was the last thing she wanted to do. Working on quilt squares had been a disaster, her inattention requiring the removal of several ineptly sewn seams. With a quiet sob, she leaned against the railing and watched a hummingbird flit around the hanging feeder. The wings were a blur of motion, dizzying in their speed as the bird sipped the red nectar.
By contrast, the minutes and hours dragged. If she was at work, at least she’d have the kids to keep her occupied. Instead, she relived the hour she’d spent in bed with Cole, over and over…
Wiping away one tear then another, Miranda squared her shoulders. She’d call a friend, maybe go see a movie this evening, anything to combat the loneliness, the constant ache of missing Cole. But first, she’d delete all his messages. Succumbing to the urge to listen to his voice was one trap she wouldn’t fall into.
One after the other, she hit the delete button, but when the final message started, her finger froze. “Oh my God.” She dialed his number but got only the recorded message. “Damn. Damn. Damn.” Why wasn’t he picking up?
Grabbing her purse, she locked the door and headed for the car. Don’t panic. She pulled out of the driveway and pressed down on the gas. The little bug surged ahead, tires squealing on the asphalt as she turned toward Amarillo. In under an hour, she parked, then ran through the lot to the ER doors. When they swished open, she strode straight to the desk manned by the nurse with the mullet haircut.
“Back again?” The woman’s lips pursed. “They’re in the cubicle you used last time. I’m sure you remember the way.”
“Thank you.” Her sandals slapped against the linoleum as she hurried down the hall. A deep voice stilled her hand as she reached to open the curtain.
“He’s going to be okay?”
“He’ll be fine. You did everything right. He has a bee allergy, but the antihistamine took effect before his throat swelled closed. I’ve given him a mild sedative for the pain, and I’d like to keep an eye on him for an hour or so, just to make sure there aren’t any adverse reactions, though I don’t expect problems.”
“Thank God.”
Miranda pulled open the curtain, and her gaze met Cole’s. The tormented expression in his eyes softened the instant he saw her.
“You came.”
“I tried to call, but you didn’t answer.” She nodded at the doctor, the same young intern who’d treated Jackson before.
He returned her smile with a broad grin. “We meet again.”
“No offense, but let’s hope this is the last time.”
He laughed. “None taken.” Turning his attention back to Cole, he scribbled something on a prescription pad and handed it to him. “This is for an ointment that’ll ease the stinging when the medication I put on the welts wears off. You can fill it at the hospital pharmacy. I’ll be by again to check on the baby before I release him.”
After the doctor left, Miranda crossed the cubical to the exam table and lifted Jackson into her arms. Tear tracks stained his cheeks, and his chest and arms were covered in hard, little bumps. He pressed his face against her neck and sighed. Her heart contracted as she stroked his soft curls.
“What happened?”
“I was working, and he was digging in the dirt with a plastic shovel. I figure he must have unearthed an underground yellow jacket nest. I didn’t stick around to check it out.”
“God, Cole, you must have been so worried.”
“I was, but I kept it together, gave him an antihistamine, then brought him here just in case. I wasn’t going to tempt fate.”
“Smart.” She glanced down at his arms and drew in a breath. “Looks like you got stung a few times, as well.”
He shrugged. “I’ll live.” His gaze held hers, long and intent, searching for something he obviously didn’t find. Finally, he turned away. “Will you watch him while I go fill the prescription?”
“Of course. What about the paperwork, insurance and all that?”
“I
By contrast, the minutes and hours dragged. If she was at work, at least she’d have the kids to keep her occupied. Instead, she relived the hour she’d spent in bed with Cole, over and over…
Wiping away one tear then another, Miranda squared her shoulders. She’d call a friend, maybe go see a movie this evening, anything to combat the loneliness, the constant ache of missing Cole. But first, she’d delete all his messages. Succumbing to the urge to listen to his voice was one trap she wouldn’t fall into.
One after the other, she hit the delete button, but when the final message started, her finger froze. “Oh my God.” She dialed his number but got only the recorded message. “Damn. Damn. Damn.” Why wasn’t he picking up?
Grabbing her purse, she locked the door and headed for the car. Don’t panic. She pulled out of the driveway and pressed down on the gas. The little bug surged ahead, tires squealing on the asphalt as she turned toward Amarillo. In under an hour, she parked, then ran through the lot to the ER doors. When they swished open, she strode straight to the desk manned by the nurse with the mullet haircut.
“Back again?” The woman’s lips pursed. “They’re in the cubicle you used last time. I’m sure you remember the way.”
“Thank you.” Her sandals slapped against the linoleum as she hurried down the hall. A deep voice stilled her hand as she reached to open the curtain.
“He’s going to be okay?”
“He’ll be fine. You did everything right. He has a bee allergy, but the antihistamine took effect before his throat swelled closed. I’ve given him a mild sedative for the pain, and I’d like to keep an eye on him for an hour or so, just to make sure there aren’t any adverse reactions, though I don’t expect problems.”
“Thank God.”
Miranda pulled open the curtain, and her gaze met Cole’s. The tormented expression in his eyes softened the instant he saw her.
“You came.”
“I tried to call, but you didn’t answer.” She nodded at the doctor, the same young intern who’d treated Jackson before.
He returned her smile with a broad grin. “We meet again.”
“No offense, but let’s hope this is the last time.”
He laughed. “None taken.” Turning his attention back to Cole, he scribbled something on a prescription pad and handed it to him. “This is for an ointment that’ll ease the stinging when the medication I put on the welts wears off. You can fill it at the hospital pharmacy. I’ll be by again to check on the baby before I release him.”
After the doctor left, Miranda crossed the cubical to the exam table and lifted Jackson into her arms. Tear tracks stained his cheeks, and his chest and arms were covered in hard, little bumps. He pressed his face against her neck and sighed. Her heart contracted as she stroked his soft curls.
“What happened?”
“I was working, and he was digging in the dirt with a plastic shovel. I figure he must have unearthed an underground yellow jacket nest. I didn’t stick around to check it out.”
“God, Cole, you must have been so worried.”
“I was, but I kept it together, gave him an antihistamine, then brought him here just in case. I wasn’t going to tempt fate.”
“Smart.” She glanced down at his arms and drew in a breath. “Looks like you got stung a few times, as well.”
He shrugged. “I’ll live.” His gaze held hers, long and intent, searching for something he obviously didn’t find. Finally, he turned away. “Will you watch him while I go fill the prescription?”
“Of course. What about the paperwork, insurance and all that?”
“I
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