White Wedding for a Southern Belle

by Susan Carlisle

  “We are aware of who Marko is. He isn’t someone to mess with. Ma’am, you need to be careful.”

  “I will be.”

  “If there’s any further trouble, call right away. We’ll be making a thorough investigation of the incident.”

  “I wish you would keep this quiet.”

  “Ma’am, a shooting is serious business. You were lucky. You could have been killed.”

  Ashley settled back in the bed. “I know,” she said quietly.

  * * *

  The sun was shining when Ashley’s voice woke Kiefer. “What’re you doing here?”

  Sometime during the night they had moved her from the ER to a room on the sixth floor. “Sleeping,” Kiefer grumbled.

  “You look awful,” she mumbled, as she started working her way into a sitting position.

  Kiefer jumped up.

  She gave him a quizzical look. “My arm hurts.”

  “Here, let me help you.” He raised the bed and moved the pillows around behind her.

  “Thanks. Have you been here all night?”

  “Yes.” He stood looking at her.

  “Why?”

  “You didn’t need to be alone and you wouldn’t let me call your parents.”

  They were interrupted by a doctor entering. She checked Ashley out and said that she could go home but that she couldn’t drive for a week. Her stitches would need to stay in for ten days.

  An hour later Kiefer picked her up at the discharge exit of the hospital. He’d been driving fifteen minutes through traffic when Ashley asked, “Where’re we going? This isn’t the way to my house.”

  “To my place.”

  Ashley squirmed in her seat. “I need to go home.”

  “No, you don’t. Someone was waiting on you. You’re not going back there until I know it’s safe.”

  “You can’t tell me what to do.”

  Kiefer glanced at her. “I can tell you. What I can’t do is make you do it. But if you give me a hard time I’ll let your parents know what happened. It’s time you trusted me.”

  “That’s blackmail.”

  He shrugged. “If that’s what it takes to get you to take care of yourself, so be it.”

  * * *

  Ashley couldn’t believe she’d been shot. Who would shoot her? Worse, she had to stay at Kiefer’s house. Her emotions were swinging one way and then another. She didn’t know him well enough to be his houseguest.

  She glanced at him as he drove. He looked almost worse than she felt. There was some blood on his slacks. He wore a green scrub top. “What happened to your shirt?”

  “It had your blood all over it, so I borrowed something to wear.”

  Ashley was wearing scrubs as well. She wished she had her own clothes. Leaning her head against the car window, she closed her eyes. “I’m sorry I messed up your clothes.”

  “Not a problem. I’m just relieved you weren’t more seriously injured.”

  She must have slept because the next thing she knew Kiefer was opening her door. “Here, let me help you.”

  “What did they give me? All I want to do is sleep.”

  “That’s the pain meds. You need to sleep. That way you’ll heal faster.”

  He kept an arm around her waist as they walked to an elevator. “But I have things to do. I need to call people about the block party. And—”

  “What you’re going to do for the next couple of days is take it easy,” he said as they rode up three floors.

  The elevator opened and they exited to face a metal door. Kiefer unlocked it and pushed it open. Ashley entered and he closed the door behind them.

  “Why don’t you sit down while I get your bed ready?”

  “I don’t need to be in bed.” She sank into an overstuffed couch.

  “Even if you don’t, I do. A man my size shouldn’t sleep in a chair. I want you in a safe place where I know you’re comfortable so I can get some sleep.”

  “Who’s covering at the clinic for you?”

  “I have a buddy who fills in sometimes. He agreed to take a couple of days for me.”

  “Aren’t you afraid for him?”

  “Not really. They were after you. Whoever it was didn’t even try to shoot me. And I’ve hired a couple of off-duty policemen to watch the place.”

  “I wish you hadn’t done that. The people of Southriver are suspicious enough as it is. Another stranger only makes it worse.”

  “The clinic should have already had security. With the drugs and supplies in it there should be security. The two guys I hired are from Southriver, so that should help ease the residents’ concerns.”

  “You’ve thought of everything.”

  “I tried.”

  He’d managed to make her feel childish and selfish at the same time. “Kiefer, I really appreciate you taking care of me. I’m sorry I’m such a difficult patient.”

  “It’s understandable under the circumstances. You stay put and I’ll be right back.” He went through a doorway, leaving her alone.

  It wasn’t that Kiefer’s place wasn’t a nice place to stay. It looked like a comfortable enough apartment. It was in one of the old warehouses that had been converted to apartments. It had all the basics but outside of that it showed little of Kiefer’s personality. It was as if it was a place for him to stay but not a home.

  Her head dropped to the couch cushion and her eyelids closed.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  KIEFER RETURNED TO the living area to find Ashley asleep. He grinned. The pain medicine had really knocked her out. She had a real thing about showing weakness and accepting help, even when she needed it. What had happened to make her so independent? Picking Ashley up, he carried her to the spare bedroom. Kiefer had given a moment’s thought to letting her have his room, but he was afraid she would pitch a fit and demand he take her home if she discovered she was sleeping in his bed.

  He settled her and pulled the covers over her, taking care not to move her arm unnecessarily. When the pain medicine wore off Ashley would be unhappy. Leaving the door open, he plopped into his favorite spot on the sofa and propped his feet on the footstool.

  What was going on with him? Insisting Ashley come and stay at his home? He hadn’t invited any other woman to stay since his divorce. He’d gone to their places, yes, but never had them to his. Truthfully, bringing Ashley here had more to do with his concern for her safety than intimacy.

  But those kisses were personal. Each had been far too short. Far too right. He drifted off to sleep remembering them.

  * * *

  Someone was watching him. Kiefer opened his eyes. Ashley stood over him. “What’re you doing out of bed?”

  “I’d like to go home. I need some clean clothes.”

  Scooting to a sitting position, he retorted, “I thought we’d settled that. I understand your need for independence, but right now you need help even if you don’t realize it. By the way, are you in any pain?”

  “A little but I’m more worried about having a bath. I feel all yucky.”

  “We’ll work on getting you clean but you’ll have to settle for a shower. I’ll find you something to wear. Then I’m sure you’ll need pain meds and some food.”

  She continued to glare down at him. “Since you won’t take me home I might as well take advantage of your hospitality.”

  Kiefer wiggled his brows. “You haven’t seen anything yet. I’m just getting warmed up.”

  “Hey, I didn’t mean like that.”

  He chuckled and stood. “Nothing like having an appreciative guest. I’ll get a plastic bag to cover your bandage so it won’t get wet. I’ll be right back.” When he returned he said, “Come this way.”

  “Where’re we going?” Ashley moved to follow him.
r />   He wiggled his brows again. “My bedroom.”

  She jerked to a stop. “Why?”

  “Because my bathroom is through there and I have a walk-in shower you can use.” He stopped at the bathroom door and looked back. Ashley stood in the opening of his bedroom. “Problem?”

  “I’m just not completely comfortable with using a man’s shower.”

  “You’ll be fine. I won’t join you unless I’m invited.”

  She smirked and walked past him into the bath. “That won’t happen.”

  “Let’s get that bandage covered.” Kiefer dug under the cabinet for a roll of surgical tape. Finding it, he placed it on the counter. “I’m going to tape the bag around your arm but you’ll still need to be careful not to get it any wetter than necessary.”

  “I know, Doctor.”

  “Hold this...” he indicated the bag “...while I wrap it with tape.”

  She held out her arm. He pulled a length of tape and secured it. He did it once more a little farther down. “I think that should be good enough. I’ll get you a clean towel and leave you to it. I’ll be right outside if you need me.”

  He pulled a clean folded towel from a cabinet and tossed it on the sink counter.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  Kiefer listened for Ashley as he went about finding her some clothes to wear. Thoughts of her naked in his shower were better left locked way. That was an involvement he couldn’t afford despite the pull Ashley had on him. He was already far more involved than he’d ever dreamed he would be.

  Because she wouldn’t be able to raise her arm to pull a shirt over her head, he decided on one of his old button-up shirts along with a pair of sweatpants. Both would be too large on her but they were the best he could do on short notice.

  The water stopped running. “Hey, you okay in there?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Open up.”

  “Why?” She sounded suspicious.

  “I’m trying to give you something to wear.”

  The door opened a crack and a hand came out. He dropped the clothes on her arm. The door closed again. A few minutes later a groan came from inside the bath.

  Concern flashed through him. “Ashley? You okay?”

  Another groan.

  “I’m coming in.”

  “Don’t.”

  The word had hardly left her mouth before he was standing beside her. Ashley had one arm in the shirt and the other wrapped across her. She already had the pants in place. They were too large but at least they covered her. “What’s wrong?”

  “I can’t get my arm in the sleeve. Hurts.”

  “I was afraid of that. Let me help.” He reached out to her.

  Ashley put her back to him. The shirt fell away from her shoulder, giving him an enticing view of her bare back, the creamy smooth skin inviting him to touch it. He had to remind himself to treat her as a patient, to keep his mind focused on the task when what he wanted was to take her into his arms. “I’ll hold the sleeve out and you slip your arm in. If we have to, I can cut it out.”

  “I don’t want to ruin your shirt.”

  “I’d gladly sacrifice it for the cause of not hurting you.”

  Ashley inched her arm into the sleeve. “My, the next thing you know you’ll be fighting off my foes. Oh, yeah. You’ve already done that once or twice.”

  “It’s nice you recognize it.”

  “I might do that, but it doesn’t mean I like it. Or want it to continue.”

  He straightened the shirt over her shoulder. “Need help buttoning it?”

  Ashley gave him a pointed look over her shoulder. “No, I think I can manage that.”

  “All right. I’ll go see about getting us something to eat.”

  Had she looked disappointed? As if she’d expected another suggestive remark? Good. Maybe he was getting to her as much as she was to him.

  Unlike Ashley’s, his wasn’t a well-stocked kitchen. He was home so rarely and at such odd hours that he did little but sleep here. Having her here made him see how sparsely he lived now, since the divorce. As if he just existed. Compared to Ashley’s kitchen, his was cold and functional.

  He phoned in an order to his favorite seafood restaurant just a block away along River Street. When Ashley was settled again he would walk there and pick up their meals.

  The pat-pat of Ashley’s bare feet on his wooden floors reached Kiefer’s ears before she joined him in the kitchen. “Do you have some water or something? I’m thirsty.”

  “Yeah, just a second.” He reached into a cabinet and brought out a glass. “What can I get you? I have water, week-old milk, and I can make some iced tea.”

  “Wow, what a selection. I’ll take water for now but iced tea sounds wonderful.”

  “How does the arm feel?” He went to the refrigerator and used the ice dispenser.

  “I would be lying if I said it didn’t hurt. I still can’t believe someone shot at me.” She took a seat at the table.

  He handed the filled glass to her. “Well, believe it.”

  “I really need to go home. Tomorrow is the block party. I have a list of things to do. Need to be doing.”

  “Don’t you have a committee that’s overseeing the event?”

  Ashley drank half the water. “Yes, but I need to make sure everything gets done.”

  “No, you need to be in control. Why is that?”

  She straightened her shoulders. “I don’t. I just want things to go off without a hitch.”

  Kiefer sighed in exasperation and leaned a hip against the counter, studying her. “Well, I would recommend you request a police presence.”

  “If I did it would defeat everything I’m trying to accomplish. Too many police make it look like we have problems.”

  “Too few gives the criminals a chance to cause trouble. Again, why’re you pushing so hard? I know you grew up in Southriver, but what you’re trying to do consumes you to the point of being unsafe. You take chances and can talk of nothing else but what you are trying to do in Southriver. Don’t you ever take a minute just to rest or have fun? Are you using Southriver as a stepping-stone to a state position? What drives you?”

  Her eyes widened and mouth went slack. It appeared she couldn’t believe he’d asked those questions. Had no one ever pointed that out to her?

  * * *

  Ashley clasped her hands in her lap in an effort to contain her resentment. She was trying to better Southriver for everyone. Her jaw tightened. Kiefer’s implication that the work she was doing was self-motivated irritated her. How dared he?

  She met his look and reached for the necklace around her neck. “It’s none of your business what motivates me, but I’m going to tell you anyway.” Although she worked to control her emotions, the moment she opened her mouth they came flooding out with her words. “When I was younger Lizzy, my best friend in elementary school, was abducted by the boy who lived next door to me. We knew him. He even babysat me and my brother when our parents and his went out for dinner. We all trusted him. Adored him.

  “Lizzy knew him too because of all the time she spent at our house. We both thought he hung the moon, but one day when she was walking home from school he dragged her into the woods. He raped and beat her. By the time she was found Lizzy was in such a bad condition that she died on the way to the hospital. They said that if she’d had access to closer medical care she might have made it.”

  She didn’t look at him as she continued. “I felt so guilty. Because of me Lizzy was by herself that day. I was supposed to go home with her but I didn’t for my own selfish reasons. She trusted Ron because of me. After that the entire community was terrified for their children. My father never let me outside to play without someone watching me. I couldn’t walk home from the family store by myself. I was so
overprotected I was smothered. I understood why but that didn’t mean I liked it.

  “When I had a chance to go to college I was so glad to leave. But I missed my home and came back hoping to make a difference. Make it a safer place. I ran on the platform of improving the neighborhood. Headway is starting to be made and I won’t, can’t, let it slip backward. It’s not about me—it’s about making this a better place to live for everyone. Especially the children. I can have fun later.”

  “I’m sorry about your friend. That must have been a horrible time for you. At least now I understand why the clinic is so important to you.”

  “You have no idea.”

  A stricken look filled his eyes. He’d mentioned his mother being attacked when he’d been a child, but was there more to the story than he’d told her?

  “Our meal should be ready. I’m just going down to Ship and Shore Seafood. Will you be okay here for a few minutes by yourself?”

  For someone who was so insistent that she share so much about herself, he sure had dropped the conversation fast when it came to his turn. She nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I can trust you to be here when I return?”

  “I’ll be here. I’ll make iced tea while you’re gone—how about that?”

  “Great. I’ll see you in a few.” He headed out the door.

  Ashley had the tea steeping when he returned twenty minutes later. She’d also taken the time while he was gone to call a couple of people about the block party. Thankfully it seemed as if everything was running smoothly.

  Less than an hour later she took a deep swig of her tea and placed the glass on the coffee table. “Either that was the best meal I’ve ever eaten or I was super hungry.”

  Kiefer grinned. “My guess is that it’s a little of both.”

  The sound of a tugboat horn drew Ashley’s attention. She looked toward the window.

  “Would you like to have our dessert out on the balcony?” Kiefer pushed his chair back.