Page 40 of The Wedding Driver
“Nope, but she shouldn’t drink while she’s on the antibiotic. However, she’s going to have serious withdrawal if she doesn’t. If I know she’s staying with you, I can give her something to help.” The doctor handed Foster a piece of paper. “She really should come back in five to ten days.”
“I’ll try, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she finds a new alley to sleep in or even heads down to Saratoga just to avoid me.”
“She won’t be getting along too well on that leg for a while. She wouldn’t tell me how it happened. Did she tell either of you?”
“No.” Foster shook his head.
“We’re lucky she agreed to come here in the first place,” Tonya added.
“Any chance you could talk her into a shelter or something?”
“I’ve got a crazy idea.” Tonya took his hand. “Do you think you could get her to stay in the cabin for a couple of days?”
“She’s not going to listen to me. We have a deep history and there’s a lot of anger there. You know that.”
“Why don’t you let me try.” Tonya arched a brow.
“You’re not going in there alone. Not when she’s going through withdrawal. She could snap and hurt you.”
“If you can get her to stay with you, I’ll get you a prescription that will ease her withdrawal symptoms, but we’ll have to monitor her, which means I need her back here.”
“Let’s go.” Tonya didn’t give him a chance to protest more. She stepped into the exam room.
He groaned. When Tonya finally made up her mind about something, there was no keeping her down. She could be a passionate woman with a big heart. This situation was no exception, only she really didn’t know what she was getting into. He stood off the side, but was totally prepared to intervene.
“I can’t believe you did this to me.” Victoria sat on the edge of the bed and glared. “If the doctor hadn’t given me something for mysymptomsand stitched me up nice, I would have been gone an hour ago.”
“Wow. The doctor really did a great job with those.” Tonya pointed to Victoria’s leg. “But what’s going to suck is having to return to get them out. When my older sister got stitches, I took them out for her instead of making the trip back. Why don’t you come stay at Foster’s cabin so I can do the same for you.”
“Why the hell would I do that? I don’t want or need his help.” Victoria narrowed her stare.
“Oh. I know.” Tonya nodded. “But it will save you a trip back here in a week. Plus, I’ve taken the antibiotics you’re going to be on and you really need to eat regularly or it’s going to rip your stomach to shreds. I took them once on an empty stomach and was vomiting all day. I’m sure you don’t want that. Not to mention the doctor said he’d give us something to help manage the pain and mood swings.”
“Well, I don’t want to be sick.” Victoria let out a long breath.
For the first time in a long time, Foster saw all the fight leave Victoria’s body. Her anger toward him evaporated into thin air.
“Maybe I should stay here overnight like the doctor said.” Victoria leaned back and fluffed the pillow. “Would that be too much?”
“Not at all.” Foster stepped closer to the edge of the bed. Part of him wanted to reach out and take Victoria’s hand. However, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. At the base level, he cared for Victoria. He didn’t want her to suffer. He certainly didn’t want her to die. Not like this.
But forgiveness hadn’t come to his heart. Not completely. He had been trying for years. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
“It’s going to cost a small fortune the longer I stay here.” Victoria dropped her head back and closed her eyes.
“Let me worry about that,” Foster said. “We’ll go let the doctor know.”
“I should stay,” Tonya whispered.
He took Tonya by the hand. For a hot second, he thought about leaving Tonya with Victoria. She could still bolt. He wouldn’t put it past her. But he couldn’t leave Tonya alone with her either. Tonya wasn’t equipped to deal with Victoria and her wicked tongue or vicious temper. “No,” he said firmly, tugging her out into the hallway.
“Why did you do that?”
“You don’t know her like I do.” He leaned against the wall and folded his arms. “We’ll wait here so she can’t leave, but you are not staying in there alone.”
“And what happens when you need to go to work? I could be alone at your house.”
“Nope. I will let Doug and Jim know I’m taking time off and I’ll find someone to cover the wedding boat.”
