Butterfly Cove Read Online Free PDF Page B

it.”
    “Only if you eat half.”
    Rafe shook his head. “It’s for you. All of it.”
    “Either we share or I’m not having any.” Her mouth set in a line, and Rafe smiled, remembering how stubborn she could be. “Fine. Half and half. So you’ll be giving lessons at the Harbor House when it opens?”
    “As long as enough people are interested.”
    “You have three students lined up already. Those nurses were ready to sign up right now.”
    “The nurses that were here? Oh, they were nice, but they didn’t come here to learn about knitting.”
    “No? It looked that way to me.”
    Olivia studied his face and smiled slowly. “You really don’t know, do you?”
    “Know what?” Rafe didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.
    “They came here to see you. Word is out that Rafe Russo is back on the island. They came here to check you out.”
    Rafe ran a hand over his neck. “That’s crazy.” He stood up, feeling uncomfortable as he paced the room.
    “Not at all.” Olivia tilted her head. “You’re a high-profile topic, Rafe. You always will be. You stir up strong feelings, whether you want to or not.” She started to say something else, then looked away.
    Rafe wanted to ask her what it was.
    But her face had filled with color again and he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. “Can I get you anything else before I go?”
    She shook her head stiffly.
    Rafe wondered what he had done to take the joy out of her face.
    “Are you sure? I can stay here until one of your friends comes.”
    “There’s no need,” she said quickly. “You probably have a lot of things to do. I don’t want to keep you. It was...nice of you to come by, though.”
    Rafe hated this strained formality in her voice. He hated the restless way her good hand picked at the plastic wrapper on her tray.
    Most of all, he hated the thought that he had once again done something to hurt her.
    * * *
    T HE CLINIC STAYED busy throughout the night following the storm. Rafe helped out when extra stretchers had to be brought inside and an emergency generator needed to be carried up from the basement. As the night passed, he made occasional trips downstairs for coffee or sandwiches. But mostly he sat in the chair beside Olivia’s bed, watching her sleep.
    Thinking about the past and the ways it could tangle up the future.
    During that long night Olivia woke twice, staring around her in confusion until Rafe rested a hand on hers.
    Each time she sighed and slid back to sleep as if his touch had assured her that everything would be fine.
    * * *
    W HEN O LIVIA AWOKE around 6:00 a.m, she stared up anxiously. Where was she? And why did her shoulder ache as if it had been hammered?
    The storm.
    The accident.
    Blinking, she glanced across the bed and saw a tall man sitting in the chair nearby. She knew that lean face instantly. So Rafe was still here. It hadn’t been a dream fueled by the medicine they were giving her for her shoulder.
    She swallowed hard, unable to take her eyes off his face.
    “Hey. You’re awake.”
    “You stayed here all night?”
    He nodded. “Jilly called you and wanted you to call her this morning. I told her what had happened.”
    “I feel strange. Restless. Medicated.”
    “How about your shoulder?”
    “It’s throbbing, but nothing terrible. Not like in the storm.” She closed her eyes at the memory.
    Rafe stood up slowly, looking uncomfortable. “They’ll take good care of you. I don’t want to bother you. I’d better go.”
    Olivia hated how much she wanted him to stay.
    She glanced up at a knock on the door. “More nurses coming to check out the new deputy? News really does travel fast. Come in, ” she called.
    But Walker Hale opened the door, studying Olivia with concern. “Hey, Livie. How are you doing?”
    “Not so bad. I’m still groggy.” She frowned down at the brace on her shoulder. “Not much driving or anything else for me right now.”
    “No worries there. I’m under orders from Jilly to