Rescued: Mother and Baby

‘And your family?’

It was as if the shutters had come down. The atmosphere in the car turned decidedly cool.

‘The army is my family,’ he said briefly. His mouth curved in to a half-smile. ‘Anyway, I’d rather talk about you.’

Some pair they made. He didn’t want to talk about his life and she didn’t want to talk about hers.

However, she couldn’t help wondering what he wasn’t telling her.

The road was rising steeply but Georgie knew the West Coast like the back of her hands. She could almost have navigated them in her sleep. The mountains of Glencoe rose like cloaked giants on either side of the road. She never failed to feel the brooding loneliness of the place where the Campbells had massacred the MacDonalds.

‘Have you always climbed?’ Logan asked.

‘Since like for ever. My father took me out on the hills as soon as I could walk. If I got tired, he’d fling me like a rucksack on his back.’ Georgie smiled at the memory, before the familiar tug of grief pulled at her heart. Although her father had died four years ago, she still missed him. ‘I was brought up here. I’ve climbed every hill in Scotland, including the Munros, at least twice. I joined the mountain rescue team when I was eighteen. Unfortunately tourists and even experienced climbers constantly underestimate our mountains—especially how quickly the weather can change. I’ve even seen women set off in their high heels for a four-hour climb. And then they’re surprised when they twist their ankle and have to be rescued. I also volunteer as a rescue medic at the annual downhill cycle race that’s held in Fort William every year.’

‘But you live in Glasgow now?’

‘Yes. And have done for the last two and a half years. I’m not really part of the mountain rescue team any more. Today was unusual. I just happened to be hanging out at the clubhouse with Kirk when the call came through. The team was out on another call, so I said I would go.’ She took a shaky breath, remembering how she had frozen and the vertigo she’d experienced. It had never happened before, but this had been the first time she’d climbed since before Jess had been born. Just as well, then, that she was no longer part of the team.

Georgie felt Logan’s eyes on her and when she glanced his way he was looking thoughtful.

‘What’s the most difficult rescue you’ve been involved with?’

His question was unexpected and hit her right in the solar plexus. She couldn’t bear to think about the most difficult rescue. She had spent the last two and a half years trying not to think about it.

‘Georgie?’ Logan prompted. Her silence must have told him she didn’t want to talk about it. ‘It’s okay,’ he said ‘You don’t have to tell me. God knows, there’s stuff I don’t want to talk about.’

So she was right. There was a lot more to Logan Harris than met the eye. He puzzled her. On the one hand, he seemed to be a typical all-male action man—on the other, he had this surprising thoughtfulness. He had cared enough to go and see Jack, knowing the child would be frightened and anxious.

She didn’t know whether she was relieved or disappointed when the lights of the inn broke through the darkness.

‘We’re here. I’ll make the introductions and then get away and help Mum with the spare room.’ Right now all she wanted was to be away from this man’s searching eyes—and his questions.

‘Are you sure you don’t want me to at least ask about a room here? Maybe I’d be lucky.’

‘Honestly, there’s no problem. Whatever you prefer. If there isn’t space or you just change your mind about asking, Kirk will bring you back with him. Actually, come to think of it, he’ll probably insist on it. You can drive his car, otherwise, knowing my brother, he’ll be tempted to drive himself—even with one arm in plaster. And he drives like a madman at the best of times.’

‘Seems like you and your brother are one of a kind—you both enjoy putting your lives in danger,’ Logan said, and Georgie couldn’t tell whether it was approval or the opposite in his voice.

Little did he know that he had got it completely wrong. Kirk might still love pitting himself against the mountain, and she might have done once, but all she wanted these days was an easy life. A safe, uncomplicated life for her and Jess.

Inside, the inn was a cacophony of sound. Someone had brought out an accordion and Kirk had retrieved his fiddle from behind the bar and in his typical nothing-is-going to-stop-me-doing-what-I-want way had tucked the instrument under his plastered left arm while he played the strings with his right. When he spotted them he waved.

‘Trust Kirk not to miss a chance to play the fiddle.’ Georgie indicated her brother with a nod of her head. ‘He’ll be over as soon as he finishes the set.’

‘Hey, Red.’ A stocky man with a woollen hat rushed to their side. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here.’

Logan mouthed ‘Red?’ at her with a broad grin on his face. Georgie wished Rob and the rest would get over using the nickname they had given her when she’d been a teenager and had first started hanging out with them.

‘Rob, this is Dr Logan Harris. He wanted to meet you guys and to speak to Kirk in particular. I need to get home. Would you mind telling Kirk that Logan would like a word when he’s free? And tell him Logan will be staying the night at the house?’

‘Sure thing, Red. Hey, how’s that wee kiddie of yours? Kirk’s always telling us she’s the spitting image of Ian.’

‘Will you stop calling me Red?’ Georgie muttered in his ear, before straightening. ‘Jess is fine. Growing fast. I brought her in the other day, but I gather you were up some mountain—as usual. I’m away back to Glasgow tomorrow night, so you’ll have to wait until next time, I’m afraid.’

Once more she was conscious of Logan’s eyes on hers. Unable to help herself, she slid him a glance. He was looking at her wedding ring.

‘The guys will look after you. I’ll see you later, Logan,’ she said, and quickly made her escape.

As she drove home Georgie couldn’t stop thinking about Logan. He was coming to work at the Glasgow City Hospital! And he would be working in the same department as her too! Or would he? The chat about the doctor coming to set up the new service hadn’t been terribly specific as to where he’d be based, but he was bound to be in the department some of the time at least. For some crazy reason her heart started doing its little dance at the thought. Stop it! she told herself angrily. You don’t know the first thing about him. Except that he is sexy as hell. And not just mildly attractive either. More like blowing- your-socks-off, drop-dead gorgeous!

The realisation hit her like a ton of bricks. It was the first time she had even thought about another man, let alone found one attractive. A shock of guilt and dismay shot through her. How could she even think of another man when she had loved Ian so much? Eventually, sometime—in the year dot maybe—she would have to move on with her life. People had told her time would heal, that eventually her heart would mend, but she hadn’t believed them. If that meant forgetting about Ian, she didn’t know if she wanted her heart to heal. Forgetting about him, her first love, the father of her child, seemed so disloyal. What was she thinking? She could no more forget Ian than fly to the moon. But some easing of the pain that had almost crushed her had to be good.

She shook her head. All this turmoil just because she had met a man who made her pulse race. She didn’t even know if he was married. Someone as gorgeous as him was bound to be. Besides, the look in his eyes, the excitement, the thrill of danger. She had seen that look before. In Ian’s eyes.

Married or not, Georgie thought impatiently, Dr Logan Harris was not for her.

‘And you say you’re going to be working with this man?’ Mary asked as they made up the bed in the spare room. ‘What’s he like?’

Kirk had telephoned to say that the inn was full and Logan was taking up Georgie’s offer of a bed for the night.

‘Oh, you know. Tall,’ she replied evasively. Her mother was also always telling her it was time to move on. Georgie knew as soon as Mary saw Logan she’d start imagining all sorts of scenarios. All sorts of never-going-to-happen scenarios. ‘Anyway, you’ll meet him yourself. If not tonight, at breakfast tomorrow.’

‘And he’s an army doctor?’ Mary persisted. ‘What’s he going to be doing in Glasgow, then?’

‘Setting up a medical emergency retrieval service. He’s only there for three months—or so I understand.’

‘Is he young?’

‘Thirty-something at a guess. C’mon, Mum. I know what’s going through your mind. But forget it. He might be married for all I know. And, anyway, I don’t want a relationship with another man.’ She twisted her wedding ring. ‘I still miss Ian, Mum.’

This time she couldn’t help the catch in her voice. Her mother stopped what she was doing and came over and hugged her. ‘Ian would want you to move on with your life, you know. All he ever wanted was your happiness. You can’t mourn him for ever.’

‘I know that. I guess I’m just not ready yet. Besides…’

‘Go on,’ Mary prompted.

‘Besides, even if I were, I could never fall for someone who puts his life in danger on a daily basis. Not after what happened to Ian. If I do meet someone else, believe me, it’s going to be someone whose idea of a wild night is watching an action movie on the telly.’

‘I can’t imagine you being happy with that sort of man. You’ve always craved excitement.’

‘Honestly, Mum. I’ve had enough excitement to last me a lifetime. All I want now is to make a home for me and Jess. Somewhere secure for both of us.’ She looked at Mary, noticing, not for the first time, that her mother was getting old. Despite her protestations, Georgie could tell the arthritis in her left hip was getting worse. ‘It’s time we let you get back to your own life. You’ve put it on hold for long enough.’

‘That’s not what I meant when I said it’s time for you to get over your grief,’ Mary protested. ‘You know I love looking after Jess. It’s you I’m worried about.’

‘I couldn’t have managed these last two and a half years without you, you know that. But, as you say, it’s time I stood on my own two feet. And part of that means letting you get back to your home. You can’t tell me that you don’t miss it.’

‘A house—a place—is nothing compared to being with those you love when they need you. And you still need me. I’ll stay as long as you need me, mo ghràigh,’ her mother said quietly. ‘You know that, don’t you?’