Lily

by Chris Keniston

  ***

  At least the hammer banging on his brain had slowed to a tolerable tapping.

  “So, who won? You or the other guy?” The orderly leaned over Cole’s shoulder, steering him toward the elevators.

  “Considering the other guy outweighed me by a couple of tons, I’d say I did.”

  The brawny orderly who had escorted him back to the ER smiled. “Got to love it when the underdog comes out ahead.”

  Cole was considering how to respond when the double doors opened automatically and he could see the redhead sitting in his cubicle. He let out a groan.

  “What?” The orderly followed the direction Cole’s gaze and chuckled. “Since the Mrs. doesn’t look to weigh in at one ton, never mind two, and is—no offense—easy on the eyes, you should be grinning from ear to ear, not grumbling.”

  There was no arguing, the woman was most definitely very easy on the eyes. Not so much the gas pedal. “She’s not my Mrs.”

  “Too bad.” The orderly tsked.

  What Cole wanted to know was why the woman was still here. She wasn’t family, and yes it was her fault he was in the hospital in the first place, but only relatives were supposed to be allowed this deep in the ER. Before he could voice a response either way, the redhead spotted him and sprang to her feet.

  “Any more news?” she asked.

  Clearly he’d been more rattled than he’d thought this morning. This was one gorgeous woman. Yes, he’d noticed her eyes before, but not much more. Now, standing in front of him, she somehow managed to make an ordinary pair of black slacks and a bland button-down white shirt look anything but ordinary. Long red hair framed her face perfectly. Heart-shaped lips begged to be kissed. Kissed? And wasn’t he insane for taking inventory and letting his mind run off in any direction. Perhaps he’d hit his head harder than he’d thought.

  “The doctor should be back shortly to give you an update.” The orderly maneuvered the wheelchair beside the bed. “Need help?”

  Cole shot him a glare and gave his daily exercising routine a silent fist pump for allowing him to lift from the chair on one leg without the slightest wobble. Silently sending a told-you-so look of triumph to the orderly, Cole waited for the man to leave before attempting another move. Too bad his moment of accomplishment vanished with his next breath. The second he pushed on his wrist to heft himself onto the bed, a stabbing pain shot up his arm, across his shoulder, and came out his mouth in an audible hiss.

  “Oh no.” The redhead sprang from her seat and practically catapulted over the bed to his side, making herself at home under his arm. “You should have let the man help you. Lean on me.”

  At six foot and two hundred pounds of mostly muscle, he almost laughed at her valiant effort. The top of her pretty red head barely reached his shoulder.

  “Come on. I’m stronger than I look.” She pressed herself closer to him, and for an absurd moment, Cole thought too bad the invitation wasn’t to a bigger bed and for a totally different reason.

  “I can do this. I just have to use my other hand.” Twisting in place, he shimmied away from her and lining his back with the bed, lifted himself onto the high mattress with his good hand and proceeded to bump his bad ankle into the bedside tray contraption. At least he managed to bite back the curse that came to mind.

  Hands fisted on her waist, the reason he was in this mess at all shook her head at him. “Stubborn, aren’t you?”

  Between the once again thundering headache and the pain radiating up and down his body, he didn’t have the strength to hold his own head up, never mind debate the difference between self sufficiency and stubbornness.

  The curtain swung open and the nurse who had evaluated him on arrival smiled at him. “Your guardian angel was most definitely working overtime.”

  One could argue if the angel had been on the job, he wouldn’t have gotten hit at all, but he wasn’t stupid. He’d seen more than his share of victims on the wrong side of an auto collision. At least he was still here to talk about it. A bit worse for wear, but here.

  The nurse scrambled to help him elevate his leg. A grumble, groan, and grunt from him later, and she had him all set up. “That wasn’t very hard, was it?”

  Whether she meant the x-ray, climbing onto the bed, or having his leg propped up in the air like a side of beef, he didn’t have a clue. Again, he bit back the words that had sprung to mind.

  “The doctor will be here momentarily—”

  “The doctor is here now.” A tall guy who reminded Cole of that Dreamy character from his ex’s favorite TV show flashed the nurse a teasing grin before turning his attention to Cole. “I’m Doctor Gavez, and you are looking pretty good for a man who collided with a moving vehicle.”

  “Then the wrist isn’t broken?”

  “Oh, no.” Dr. Gavez gave a shake of his head. “It’s definitely broken.”

  “And the ankle?” It would be bad enough that a broken wrist was going to keep him off the job for at least six weeks, the last thing he needed to add to it was only one good leg for just as long.

  “There you got off lucky. Only a sprain.”

  Somehow that didn’t sound very lucky to him. Even a simple sprain required rest and elevation. With a broken wrist he could go back to work right away on light desk duty. He would have hated it, but at least he wouldn’t be lying around counting the cracks on the ceiling.

  “We’ll get a cast on that wrist then set you up with a pair of crutches.”

  Cole wished he’d had a camera to take a picture of the look on the redhead’s face. If her eyebrows had shot any higher on her forehead, they’d brush her hair.

  “Yes,” the doctor said with an air of frustration. “It’s a bit of an oxymoron to send a patient with a cast on his arm home with crutches they clearly can’t use. Unfortunately, there’s no back up for sending you home with something more suitable for a broken wrist.”

  Her eyes back in her head, Lily nodded. “Not a problem. I’m pretty sure we still have a wheelchair in the attic that we used when my Great Granny couldn’t use a walker anymore.”

  Great Granny? “It’s a sprain,” Cole repeated.

  “That you need to rest and elevate for at least a week. Depending on swelling and bruising, possibly two,” the doctor responded.

  “I’ll phone ahead to Hart House and have someone get the chair out of the attic.” Lily bobbed her head as if reassuring herself it was all settled. “Fortunately, all the cabins are ramp accessible.”

  “Wait a minute,” Cole interrupted. He wasn’t going back to the cabin. Well, maybe just long enough to pack up and go home, but that was it. “I’m not staying at the cabin as planned.”

  “Why not?” The disgruntled pinch between her brows actually looked cute.

  “If I’m going to be laid up I’d rather it be in my own apartment. Besides…” Thoughts scrambled in search of a better reply. Nothing clawed its way to the surface. Regardless of where the roof over his head was, he couldn’t use crutches, couldn’t walk, and the desperate longing for a good hot shower that would have to wait a good long while reminded him nothing about the next week or two would be easy.

  “I do have another concern,” the doctor interrupted. “The tests don’t show any serious head injury—”

  “Head injury?” All the color—not for the first time this morning—drained from the pretty redhead’s face.

  “But you’ll need to be monitored for the appearance of more serious symptoms. I can’t discharge you unless there’s someone to keep an eye on you.”

  Lily nodded. “How long?”

  “At least tonight. Another day wouldn’t hurt.”

  This time the woman bobbed her head once in definitive move that shouted there was no room for disagreement. “Then it’s settled,” she said. “You can’t be alone. I’d better go wait for our ride home in the visitor’s lounge until you’re ready to be released. Unless,” she glanced at the doctor, “I’m needed here for something more?”

  The doctor
shook his head. “It’s pretty slow this morning. You go on. We’ll have his wrist set quickly, then we can go over what you’ll need to be looking for.”

  “Great.” For the first time all night, she smiled. Really smiled. Her cheeks pinkened, her eyes twinkled, and lifting at the corners, her lips parted slightly. For a fraction of a minute he was actually glad she’d hit him before the insanity of that ridiculous thought struck him. Whatever meds they’d given him, they weren’t going to be strong enough to help him survive a night with a much too cheerful redhead.

  Chapter Four

  “There you are.” Violet eased her way out of the wobbly orange vinyl seat in the waiting room. “The General was going to come himself but I volunteered.”

  “Thank you. I’m not sure I’m steady enough to face our grandfather just yet.”

  “How is he? Attila the Hun over there won’t give me an update.”

  Lily gave her cousin a tight squeeze, drawing strength from the woman she loved as much as her own sisters. “You should have texted me.”

  “I almost did, then I decided if you needed me, you’d call me.” Violet eased back from the embrace. “What’s the prognosis?”

  “Broken wrist and sprained ankle. Doctor put his shoulder back in place.”

  “That’s it?”

  Lily nodded. “Isn’t that enough?”

  “Lucy says he’s a looker.”

  Well, Lily couldn’t very well disagree. She’d practically found herself drooling when she finally got a good look at him. The guy could be on the cover of any romance novel he wanted. “I’m more worried about the fact that I could have killed him.”

  “Oh, honey.” Violet flung her arms around her younger cousin again. “I’m so sorry.”

  For a long minute Lily took solace in another embrace. She didn’t think she’d ever known terror before this morning. Now there was no doubt.

  “Do we have a plan?” Violet asked.

  Lily pulled back and sighed. “Other than looking for Granny’s old wheelchair? No.” And that was the truth. She’d put on a lot of bravado back there about taking care of him, but the reality was she had hadn’t been able to think any further than finding the blasted wheelchair.

  “Maybe one of those scooter things would be better?”

  “Scooter?”

  “You know, that thing that lets you rest your knee on a ledge and then roll around using mostly your good foot. It’s designed for two hands, but I’m sure the big strong fireman can manage with one.”

  Lily knew her cousin was teasing, but she could still feel the heat rising to her cheeks at just how big and strong the guy felt at her side. The double doors opened to the waiting room and the same orderly wheeled Cole through. One arm in a sling for his shoulder, his wrist and ankle taken care of, the man didn’t look any happier about coming to Hart House than he had a short while ago.

  The doctor followed behind Cole’s wheelchair and came to a stop beside Lily and her cousin. Introductions were made all around, then he gave Lily the papers he held in his hand. “These are instructions for care after a head injury.”

  “I don’t have a head injury.” Cole raised his casted wrist.

  “You’re a fireman. You should know the routine as well as the rest of us. The information is self-explanatory. If you have any questions, feel free to call. I wrote my cell number on the bottom.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Very well.” The doctor hesitated a moment and turned to Cole. Patting his shoulder, he said, “Don’t give the lady a hard time,” before strolling back through the double doors.

  Her gaze on the closed doors, Violet mumbled, “That man can give me a hard time whenever he wants.”

  “Violet!” Lily elbowed her cousin in the ribcage, pretending not to notice the chuckle Cole failed to smother.

  “What?” she snapped back.

  Rolling her eyes, Lily shook her head and waved the orderly on. “Let’s get home.”

  “Did you at least notice if he was single?” Lowering her voice, Violet fell into step beside her cousin.

  “No,” Lily muttered through clenched teeth. “I had more important things on my mind.” Like explaining to her grandfather that not only had she almost killed a guest, but the man’s week long stay might very well be a bit longer. And at the Hart House expense.

  “You two wait here. I’ll bring my car to the curb.” Slipping around the wheelchair, Violet hurried through the hospital doors.

  Lily nodded. Butterflies were flapping around in her stomach like angry geese and it had nothing to do with whether or not the handsome doctor was single. Contrary to what her cousin Violet might think, having a drop dead gorgeous patient to care for scared her even more than having almost killed the man.

  ***

  “Sorry about the bumps.” Violet slowed to a stop in front of Cole’s cottage and shoved the gearshift into park. “I never noticed how bumpy the access road is.”

  “No problem.” Cole managed the closest thing to a reassuring smile he could muster, considering most of his body throbbed like hell regardless of the pot holes in the road.

  Lily hopped out of the passenger side and flung his car door open. “Give me a second to get the scooter out of the trunk.”

  “Should we call the General and let him know we’re back?” Violet skirted the hood and met her cousin at the rear of the car.

  “Let’s get him settled first.”

  “If you say so, but…”

  Enough was enough. He was neither a cranky baby nor spastic puppy in need of ‘settling’ in. Careful to ease his bad foot out the door, he carefully used his good arm to help leverage himself up and onto his uninjured foot. “I’ve got this, ladies.”

  Two heads whipped around. The scooter on the ground, Lily actually rolled her eyes like a petulant teen. “You’re going to be difficult, aren’t you?”

  “I’m not the one who insisted on getting this contraption.”

  “It was this,” she nudged the scooter closer to where he stood, “or Granny’s wheelchair. Even though I have concerns about you overusing that shoulder, you already made it clear you didn’t want the wheelchair.”

  She had him there. He’d been rather vocal about his dislike of the whole idea.

  “Let’s see how this works for you.” She set the contraption in front of him.

  Close enough that he barely had to shift his weight to rest the knee of his newly injured leg onto the lone cushioned knee rest. Gripping the handle bar one handed, he took in the short length of the front walkway. He didn’t remember it seeming so long when he’d checked in yesterday. Of course, nothing seemed like it had yesterday. “Forward ho.”

  “Are you sure? Maybe I should help—” The look on his face was enough to stutter her next words. “Yes, sir.”

  Violet scurried ahead to open the door and Lily inched along beside him, her one hand hovering near him like a new mother protecting her toddler while taking his first steps. So far, so good. The walkway was level ground, making steering the scooter with one arm fairly easy. Even crossing the threshold hadn’t posed much of a challenge. Yet, by the time he’d made it from one end of the tiny cabin’s living area to the other, he’d collapsed onto the sofa like a man who had just finished a triathlon.

  Satisfied he wasn’t about to spring up from the couch and bolt out the door on her, she waved a hand at him. “I’ll get some pillows from the bedroom.”

  “That won’t be—”

  The wave of an arm and her disappearing back silenced him.

  “Here we go.” She scurried back from the hall in his direction. “Leg up.”

  He considered insisting he could do this himself, but not only was he exhausted from the entire ordeal, after only a few hours together he was already beginning to recognize the look in her eye. The one that clearly announced she was not going to back down. Lifting his leg high enough for her to gently shove a few pillows in place for support, he bit back a smile. And the woman called him stubborn
.

  “Is it time to call the General yet?” Violet came from the kitchen, a glass of water in one hand.

  “I suppose I’ll have to face the music.”

  “How bad can it be?” Lily rolled her eyes and immediately Violet waved her hand. “Forget I said that.”

  “Ladies.” Until now Cole didn’t realize how much he disliked people talking about him as if he wasn’t in the room. “It’s been a long morning. Why don’t you both go home and I’ll just turn on the TV, maybe take a nap.”

  “Oh, no.” Lily spun around shaking her head. “No naps just yet and I can’t leave you alone.”

  Before he could muster an argument, the front door flung open. A sturdy woman waltzed into the house, holding a stack of pillows. Without pausing, she continued straight to the bedroom. “General is right behind me.”

  He wasn’t sure if her words were a report or a warning. Not two seconds later, two golden retrievers announced the arrival of the General. The dogs had never left the man’s side the entire time Cole had been inspecting the smoke alarms, and he was a little surprised to see them abandon their master to come sit at his side. One dog sniffed at his feet while the other took in his broken wrist and sniffed at his temple, leaned away and then sniffed again. If he didn’t know better he’d have sworn the animal was frowning.

  “It’s okay, girl,” he whispered. “Just a little headache.”

  Apparently, he hadn’t whispered low enough. From a few feet away, Violet heard his quiet confession. “I have just the thing for that. Be right back.”

  “And where are you off to?” The General blocked Violet’s path.

  “I’ll be right back. Just getting something for his headache.” Pausing to kiss her grandfather on the cheek, she spun around him smiling and dashed out the door and up the walkway.

  “Really,” the General huffed.

  The older woman came back down the hall. “I put extra pillows in the closet. Let me know if you need anything more. Also have a pot of chicken soup started at the house. Best medicine for whatever ails you.”