Page 6 of Horoscope to Love
“Who is Ellis?”
The nurse tilts her head in confusion at me. “The young man who brought you in.”
Suddenly the memory of a wet, naked man in only a towel flashes in my mind. I try to remember what happened after I saw him, but the memory is only coming back to me in bits and pieces.
“He carried you in here," the nurse adds like the idea would make me swoon.
I hunch into myself, realizing he must have really put those muscles to work to carry me in his arms. I'm not a dainty little flower that weighs nothing. Heat floods my cheeks, and I'm embarrassed by everything that has happened.
The nurse doesn't let me wallow too long. She informs me that Doc was about to close up when Ellis pulled in, and he was looking to get home. I let her lead me out to the waiting room, where I see the doctor talking to Ellis.
Neither one notices our approach at first, and I'm grateful for the chance to really look at this Ellis guy. He's cuter than I remember, but then again, my eyes were drawn elsewhere when we last were face to face. I can see a small blood spot near his shoulder where my head must have rested against him as he carried me inside.
"Doctor," the nurse interrupts, and the two men look over at us.
“There she is,” the doctor smiles at me. “I was just telling Ellis here that I don’t think you have a concussion.”
Shouldn’t he be telling me this?
Judging from the uncomfortable look on Ellis’s face, I’m guessing he’s thinking the same thing.
“I’m starting to feel much better,” I lie to the doctor, all the while, trying to ignore the curious gaze of Ellis.
“Well, I’m glad to hear that. I just want to make sure that you have someone to watch over you tonight. I don’t think you should be alone.”
I shake my head. “It's just me, and I was just going to get a room at the inn I passed on the way into town.”
“The Cozy Inn is booked up for the festival this weekend," he says before turning to Ellis. "I wouldn't think it was a problem for the young lady to stay with you for the night so that you could look out for her?"
Ellis's expression grows tight like he's been painted into a corner—which I guess he has. But I'm not going to let him suffer.
“It’s fine,” I say. “I can just find somewhere else to stay.”
Ellis exchanges a skeptical glance with the doctor before turning to me.
“It’s fine. You can stay with me tonight. I wouldn’t want to be the reason someone isn’t there to look out for you.”
The doctor claps him on the shoulder. “Good man.”
“Even if you did break into my house,” he adds under his breath so only I can hear him.
