Page 15 of Mountain Bean Dream

The triage nurse took my information and escorted me toward an open bed.

“I’ll…” Jeremy swallowed and slowly released his air as he looked around uncomfortably. “I’ll wait for you.” He pointed to the plastic chairs like they were his escape route. Still, he stayed within easy reach, shifting on his feet like he wanted to be anywhere else—but also couldn’t quite leave me. “There.”

I stared at Jeremy, with his brows deeply knit together. He didn’t look like he wanted to be here anymore than I did.

“I’m okay if you want to sit with me and keep me company.” When his face scrunched up, I backpedalled. “But only if you’re comfortable with it.”

He blinked slowly and spoke just as calmly. “You sure?”

“I’m serious. Crossword clues make great conversation,” I said, trying for a joke. Hospitals scared me—the overwhelming feeling of hurt and pain was too much to feel—and doctors were no better. Every time as a child when I was forced to visit one, it was uncomfortable, rudely invasive, and frightening to a level I never remembered what was asked.

Being alone was just too much to handle at the moment.

“Fine.” He rubbed the back of his neck, and then met my eyes. “But if you scream, I get to pretend I don’t know you.”

“But what if I’m holding your strong hand when they do whatever it is they’ll need to do?”

We both looked down at his hands. They did look strong, slightly rough, and weathered, but still powerful. Just what I needed right now.

“I’ll still pretend,” he said with a wink.

He remained two steps behind me to the second curtained-off bed, and after I explained to the nurse what had happened, I handed him my coat.

She took notes, and said she’d be back with the doctor. As Jeremy was draping my jacket over the empty chair, the curtain parted enough for me to see the nurse talking to the doctor who had his back to me. Until he read the chart, turned around, andhis face lit up with a Cheshire grin.

Well, grind my beans and call me bitter – Dr. Derek Davidson was the on-call doctor.

Chapter Six

The curtain pulled all the way open and when Derek stepped in, there was a giant grin on his clean-cut face, until he spotted Jeremy. With one eye raised, his gaze volleyed between me and Jeremy to my pain-riddled face and then to my shoulders where Jeremy settled his hands.

“Well, what do we have here?” Derek held tightly to the chart with one hand and shoved the other into the pocket of his lab coat.

I didn’t like his tone, but I figured I was reading more into it than I should’ve. However, it didn’t stop me from countering with my own crummy attitude, and I shifted on the bed trying to be as strong as I could. “I wiped out and banged my elbow.”

“You fell?” But he wasn’t looking at me, he was staring down Jeremy. “How?”

“How what?”

He narrowed his eyes, not so much at me as he did at Jeremy. His tone remained as indignant as his look. “Did you hit your head? Maybe I should order a head CT just in case.” Was he serious? “How did you trip? I need the details.”

I wasn’t sure if he was joking or not. “I was walking backward, and with the back of my shoe, the left one I think, I caught the top of a parking curb and went down.”

“You tripped?”

Was there an echo? “Yeah.”

“Her head really hit the pavement hard,” Jeremy added.

Although I was going to get there eventually, it wasn’t my main concern. My elbow hurt more than my throbbing head.

“You tripped? Backward?” There were questions in his eyes I didn’t like seeing, and an accusatory tone in his voice.

“What exactly are you getting at?” Jeremy asked at thesame time as I stated, “I want a new doctor.”

With that, Derek shot up straight, and I didn’t miss the side-eye he gave Jeremy. “And you are...?” His gaze lingered too long on Jeremy; the words laced with a politeness that felt as sharp as broken glass.

Wow. Suddenly my once handsome boyfriend was quickly evolving into an ugly monster.

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