Élise covered his hand with hers. “Sean is the one you should be thanking.”
“Yeah. And I intend to do that next time I see him. I can’t stop shaking,” he confessed, rubbing his fingers across his forehead. “Couldn’t sleep last night. Kept imagining what would have happened if you both hadn’t come along right at that moment.”
Élise didn’t say she’d been imagining the same thing. “Let’s not think about that. I have to get to the Boathouse. If you need anything, just call Reception and they’ll get a message to me.”
What time had she arrived back at Heron Lodge?
Midnight.
When she’d seen Sean sitting on her deck she’d assumed he’d been with the pretty nurse.
Instead, he’d been driving the family home from the hospital. Sticking close by Sam’s side the whole time, refusing to leave even when they’d asked him to.
And his reward for that sacrifice and for keeping his promise to a small boy was being on the receiving end of her furious temper and taking a dunking in the lake.
* * *
SEAN WAS SITTING on the deck of the Boathouse, dri
nking a coffee provided by Poppy.
The place was packed, inside and out, and he thought about what a tremendous job Élise had done, building the café up so fast. There was no sign of her and he assumed she was over at the restaurant.
His grandfather sat opposite him, talking about something.
Sean had no idea what. He wasn’t listening. His mind was fully occupied by thoughts of Élise. He remembered the look on her face just before she’d pushed him in the lake. He remembered her hair, slick against her beautiful face as rain dripped through the forest canopy onto their bodies. He remembered that bare shoulder and her faltering voice as she’d revealed the truth about her past.
Realizing that his grandfather was waiting for a response to a question he hadn’t even heard, Sean picked up his coffee and made an effort to concentrate.
“What were you saying, Gramps?”
“I said, I’ve been hearing things about you.”
Things?
Braced for a comment about Élise, Sean gave what he hoped was a casual shrug. “You don’t want to believe everything you hear.”
“I’m happy enough to believe this.”
Which meant he was matchmaking again.
Sean sighed and put his cup down.
One night with a woman and suddenly everyone around him was booking the church.
“I don’t know what you’ve heard, but it’s probably exaggerated.”
“Really?” His grandfather’s gaze was sharp. “Because what I’m hearing is that you saved the boy’s life.”
Sam. He was talking about Sam, not Élise.
Realizing he’d almost given himself away, Sean breathed deeply.
“He was bleeding. I stopped it. It was basic first aid.”
“Didn’t sound that basic to me. Word is, you’re a hero.” His grandfather picked at one of the little almond cookies Poppy had baked fresh that morning. “Everyone is talking about it.”
“The kid’s doing well. That’s all that matters.”