That made one of them. She was in a huge hurry for him to take his care and concern out of here before she started to believe in it.
“Really,” she said. “I’m okay. There’s no reason to waste any more of your evening on me.”
“I don’t mind—”
A knock interrupted him just before the door opened. Ben came in with X-rays in his hand. “Hey, Alex. I didn’t know you were still here.”
“I was just telling him he should go,” Ellie said.
The doctor looked at her. “I’ve got the radiologist report.”
“Finally.” Now that it was here she was dreading the results.
The two brothers stood side by side, and the family resemblance was obvious. The shapes of their faces were identical right down to the strong chin and rugged cheekbones. Their coloring was slightly different; the doctor’s hair was lighter. Alex was just a shade taller, broader in the shoulders. His hair was darker, his brown eyes more intense. When he made no move to leave, Ben cleared his voice.
“Obviously you two are friends, but I need to talk to Ellie privately. It’s a patient confidentiality issue.”
“Oh. Right. Sorry.” Alex set the plastic glass and straw on the counter beside the soda can and left the room.
When the door closed behind him, Ellie didn’t know whether to be relieved that he’d listened to his brother or to miss his reassuring support. But this mess wasn’t his baby to rock.
“Okay, then. What’s up, Doc?”
He shoved the X-ray films on the viewer box and even the untrained eye could see the bones of the foot, ankle and lower leg. Using his pen as a pointer he indicated an irregularity.
“I’m sorry, Ellie. I know you were hoping it was just a sprain, but that’s not the case. There’s definitely a fracture here.”
“Okay.” She took a deep but not very calming breath. “So what now? You put it in a cast. Maybe the walking kind,” she said hopefully. “So I can get back to work.”
“I’ll put a cast on it so you don’t make the injury worse while we wait for the swelling to go down.”
She didn’t like the sound of that. “What happens then?”
“I need to do the repair in surgery. It will require a plate to hold the bone together while it heals. But here’s the thing...”
“What?” The knots in her stomach pulled tighter.
“When the clinic addition is finished, a procedure like this can be done here, on an outpatient basis, but you can’t wait that long. We need the hospital and it’s pretty far away.”
Close to that cute little airport where she’d flown in from Dallas. “How much work time will I lose?”
“The day of the surgery, then one or two after because there might be some discomfort from the procedure.”
“And can I work in the meantime?”
“Yes, if you can do what you need to on crutches. You can’t put any weight on the leg, and common sense is essential. Keep the foot elevated as much as possible to get the swelling down. The sooner the surgery is done, the sooner you’ll be back on your feet.”
“Okay.”
“Do you have any other questions?” There was sympathy in the doctor’s dark eyes.
“Not right now, but I’m sure I will.”
“When you do, don’t hesitate to ask.”
She nodded numbly.
Ellie figured she was in shock. It was the only explanation for her state of calm through the process of getting the cast on. When it was done, Ginny gave her crutches and instructions, then helped her into a wheelchair. She was on her way to the clinic waiting area and about to ask the nurse for the favor of a bit longer ride to her car in the lot by the construction trailer. Before getting the words out, she spotted Alex sitting in a chair.
Ginny wheeled her closer and said to him, “Here she is.”
“Thanks, Ginny.”
Ellie heard the squeak of the woman’s sneakers on the wooden floor behind her as she walked away. She couldn’t believe he was still there. More important, she didn’t want to get used to it.
She shook her head. “You shouldn’t be here.”
Chapter Four
Alex was reminded of an angry, scared hummingbird when he looked at Ellie Hart. She was in a wheelchair, holding a pair of crutches and wearing a hot-pink cast that came to just below the knee on her left leg. He was pond scum for thinking she made a broken ankle look sexy, but a man couldn’t necessarily control the direction of his thoughts when a crisis was over. Now that they were in stable mode, he needed to focus on the situation at hand, which was that she didn’t particularly want him here.
“You should know something about me, Ellie.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t always do what I’m told.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” The attempt at humor didn’t ease the tension in her shoulders.
“This time I have a good reason.”
“And that is?” Her chin lifted a notch as if she were preparing for battle.
“You’re my architect.” He experienced a momentary stab of possessiveness that had nothing to do with business. “The state of your health could potentially affect Mercy Medical Clinic’s expansion deadline and I can’t afford not to meet it.”
“Neither can I.” Her full lips pressed together and it wasn’t about pain, at least not the physical kind. “I studied hard and worked even harder and messed up my first chance to establish my name in the business. This opportunity is about digging my reputation out of a very deep hole. If it doesn’t come in on time and within budget, I’ll have a better chance of flapping my arms and flying to the moon than having an actual career as an architect.”
“So, about that medical confidentiality thing...” He dragged his fingers through his hair as their gazes met. “Do you want to tell me what my brother said?”
“Not really.” The determination in her eyes told him that was true enough, but there was vulnerability, too. She blew out a breath. “But y’all have a right to know. There’s no way to sugarcoat this. My ankle is broken.”
“Oh, Ellie— I’m sorry. I know you were hoping for different news.”
She tried to shrug it off, but the shadows leaked through. “You play the hand you’re dealt, as Hastings Hart would say.”
Alex had a feeling her daddy held his daughter to a high standard and she was an overachiever. “Okay. It’s broken, but not the end of the world. We can work with that. Now you’re in a cast and one assumes since you have crutches there won’t be a marathon in your near future. This setback will only slow you down some.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Why?”
“Ben says I need surgery. He has to line up the bones then put a plate in to keep them that way so it will heal correctly. Otherwise I won’t be running a marathon ever, or walking, either, for that matter. That will make it kind of hard to navigate a job site under my own power. And it can’t wait until the clinic expansion is finished.”
“Okay.” Alex rested his elbows on his knees as he thought that one over. “So you get the surgery done ASAP.”
“I have to wait until the swelling goes down. Then it means a trip to the hospital, which isn’t just around the corner. But it won’t be overnight. I can have it done on an outpatient basis.”
“Okay. That officially sucks,” he agreed. “But we can spare you at the job site when you need to take the time. This isn’t a disaster.” He noticed that the polish on her toes matched the hot-pink cast and was possibly one of the most erotic things he’d ever seen. “Except for you, of course.”
“No kidding.” She sighed. “This is most definitely not my finest hour.”
“Are you in pain?”
“It aches some because what they gave me here has worn off. But I’m tough.” She looked anything but. More like an abandoned kitten. “Ben said over-the-counter pain medication should do the trick if I’m uncomfortable.”
“Okay, then. I’ll drive you—”
&nb
sp; She shook her head. “Not necessary. I can do it. The injury is to my left ankle, so I can drive.”
“I’m sure you can, Ellie, but I’m here and you don’t have to. I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
“I want to go home, but there’s no need for y’all to go out of the way.”
“It’s not really. I live near the lake, not far from the apartment you’re renting.” A thought struck him. “Don’t you live upstairs?”
“I do.” She looked a little worried about that before her stubborn side kicked in and shut it down. “I’ll manage. Y’all shouldn’t give it another thought.”
“How?”
“I’m sorry?”
“How will you manage to get yourself up the stairs?”
“I just will. Don’t trouble yourself about me.” It cost her reserves of energy that she probably didn’t have, but she managed to smile. “Now, it’s been a real exciting day and I’m ready to call it a night. I’ll just say goodbye and thank you. I’m sure the nurse will help me out to my car.”
She set the rubber-tipped crutches on the floor and hauled herself to a standing position with the curved, padded part under her arms. Her humongous purse was hanging from one of the wheelchair’s handles, and Alex could see that she was trying to figure out how to manage it.
“Let me,” he said, surging to his feet.
“It’s not necessary. I should get used to doing this for myself.”
“Yes, you should. But not tonight.” When she opened her mouth to protest he snapped, “Stuff a sock in it, Ellie. I wasn’t raised by wolves. There’s no need to bother Ginny. I’m right here and I’ll see you to your car.”
The expression in her eyes said she wanted to talk him out of that, but she must have been a quart low on spunk because she nodded. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Alex had once broken his leg playing high school football. The experience had taught him that no matter how athletic a person was, it took time and practice to get the hang of crutches. After saying goodbye to Ginny and Ben, he carried her big bag and held the clinic door open so Ellie could get out. The trip from there to the construction parking area was excruciatingly slow and painful if the tightness of her mouth was anything to go by.
He wanted to haul her into his arms and carry her, but it wasn’t just about speeding up the process or minimizing her discomfort. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t seem to forget how good holding her had felt that night on his boat. Granted she’d been naked, but her cute, curvy little self even when wearing clothes was pure, one hundred percent temptation.
That thought made him break out in a sweat, though the June evening was cool. The sweet sexy scent of her skin drifted on the breeze and slid through him, then floated around in his belly where it finally knotted and settled in. He swore that a lifetime and a half passed before they got to her car. Fishing her keys out of that gigantic purse was nearly as hard as resisting her. It wouldn’t have surprised him if all her worldly possessions were in the bag.
He unlocked the driver’s door and said, “Are you sure about this?”
“Very.” Awkwardly she maneuvered herself to the opening.
Alex could almost see her mind working to figure out the logistics. “Back yourself in and slowly lower your butt to the seat.” An erotic image of him squeezing that soft sweet body part flashed through his mind and he gritted his teeth. “Then sit down and hand the crutches to me.”
She seemed to be thinking through that advice, then successfully did as he said. “Okay. Thanks.”
“I’m going to put these on the front passenger side so they’re handy. It will take some eye-hand coordination, but you’ll be able to get them into place for standing. Just swing your legs out and pull yourself up.”
“Okay. Got it.”
He still couldn’t see how she was going to get herself up the stairs in her current condition, but the lady seemed determined to do it alone, and he knew he should be grateful for her independence. When the crutches were stowed within reach, he leaned down in the open doorway and looked at her in the driver’s seat. “If you need anything at all, you call me.”
“Thanks. I’ll be fine and dandy. You’ll see.”
Yes he would, and sooner than she realized. Because as hard as he tried, he just couldn’t trust that independent streak of hers.
Alex closed the door and stood back while she started the car then pulled slowly onto Main Street. In seconds she was out of sight, but nowhere near out of his mind.
He’d come this close to pulling Ellie into his arms and holding her for a very long time. How stupid was that? Not only was she dealing with a broken ankle, they’d agreed that sleeping together was a mistake that shouldn’t and wouldn’t happen again.
It was just that she tugged at him. Her spunky, self-reliant streak made him want to be there for her. But someone had made her believe there was shame in asking for help. Could have been the jerk who lied to her and cost her a career start. Or it could have been the way she was raised. He wanted five minutes alone, no questions asked, with whoever had drilled that lesson into her. She didn’t have to do this alone.
And he was going to prove it to her whether she wanted to know or not.
* * *
The drive from the town of Blackwater Lake to the lake itself was only a couple of miles but turned into the longest of Ellie’s life. Although she’d had a license for years, it felt like her first time behind the wheel. That actually was the case, since this was her first time driving with a broken left ankle. She used her good foot to press the gas and brake pedals, but even it felt heavy. The injury somehow threw off her timing, but she made the trip in one piece.
And that was when her problems really started.
After parking in her assigned space, she saw that Adam Stone’s car wasn’t there, because he and his bride were on their honeymoon. Then she opened her driver’s door and grabbed one of the crutches to get herself out. Because the interior was compact and the thing was unwieldy, it was impossible to maneuver, and she kept getting hung up on the dashboard, windshield or steering wheel.
“Now what?” She was frustrated and close to tears. “You can do this, Ellie. You’re a Hart and an architect. There’s no crying in this big girl world. Pull yourself together. You are woman. W-o-m-a-n. Roar, girl.”
She thought for a moment, then decided they would probably come out the same way Alex had put them in. From the outside. The only challenge would be doing it on one leg, but she could hop around to the other side and use the car for support.
It worked, but even though she didn’t put weight on the leg, the jarring movement sent shards of pain through her ankle, and she was sweating by the time she’d braced the crutches under her arms. Her gaze landed on the purse in the passenger seat. There was no way she could balance and walk with the monstrosity on her shoulder, so she hung it around her neck.
Like the drive out here, it took a while to get to the front porch where the outside light was on, and she began to really regret not letting Alex help out. There were three steps up before even starting on the stairs to her apartment. Just hopping around the car had nearly brought her down—this was really going to be a challenge.
Longingly she looked at the rocking chair beside Adam and Jill’s door. A small table stood beside it, perfect for elevating her injured leg if she could figure out how to get there.
Holding the crutches in one hand and the railing with the other and her purse still around her neck, she braced for the pain and hopped up one step. It was a miracle she kept herself from falling. The handbag felt as if the entire state of Texas was inside. All she needed was to break something else. Steadying herself, she went through the process two more times and leaned heavily on the post supporting the porch roof.
“Thank God.” She made it to the rocker and dropped into it. After resting for a minute she pulled the small round table toward her and lifted her injured leg on it. “That’s as elevated as I c
an get it.”
The hard, sad truth was sinking in fast. She might get up the stairs to her apartment, but by the time she did it would be time to go to work in the morning. She had to find somewhere else to stay for the night either on the ground floor or with elevator access, and Blackwater Lake Lodge was the only game in town.
After pulling out her cell phone she called information and agreed to the direct connection fee. After two rings the call was answered.
“Blackwater Lake Lodge. This is M.J. How may I help you?”
“Hi, M.J. My name is Ellie Hart—”
“You’re the architect for the Mercy Medical Clinic expansion project.”
“Yes, I am.” Wow, word traveled fast in a small town.
“Is everything all right?”
No, but she wondered about the question. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, the only reason you’d be calling the lodge is for a room, but I thought you were staying in Jill Beck’s—I mean Jill Stone’s—apartment.”
Wow again. People knew your business here. “I am. And you’re correct. Everything isn’t all right. I had a little accident.”
“I hope it’s not too serious.”
“No. I’ll be fine. But there’s a cast on my leg. And the apartment is upstairs, which I can’t manage right now. I was wondering if there might be something available at the lodge.”
“I’m so sorry, Ellie. We’re completely full.” M.J. sounded really, sincerely sorry. “Is there anything I can do? Someone I can call for you?”
Alex was her first thought, but that bridge was burned. “You’re sure there’s nothing even for one or two nights while I figure all this out?”
“I’m looking.” The sound of clicking on a keyboard came through loud and clear. Then apology wrapped around the words when she said, “I feel just awful, but we’re all booked. In fact, there’s a waiting list. Let me make some calls and I’ll see if I can find a room for you—”
“That’s very sweet, but I can’t ask you to do that. You’re working. I’ll find something.”
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely. I’ll call Brenda Miller. She’s one of the carpenters on the construction crew. We’ve gotten to know each other.” They said good morning every day. “Thanks, anyway, M.J.”
Harlequin Special Edition July 2013 - Bundle 1 of 2: Marooned with the MaverickHer McKnight in Shining ArmorCelebration's Bride Page 23
