by Lynn Cahoon
PROJECT DETOUR
Castle View Series Book 3
Lynn Cahoon
Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
Wild Hearts: Book #1 Castle View -Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
Brad Castle turned off the television. Who programed daytime TV? Moreover, the more pressing question, who watched this crap? He picked up the latest spy novel that his sister Maggie had brought during last week’s visit off the tiny hospital table. Had it been last week? The days since his accident seemed to meld together in an opiate induced fog. Between the time he’d woken up in this hospital bed after a car crash he still didn’t remember and the subsequent surgeries, he’d been less than coherent during the two weeks he’d been in this Spokane hospital. Thirty miles away from his home in St. Joseph’s and it might as well be a thousand. It was time to change that. He tried to leverage himself upright on the bed, but he wasn’t strong enough to move his legs. He wasn’t moving, especially since he wore a full leg cast on the right one and a bandage on his left ankle. The doctors said the weakness was normal but he felt far from normal.
He gave up and grabbed the controls, letting the bed ease his body upright. A perky nurse bustled into the room with a cart. “Time to take your vitals. How long have you been sitting up? We should move your bed flatter.”
“I just got settled. Just write down what they were last time. You’ll be close enough,” Brad groused. Between the vital checks, the blood draws, and the parade of doctors who came in and out of his room, he barely could catch a nap, let alone get lost in a book.
The nurse ignored him and wrapped a blood pressure cuff on his arm. “I hear their working on plans to release you. You’ll love The Cottages. My sister works there and all the residents are sweet. Kind of like having a building filled with grandparents.” She flushed. “Not that you’re old. I’m sure there are people your age there too, but my sister works in the elder care section.”
Brad narrowed his eyes and sat down the book. “What are you talking about?”
“Your rehabilitation placement. I’m sure the doctors must have told you that you can’t go home alone. Even if you could deal with the fractures, you need to rest to make sure your back heals properly.” She tried to put a temperature gauge in his ear. He swatted it away. “Now, Mr. Castle, you need to let me do my job.”
“Get my doctor in here. Now,” Brad growled. “I am not being shipped off to some nursing home. I’m going back to my own house. Do you understand?”
“It’s a really nice facility,” the twenty-something nurse started but then stopped when she saw Brad’s glare. She unhooked the cords and put everything away. “Doctor Roberts is scheduled to be here for rounds in an hour. I’ll let him know you need to talk to him.”
He picked up his phone and checked the time. He didn’t want to call her too early, but no one was listening to a man flat on his back in a gown. The phone rang twice before she answered.
“Mom, I need help.”
Two hours later, the entire family had gathered in his small hospital room with his surgeon and some woman who was apparently his social worker. Brad resented having so many people in his business, but it was unavoidable. If he was going to get out of here, he needed his family’s support.
“So you want to go home?” His brother Mark leaned against the wall, arms folded. “Dude, you can’t even leave your bed. How are you going to get around?”
“Wheelchairs. Have you ever heard of them? They’ve been around for what, a hundred years?” Brad hated the way Mark always thought he knew everything. His fist clenched as he spoke.
“You need bed rest,” Doctor Bradley said. “If you’re alone, you might over-extend yourself. I need you to be on your back as many hours a day as possible in order for your injuries to heal. In a rehab facility, you’ll have physical therapy on-site so your muscles don’t deteriorate.” The doctor spoke slowly and deliberately. A habit which made Brad furious.
“I get it. I need to rest. I can get Jose to set up the den with one of these.” He waved his hand at the bed and avoided the word medical. “Maggie can send over food for lunch and dinner. I don’t typically eat breakfast anyway. And I can wheel myself to the downstairs bathroom. Problem solved.”
“No, you need one more thing. And I have the answer to that problem.” His mother came close and took his hand. “Destiny will come and work for you. I’ll pay her whatever the insurance won’t. She can do your physical therapy and take care of the other things you’ll need. Like food and clean clothes.”
Brad groaned. Destiny Brooks had been hired as his mother’s assistant, not his. “Mom, you need her help more than I do.”
Maggie laughed. “Bro, have you looked in a mirror lately? I know it won’t be forever, but you need help. And I can’t drop everything at the restaurant just to take care of you. I’ll provide the meals,” she added quickly, as he shot her a glare. “Besides, it will only be what, a couple of months?” She looked at Dr. Roberts for confirmation.
“Six weeks. If he stays put and doesn’t move around too much outside of therapy. Brad’s a strong young man. I’m sure we can get him back to full health soon.” He turned his attention away from Brad and focused on Sandy Castle. “Do you think this Destiny is qualified?”
“She’s running Saint Joseph’s Physical Therapy all on her own. I’m sure she’s over-qualified and I’m going to have to beg her to stay with my stubborn son. But if we can get the basics lined up, will you approve him going home?”
The social worker stepped up to the group gathered around the bed. “If I could have Destiny’s number, I’ll confirm the plan. We will need to send nursing in once a week and I’ll come along to make sure Brad’s best interests are being met.”
“I can take care of my own best interest, thank you.” Brad said through clenched teeth. He wanted to go off on everyone. To tell them to leave him alone, but all that would do was increase the chances he’d wind up in that nursing home with the people waiting to die. Right now, all he wanted was a pain killer. He closed his eyes against the light and felt his mother squeeze his hand.
“Thank you for offering,” his mom said, “but I’ll need to discuss this move with Destiny first. I’ll have her call you. Okay then, we’re all set. Mark, will you take care of getting the den ready for a medical bed? Maggie, make a grocery run and fill up Brad’s fridge, focusing on healthy food and drinks for snacks along with things to make for breakfast.” She nodded to the social worker. “Will you order the medical equipment we’ll need?”
“Definitely. If this is what Mr. Castle wants.” She looked at him, clearly expecting an answer.
Brad ignored her and rang for the nurse. She came in with a container containing one pill, sat it on the table and left. He swallowed down the pill and then reached for the water glass. His mom picked it up and held the straw. “Thanks, Mom.”
The social worker waited for him to set the glass down. “I really need a verbal answer.”
“Best of two evils.” When the woman didn’t laugh, he sighed. “Fine, this is what I want. I want to go home and have a babysitter.”
She smiled. “Perfect. I find patients heal so much faster when they are on board with the program.”
“I think he was being snotty with the babysitter crack,” Mark observed.
“Tone inflection doesn’t count when I make my repor
t. All I have to say is Mr. Castle agreed to the plan and I’m covered. What you do with him from there is your problem.” At that she turned on her heel and left the room.
“Don’t mind her, she hasn’t been happy since the Cubs won the world series.” Doctor Roberts smiled and left the room.
“Have the Cubs ever won a world series?” Maggie looked at her brothers for the answer.
They both ignored her question. Brad rubbed his face, feeling the fatigue. “Thanks for coming. By the way, how’s my car?”
“We don’t need to talk about that right now. Besides, you don’t have to thank us. Anyone can call a family meeting anytime.” She sat it down and patted his hand. “We need to get going if they’re releasing you on Friday. Two days isn’t a lot of time to get everything ready.”
Mark paused instead of following her out of the room. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”
“Dude, I just want to go home. Good or bad, it’s got to be better than this.” Brad felt the pill start to take effect and his vision blurred for a second.
“Then I’ll do what needs to be done.” Mark slugged him in the arm, but lightly. “See you back home.”
Maggie kissed his cheek and then followed her brother and mother out of the room. All of a sudden, Brad was alone. The way he liked life. But now, that girl would be in his house, his kitchen, his bed… He drifted off to sleep before finishing the thought.
***
Destiny Brooks hung up the phone and head-planted into her desk. “Today is just getting better and better.”
“Don’t tell me the power’s being turned off.” Jonny Carpenter, Destiny’s office manager and best friend wadded up a piece of copy paper and threw it at her. “I don’t have my laundry done.”
“The power will stay on for at least another month.” Destiny raised her head and glanced around the office that had once been her dream. “I don’t know what I was thinking, opening here. If I’d thought about it, I would have found a place in Spokane. I would have been near the hospital and several long-term care facilities.”
“Stop whining. The place hasn’t gone totally under yet. You could still pull it off.” Jonny had been a cheerleader in high school. Now she could be a successful motivational coach. But Destiny knew her friend was wrong. The writing was on the wall. St. Joseph’s Physical Therapy would close its doors no later than the end of next month. And that was with the money from the private job she’d just been offered.
“This place is on life support,” Destiny said. “You’re going to have to handle everything for the next month. I’ve just been hired to be Brad Castle’s handmaiden for the next six weeks.”
Jonny let out a low, slow whistle. “That’s one job I’d love to take on. The guy is hot!”
“He might be good looking but he’s awful. Have you ever talked to him? He makes me feel like an indentured servant.” Destiny forced a smile. “And now I get to spend 24/ 7 with him. The only reason I agreed was his mom is really nice. I couldn’t say no to her. Besides, with what their paying me for round the clock care, I should be able to sock some money away for my travel money once this place goes under.”
“You are such a Negative Nancy.” Jonny took her feet off the desk where she’d been relaxing. “I’ve got to go change over my laundry. You have ten minutes to get in a better mood, then we’re closing up shop and heading over to that Mexican place. A few margaritas and an enchilada plate will cheer you up.”
“Remember, I’m staying out at the Castle compound. I can’t get too wasted. I’ll never get up the hill.”
“Are you on call tonight?” Jonny asked. When Destiny shook her head, she smiled. “Then you’ll stay at my house. You’ll be locked up at the castle for weeks. We need a girl’s night out.”
“I’m not going to be much fun.” Destiny shut down her computer. “My mind’s been focused on trying to save the business for too long.”
Jonny paused at the doorway. “And that’s exactly why you need to relax. I’ll move over my last load and then we can go. I’m starving. And I’m buying tonight. You’ve been generous with me so I’ve got some money stocked away. Of course, if you’re serious about closing, I guess I need to be looking for a job.”
“Not for a while,” Destiny called after her. “Remember, I need you for six weeks.”
“I heard you.” Jonny’s voice echoed in the empty space.
The office got quiet and Destiny went around closing doors and shutting off lights. She touched the walls she’d painted cottage yellow less than a year ago. The wooden furniture she’d gotten from a motel closeout sale and had refinished herself. Hours of sweat, hard work, and love had gone into her office. Now, she would need to put everything she couldn’t sell in storage and close the doors. She hadn’t had a private client for over a month, besides Sandy Castle. And even though the woman was generous, Destiny couldn’t count on her paying all the costs.
She stared out the windows that looked out on Main Street. She’d loved this location. But now, the dream was dead. She needed to call it before the bank did it for her and ruined her credit.
“You did everything you could.” Jonny said from the doorway. “The town’s just not big enough for a private physical therapy business, especially with the hospital sending their patients to the affiliated place in Spokane.” Jonny’s words were true, but it didn’t take the sting out of what Destiny had to do.
She turned and smiled at her friend. “I guess I was expecting too much. I grew up in a small town like this. I hated taking my mom to the city for treatments. With the drive and the treatment, she’d be worn out before we even got home.”
“Do you have any leads on jobs?” Jonny lived here with her parents. She’d probably commute into Spokane when her employment ended.
“A few friends from school have emailed me about openings where they work. The good news is there’s always a spot for a physical therapist. I’ll just have to move to find the right one for me.” She turned the open sign to closed and locked the front door. “Let’s go get those margaritas.”
CHAPTER 2
Destiny unpacked her bag into the guest room Sandy had shown her to just a few minutes ago. The entire family had shown up, waiting for Brad’s arrival. They’d hired a private ambulance to bring him home from the Spokane hospital. She set her laptop on the small antique desk that must have cost the man a fortune. And from the looks of the room, it hadn’t been used, not since being placed here. Or maybe Brad Castle just had an excellent cleaning staff. The sheets were crisp and new and the down comforter, expensive.
She hung her few clothes up in the closet and then put the remainders into two drawers in the massive chest. Shoving the battered suitcase, she’d brought into the closet, she looked around the room. She imagined an expensive hotel room looked like this, even though she had no experience in anything costlier than the Holiday Inn in Spokane.
A knock sounded on her door and Sandy Castle peeked inside. “I hope I didn’t disturb you.”
“Come in to my castle room.” Destiny swept her arm toward the couch that sat in front of the room’s fireplace. “Oops, I didn’t mean it as a joke. This room is just so crazy. I’ve never been in something so lovely.”
“Brad went a little overboard when he built the house. It does feel like a castle.” Sandy went to the wall and flipped a switch. “It’s a gas fireplace, so if the temperature ever drops one night, you can just sit here and read.”
“June weather doesn’t give me a lot of need for a fire.” Destiny sank to the couch and watched the flames. “I might just have to crank up the air so I can do that before I leave.” She patted the couch next to her. “What’s on your mind?”
“Am I that transparent?” Sandy left the fireplace burning and sank into the overstuffed sofa.
“You seem like you have something on your mind.” Destiny shrugged. “We spent a lot of time together last winter when your hip was healing.”
“I think of you as more than just my physical th
erapist. You know that, right?”
Destiny narrowed her eyes. “I hear a but in that sentence. Spit it out. I’m not some wilting flower. Did you find someone else to do the job?”
“No. You’re stuck here with Brad until he’s released by the doctor.” Sandy smiled. “You’re not getting out of this that easy. I just wanted to warn you that he’s been a bit grumpier than usual. Okay, he’s been horrible.”
“I’ve dealt with troublesome clients before.” Destiny patted the older woman’s hand. “Don’t worry about it. I won’t give up on him. I need the job.”
Sandy played with the hem on her tunic. “I heard the gossip about the practice. Is it true you’re closing down next month?”
“I don’t see any other way.” She took a deep breath. “But with what you’re paying me to help Brad, I’ll go out on my own terms, not slink out of town in the dead of night to avoid my creditors. I appreciate your offer more than you know.”
“Well, just don’t let that son of mine be mean to you. If he won’t mind his manners, you just call me and I’ll come over and give him the rules.” Sandy looked at her watch. “Maggie should be here any minute with food. She and Mark will stay until early evening to help Brad get settled. Then, I’m afraid, dear, he’s all yours.”
“That’s what you’re paying me for, right?” Mark was newly married and had an elementary school aged kid. Maggie had just started living with the chef at her restaurant. The guy, Josh, was hot. Destiny could see why either sibling couldn’t just pack up their lives and move in with Brad. She stood and helped Sandy to her feet. “Do I have time to do some work before we eat?”
“Of course. I’ll send Mark up when we are sitting down to lunch. No need for you to get immersed in Castle business before you have to be.” Sandy made her way to the door. The woman walked with a spring in her step. “I hope you land on your feet after this. You deserve a break.”
