Barefoot Bay: Just the Two of Us (Kindle Worlds) Read online

  “I’ll get the binoculars for you.” She reached into the grass, felt a pain as something bit her hand, and a rattle sounded. “Damn, that hurt.”

  “Oh, no. Get away quick,” Justin said.

  Lisa jumped up and started for the car. “Too late now. It already bit me.”

  “Hey, keep calm and don’t run. If you’ve got venom, you don’t want it to spread by making your heart beat faster.”

  “How the hell can I stay calm when I’ve been bitten? What should I do?”

  “Wait just a minute until I take a picture of it.” He grabbed his phone and snapped a picture of the snake.

  “For heaven’s sake, why are you stopping to photograph it when I need to go to the hospital?

  “It looked like a diamondback rattler, but I wasn’t sure. They say you need to identify the snake so they can give you the right treatment.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  He paced in front of her, looking anxious. “Damn. I don’t know whether to call an ambulance or drive you to the emergency room.”

  “Well, don’t just stand there. Do something. My hand hurts like mad.”

  “It might swell. Take off your ring.”

  Lisa pulled at it. Was it her imagination or was her hand swelling already? Finally, she got it off and dropped it into a pocket in her shorts.

  Justin was talking to someone. “Yes,” he said. “My friend has just been bitten by what looks like a rattlesnake. It has the right shape head.” He listened. “We’re at a park, and there’s a trail going into the woods.” He listened again, then walked over to the sign at the entrance to the park. “Yes, it’s Silver Maple Park.” He kept the phone to his ear, ran to his car, pulled a water bottle from the cooler, and hurried over to Lisa.

  Her hand was hurting really bad now, and her fingers looked swollen.

  He opened the car door. “Come sit here. They said to drink lots of water and to hold your hand lower than your heart” He poured water on a handkerchief and gently wiped her wound. “They’re sending an ambulance.”

  Lisa found it hard to breathe. She grabbed the bottle and drank. The cool liquid soothed her throat, but now she felt nauseous. Her hand swelled even bigger, and her heart seemed to beat faster. She took in shallow breaths. “How long before they get here?”

  Justin asked the dispatcher on the line. “They said ten minutes. Just stay calm.” He tapped his phone. Soon the melody of “Old Folks at Home” sounded.

  That helped a little, but she could feel her pulse speeding up. “How did you know what to do before you called for help?”

  “I was a Boy Scout. They drilled us on that every time we went for a hike.”

  Lisa could hardly feel her right hand now. When would the swelling stop?

  Justin tapped his phone again. This time the strains of “Beautiful Dreamer” seemed to help calm her. Then he called up “Oh Susannah.” “Come on, sing along. It will help you stop thinking about the pain.”

  She sang. He had a nice deep voice that blended well with her soprano. On the next song, she got into the spirit of it, singing “Camptown Races.”

  Before they finished, the ambulance arrived. One attendant led her to the gurney and told her to lie down on it. Justin helped them lift it into the vehicle. He held her other hand and squeezed it. “I’m so sorry this had to happen to you. I’ll follow the ambulance to the hospital.”

  At the Emergency Room in a Naples hospital, they rolled her to a small room. A nurse took her blood pressure and temperature, and a white coated doctor walked in. She could barely focus on his name tag, which said, ‘Doctor Oliver Bradbury.” He was tall with brown eyes and a movie-star smile. He stepped close to the bed. “Well, what have we here. Did you do battle with a snake and lose?”

  Lisa nodded. “He did his best to make me miserable.”

  Justin showed him the photo of the snake.

  “Well, we’ll just have to fix you up. I’m giving you some antivenom, and antibiotic, and you’d better have a tetanus shot too.”

  “I’m supposed to take the Graduate Record Test next week. Will I be in good enough shape to do that?”

  “You’d better postpone that test.”

  “But I made special arrangements to take it in Naples. I need it to get into graduate school in the fall.”

  “I advise waiting for a couple weeks. Most snake-bite victims stay here at least seven days. Surely, you can take it later this summer.”

  Lisa frowned, then looked at her swollen hand. She tried to sit up, but felt dizzy and lay back down, hoping the doctor wouldn’t notice.

  “You may feel weak and dizzy as well. That sometimes happens with snake bites.”

  “How long do I have to stay here?”

  “You’ll need more treatments. We’d like to keep you for a week. Then, if your symptoms subside, you may leave.”

  What was she going to do about the test next week? Lisa decided she could turn pages with her left hand, but could she grip the pen firmly enough to write anything with her right hand? Hopefully, it would be multiple choice so she only had to blacken circles. Now she felt sleepy. With the nurse on hand to keep an eye on her, it should be okay to take a nap. “Justin, there’s nothing more you can do. Why don’t you go home?”

  He leaned over and kissed her, then smoothed his hand over her face. “You get better, and I’ll be back tomorrow.”

  Chapter Eight

  At seven o’clock, the next morning, an attendant brought Lisa breakfast. Mary, the nurse that had checked on her during the night, asked, “How are you feeling?”

  “Much better,” she said, though her hand still hurt.

  Mary checked her blood pressure reading. “120 over 75. That’s good. Your boyfriend called twice during the night asking if you were all right.”

  “No one told me.”

  “I didn’t want to wake you, but he said to tell you he’d be in to visit you.”

  Seeing a sweater lying on the visitor’s chair, Lisa said, “I wonder if he left a sweater here yesterday.”

  “It must belong to the young man who’s been anxiously waiting to see you.”

  “You mean he’s here?”

  “Has been since six a.m. He’s probably stepped out to get coffee. We keep it brewed all night.”

  Justin walked in. “Good morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?” He took her left hand and squeezed it.

  “My right hand still hurts too much to eat with it. Guess I’ll have to use my left hand. How long have you been here? I didn’t know you came back during the night.”

  He patted her hand, his touch warm and comforting. “I couldn’t sleep for worrying about you.”

  “That was awfully sweet of you, but you didn’t have to do that.” It felt good to know he cared about her enough to come at six in the morning.

  He sipped his coffee. “I decided I might as well sit here and watch you as pace the floor at my cottage. I’m glad to see you look a little better now.”

  She laughed. “I don’t know how I could, wearing this awful hospital gown, and with my hair a mess.”

  “I’m just happy to see you smile again.”

  She slid a fork under some scrambled eggs. On the way to her mouth, the egg slid off.

  Justin watched, but kept a straight face. Even though he didn’t laugh, it was embarrassing. Lisa picked up a piece of bacon. “At least I can get this to my mouth.” She bit it, then attacked the scrambled eggs again.

  Finally, after two tries, she managed to get some to her mouth. She tried to cut the piece of ham, but it hurt to press down on the knife with her right hand. After switching hands, she managed to cut a piece.

  “Would you like me to feed you?”

  “Heavens no. I ’m sure I can manage.” But even concentrating, she found it hard to carry each bite to her mouth without losing some.

  Justin grabbed her knife. “Let me at least cut up your ham.”

  “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

  He did, and she fou
nd spearing each piece of ham was easier than eating the eggs.

  When she was finished, she reached for her coffee. “This is cold.” She set it down,

  “Let me get you some fresh.”

  “Thanks. I’d appreciate it.”

  He came back with a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll. “You can eat this with your hand without any trouble.”

  She smiled. “Thanks. You’re too good to me.”

  After she finished the roll, he leaned over and kissed her—so sweetly, she wished she felt better so she could enjoy his visit.

  “Sorry, I can’t stay any longer, but I need to do some more investigating for Luke.”

  “Still searching for the jewelry thief?”

  He nodded. “I also want to check out the possibility of opening up a jewelry store here on Mimosa Key. Surely, the wedding planners may find an occasion where a groom needs to select a wedding ring.”

  “You mean, you’d consider setting up a branch of the family business here?” That would mean she wouldn’t be able to see him in Dallas.

  “I’d rather do something on my own. That way I could design rings as well as just sell manufactured designs the way Father and Stevie do for the family stores.”

  He kissed her again, making her heart melt.

  She counted on her fingers. It’s only five more days until the test. “When they release me, if they let me go by eight o’clock, would you mind picking me up and taking me home, so I can still get to the test site by ten?”

  He patted her hand. “Of course not. Better yet, I’ll drive you to the test place in Naples.”

  She let out a sigh. “Thanks a million. I’ve been able to concentrate enough to read the test booklet you brought after I gave you my key, but I really needed to go over things one more time.”

  “You’re smart. You shouldn’t need to.”

  “I’m glad you have faith in me. I’m not so sure I can pass.”

  He took hold of her left hand and squeezed it. Then he kissed her, lingering on her lips for an instant as if he didn’t want to stop. His kiss felt wonderful and warmed her heart. She reminded herself, she didn’t need to fall for him. It had only been three months since another man claimed he loved her and then cheated on her. But Justin had been so wonderful, and his kisses made her keep wishing for more.

  He smiled. “Bye for now. I’ll be here tomorrow to visit.”

  She managed a weak wave with her left hand. As soon as he walked out, she felt really drowsy. Sleeping would probably hasten the healing process, and she needed to get better fast.

  Now if only she felt well enough to take the test, and if she remembered all she’d studied, things should be all right. But what if she couldn’t pass the test?

  The next few days passed in a blur. Justin came every day, bringing her first a nice new nightgown to wear. The next day, he brought a new bed jacket. “That’s to keep you warm when I’m not here to do it,” he said, caressing her arm and giving her a kiss.

  The third day he brought a mystery novel. “The nurse says you aren’t sleeping so much anymore, so I thought you’d enjoy this.”

  “You are so thoughtful.”

  “That’s the least I can do for my girl, especially after inviting you on the picnic where the snake bit you. I hate seeing you here in pain. I wish the damn snake bit me instead of you.” He pulled a large envelope from under his arm. “Alex said to give you this. The first Monday you were here, she helped the kids finish painting their paper mâché figures. They all painted get well cards for you. The classes have been cancelled until you return.”

  Lisa’s heart swelled. “That was so sweet of them.”

  The day of the test arrived, and Lisa was still in the hospital. She still felt weak, but she had to take that test. She asked Nurse Mary, “Can you bring me papers to check out?”

  “But you need to stay here at least two more days.”

  “There’s a test I have to take to get into graduate school.”

  “Surely, it’s not worth risking your health.”

  “I think I can manage. Justin will be with me.”

  “If that’s what you want to do, I’ll get the forms ready.” She left the room.

  A few minutes later, she returned with a clip board. It made Lisa’s hand hurt to sign the ‘Against Medical Advice’ form. She signed the rest of the papers as Mary took her temperature, checked her blood pressure, and said it was good.

  As she handed the papers back, Justin arrived. “I’ll take you home and wait while you get dressed. I can drop you off, pick you up after the test is over, and take you to lunch to celebrate.”

  “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

  After an attendant wheeled her to Justin’s car, he drove her back to Mimosa Key.

  Back at her cottage, she took a shower and dressed, then stepped in the living room. “I’m ready.”

  As Justin opened the car door for her, he glanced at the sky. “It looks overcast.

  She wondered why he hadn’t rented a convertible, but he wouldn’t have to worry about putting a top up. He waited until she’d fastened her seat belt before driving off.

  Sure enough, rain came down in sheets all the way across the causeway. Later, she got dressed at her cottage. He held an umbrella as she hurried back to his car.

  It was still raining when they reached the building in Naples where the test was to be held. Justin grabbed the large umbrella from the back seat and held it over their heads as they ran to the building.

  At the desk inside, Lisa asked where the GRE test was being held, and the clerk on duty pointed to the left. “Room 102.”

  Justin grasped Lisa’s shoulders, gave her a hearty kiss, and hugged her. “Good luck. Call me when you’re through.” He turned and left, holding the windbreaker over his head as he stepped outside.

  If she didn’t pass, she’d have to take it in the fall just before the semester started and hope the university allowed her to register for courses if she didn’t get a good score. If they didn’t, that would delay her getting her master’s degree at least six months. She didn’t want that.

  Seated at a chair with a built-in desktop, Lisa looked around. Four young men and five women in casual dress sat waiting. Her damp skirt chilled her knees. She tasted the reruns of the scrambled egg she’d had for breakfast. Maybe she shouldn’t have eaten. When the stiff, dark-haired male proctor in front of the room said, “Start,” Lisa opened the test booklet.

  At first the words swam before her eyes. Faint scratching sounds indicated the others were busy filling in answers. Her hand still hurt, but at least all she had to do was blacken circles for the answers. She could do that with her left hand.

  When the top question finally came into focus, Lisa sighed. Of course, it would have to start with vocabulary, her weakest subject. It was multiple choice. She could eliminate two answers in most cases, but she had to guess at some.

  Next came math. That wasn’t too hard, but the questions where she had to fill in the next number in a series took time to figure out. The ticking of the big clock on the wall seemed to say, ‘hurry up, hurry up.’ Why hadn’t she studied more? She’d let Justin talk her into going places with him instead of studying. She’d spent time worrying about him seeing other women. At least, now she knew why, but she had to stop thinking about him and concentrate.

  Too soon the proctor said, “Time’s up. Put down your pencils.”

  Lisa walked slowly to the front desk, feeling exhausted. That snake venom must be still affecting her. She dropped her booklet on the desk.

  The test attendant said, “You can check online next Monday for your results.”

  Lisa walked back to the lobby, called Justin, and sank down on a leather couch to wait. She lay her head on the back and closed her eyes.

  A tap on her shoulder woke her. “You startled me,” she said.

  Justin bent over her. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to. How’d you do on the test?”

  “I think I flunked it.”
r />   “Maybe you didn’t. When will you get the results?”

  “Next Monday.”

  He took her hand and pulled her from the couch. Crooking his elbow around hers, he led her to his car. Thankfully, the rain had stopped, but the sun glinting off the chrome and car windows was so bright it hurt her eyes.

  After opening the door for her, he slid behind the wheel and looked at her face. “You look tired. Do you want to go out for lunch here in Naples, or would you rather go back to your cottage at Barefoot Bay and take a nap?”

  Still feeling weak, Lisa faced him. “I think I’d rather just have a sandwich and sleep for the rest of the afternoon. That snakebite took more out of me than I thought.”

  She slept most of the way back, lulled by the sea breeze and the lapping of waves on the shore of the causeway.

  Justin tapped her on the shoulder. “We’re at your cottage, and I picked up some sandwiches. Let me help you inside.”

  After she unlocked the door, he carried a bag in and set sandwiches on the kitchen table. Thank goodness, the nausea had disappeared. She was able to enjoy the chicken salad sandwiches, custard tart, and pink lemonade.

  Justin rose and tossed the paper plates and cups in the trash. “I’ll let you take a nap. I’ll call around six.” He walked to the door. “I don’t want anyone trying to break in and steal your jewelry.” He locked the door and shut it behind him.

  Lisa couldn’t wait to strip down to her bra, and panties and slide beneath the sheets. He sure had been caring. Maybe he was a man she could count on to be faithful—if he really wanted to stay with one woman. She knew he’d been checking out possible suspects, but he might have enjoyed being with the ones he didn’t think likely to be the thief. With that she fell asleep and dreamed of dancing with him in sunny meadow with mockingbirds singing.

  Someone was pounding on the door. “Miss Davenport, Miss Davenport, please come to the door,” said a childish voice. A dog barked, sounding like it was just outside. She grabbed a robe, slipped it on, and went to the door. “Who’s there?”

  “It’s Evan, and I’ve got something for you.”

  She opened the door. Evan stood there, barely holding onto a wriggling puppy. With golden hair and floppy ears, it looked to be part cocker spaniel.