She leaned forward, propping her phone on the dashboard, and Rafe wondered whether he should turn on the car radio to mask the silence. She looked just the same. Dark blonde hair, captured in a plait that was currently tucked into the back of her shirt. How many times had he watched her weaving it into that plait in the morning before she went to work?
‘What are you doing here, Rafe?’ The question had obviously been circulating in her head for a while and she didn’t meet his gaze when she asked it.
‘This area’s the worst hit by the weather conditions. All the hospitals in the county are sparing staff where they can.’
‘And you drew the short straw?’
‘I volunteered.’ Suddenly it seemed important that she know that. ‘I’m on leave for two weeks...’
‘This is your holiday?’ She raised her eyebrows.
‘Yeah. Beats the South of France any time.’
She gave a little nod. ‘Thanks.’
The thank you was more likely to be on behalf of her hospital to his, but Rafe preferred to take it personally and think that Mimi was actually glad to see him, despite the evidence to the contrary. All the same, she seemed to be relaxing a little now.
‘You and Jack are still a team, then?’
‘Not for much longer. I passed my exams and I’m a qualified paramedic now.’ She almost smiled. Almost but not quite.
‘You’re staying here to take up your promotion?’
‘No, I’m moving.’
‘Jack’ll miss you.’
‘I won’t be going that far...’ She broke off suddenly, staring at him. Maybe he’d been a little too obviously fishing for information. ‘Who I’m going out with is none of your business, Rafe.’
‘No, I know. But, out of interest, are you...and Jack?’
‘Like I said, none of your business. What about you?’
‘Nah. Jack’s not my type.’
‘I didn’t mean...’ The outrage drained out of her and she started to laugh. ‘He’d be very glad to hear you say that.’
She fell suddenly silent, her brow creased in a frown, as if making her laugh had now become a hanging offence. Rafe settled back in his seat, watching the rain drum on the windscreen and wondering whether it was worth cracking a few more jokes, just to see how cross he could make her.
IT WAS A great deal easier to dislike Rafe when he wasn’t around. Mimi stared gloomily at her phone, her finger tapping impatiently on the small screen.
The expected beep made her jump. A long text from an unrecognised number said that Jack was okay and in the Church Hall. He’d keep her updated as and when he knew more about the situation. And wasn’t that Rafe he’d seen with her on the other side of the water?
When Mimi texted back that it was, she received a smiley face. Clearly Jack hadn’t thought about the ramifications of the situation. She might have a lift home, but she would really rather have walked than it turn out to be Rafe.
She relayed the factual part of the message as dispassionately as she could, trying not to look at Rafe. The thought that she might need him wasn’t particularly pleasant, but she was going to have to face facts. She’d get this over with as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Her phone beeped again. Another long text. Mimi read it carefully.
‘What does he say?’
‘The stuff in his medical bag’s ruined. The water got to it.’ Mimi had been hoping against hope that at least some of the medical equipment that Jack had been carrying would have survived the drenching. ‘He’s staying with the patient until he finds a way to get her out, and there are some people coming down to try and get a second bag across. We’re to get it packed and ready, and wait for them to call.’
‘Tell him okay.’
‘Yeah.’ She’d just done that. Mimi surveyed the torrent of rushing water in front of them and hoped that the people who were coming to meet them had some idea how they were going to get the bag across the river, because she didn’t have a clue.
Rafe turned in his seat. ‘I’ve got pretty much everything he might need.’ He surveyed the boxes and bags in the back of the SUV. ‘What’s the patient’s condition?’
Trust Rafe to come prepared. He always came prepared, never thinking that someone else might have the situation under control.
‘She’s pregnant.’
Irritation tugged at his mouth. ‘I know that.’
‘Well, that’s all. She’s not in labour yet, but we were going to transport her to the hospital anyway, due to the weather conditions. No complications that I know of, but best...’ She was about to say that they’d best send whatever they could to deal with any eventuality, but Rafe had already got out of the car and was walking around to the tailgate. Opening it, he selected a sturdy holdall and began to stack it with boxes.
Mimi puffed out a breath and pulled her boots back on. She had no doubt that Rafe would do the right thing, or that she would, but it seemed that they were both going to do the right thing in the most unpleasant way possible.
The storm had done its worst and seemed to be easing off a little now. They didn’t have to wait long before four figures appeared on the other side of the river, carrying what looked like climbing gear.
Her phone rang and she answered it.
‘Hi, is that Mimi?’ A woman’s voice on the other end of the line, shouting over the roar of the water. ‘I’m Cass... Fire and Rescue...’
At last, some good news. It was always good to have a firefighter around, even in the pouring rain.
‘Hi Cass, Mimi here. How’s Jack?’
‘He’s fine. We’ve taken him up to the village to dry off and we’re going to try to get a line over to you now.’
‘What’s your plan?’
‘Along the river to the east the land rises on this side. I’m thinking we may be able to throw a rope to you and winch the bag across.’
‘Right you are; we’ll meet you there. We have two bags.’
‘That’s great. Thanks.’ The line cut and Mimi shouldered one of the bags. Knowing that Rafe would follow with the other, she slid carefully down the slope at the side of the road and walked into the trees.
Under the canopy of the leaves, the ground was wet but undisturbed and the clingy mud by the side of the road less in evidence. Rafe’s long strides quickly caught up with her.
‘There’s some high ground on the other side of the river, about a quarter of a mile in this direction. They seem to think they can get a rope across.’
He nodded. Apparently he’d run out of things to say, or perhaps he’d decided that keeping the peace was the better option right now. In the silence, broken only by their footsteps and the drip of rain from the trees, Mimi resolved to do the same.
She thought she’d left this all behind. Taken charge, caught whatever life could throw at her and thrown it back. But right now she felt just as alone as she had five years ago, when Rafe had left, and still weighed down by the memories from her past.
Seventeen years old and clinging to her twin brother, Charlie, on the night they’d heard their parents had died in a car crash. Promising that they’d always be there for each other...
That promise had been