Her Holiday Miracle

‘I help you, lady—yes?’ A dark-skinned, athletic-looking young man came to stand beside Becky on the dock. ‘You need help with your bags?’

‘No … no, thank you.’ Becky gave him a tentative smile. She’d been warned by the tour company about hustlers, and though he seemed innocent enough she was cautious. Perhaps he had a car somewhere, but from his manner she seriously doubted he was a legitimate cab driver. ‘I’ll be fine. I’m sure I can manage.’

Unfortunately, her suitcase was still back at the airport, but she had her hand luggage with her—a holdall and a roomy bag.

He shook his head. ‘You give me money—I take your bags for you.’ He bent down and started to grasp the handles of her overnight bag.

‘No, no … please don’t do that … I can manage,’ she said again, but he wasn’t listening.

‘I take care of it for you,’ he said.

‘No—I’d rather you didn’t do that.’

She tried to reach for her bag but he was too quick for her, deftly swinging it away from her into the air. She sucked in a sharp breath. How on earth was she going to deal with him? Should she kick up a fuss? Call Security? Where was Security around here?

Even as the thoughts darted through her head the man she’d seen earlier stepped forward. He moved so fast she blinked in surprise, watching as he came up to the stranger, gripped the handles of her bag firmly and wrenched them from him. Rebecca was stunned. He was lithe and supple, his body honed to perfection. It was simply amazing to watch him in action.

His steel-grey gaze cut through the young man like a lance. ‘She told you that she didn’t want your help. Now I’m telling you—leave her alone.’

It was clear he meant business. It was there in the clipped tone of his voice and in the firm thrust of his taut, angular jaw. Even Rebecca was in awe of him, and she was an innocent bystander.

‘Okay. Okay.’ The young man held up his hands in submission, backing off. ‘I didn’t mean any harm. I’m going.’ He looked wary, taken completely aback by the opposition that seemed to have erupted out of nowhere.

Her rescuer watched him leave. ‘He won’t bother you any more,’ he said.

‘No. I see that.’ She sent him a grateful glance, her green eyes drinking him in. The youth was hurrying away along the quayside, anxious to stay out of trouble. ‘Thank you. I wasn’t sure whether there were any security people around here. They didn’t seem necessary. Everything looked so peaceful.’

His mouth made a wry curve. ‘It is—usually. But anywhere you go you might find people who want to supplement their income any way they can.’

‘I suppose so.’ She used the leaflet to fan her cheeks against the heat. How did he manage to look so cool and in control? He must be used to the conditions out here.

‘I’m Cade, by the way,’ he said. ‘I’m William’s cousin. He may have mentioned me.’

He held out a hand to her and she slipped her palm briefly into his. His grasp was firm and reassuringly strong.

‘Rebecca,’ she answered. ‘Yes, he did. Thanks again for your help.’

‘You’re welcome.’ He gave her a thoughtful look. ‘I couldn’t help overhearing some of your conversation with William on board. You said you were staying at Tamarind Bay—that’s roughly where I’m headed. Near there, anyway. I have a place in the hills above the bay. I could give you a lift, if you like?’

‘Um … that’s okay, thanks. I don’t mind waiting for a taxi. I don’t want to put you out.’ She didn’t know him, after all, so why would she trust her safety to him?

‘You could be in for a long wait …’ His glance shifted over her. ‘To be frank, a woman on her own—a beautiful young woman at that—could invite unwanted attention … as you’ve already discovered.’ He reached into the pocket of his chinos and showed her a business card. ‘Perhaps this will help to put your mind at ease.’

Dr Cade Byfield, she read. Emergency Medicine Physician, Mountview Hospital, St Marie-Rose.

‘People know me around here,’ he said. ‘I make the trip to and from Martinique on a regular basis. Ask the officials at the end of the dock if you need reassurance.’

That sounded reasonable enough. She’d seen one of them acknowledge him with a nod a short time ago. ‘A doctor?’ she said quietly. ‘So you live out here?’

He nodded. ‘I have done for the last few years, anyway. I’m from Florida, originally, but my parents settled on the island some years ago.’ He glanced at her questioningly. ‘And you?’

‘I’m English—from a busy town in Hertfordshire.’

‘Ah, I thought I recognised the accent.’ He smiled fleetingly and waved a hand in the direction of the harbour wall. ‘My car’s parked over there. Shall we go? I promise you, you’ll be safe with me.’

‘Okay.’ As she nodded he placed the palm of his hand in the small of her back, sending small whorls of sensation eddying through her spine. She tried not to think about the touch of his warm, strong fingers on her body as she walked with him.

‘We could have done with your help as a doctor on the plane coming over here,’ she murmured as they set off along the quayside.

‘Really? Why is that?’

‘We had to divert to Martinique to drop off a man who was taken ill. He was sitting in the seat across the aisle from me when he collapsed. He looked dreadful—pale and waxy. The pilot had to radio for help and they made sure they had an ambulance waiting for him at the airport.’

He frowned. ‘It must have been serious if they had to do that. What was wrong with him? Do you know?’

She nodded. ‘He complained of chest pain radiating to his ears and gums, and then he lost consciousness. I felt for a pulse but there wasn’t one.’

He sent her a quick, concerned look. ‘Sounds like a heart attack. What happened?’

She pulled a face. ‘There was general panic all around me for a moment or two. Then I started chest compressions while a flight attendant rushed to get a portable defibrillator. We managed to shock his heart and establish a rhythm and restored blood flow to his vital organs.’ Her mouth flattened. ‘I thought he was going to be all right, but then things went wrong again and his heart went into an irregular rhythm and stopped for a second time.’

Cade sucked in his breath. ‘He was obviously in a very bad way—that must have been scary for you.’

‘It was worrying,’ she admitted. ‘But I’m a doctor, too, so I suppose the training kicked in. They had adrenaline on board in the aircraft’s medical kit, so I gave him intravenous doses until he started to recover.’

His eyes widened with interest. ‘Are you an emergency doctor?’

‘No. My specialty’s paediatrics.’

‘So, do you work in a hospital or general practice?’

By now they were approaching his car—a dark metallic red sports utility vehicle. It managed to look both sleek and sturdy at the same time, and she guessed it would be capable of managing most types of terrain.

She said quietly, ‘I was working in a neonatal unit, but actually I’m taking a break from medicine right now.’ How could she bear to go into work every day and be surrounded by babies, knowing she might never hold one of her own? It was like a pain deep inside her. ‘At least I thought I was taking a break until I stepped on the plane. My plans certainly went wrong after that.’

He opened the passenger door for her and ushered her inside. He was frowning again. ‘Obviously you weren’t heading for Martinique at the outset. Wouldn’t it have been easier to fly the rest of the way from there instead of getting the ferry?’

‘Probably.’ She was thankful he hadn’t asked about her reasons for having a break from her career, but maybe he assumed she was just taking a holiday. ‘There wasn’t another flight until tomorrow morning,’ she explained. ‘Once we stopped at Martinique the flight crew had worked their allotted hours, apparently. I didn’t want to mess about. I wanted to get here on time to be with my sister—and my luggage had already been taken off the plane.’ She pulled a face. ‘I’m not quite sure where it is at the moment … en route to Barbados, I think. I’ve filled in all the appropriate forms, so hopefully I’ll be reunited with it at some point.’

‘You’ve had an eventful journey.’ He slid into the driver’s seat and switched on the engine. ‘Let’s hope things go smoothly for you from now on.’

‘Yes, we should look on the bright side, shouldn’t we?’ She leaned back against the luxurious upholstery and felt the cool waft of a delicate breeze fan her cheeks as the air-conditioning kicked in. ‘Oh, that feels good.’

He gave her a sideways glance. ‘How long are you planning on staying over here?’

‘Three months to begin with—maybe longer, but if so I might need to find work of some sort. I’m not in a hurry to do that yet—I suppose I’m looking for a change of direction. I may even decide to go home when the three months is up. I just want to spend time with Emma—my sister. She’s over here on a temporary contract with the nursing directorate.’ She frowned. ‘She messaged me a short time ago when I was on the boat, to say she’d been called out on a job—some last-minute thing that cropped up. I’m just hoping she’ll be back before too long.’

His cool, thoughtful gaze swept over her before he turned his attention back to the road ahead. ‘Talking of jobs, it seems a bit strange for you to be taking time out so early in your career. You’re very fortunate if you can afford to do that. A lot of people would envy you.’