Handle With Care

by Patrice Wilton

  It was their final conversation and the burden of that was something she’d carry in her heart forever. To make it up to Josh, she cherished and pampered him, and tried to be both mom and dad. Just short of spoiled, Josh was a good kid, even though he could be difficult at times.

  She knocked on his bedroom door, then opened it. “I’m sorry about today, Sweetpea. We always have so much fun on our Sundays together, and going to the emergency room with a sprained arm was certainly not in our plans.” She ruffled his hair. “Won’t you keep me company? Come out and watch some TV until dinner time.”

  “Okay. But can I skip my bath tonight?”

  “Yes, I suppose so.” She put an arm around his tiny shoulders as they walked to the living room. She handed him the remote. “Here you go, hon. You can watch Mickey while I start dinner.”

  “I don’t want Mickey. I want SpongeBob instead.”

  “Your choice. Just use the remote to go up or down; you know how.” She had the parental controls on the cable, so she felt comfortable letting him surf the channels. She went into the kitchen and had just taken the chicken out of the freezer, when Josh called to her.

  “Mom! Mom! Come quick. It’s the guy with the funny hand.”

  She hurried back into the living room to see the handsome young medic’s face on the local news channel. “What the heck? Why are they interviewing him?”

  “I don’t know. But there’s his dog!”

  Lauren sat down to listen to the broadcast. His name was Shane Dawson, and she heard how he and his dog had chased down a skateboarder who’d run off with a lady’s handbag.

  “That must have happened right after we left,” she told Josh, with a surprised look. “I thought our boardwalk was safe.”

  “It is, thanks to Major. Maybe they’ll let him be a hero dog now.”

  The journalist made it out to be more than it was, and Shane looked bored by the interview. His answers were brief, and he denied that he was any sort of hero.

  “Just in the right place at the right time,” he said.

  He smiled, and she smiled at the TV, remembering how he’d tried to distract Josh with humor, using his devilish grin and quick wit. Now that her concern for her son was over and she had time to reflect, she could admit that he’d been attractive and funny, and she hadn’t been very nice to him. There’d been something behind his eyes, some inner pain or a deep secret that he carried inside. She recognized it, as it mirrored her own.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The following day, the guys at work kidded Shane about the news report, calling him “our local celebrity, the war hero.” He laughed and joked right back, but the fact was, he hated any discussion about his past. He’d lived through it once, and it wasn’t a place he cared to revisit.

  The eager reporter had dug up some background facts on him. Discovered he’d been to Iraq and that he’d been held captive by a guerrilla group for months. She even gave details about the Navy Seals sneaking into the enemy camp and carrying him off and the firefight that ensued. Thankfully, she hadn’t followed up the story about the next year of his life. Doctors, hospitals, rehab, and a piss-poor attitude.

  The only upside to the brief report was the mention of his volunteer work with Wounded Warriors, giving the program some much-needed publicity.

  But this didn’t make him a hero, that’s for damn sure. Truth was, he rarely slept more than a few hours at a time, scared of his own nightmares and random nighttime sounds, like a dog barking across the street. He was more coward than hero.

  “Got a call, Shane.” Rick Turner, colleague and friend, poked his head around the corner. “If you can stop preening long enough, we need to help some bugger that fell off a ladder after he touched a live electrical wire.”

  “Crap.” Shane set aside the textbook he was reading. “What’s worse? Getting electrocuted or breaking your back?”

  “Let’s hope the correct answer is ‘none of the above.’”

  Shane and Rick arrived on the scene within minutes and found the forty-year-old handyman sprawled on the floor, next to the massive chandelier he’d attempted to install. The homeowner had called EMS as soon as the man fell from the ladder.

  They assessed the situation upon entering. The injured man had no obvious external head injury and attempted to sit up. Shane approached, while Rick brought out the backboard they’d use to transport the victim.

  Shane knelt beside the man as Rick positioned the backboard. “How’re you feeling?” he asked. There was no apparent physical injury, but the man was pale and had difficulty breathing. “I need to see if you’ve suffered an electric shock. Any numbness, impaired vision, loss of consciousness?”

  While Shane asked questions, he and Rick maneuvered the man onto the backboard. Rick applied a cervical collar to keep the man’s head in position. The injured man’s eye had turned black, which indicated head trauma.

  The homeowner and his wife, both elderly, were standing next to the dining room doorway, clearly distraught. “His name is Dave Fisher,” the homeowner said, “and he’s been awake the whole time. Said his arm was numb and he can’t see clearly.”

  “We’ll take good care of him,” Rick replied as they carefully carried the unlucky carpenter toward the door.

  Shane and Rick secured the patient in the back of the ambulance, and then Rick got in the driver’s seat. The trip was less than ten minutes, but Dave Fisher went into respiratory arrest, and Shane had to initiate CPR before they reached the hospital.

  Lauren returned from her coffee break and overheard two of the nurses talking about the new medic. It seemed everyone else had been aware of his comings and goings, except her.

  “He has the dreamiest eyes,” said Margaret Hornsby, a curvy woman with red, shoulder-length hair. She sighed and touched her well-endowed chest.

  “Who has?” Lauren asked, as if she didn’t know.

  “Shane Dawson. He was here a few minutes ago, dropping off a patient, and I swear, my heart nearly stopped.” She fanned herself. “He asked me some questions in the oh-so-nicest way, and when he smiled, I damn near came in my pants.”

  “Margaret!” Lauren tried not to look shocked. She knew all about Margaret’s dating habits and how she met strange men in bars. She didn’t approve, but neither did she want to be a prude.

  “Well, it’s true.” Margaret’s face was flushed. “I think he’s sweet and sexy.”

  Trish, a pretty brunette, grinned. “Not only does he have bedroom eyes and a dreamy smile, but the cutest tush.”

  “Really?” Lauren pasted on a smile and put her hands on her hips. “Well, I’m sure we could sit and chat about his charms all day, but don’t you ladies have anything better to do?” She sugar-coated her voice. “I’m sure you must have some patients to take care of. The last I looked, this was a hospital.”

  Margaret rolled her eyes. “Come on, Dr. Reynolds. He’s only been here for a couple of weeks, but he’s a darling to everyone. He remembers the nurses’ names and their children’s too. How can you not love a guy like that?”

  “Okay. I get it. He’s the sensitive type, not the modern-day alpha male. That’s all very nice, but we need to keep our libidos in check. We have an ER to run.”

  Trish shook her head. “If he doesn’t get your motor running, then you need a new one. Speaking of which, when was the last time you had a date?”

  Lauren stiffened. “My love life is not open for discussion.”

  “That’s because you don’t have one.” Trish looked at Margaret, who nodded in agreement. “We think the world of you, Dr. Reynolds, so I’m saying this for your own good. The hospital can’t be your life. Your son needs a dad, and you need someone to love.”

  “No, I don’t, and my son and I get along fine on our own.” Lauren did not want to have this conversation. Talking about Josh not having a father always upset her. Already her stomach was churning. “You both know what happened when I dated that guy last year. Josh got attached and then Ron took a hike. I can’
t chance him getting hurt again.”

  “What about the Brother for Life program?” Margaret asked. “Didn’t he meet someone nice there?”

  “No, that didn’t work out.” Lauren sighed. “Actually, it was a bit of a disaster.”

  She walked away, effectively ending the conversation, but the guilt lingered. Of course her son longed for a father. Recently, that was all he talked about.

  For the next few hours, the ER was nonstop action. There was the boy who’d swallowed a small plastic toy; another child who arrived with suspicious bruises and a broken arm; and a young man who’d sustained multiple injuries when he lost control of his motorcycle and hit a telephone pole.

  There was a brief lull around four, and Lauren actually had a few minutes to herself. She scarfed down a sandwich and a coffee, and when she returned to the ER, Shane was wheeling in a frail woman.

  “Her name’s Eleanor Barnes,” he told her, “and she’s having difficulty breathing. I gave her an IV, but she’s still in a lot of pain.”

  As if to prove it, the woman collapsed in a prolonged coughing spasm, and her face turned crimson. At the end of it, she was weak and shaken, gasping for breath.

  Lauren took over and Shane assisted. Once they had Mrs. Barnes stabilized and an orderly had wheeled her away, she gave Shane a brief smile. “I heard you were in earlier today.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Lauren Reynolds, by the way. Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself before.”

  “Shane Dawson.” He nodded. “I looked for you earlier, but you weren’t around. I wanted to ask about Josh. How’s he doing?”

  “He’s not a happy camper, but I let him stay home from school today. His nanny will find ways to amuse him.”

  “Major says he’s sorry for getting in your way. He made it up yesterday by catching a crook.”

  “Yes. I heard that on the news.”

  He looked down at his feet and hunched up his shoulders. “That was a bunch of B.S.”

  “I think the reporter had a thing for you.” She smiled. “So do the nurses, by the way.”

  “They’re just being nice to the new guy on the block.” He lifted his eyes. “So how’d you know I was here?”

  She felt a direct hit when his heavily lashed brown eyes met hers. She wouldn’t call them “bedroom sexy”; they were too intense for that. “Penetrating” was a more apt description. She felt as though they could reach deep inside her and discover her inner secrets.

  Feeling vulnerable all of a sudden, she folded her arms across her chest. “The nurses were talking about you. Listing your charms, as a matter of fact.”

  “Oh, yeah? What kind of charms?”

  He flashed his cocky smile, and her stomach jumped. No sweet wonder the nurses got a little weak in the knees. The guy oozed sex appeal without appearing to even try. Good thing she’d been so preoccupied yesterday, or she might have noticed it then. Not that she liked flirty men—she’d had more than her share of them as a grieving young widow.

  “Let’s see.” She hid a smile. “Oh, I remember: they liked your tush.”

  He laughed. “Not exactly what I had in mind, but hey, a compliment’s a compliment.”

  “So, on the news report I heard you mention the Wounded Warrior Project. I know you train dogs. Do you also help with that organization?”

  “I visit vets and try to mentor them like they did for me. We’re getting ready for a weekend up at Monmouth, end of May.” He grimaced. “Five miles of mountainous biking. I’ll have to get in shape for that.”

  Without meaning to, she slid her gaze over him, taking in his broad shoulders, muscular arms, and trim waist.

  “Your shape is fine,” she said a little too sharply. Then she added, “It’s a wonderful thing you’re doing.”

  “Least I can do. They saved my life, made it worth living again.”

  She frowned, unsure what it was about him that unsettled her. “You’re an interesting man, Shane Dawson.” He certainly did seem to have his heart in the right place. Just a young man, probably a few years younger than herself, she’d guess, and he spent so much of his time doing good deeds. She wondered if he’d be willing to do one more.

  “Thank you.” He gave her a quizzical look. “I think.”

  Although she’d rather stick a pin in her eye than ask for a favor, for Josh’s sake she swallowed her pride. “Josh has been pestering me about you. He thought you were funny when you did that thing with your hand.”

  “Yeah.” He made a face. “It always gets a laugh.”

  “Look, this is kind of awkward, but I promised my son that I’d ask.” She fought the urge to cringe. It was only a request. He could always say no. “Josh is going to a Dodger’s game with his friend and the friend’s father, and he’d like to have someone to take him.”

  Shane didn’t answer right away.

  “I didn’t want to ask,” she said quickly. “Don’t worry about it.” She licked her bottom lip. “It would mean a lot to him, but .…” Her mind raced through the possible problems a one-time boys’ night out could create. Josh would be thrilled to death, but afterward he’d be even more frustrated than he was now. She really needed to find a way to distract him from his daddy fixation. Perhaps, if he needed a man in his life, he could hang out with Brad and his dad more, or some other friends.

  Shane ran a hand through his hair. “You’re not married?”

  “No, I’m widowed.”

  “I’m sorry.” He ran a hand over his jaw. “Doesn’t he have an uncle or anyone else in his life that could step in?”

  Lauren’s spine stiffened. “No. Or I wouldn’t have mentioned it to you.”

  He folded his arms, then dropped them by his sides. Opened his mouth, shut it again. Lauren held her breath. Say no, she silently pleaded. Say no.

  “When is it?” he finally asked.

  “You can say no,” she said hopefully.

  “I’m asking which day. I might be busy.”

  “Of course you might be.” She fidgeted with her hands. “This is really a very bad idea. A boys’ night out will only fill his head with more notions of what he can’t have.”

  “Up to you, but I owe Josh something for spraining his arm.”

  “No, you don’t. It was an accident.” She smiled, feeling somewhat relieved. “Look, I’ll just tell Josh that I asked, and you said you’re sorry, but you have other plans that day.”

  “What day is it?” he asked, his eyes nailing hers.

  “Next Friday. It’s a night game. But I’ll find someone else.”

  To avoid the intensity of his stare, she began tidying up medical supplies.

  “Look. I want to do this, all right?” He stepped in front of her. “I might have to rearrange a thing or two. Let me see if I can work it out.”

  “Really?” She glanced up at him, surprised. “This is an awful lot to ask from a stranger, and it’s really very kind of you, but you don’t owe him or me anything.”

  “Josh doesn’t have a dad, and it’s the least I can do. Call it payback.”

  The tightness in her chest disappeared, and her shoulders relaxed. She managed a small smile. “Thanks.”

  At home, Lauren didn’t mention Shane, but Josh brought it up right away.

  “Did you see him, Mom? Did you ask?”

  “Yes, honey. He brought a patient in, and after we took care of her, I had a word with him.”

  “You did? Awesome! You’re the greatest mom in the whole wide world!” Josh jumped up to give her a hug, and accidentally knocked over the enormous Lego building he’d been working on. It must have been an all-day project, with his arm in a sling.

  “Josh, he hasn’t given me an answer yet. He said he had to see if he could clear his schedule.” She bent over to kiss his cheek. “I know how much you want this, and I don’t want you to be disappointed if it doesn’t work out. I could always go with you.”

  “I know. It’s just that everybody else has a dad.”

  She bit her bottom lip, her breath ca
tching. His comment sliced right through her, as it always did. “You have me.” She smiled, blinking back tears. “You’re my whole world, sweetheart.”

  “But I want to be like other kids, Mom. I want to have a dad too.”

  He’d only started asking for a father in the past few months. Around the time she stopped letting him see Gary from the Brothers organization. She wondered if Gary had given him the idea, but it didn’t matter who or why. He was now obsessed with wanting a father. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

  “That’s okay, Mom. We’ll find me a dad—don’t worry.”

  “Oh, hon. You have me and Julie and two sets of grandparents. For now. One day I hope you’ll have a father too.” Unfortunately for all of them, her parents lived in Phoenix, and she and Josh only saw them a few times a year. Her in-laws had moved to the west side of Florida and rarely came to visit. She didn’t have any brothers or sisters, so they weren’t any little cousins running around. They were pretty much on their own.

  “Can it be soon? I want a real dad to do stuff with.”

  “Okay. We’ll put that on my shopping list.”

  The next day Shane delivered a patient to the ER and then checked to see if Lauren was working. He found her standing outside a patient’s bay, making notes on a chart.

  He walked over to her and said in a low voice so he wouldn’t be overheard, “I’ll do it.”

  She jumped in surprise and quickly turned to him. “You mean the ballgame? Friday night?”

  “Yup. I managed to rearrange my schedule.” He glanced at Rick, still talking with another doctor about the patient they’d brought in, to avoid looking at her. “I know what it’s like not to have a father.”

  “You do?”

  She tilted her head to look at him, and he noticed, once again, how pretty she was. Until the accident on the boardwalk, he hadn’t really seen her. How had he missed that sleek, shiny hair, the glow of her skin, the little mole above her lip? Now, he wondered what it would feel like if he ran his tongue over it.