Page 33 of Faking I Do
“The armadillo.” Adeline narrowed her eyes. “Are you feeling okay? You look a little pale.”
Shaking my head, I stood. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Or at least I would be when I had a moment to compose myself and evaluate the situation.
“Great. See you Friday.” Adeline turned and walked away, a bounce in her step that hadn’t been there before.
I figured I was one for two. I’d succeeded in keeping Adeline from freaking out, but now I found myself even more ingrained in the wedding-planning process.
Frustrated and with one person to blame, I pulled up Bodie’s number. If I had to go to Dallas to shop for wedding dresses all weekend, he’d have to pick up the slack around town.
CHAPTER 17
BODIE
I cringedas the overpowering scent of antiseptic enveloped me. I hated going to the hospital. It was bad enough when I had to interview a victim or follow up with a suspect. But having to visit my dad in the hospital was ten times worse, especially since Pops had been less than helpful on the phone.
With the help of a nurse, two volunteers, and a doctor who looked like he’d just rolled off a twenty-four-hour shift, I located my dad. He was in the emergency room, bellowing orders from his bed. I pushed back the curtain and did a double take.
“Dad?” Clearly the man in the flimsy hospital gown was my dad. But a giant bandage covered half his head, including his right eye. “What the hell?”
“Just a little accident.” Pops stood and pulled the curtain closed.
“Are you going to be okay? What happened?” For someone trained in crisis management and critical situations, my natural instincts took over. “Who did this to you?”
Pops shot me a silencing glare. “Like I said, just a little accident. He’ll be good as new by Friday.”
My gaze drifted over my dad’s face. The bandage covered most of his right cheek, stretching up to his eyebrow. A purple-bluish tinge spread from under the edges. “Good as new by Friday” seemed very optimistic. “But you said someone sent him a?—”
“Shh.” Pops’s eyebrows drew down into a fierce line. “We can talk about that later.”
Dad waved off the nurse messing with his IV. “I’ll be fine. I don’t know why your grandfather called you to begin with.”
“What happened?” Based on Pops’s reaction, I hoped they’d fill me in later.
“Tried two-stepping with a two-by-four,” Dad joked. “The board won.”
I shook my head as I stepped closer to the bed. “I’m glad to know you’ll be all right. Pops could have mentioned that on the phone so I didn’t race over here wondering if you were about to take your last breath.”
Pops shrugged. He was never one to waste unnecessary words. I should have been used to that by now.
“Looks like I’ll live to tell.” Dad lowered his voice. “At least for another day or two.”
He and Pops were tighter than two ticks on a coonhound. But until they felt like bringing me into the circle of trust, it wouldn’t do any good to pry.
“Can I do anything for you? When are they going to let you out of here?” Based on what I saw, my dad wasn’t in any danger. At least nothing more than the danger of having a bad headache and a face that might frighten small children away for the next couple of weeks.
Pops slumped into the vinyl recliner next to the bed. “I’ll make sure he gets home okay. But we need to talk about this.”
Nodding, I agreed. “Yeah, you two need to tell me what’s going on.”
“Stop by tomorrow afternoon,” Pops said. “We’ll chat then.”
I stepped closer to the bed. “Let me know if you need anything.” I reached out to put my hand on my dad’s, then thought better of it and pulled back.
“You know what we need,” Dad grunted. “Did you make arrangements yet?”
My heart squeezed. Dad was talking about Lacey. What was it with those damn beavers anyway? “No.”
Dad’s fist came down on the thin hospital mattress with a whomp. “Dammit, we don’t have forever.”
