Harper was hardly aware of Cody pulling up. He had her door open and was reaching for her elbow so quickly it came as a surprise. ‘Come on. I’ll see you to your door.’
‘I can manage.’ And she promptly proved herself wrong when her knees refused to hold her upright.
‘Now, don’t take this the wrong way,’ Cody murmured as he swung her up in his arms and nudged the door shut with his hip. ‘But falling flat on your face after everything else could really mess up your day.’ He strode up the path towards her front door as though she was no heavier than a bag of spuds. A very small bag at that.
Harper didn’t bother arguing. He wouldn’t listen and she didn’t have any energy left. Besides, it was lovely lying against that expansive chest and feeling strong arms around her. Arms she imagined holding her through the night. Jeez, Harper, get a grip.
‘Harper? Jason said you were all right but you’re not looking great.’ Typical Gemma: go for the throat. No, someone else already did that today.
‘Gemma,’ she squeaked.
Her sister-in-law stood in the doorway, her eyes flicking between her and Cody, worry slowly turning to speculation as she studied Cody from head to foot. ‘Or do I need to grab my bag and head away pronto? Leave you two alone?’
Harper cringed. She loved Gemma to bits but the woman had a mission in life to find her a man who’d accept all her problems without batting an eyelid—and from what she was reading on Gemma’s face right this minute Cody was a prime target. No way in hell. Squirming out of Cody’s arms, she stood shakily between him and Gemma. ‘I’ve got a migraine.’
It seemed Gemma had become deaf overnight. She focused entirely on Cody and asked, ‘Who are you?’
‘I’m Cody. I work with Harper.’
Feeling Cody’s hand on her elbow—again—Harper wanted to shrug him away but doubted she had the strength to walk unaided. ‘I need to lie down. Going to take a rain check on that wine, Gem.’
‘Your voice’s all weird.’ Gemma leaned closer. ‘What’s wrong with your neck? Jason told me about the gunman but you’ve been hurt. You’re not all right, are you? That’s why Cody’s here.’
‘Harper needs to get inside and lie down in a dark room.’ Cody was firm, like he’d take no argument.
Gemma caught the message and led the way indoors. ‘What really happened, Harper? Spill.’
‘I— There—’ Her throat closed over and tears filled her eyes. She raised her head, caught Cody’s gaze and nodded at him.
‘You want me to explain?’
Once again, Cody to the rescue. This was getting out of hand, but she dipped her head. Words were beyond her. Accepting help from any one didn’t feature in her everyday life. Not even her overly protective brothers got a chance very often. But today, right now, she was all out of helping herself.
Cody told Gemma, ‘Let’s put Harper to bed first.’ That was the most important thing to do. The whys and wherefores of the situation could wait a few more minutes. He smiled to himself with relief. At least this woman could help Harper out of her clothes while he hung out in the kitchen. He would not be disappointed at missing out on that treat.
Really? Really. Getting too close and personal with Harper was the last thing he needed. He had a feeling that getting to know her at all would undermine the defences he’d pulled around himself the day Sadie had died. The agony over his loss, the sense of failure and guilt, had taken many dark days and months to quieten enough for him to start moving forward, one tiny step at a time. He wasn’t going to risk going back there again.
‘I’m taking you home with me.’ Gemma’s hands were on her hips as she watched Harper gingerly sit down on her bed.
Harper shook her head but didn’t open her eyes. She was probably beyond dealing with anything right now.
So Cody stepped into the gap. ‘Harper’s better off staying here, unless you live next door. She’s not in good shape.’ There’s absolutely nothing wrong with her shape. Cody closed his eyes and dragged up some patience with himself. Then, looking at Gemma, he explained about the guy who’d caused all the trouble. ‘Her throat’s swollen and painful, and the whole event has been a huge shock. I don’t know if the migraine had begun before that lowlife did his number on her, or it’s a result of his actions, but it’s a bad one.’
Gemma’s face paled. ‘You can’t stay here after that. What would Jason say if I arrived home without you? I know it will be uncomfortable on the drive but you’re coming home to the bay for the weekend.’
Harper’s eyes flew open. ‘But—’
‘But nothing. I’ll pack some clothes and we’ll be on our way.’ She spun around and stuck a hand out at Cody. ‘No wonder she didn’t introduce us properly. Gemma White, married to Harper’s oldest brother, Jason. Thanks for taking care of her. One more thing, can you carry her out to my car when I’ve collected a few things?’
So that was who Jason was. Unexpected relief rolled through Cody. Not her husband or partner, but her brother. George must be pally with him if he’d wanted to tell him about what had happened to his sister. ‘I hate to point this out but I don’t think Harper’s up to going anywhere.’
Harper lifted grateful eyes in his direction. She was definitely all out of energy. Exhaustion and pain filled her mesmerising gaze. Her body was slumped in a loose heap on the edge of the bed and he doubted her ability even to lift her legs up under the sheet. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she looked up at him.
But it was the sadness in that gaze that caused him to make a fool of himself. ‘I’ll stay here the night, keep an eye on you.’ He nodded at Harper, who now stared at him, a mix of gratitude and horror further darkening those eyes.
Gemma nodded. ‘That’s a perfect solution. I take it you’re a doctor, since you work with Harper?’
‘Not a doctor. A nurse.’
Which was totally the wrong thing to tell this woman because she clapped her hands. ‘Even better. A nurse is exactly wh
at Harper needs. Right, I’ll get you undressed and into bed, my girl, then leave you in the capable hands of Nurse Cody. He’ll be able to sleep in the kids’ room. Just as well I changed the sheets on the beds earlier while I was waiting for you to come home. That couch in the lounge may be big but not big enough for his bod.’
‘Jeez, woman, do you ever come up for air?’ Cody asked Gemma with a grin and was rewarded with a startled gasp of laughter from the bed where Harper had finally stopped staring at him. ‘What?’ he demanded. These ladies were full-on.
‘I could get to like you,’ Harper gasped in her new croaky voice.
That’d be good. No, it wouldn’t. ‘We’ll see,’ he answered airily, then made the mistake of glancing at Gemma and sucked in a sharp breath.
Her expression spelled mischief. Lots of it. ‘This just gets better and better,’ she murmured.
‘Gemma.’ Even with her swollen throat and feeling like hell it was obvious Harper was not pleased with her sister-in-law.
‘Right, let’s get you into bed so you can sleep off this migraine. Where are your tablets?’ Gemma was already opening a drawer and pulling out some cotton nightdress thing that she held up with distaste. ‘You don’t listen to anything I tell you, do you, sis?’
Cody headed for the door. He wasn’t hanging around while Harper removed her work clothes and slipped into that hideous yellow-and-pink-striped concoction. At least he agreed with Gemma on something. ‘I’ll get some water so you can take your tablets,’ he called over his shoulder.
Ten minutes later, Gemma joined him in the kitchen. ‘I hope you haven’t got any plans for Sunday afternoon, because it’s Jason’s birthday, and Harper needs to be with us. The Whites are big on family stuff, you know? The brothers—’ she wriggled her forefingers in the air between them ‘—will want to meet the man who looked out for her today. You must stay for lunch and the cricket.’
‘Cricket?’ he asked. What was this woman on about?