Page 51 of Rescuing Ryder

She rose, waited a minute and returned to her room without speaking.

Ryder frowned and pulled out his phone to text Whiskey.

Claire’s avoiding the living room. Do we need to have Doc refer her to a doc?

Three dots appeared.

Let me talk to Kassie. Whiskey replied.

Ryder went into the area in question. The cleaners scrubbed the room from top to bottom. Now, it held a lamp, the two armchairs by the fireplace, and someone brought a card table.

The water shut off and he listened as Claire dressed in the bathroom. When his phone rang, he pulled it from his holder and answered.

“Hello, Ryder. I understand there’s an issue with the living room. We planned to replace everything before she returned, but some of the furniture shows out of stock.”

“I don’t want you to replace it with the same stuff. It’ll remind her every time she walks in. Can you paint the walls? She likes blue but her favorite color is teal. Maybe change things up a bit,” Ryder rubbed the scruff along his jaw. What did he know about decorating?

“I didn’t know. The women and I will work on it. It may take some time to gather everything. How about we work on it while you take her to the doctor next week?”

“Yeah. That sounds good.” He disconnected the call as he went to check on Claire when he didn’t hear anything coming from her room.

Appearing lost and tired, she sat on the edge of the bed.

As he grew closer, he noticed the pooling liquid in her eyes. She glanced up when she heard his approach.

“I’m afraid, Ryder. I don’t think I can stay here,” she confessed.

He sighed as he grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. Lifting her legs on the bed, Ryder gently pushed her back amongst the pillows. “This sounds awkward coming from me. You might feel better if you talked to someone. It might be helpful if you spoke with one of your friends or another head shrink.” He brushed the hair from her eyes and stroked hertemples, recognizing the return of another headache. “I can’t believe I’m saying this. Don’t do anything rash about the house. You don’t want to make decisions while you’re still processing everything. If anything, the outside of the house should traumatize you more than the inside.” He rolled his eyes, making her laugh as she punched him in the arm. Leaning down, he kissed her forehead. “Take a nap. We might take a short walk to Ty’s for lunch for a change of pace.”

Her hands clasped over his wrist as her gaze met his. “Thank you,” Claire whispered.

“You’re welcome.” Ryder stroked her head until she fell asleep. Rising gently, he exited the room. Something about Claire made him want to protect her with his life, to watch over her and take care of her. The thought surprised him as much as scared him. Yet, it felt right.

Three days later,he felt like banging his head against the wall. Claire refused to go near the living room. It appeared she only owned a house with four rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a porch. The rest didn’t exist in her world.

Carol sat with her while he went to PT and therapy. When Ryder returned, the nurse shook her head at him as she left, telling him without words that Claire refused to leave her room.

Claire lay on the bed, squinting as she attempted to read her files. She held a hand over her injured eye and moved the paperwork closer and then farther back trying to read it.

“Put it down,” Ryder ordered.

An angry eye shot in his direction, and she ignored him.

“I don’t give a second warning, Claire Bear,” he growled as he approached the bed, yanking the folder from her hand and swiping the rest from the bed.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.

Ryder calmly set the items in the dining room, where he knew she refused to venture. A smart ass move, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Returning to her room, Ryder walked over the threshold when a pillow smacked him square in the face. Another missile launched and he deflected it as he advanced toward her.

“You’re not the boss of me,” Claire yelled.

“I am for the moment, Claire Bear, and if you throw one more pillow at me, be prepared to accept the consequences,” he warned.

One of the fancy pillows she used to decorate the bed hit him in the shoulder as he lunged toward her.

Claire’s eyes widened when she saw his determined expression. She scrambled across the bed as he grabbed her ankle and pulled her toward him.

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