Page 11 of Jewel of the Sea

Daniel stepped closer and stared at his father’s foot, displaying none of his mother’s squeamishness.

“Does it hurt?” he asked.

James laughed. “Like hell.”

“Wouldn’t hurt so bad if you stayed off it,” Aymee said.

James dipped his head, grinning guiltily. “Guess I’ve been caught.”

“Yes, you have.” Aymee turned her attention back to his foot. It was healing well; despite James’s stubbornness, he hadn’t split open his stitches or picked up an infection. Yet. “Consider this a break. You’ll be back up and moving before you know it if you rest and give it time to heal, but if you don’t, you could lose the whole foot.”

“You have to listen to Miss Aymee, papa,” Daniel scolded.

Aymee laughed. “Right.Alwayslisten to Miss Aymee.”

She cleaned the wound, applied ointment, and wrapped it in a fresh bandage. Maris returned to her husband’s side when Aymee finished, helping him onto his crutches.

“Thank you, Aymee,” Maris said.

“Of course. Daniel, you’re in charge of making sure your papa stays off that foot.”

The boy’s face brightened at the prospect of so important a task. “Yes, ma’am!”

“Have a great evening,” Aymee said as Daniel rushed forward to open the door for his parents.

She stilled when Randall met her gaze from the hallway.

Her stomach sank.

She’d avoided speaking with him for an entire week; why had he cometoday? Why, on the day she was to make the exchange with Arkon on the beach?

Randall took hold of the door for Daniel and bid the Everetts a pleasant evening. Once they were gone, he entered the room, boots thumping on the wooden floor.

“Miss Rhodes.” His smile was warmer and more genuine than she’d seen in the town hall.

He was a handsome man, perhaps more so than any she’d seen, with a strong jaw, sculpted lips, and eyes the blue of a summer sky. Perhaps he might have caught her eye,before.

Now, her interests lay somewhere forbidden.

“Mr. Laster.” She offered him a curt nod and turned away to clean up the supplies she’d used for James. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“I just have a few questions, if you’d oblige me.”

“I’m currently working and have patients waiting—”

“The Everetts were the last, Miss Rhodes,” he said, shutting the door.

She paused as she wiped the table, squeezing the cloth in her hand.

Damn.

“Then I suppose I can spare a few moments.” She couldn’t risk him following her. At least if she answered his questions, he’d likely leave her alone.

“Wonderful.” He eased into the chair beside the door and leaned an elbow on the armrest. “I’ve heard it was a friend of yours who was taken by the creature. That correct?”

“Jax. His name isJax. And yes.” She washed her hands at the sink and turned toward Randall as she dried them, keeping the bed between herself and the ranger. “I take it you spoke to Breckett?”

“I have. He’s a rough man, but he’s honest. I admire that.”

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