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“If you want, I can stay, too, okay?” she said.
With a sigh, he nodded and closed his eyes.
* * *
To say Spence was disappointed when he awoke the next morning just as Maddie was leaving his room was an understatement. He reminded himself that he shouldn’t depend on her so much, especially to feel safe. The brain trauma must be causing anxiety, that’s all. It’s not like he specifically needed Maddie’s caring nature to feel grounded. It could be anyone kind enough to offer comforting words.
If that was true, why hadn’t he felt grounded when Nurse Bethany came to check on him, or Nurse Tanya?
He felt smothered by the staff and utterly frustrated on so many levels. Dr. Danner seemed to enjoy holding Spence hostage, yet every minute spent at the hospital as a patient made him feel more broken, and more anxious because someone got to him here last night.
He appreciated both Maddie’s presence, and the police protection. Without them he wouldn’t have slept at all.
Ruth gave him the good news that the intruder hadn’t interrupted the MRI, and his scan indicated a mild concussion.
The discharge couldn’t come fast enough. Whatever trouble he’d stumbled into out in the mountains seemed to have followed him back to town. What else could explain the attack in the MRI department last night? He didn’t want to put staff members in danger by staying in the hospital another minute longer than necessary.
Chief Nate Walsh offered to give Spence a ride. Nate was a good friend and Spence didn’t feel he had to watch his words around him, or keep up the charming pretense.
“We’re doing everything we can to find the guy,” Nate said eyeing Spence in the rearview mirror of his cruiser. “You don’t remember anything he said, do you?”
“Not really, no.”
Spence racked his brain trying to remember something from the encounter last night. Between the head injury and the overmedication, it was all still foggy.
“Do you remember anything from last night?” Nate asked.
“Like what?”
Nate shot him a look through the rearview mirror.
“What?” Spence said, curious.
“Do you remember Maddie finding you?”
In a rush, the scent of coconut rushed through his mind. A memory...
The feel of his lips pressed against her soft skin.
“Oh no,” Spence said.
“So you do remember?” Nate teased.
“I really kissed her hand?”
“Yep.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
“You sure about that?”
Spence glanced out the window.
“Don’t worry, buddy. She knows you were under the influence of a powerful drug. She didn’t take it seriously.”
Good, because the last person Spence wanted to offend was the woman who’d saved his life. Twice.
As Nate pulled onto Spence’s property, he noticed two cars parked out front.
“Who’s here?” Spence said.
“Probably locals filling your fridge.”
Spence got out of Nate’s cruiser and was greeted by Cal, Dr. Carver’s husband. “How ya feeling, buddy?” Cal reached out and shook Spence’s hand.
“Hanging in there, Cal. What’s going on?”
“The McBride clan asked if they could stock the fridge. Since we’ve got your spare key, I let them in. Hope that’s okay.”
Nate shook hands with Cal. “That’s nice of you, Cal. But I think Spence is a little wiped out to have company.”
“No problem. Could you manage five minutes, Spence?” Cal asked. “To say thanks and all that?”
“Of course,” Spence said. He didn’t want to seem ungrateful, or rude.
Acting unusually curt would cause Drs. Carver and Danner to question the severity of his brain injury. Although his injury didn’t look serious on the scan, brain injuries were all different and unpredictable. TBI victims could experience mood swings, or personality changes, which was what his doctors would be looking for.
Spence had always worn a smile as his armor, but today his head hurt and his body ached. He wanted to relax without having to smile or make pleasant conversation.
“Your assistant is supposed to start tonight,” Cal said.
“Assistant?” Spence questioned.
“Ruth hired someone to help you out until you’re fully recovered,” Cal said.
“That’s not necessary.”
“Perhaps not, but she doesn’t want to take any chances. She found someone to check in on you for the next week or so, until you’re up and running at your usual 120 percent.”
Spence suspected it might take longer than a week. Two or three perhaps? What if he never cleared the clutter from his brain, and had to give up practicing medicine? He fisted his hand, frustrated at the thought of not being a doctor, not saving lives.
His life would be, in a word, over. Panic overwhelmed him.
Get it together, Spence. He pulled himself back from the edge. He’d be okay; he had to be okay. He was just exhausted.
The men went to the cabin and Cal swung open the door.
Margaret, matriarch of the McBride clan, was directing her daughter, Cassie, on building a fire.
Cassie glanced over her shoulder, dropped the kindling and ran into Nate’s arms. “Hi, Chief. I could use your fire expertise.”
Spence noticed Nate’s face light up as he hugged his girlfriend.
“With pleasure, dear,” he said, teasingly.
“Dr. Spencer, it’s so good to see you up and around,” Margaret said.
“Thank you.”
A light, melodic sound echoed from the kitchen. Spence glanced across the cabin. Maddie stood at the counter with her back to the group, singing along with a song playing through her earbuds.
“And I always knew...with your love...”
“Maddie?” her aunt Margaret said.
“I could do anything...”
“Maddie!” her aunt tried again.
Cassie grabbed a piece of kindling and tossed it at her cousin to get her attention.
Maddie shrieked and spun around, wielding a chopping knife like a weapon. She glanced at the utensil in her hand and scrunched her nose. Removing the earbuds, she offered a smile, blushing. “Sorry. Got lost in the music. Hi, Doc. Hi, Chief.”
“Maddie, nice to see you,” Nate said.
“I didn’t know there’d be four for dinner.” Maddie glanced over her shoulder at the vegetables she’d been chopping.
“Actually, I’ve got an appointment,” Cal said.
“I won’t be staying for dinner, either,” Nate said.
“Hey, my cooking isn’t that bad,” Maddie joked.
Joked. Smiled. Cooked. Spence enjoyed the moment, however fleeting.
“It’s not your cooking, coz,” Cassie said. “Chief promised me dinner at Mackey’s Dim Sum tonight.”
“Nice,” Maddie said with envy in her voice.
Spence suddenly wanted to take Maddie out to dinner.
Okay, now he was really losing his mind.
“Well, I’m off,” Cal said.
“Could I have the spare key for the officer who will be keeping watch?” Nate asked.
“Sure, Chief. Spence, your assistant should be checking in at eight. Well, have a good night, everyone.” Cal handed Nate the key and left.
“Your assistant?” Maddie asked.
“Dr. Carver hired someone to keep an eye on me,” Spence explained.
“Ah,” Maddie said, and went back to chopping vegetables.
Something felt off, Spence wasn’t sure what. He and Maddie hadn’t spoken about what had happened in the MRI room, and they probably should. At the very least he should apologize for kissing her hand.
“I brewed some herbal tea from Healthy Eats,” Maddie said. “It’s especially good for healing. Would you like a cup, Dr. Spencer?”
“Maddie, you’re in my home, making me dinner. Call me Spence like everyone else.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And no sir stuff.”
“Okay, Spence.”
It sounded strange coming out of her mouth, unusually intimate. Nate helped his girlfriend build the fire, and Margaret assisted Maddie with dinner preparation.
“So tea, yes?” Maddie asked.
“Yes, thank you.” Spence wandered to the living room sofa and collapsed.
“We’ll be out of your hair in a few minutes, Doctor,” Margaret said.
“Thanks.”
The cabin had an open floor plan along with two private bedrooms, so Maddie was never out of Spence’s sight. For some reason he liked being able to watch her auburn ponytail dance across her shoulders as she moved back and forth from the refrigerator to the sink.
This had to stop. He ripped his gaze from Maddie in time to see Nate kiss Cassie on the cheek.
“I’ll pick you up at seven,” Nate said.
“I’ll be ready.” When Cassie hugged him, Spence had to look away.
The love shared between those two was palpable. Spence had accepted the fact he wasn’t meant to experience romantic love, but some days he ached for what he was missing. No, it was the head injury messing with him, making him moody, that’s all.
“Come on, Ma.” Cassie motioned to Margaret.
“But I’m not done helping—”
“I can finish,” Maddie said. “I think the chief has to ask me some questions anyway, so I’ll stick around a little while.”
Margaret grabbed her purse and smiled at Spence. “You’re in our prayers, Doctor.”
“Thank you, Margaret,” he said.
“Don’t be late,” Cassie said to Nate.
