Texas Two Step: Texas Montgomery Mavericks, Book 1

by Cynthia D'Alba

  Olivia nodded as Mitch leaned closer to the drawing to study what the doctor was demonstrating.

  Dr. Gowen traced his finger along the outer edge of the joint. “Your menisci are the areas of tough cartilage right here and here. When you fell, you twisted your knee and caused a small tear right here.” He pointed to the inside of her knee. “It’s not bad. I don’t think you’ll need surgery. We’ll keep an eye on it and see how you do, but you’ll need to avoid any weight bearing on that leg for a while. Ice, rest, some light pain meds should do the trick. After a couple of days, acetaminophen should take care of the pain. Do you have a pair of crutches?” When she shook her head, he added, “I’ll order a set of crutches before you leave today.”

  “Doctor,” Mitch interrupted. “Should she have a private nurse? We can hire one.”

  Olivia glared at Mitch for a moment then made a deliberate turn of her head away from him. “Ignore him, Dr. Gowen. You were saying?”

  Mitch chuckled and squeezed her shoulder again.

  She flinched. As much as she’d love to boot Mitch out, she didn’t want to make a scene in front of Emily’s mother. Dr. Miller had been wonderful to come with her in the ambulance. The last thing Olivia wanted to do was cause her any embarrassment at the hospital where she worked.

  “You don’t have to have a knee brace but some patients find one helps to stabilize the knee as you recover.”

  “Get her one,” Mitch ordered.

  Olivia didn’t look at him. She smiled at Dr. Gowen. “Excuse Mitch. Apparently he’s easily excitable. Now, the knee brace…what do you think I should do?” Her knee and ankle throbbed in time to the pounding in her head and Mitch was driving her crazy. She was amazed she could speak through her clenched teeth.

  Dr. Gowen returned her smile and patted her shoulder. What was it with the men in this room wanting to pat her shoulder?

  “I’d advise a knee wrap for a couple of days, three at the most, and a set of crutches. You won’t need them for long, maybe a week or two. I’d like to see you back in my office then. If your knee is continuing to give you problems when you walk, we’ll consider either using a cane for a couple of more weeks, or maybe scoping the knee. For now, there’s no emergency. Let’s give it some time. Okay?”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Mitch said. “Is she good to go as soon as we get the crutches and knee brace?”

  Dr. Gowen looked at Teresa Miller who’d been standing at the head of the bed. “The bump on her head? That’s your department.”

  Dr. Miller shook her head. “Films look fine. She’s oriented and talking. She’ll have a nasty knot for a few days and maybe a headache tonight, but she’s cleared to leave.”

  “Excuse me?” Olivia said, her voice laced with exasperation. “I’m still here. You don’t need to talk around me.”

  Dr. Gowen laughed. “Of course. Your fiancé had been so worried.”

  “My fiancé?” She frowned. “And who—”

  “Shh, Livie. No jokes on the doctors. We don’t want them to think you’ve lost your memory from that bump,” Mitch said. He leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead, then looked at the doctor. “I’ll make sure she’ll have everything she’ll need to get better.”

  “Fine, fine,” Dr. Gowen replied. “Once the ankle and knee wraps are in place, I’ll send in a nurse with discharge instructions and a prescription for a light pain med you can fill on the way home. You probably only need it for a couple of days. From the description of your fall, you’re one lucky lady,” he said, stepping to the curtain. “Good luck…to you both.”

  Dr. Miller hugged her. “Since Mitch’s here, I’m going to run along too. I’ll have to scold Emily for not sharing the good news about you and Mitch’s engagement. Now, don’t thank me,” she said when Olivia opened her mouth to speak. “I’m glad I was there.”

  After both doctors had left and Mitch and Olivia were alone, she glared at him. “What are you doing here? And why does everyone think we’re engaged? Go home, Mitch. Please.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not leaving.” He cleared his throat, his tan complexion paling. “And everyone believes we’re engaged because that’s what I told them.”

  “Why would you do that?” she asked with a gasp.

  “Your family lives an hour away. Your best friend’s on the way to Hawaii for her honeymoon. I didn’t want you to be alone. The admitting clerk wasn’t going to let me come back, so…” He shrugged and gave her his never-fail killer smile. “I was a little creative when describing our friendship.”

  Friendship. She pressed her head into the pillow and shut her eyes. “It’s time for you to go home, Mitch.”

  He leaned close. “I don’t have to leave yet. I care about you, Livie. Let me help.” His warm breath brushed across her face as he spoke.

  I care about you. His words marched through her head.

  Maybe you did, Mitch, but not enough. Not enough.

  “You’re swept up in all the emotion of the weekend. I’ll be fine. Really.” Olivia opened her eyes and rolled her head to look at him. The movement sent a sharp pain lancing through her head. She grimaced. “This isn’t your problem. I’m not your responsibility. Don’t worry about me. You can go home with a clear conscience.”

  “I am not swept up in the weekend. And of course I’ll worry about you. You’re all alone. How will you get around?”

  Olivia shut her eyes again in frustration. Hard-headed cowboy. “I’m not alone. Good Lord, Mitch. I have friends, family who can come to town. Heck, I can go to my parents’ house if I need to. I have lots of options. Besides, I’ve only bummed up a knee and ankle. It’s not like I broke a leg. Get out of here. Go back to your life and let me get back to mine.”

  “No.”

  “Damn it. Go away.”

  “Mrs. Gentry?”

  Olivia saw Mitch curled his fingers into fists when the nurse called her Mrs. Gentry.

  A pretty young nurse rolled a cart through the curtain. “This is Joe Greeson, our ortho tech,” she said with a nod toward the man who followed her into the room. “He’ll be showing you how to put on and take off wraps.”

  “Ma’am,” Joe said with a polite nod. “If you have any questions as I go along, just ask.”

  Olivia nodded and immediately regretted the movement. “Okay.”

  “And,” the nurse continued, “these are the instructions for caring for your ankle.” She handed Olivia a piece of paper. “In a nutshell, it says rest, stay off your feet, use the ankle wrap for support and crutches to keep any weight off that ankle until you can bear weight without pain. Also, put an ice pack on it through tonight. It’s important to give your leg time to heal. Okay?”

  “Got it,” Olivia said.

  She glanced toward Mitch. He’d moved to the foot of her bed to watch the technician apply the stretchy wrap to her ankle and a thicker beige wrap around her knee. She’d applied a million of these wraps on herself as well as her clients. She probably could have wrapped her own ankle and knee, but moving her head to look down rattled her brains, so she assumed the role of good patient and let the tech do all the work.

  Mitch’s gaze met hers and held. Suddenly, the room seemed to be too small, too warm, too claustrophobic. She struggled with each breath, as if she were sucking air through a thin straw. If she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen, was there a better place than a hospital emergency room?

  “You’re probably going to want to contact your work and let them know you won’t be in for a couple of days. Do you have someone to help you?” The nurse’s question jerked Olivia’s attention away from Mitch and her ability to breathe improved.

  “She does,” Mitch said, answering for her.

  Olivia rolled her eyes, worsening her headache and dizziness. Bad idea. “I’ve got plenty of help. Maybe more than I want,” she said pointedly at Mitch.

  The tech finished with the wraps and picked a pair of crutches off the bottom shelf of the rolling cart. “You know how to use these?
”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Good luck.”

  The nurse handed Olivia a couple of pain pills followed by a form to sign. “For insurance,” she explained.

  “Wait here and I’ll be back with a wheelchair,” the nurse said when the pills had been swallowed and the appropriate papers signed.

  And then, too soon, she and Mitch were alone again.

  “Mitch, hand me the phone and let me call someone to give me a ride home.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I have a limo waiting. I already told you, I’m not leaving you alone to fend for yourself. As soon as I know you have someone to help you, you can kick me out. I don’t have to fly home immediately. Besides,” he said with a wink and a blinding smile, “I bet all the cute girls have been claimed at the reception anyway.”

  “Argh. You’re as stubborn as one of your bulls. You’re giving me a headache.”

  “So quit making a big deal out of a simple car ride and let’s get out of here.”

  Because the doctors weren’t sure of the extent of her injuries when she and Nancy had spoken, Olivia had thought it would be best if Nancy took Adam to her house for the night. Since she didn’t have to worry about a meeting between Mitch and Adam, and since she did need a ride home, and since the pain pills had kicked in and sedated her rational mind she said, “A limo, huh?”

  “A mile long.”

  “Is there a bar in the back?”

  He chuckled. “Even if there were, no mixing alcohol with those pain pills. Plus, you’re already slurring your words. I don’t think you need any booze.”

  She gave a loud, dramatic sigh. “Fine. You can give me a ride home, but only because I’m high and not in my right mind. Oh, and because I’ve always wanted to ride in a limo like a movie star.” She gave the beauty-queen-parade wave.

  He laughed. “Fine, Ms. Movie Star. Let’s get your movie-star butt into a wheelchair and get out of here. I hate hospitals.”

  The nurse returned with a wheelchair. After pushing it close to the bed, she and Mitch helped Olivia move from the bed to the chair.

  Mitch grabbed the handles. “Thanks. I’ve got it.” He began wheeling Olivia toward the exit. Double glass doors slid open with a whoosh as they approached. As soon as they’d rolled outside, a car engine fired up and a black, stretch limousine pulled up to the curb. The driver jumped out and hurried to the rear door. Swinging it open he said, “Do you need help, sir?”

  “I’ve got it. Thanks.”

  An orderly engaged the chair’s brakes. Olivia rose slowly from the chair, holding on to Mitch’s arm for support.

  “Easy,” he said. “Take it slow.”

  Olivia gingerly lowered herself onto the leather seat then swung both legs inside. “Ha. Told you I didn’t need help.”

  Mitch’s lips twitched, as though suppressing a smile. “So you did.”

  He handed off the chair to the orderly, closed her door, and walked around to the other side. Olivia saw him hand a piece of paper to the driver before sliding onto the seat next to her.

  “What’d you give him?”

  “Who?”

  “The driver. That piece of paper.”

  “It’s a prescription for your pain killers. Is there a pharmacy you use? We should probably fill it before we get to your house.”

  “Okay.” She rested her head on the back of the seat and shut her eyes.

  “Olivia?”

  She jumped. “What?”

  “You fell asleep. I need to tell the driver where to get your prescription filled. And since I don’t have your address, you need to tell me that too.”

  She lifted her nose in the air. “And whose fault is it that you don’t have my address? You never asked for it.” At least that’s what she thought she said.

  He leaned closer. “What did you say?”

  “Nothing. My address is 1974 George Avenue. We’ll pass a drug store on the way to my house. Anderson’s. Stop there.”

  After Mitch had passed along the information to the driver, he settled back onto the seat and slipped his arm around Olivia’s shoulders. He pushed her head down on his shoulder. “Rest. I’ll wake you up when we get to your house.”

  “I don’t need to…sleep.”

  “Livie. Wake up. We’re at your house.”

  “What?” She lifted her head from his shoulder and squinted through the dark window pane. “Where are we?”

  “Your house. You fell asleep.”

  Straightening up on the seat, she drew in a deep breath. She shoved her hair off her face. “Right. My house.”

  The driver opened the rear door and she scooted to the edge of the seat, preparing to stand. Woozy from the pain pill, she swayed.

  “Wait a minute.” Mitch scrambled out the other door and hurried around the car. He stood next to the car door, holding out his hand. “Can I help?”

  “No, no. I need to do this myself.”

  He nodded and pulled back his hand, but remained close.

  She put the rubber-tipped ends of the crutches on the street. Then she slowly moved both legs out the door and placed her right foot on the concrete. Using the crutches for balance, she rose slowly out of the car. She gasped in pain and staggered. Mitch caught her and swept her up into his arms, allowing the crutches to crash onto the sidewalk.

  Olivia opened her mouth to complain she didn’t need him to carry her, but even with the pain medication, her whole leg throbbed. So she shut her mouth, wrapped her arms around his neck, gave herself permission to enjoy the feel of his muscular arms under her knees, his rough fingers pressed into the flesh on her legs. Gave herself permission to enjoy the feeling of security when he pulled her snuggly against his hard chest.

  Tonight would be the last time. She flicked her eyes shut, concentrated to store the memory of the width of his shoulders, the way his hair tickled her nose, the aroma that was uniquely Mitch Landry. There’d never been another man for her, and she knew there’d never be another like him in her life.

  “Where’s your key?” he asked, jarring her out of thoughts.

  She unclasped her clutch. “Here.”

  He took the ring of keys and unlocked her door. Once through, he stepped into her unlit living room and stopped. “Where’s your bedroom? Upstairs?”

  Even though the question wasn’t in any way suggestive, Olivia felt a flutter of sexual awareness. Followed by panic that he might go upstairs.

  “No. Not upstairs. Turn left. There are two bedrooms. Mine is on the right.” Her thick-tongued voice was slurred and whispery. She cleared her throat. “My bedroom’s on the right. Thanks for the ride, Mitch.” She sighed. “In the limo.” And in your arms.

  He looked into her eyes for moment, then kissed the tip of her nose. “Anytime. You’re a whole lot lighter than those calves I wrestle.”

  She giggled. “Thanks…I think.”

  He set her gently on the yellow duvet covering. The satiny material was cool against legs that had been heated in his arms.

  “I’ll be right back. I’ll go get your crutches from the sidewalk and pay the driver.”

  After he left, Olivia stood, wincing as soon as her left foot barely brushed the floor. Using the bed for support, she hopped around the bed until she could reach her dresser. She transferred support to the solid piece of furniture, standing on one foot while she searched through the top drawer for a pair of pajamas.

  “What are you doing?”

  The unexpected shout jettisoned adrenaline through her bloodstream. She screamed and lost her balance. She was on her way to the floor for the second time tonight when Mitch snatched her back into his arms.

  “I said, what the hell are you doing?” he asked through gritted teeth. “I leave you for one minute and you can’t do what the doctors told you?”

  She leaned into his chest, her heart racing. “You scared me to death. Don’t do that.”

  He hugged her tight. “I scared you? You don’t know what scared is until you see someone you care ab
out hit her head on a marble tile.”

  Someone you care about… She wanted to believe him. Wished things could be different. Her throat became so clogged with emotion she couldn’t find the words to speak.

  “Now,” he said, placing her back on the bed. “What was so important that you had to get up?”

  She pushed her hair off her face. “I was trying to get to my pajamas.”

  “And that couldn’t wait until I got back?”

  She sighed. Reality time. “It could, yes. But you won’t always be here to get things for me. I have to learn to do for myself without hurting my foot again. And before you say anything, don’t. You have to go home to the Lazy L. I know how hard my family worked to keep everything going on our place, so I know you can’t be gone long.”

  He crossed his arms across his chest as a look of determination covered his face. “I have an idea. Why don’t you shut up for once and let someone help?”

  There was no use swimming upstream. As much as she hated to admit it, she did need a little help right now. Even worse, she didn’t want him to leave…not yet. She had some time before Adam came home. Her secret was safe. An hour delay before Mitch left wouldn’t affect that one way or the other.

  A smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. Flopping back on her pillows, she crossed her arms. “Fine then, slave. Bring me a dozen peeled grapes. You can hand feed them to me.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t know about that. How about some comfortable pajamas instead?”

  “That’s a good idea too. Top drawer on the left. Look for the blue set.”

  He opened the drawer and she said a silent prayer of thanks she’d done her laundry before the wedding. Mitch pulled out a short red see-through teddy and turned toward her, holding it up in front of his body.

  “What about this?”

  She lifted herself on her elbows to see what he’d pulled from the drawer and giggled. “It doesn’t do a thing for your figure. And the color’s all wrong for you.”

  He gave an exaggerated sigh, refolded the teddy, and pulled out a blue satin top and matching tap pants. Waggling his eyebrows he whistled. “Not bad, Ms. Livie. Not bad at all. Those are definitely your color.”