Page 64 of Home Changes
Allison groaned as she woke up. She opened her eyes, blinking at the glaring lights above her. “Hey, you’re back with us.” Stephanie’s voice turned her head.
“What?” She frowned and then bolted up. “Lottie? Seth?”
“Both are going to be fine. Zeke is stitching up Seth.” Allison closed her eyes. “Oh, yeah.”
“Figured you’d be better here than in there with him.” Stephanie chuckled.
“Yeah, thanks.” Allison sat up. “Ken has that bastard in custody, right?”
“Oh, yeah. Seth did a number on his wrist. But with Zeke so busy with Lottie, Seth, and you, he’s waiting for the ambulance crew to come up fromBelle.” Stephanie looked at her and smiled. “Sucks to be him.”
“Right?” Allison smiled back at her, and then the expression dropped. “I saw him choking Lottie. I hit him with the lid of the garbage can to get him off her.”
“How did he get behind the bakery?”
“Drove straight in from the back. We should probably tell the Hollisters to check their fencing.” Allison rubbed the back of her neck. “Lottie came down to help me with wrapping the Fall Festival coffee cakes. She wouldn’t be seen from the front. We were wrapping in the break room. Big mistake.”
“You couldn’t have known he was out in the field watching.”
Allison shook her head. “She’s okay?”
“She will be.” Stephanie sighed. “It’ll take a while for her to trust another human, that’s for sure. Zeke wants to keep her with us overnight. Airway edema after strangulation could happen later, which would need intervention.”
“I have some savings, Steph. I can pay for any care she receives.”
Stephanie shook her head. “This is just time. Just a neighborly watch. Nothing to pay.” Steph handed her a cup of water. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah. Thanks. I’ve never fainted at the sight of anyone else’s blood before. Just mine.” She frowned. “Weird.”
“No, not really. You were in a high-stress situation, and it’s pretty obvious you two are into each other.”
“That’s mild, but I’ll admit to it.” Allison chuckled.
“Well, I’m happy for you.”
Allison smiled. “Thank you. Is Ken coming by for statements?”
“He’s in with Lottie now. She’s latched onto Gregg Koehler, though. He held her while the asshat was fighting Seth, so I think she’s holding onto him as her safety net.”
Allison took a sip of the water Steph had given her. “Wish this was a bit stronger.”
“Sorry, the good stuff requires a prescription.”
Allison opened her mouth to respond when the door opened, and Seth walked in. He lifted his arm. A pristine white bandage circled his arm. “No blood. Don’t faint.”
She made a face at him as he walked over and pulled her into his arms while she was sitting on the exam table. “God, that fight was the most vicious thing I’ve ever seen,” Allison whispered.
Seth’s arms tightened around her. “He didn’t stand a chance until he pulled that knife. I’ll give him credit. For a big guy, he was fast.”
“For an insane asshat, you mean,” Allison said and shivered at the memory of that knife. “Where did you learn how to fight like that?”
“Well, I’d like to say military training.” Seth chuckled. “But in reality, I had a period of rebellion when I was a young airman and had a few bar fights. You learn fast to think on your feet. Thankfully, I was never caught.” His hands rubbed up and down her back. “Zeke said I was good to go. Take me back to your place?”
She looked up at him. “Absolutely. Should we tell Lottie we’re going?”
Seth nodded and bent down to kiss her lightly. “We’ll do that.”
Allison slid off the exam table, and Seth took her hand in his. Stephanie was in the hall when they walked out. “She’s down there. Sorry, there was no way I couldn’t hear you, and I was humming to myself as loud as I could.”
