Page 44 of Beach Cottage Kisses
The man was going to be a royal pain in her ass.
And as long as they managed to still be friends when it was all over, Iris was fully okay with that. She’d been dreading the idea of sleeping under the same roof as him.
Until she’d seen his condition.
Then she’d been determined that she’d stay whether he wanted her to or not. In a head-to-head battle on that one, she had the physical ability to win, not him.
At least that first night.
No way he could shove her body out the door. Or even off the couch where she intended to sleep.
As she watched the orderly help him from the wheelchair to the front seat of her car, lowering the back of the seat so that he was half reclining, and shoving a couple of pillows on the floor to support his knee, she noticed the wince that never left his face. The bead of sweat on his lip.
And her heart hurt for a second.
She’d been in the kind of pain that did that to you.
Knew how utterly helpless it made you feel.
And before even leaving the parking lot, she’d called Dale to ask the writer to meet them at Scott’s place to help her get him inside.
A night of RICE and RICH would, according to the doctor, alleviate some of his current discomfort. As would the therapy that he was to start, minimally, in the morning. They’d already arranged for someone to come to the cottage—Scott’s orders and at his expense.
He didn’t speak on the way home. Just laid his head back and closed his eyes, and for the first time since she’d seen him that day, she was truly worried.
Telling herself the doctor wouldn’t have released him if he didn’t think Scott would be safe, no matter how determined the prosecutor might be, she promised herself she’d take his blood pressure as soon as they got home, and call for help if there was even a hint of something being amiss.
“You missed a turn.” His voice didn’t sound like him. And when she glanced over, his eyes were closed.
“How would you know?”
“My eyes work just fine.” He didn’t quite snap, but the grouchy tone was there.
“The light was red around the corner. The movie is just getting out. I preferred to go straight and make the next turn as there is no business there that will be letting out a throng of people who will slow our progress.” And leave him there in agony with each even slight nudge of the car.
“Smart woman,” he said then.
“At least one of us has some brains in the situation,” she mumbled, showing him she had a grouch in her, too. “You need to take some pain medication. Even if just for tonight.”
The doctor had strongly recommended that he take one more dose before he left the hospital. Just to get home.
Super Prosecutor had firmly refused.
She couldn’t tell whether his grunt was a disregard for her opinion, or his own reluctant concession. And didn’t want to waste his energy trying to find out.
They’d reached their final turn and she was knotted with tension, worrying about getting him inside without him passing out. Was thinking about driving down for her office chair, which was on wheels, to get him inside as she took the steep, single-lane road down to Ocean Breeze and the cottages that were all that occupied the private lane.
Wishing, for a second, that Sage and Grayhadflown home. She was a strong woman, but Scott, at over six feet tall, still had a lot of poundage on her. No matter how determined her conviction, there were some things she wouldn’t be able to do.
What if she hurt him?
The fear was cut off at the knees as soon as she turned onto Ocean Breeze. Not only was Dale standing in Scott’s driveway,but half a dozen other residents were there, too. All waiting to offer a hand if needed.
She almost cried at the sight. And to snuff out the unwanted well of emotion, said, “Wake up, Martin, you’ve got a welcoming committee,” in a dry tone.
His eyes opened fully, and he lifted his head. Only to groan and then, turn white as he moved the seat into a more upright position.
“Just for tonight, can you please graciously accept the help being offered?” she asked, dreading the possibility that he’d send everyone away and she’d have to get him settled in bed by herself. She’d do it. She had her plan. Her desk chair. And bed could be the couch for the night if it had to be. It was lower. No lifting on her part.
