Summer Kisses

‘Anaphylactic shock.’ Ryan’s mouth was grim and Jenna dropped to her knees beside him.

‘Is he allergic to anything?’ She glanced at the man’s wife. ‘Nuts? Could he have been stung? Wasp?’

The woman’s eyes were wild with panic. ‘I don’t think he was stung and he’s not allergic to anything. He’s fine with nuts, all that sort of stuff—is he going to die?’

Ryan had his hand in his bag. ‘He’s not going to die. Ben, call the air ambulance and fetch me that oxygen you keep round the back.’ Icy calm, he jabbed an injection of adrenaline into the man’s thigh, working with astonishing speed. ‘Pete? Can you hear me? I’m Dr McKinley.’

Catching a glimpse of the role he’d played in a previous life, Jenna switched her focus back to the man’s wife. ‘What were you eating?’ She looked at the table. ‘Fish pie?’

‘Yes. But he’d only had a few mouthfuls.’

‘Are there prawns in that fish pie?’

‘Yes.’ Ben was back with the oxygen. ‘But they were fresh this morning.’

‘I’m not suggesting food poisoning,’ Jenna said quickly, ‘but maybe shellfish allergy?’

Covering the man’s mouth and nose with the oxygen mask, Ryan looked at her for a moment, his eyes narrowed. Then he nodded. ‘Shellfish. That’s possible. That would explain it.’ He adjusted the flow of oxygen. ‘I’ll give him five minutes and then give him another shot of epinephrine. Can you find it?’

Jenna delved in his bag and found the other drugs they were likely to need.

‘Shellfish allergy?’ The wife looked at them in horror. ‘But—this isn’t the first time he’s eaten shellfish—can you just develop an allergy like that? Out of nowhere?’

‘Jenna, can you squeeze his arm for me? I want to get a line in.’

‘Actually, yes.’ Jenna spoke to the woman as she handed Ryan a sterile cannula and then watched as he searched for a vein. ‘Some adults do develop an allergy to something that hasn’t harmed them before.’

‘The body just decides it doesn’t like it?’

‘The body sees it as an invader,’ Jenna explained, blinking at the speed with which Ryan obtained IV access. Her fingers over his, she taped down the cannula so that it wouldn’t be dislodged, the movements routine and familiar. ‘It basically overreacts and produces chemicals and antibodies. Dr McKinley has just given an injection to counter that reaction.’

The woman’s face was paper-white. ‘Is it going to work?’

‘I hope so. This is quite a severe reaction, so I’m giving him another dose.’ Ryan took the syringe from Jenna. ‘And I’m going to give him some antihistamine and hydrocortisone.’

‘Air ambulance is on its way,’ Ben said, and at that moment Jenna noticed something. Leaning forward, she lifted the man’s tee shirt so that

she could get a better look.

‘He has a rash, Ryan.’

‘I think it’s safe to assume we’re dealing with a shellfish allergy—when you get to the mainland they’ll observe him overnight and then make an appointment for you to see an allergy consultant. Where do you live?’

‘We’re from London. We’re just here for a holiday. We have another week to go.’ The woman was staring at her husband’s chest in disbelief. ‘I’ve never seen a rash come on like that.’

‘It’s all part of the reaction,’ Jenna said quietly. ‘The drugs will help.’

‘How long do you think they’ll keep him in hospital?’

‘With any luck they’ll let you go tomorrow and you can get on with your holiday—avoiding shellfish.’ Ryan examined the rash carefully. ‘The hospital should refer you for allergy testing so you can be sure what you’re dealing with. You may need to carry an Epipen.’ He checked the man’s pulse again. ‘His breathing is improving. That last injection seems to have done the trick.’

‘Thank goodness—’ The woman slumped slightly and Jenna slipped her arm round her.

‘You poor thing. Are you on your own here? Do you have any friends or family with you?’ She tried to imagine what it must be like going through this on holiday, far from home, with no support.

‘My sister and her husband, but they’ve gone to the beach barbecue.’

‘I’ll contact them for you,’ Ben said immediately, taking the details and sending one of the locals down to the beach to locate the woman’s family.