“I hope that means you won’t mind me kissing you.”
“I’ll be disappointed if you don’t.” Her gaze went swiftly to his mouth. She was ready when his lips touched hers in a slow and tender kiss.
When they stopped kissing, she said, “Susan and Gary should print on their website how the waterfall’s a good spot to kiss someone.”
His brown eyes filled with amusement. “I don’t know if I want others kissing here. I like it being so private and special.”
“Is it much farther to the top?”
“No. It should take us about ten minutes. This part of the trail’s pretty rough but so worth it. The view’s spectacular.”
They’d traveled several feet when Whitney saw Ben slip on a huge rock. He yelled, “Watch out.” His hand reached out to grab a limb to stop his fall when a rock was jarred from above.
She moved quickly, trying to avoid getting hit by the rock, but she lost her balance and fell. Her head smacked against the brutal rocks and light danced in her peripheral vision as pain shot through her skull. Then everything went dark.
Chapter Seven
“Whitney!”
Horror raced through Ben’s veins. His blood ran cold and he couldn’t breathe. For a second he looked down at her still body and couldn’t move. Then his brain relayed to his limbs he needed to help her. He scrambled down the rocky slope and reached Whitney, his heart clenching at the sight of blood on the side of her head. Ben ripped a portion of his shirt to gently press against the bleeding wound. With his other hand he checked Whitney’s pulse and felt intense relief that he found one. The fall hadn’t killed her.
Thank God, he had his cell with him. Holding the rag to her head with one hand, he opened the phone and dialed 9-1-1with the other. It seemed to take forever for someone to answer, even though he only heard the dial tone once.
“9-1-1. Please state the nature of your emergency.”
“My name is Ben Spencer. My friend fell maybe ten feet on a hiking trail and is unconscious. She’s bleeding from a cut on her forehead. We’re at Wild Blossom Lake Resort. The address is 555 Mulberry Lane. I’ll have the owners meet you to guide the paramedics to the trail.”
The male dispatcher asked, “When did she fall?”
“Just now. I’m trying to stop the bleeding as we speak.”
After a few more questions about Whitney’s injuries and the location, the dispatcher said Air Care had been contacted. Ben took a deep breath after hearing the paramedics were on the way, and even better that they were on their way by air. They’d be able to reach him and Whitney much faster, and get her the help she needed. Hanging up, he searched his call history and found the resort main number. Susan answered with a bright “Hello. Wild Blossom Lake Resort. How can I help you?”
“Susan, it’s Ben.”
“Are you back down already?”
“No, please listen. Whitney has been hurt. I’ve called 9-1-1 and they’re sending air rescue. I wanted you to know in case they come to the resort instead of directly to us. We’re about two and half miles up the trail.”
“Oh no, that’s terrible,” Susan said, with a gasp. “We’ll watch for the helicopter and direct it. I hope Whitney’s going to be okay.”
“Me too.” He hung up and clipped the phone back on his pants. In a gentle voice, he said, “Whitney, I’m so sorry.”
No response came from her lips to ease his concern. No flicker of her eyes, no movement of any kind except for the slight motion as she breathed. How could this have happened? He’d wanted to spend time with Whitney, enjoying the outdoors. He’d never slipped on a rock before and had hiked on the trail several times. With such a small stretch of rocks, he never thought of it being a particularly treacherous trail. Why had the rock been so slick? In his wildest dreams, he’d by no means thought something like this could happen. But today it had with awful consequences. He wished he hadn’t suggested hiking.
He murmured a prayer she’d be okay with no severe injuries, and she’d regain consciousness soon. Where was the helicopter? Although he tried to be patient, he called Susan within minutes of his first call to her. “How long do you think it’ll take the paramedics to get here?”
“I’m guessing any minute now. We aren’t far from their base. Is Whitney still unconscious?”
“Yes.” He exhaled a deep breath and kept his gaze on Whitney. “It’s scary seeing her so motionless.”
“I’m sure it looks worse than it is. She’ll pull through okay. Did you want me to call her family?” Susan asked.
“I should have thought of that. I better call. I’ve met Whitney’s sister, Regan.”
Regan had given him her number so they could arrange times for Lily and Adam to play together. He hadn’t expected to use it to tell Regan for an emergency like this. He hated to tell her he was responsible for Whitney falling ten feet. After locating Regan’s number, he pushed speed dial and took a deep breath as he waited for Regan to answer. She might have a lot to say about Whitney getting hurt while with him. The sad thing was Regan would be right in blaming him.
After Regan answered, she said immediately, “I bet you changed your mind and want me to pick up Adam.”
“No, Regan. I’m afraid it’s something else. Whitney fell while we were hiking, and I’m waiting for the paramedics. She hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”
“On my God, I can’t believe it. How did it happen?”
He heard the fear in her voice as he held Whitney’s cool hand. He explained what happened to cause her fall. “I feel so terrible about it, Regan.”
“It’s not your fault. Accidents happen. I live in fear all the time I’ll get a call about Casey, but never expected to get one about Whitney.”
“I know. I can’t believe it either. They’re sending Air Care to get her instead of an ambulance.”
“I’ll get my mother-in-law to watch Lily. Call me as soon as you know anything and I’ll call Shannon.”
He heard the rhythmic whir of the helicopter’s blades cutting through the air before he saw it. “Air Care just arrived.”
When the helicopter was above them, a guy yelled out the open side, “I’ll be right there.”
Ben took his eyes off Whitney to watch him drop down on a rope. Above him, Ben noticed another paramedic waiting inside the copter.
Within minutes Whitney was strapped in the carrier and lifted to the helicopter.
“Hey, you better come with us,” a paramedic said to Ben. “You don’t look too good. Were you injured?”
“Just some scrapes. But I’d like to go with her.”
“Is she your girlfriend?”
“Good friends.” What could he say? He didn’t want to say they’d just met each other recently. Whitney wasn’t his girlfriend. He’d hope eventually they might have a relationship, but he wouldn’t blame her if she never wanted to go out with him again. This had to go into the record book as the worst date ever.
After the other guy lifted him up, he saw Whitney’s paramedic examining her wound and cleaning it. He then applied pressure with a sterile pad. Glancing at Ben, he said, “She’s going to need a lot of stitches for it.”
Ben exhaled a deep breath when he saw Whitney’s green eyes open. She moaned softly and closed her eyes again, the corners pinched like there was pain. “Whitney, I’m sorry. How do you feel?”
She groaned. “My head hurts.”
The paramedic leaned closer to Whitney. “I heard your friend call you Whitney. Whitney Benson?”
She nodded slightly. “Yes.”
“I’m Jack Hensley.”
Her eyes widened as she looked at Jack. “I can’t believe I’m meeting you now.” A look of fear crossed her face as she glanced at her surroundings. “Oh no, don’t tell me I’m really in a helicopter. I thought I heard the rotary blades, but was hoping I was delusional. I hate flying.”
Ben said, “Your condition seemed serious enough for the dispatcher to send Air Care. We aren’t far from the hospital
. I shouldn’t have taken you hiking. I thought the trail was safe. I never expected to slip like that on the rock. It was slick.”
Whitney stared at Ben. “I don’t remember what happened.”
Ben wasn’t surprised with the hit to the head she took against the rocks plus a falling rock hitting her. Loss of memory and confusion were both signs of a concussion. He sighed. “When I found myself slipping, I yelled for you to watch out. I think I startled you and you lost your balance and fell to the rocks by the waterfall. Do you remember the waterfall?”
“I remember it but not the rest.”
Ben held her hand. “I must have jarred a rock when I grabbed a limb and it might have hit you.”
She gave him a weak smile. “Yeah, you like to knock people out even when you’re off work.”
The paramedic who had told Whitney his name was Jack gave him a puzzled look so Ben explained, “I’m an anesthesiologist but my young son explains my career by saying I knock people out.”
“People probably think you’re a boxer or a bouncer. I bet he’s a cute kid,” Jack said, turning his attention to Whitney. “Whitney, I’m going to start an IV on you in case they want to give you any medications once you get to the hospital.”
She made a gagging noise. “I’m sick to my stomach. I think I’m going to throw up.”
“I’ll give this to you to hold in case she needs it.” Jack handed a good sized and deep tray to Ben.
He had to let go of Whitney’s hand to take it. “I doubt if she’ll need something this huge if she gets sick. We never even ate dinner.”
Jack raised his eyebrows at him. “You didn’t feed her and you caused her to fall several feet.” He grinned. “I’m glad I don’t have friends like you.”
“Even though I don’t remember falling, I’m sure it wasn’t Ben’s fault,” Whitney said with a strained voice, her eyes closed again.
“We’ll skip the IV for now.” Jack placed his fingertips against her wrist, and the way he rubbed his fingertips across her skin didn’t go unnoticed by Ben. “Your pulse is less erratic now. That’s good,” Jack said.
The way he smiled at Whitney made Ben grit his teeth. From the things he’d said, Ben realized this Jack character knew Whitney somehow. But how well, Ben didn’t know. Would she have let him kiss her if she had a boyfriend? No, Jack couldn’t be her boyfriend. He didn’t know who she was until Ben said her name. Ben took a minute to study Jack, just to know what kind of competition he might have. Geez, did Jack have to look like a Hollywood star with this perfect smile and chiseled features. He could be on the cover of GQ with his great looks.
“It’s too bad you turned down a date with me tonight,” Jack said, and Ben’s hopes sank deeper with the knowledge that Jack had asked her out. He was definitely competition for Whitney’s attention. “We could’ve met under better conditions.”
“My stomach stopped turning.” Whitney gave Jack a weak smile.
“Your pulse is fine.” Jack stared at Whitney for a moment. “You have the most beautiful green eyes I’ve ever seen. Casey didn’t do you justice when he described you to me.”
“He’s my brother-in-law,” she said. “He doesn’t see me like a man…like someone else would.” Color flushed Whitney’s cheeks.
Ben sat silent, stewing over the disclosure of information he’d been slammed with since the paramedics had arrived. This guy obviously had a romantic interest in Whitney, and he made no bones about making that fact clear. Just how interested was Whitney in Jack, though? Ben held onto hope in the fact that she‘d turned Jack down to go hiking with him. That had to mean something, right?
* * *
Starbucks’ cups littered the various side tables in the waiting room. Regan sat in one chair, cell phone to her ear, beside her husband Casey. Shannon sat in an adjacent chair, her hands clenched in her lap with her husband Tim close by. Regan had introduced Shannon and Tim to him upon their arrival. He’d been surprised to see Shannon with yet a different color of hair and she was several inches shorter than Whitney and Regan. Ben guessed Tim was in his early forties. He had sandy blond hair and a pleasant smile.
Regan groaned out, “You’re kidding. How in the world did Channel Five get it on tape?”
Ben realized that if someone taped the rescue that meant they may have been close enough to help. Instead, they decided to just stand by and do nothing.
Regan closed her phone. “A guy had his camcorder because he’s going around the area filming neat waterfalls. He was on the trail opposite you and got Whit’s fall on tape. He saw you calling for help. I guess he came to the hospital and got more information. Then he called the news station about the accident. Myra, my mother-in-law, said they mentioned it will be on the eleven o’clock news.”
Ben shook his head. “Unbelievable.”
Casey turned to Regan. “I hope you three won’t want to buy this resort. More injuries might occur. I hate to think how much you’d have to pay for liability insurance.”
“Nothing like this has ever happened at the resort.” Ben looked Casey directly in the eye. “I hate it Whitney was hurt. You can’t imagine what it was like seeing her fall and hit the rocks. I won’t get this image out of my mind for a long time.”
Tim said, “I think we’re all on edge here, but hopefully we’ll know something about her condition soon.”
Shannon nodded. “I keep thinking how when she was little, she used to love to climb trees and she fell once several feet. I saw her fall and it scared me a lot. She never climbed trees again.”
Dr. Frank Hillman, a man Ben had worked with more than once, came through the swinging doors from the treatment area. He introduced himself to the others and paused when he saw Ben. “I’m surprised to see you here, Ben. I guess you know the patient.”
“He’s the reason she’s here,” Casey said, the scorn obvious in his voice. “He caused her to fall and get hurt.”
Ben clenched his teeth, feeling in some degree that he deserved her family’s anger.
Regan glared at Casey. “It was an accident. Ben couldn’t help it he slipped.”
“How was her CAT scan?” Ben asked.
“It looked okay but I want her to spend the night here due to her concussion.”
“Will she be able to go home tomorrow?” Shannon asked.
Dr. Hillman nodded. “I think so. Usually with a concussion just a short hospitalization is needed. I did put twenty-five stitches where the rock pierced her forehead.”
“Oh no, that’s a lot of stitches,” Regan frowned. “She’ll have a big scar.”
“I don’t think the scar will be noticeable,” Dr. Hillman said. “She can wear bangs over it. If it bothers her, she can certainly discuss options with one of our plastic surgeons.”
“Could her sisters go see her now?” Tim glanced at Regan and Shannon. “I’m sure they’re anxious to see her.”
“Actually all of you can see her for a few minutes except Ben. She wants to see him last by himself,” Dr. Hillman said.
Casey sneered, “I wonder why. Could it be she wants to tell you your hiking days with her are over?”
“Casey, lay off Ben,” Tim warned. “Look at him. He’s sick over what happened.” Tim gave Casey a slight push. “Come on, let’s go see Whitney.”
After they left, Dr. Hillman turned to Ben. “That guy sure has it in for you. Is he her brother or something?”
He shrugged. “He’s a brother-in-law. I just met Whitney and her one sister when I moved in. I met Casey at the zoo when I took Adam. He wasn’t too friendly. I’m not sure why he’s taken such a strong dislike to me.”
“I’m sorry your new friend got hurt.”
Ben nodded. “Me too. So what did you want to talk to me about? I’m sure it’s not about hiking with me sometime.”
Frank smiled. “I see you haven’t lost your sense of humor.” He sat in a chair next to Ben. “I’d like you to be the anesthesiologist for my sister’s surgery this week. Cora needs a second open-heart o
peration to install a new valve to replace a ruptured one.”
Ben had heard how Cora didn’t know she had a serious heart problem until age thirty-seven. Cora and her husband had two healthy girls. One day, while driving to pick up one of her daughters from soccer practice, Cora lost consciousness. She was diagnosed with a congenital atrial septal defect and had surgery. “I’m sorry she has to have heart surgery again. Let me know the time and if I’m scheduled for another one, I’ll switch so I can be in on hers.”
“Thanks, Ben. I was hoping I could count on you. I know it’ll be in a couple of days but not sure of the exact time.”
“What is she going to do about her television show?” He never watched Cora’s cooking program, but his sister Pam had mentioned it to him.
“They’ll show some repeat segments and a few times they’ll have guest chefs from area restaurants to help out.”
After they talked for a few more minutes, Ben went to see Whitney. He was glad her sisters and husbands were leaving. Regan squeezed his shoulder as she past him. She whispered, “She’s going to be fine. Don’t look so worried.”
“I hope so.”
Tim said, “This is why I always go golfing instead of hiking.” He patted Ben on the back. “I’m kidding. Whitney’s a tough woman.”
Shannon kissed Whitney on the cheek. “Either Regan or I’ll be here tomorrow to take you home. I love you, little sis.”
“I love you too,” Whitney replied. “And Casey, you better get back to the firehouse. I don’t want to be responsible for one of Cornett’s finest firefighters to be absent if duty calls.”
“I’ll visit you tomorrow when you get home and bring Lily. She’ll want to see you.” Casey waved to Whitney before following Regan out of the room.
Ben stood at the foot of her bed. She looked so pale except where she had some nasty looking bruises.
“Hey, I’m not contagious,” Whitney said. “You can move a little closer to me.”
He walked to the head of her bed and said, “I’m sorry you needed so many stitches on your forehead.”
Whitney in Charge Page 7