by Tori Scott
Sandy suddenly saw an image of herself wrapped in Hunter's strong arms. At that moment, she wanted him to hold her so badly it frightened her. She needed to keep this man at a distance. There was something about him that drew her, and she didn't want to be drawn. "What makes you think I'd want to lean on you, Hunter? I can take care of myself."
"Yes, I know. You've said that several times already. It's hard sometimes for me to remember that most women are independent today." He leaned back in his chair, crossing one ankle over the other as he stretched his legs out in front of him. "Jason's mother was just the opposite. She needed a man to take care of her. She couldn't seem to make even the smallest decisions on her own. And being alone nearly drove her crazy, even though she knew when we married that I’d be gone a lot. So I tend to forget most women can take on the world all by themselves."
She didn't know why he was giving her his personal history, but it made her uncomfortable. "Is there a point to this, Hunter?"
"Yeah, there is. I think there needs to be a balance. You think you don't need anyone, but there are times when you shouldn't be afraid to ask for help."
She shook her head. "I'm not afraid. I'm just used to being on my own. I've worked hard to get by without help from anyone, and you sound like you don't like anyone depending on you, anyway."
He shoved a hand through his hair and scowled. "I don't mind being needed, but I like a woman to be strong enough to stand on her own two feet when she needs to. And strong enough to admit when she needs help."
Sandy gave him a skeptical look, but didn't respond. She finished the last of the coffee with a shudder and nibbled at the edges of the sandwich he handed her. Then she leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes.
***
Hunter took the plastic plate from her hand and set it on a nearby table. Then he sat back and watched her as she rested. She was a very pretty woman when she wasn't glaring at him. Her ash-blonde hair hung straight and thick to just past her shoulders. Her lashes lay long and dark on her cheeks, which were pale despite the slight blush of makeup that still clung to her cheekbones.
She looked like a teenager in the smiley-face t-shirt and cutoff shorts. She now wore the tennis shoes he'd brought her, but without socks. He wasn’t sure what it was about her that kept him coming back. She’d made it obvious she didn’t want him around, but he couldn’t stay away.
He wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms, but he didn't think she'd come willingly. Most likely she'd smack him. He grinned at the thought and went to get her a pillow and blanket instead.
He came back to find her sound asleep, curled up in the chair. He tucked the blanket around her and gently lifted her head to put the pillow under it. He wished she would sleep for a while but he knew there was no way he could get her to skip her precious ten minutes with her daughter. Maybe he should use the time to figure out what he could do to help her. He pulled a small notebook out of his shirt pocket and started a list.
Mow lawn.
Do grocery shopping.
Do household repairs.
Do car maintenance.
He sat for a moment, tapping his pen against his chin. These were such minor things. Most of them could be done in three or four hours a week. She would need more help than that. She’d have to be with her daughter twenty-four hours a day.
But maybe...That's it. He and Jason could baby sit. It would give Sandy a chance to get out, and it would be good for Jason to think about someone else for a change. He'd broach the idea with her the first chance he got.
He added baby sitting to his list and returned the notebook to his pocket. He felt better already. Maybe now he could get some rest himself. He pulled an empty chair over in front of him and propped his feet on it. Within minutes he was sound asleep.
***
Sandy was restless when she returned from her visit with Melanie. Hunter snored lightly as she settled herself on the chair next to him. She was tempted to wake him up so she could have someone to talk to.
No, that wasn't a good idea. He was just a neighbor. Melanie didn't mean anything to him, so he wouldn't understand why she was so worried. Seeing her little girl whimpering like a baby struck terror in her heart. It was so unlike her usual spunky personality. What if there was damage the doctor hadn't found, or hadn't told her about? The nurse said Melanie's behavior was typical of a severe concussion, but she might be trying to make her feel better.
It wasn't fair. All of her life she'd tried hard to be independent, to carry her share of the load, and hadn't been allowed to. First her father, who ordered his household like a military installation yet treated her as if she didn’t have enough sense to take care of herself, and then her husband who insisted that she clear every little decision through him. Whether it was a dinner menu or what dress she should wear to a party, he wanted a say in the choices she made. It was enough to drive a woman crazy.
Now she found herself wishing she could share her burden with someone, if only for a little while. And she had no one but her daughter, who needed her to be strong.
***
The next morning Sandy awoke to someone shaking her shoulder. She opened her weary eyes to find the ICU nurse smiling down at her. "How's Melanie?" she asked quietly so as not to wake Hunter.
"She's awake and asking for her mommy. The doctor's in with her, but he said to tell you to come on in."
Sandy forgot all about the sleeping man beside her as she jumped up and slung the blanket into his lap. She pushed her fingers through her hair in an attempt to straighten it as she rushed out of the waiting room behind the nurse.
In the small cubicle, she was greeted with one of the best sights she'd seen in what seemed like forever. Melanie lay on the bed, pale and bruised, but awake. She looked groggy and weak, still not herself, but Sandy was so glad she was conscious. She crossed the room and gave her daughter a gentle hug and kiss. "Hi sweetheart. How're you feeling?"
"I hurt, Mommy," Melanie whined.
"I know baby. But you'll feel better soon, I promise."
Sandy turned to the doctor. "How is she? Will she be okay?"
"So far, so good. We'll keep her here for a few days until she's ready for surgery to set her leg, and then a couple more days after that for observation. She should be ready to go home in a week or so."
A week! How could she stay here for a week? She had a job and a house to take care of, and bills to pay. Not to mention a huge insurance deductible. But none of that mattered. Her daughter came first, and always had. She'd manage somehow. "Thank you, Dr. Mendelsohn. Will she be moved to a regular room today?"
"We have a private room all ready for her, with an extra cot in it for you. She'll go up as soon as the nurse gets her cleaned up and checks her vitals one more time. Give us about thirty minutes, then meet us in room 522."
"Okay." Turning to Melanie, she caressed her cheek with one hand. "I'll see you in a few minutes, baby."
"No," Melanie whimpered. "Don't go, Mommy. Don't leave me here."
"I'll be right outside. The nurse has some things she needs to do for you, and I'm in the way. But I'll be with you in just a few minutes." Knowing her daughter wouldn't settle down until she was out of sight, Sandy set her shoulders and forced herself to walk through the door.
"What are they doing to her in there? She sounds scared," a deep male voice boomed into her ear. "Are you just going to leave her like that?"
Sandy blew out a long, slow breath. "I didn't have any choice. They have to clean her up and check her temperature and stuff like that. They told me to meet her upstairs." Her voice wasn't as strong as she would've liked, sounding suspiciously teary. She cleared her throat and tried again. "She's doing much better. She'll be in her own room in a little while."
"That's good. I was worried about her."
"Well, you don't need to be. She's going to be fine."
She’ll probably recover faster than I will. Maybe she should check herself in for an EKG. Her heart seeme
d to race an awful lot lately. Just stress, she assured herself. It had nothing to do with a certain man who stuck like glue no matter how hard she tried to push him away.
He nodded, visibly relaxing. "Do you want to eat breakfast with me while you wait?"
She hesitated since she'd told Melanie she'd be right outside. Then she decided that if she wanted any breakfast at all, she'd better get it now.
Once they were seated in the cafeteria with their food on the table in front of them, she picked at her meal, stirring the congealed eggs around her plate. Her stomach was too upset to even think eating. She drank her coffee and orange juice, then pushed the cups out of the way.
"You should try to eat something. Hospital food's not the best in the world, but you need to keep your strength up."
She looked up to find him watching her, concern clouding his eyes. What she couldn't figure out was why. Oh, she could understand him being concerned about Melanie's condition, since his son was responsible for it. But why would he be concerned about her, a woman he barely knew?
"Look, Hunter. I appreciate everything you've done to try to make this up to us, but there's nothing else you can do. Just go home and take care of your own problems. I can take care of mine. I've been doing it for a long time now." And I’ll be doing it long after you’re gone. His guilt would fade eventually and she’d go back to being nothing more than his next door neighbor.
"I'm here because I want to be. I have to go take Jason to school soon, but I'll be back. You might as well get used to my presence, 'cause I'll be around a lot for the next few weeks." He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, his jaw set. "No argument. Now, is there anything I can bring you when I return? Brenda gave me the key to your house so I could keep an eye on it. I can run by and pick up some of Melanie's things if you want me to."
Sandy really wanted to argue, but the look on his face told her it wouldn't do any good. Wasn't there a man anywhere who didn't think he knew everything about everything? She stared him down, but he never blinked. After a long, tense moment, she gave in, too tired to argue. "You could bring back a few of her books and her Winnie the Pooh. It's on her bed. And maybe some crayons and a coloring book. They should be on her desk. And her toothbrush and hairbrush from her bathroom."
Hunter nodded and jotted the list into his notebook. When Sandy's name was paged over the loud speaker, she jumped up and left the room without another word, leaving him staring after her. "Well," he said to no one in particular, "I guess I can handle that." He gathered up the remains of their breakfast and dropped the trash in the wastebasket, then put the trays and utensils on the conveyor belt near the kitchen. It was time take Jason to school.
Maybe he should take her advice and back off. Leave her to handle her problems alone, the way she seemed to prefer. No, she needed him, whether she was willing to admit it or not. He’d never again run out on someone who needed him. The price for that mistake was way too high.
And she was too intriguing to ignore.
CHAPTER THREE
"I don't see why I have to go with you," Jason huffed, his shoulders scrunched and jaw set. "I've got homework to do."
Hunter bit back a snort and adopted a reasonable tone of voice. "You're going to the hospital with me because you're the reason that little girl is there. You need to see the consequences of your actions. Besides, Sandy needs a break, and you're going to sit with Melanie so she can take one."
"Hey, I ain't no babysitter!"
"You are now."
Jason turned his face to the window and Hunter refrained from further conversation until they entered the parking lot. He found an empty space near the front and pulled into it. Putting the gearshift into park, he turned off the engine and turned to Jason. He spoke to the back of his son's head. "We need to talk. Really talk. I've tried to give you time and space to work out your problems. I've hired counselors, moved us closer to your grandparents, bent over backward to make things easier for you. So far, none of it has had any effect. But all that's over. Either we talk, and you tell me what's on your mind, or ..."
"Or what?" Jason demanded. "You'll take away my driver's license? You already did that. You've already grounded me too. I can't talk to my friends, hang out after school, or get on the computer. What's left, Dad?" That said, he shoved the car door open so hard it bounced back and hit his leg. He cursed and rubbed his knee, then jumped out and limped away, leaving Hunter staring after him. What in the hell is wrong with that boy?
As Hunter climbed slowly out of the car, he felt every one of his thirty-eight years as if he'd lived them twice. God, he wished he could live them twice. Then he'd go back to the night he'd met Liz. He'd steer clear of that waterfront Mexican restaurant in Marina Del Rey. He'd go to church instead.
No, that wasn't true. Then he wouldn't have Jason. In spite of his son's attitude, he wouldn't trade his kid for anyone else's. He'd find out what was wrong, and he'd fix it. That was what he did best.
Hunter caught up with Jason at the elevators where he waited, impatient and in a hurry to get the visit over with. "Can we hurry up and get this done? I hate hospitals."
"I bet Melanie isn't too thrilled with them right now either," Hunter retorted, punching the up button. "And when we get up there, you'll put a smile on your face and behave in a civilized manner.
"Yeah, right."
"Jason..."
"Okay, okay. Let's just get it over with."
As they neared the end of the fifth floor hallway, a shrill voice demanded that someone get her mommy. Hunter looked up to see Sandy enter a door on the left and he and Jason followed. Inside, they found the doctor assuring Melanie that her mom would be right there.
Melanie looked up at him with a mutinous glare. "You hurt me, and I'm going to tell my mommy on you." When the doctor moved away from the bed, she saw her mother and adopted a pained expression. "Mommy! Where were you? I woked up and you wasn't here and I was scared and then this mean man shined a light in my eyes and poked my tummy and it hurted!"
As soon as Melanie took a breath, Sandy jumped in to soothe her daughter. "It's all right sweetheart. I was just down the hall. I went to get a magazine." She sat on the edge of the bed and took the child’s small hand in hers. "This is Doctor Michaels. You remember him, don't you? He works with your pediatrician, Dr. Mendelsohn."
"Nope. I don't 'member him and I don't like him. Make him go away." She stuck her bottom lip out in a convincing pout.
"Oh, baby, it's so good to have you back to normal," Sandy laughed as she hugged her daughter, careful not to put pressure on her bruises. She stepped back to let the doctor finish his exam and spotted Hunter and Jason in the doorway.
"Hi. I didn't know you were here."
"We just got here," Hunter told her. "What's going on?"
"Oh, Melanie is feeling well enough to let us know she's not a happy camper. It's so normal, it's wonderful."
"Normal? She sounded pretty upset to me," Hunter said.
"That's the way she acts when she's hurt or scared. She lashes out at the person who's handiest. Usually it's me, but since I wasn’t here at the time, the doctor caught it."
Her statement made Hunter stop and think. Could that be what Jason was doing? Lashing out because he was hurt or frightened? Maybe a few months ago. But you'd think after almost a year he'd be starting to get over his mother's death. It was something to ask the counselor the next time they saw her.
"Well?" Sandy asked, looking at him with a question in her eyes. Hunter was startled to realize he hadn't heard a word.
"I'm sorry. I was thinking. What did you say?"
"I asked if those were Melanie's things. Her Winnie the Pooh might help, if you were able to find it."
"Oh, yeah. Sorry." He handed her the bag he held. "I think I found everything you asked for."
"Good. She's getting restless now that she's awake and aware of what's going on. Having something to do will help." She looked at Jason and smiled. "Jason, do you want to come in a
nd say hello to Melanie?"
Jason shrugged and wouldn't look her in the eye. He glanced around, looking uncomfortable, as if he would rather be anywhere else. Hunter nudged him further into the room.
"Who's that?" Melanie asked around the thermometer in her mouth.
"Don't talk while they’re taking your temperature," Sandy admonished. "That's Jason, remember? He just moved in next door. And this is his daddy, Mr. Thurman."
"Hunter, please," he said. "Mr. Thurman's too big a mouthful."
"Well, since he said so, you can call him Hunter. Look what he brought for you," Sandy said, holding up the treasured teddy bear.
"Winnie!" Melanie cried, spitting out the thermometer.
Sandy cast an apologetic glance at the doctor. "Sorry."
"That's okay. It was ready to come out anyway. And my work here is done, young lady," he said to Melanie. "You mind your mom and the nurses and you'll be back in good shape real soon." With a wave that encompassed everyone in the room, he left.
She moved to her daughter's bedside. She handed the bear to Melanie, then pulled the coloring book and crayons out of the bag. "Here you go, baby. Something to do besides watch TV."
She placed the items on top of the rolling table beside the bed and positioned it carefully over Melanie's lap. She noticed that Jason watched everything she did.
"Jason, why don't you go help her color a picture?" Hunter suggested. Jason gave his dad a 'get real' look and turned to stare out the window.
There was an undercurrent there that Sandy didn't understand, but she didn't have time to dwell on it as her daughter demanded her attention once again.
"What else is in there, Mommy?"
"Well, let's see. There's a toothbrush and toothpaste, a hairbrush, some books." She took each item out and laid it on the table as she named them. "Oh, and look, here's Candy Land, your favorite game."
"Can we play it now?" Melanie pleaded, doing her best to sound pitiful. "I'm so-o-o boring."
"Bored," Sandy corrected with a laugh. "And sure, I guess so." She took the board from its box and set up the game. When she pulled a chair up beside the bed and started to sit down, Melanie objected.
