wait until Jack phones. Then I’ll decide.’ That was final, and there was nothing that Rafe could do about it.
* * *
Rafe had steeled himself against the possibility that he might bump into Mimi when he’d volunteered to help in the area. When he hadn’t, he’d had to steel himself against the possibility that he might not.
Something about the way she moved had told him that it was her as he’d driven towards the figure in the rain, but he’d dismissed the idea, deciding that the woman was just another of those ghosts which had appeared before him and then turned out to be someone else. But as soon as he’d seen her start to run, he’d known. The kind of passionate loyalty that had sent her towards the wall of water instead of away from it might be foolish but it was Mimi all over and he still admired it.
Not that she’d shown very much passion when he’d left. Perhaps cool indifference was all he’d deserved after the way he’d behaved, but it had still hurt. This bristling anger, the naked hostility would have been almost refreshing if it wasn’t so badly timed.
‘Come and sit in the car.’ He gestured back to where his SUV was parked and she glared at him. He shrugged. ‘Or you could just suit yourself...’
She marched towards the car and, in a series of hurried movements, she managed to get her waterproof jacket off without getting too wet. When she was inside, she took off her overtrousers and heavy boots, hanging her coat on the clip behind her and dumping her boots in the footwell.
‘I hope you don’t mind my getting your car wet.’
She was sitting in the front seat frowning at him, legs drawn up in front of her, her feet in a pair of thick woolly socks. One of the things that hadn’t changed about Mimi was that she was wiggling her toes. She always did that when she was unsure of her next move.
‘Nope. Any time.’ Rafe hung his own coat in the back of the car, and it started to drip.
‘We’re staying here. Until I say so, right?’
‘Yes. That’s right.’ Mimi and Jack had always been close and always looked out for each other, but that had never inspired this sharp ache of jealousy before and it took Rafe by surprise. It had been five years. Even if it felt like just a few days since he’d last wrapped himself in her warm scent before drifting off to sleep. If she and Jack were together now, it was hardly a surprise.
She relaxed slightly into the seat. ‘Might take a while. If you get tired of waiting...’
‘You think I don’t care about Jack?’ They’d all been friends once. Whatever had happened since, Rafe still reserved the right to be concerned for him.
Her honey-brown eyes considered the question for a moment. ‘No. I don’t think that.’
She leaned forward, propping her phone on the dashboard, and Rafe wondered whether he should turn on the car radio to mask the silence. She looked just the same. Dark blonde hair, captured in a plait that was currently tucked into the back of her shirt. How many times had he watched her weaving it into that plait in the morning before she went to work?
‘What are you doing here, Rafe?’ The question had obviously been circulating in her head for a while and she didn’t meet his gaze when she asked it.
‘This area’s the worst hit by the weather conditions. All the hospitals in the county are sparing staff where they can.’
‘And you drew the short straw?’
‘I volunteered.’ Suddenly it seemed important that she know that. ‘I’m on leave for two weeks...’
‘This is your holiday?’ She raised her eyebrows.
‘Yeah. Beats the South of France any time.’
She gave a little nod. ‘Thanks.’
The thank you was more likely to be on behalf of her hospital to his, but Rafe preferred to take it personally and think that Mimi was actually glad to see him, despite the evidence to the contrary. All the same, she seemed to be relaxing a little now.
‘You and Jack are still a team, then?’
‘Not for much longer. I passed my exams and I’m a qualified paramedic now.’ She almost smiled. Almost but not quite.
‘You’re staying here to take up your promotion?’
‘No, I’m moving.’
‘Jack’ll miss you.’
‘I won’t be going that far...’ She broke off suddenly, staring at him. Maybe he’d been a little too obviously fishing for information. ‘Who I’m going out with is none of your business, Rafe.’
‘No, I know. But, out of interest, are you...and Jack?’
‘Like I said, none of your business. What about you?’
‘Nah. Jack’s not my type.’
‘I didn’t mean...’ The outrage drained out of her and she started to laugh. ‘He’d be very glad to hear you say that.’
She fell suddenly silent, her brow creased in a frown, as if making her laugh had now become a hanging offence. Rafe settled back in his seat, watching the rain drum on the windscreen and wondering whether it was worth cracking a few more jokes, just to see how cross he could make her.
IT WAS A great deal easier to dislike Rafe when he wasn’t around. Mimi stared gloomily at her phone, her finger tapping impatiently on the small screen.
The expected beep made her jump. A long text from an unrecognised number said that Jack was okay and in the Church Hall. He’d keep her updated as and when he knew more about the situation. And wasn’t that Rafe he’d seen with her on the other side of the water?
When Mimi texted back that it was, she received a smiley face. Clearly Jack hadn’t thought about the ramifications of the situation. She might have a lift home, but she would really rather have walked than it turn out to be Rafe.
She relayed the factual part of the message as dispassionately as she could, trying not to look at Rafe. The thought that she might need him wasn’t particularly pleasant, but she was going to have to face facts. She’d get this over with as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Her phone beeped again. Another long text. Mimi read it carefully.
‘What does he say?’
‘The stuff in his medical bag’s ruined. The water got to it.’ Mimi had been hoping against hope that at least some of the medical equipment that Jack had been carrying would have survived the drenching. ‘He’s staying with the patient until he finds a way to get her out, and there are some people coming down to try and get a second bag across. We’re to get it packed and ready, and wait for them to call.’
‘Tell him okay.’
‘Yeah.’ She’d just done that. Mimi surveyed the torrent of rushing water in front of
