Page 29 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

“I’m not mad.”

Callum watched her as he stood beside her, clearly disagreeing.

Hazel felt a little contrite over her reaction. She couldn’t blame him for not feeling what she’d felt in that kiss. Some men treated women poorly, without empathy, and others didn’t intend to cause harm. Callum hadn’t meant to snub her, humiliate her or make her feel rejected. Even though, absurdly, she had experienced all of those emotions. Or maybe she was just mad for putting herself into a situation that resembled that with Ed far too much.

Callum entered the hospital room first. Hazel was struck by the extent of the medical equipment and the tubes coming from Payne Colton. She had never been this close to someone in such critical condition. She had seen a coma patient on television, of course, but the real thing came with a considerably larger impact.

There were three others in the room, two men and a woman.

“Mommy?” Evie said in a quiet tone, tugging on her sleeve.

“Yes, Evie?” Hazel noticed that everyone except Payne had turned toward Evie, who was oblivious to the attention she’d gained.

“I like Cal-em,” Evie said.

“I know you do.” Hazel saw a good-looking, dirty-blond-haired man on the other side of Payne’s hospital bed smile slightly.

“Don’t be mad at him,” Evie said, eyebrows arched upward in earnest appeal.

The striking woman with light blond hair looked very businesslike and snickered a bit, while the man next to her in a suit smiled.

“I’m not mad at him,” Hazel said, glancing at Callum, whose eyes held a teasingly smug glint.

Evie’s expression said she didn’t understand. “You were mad.”

“Evie, not now,” Hazel said sternly.

Evie went into one of her lower-lipped pouts.

“Is my brother stirring up trouble?” the woman asked Evie.

“No,” Evie retorted, eliciting a round of laughter.

“How did you manage to make such a fine friend, Callum?” the woman asked.

“Hazel, this is my twin sister, Marlowe,” Callum said. “That’s her fiancé, Bowie.”

“Hello, very nice to meet you. Callum told me about you,” Hazel said to Marlowe. She liked that Callum had such a high regard for his twin.

“And this gentleman over here is Rafe,” Callum said, “my younger brother. He’s also Detective Wilder’s fiancé.”

The adopted brother. Hazel recalled Callum telling her that. Not only were the Coltons wealthy, they were all so good-looking! Hotness filled the room. And even though Bowie wasn’t a Colton, he was also quite a treat for the eyes.

“I’m going to go get a soda,” Bowie said. “Does anyone else want anything?”

“Juice,” Evie said.

“A punch or mixed berry is fine,” Hazel said.

Everyone else declined and Bowie started for the door. “One juice coming right up,” he said.

“How is he today?” Callum gestured toward Payne.

“The same,” Rafe said.

They all fell into somber silence.

“What do the police think happened?” Hazel asked.

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