Single Dads Collection. Lynne Marshall
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know you do.’ On impulse she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, feeling the roughness of stubble against her lips and smelling the sexy male smell that was Jack.
He looked startled. ‘What was that for?’
‘For being you.’ Deciding that, for a girl who was supposed to be forgetting about Jack, she wasn’t actually doing that well, Bryony left him by the bread rolls and went and found Lizzie.
‘You kissed Jack.’ Lizzie was looking at her curiously and Bryony felt herself blush.
‘Just on the cheek,’ she said hastily, and Lizzie tipped her head on one side.
‘Jack would make a cool dad.’
Pretending that she hadn’t heard that remark, Bryony turned to chat to one of the mothers that she knew vaguely, trying not to look at Jack who was now deep in conversation with one of the prettiest mothers in the school. He looked broad-shouldered and powerful with his back to her, and her stomach twisted as she saw the woman laughing up at him flirtatiously.
Reminding herself that she was supposed to be getting a life and forgetting about Jack, Bryony joined in with the others, handing food to the children, topping up drinks and wiping ketchup from faces.
Anne’s father lit the bonfire and the flames licked towards the dark sky, suddenly illuminating the massive garden.
‘You kids stay here,’ he ordered cheerfully. ‘I’m going to start the show.’
‘Mummy, can I have another drink?’ Lizzie tugged at her sleeve, her cheeks pink from the cold, and Bryony took her hand and led her over to the table.
‘What do you want?’ She picked up some empty cartons and then found a full one. ‘Apple juice OK?’
‘Great.’ Lizzie took the cup and looked around her happily. ‘Isn’t this great, Mummy? You, me and Jack together.’
Bryony swallowed. ‘Well, er, we’re not exactly…’ Then she smiled weakly. ‘Yes, sweetheart, it’s great.’
There were shrieks of excitement from the other children as they played closer to the fire and Bryony felt a stab of unease.
They were too close…
Opening her mouth to caution them, she noticed the other parents laughing, totally relaxed, and closed her mouth again. She really must try and act like a normal parent and not like a doctor, seeing accidents everywhere.
‘Can I go and play, Mummy?’ Lizzie put her drink down and moved towards the other children, but Bryony grabbed her arm, struck by a premonition so powerful that it made her gasp. ‘No, Lizzie. I think—’
Before she could even finish her sentence there was a series of horrific screams from Annie, and Bryony saw flames engulfing her little body with frightening speed.
‘Oh, my God—Jack!’ Bryony screamed his name at the top of her voice and ran forward, dragging off her coat as she ran.
Jack was there before her, knocking the girl to the ground and covering her with his jacket. ‘Cold water—get me cold water now!’ His voice was harsh and everyone ran to do as he said while Bryony stood there, so shocked she could hardly move.
All Jack’s attention was on the injured girl. ‘It’s going to be all right, sweetheart. You’re going to be fine.’ Jack lifted his head and looked straight at one of the fathers. ‘Call the paramedics and get me a hosepipe and cling film. Blondie, I need your help with her clothes.’
Bryony still didn’t move.
‘Dr Hunter.’ His voice was sharp. ‘I need your help here.’
His sharp reminder of her profession brought her back to reality. She nodded and breathed deeply, trying to forget that it was Annie lying on the ground.
Her daughter’s friend.
Annie’s mother was screaming hysterically and clinging to the other mothers while two of the fathers had fortunately listened to Jack’s orders and rolled out a hosepipe.
‘OK, sweetheart, you’re going to be fine.’ Jack carried on talking to Annie, his voice gentle and reassuring as he removed his jacket from the injured girl and took the end of the hosepipe.
Bryony dropped on her knees beside him. ‘What do you want me to do?’
She felt physically sick but as usual Jack was rock-solid and totally calm.
‘Her clothes are smouldering. If they’re not actually stuck to her body, I want them off.’
He turned the hose onto Annie’s body, the cold water taking the heat away from the burn as Bryony struggled to remove the clothing.
‘Get me scissors.’
Someone quickly produced a pair and she cut the clothing away as gently as she could, careful not to disturb any that actually adhered to the burn.
‘It’s all below her waist,’ Jack said softly, his eyes assessing the area of the burn. ‘It’s the skirt area. Her skirt caught fire. Has someone called the ambulance?’
‘I did, Jack,’ Lizzie said in a shaky voice from right beside them. ‘They said they’d be here in two minutes.’
‘Good girl.’ Jack gave her a nod of approval. ‘Sweetheart, I need some clingfilm. The stuff you wrap round food in the kitchen. The women over there are too upset to help and the men seem to have forgotten. Can you find it for me, angel?’
Lizzie nodded and shot down the garden towards the house, legs and arms pumping. She was back in less than a minute with a long, thin box.
‘That’s my girl. Now open it up for me,’ Jack ordered, and Lizzie fished it out awkwardly and struggled to find the end.
‘How much do you want?’
‘I’ll do it, Lizzie.’ Bryony took it from her, worried about her daughter seeing her friend so badly injured. ‘You can go into the house with the other children.’
‘I want to help.’
They heard the sound of an ambulance approaching and Jack looked at Lizzie. ‘Go and meet them. Tell them I want oxygen, two large-bore cannulae, IV fluids and morphine. Have you got that?’
Lizzie nodded and Bryony glanced at him.
‘She won’t remember that, Jack, she’s only seven.’
‘She’ll remember,’ Jack said firmly, his eyes fixed on Lizzie. ‘Oxygen, two large-bore cannulae, IV fluids and morphine. Go, angel.’
Lizzie sped back down the garden to meet the ambulance, leaving Jack and Bryony to wrap the exposed burns.
‘Can you get us clean sheets?’ Bryony addressed one of the fathers who was hovering by helplessly.
‘And someone put that bonfire out,’ Jack added, checking Annie’s pulse and breathing.
She’d stopped screaming and was lying shivering, sobbing quietly, her father by her side.
Annie’s mother was still hysterical at the far side of the garden.
Seconds later the paramedics arrived with Lizzie, complete with all the equipment that Jack had asked for.
As Bryony grabbed the oxygen and fitted the mask gently to Annie’s face, Jack smiled at Lizzie, his blue eyes showering her with approval and warmth.
‘Good girl.’
Despite the stress of the situation Lizzie returned the smile bravely and Jack gave a nod.
‘All right, I’m going to need your help here, Lizzie. Annie needs some fluid and we’re going to put a line in and give her fluid through her arm. Then we’re going to take her to hospital. I want you to hold this for me.’
Bryony looked at him uncertainly, still not sure that her young