is on me. She tucked the little note back inside. This accident must be making the headlines if Joe had already found out.
“I assure you that he’s real, and he’s on the way. I’ve worked the desk all day, and you sure do have a nice boyfriend. He’s called several times to check your status. We couldn’t give any details over the phone, but he was happy knowing you were still here and being taken care of.”
A trickle of unease crawled up her spine at the other woman’s words. “I don’t have a boyfriend. Did he leave a name?”
The nurse took the flowers from her and placed them on a table next to the bed. “Sorry, if he did, I don’t remember it.”
A doctor strode into the room and ended their conversation. “Hello, Ms. Brackston. Are you ready to get out of here?” He shined a little bright light into her eyes and began poking her all over without waiting for an answer. “Everything appears to be back to normal. You may be dealing with a headache for a day or two, and you should take things easy. You can get dressed while we finish the paperwork.”
Bode entered carrying one of her small overnight bags. The doctor mumbled a few words of hello to him on the way out.
Still grumpy about sitting all day, she huffed at Bode. “It’s about time. I sat here all day watching soap operas. I should have been out of here this morning.”
“Come on, Princess, let’s get you dressed.” He smiled at her while he walked over to the bed.
She punched him in the arm with a frown. “Why do you insist on doing that?”
“Doing what? Try to help you?” He rubbed his arm and asked in a dry tone.
She snorted. “You know what. Why do you keep calling me Princess when you know it irritates me?”
“Exactly!” A mischievous grin lit his face, and her heart flipped.
Using one hand to steady her and the other to reach into a small bag, he hauled out a T-shirt and sweats. She gasped in horror when he handed her a bra and pair of panties.
“Oh. My. Lord. You went through my underwear drawer?”
“Kelsey, believe it or not, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen a woman’s panties.”
Shaking her head, she snatched the clothes out of his hand and began the slow and painful shuffle to the restroom. She refused to acknowledge any dizziness in case they decided to keep her in the hospital.
The simple process of getting dressed used every ounce of strength that she had. When weakness threatened to buckle her knees, she sat down on the toilet seat to rest. It took almost twenty minutes, but she managed to get her clothes on and go back into the room.
Bode leaned against the bed talking on his cell phone. His tone let her know he wasn’t happy. He wore the scowl she already recognized. He hung up and helped her sit down in the wheelchair before placing the bag in her lap.
She bent forward to grab the vase, but he got there first.
“So, who’s Joe?” His voice remained neutral as he handed her the flowers.
“He’s a guy I met at the gym. We go to the same coffee shop. The chain of gossip in this town is in full force. He already heard the news and wanted to wish me well. It was sweet of him to think of me.”
“ Sweet,” Bode muttered as the nurse walked in and started fussing over her. He left to get the truck and by the time she arrived downstairs he waited at the curb. Ignoring her protests, he lifted her up from the wheelchair and placed her in the passenger seat.
He maneuvered into traffic as something occurred to her. “Why didn’t David pick me up?”
Bode grunted. “He called me during a break in the trial. It looks like it will run long today, so I volunteered. I was coming by with your clothes anyway.”
One hand absently played with her hair while she stared out the side window mulling over the mystery caller. Buildings and strip malls flew by unnoticed. Maybe the nurse just assumed it was a boyfriend and David had called to check on her. Bode would’ve identified himself as a
“I assure you that he’s real, and he’s on the way. I’ve worked the desk all day, and you sure do have a nice boyfriend. He’s called several times to check your status. We couldn’t give any details over the phone, but he was happy knowing you were still here and being taken care of.”
A trickle of unease crawled up her spine at the other woman’s words. “I don’t have a boyfriend. Did he leave a name?”
The nurse took the flowers from her and placed them on a table next to the bed. “Sorry, if he did, I don’t remember it.”
A doctor strode into the room and ended their conversation. “Hello, Ms. Brackston. Are you ready to get out of here?” He shined a little bright light into her eyes and began poking her all over without waiting for an answer. “Everything appears to be back to normal. You may be dealing with a headache for a day or two, and you should take things easy. You can get dressed while we finish the paperwork.”
Bode entered carrying one of her small overnight bags. The doctor mumbled a few words of hello to him on the way out.
Still grumpy about sitting all day, she huffed at Bode. “It’s about time. I sat here all day watching soap operas. I should have been out of here this morning.”
“Come on, Princess, let’s get you dressed.” He smiled at her while he walked over to the bed.
She punched him in the arm with a frown. “Why do you insist on doing that?”
“Doing what? Try to help you?” He rubbed his arm and asked in a dry tone.
She snorted. “You know what. Why do you keep calling me Princess when you know it irritates me?”
“Exactly!” A mischievous grin lit his face, and her heart flipped.
Using one hand to steady her and the other to reach into a small bag, he hauled out a T-shirt and sweats. She gasped in horror when he handed her a bra and pair of panties.
“Oh. My. Lord. You went through my underwear drawer?”
“Kelsey, believe it or not, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen a woman’s panties.”
Shaking her head, she snatched the clothes out of his hand and began the slow and painful shuffle to the restroom. She refused to acknowledge any dizziness in case they decided to keep her in the hospital.
The simple process of getting dressed used every ounce of strength that she had. When weakness threatened to buckle her knees, she sat down on the toilet seat to rest. It took almost twenty minutes, but she managed to get her clothes on and go back into the room.
Bode leaned against the bed talking on his cell phone. His tone let her know he wasn’t happy. He wore the scowl she already recognized. He hung up and helped her sit down in the wheelchair before placing the bag in her lap.
She bent forward to grab the vase, but he got there first.
“So, who’s Joe?” His voice remained neutral as he handed her the flowers.
“He’s a guy I met at the gym. We go to the same coffee shop. The chain of gossip in this town is in full force. He already heard the news and wanted to wish me well. It was sweet of him to think of me.”
“ Sweet,” Bode muttered as the nurse walked in and started fussing over her. He left to get the truck and by the time she arrived downstairs he waited at the curb. Ignoring her protests, he lifted her up from the wheelchair and placed her in the passenger seat.
He maneuvered into traffic as something occurred to her. “Why didn’t David pick me up?”
Bode grunted. “He called me during a break in the trial. It looks like it will run long today, so I volunteered. I was coming by with your clothes anyway.”
One hand absently played with her hair while she stared out the side window mulling over the mystery caller. Buildings and strip malls flew by unnoticed. Maybe the nurse just assumed it was a boyfriend and David had called to check on her. Bode would’ve identified himself as a
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