Page 88 of Christmas Candy

“How’s the other guy?” I tried to sit up, but couldn’t quite make it.

Anna pressed a hand to my shoulder. “Lie still. I’m going to check you. What hurts the worst?” She was so close, the concern in her eyes lighting me up from the inside.

“The other guy?”

“He’s fine, Niles.” She blew a strand of hair out of her face in one sexy, exasperated move. “Just had the wind knocked out of him. Now, where?”

She peered into my eyes, one after the other.

“Left calf.”

She disappeared from my view and I cursed. Pressure at my knee and then lower, her small hands working deftly. The pain grew the further she went until I groaned.

“It’s broken.” She came back in my field of vision. I smiled.

“That’s not a good thing, Niles.” She frowned.

“I know. I just—”

“I see ski patrol further up the run. They’ll be here in a minute.” The big blue bear of a man was still standing off to the side, watching and directing traffic.

“Where else hurts?” She ran her hands along my chest and down to my abs. “Any of this bother you?”

“No, but keep going with the massage.”

She rolled her eyes but still gave me a small smile before feeling down my arms. I was achy, but nothing held a candle to the pain in my leg. The cold of the snow seeped into my back and I wanted to sit up, but I didn’t try it lest I make my nurse angry.

“There’s another spot, too.”

She paused and looked at me expectantly.

“Just south of my navel and north of my upper thighs.”

The big blue bear laughed. Anna smacked me on the arm and then held her hand to her mouth with horror.

She looked like a snow angel. “It’s okay, Anna. I had that hit coming.”

“He did,” agreed blue bear.

The purr of an engine approached, and it wasn’t long before I was loaded up and carted down the mountain. Anna rode along with me, worry painting her face and coloring her dark eyes.

At the ER and then before surgery, she held my hand and kept a watch. It was as if she’d already gone into doctor mode.

She was even waiting when I woke up from surgery, along with Dad and a worried Ellen.

Ellen hugged my neck with the strength of ten blue bears. When my eyes started to bulge, Dad pulled her away and I lay back against the stack of pillows in the hospital bed. Anna held my other hand.

“Well at least you’re getting along with your sister.” Dad smiled.

Anna cringed and let my hand go. I wanted to grab it back.

“I meant it as a compliment, Annalise.”

“Who cares?” Ellen asked. “I’m just glad we’re all in one piece. Well, we all are now thanks to the rod in your leg.”

Anna backed away from the bed and sat. She looked drained.

I glanced at the windows behind her. It was dark outside.

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