In the Blink of An Eye by Jerry Baggett (ebook reader for surface pro TXT) 📕

He said, “I should get to that hotel for a thorough clean-up. This flight suit dried out some, paddling in. It may stand alone with all that salt from the ocean.”

“I’m sorry, Dick. You didn’t appear to be wet when you came aboard. You can clean up on board Ipswich. She held his gaze for several moments. “I’m not afraid of the big bad wolf any longer. You’re welcome to sleep aboard. I’ll help you arrange for the boat to the mainland in the morning. I have to be back in Avalon by eleven, setting sail early. We’re both adults, aren’t we? You can grab the shuttle boat from there to Marina Del Rey, and a cab from there to the airport.”

Chapter 2

Samantha tossed and tumbled. Her conscious mind refused to fade into restful sleep. She became furious with herself. She knew darn well why sleep was out of the question. She’d never met a man like that. Tall, attractive, and physically fit. It was not her nature to dwell on an image, a mirage, really. She questioned her own loyalty to Steven. She had known from the beginning that the shortcomings in her relationship with the doctor would not endure the test of time. She decided that good looking men like Dick McGowin, on the other hand, were all the same. They just want to get you in bed.

She hustled off to work, already ten minutes late. The waiting room was crowded, mostly women with children. Mary said, “Morning, Sam. It’s a mess this morning. Doctor Peyton’s going to be late. Angel’s seeing the first patient – a child with an earache. She started to turn away. “Where’s that smiling face? You’re not coming down with something, are you?”

“No, I’m alright, just had a bad night’s sleep. Give me a few minutes to settle down, then send in the most critical, if there’s one. Otherwise, as they arrived.”

“Doctor Peyton said he’s going to his son’s soccer practice. You should call him if you need him, or, he’ll be in around eleven-ish. You know how that goes; he may not come in at all unless you call him with a critical need. A typical Saturday.”

At four, she saw the last patient and closed the medical clinic until Monday morning. She stopped by the market. The island was crowded with vacationers this time of year, testing the patience of everyone, tourists and locals alike. She nudged a woman in line who failed to move fast enough, then realized she was unusually cranky. She even felt guilty about yesterday’s reaction to Dick. Once she’d discussed the unusual experience with Steven, she would return to normal, she told herself.

Steven had asked her to pick up his youngest daughter, Trish, from a friend’s house. He’d stayed for all of Timmy’s game, and then accompanied Timmy to a ceremony, awarding trophies to the most outstanding players. She was happy to do these things, admitting that she loved having the semblance of a family life. Who am I kidding, she said to herself, I still want children of my own.

Saturdays were pretty much the same, hamburgers on the patio, with one of the children having a friend over. She rather enjoyed the routine. She thought about the situation for a moment. She rarely stayed over on the weekend, preferring her cottage. It was her idea to leave in the morning, before the kids were up, when she did stay.

Samantha hadn’t felt like staying late. She helped with the kid’s chores, finished with the dishes and begged off for an early evening at her place. As usual, she insisted that Steven and the children spend Sunday doing family stuff. Besides, she just wanted some time alone, and looked forward to a hard workout at the gym on Sunday with some quality time in the surf.

“You wouldn’t believe it,” Steven said, as he walked through the door on Monday morning. “A navy plane crashed in the ocean, right off our little island. The pilot made it ashore on the back side of the island, somewhere near Cat Harbor. It was just on the news.”

She looked at him with a huge smile on her face. “Oh yeah, I believe it, all right. Guess who was there and pulled him out of the water?”

His jaw dropped. “You? Why didn’t you call me?”

“Why? He ditched near the west end of the island. It was no big deal. I happened to be there for an overnight-er on Ipswich. He drifted against my boat, attempting to paddle ashore with a banged-up arm. It was only a badly bruised shoulder. I put the arm in a sling and assisted him getting to the other side of the island.” She felt she shouldn’t mention he’d spent the night on her boat.

“I’ve told you this before. You shouldn’t go off alone like that. Now, tell me, what was he like?”

“Like most young military men, tall and rugged-looking. Perhaps a little arrogant, but nice enough.” She handed over the medical records of his first patient. “The most notable characteristic was his extreme self- confidence. I may be confusing that with arrogance.”

Steven said, “Did he describe the experience, or the type of aircraft? You know, like brag about his exploits?”

She looked at Steven for a few seconds. “I heard him talking to his commanding officer. The plane was some kind of jet. He had to go from twenty thousand feet, down to nine thousand feet, and he jumped out there. It was more like another day at the park. He didn’t seem bothered by the experience.”

“Sounds like an interesting guy. You know, I would’ve enjoyed talking with him.”

She thought about his last statement. She could read him like a book. Steven always considered himself to be the smartest person in the room and liked challenging people he first met. Sometime he pushed the wrong button with strangers,