“Yup,” Cole said. “Out cold.”
“What about the farm?” She felt embarrassed after she asked the question. Of course she would be his priority over the farm.
“The farm will be fine. Trigg’s helpin’ out.”
“Oh…good.” Aspen squirmed and the IV stuck in the back of her hand pinched.
“When I return, I’ll catch things back up. Don’t you worry about that. It’s more important that you’re okay.”
Wren stood up. “I’ll go get a nurse. Be right back.” She hurried out of the room.
“So you guys have been here the whole time?”
“Yup. That Wren is one sweet girl, let me tell you. She called an ambulance after your accident and rode with you to the hospital. She called me on the way and already had a flight and limo scheduled for me to catch. The limo driver had a printed sign that read Mr. Kennedi when I landed at the airport.” He giggled. “I came as quick as I could.”
“So, she’s been here the entire time?”
“Yup. Updating me, even while I was in route. She’s been great company, considering the circumstances. She’s been making sure you’re getting your needs met as well as keeping my sanity in check. It was hard to see you lyin’ there, unresponsive like that.”
Aspen absentmindedly massaged the hand Wren had been holding.
“Sweetheart, do you want to go home? You know, back to Christmas Valley? You don’t have to do all this stunt stuff anymore. We’ll figure somethin’ out. You got us caught up enough that I may be able to talk ‘em into buyin’ us a little more time.”
“Dad, no. I mean…I want to come home and I will come home, but not right now. I signed a contract and I am going to see it through. I’ll be home in a few more weeks.”
“I am sure they would be flexible on the contract, considering your predicament.”
“What predicament?” When she laughed her ribs hurt. She knew there would be no wiggle room in the contract. “Other than the typical aches and pains of a wipeout, I’m fine.”
“Hello, Miss Kennedi. I am Doctor Pietruska. You can call me Doctor P.”
“Hi, Doctor P. You can call me Aspen.” Aspen shook his hand as Wren watched from the other side of the room, making sure to give everyone ample space to reexamine Aspen.
“Very well then.” He collected his stethoscope from around his neck and placed it against her chest. “Take a deep breath.”
“Ouch.” Aspen gasped for air. “I guess the ribs are a bit tender.
“Surprisingly, they’re not broken. Your friend tells me you not only hit the side of the jump, but your bike fell on top of you. That’s usually grounds for cracked ribs—among other things.” He set the stethoscope in another place. “Can you please try and take another deep breath, Aspen?”
Aspen shuddered at the pain, but successfully inhaled and exhaled as the doctor requested.
“Sounds good, but we’ll take another set of x-rays to make sure we didn’t miss anything. You are one very healthy young lady.”
Aspen felt her cheeks flush with red when she caught Wren’s stare at the loose hospital gown draping off her shoulders.
Dr. Pietruska slung the stethoscope over his shoulder like a cowboy would his lasso. It was out of the ordinary and kind of silly, but Aspen liked that. “You have some recovery time to go, but I don’t see it taking you too much time to heal. You will need anti-inflammatory medicine, of course—and we’ll have you come back in a week to check the status of your burn.”
“Can I work?”
“Aspen—” Cole shot her a scornful look.
“I don’t see why not. But for the time being, we will want to watch your progress for another night. You did just wake up and we need to be certain nothing else develops. Twenty-four hours should give us time to determine if anything else needs to be tended to. Okay?”
Aspen nodded. She knew she didn’t have a choice. She could see Wren approaching the bedside from out the corner of her eye.
“Once we clear you to be released, I would recommend giving yourself a couple more days to see how the pain threshold holds up. Some spots are going to be more tender than others, as I am sure you can already attest to.”
“Doctor P.?” Wren spoke. “But can she work as a Stunt Double? On her dirt bike?”
The doctor looked at Aspen. “Is that what you do?” He sized her up again.
Aspen nodded.
“You’re a bit petite compared to the stunt doubles that usually frequent our emergency rooms.” He gave a kind smile.
Aspen nodded. “I specialize in motocross. Hence the slamming into the jump and being crushed beneath a dirt bike.”
“I see. Well, you’ll need to be extra careful with that leg, but if you’re anything like the other stunt doubles that pass through here, I know not even I can stop you from doing what you love to do.” He winked.
“Thank you, Doctor P. I will be careful.”
“It was very nice to meet you, Aspen. You let the nurses know if you have any concerns before your release. See you back here in a week...let’s hope by choice this time.” Doctor Pietruska winked and then left the room.
“I certainly wasn’t expecting that.” Wren sat down at Aspen’s side. “I mean, you were totally knocked out and you can leave the hospital tomorrow?”
“They’re gonna run some more tests to double-check everything. It’s not like I haven’t had these things happen to me before.” She tried to laugh, but her sore muscles resisted the movement.
Cole sat on the other side of her bed. His face went serious. “You make sure you take the time you need to heal right.” His words were almost scolding.
“Do you want to get a second opinion, Aspen?” Wren asked.
“No, I think Doctor P. knows what he’s talking about.” She rotated her neck from side-to-side. “Like I said, it’s not my first accident and I highly doubt it’ll be my last.”
“Don’t talk like that,” Wren reprimanded.
Aspen smiled. “Well, it does come with the territory. Huh, Dad?”
Cole stretched. “I’m not taking sides on this one, Honey.” He yawned. “I’m gonna go get some coffee. Any takers?”
“Me,” both girls chimed in unison.
“Okay then. Be right back.”
They watched Cole leave and shut the door behind him.
“Aspen.” Wren took a deep breath. “I am so sorry.” She had hold of Aspen’s hand again.
“What for? I knew better than to ride when I am stark-raving mad.”
“You wouldn’t have been mad if I wouldn’t have made you mad.”
Aspen bit her lower lip. She remembered what happened to set her off in a spiraling rampage in the first place. She took a closer look at Wren’s cheek. “Does it hurt?”
Wren touched her face. “Not physically, but knowing it happened and it’s result,” she nodded at Aspen lying in bed, “I feel a bit tortured to say the least.”
Aspen gently caressed Wren’s hand with her fingertips. She ignored the pull from the IV.
“Aspen, the truth is—”
“Why did you push me away?” Aspen’s voice was gentle and without any sign of accusation.
“The truth is…I have feelings for you that I probably shouldn’t have. And although I make an ungodly amount of money pretending to be other people the director tells me to be, I can’t hide the fact that I have these intensely real feelings for you.”
Aspen couldn’t speak.
“When you came over to protect me from JT, I can’t even tell you how good that made me feel.”
“You didn’t act like it made you feel good.”
“You’re right. It didn’t seem that way, but believe me, I was so happy to have you there by my side.”
“Then why did you tell me to go away?” Aspen’s eyes watered.
“Weakness. Uncertainty. I was so afraid that JT would see right through me. I was afraid he would see how much you—”
“How much I what?”
&
nbsp; “Aspen, I wanted so desperately to be a puddle in your arms. I’ve never been hit in the face like that before. I was both shocked and scared. It would have been so easy for me to melt into you. Oh God I wanted to melt into you.” She paused as the comment set in. “But I was afraid JT would see right through me. That he would know exactly how much I feel for you.”
Aspen searched her eyes. The sincerity gave her shivers.
Wren dropped her head. “I still can’t believe he hit me like that.” Her jaw tightened.
Aspen nodded. “I couldn’t believe what I saw, either. I have never wanted to hit anybody as much as I wanted to hit him right then.” She made sure Wren’s eyes connected with hers. She gently stroked the cheek with the bruise hidden beneath the make-up. “But more importantly, I wanted you to be a puddle in my arms. To melt into me. I wanted to hold you close. I wanted to take you back to the trailer. I wanted to—” She trembled with the thought of what she couldn’t put into words.
“I am sorry I pushed you away.”
“I’m sorry that you did, too.” She smiled.
“I never meant to hurt you, Aspen. I never meant for you to get hurt. I was so scared when I couldn’t get to you on your bike fast enough. It happened so quickly and in slow motion, all at the same time.” They gently stroked at each other’s fingers and hands, gazing down at their gentle touches.
“I have to be honest with you, Wren.” Aspen felt the warmth beneath her grow, right between her legs. “I ache for you. For your touch…like how you touched me that night on the rock, with all those howling coyotes. But the ache I have down there doesn’t even compare to the ache I have in my chest when something is wrong between us.” The words slipped before she had a chance to bury them in her memory.
Wren’s breath stammered. “You’re so warm. So soft. I wish I could touch you right now.” She leaned her chin forward with parted lips and slid to the edge of her seat for better access to Aspen’s mouth. “I would touch you the same way I did that night and not stop until you made it clear you’ve had enough.” She ran her fingers along the seam of the hospital gown, yearning to travel beneath.
The door flung open with the kick of Cole’s boot against the bottom of the door. “Got the coffees.” He had the cups balanced on a clipboard.
The girls sat back quickly, releasing each other’s hands.
“Great, let me help you with that.” Wren jumped up from the chair. The floor felt uneven beneath her feet.
“I brought a bunch of packets of sugar and creamer. I know how you girls like it.” His grin stretched from ear-to-ear when he held the clipboard out for Wren to grab a cup.
“That’s right. Just a plain regular coffee with sugar and cream,” the two girls announced in unison.
“There’s no better way to have it,” Wren concluded.
~~@
Aspen felt antsy. She would be released from the hospital within a couple of hours and those two hours couldn’t come soon enough. Her dad had already left for the airport and Wren was summoned back to the studio. She felt her pulse pumping the strands of veins in her wrists.
She examined her bedding, realizing just how bored she was with just sitting there and waiting. The sterile room around her began to feel creepy. She wasn’t sure if it was the frustration in the anticipation of seeing Wren soon, or if it was the fact that she was suddenly feeling lonely. Maybe it was both.
She eyed the ‘TV’ button on the remote lying next to her and then looked up at the screen, flush to the wall. Last time she was in a similar situation she had been sitting in the waiting room, not knowing if she was allowed to power on the electronic device. It was also the painful night she lost her mother and baby brother.
She pointed the remote toward the TV, without realizing it was unnecessary to aim the hardwired device, and pressed ‘on’. The picture flickered to on and she had to catch her breath. Wren Emerson was on the screen. She blinked twice to confirm it wasn’t her imagination. Sure enough, she had not only turned the TV on at the right moment, but on the exact channel Wren Emerson was performing. She turned up its volume, still not comprehending what was being said. “You are so beautiful,” she said aloud to the screen. She listened intently to Wren’s onscreen voice, trying to understand what was happening in the movie.
“What makes you think I would make a difference in these weirdo’s lives anyway?” Wren’s character said sarcastically to an elderly lady, whose silver hair was up in a disorderly bun. Even dressed in all dark and her hair dyed almost pitch black, Wren’s character looked stunning.
“Well, ‘cause you’re related to me, of course. I know what my niece is capable of; even if you don’t realize it yet. I know you could help me run camp this summer and that you would be exceptional at it.”
Wren’s character sneered. Her arms were folded across her chest. “I think you may be just as crazy as your crazy campers.”
“They’re not crazy, Joanna. They are just individuals that have special needs. We can help guide them. Show them love, acceptance, and patience.”
“Seriously?”
“Absolutely.” She wrapped her arm around her niece’s shoulders. “You’ll see. It’ll only be for one month. And you’ll be paid accordingly.” She gave her niece a snug hug with one arm. “It’ll be better than staying home doing nothing all summer. Besides, I already talked to your parents. They want your sorry butt out of the house.” She winked at her niece, convinced that she could sway her to help.
“Well, I guess I want my sorry butt out of the house, too. Mom and Dad are boring. And they won’t let me stay out late with my friends.”
“Well, far be it from me to tell you that your friends are little hoodlums.”
“Aunt Kay—”
“Just telling ya like it is, Kiddo. But that won’t matter. You’ll have more fun helping me.” She gave her niece another squeeze before she let go to chop up a lemon to put in a nearby pitcher of ice water.
“So when do I need to be packed?”
“See? I knew you’d come around.”
~~@
So wrapped up in the movie, Aspen almost forgot Wren was playing a part. She found herself falling for Joanna, too. Sure, Joanna was a troubled teen who made mistakes, but being placed in a leadership role as a camp counselor showed how endearing and sweet the sarcastic teen really could be. Aspen hung on to every word and every action the character made. She even wished herself in the role of Danny—Joanna’s love interest—also a camp counselor. Aspen thought him a nice enough guy until it was time for the character’s onscreen kiss. She wanted Joanna to look at her the same way she looked at him—until she realized that Wren, the real Wren—already did. It made her smile. She watched the screen, but her thoughts escaped to that night on Fort Rock. Wren’s lips. Her hair. Her sweet intoxicating scent. The gentle touches they gave one another, not like any touch she had ever given or received before. The memory made her tremble beneath the thin sheets of her hospital bed.
She watched the movie to its end as a frozen screenshot of a smiling Joanna froze on the screen and the credits began to roll. “That was an awesome movie,” she caught herself saying out loud. It didn’t matter that she missed some of the beginning. What she had seen certainly made her yearn for the real thing. She flipped the TV off when the nurse came through the door.
“Well, Miss Kennedi, it’s time to go.”
“Just what I wanted to hear.” She sprung out of bed, ignoring the pangs of stiffness in her back and legs. “I’ll be out in two minutes.” She ran to the bathroom, careful not to show more of her backside than she wanted under the ill-fitting gown.
“No rush,” the nurse called out.
“Yeah there is.”
~~@
Aspen looked over her new dirt bike. It looked identical to the one she had wrecked.
“Like your new bike?” She never heard Wren approach from behind. The hair on her neck stiffened when Wren had leaned in close to her ear to ask the question.
&n
bsp; “It’s nice. I just feel terrible that I crashed the other one.”
“Better the bike than you.” She looked her over. “Well, at least you’re a quick healer.” She smiled. “Hey, I wanted to let you know I added a little something extra to this machine here. They said to attach it somewhere near the pegs, since I had to hide it from the cameras.”
“You got me something? For the bike?”
“I added one of those guardian bell thingies. It’ll keep you safe.” She pointed to the hidden metal up under the frame. “It’s got a butterfly etched in its side.”
“A butterfly?” Aspen knelt down to take a closer look.
“Yeah. I thought it was pretty—and I don’t know—it just stood out to me.”
Aspen reached up under the frame and cradled the beautiful piece of artwork in her hand. The strong metal alloy felt cool to the touch. She thought of the dream she’d had a couple days earlier, before waking up in the hospital with Wren by her side. “It’s beautiful.” She hesitated to hug her, but then gave in anyway.
“Don’t mention it.” She gave a firm squeeze before letting go.
“Thanks for bringing my dad here, Wren.”
“It was nice to see him. I’m glad I could help. Besides, you already know how much I love your dad.”
“I know he wished he could have stayed longer. I wonder what he would have thought about all of this studio madness we have to endure.” Aspen looked up and around the set, “But alas, the farm was calling his name.” She laughed.
“He’s got a big heart. Just like yours.” Wren pressed her palm against Aspen’s chest. The muscle beneath the shirt made her blush. She pulled her hand away quickly. “Hey, are you sure you’re up for the next scene? More heart-pounding racing?”
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been itching to get back on a dirt bike since I woke up at the hospital.”
“You don’t think the accident will affect your confidence?”
Aspen raised an eyebrow. “The past hundred-plus wipeouts haven’t deterred me yet.”
“Well, if you need me to rub out any sore muscles later, I’m your woman.”
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