Page 22 of Island Protector

Molly chuckled. “Fair enough. But you don’t have to worry about it. Sharon and I have it covered.”

The next few days, possibly weeks, would be a matter of juggling schedules with only one car, but they’d done it before. Although Molly needed answers, she wasn’t looking forward to the insurance company’s decision on the fate of her vehicle.

Nina wrapped her in a gentle side hug. “Remember you have friends who will help out anyway we can.”

“Thanks.”

Thinking of friends brought Miles to the front of her mind. She hadn’t decided how to interpret their conversation from last night. Part of her still felt as if it might’ve been a dream.

Did he really want something more than a casual friendship with her?

Would he feel the same way in a few days or weeks? She was going to need all the time Miles could give to Bryce while she was in limbo with vehicles and lawyers and court.

“How’s Bryce doing?” Nina asked.

“Sharon said he didn’t miss a beat. After they had dinner with Miles he went to bed like a champ and got up raring to go this morning. He’s probably already told everybody at school all about the accident.”

“Miles?”

Molly ignored the speculation in Nina’s voice. Thinking of the collision made her shiver. Not just the impact itself. She wasn’t sure she’d ever forget the sound of metal crunching around her body. Worse was being out of control, the lurch when the car finally stopped. The tears from Bryce.

And the ticket Will had been required to issue. It seemed like every five minutes she was fighting to avoid falling into a spiral of negativity knowing that mistake could be used against her.

This time the nurse walked in, interrupting their talk and Molly’s dark thoughts. When she was done explaining that Molly would be discharged by mid-morning, Nina was smiling once more.

“I’m heading into the shop, but I know a great brunch place.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Nina.” She looked too rough to go out.

“You deserve to be pampered right now. Let me handle everything.”

Nina was as unstoppable as Miles and Molly didn’t bother arguing. “Great.”

“Yes, it will be,” Nina promised.

Then she was gone and Molly was alone. Well, not entirely. She had the sweet scent of flowers reminding her that people cared about her. She dozed a bit, checked in with Dr. Sanders, the older physician who was on duty today, and watched her phone for any messages from the lawyer.

At last one came through, a text message from the Devaney Law Firm in Chicago, complete with a link to a confidentiality form and a disclaimer three times as long as the text. While she waited for confirmation of her first phone appointment, she found the firm’s website and learned what she could. It wasn’t much, since her head started to ache behind her eyes.

Dr. Sanders had just reminded her that the concussion might interfere with activity and thinking for days to come.

Not what she wanted to hear when she needed to be at her best to deal with the Graingers.

Giving in to her limitations for the moment, she turned her phone upside down and tried to rest her eyes.

“Knock, knock!”

She jerked awake to see Nina striding into the room.

Molly checked the clock and realized she’d slept for nearly an hour. Immediately she grabbed her phone, but the law firm hadn’t confirmed the appointment yet.

“They said they were letting you snooze,” Nina said. “But we can go when you’re ready.”

How was Nina taking off so much time during a crunch week? “I just need cleanclothes.”

“Sharon left your bag right here.” Nina lifted a duffle from the floor to the bed. “Need any help?”

Molly knew when she was being steamrolled. As weak as she felt, it was better to go along with it and conserve her energy. “I’ve got it.”

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