Forever My Angel by Kelly Walker Page B

support right now. Plus, she’s not going to be honest about how she’s feeling with me standing right there, because she won’t want me to worry. Or maybe she does. Christ, I don't know right now.
    There is one thing I do know: Eva is so beyond fired. And that's a problem I can solve immediately.
    Forcing myself to trust that Angel is in capable hands, I stride over to Eva.
    “Is that girl okay?” Eva tucks a strand of red hair behind her ear, looking honestly concerned.
    I grit my teeth. “That girl is about to become my fiancée.”
    Eva doesn't even have the good grace to look mortified. “Axel, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Her words fall flat.
    “It’s Mr. Chadwell, and your behavior was unacceptable. Did I do anything to give you the impression that I was interested in anything from you other than assistance with a real estate transaction?”
    “No, I just thought—”
    Her excuses mean nothing to me. “You didn’t think. Clearly. Have your father send the paperwork to me this afternoon. You and I? We’re done.”
    I don’t wait for her to respond. Nothing she says will matter, and I want to check on Angel. I step around the back corner of the ambulance just in time to witness one of the paramedics loading Angel onto a stretcher. He must see the panic in my expression. She reaches a tiny, pale hand out toward me before yanking it back, her eyes growing angry again.
    “It’s just a formality, sir. She has to be on a stretcher for us to transport her. She most likely has a concussion, and we’d like her to have her chest X-rayed, just in case.” He gives me a knowing look, full of pity. I'm sure this isn't the first time he's found a couple at odds with each other at an accident scene.
    I’m about to step inside to sit beside her, but Angel shakes her head.
    “Sorry, sir.” He doesn't sound so sorry when he closes the ambulance doors, barricading me from half of my heart.
    I can barely see straight through my fear and fury as I palm my keys and jog to my truck.
    I’m breaking every traffic law known to man trying to keep up with the ambulance. I can’t bear the thought of letting it out of my sight, and fortunately my Denali can handle the slick slush forming on the road without any problems. But it does require I keep my eyes on the road, so when my phone rings I push the answer button without looking to see who’s calling.
    “Hello?” I bark.
    “Axel, is everything okay?”
    Shit. My mother’s soft voice is filled with concern.
    “What do you want?” I’d like to just hang up, but my father raised me better than that.
    Mom sighs. “I’m in town to meet with your father to go over a few things. I’ll only be here a few days, but I was really hoping that we could get together for dinner, or lunch, or anything really." Dammit, I know Angel would want me to say yes, and right now I'll do anything to earn a little goodwill. “Fine. We’ll set something up.” The hospital parking lot looms ahead. “I’ve got to go. Angel was in an accident, and we just pulled up at Thomas Jefferson Hospital. I’ll call you.” I hang up, already out my door and pushing a button on the key fob to lock my truck as I sprint to the ambulance entrance to follow Angel inside. The paramedic gives me a quick nod, and then we’re on our way. Angel looks nervous, but she’s awake and alert, and my insides untwist a bit as I reach for her hand.
    It feels like it takes ages, but she does reach out and briefly squeeze my fingers before dropping her hand and facing away from me.
    Angel is wheeled into a room immediately, and I try not to let my exasperation get to me as I take up a spot on the wall, silently willing her to look at me. I can't bear her quiet fury. “Angel...”
    “Just don't,” she says, sounding defeated.
    A doctor with kind eyes and a balding head above his white medical coat comes into the room and immediately begins asking her a barrage of questions. He tosses occasional curious glances