Jumped by Colette Auclair Page A

first time Beth had seen Harris quipless.
    Grady said to Finn, “It’s not your femur. That’s good. I’m going to cut through your jeans to make sure nothing’s broken through.”
    â€œYou might have a concussion,” Beth said.
    â€œWhy?” Finn asked. “Did I say something naughty?”
    â€œNo more than usual,” Beth said, and made Finn smile.
    He was staring at her oddly. “You’re gorgeous,” he said, then closed his eyes.
    Beth said, “Yeah, you’re in shock. I repeat, you might have a concussion, so keep your eyes open.”
    He did. “Five years later and you’re still bossy.” He looked at Grady. “Who hit me?”
    â€œThat would be me,” Grady said.
    â€œHelluva hit,” Finn said.
    â€œYeah. Sorry about that. We’ll take care of you, though, don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”
    Harris returned with a blanket, scissors, and a bag of ice. Grady cut up the leg of Finn’s jeans. Beth squeezed Finn’s hand. The sound of the scissors severing the fabric seemed unnaturally loud.
    Grady looked at Amanda. “Good. Femur’s okay and no open fracture. But we need an ambulance—it’ll be tough to move him.”
    â€œNo, no,” Finn said. “You got all these guys here. I don’t need no stinkin’ ambulance.”
    The group agreed, murmuring things like, “We’ll take him,” and “No problem.”
    Finn added, “Look, it’s just a broken leg. I don’t want to take an ambulance away from a true emergency. I’m serious here. I don’t want to tie up an ambulance for this.”
    Grady shook his head. “I don’t know . . .”
    â€œI do,” Finn said. “No ambulance. I’m not bleeding, there’s no bone sticking out. I’m not having a heart attack or a baby. You guys can help me to a car—hell, put me in the back of Bethany’s truck with this blanket and some of your good scotch and I’ll be fine.”
    Grady shrugged. “You heard the man.” Then, to Finn, “You get your way.”
    Amanda touched Grady’s shoulder and asked, “Do you know an orthopedist I should call?”
    â€œNot offhand. But Gustav will—there are plenty in Aspen. Call him, wouldja honey?”
    â€œWho’s Gustav?” Finn asked.
    â€œOnly the best doctor in Aspen,” Amanda said. “He’ll know who to send you to.”
    â€œBe right back, Dr. McDreamy. Try not to break anyone else’s legs while I’m gone.” Amanda winked, and jogged up to the house to use the landline because as Beth knew, cell reception was iffy in the pasture and almost nonexistent in the barn.
    Beth took the ice and carefully rested it on Finn’s knee. “Is that good?”
    â€œYeah,” Finn said. “Would you mind kissing it and making it better? I might not have to go to the hospital at all.”
    â€œYou’re still in shock,” Beth said, but smiled. Her nausea had settled. Good ol’ Finn could calm a barracuda.

    Beth rode with Amanda and Grady as they took Finn to the Aspen Valley Hospital ER, then spent the rest of the evening there. Lucky for him, the staff was well versed in treating broken bones, although winter was their happenin’ season. They scheduled surgery for the next morning and kept him overnight. She sat at his bedside, watching him sleep, until around eleven. Then they all went home. She would have preferred just Amanda in the car—she wanted to talk—but Grady was a gentleman and sometimes overprotective and refused to leave them.

    â€œI was thinking,” Grady said to Beth as he piloted the BMW SUV along highway eighty-two. “I hope you don’t mind, but I want Finn to stay with us until he’s better. He can’t go home for at least a few weeks. I guess he lives up here somewhere, but he’ll need