Picking Up the Pieces

by Maryann Jordan

  “Um…I guess you can put my mom down…but only in an emergency.” She rattled off the name and phone number, along with a Virginia address.

  As the nurse finished, a fresh-faced doctor entered the room and Lance looked over at him with suspicion, wondering if the kid was old enough to have completed medical school. The doctor smiled widely at Jade, introducing himself.

  Knowing he should step out of the room to give them privacy, he nonetheless stayed standing nearby, fighting the desire to punch the overly friendly doctor.

  The doctor took stock of all of her injuries, from her swollen wrist, injured foot, and glass cuts on her cheek, to the dark bruising on her shoulder, collarbone and chest.

  “I want to send you to x-ray. We want to check out your wrist and foot, and also your neck, spine, and ribs. We’ll check for a concussion as well. I’ll be back once we have those and then we can see to your injuries.”

  With a parting smile, the doctor was out the door, unaware of Lance’s glare on his back. Immediately, he swung his gaze back to Jade. Pulling up a plastic chair, he sat next to her bed, reaching out to hold her hand.

  “How are you feeling?”

  Blowing out a huge sigh, she admitted, “Like I was hit by a truck.”

  Chuckling, despite his concern, he shook his head. “That is so not funny, Jade.”

  She offered a small smile and quipped, “Well, fiancé, you’re supposed to love me in sickness and in health.”

  Now a full laugh escaped from him, as he rubbed circles on her palm.

  “I know why Zac did that, but I was going to say I was your brother. Of course,” he said hesitantly, “I like what he chose instead.”

  Before she had a chance to respond, hospital personnel came to whisk her off to x-ray, leaving him sitting in her room, wondering what was coming over him.

  Why did I admit that I liked being called her fiancé? Way to scare someone off! Deciding that when she came back, he would move into professional mode to make sure she was comfortable with his presence, he sucked in a deep breath, knowing she was so much more to him than a victim in need of comfort.

  Down the hall, Jade moved onto the x-ray table, pain lancing through her back, shoulders, foot, arm…damn, is there anywhere that doesn’t hurt? Trying to stay positive, she focused on Lance’s words. He liked that Zac declared him as my fiancé. Knowing her feelings for him were growing, it was nice to hear that he felt the same.

  “Okay, Ms. Lyons, we’re all finished. We’ll take you back to your ER bay and the attending physician will be in to talk to you as soon as he’s had a chance to look at all the radiographs. We’ll confirm with him and then start you on some pain meds that we can put in your IV as well.”

  Within a few minutes, she was ensconced back in her ER bay, Lance hopping up from his chair to observe her as they hooked her back to the various machines.

  She smiled, her eyes searching his, and greeted, “Hey. I’m so glad you’re here with me.” A curt nod was his only response, and she wondered why he was not reaching out to hold her hand anymore. “Are you okay?”

  “Absolutely,” he replied, his voice no longer warm. “I was wondering what else you could tell me about the accident,” he said, taking out a pad of paper from his back pocket, along with a pen.

  Sucking in her lips, she stared at him, uncertain of the change that had come over him while she had been in x-ray. She left with him saying he was glad Zac referred to him as her fiancé and now he was acting like a cop on patrol. Sighing heavily, she replied, “I left school as usual and was actually driving out to your house. I didn’t know if you were home, but I…well…I just wanted to see you, that’s all. I’ve had a crappy day—”

  “Why crappy?” he asked, his voice now laced with concern.

  “Lance, what’s going on? I’m going to get whiplash from your mood changes and, honestly, the way I feel right now, I don’t need that!”

  Lance opened his mouth, then snapped it shut, uncertain how to respond.

  Huffing, Jade leaned back on the uncomfortable bed, “Fine. Professional it is. I had a bad day because my students knew about the body on the beach and the local story was picked up by a TV station in Virginia Beach this weekend, which my mom so graciously continues to remind me of. By the time I left school, I simply thought I would spend some time with you. Obviously, a dumb idea, but there it is. A black pickup truck, with a big grill on the front, came very close to me. I couldn’t see the driver clearly. A ball cap covered his hair and he wore sunglasses. I saw no one in the passenger side. They swung to the other lane and I thought they were going to pass. As they pulled alongside me, I glanced over, but the passenger window was tinted so I could see nothing. He jerked his truck into the side of me. I ran off the road and into a copse of trees. I looked up as the airbag deflated, and I might have been disoriented and terrified, but I still saw him driving down the road, leaving me wrecked against the trees.” Letting out a sigh, then wincing when the movement hurt her bruised chest, she clamped her mouth shut. Tired, grumpy, and in pain.

  He looked down at his feet for a moment, the silence in the room deafening. Shaking his head, he admitted, “I’m sorry, Jade. I didn’t mean…I just don’t know…oh, fuck.”

  Her eyes lifted to him, leaning against the wall, and her heart melted again. “Look, Lance. I don’t know what’s going on with you, but even if it’s all pretend, I really need someone to just hold my hand.” The last word was said on a sob, causing another grimace to cross her face.

  Dropping into the chair, he grabbed her uninjured hand, squeezing it tight. “I’m so sorry, really I am.” He gazed into her eyes, quickly developing dark circles around them, and saw fatigue and pain. Interrupted by another nurse, he watched as she gave Jade a painkiller through her IV.

  “Now, this’ll make you sleepy,” the nurse warned, “so, if you have to get out of bed, make sure your handsome fiancé helps.”

  With a smile, the nurse left, and he observed Jade’s face relax as the medicine took effect.

  She rolled her head to the side, and said, “What were you saying?”

  “I was admitting that I suck at letting people in, and sometimes completely forget how to be a friend, much less anything else.”

  “Why?” she asked, her voice whisper soft.

  “Too many reasons to burden you with right now, but I promise, I’m getting help. I really want to be able to be a better man…like the man I used to be, but it’ll take some time.”

  She grinned a wobbly smile, her eyes brighter now that the pain had receded. “I can wait,” she confessed. Her smile slid off her face as her eyes began to close, “I liked it when you said you liked what Zac said. That was nice,” her voice slurred. Her brow furrowed as she continued, “Not all, Mr. Big Bad Cop.”

  He grinned as her eyes closed completely, knowing she was not in pain and, if he was honest, happy that she admitted she felt the same as he did. Breathing a sigh of relief, he watched her rest, still holding her hand.

  A few minutes later, his phone vibrated and, seeing it was Mitch, he slipped out of the room and into the hall. “Yeah?”

  “How’s she doing?”

  “Doc’s been in, checked her out, then they took her to x-ray. Got her on pain meds now, so she’s sleeping. Doc’s supposed to come back in when he looks at everything.”

  “She tell you any more?”

  “Not really. She was definitely run off the road—”

  “Yeah, Jason has looked at her car and has corroborated that the truck that hit her was painted black.”

  “Anything on the license plate?”

  “Grant’s running it now.”

  “I want the bastard, Mitch.”

  “I know you do and I know you’ll do everything by the book, no matter how badly you want to go after him.” After a moment of silence, he asked, “You bringing her home?”

  “As soon as they release her.”

  “Lance, I gotta warn you, the women are gearing up to swoop
in and take care of her. I know you like privacy, but you may have to kiss that goodbye.”

  Still holding the phone to his ear, he dropped his head to stare at his shoes. Waiting for the tell-tale signs of panic, instead his chest was filled with warmth. “It’s all good, Mitch. But tell them to give her a day or so. She’s banged up.”

  He chuckled, “You got it. See you when you get back.” With that, he disconnected.

  Observing the doctor walk back into Jade’s room, he hustled in as well. A droopy smile crossed her face again and the doctor laughed.

  “I see the pain medicine has made you more comfortable. Good, good,” the doctor declared before turning toward Lance, speaking more to him than her. “She’s suffered a hairline fracture of her wrist and has a severely bruised collarbone and chest from the seat belt. We’ll splint her wrist and give her a sling to keep her arm from moving too much as it heals. Her ankle is not broken, but has severe contusions, so we’ll have it in a boot, just to help with the swelling. She should stay off her left foot for several days to give it a chance to heal. She can’t use crutches with her injured wrist, but with the boot, she can walk on it as soon as it is strong enough. As far as her lacerations, the nurse removed the pieces of glass that were embedded, and an antiseptic cream applied twice a day should take care of the small cuts.”

  His mind reeled as he listened to the doctor’s list of injuries, but he was thankful her seatbelt and airbag kept her as safe as it did.

  “So, we’ll also prescribe a pain medication that she can take if necessary, but if over-the-counter pain medicine works, she can just use those. Any questions?”

  Jade’s nose scrunched as she said, “He talks a lot. Too many words.”

  Grinning, Lance nodded toward the doctor, saying, “I’ve got it.”

  As the doctor left, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. “And I’ve got you too, sweetheart,” he said, the endearment falling easily from his lips.

  18

  Jade leaned her head back against the headrest of Lance’s SUV. Grant and Jillian made the trip to the hospital and dropped his vehicle off after checking on her. She rolled her head toward him, the movement causing her to wince.

  He noticed and reached over, squeezing her thigh while avoiding her sling and wrist. “I’m so sorry. I know every time you move it hurts like hell.”

  Deciding not to move again, she kept her eyes on his profile. Sighing, she asked, “Do you think Jillian is upset with me?”

  “No way, Jade. She and the others just want to help, but I know you didn’t want to stay with her. Or Katelyn when she called. Or Tori. Or Belle—”

  Grinning, she said, “I’ve got good friends, but by the time Belle called, I was exhausted. I’ll call them back when I feel a little better.”

  Squeezing her leg again, he turned onto the road leading into Baytown. “Is there anything I need to get from your place before we head to mine?”

  She blinked in confusion. “I really just want to lay down, Lance.”

  “Okay, then we can head to my place first and, if need be, I can get someone to grab things from your apartment.”

  “Why are we going to your place?”

  He looked sharply over at her, saying, “Because I’m taking you home with me and I’m taking care of you.”

  “That’s sweet, but I just want to go to my home,” she persisted. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I’ll be fine.”

  Frowning, Lance glanced over, understanding filling him as he observed her closed eyes. He knew the pain meds she had been given in the hospital made it harder for her to concentrate and think things through. She would never make it up the three flights of stairs and, while the idea of carrying her in his arms held appeal, he refused to make things more difficult for her in the long run.

  Continuing to his house, he parked as close as he could to the front door. He hesitated before getting out, just as her sleepy eyes blinked open. “Look, Jade, I don’t want to upset you, but you’re not supposed to put weight on your foot so I had to bring you here. There’s no way you could handle your stairs.”

  Expecting her to be stubborn, her lips curved into a slightly lopsided smile. “M’kay.”

  Moving to her side of the vehicle, he scooped her into his arms, holding her good side next to his body. At the door, he managed to get it unlocked and then moved them inside, kicking the door shut with his boot.

  By the time they made it to Lance’s living room, Jade recognized that he was right—going to her apartment would have been a huge mistake. She would never be able to traverse the stairs by herself, even with her foot in a boot. As he set her gently down on the sofa, a tear slid down her cheek.

  “Are you in pain,” he asked, squatting at her feet. “What can I get for you?”

  “I’m just tired,” she said, trying not to cry, but the day’s events overwhelmed her and the tears began to flow.

  “Tell me what you need and I’ll get it,” he promised, his voice anguished as he gently wiped her tears.

  “I just wanted to be in my own bed and now I’m making things hard for you.”

  Sighing, he pushed her hair back from her face and said, “Don’t you understand? By allowing me to take care of you, I get the peace of mind knowing you are safe.”

  Swallowing audibly, she offered a short nod. “You’re right, and I’m being silly. I’m fine, really, I am. And thank you so much for everything you did for me today. I really appreciate it.”

  Cocking his head, Lance stared at her, listening to her apparent dismissal of him. “I’m not sure what you think is happening here, Jade, but I’m not leaving your side.”

  Blinking again, she said, “But—

  “No buts,” he interrupted. “I’m going to get some food in you, get you in bed, and give you the meds to make you rest easy tonight.”

  As she opened her mouth to speak he jumped in again. “Think about it, honey. Doesn’t it make sense?”

  Jade had to admit it did, and nodded. “If you’re sure…I don’t want you to feel obligated.”

  Standing, he scooped her up once more and this time stalked into his bedroom, sitting her on the edge of the bed. Kissing the top of her head, he smiled, “No obligation. Jade, I get to have you right by my side. This is no hardship, babe. This is me, joining the living again. I’m just glad you want me here. Now, let’s get you settled.”

  He stood back, observing the contraptions she had on. Sling. Wrist brace. Foot brace.

  “What?” she asked as his gaze moved over her.

  “Trying to figure out what to do first,” he confessed, then seeming to make up his mind, he leaned over and unfastened the sling, deftly sliding it off. Eyeing her blouse, he said, “I think we can get that over the wrist brace,” and bent to unbutton the tiny buttons down the front.

  She felt the heat of blush rush to her face but knew there was no other way to get out of her clothes, other than to call one of the girls over and she hated to do that. Keeping her eyes locked on his chest, she felt the cool air of her blouse being pulled off her injured arm and then quickly dropped to the floor.

  Lance felt her embarrassment and determined to keep his eyes off her bra as he turned toward his dresser, but the sight of her bruises caused him to gasp.

  Jerking her gaze up, Jade could tell he was looking at the bruises. “Does it look bad?” She knew the answer to her question by the look on his face. Standing, she hobbled over to the mirror, clutching his arm. Her eyes landed on a dark, black stripe from her neck extending between her breasts. Sighing heavily, she allowed him to help her back to bed. “I need something to wear,” she replied, her voice numb.

  Deciding a t-shirt would hurt her trying to get her injured arm through the sleeve, Lance moved to his closet, choosing a soft, flannel shirt instead. The button front made it a good choice since it did not have to pull over her head. Turning around, he stopped in his tracks.

  Jade was attempting to unsnap her bra with her good hand, but looked up, h
er eyes filling with tears again. “This sucks but, I can’t do it.”

  Walking around to the other side of the bed, he crawled behind her and unsnapped her bra, saying, “Sweetheart, I can’t see anything, so don’t be embarrassed. Just slide it off your arms and then reach your good arm back and I’ll get this top on you.”

  She followed his instructions and found the soft, cotton material soothing against her skin. As he rounded her front again, she clutched the material together at first, but then decided that her modesty no longer mattered. Lowering her arm, she watched as he buttoned the shirt, his touch comforting.

  “Let’s do the pants,” he said, bending to take the boot off her foot. Helping her to stand, and then unbuttoning and unzipping her pants, he slid them down her legs. Efficiently, he replaced them with a pair of cut-off sweats. Large, but they covered her enough to keep her warm. “We’ve got to get the boot back on, but I’m afraid it will hurt,” he confessed.

  “Honestly, I’m not feeling much of anything.”

  Nodding, he managed to brace her foot once more. Fluffing the pillows, he pulled the covers down and, once she was lying in bed with her back against the pillowed headboard, he kissed her forehead, careful of her facial lacerations.

  “Gonna get your pills,” he said, before leaving the room.

  Lifting her eyes to the ceiling, she fought a tired grin. Wow, I’m in Lance’s house, in his bedroom, and he’s just stripped me. And this is so not how I would’ve liked that to happen.

  Once the pills were down, he headed back into the kitchen to make soup and sandwiches. Placing the food on a tray, he went back into the bedroom, seeing her eyes peering up sleepily at him.

  “Let’s get food down you before you fall asleep, babe.”

  With encouragement, Jade ate everything he brought before sliding down under the covers. With her wrist propped on a pillow near her head and her foot carefully tucked underneath the covers, she felt her body growing warm and beginning to drift.