Christina Skye - Butterfly Cove

Her eyes moved. She studied the bed, the wall and then looked at his face, seeming confused.

“Rafe? Is that—really you?”

Rafe felt something tighten in his throat at her question. The sound of her voice still had the power to hit him in the chest like a hot fist. “It’s me. How do you feel?”

“Sleepy. Strange. Drugged, I guess. You were there in the mudslide? That was you in the car I hit, wasn’t it? And then my shoulder—” She closed her eyes, cutting off a sound of pain.

“Take it easy, Livie. You’re doing great. There won’t be any more pain like that.”

“You fixed my shoulder. I remember that.” Olivia’s hand slid out to grip his. “I thought it was a dream when you walked out of the rain. I’m not dreaming, am I?”

Her eyes were unfocused and Rafe figured she was still half-asleep. She probably didn’t have a clue what she was saying. “It’s no dream. I’m right here, Livie. Now get some rest.”

She smiled sadly. “I missed how you say my name. Say it again?”

“Livie.”

“That’s nice. I’m glad you’re here. Don’t go away, Rafe. Not until I wake up. It...might be a while.”

Rafe looked down at their fingers linked on the white hospital bed. He felt a weight at his chest. “I’ll be right here.”

They were going to have to face their past sometime, he thought. They might as well get it over with as soon as possible.

* * *

RAFE WALKED DOWN for a quick cup of coffee and a sandwich from a vending machine. Then he checked in with Tom Wilkinson to be sure things were under control at the station.

Since he was off duty, he figured he would stay with Olivia until one of her friends showed up. Hell, he had nothing better to do.

When he got back to her door, he was surprised to hear the sound of voices from inside the room. Looking in, he saw that she was awake, propped against a pillow, offering knitting tips to three nurses who were admiring a featherlight shawl on her bed.

So she was still a knitter, Rafe thought. Even as a teenager she had been crazy for yarn and fiber. Rafe remembered that she had knit him a hat one year, and it had won a prize at the county fair. He frowned as the rest of the details came back to him. Her father had been angry that she entered the fair without his permission. He had been incendiary when he learned that the hat was a gift for Rafe. But Olivia had refused to relent, determined to give the complex piece of knitting to Rafe. Her father had retaliated by cutting off her allowance and grounding her for a month.

Never one to back down, Jilly had sneaked over at night, climbing up the big oak tree outside Olivia’s bedroom, furious at Olivia’s punishment.

In a rush, Rafe remembered every sharp detail and regretted that he had made trouble for Olivia with her father. It seemed he had a rare ability to screw up her life.

Just then Olivia looked up and her face filled with color. Rafe could see nothing else but her soft mouth and the way her eyes sparkled.

“Feeling better, I see. But I think you should be resting. Sorry to interrupt, ladies.”

The nurses glanced at Rafe curiously, and Olivia introduced him.

The new deputy sheriff.

It still sounded strange to Rafe.

After quick assurances that they would drop by the new yarn shop for lessons with Olivia, the nurses left. Rafe sat down next to the bed and began piling snacks on her tray.

“What’s all this?”

“Lemon snack cake. Chocolate cupcakes. Corn chips. Coke. I figured I’d cover all the bases.”

Olivia laughed and the sound broke over Rafe like a cool rain after a parched summer. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed that laugh.

“You expect me to eat all that?”

“Not immediately. But given the reputation of hospital food, I thought you should stock up.”

Olivia reached for the cupcakes, then stopped with a frown. They had fitted her with a temporary brace, which made using her hand very difficult. “I hate being helpless,” she muttered.

Rafe opened the pastry and set it on the plate in front of her. “It’s only temporary. Have at it.”

“Only if you eat half.”

Rafe shook his head. “It’s for you. All of it.”

“Either we share or I’m not having any.” Her mouth set in a line, and Rafe smiled, remembering how stubborn she could be. “Fine. Half and half. So you’ll be giving lessons at the Harbor House when it opens?”

“As long as enough people are interested.”

“You have three students lined up already. Those nurses were ready to sign up right now.”

“The nurses that were here? Oh, they were nice, but they didn’t come here to learn about knitting.”

“No? It looked that way to me.”

Olivia studied his face and smiled slowly. “You really don’t know, do you?”

“Know what?” Rafe didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.

“They came here to see you. Word is out that Rafe Russo is back on the island. They came here to check you out.”

Rafe ran a hand over his neck. “That’s crazy.” He stood up, feeling uncomfortable as he paced the room.

“Not at all.” Olivia tilted her head. “You’re a high-profile topic, Rafe. You always will be. You stir up strong feelings, whether you want to or not.” She started to say something else, then looked away.

Rafe wanted to ask her what it was.

But her face had filled with color again and he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. “Can I get you anything else before I go?”

She shook her head stiffly.

Rafe wondered what he had done to take the joy out of her face.

“Are you sure? I can stay here until one of your friends comes.”

“There’s no need,” she said quickly. “You probably have a lot of things to do. I don’t want to keep you. It was...nice of you to come by, though.”

Rafe hated this strained formality in her voice. He hated the restless way her good hand picked at the plastic wrapper on her tray.

Most of all, he hated the thought that he had once again done something to hurt her.

* * *

THE CLINIC STAYED busy throughout the night following the storm. Rafe helped out when extra stretchers had to be brought inside and an emergency generator needed to be carried up from the basement. As the night passed, he made occasional trips downstairs for coffee or sandwiches. But mostly he sat in the chair beside Olivia’s bed, watching her sleep.

Thinking about the past and the ways it could tangle up the future.

During that long night Olivia woke twice, staring around her in confusion until Rafe rested a hand on hers.

Each time she sighed and slid back to sleep as if his touch had assured her that everything would be fine.

* * *

WHEN OLIVIA AWOKE around 6:00 a.m, she stared up anxiously. Where was she? And why did her shoulder ache as if it had been hammered?

The storm.

The accident.

Blinking, she glanced across the bed and saw a tall man sitting in the chair nearby. She knew that lean face instantly. So Rafe was still here. It hadn’t been a dream fueled by the medicine they were giving her for her shoulder.

She swallowed hard, unable to take her eyes off his face.

“Hey. You’re awake.”

“You stayed here all night?”

He nodded. “Jilly called you and wanted you to call her this morning. I told her what had happened.”

“I feel strange. Restless. Medicated.”

“How about your shoulder?”

“It’s throbbing, but nothing terrible. Not like in the storm.” She closed her eyes at the memory.

Rafe stood up slowly, looking uncomfortable. “They’ll take good care of you. I don’t want to bother you. I’d better go.”

Olivia hated how much she wanted him to stay.