Desire After Dark: A Gansett Island Novel by Marie Force Read Free Book Online Page A

do love you, Mr. Lawry.”

Chapter 5
    T hough he wanted to get back to the island—and Erin—as soon as possible, Slim went with Luke and Sydney to Women and Infants Hospital in Providence. He hoped he could provide some support to his buddy, who was silently freaking out about the possibility of a problem with Syd’s pregnancy.
    Thedoctors asked Luke to wait outside while they evaluated Sydney in the hospital’s emergency department. When Luke put up a protest at being separated from her for even a few minutes, Slim was glad he’d come along. He took his friend by the arm and led him to the nearby waiting room, forcing him into a chair.
    “You need to breathe,” Slim said.
    “I can’t do anything until I know she andthe baby are okay.”
    “If there’s anything wrong, they’re in the best possible place.”
    “She can’t lose this baby, Slim. She’ll never survive another loss.”
    He wanted to assure Luke that Sydney wasn’t going to lose the baby, but he couldn’t know that for sure. “I know it’s hard not to go to worst-case scenario, but at the first sign of trouble, you got her here as fast as youcould. There’s nothing else either of you could’ve done that you didn’t do.”
    Luke sagged into his chair. “She’s been so happy, making plans, talking about names. It’s like she’s finally allowed herself to hope again.”
    Slim ached at the thought of that hope being ripped away from someone who had already had more than her share of heartache, having lost her first husband and her childrenin a drunk-driving accident several years ago.
    “I talked her into trying for the baby. If she loses it…”
    “Luke, buddy, you gotta be positive for her.”
    Luke bent his head and dropped it into his hands.
    Slim rested a hand on Luke’s back, offering what comfort he could and knowing it was nowhere near enough.
    “I’m so glad you were on the island and able to bringus over.”
    “So am I.”
    Taking a deep breath, Luke sat up. “I hope I didn’t mess up your day too badly.”
    “Don’t give it a thought. What I was doing will keep until later.” He couldn’t wait to get back to Erin, to resume where they’d left off, to kiss her and touch her. Okay, enough of those thoughts, or he was going to have an embarrassing situation to contend with.
    “Soyou’re sticking around for the holidays?” Luke asked while staring at the door to the exam rooms.
    Sensing his friend was desperately seeking something to take his mind off what might be happening with Sydney, Slim said, “There’s this lighthouse keeper, you see.”
    Luke tore his gaze off the doors to look at Slim. “You and Erin? Really?”
    “Seems that way.”
    “I wondered ifanything would come of that after Alex and Jenny’s wedding, but then you left.”
    “And I’ve talked to her almost every day since.”
    Luke returned his attention to the doors that stood between him and the woman he loved. “Wow, that’s awesome. She seems really great.”
    “She is, but she’s really guarded, too. She’s been through a lot in her life. You know that Jenny’s fiancé, whodied on 9/11, was Erin’s twin, right?”
    “Yeah, I did know that.”
    “From what I can gather, her life has been in somewhat of a tailspin since then. I’m trying to take it slow, but whenever I’m with her, I seem to forget about that plan.”
    “It was like that with me and Syd when we first got together, too. After losing her family the way she did, she wasn’t sure she wanted to riskher heart again. I’m glad she finally decided to take the leap.”
    “She is, too. You guys are great together.”
    As if he couldn’t bear to stay seated any longer, Luke got up and began to pace. “What could be taking so long?”
    “I’m sure they’re just being thorough.”
    Luke rubbed his chest. “I feel like I’m having a heart attack.”
    “It’s probably anxiety. Try takingsome deep breaths.”
    Luke was still rubbing his chest fifteen minutes later