“Is that normal?”

“Head injuries run the gamut. We’ll know more after we see the scan.”

“What if he needs a neurologist?”

She glanced up from his chart. “If necessary, they’ll fly one in.”

“Can’t we fly him to a trauma center?”

“He can’t fly if he has a brain injury, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We need to wait and see what the tests show, okay?”

No, it was not okay. None of this was okay, but what choice did he have but to wait for more information? “How about Luke?”

“Is he a relative?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“My, um, brother?”

She gave him a skeptical smile. “I can see the resemblance,” she said dryly. “Since he’s your ‘brother,’ I can tell you he has a badly sprained left ankle. But you did not hear that from me.”

“He probably saved my dad’s life—and mine, too.”

“Then I guess we’d better take extra special good care of him.”

“Please do.”

“So,” Maddie said as she and Sydney pored over baby furniture catalogs at Maddie’s house. They were sitting on the floor while Thomas played with trucks next to them. “Are you going to spill the beans on why you’re positively glowing this morning?”

Images from her amazing night with Luke flashed through her mind, heating her face.

“And blushing,” Maddie said, hooting with laughter.

“It’s incredible. I can’t believe it’s possible, but it’s even more intense now than it was before. How can that be?”

Leaning on the coffee table, Maddie rested her chin on her upturned hand. “Wow. As I recall, it was quite something before.”

Sydney nodded. “We have this unbelievable connection. I can’t even describe it. When you think about it, though, it shouldn’t even work between us. We’re so different, you know?”

“How do you mean?”

“I’m loud and outspoken, and I need to talk everything to death. He’s Mr. One-Word Answer. Less is always more with him.” Sydney paused and then added, “Except in bed, of course.”

“He can’t help that,” Maddie said, laughing. “He’s a guy.”

“True.”

“Will less be enough for you over the long haul?”

“That’s something I worry about. He’s very content with a smallish life on this island. I’m used to much bigger—lots of people and friends and stuff going on.”

“You’d definitely be downsizing if you lived here year-round. No doubt about that, but it wouldn’t be all bad. There’s something very cozy about settling in for a long, cold winter with the one you love to keep you warm.”

“You should know.” Sydney smiled at the blissful expression on Maddie’s face. “I’m tempted to try it for a winter.”

“Oh, yay!” Maddie clapped her hands. “We’ll keep you entertained. Don’t worry.”