Song of the Surf (Pacific Shores Book 3) Read Free

and she bumbled a couple of steps and threw her arms wide to catch her balance. But the floor seemed to tip up to meet her. Everything turned fuzzy and her fingers lost their grip on the cloth Justus had just given her. Her legs betrayed her and became useless limp ropes. She gave her head a little shake to fight the tug of gravity and blackness, but lost the battle and slumped to the floor.
    Cold. The cement floor in the garage was very cold.

Chapter 2
    Justus ducked out into the rain and jogged toward the paramedics who were just exiting their vehicle. “I’ve got one person injured,” he yelled through the rain and wind. When the paramedic looked up, he could tell the man hadn’t heard his exact words. Justus pointed to the garage and motioned for the man to follow, then turned and ran back toward Dakota.
    As he loped up the drive, he tossed a glance at the huge tree thrusting across the roof from the backyard. A shudder quaked through him. He’d been driving down the street when he’d seen the tree give way before the wind. He was in town for Reece and Marie’s wedding on Saturday, and they’d forgotten they had an appointment with the minister this evening, so had asked if he minded picking up Dakota.
    He hadn’t minded in the least, and in fact had headed this way a little early. He’d been looking forward to seeing her again. Probably more than he’d been willing to admit to himself until he’d seen that nasty cut on her forehead, and witnessed her determination to do all in her power to lessen the damage to the house. He was so glad someone had been here to stop her from climbing up onto that roof in her condition. The gash on her head was definitely going to need stitches and she might even have a bit of a concussion.
    He ducked back under the garage door. Dakota lay sprawled on the floor, her face, illuminated by the weak beam of the flashlight, ghostly white. “Dakota!” Terror clawed through him, and he dashed to her side. Why had he left her alone? His hand trembled as he fumbled to find her pulse. And then she moaned and pushed herself partway up.
    “Easy, Dakota. I think you passed out.”
    Even as he spoke she unsteadily tried to stand again.
    “Whoa!” He lurched forward, gripped her shoulders, and guided her back onto the tool chest. Those crazy high heels she was in weren’t doing her any favors. Squatting before her, he heard the paramedics enter behind them. “You’re hurt worse than you realize. But the paramedics are here. Just let them have a look at you.”
    A guy with “Marinville Fire and Rescue” emblazoned on the front of his jumper, squatted before her with a med. kit. He pulled a small penlight from his pocket and peered into Dakota’s face. “Hi there. My name is Luke. And this is my partner, Joel. We’re just going to do a quick assessment to make sure you are safe, okay? What’s your name?” The guy’s light paused on the once-again bleeding wound on her forehead, and Justus tightened his fists and refused entrance to the images of another blood spattered woman that threatened to usurp his attention.
    “D-Dakota.”
    Justus eased out a breath. At least she still remembered her own name. He started to back out of their way, but Dakota shot out one hand and clutched his arm. Her fingers slid over his forearm till they found his own. Her small hand trembled in his grasp. He swallowed and in that moment he wouldn’t have moved for a million dollars. “I’m not going anywhere, just let them look at you.”
    The first paramedic continued to ask questions while the other shone his own light into her pupils, over her forehead, and then down to the wrist she held gingerly in her lap.
    Justus heard air hiss between his teeth. Her arm was blue and swollen.
    The paramedic named Luke kept speaking to Dakota in a calming tone, even while he pulled bandages and gauze from his kit and spouted some medical jargon to his partner. It was the words “overnight observation” that