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“Or lost in the scary water.” Reece took hold of her mom’s hand. “Mommy would have been so sad.”
Mandy’s heart pounded with memories of watching cars in front of her plunge into the depths of Refuge River. Her hands trembled and so did her lips. Sounds from the wreck clanged in her ears and drowned out rational thought. She drew deep breaths and focused on Reece’s antics with Bearby until the impending flashback receded. She rubbed sudden moisture off her quaking palm by running it across her thigh. “I don’t blame her. I would have been sad, too. But you are safe—and you are here.”
But others weren’t.
Mandy fought debilitating dread at the grief and hardship that families of those who didn’t get out of their cars in time were going through this instant. Several survivors were permanently injured, which was why it was taking so long for her to be seen. “If there was a room or even equipment free, I’d go back there and treat myself.”
Amelia laughed. “You’re gutsier than me.”
“I seriously would, just to ease the staff’s burden and relieve someone of duty. The hospital is on trauma alert. Every available space is taken. And my injuries are minor.”
“Couldn’t waiting be bad for you if it’s broken?” Amelia eyed her wrist with concern.
Mandy shrugged, not wanting to think about things like nerve damage from swelling and how that would affect her work.
“What does a broken bone feel like, Miss Mandy?” Reece asked.
“Like it got hit.” With a sledgehammer. Hard. Twenty times.
“Owie.” Reece nuzzled Mandy’s sling with Bearby.
“Ah-ah-ah.” Amelia guided the bear away. “We don’t touch.”
“Bearby’s just trying to make Miss Mandy feel better. Hospitals are scary.” Reece darted wide eyes around, then scooted closer to Amelia.
She’s afraid. Mandy felt bad for them staying here on her account. “I work in hospitals all the time. I’ll be fine if you’d like to go home.”
“Can we, Mommy? I love Miss Mandy but I’m scared.”
“Sure.” Amelia held Reece and cast Mandy apologetic glances.
“It’s fine. Honestly. I will call you if I need something.”
“Okay. Would it be an imposition to get your phone number so I can check on you? And verify you’re still up for coffee?”
“Not at all. You have paper and something to write with?”
Amelia pulled out a notebook with an attached mini pen.
Mandy scribbled as best she could left-handed. “Here you go.”
“I won’t share this info with anyone.”
Mandy laughed. “Didn’t think you would. No one ever calls me anyway. Not even telemarketers.” No one ever calls me.
Why had she revealed that? Especially when bursts of sympathy spritzed from Amelia’s eyes? No one needed to burden themselves with her loneliness. Yet something about Amelia North beckoned. She emanated warmth and trust conducive to friendship.
“Be glad about the telemarketers. We get calls all day long.” Laughing, Amelia picked up Reece. “Let’s skedaddle so Miss Mandy can rest.” They made their way to the exit.
Mandy missed the company immediately. The chatter had kept her mind off the pain. She closed her eyes to mentally wash it out but instead, images of water swirling through broken car windows rushed in.
She jerked open her eyes and sat up. Sweat broke out over her cheeks, forehead and palms. Whether from the flashback or the pain, she couldn’t be sure.
A hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up.
“Dr. Manchester?” Nurse Bailey hovered. “How’re you faring?”
Mandy tilted her good hand sideways and back. “Hanging in.”
“It’s gonna be another couple hours before someone can set that fracture. All the docs are in surgery. Sure you don’t wanna pain shot?” Her face revealed empathetic apology.
“I’m sure.” She’d never had narcotics and didn’t want to lose control in front of staff. “I can wait.”
Nurse Bailey looked doubtful. “All right then. Call me if you change your mind.”
The more Mandy watched her coworkers, nurses and other medical personnel scurry about, the more restless she became.
She blew out a frustrated breath. Feeling a snooze coming on, she leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes.
Warmth spread across her stomach, arms and chest. She stretched open her eyes. Sound trickled into her consciousness.
Someone stood above her. Someone familiar. She blinked awake.
“Nolan?” Her heart began to pound and she reached for him.
Then remembered.
She tucked her hands back beneath the gauzy white hospital blanket he must have brought and spread out over her torso.
“Hey.” He knelt in front of her. “You haven’t been seen yet?”
She shook her head. “They’re swamped.”
“How are you holding up?” He tugged the blanket back and palpated her fingers, peeking through the stretchy bandage he’d applied on the bridge.
“Fair.”
“It’s twice as swollen as on the bridge. What did they give you for pain?”
Her voice caught at the softness in his. “I—I haven’t had anything.” She dipped her face, partly to avoid the compassion in his. How she hated to be weak in front of him again.
Nolan rose, looking determinedly down halls, probably for a nurse.
Mandy straightened. “They offered but I declined it.”
He inclined his head. “Now why would you go and do a silly—”
“Dr. Manchester?” Nurse Bailey approached.
Thank goodness. Saved by the Bailey.
“Yes?” Mandy stood.
Nolan stepped back but put his hand to her unaffected elbow.
Bailey motioned toward the unit. “You’re up next. Come on back.”
Nolan made motions to follow. Mandy held her hand palm up in halt position. Comically annoyed but steadfast, he looked at it like it was no barrier. When his gaze reached hers, he stopped and drew a long breath that made his chest bigger. Like it needed it. Not!
“Look Mandy, I came here to see how you were. But also, I wanted to set up a time to meet. We need to talk.”
Her hand jammed to her hip. “Not interested in discussing anything.” Knees trembling, she turned to go.
A strong hand curled around her healthy wrist. “Don’t be mule-headed.” He moved toward the room with her still in hand.
She stopped, tugged her hand free and shot him a caustic glare. “Bye, Nolan.”
His body tensed, but paused. The knot in his jaw rippled. Always a sign of frustration in Nolan. Yet rarely, if ever, had it been directed at her.
She turned to go to the room Nurse Bailey disappeared into.
“This is far from over, Mandy.” The decree floated from somewhere behind her.
She ignored him until she reached the room entrance. Then mistakenly cast a glance over her shoulder to see if he’d actually listened to her and left.
Right.
He stood, stubborn and tall, feet planted right where her words had left him. And according to the steel-plated glint in his resolute eyes he not only wasn’t going anywhere, her words may as well have fallen on deaf ears.
He wasn’t budging.
This is far from over.
Then an unspoken version of that message traveled, mesmerizingly slow and daringly potent, down the corridor from his eyes to hers. And his immovable jutting stance said exactly the same yet fractionally different:
We are far from over.
Chapter Five
“It’s broken for sure?” Mandy askd Dr. Riviera after she’d been taken to a room and her wrist X-rayed.
“Yes.”
A sinking feeling hit her gut. “Are soft tissues involved?”
Wheels on the med cart squeaked as he pushed it toward her. “Subsequent X-rays and an MRI will tell for sure. But judging by the pain, swelling and disfigured angle of the hand, I’m guessing yes.”
“Figured as much.” How would this affect her job? Could she safely carry out examinations with her left hand when she was right-handed? Her mind clicked through common procedures. Discouragement abounded.
A knock sounded at the door. “Bailey in here?” a male voice Mandy recognized as Dr. Callahan’s asked. “We have issues in nine and could use another pair of arms.”
“You’re in hot demand today.” Mandy smiled at Bailey, feeling compassion for the tired woman. All the wrung-out staff, really.
“Always. Excuse me.” Nurse Bailey scurried out.
Dr. Riviera suddenly looked weary as he moved into the light. Dark shadows circled his normally bright eyes, now bloodshot. Puffy bags of skin clung to them, making him look older.
Empathy filled her. “You’ve been here all night?”
He nodded and offered a tired smile. “I’ll get relief soon. I wanted to see your treatment through first.” He stifled a yawn.
“I understand.” She eyed the cart and moved to the edge of the table’s padded seat. Paper crinkled beneath her. “So what torture are you about to inflict, hmm?”
He chuckled. “First, I need to know how you’re getting home. If these bones aren’t aligned, we’ll need to reset the hand.”
Ouch. “I know.”
“Which means you also know I’ll have to heavily sedate or anesthetize you?”
She gritted her teeth and nodded.
He unwrapped her bandage. “Whoever splinted this did a fabulous job.”
Mandy licked her lips and stared at a spot on the wall.
“Be right back and we’ll get this fixed up after I snag someone to help me. Now that Callahan stole Bailey from me.”
It took longer than Mandy expected for the door to open. Dr. Riviera re-entered, armed with hot pink casting paraphernalia.
Bailey started Mandy’s IV, then left to answer a call light.
Wheels creaked as an anesthetist entered with a cart. “You’re not going to be able to walk home after we apply this.” He looked pointedly at Mandy’s wrist, the anesthesia cart and casting material. “Is there someone you can call?”
“I’d offer a ride but we have a mandatory stress debriefing,” Riviera said.
“I imagine patients need this bed, too.” Occupied gurneys crammed all hallways with curtained partitions around them. Guilt slammed her over having this private room.
“Other than you and Doc Callahan, the two hoodlums who recruited me to supposedly calm Refuge, I don’t know anyone awake at this hour.” She hated to wake Amelia.
“You know me,” Nolan said from the door.
Her head lifted.
He must have had a shower because he looked clean-shaven and wore civilian clothes. Trendy jeans hugged lean legs, revealing muscles she hadn’t noticed yesterday. His shirt caught her attention too. A pressed black button up with silvery-white pin stripes—her favorite colors. Coincidence? Or did he remember? Nolan never wore black in the summer.
She cleared her throat and eyed her supervisor.
Dr. Riviera watched them with amused interest.
