee…again and again the knife carved her skin. As thou hast served us…she lay dying, unable to move, bathing in her own blood.

Mel whimpered and fought through the oppressing weight of the blankets tied around her, gasping deep breaths in her panic to be free. Her heart raced as talons of the nightmare tore through her consciousness. Sweat coated her skin, chilling her in the early morning air.

What the hell? It had been years since she’d suffered the nightmares.

She jerked back the covers and stood on shaky legs. Dragging her fingers through her damp and knotted hair, she turned to the window and froze.

Jedidiah Dawson stared back at her through the glass, his face too beautiful, his lips twisted into that loving, patient, disapproving smile. His dark eyes promised absolution.

For one crazy moment she wanted to go to him.

Screams clawed up her throat. She covered her mouth to keep them in.

He isn’t real. He isn’t real. He’s dead. Dead, remember!

She clapped her eyes shut. When she opened them, Jedidiah was gone. Mel staggered to the window. Rinka whined, catching her mood, and rose to her feet from where she slept in front of the door, pressing her body against Mel’s leg in a show of comfort.

Mel forced open the window, and scanned the hillside of lush ferns, alders, and devil’s club. Bushes pitched in the wind like Mother Nature tossing a salad. There was nothing to see but that the predicted storm had arrived. Mel dug her hand into the thick fur of Rinka’s nape, grounding herself in reality.