concussion. The doctors were worried that a broken rib had punctured his liver but that’s been cleared and bones will mend.’ His sigh transmitted a mountain of relief. ‘He’s going to be incapacitated for quite a while, but there should be no lasting damage.’
‘That’s good news, Harry,’ Elizabeth said, her own relief pouring into her voice.
‘Lucy’s here. I’ve left her sitting beside Mickey, holding his left hand. She’s certainly a surprise, your sister.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘He’s not a pretty picture—face cut, bruised and swollen. I didn’t think it was a good idea, her going in to see him. Thought she’d have hysterics or faint at the sight of him. She gave me an earbashing on how much she cared about Mickey and she was no wimp when it came to facing anyone who was suffering anything.’
Elizabeth smiled, imagining the scene. ‘I told you she was good with Mum.’
‘Looks like she’ll be good with Mickey, too. Like Mum was with Dad. He’ll need cheering up in the days to come, that’s for sure. He’s sedated right now. Haven’t spoken to him, only to the doctors, who assure me he’s out of the woods.’
‘That’s the important thing, Harry. Whatever the future brings, he does have a future.’
‘Thank God!’
‘How did the accident happen? Lucy said he’d left her to find an all-night pharmacy...’
‘Drunken teenagers in a stolen car running a red light. They just slammed into him. All four of them are here in the hospital, undoubtedly ruing their stupid joy ride. I can’t say I’m feeling any sympathy for them.’
Harsh words, but justified, Elizabeth thought. Nevertheless, concern for him made her ask, ‘Are you okay, Harry? I know shock can hit hard and have lingering after-effects.’
He heaved another big sigh, releasing tension this time. ‘I’ll be fine. Got to step in for Mickey. I’ll have to run the Cairns office until he can pick up the reins again. I can delegate the running of the tourist side for a while, but Mickey has always kept a very personal control of the franchises. There’s no one I can hand it to.’
‘I know,’ she murmured understandingly, realising that his mind was racing, trying to foresee problems he had to deal with.
‘I’ll set up interviews with the two people we selected for the management position on the island, hopefully this week, then send the one I think is most appropriate out to you. If you’ll train whomever I choose...’
‘No problem,’ she assured him. ‘I’ll get Sarah and Jack and Daniel to come on board for that, as well. We’ll handle it for you, Harry. Don’t worry about it. You’ll have enough on your plate taking over from Michael. Just keep me informed on what’s happening.’
‘Will do. And thanks for...’ He paused a moment, his voice gathering a husky note as he added, ‘for being you, Elizabeth.’
The emotional comment brought a lump to her throat. It had been a stressful morning and she teetered on the edge of weeping now that the practicalities of the situation had been sorted out. She knew intuitively that Harry was close to breaking up, too, having held himself together to face the worst.
Having swallowed hard to clear her throat, she softly said, ‘Don’t be too alone in this, Harry. Anything you need to share...you can talk to me any time. Okay?’
Another pause, longer this time, making her wonder if she had stepped too far, assuming an intimacy he didn’t feel with her when they weren’t in bed together.
‘Though I’m not into phone sex,’ she blurted out.
He cracked up. Peal after peal of laughter sent her brain into a tizzy. She had no idea what it meant—a release from tension, amusement at her prudish restriction?
‘Oh, Ellie! I love you,’ he bubbled forth. ‘I really, truly do.’
She was stunned into silence. Was this a genuine declaration or was he funning her?
‘And it will kill me if you don’t love me back,’ he went on, slightly more soberly.
How was she to reply to that? ‘Umm... Well, don’t die any time soon, Harry.’
‘I won’t. I have too much to live for. And so do you, Ellie,’ he said with conviction. ‘Bye for now.’
Elizabeth didn’t know what to think. In the end she decided Harry’s loving her was simply an impulsive reaction to her helping him at a time of crisis. It was more comfortable putting it in that box than believing he was serious, because she didn’t want to feel pressured about loving him back. As much as she liked him—maybe loved him—she wasn’t ready to lay her heart completely on the line. It was too...hasty.
* * *
Harry knew he’d jumped the gun with the love words. They’d spilled out of him before he realised what he was saying, no consideration given to how they’d be received or interpreted and, worst of all, he couldn’t see Elizabeth’s reaction to them.
He’d spoken the truth. He knew that without any doubt now. The instinctive attraction had always been there and he’d never been able to give up on it, despite her constantly blocking it, preferring to see his brother as the more desirable man. But they were right together, right for each other. He felt it in his bones. Though he suspected she wasn’t quite ready to hear or accept it.
Having given her word, she would still stand by him during this crisis. But until he was actually with her again, he’d steer clear of pouring out personal feelings. He wasn’t absolutely sure that her emotions had been detached from his brother. Having sex with him—liking it, wanting it—that was certainly answering a need in her, but whether he’d won through to her heart was not certain at this point.
Patience, Harry, he cautioned himself.
Elizabeth Flippence was the woman worth keeping.
He had to convince her he was the man worth keeping.
* * *
Every day following Michael’s accident, Elizabeth found herself literally hanging on calls from Cairns. She cared about Michael’s progress—of course, she did—yet she grew impatient when Lucy went on endlessly about every little detail and her sympathy was sorely stretched at times. She really wanted to hear from Harry, not her sister.
Her heart always jumped when his voice came over the line and her body flooded with warm pleasure. Not once did he mention loving her, and despite thinking she didn’t want to hear it, weirdly enough she actually did, although she was happy to simply chat with him and it felt really good to help him with problems he was encountering in Michael’s office.
His confidence in her, his respect for her opinion, his desire for her input on everything, did touch her heart. Very deeply. None of her previous relationships with men had reached this level of sharing. She loved it. When he told her he was bringing his chosen candidate for manager over to the island himself at the weekend, she was thrilled at the prospect of being with him again, if only for a few hours.
He instructed her to hold a villa aside for herself
