by Laura Scott
“All right. Is there anything else I can get you?” Gail asked.
“A softer mattress?” Merry forced a smile. “No, thanks. I’m fine.”
“I’m sure it’s not easy for you being a patient here,” Gail said. “I don’t think I’d like it much either.”
So her bad temper was noticeable. What was wrong with her? Usually she was always the one with the positive glass-half-full outlook on life. She needed to get over herself already.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t recommend it,” she said to Gail. “But seriously, thanks for everything.”
“You’re welcome. Expect your tray in about an hour, okay?”
“Sounds good.” Merry shifted in the bed, trying to find a more comfortable position. Maybe it was a good thing that Zack hadn’t returned. With any luck she’d feel more human by morning and be well enough for discharge. Although what she’d do with herself for eight weeks, was something else entirely. The thought of sitting idle in her apartment was far too depressing.
There was a knock at her door. “Come in,” she called, expecting her dinner tray.
Zack poked his head in. “Are you up for a wheelchair ride?” he asked.
She shouldn’t be so happy to see him, but she was. She wondered if he knew she was on bed rest or maybe he just assumed she needed a wheelchair. “I guess, why?”
“It’s a surprise.” Zack thrust the door open and pushed a wheelchair through. “Do you need help?”
She hoped he didn’t notice her blush. “I can get up on my own,” she muttered.
He stood holding the wheelchair steady as she stood at the side of the bed, grateful that she was wearing a robe so that her backside wouldn’t be flapping in the breeze, and then turned to sit back down. She tugged at her shoulder sling, trying to make her arm more comfortable.
“Ready?” Zack asked, grinning like a fool.
His smile was contagious. “Absolutely.”
He wheeled her down the hall and into the elevator. When they reached the lobby level, he pushed her straight through the revolving doors and into the fresh air.
“This is wonderful,” she said, lifting her face to the warm summer breeze and taking a deep breath, enjoying the strong scent of lilacs. “Thanks so much for bringing me out here.”
He pushed her down the sidewalk until he found a shady spot beneath a tree. He set the brakes on her wheelchair. “Wait here, okay?”
“Sure.” She frowned when he hurried away to the large surface parking lot. What was he doing?
A few minutes later, he returned with Ace trotting at his side, looking downright docile on his leash. She couldn’t prevent the huge smile that bloomed as they approached.
“I figured you needed a friend,” he said. “And I didn’t want to leave him home alone, again.”
Zack let go of the leash and Ace ran over to her, wagging his entire body as well as his tail in welcome before he tried to crawl into her lap.
It had been so long since anyone had done something this nice for her. And the fact that Zack had gone out of his way to cheer her up meant far more than it should have.
She knew Zack was still mourning his deceased wife and daughter, so getting emotionally involved with him was not an option.
No matter how much she wanted to.
Chapter Three
Merry grimaced as the dog licked her face. “No, Ace, knock it off,” she said, trying to avoid another doggie kiss.
“Down, Ace,” Zack said firmly and, amazingly, the dog sat back on his haunches, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he looked at them.
“Wow, he must think you sound like Derek. He doesn’t behave like that for me.” Merry reached out to scratch Ace behind the ears. “Thanks so much for bringing him. Ace is just what I needed to cheer me up.”
“Pets are good at that, aren’t they?” Zack bent over to pick up Ace’s leash, and then looped it over the arm of her wheelchair.
“Yes, they are. I appreciate the last minute dog-sitting duty, too.”
“It’s no problem,” Zack said. “Although I have to admit, it was touch and go when I first got to the house, while he decided whether or not I was one of the good guys.”
“Oh no, I never thought of that,” Merry said, battling a wave of regret. Why hadn’t she considered that possibility? Especially since she knew Ace was a good guard dog. “See? I knew I should have insisted on going home. At least then I could have made the transition easier for you.”
“I’m glad you’re staying,” he said. “Otherwise I’d have to worry about you.”
The thought of Zack worrying made her heart flip, and she took a deep breath in an attempt to hide her reaction. “I’m fine. Dr. Katy was being overly cautious.”
“Smart doctor. So what time do you think they’ll let you go tomorrow?” Zack asked, changing the subject.
She shook her head. “I’m not sure, but the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. I have my car here, so I’ll be able to drive myself home. Thankfully, I don’t have a stick shift and I’m right handed, so driving shouldn’t be a problem. What about you? Do you work tomorrow?”
“Nope, I have the next three days off.” Zack looked so relaxed and content that she could barely reconcile the man sitting on the bench beside her with the man she’d chatted with at Julie’s wedding. Of course, it could be that watching his sister get married, while knowing he’d already lost his wife and daughter, had been extraordinarily difficult.
“I’m glad to hear you have some time off,” she said, petting Ace, who’d flopped down at her feet. “I imagine your job is stressful.”
“So is yours,” he pointed out. “I think you should have a cop stationed in your ER all the time, considering some of the stuff that’s happened there.”
She couldn’t argue his logic. They had a shoot-out in the trauma room of the ER over a year ago, and now this latest issue with Leonard. Both incidents were very much out of the ordinary for Hope County Hospital.
Her stomach rumbled and she thought about her dinner tray waiting for her. “I should probably head back inside,” she murmured. “I’m so lucky, I get to eat soup for dinner.”
“Just soup?” Zack echoed with a wry grimace. “Do you want me to sneak you in a burger from Rose’s Café?”
She laughed and shook her head. “That’s a nice offer, but no thanks. I’ve been feeling sick to my stomach since this morning, so going slow is probably a better option right now. By tomorrow I should be able to have normal food.”
His smile faded, and she regretted reminding him about her accident. “I understand,” he said. “Give me a minute to put Ace back in my truck, and then I’ll wheel you back upstairs.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him not to bother, until she realized she couldn’t propel herself with one arm. She waited for Zack, thinking there nothing worse than feeling helpless.
A glimpse of a red-haired man flashed along the edge of her vision. She instinctively froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She forced herself to swivel around in her seat to sweep her gaze over the area. Her entire body was tense, until she saw the redhead amongst a group of staff members, all wearing scrubs, walking out toward their cars. She let out a heavy sigh. It was seven-thirty, the end of shift for some of the staff who worked twelve hours at a time.
Idiot, she scolded herself. The redhead she’d glimpsed was not Blake. She’d stopped looking over her shoulder, searching for her ex-boyfriend a year ago, so why was she suddenly doing that again now? Because she’d been injured and was feeling vulnerable? Maybe. The last time she’d been in the hospital as a patient had been after Blake attacked her.
Regardless, she had to stop this nonsense and move forward with her life. She hadn’t been out on a date in forever, although, between her job and volunteering in the church choir, she managed to keep busy. Truthfully, she didn’t have any desire to get back out in the dating scene.
Blake had seemed so nice and normal at first. To discover his true nature had
been a horrifying shock.
She didn’t want to think about Blake any more. No doubt, feeling and helpless had brought her old fears back to the surface. She pushed the old memories away with an effort, catching sight of Zack jogging back over, secretly relieved and grateful that he hadn’t been there to witness her moment of panic.
She already felt pathetic enough, being injured and sitting in a wheelchair. The sooner she got out of the hospital, the better.
“All set?” he asked as he bent down to release the brakes of the wheelchair.
“Sure thing.”
He pushed her back inside, neither one of them saying much on the trip up to her room.
“Thanks again,” she said, breaking the moment of awkwardness. “Both for bringing Ace to visit me and for keeping an eye on him tonight.”
“I don’t mind,” Zack said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. “Tomorrow?”
He nodded. “I’ve decided to spend the weekend in Crystal Lake. I haven’t been out on my boat in ages.”
Merry started at him in shock, never expecting that he’d be staying at the townhouse, too. But really, what could she say? Zack was Julie’s brother, and the speedboat moored up in the boat lift was his. He had every right to stay at his sister’s townhouse.
Unless he was doing this out of a misplaced sense of guilt?
“Zack, I hope you’re not hanging around just because of what happened with Leonard. I’ve told you several times it wasn’t your fault.”
He shrugged in a way that made her think he was still wrestling with guilt. “To be honest, I haven’t had time off in months, and I’m looking forward to spending the weekend on the lake.”
Merry knew that Julie would be ecstatic to know that her brother was planning to spend the weekend relaxing on his boat. Julie’s concern over her brother’s emotional state was no secret. His taking time off work to play on the water seemed like a huge step in the right direction.
Who was she to argue?
“I’m glad,” she murmured. “You deserve a little fun.”
His gaze darkened for a moment, before his expression cleared. “Goodnight, Merry.” Zack flashed a crooked smile before leaving.
She ate her cream soup, Jell-O and pudding, trying not to get too excited about spending the weekend with Zack. Not that he’d indicated they’d actually spend any time together. With her lingering headache and her left arm in a sling, she wasn’t going to be up for doing much, anyway.
She had to remember that Zack needed a friend, nothing more. But to be honest, she wouldn’t mind having him as a friend, too.
____________
Zack woke up the next morning with Ace nudging him, feeling oddly refreshed despite spending the night in one of the twin beds that were not designed for a man of his size.
He blinked and stared at the ceiling for a moment, realizing he hadn’t dreamed about Suzanne and Amelia in several months. Relief warred with guilt. He didn’t want to forget them.
Ace whined and yelped to get his attention.
“Okay, okay, I coming.” Zack swung out of the small bed and staggered through the townhouse toward the patio door in the open-concept kitchen and living area. The moment he slid the door open, Ace leaped outside.
“Ace!” he called, hoping the dog wouldn’t decide to run off. Since he was dressed in a pair of running shorts and a T-shirt, he headed outside to keep an eye on the lab.
He needn’t have worried. The dog did his business, and then loped back up to where Zack stood near the front of the house. Ace dropped a tennis ball on the ground and glanced up at him with a hopeful expression in his doggy eyes.
“Why do I feel like I’m going to regret this?” he asked as he bent over to pick up the ball. He tossed it high in the air, using his former high school baseball skills to make sure it didn’t drop into the water.
Ace ran, leaped up and grabbed the ball in his jaw as he landed. The dog ran around in a tight circle for a minute before dashing back over to Zack, dropping down on his haunches and keeping the ball locked in his mouth.
“Neat trick,” he said, smiling down at Ace. “Obviously you’re in the mood to play, but I need to shower, shave and get dressed first.” The last thing he needed was for Merry to come home while he still had a bed-head.
The thought pulled him up short. Since when did he care what Merry thought of him? He shouldn’t care what anyone thought of the way he looked. He wasn’t here to impress anyone. Least of all a woman.
Determined to prove to himself that he wasn’t vain, Zack bent down and gently tugged the ball from the dog’s mouth before sending it flying up in the air again and again. On the fourth time, when he put too much muscle behind the throw, sending it out over the lake, Ace didn’t hesitate to jump into the water to swim out for the ball that bobbed up and down in the lake.
The water looked cool and inviting. Zack stared at the lake for a moment. Why not? He ran down the grassy embankment and jumped off the end of the pier, grabbing onto his knees so that his bottom hit the water, making a huge cannonball splash.
The cold water stole his breath, but when he shot back up to the surface, he couldn’t help letting out a whoop. “Doesn’t that feel great, boy?”
Ace swam over to him, the ball clenched between his teeth. Zack propelled himself toward the pier and climbed up the short ladder. Since Ace couldn’t climb the ladder, the dog headed toward the shoreline to get out of the lake. Ace stood and shook his entire body, sending droplets of water in all directions.
Zack ducked his head to avoid the worst of Ace’s shower. When he turned back, he saw Merry standing on the back patio, wearing her work scrubs and the arm sling. Her wide smile spiked his pulse.
“Looks like fun,” she called.
It took several minutes to find his voice. “How did you manage to get discharged so early?” he asked, striving to sound casual as he walked up the lawn, water running off his clothes, to meet her.
Her grin widened. “Special treatment and a threat to leave against medical advice if they didn’t let me go.”
He searched her gaze, noticing the remnants of pain hidden in her eyes. “How’s your head?”
“Still attached to my body as far as I can tell.” She bent down to pet a very wet Ace, grimacing when he brushed up against her scrubs.
“Have you eaten breakfast?” Zack asked, tugging Ace away from her. “I was about to make some bacon and eggs, and I have more than enough to share.”
He knew he was sunk when her eyes lit up with gratitude. “That would be awesome. The hospital food wasn’t exactly inspiring.”
“All right, give me some time to shower and change. Ace, stay,” he commanded in a stern tone.
The dog flopped down on the grass, rolling around on his back as if the ground could help dry him off. Zack shook his head with amusement and went back inside the townhouse.
He found himself hurrying through his shower, and then nicked himself shaving. He dabbed at the small cut, telling himself he was an idiot.
Merry had been home for only five minutes and already he’d offered to cook her breakfast. This was supposed to be a nice relaxing weekend, not a potential date with his sister’s friend and colleague. He needed to stay focused.
Because if he wasn’t careful, he was going to find himself in over his head in no time.
____________
Merry headed back inside her side of the townhouse to make a pot of coffee. She’d been up since six o’clock in the morning, having showered at the hospital. Thankfully, Carrie, her day shift nurse, had brought her a clean pair of scrubs and had helped her comb and dry her hair after her shower. Merry had been forced to ask Carrie to pull her hair back in a simple pony tail since she couldn’t manage to do even that much one-handed. Luckily, her reddish gold hair had a bit of a natural curl.
The next six to eight weeks weren’t going to be easy, she admitted grimly as she filled the glass carafe with water and carri
ed it over to the coffee maker. Even the simplest tasks took twice as long as normal.
At least she had Ace to keep her company for the weekend. And Zack.
When the coffee finished brewing, she balanced her cup in her injured hand, making her way outside so she could sit on the patio overlooking the lake. Ace padded over to greet her, giving her a lick before dropping at her feet.
As she stared out over the water, she sighed, thinking that being off work for eight weeks wasn’t going to help her save any money for a place of her own. She wondered if maybe she should ask Julie to rent out the vacant townhouse. A year of being on the lake was better than nothing, and maybe by then she’d have enough money saved to buy the place.
If she could work enough extra shifts. And if she could manage to save her money. Once she was cleared to return to full duty.
When she heard Zack moving around in the kitchen making breakfast, she got up and crossed over to head inside. “What do you need help with?” she asked.
“Nothing at all, just sit down and relax.” He barely looked at her as he spoke, as if making bacon and eggs took all his attention.
No sense in staying where she wasn’t wanted. “Do you drink coffee?” she asked.
That caught his attention. “Of course. Who doesn’t?” he asked perplexed.
He made her laugh, without even trying. “I’m sure there’s someone in the world who doesn’t,” she teased. “But I made a fresh pot next door. I’ll bring a cup over for you.”
Fifteen minutes later, Zack poked his head out the screen door. “Breakfast is ready.”
It didn’t take long to bring the plates filled with bacon, eggs and toast outside. She topped off their coffee, and then sat down and bowed her head.
“Dear Lord, thank You for providing this food to eat and guide us on Your chosen path as we enjoy this beautiful day. Amen.”