Page 35 of As They Are
I was wrapping Jackie’s hand with gauze. The hairstylist came in teary-eyed with reddened skin, and I immediately got her back in a room. “It happens. Don’t worry about it.”
“Still. Sorry to take you away from what you were doing.”
I hadn’t been doing much, other than planning out which flowers were going in my garden this year. Hugh had canceled his checkup, saying he was fine and didn’t need me. He wasn’t, and had a list of health concerns longer than my textbooks in medical school, but he was incredibly stubborn.
“Your comfort is important. I’d trade time for that.”
“How are you single, Henry?” Jackie asked with a laugh. “Women should be fawning over you!”
That was the second time today someone had brought that up. “Please tell me there isn’t a bet already in the Facebook group.”
“No. Why would you think there is?”
My cheeks heated. “No reason.”
“Isthere a woman?” Jackie’s eyes were wide. “Is it Jade?”
“No. She’s only a friend.”
“Grace?”
“Also a friend.”
“Who else could it be?” She gasped. “Brooke?”
“Not my type,” I said with a shake of my head. I didn’t have a thing for women who stirred up drama, but especially ones who did it purely because they were bored.
“Oh, you have to give me something. I’m injured!” She weakly waved her bandaged hand in my face.
I gave her a flat look. “I think you’ll survive.”
The front door of the office opened, jingling the overhead bell to announce any new arrivals. I didn’t have a nurse and preferred to do my work myself, so it gave me the perfect out.
“Just keep that covered and clean. You should be good by tomorrow.”
“You’re lucky that there’s a distraction.”
I gestured for her to follow me. Ihadgotten lucky.
Or at least I thought I had.
But when we entered the lobby, I once again saw the woman who had been on my mind this entire time.
“Wren?” I asked. “What are you doing here?”
Jackie gasped. “It’s her! I heard there was a new girl in town!”
“Am I invisible?” Mollie asked. I blinked and realized that I hadn’t even noticed she was next to Wren.
“Oh, honey. No.” Jackie smiled and brought her in for a hug. They were close since Jackie was like a mother to Cain. “I was just admiring your friend here.”
“You know me fromRenovating with Love, don’t you?” Wren asked.
“Yes! It’s so cute.” She put her good hand on her cheek and then turned to me. “When did you two meet?”
“A few days ago.” My eyes lingered on her. Her hair was down today.
“I like to call him my bodyguard,” Wren added. She had noidea how that sounded.
