Page 10 of Hunting Justice

“It’s not great.” He had to be careful or the woman would toss him in her car and head straight to the nearest hospital. “But it’s manageable.”

“You’ll tell me if it gets worse?” She pinned him with a glare.

“Promise.” And he would. He might not like a trip to the emergency department, but he wasn’t stupid. Head injuries weren’t something to mess around with.

She nodded. “Then let’s go.”

Jonah took a step and swayed.

Noelle’s hand shot out and grabbed his arm. “Easy there, cowboy.”

He snorted. “As if. I’m a city boy through and through.”

A chuckle escaped her lips. “Leave it to you to take me literally.”

“Full disclosure, that’s all.” He shrugged and took a few more steps. “I think I’m good now.”

“Seems like it,” Noelle responded, but she never let go of his arm while they walked in silence to Ricky’s.

He appreciated her support—literally. His legs hadn’t felt this wobbly since the one and only time he’d gone bungee jumping. He used to thrive on the intensity of the emergency department, but now he coveted the relaxed atmosphere of the morgue. At least he didn’t face life-and-death situations anymore.

The last hour had proved his craving for adrenaline rushes had disappeared. He supposed that’s what happened when you couldn’t save the woman you loved more than life itself. A lot of good being the top ER doctor in the region had done. He’d failed his wife Cara in the worst possible way.

They strode from the residential street and turned onto the business-lined main street.

Pedestrians hurried down the sidewalk, rushing to get who knew where. Cars zipped by as the tail end of rush hour faded. Life went on.

The events of the day caught up with him, and his pace slowed. Either Noelle didn’t notice, or she chose not to say anything.

Jonah’s scrapes and cuts burned, and his head pounded from the exertion. He wanted to laugh. Since when had two blocks become exercise?

The sight of the small diner next to Belinda’s Bookstore made him want to cheer. The window’s red script lettering, Ricky’s Café, called to him. Jonah hated to admit how badly his injuries were affecting him, but sitting down had become his goal.

Noelle opened the door to the café. The bell dinged, and she gestured for him to enter.

He plodded to a booth next to the window and dropped his aching body onto the seat. He rested his head on the cushioned back and closed his eyes. His mind blocked out the noises around him. The murmur of voices in the eating establishment faded.

How could Ken be dead? A lump sat like a boulder in his throat. What a waste.

“Jonah?” Noelle’s subtle Southern drawl shook him from this musing.

By sheer will, he opened his eyes and stared into the brightest blue irises he’d ever seen. How had he not noticed the fascinating color before? He tilted his head and studied her. Her blonde hair that parted on the side fell over one side of her face. Jonah’s fingers itched to touch it, to see if it was as silky as it appeared.

“Did you hear me?”

He blinked. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“That’s what I thought.” She tucked the stray strand of hair behind her ear. “What just ran through that head of yours?”

No way he’d admit his wayward thoughts. She was way too important to confess his sudden attraction. Sudden? Liar. “Not important.”

A glass of water sat on the table in front of him. Condensation dribbled down the mason jar that held the ice-cold drink. When had the waitress come by? Man, he needed to get his head in the game.

“By the way, I ordered for you.”

His gaze jerked to hers. “What?”

Noelle chuckled. “You were a bit out of it. I figured I’d give you time to pull yourself together and not disturb you for a minute or two.”

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