Page 56 of Coulda

“This T-shirt is toast,” she told him, cutting the deep pink material off with a pair of shears in seconds.

“Do you all take lessons on cutting clothes off people?” he asked, lifting the sheet to show her his thigh and hip. “Nelson ruined my favorite pair of jeans.”

“You should be glad he didn’t try to take them off the normal way. And, yes, we take all sorts of classes. I’m sure Nelson’s a pro. I’ll bring you some shorts to wear home. I’m going to get to check out your legs for a while,” she joked as she carried the basin over to the bedside table and dipped a cloth into the warm water.

Carefully, she washed his face, arms, and torso. “You were too close to danger, Daddy,” she whispered after making sure they were alone.

“I’m sorry I scared you, Amberella.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

In a few minutes, she had him settled comfortably in a clean gown. She’d even washed his hair with a shampoo cap. From the number of nurses that stopped by to offer to help, Amber knew her handsome man would receive a lot of attention while he was in the hospital. He was definitely not the typical patient filling the hospital bed. Even in pain with a broken leg, Rio was drop-dead gorgeous.

“I’m going to have to get you a stick to beat off all the people who want to help you. Just don’t let them give you five sponge baths a day. It’s not good for your skin,” she teased.

“No one’s giving me a sponge bath but you,” he growled.

“Let the nurses take care of you, Rio. That’s what they’re here for,” she assured him.

Catching sight of the time, she brushed her fingers through his damp hair. “I have to go back to work. They’ll have a room for you soon. I’ll come see you at the end of my shift,” she told him.

“Go home and sleep,” he ordered.

“Maybe after I see you.”

Dragging herself away, Amber retraced her steps to the time clock and logged back into work. The next time she had a break to stop by his room, a teenage girl getting an asthma treatment lay on the bed. Amber waved hello and excused herself to find out what room Rio was in. With the number noted in her phone, she met Nelson and his partner at the door with a new patient.

CHAPTER19

“You should be at home, Little girl,” he mumbled.

“Like that’s going to happen with you here,” she answered, wiping his lips with a damp cloth. “I always have an extra pair of scrubs in my trunk, and I used your shower while you were sleeping. They’ll make do with me minus makeup today.”

“You look beautiful just as you are,” he said and shifted in the bed, making them both wince.

She knew the pain that had to cause. “They’re going to take you to surgery this morning first thing. I’ve checked out your doctor with the nurses and everyone says Dr. Urial is the best.”

“Thank you,” the doctor said on cue as he walked into the room.

“Hi, Doc,” Rio greeted him with a smile.

“Ready to get this leg straightened back up? Any questions?”

“What’s the prognosis after it heals?”

“You seem fit and active. I’ll know more when I see your bone density, but I suspect you’ll heal well, and most people will never suspect you were ever injured.”

“But I’ll know, huh? It’s not going to be the same?” Rio asked.

“I’ll order therapy. It looks like you already have your own nurse to make sure you take it easy and heal before running a marathon,” the doctor tried to reassure him. “I think we’ll have a good result. You might discover you can feel when the weather is changing or some other miscellaneous effects.”

“Thank you, Doctor, for taking care of Rio. He’s pretty special to me. We just got back together after twenty years apart.”

“Then I better get you back in shape so you can dance at your wedding,” the kind doctor suggested on his way out with a wave.

“I’ve already seen your moves,” Amber teased, remembering dancing with him at the reunion.

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