Stolen Kiss (The Turners of Copper Island #2)

Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Jason

H e led Archer and Erica along the quayside near the bottom of the path that led up to Turner Hall. The place was packed with barely a square foot of space. He spotted a gap and let Archer usher Erica to the wall. Archer pressed against her back hemming her in and wrapping his arms around her. Erica had a million-dollar smile for the cameras but watching her look out to the boats getting in line, her smile was wide with wonder and happiness.

He wanted a woman who was that carefree with her smiles.

Jason stood next to his brother and sister-in-law, grateful that the locals didn’t care that Erica was Erica, the Oscar-winning actress and left her alone. They were able to enjoy life on the island relatively undisturbed.

Jason hadn’t ventured into town since the wedding and now that Heidi was receptive to his affection, he brushed aside why she’d changed her mind from eleven years ago and scanned the boats to find her face.

She was in the middle of the boat third in at the starting line. She wasn’t looking his way but then he didn’t expect her to be. She was rallying her team, he could tell by her posture, facial expression and fist pumps. A voice came over the tannoy but to everyone on the quayside it sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher. A minute later, a flare gun shot into the air and they were off. The yelling and screaming was deafening, even with all his years watching gig racing, he’d forgotten how much people got into the semi-professional race at the end of the season. Heidi’s boat was pulling in front inch by inch leaving the rest behind. They had to row to an island uninhabited a mile away and then come back. On the return leg, Heidi’s boat was well in front and the three of them were jumping up and down cheering on Heidi like they were watching the Olympics.

A minute later, Heidi’s boat went over the finishing line and the whole quayside erupted. He was so proud she’d won and the other three boats had men which should’ve meant they were stronger. Keith stood up in his boat yelling at his sister that we want not going to play trivial pursuit. At least it narrowed down what she was talking about. It must be a family thing.

Just as Heidi stood up to yell back, the girl behind her swung her oar around and struck her on the side of the head. Heidi fell off the boat like a sack of spuds and a collective gasp rang out around the quayside. Jason didn’t wait. He shoved his way through the throng of the crowd to get nearer to where her boat was. It wasn’t safe to jump in where it was. When a gap in the crowd opened, he ran full pelt while not taking his eyes off Heidi. All but one woman jumped into the water and grabbed for Heidi who had sunk under the waves and pushed her back over the side of the boat. She was lying below the top of the boat and he couldn’t see what was happening. The other woman hand flung themselves back into the boat and a neighbouring team, headed by Keith, towed them back to the stone steps at the mouth of the dock. Jason arrived at the same time Heidi’s boat did. He raced down the steps, careful not to shove anyone in the water.

When he caught sight of her, he relaxed and then he got angry. She was laughing, sitting up on her elbows, swaying her feet from side to side. The other girls sagged against sides of the boat throwing various glances from happiness to pissed off. They were soaking wet and exhausted.

When he got nearer he heard her say, “we won, let’s celebrate.”

“Heidi Shaw, get your arse out of that boat so I can tan your hide. You scared your mother senseless.”

Jason looked behind him. The man was standing with his hands on his hips glared at Heidi. It was Mr Shaw.

“It’s okay dad, I’m fine. I passed out for like a second or two.”

The quayside was quiet waiting for his reply.

“Is that you, Jason Turner?”

All eyes swung his way. It was the second time he’d been in the middle of an Island event and now he was torn between waving and diving into the water to get away. Looking across the water he gauged how far it was to the other side to scramble up the hill to his cottage.

“Hi, Mr Shaw,” he said.

“Jason?”

His attention then went back to Heidi who was struggling to stand up. As soon as she did she fainted. Jason was down the steps and jumping over the side of the boat before her head hit the deck. Crouching down, he scooped her up in his arms.

“Hold the boat still,” he said to the women who had rescued her.

They did as he asked. He carried her off the boat and up the stone steps, to mutters of he’s hot. The crowd made a path for him to carry an unconscious Heidi. The wet from her clothing seeping through to his. But he didn’t care.

Freya skidded to a stop in front of them. “Follow me, I have keys to her place,” she said.

“I’m fine,” Heidi said opening her eyes.

“Thank the Lord,” Heidi’s dad said. “Don’t think this gets you out of making roast potatoes for tomorrow.

“Harold Shaw, hush your mouth. She has a concussion and needs constant care for twenty-four hours. I don’t want her at the oven making potatoes. We’ll do without.”

Mr Shaw gave his wife a glare that said clearly he did not agree. He hoped he had half the marriage they had if this was how they acted after thirty years of marriage.

“She’s made of hard stuff, Colleen she’ll be fine,” Harold Shaw said.

“Let me get her home and then we can assess the potato situation,” Jason said.

“Of course, let us know how she is will you?” Colleen Shaw said as she hobbled along at a slower pace and then stopped, leaning on her stick.

Jason briefly looked her way to see she was struggling but didn’t ask any questions. Freya was leading the way, making a path, yelling make way , like she was from another era. But it worked.

Five minutes later Jason was laying Heidi on her sofa and then immediately picked her up.

“We should get her out of these wet clothes,” Jason said.

“Okay, let me run up and get some dry clothes. Can you hang on?”

“Yes,” He said having no intention of letting her go.

Heidi’s eyes fluttered open when he sat carefully on her solid oak coffee table, with her on his lap. “Jason?” she said.

“Yeah, I’m here. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve drunk ten pints and the hangover has arrived.”

“That’s good. We need to get you out of these clothes,” Jason said.

Freya came thundering down the stairs armed with blankets and PJs.

“Can you stand, sweetheart?” he asked.

“Yeah, I think so,” she said.

Jason stood and then dropped her carefully to her feet, holding on to her biceps from behind. He knew every inch of her body but wanted to keep out of her eyeline if Freya was going to strip her.

“I’ll take it from here, Jason,” Freya said.

“She needs to be watched all night.”

“I’m all right, Jason. I’m a nurse, I’d know if I had any bad effects,” Heidi muttered as Freya pulled off her hoodie and dropped it to the tiles by the fireplace. The clothing landed with a thump. Next came her t-shirt. Heidi let her be handled without much grumbling.

“You were unconscious in the water. Freezing cold water. Who knows how much water you swallowed? Then you fainted,” he said.

Jason was staring at the back of her head, willing her to look his way but all she did was drop her head.

“I’ll be fine, Jason.”

“Look at me,” Jason said.

Heidi took a moment while Freya was on her knees, dragging down Heidi’s wet leggings and then looked over her shoulder at him. There was a whole lot of emotion Jason couldn’t decipher.

“You need anything, you call me.”

She nodded and then dropped her head and closed her eyes.

He had no plans to leave her alone for long but he went out the front door to allow Heidi her privacy while Freya stripped her completely and clothed her like she was a child.

“Here,” a voice said to his right.

Archer handed him a holdall. “Change of clothes now, you must be soaked through and a change of clothes tomorrow as I imagine you’ll be on roast potato duty.”

Jason grinned. His brother knew him well, and he was grateful he was close to his siblings. “Thanks, Archer. I appreciate you going up and getting these.”

“Just take care of her. I want a happy ending,” Archer said.

“Lucy from the greengrocers said she delivered the potatoes yesterday and the family like four each plus Freya sneaks two when Heidi isn’t looking. You know, just in case you end up making them.”

“Did everyone hear Harold Shaw?”

“Yeah, everyone saw and heard it all.”

Jason smiled and shook his head. “Thanks for the info. Sometimes living on a small island helps a guy out.”

“See you tomorrow at some stage,” Archer said and patted his brother on the shoulder and walked away towards Turner Hall.