Page 51 of Treat Her Right

“Yeah, well, I could tell by my parents’ expressions, they considered it one and the same.”

Zack paused to look down at her. His breath smelled of toothpaste and was warm. “I was watching you through that window, cursing you if you want the truth, and when I saw you fall, my heart almost stopped.”

At the husky tone of his voice, something inside Wynn turned to mush—probably her brains. But it sounded as if he cared about her, at least enough to not want her to break her neck.

Wynn drew a breath. “I’m sorry,” she answered, her voice just as husky. “I didn’t hear them drive up.”

“Mmmm.” Zack stared at her mouth. “Had your mind on other things did you?”

“She was daydreamin’,” Dani said and pulled the door open with exaggerated impatience.

“Is that right?” Zack stepped into the kitchen and went through to the family room. “Were you daydreaming, Wynn? About what, I wonder.”

She muttered close to his ear, “As if you didn’t know,” and saw his small satisfied smile.

He lowered her carefully to the couch. “Let me get your shoe and sock off.”

“I can do it.”

Of course he ignored her wishes and untied her laces. “Zack, my feet are probably sweaty by now. I’ve been up and working since about five.”

“Do you ever not work?” Pushing aside her fretful hands, he eased her sneaker off. “Sweaty,” he confirmed as he peeled her sock away and began examining her toe.

Wynn stretched up to see. Dani stood beside her and patted her shoulder.

Her poor little baby toe was already black and blue and the bruising had climbed halfway up her foot. It was swollen and looked awful. Seeing it made it hurt worse, but she forced a laugh and said, “Big and sweaty. Betcha wish now you’d left my sock on.”

“Damn, Wynn,” Zack muttered, touching her foot with a heart wrenching gentleness. “It’s definitely broken. You need to ice it, then get it taped. Can your doctor see you today?”

“For a baby toe?” She snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous.” Wynn seriously doubted she could hobble her way to the doctor right now, the way her foot felt. How one small toe could cause so much pain was a mystery.

The kitchen door opened and closed and her parents joined them at the couch. Her father went straight for her head and began trying to groom her hair. Her mother asked, “Do you have any herbal tea? That always helps.”

Zack looked pained, then resigned. “I need to be getting to work. But she has a broken toe, maybe even a broken foot, so it should be X-rayed. She’s also got a lot of cuts and scratches that’ll need to be cleaned.”

Her father said, “Wynn, Wynn, Wynn.”

She swatted his hands away from her hair. “I’m fine, Dad.”

Chastity looked Zack over from head to toe and back again. “Well.” She smiled. “You run along young man. We’re here now and we’ll take good care of her.”

“You’re a hippie,” Dani said with awe.

Zack said, “Dani!”

But Chastity laughed. “Did my daughter tell you that?”

Dani nodded. “And you gots rings on your toes.”

“Just two rings, but they’re made of a special metal that has healing powers. Perhaps I’ll put one on Wynn and it’ll make her toe heal quicker.”

“No!” Zack caught himself and stood. He looked frazzled and harassed and undecided. “No rings.” Then, stressing the point by speaking slowly, he said, “She needs an X-ray.”

“Zack,” Wynn said, “I’m a big girl.”

“Indeed.” Her father moved from her hair to Dani’s and Dani appeared to love the attention. She even gave Artemus a huge grin.

“I can take care of myself. I’m not an idiot!”

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