Chapter Three
Simon took his time washing Casey. He started with her hair, which was hard to do. It took some time to get the soap out of it. The rest went quicker, and he was pleased by how clean he got her. It took a dozen bowls of hot water, but he wasn’t going to stop until he was satisfied. A nurse helped change the sheet and blanket and gave him another gown to put her in.
Casey was just waking up when the nurse walked out.
Simon sat down on the bed, facing her with one of his hands braced on the other side of her hips. “There she is.”
He watched as she blinked and then focused on him. Her brows came together.
“Um, hi. Are you Simon?”
He smiled and nodded. “Yes. I told you I wouldn’t leave you.”
“Yes, but I didn’t believe you.”
“Baby, I’m telling you right now that if I say I’m going to do something, I will. Don’t ever doubt that.”
She nodded before looking around the room. “Why am I here?”
“Do you remember the accident?”
“Yes. I was scared.”
“I bet you were. I would have been, too.”
“I know I’m in a hospital, but can you tell me why? Am I hurt really bad?”
“No. Someone in Heaven was watching over you. All you ended up with were several cuts on your face, arms, and upper torso. Some are bandaged, but others needed stitches.”
Casey looked horrified, andtears filled her eyes.
“Hey,” he said and cupped the side of her face. “Why the tears?”
“I’m going to look like Frankenstein.”
He smiled at her gently. “That’s not true at all. You’re still beautiful. The injuries don’t diminish that. Remember, they will heal.”
Casey sniffed. “Can I have a tissue, please?”
Simon reached for a few and wiped her tears.
“I can do it,” she said and tried to pry the tissues from his grip.
“I can, too. I can also see where the cuts are, and I don’t want you to touch them. Now, blow.”
She didn’t hesitate and did what he asked. He tossed the tissues in the garbage and faced her again.
“So, um, I want to thank you for staying with me, but you can go now. I’ll be just fine.”
His eyebrows rose. “Really? Where will you go when you’re discharged? You don’t have a car, and it was totaled. Do you have insurance?”
Simon saw her grip on the blanket tighten.
“Yes. I have liability.”
“I’ll check and see if the guy has insurance, and then he can pay for a new car for you.” He wanted to say she didn’t need one because he wasn’t going to let her drive, but they had just met, and he didn’t want to push her.
“I’ll figure it out.”
He could tell she was trying vigilantly to act brave, but he could see through the facade. “How about I help you?”
She bit down on her lip. “No. Thank you. I’ve taken you away from your life long enough. There’s no way I could ask for anything more.”
He cupped her chin. “But, you’re not asking. I’m telling you how it’s going to be.”
He hid his smile when she tried to look angry and failed.
“You can’t just do things without my approval, can you?”
He nodded. “Of course I can.”
He waited to hear her next comment when the door opened. A nurse with what looked like Casey’s things put them in the closet, and his partner, Trent, walked in right after her.
“Who are all these people?” Casey asked.
“The woman is a nurse who is helping to take care of you, and the man is my partner, Trent.”
“I put everything they found in the closet,” the nurse said.
“Thank you. We’ll go through them later,” Simon said.
The nurse walked out, leaving the three of them.
Trent walked over and stood by the end of the bed. “Hi, Honey. How are you feeling?”
“I’m sore but okay. Thank you for asking.”
Both men smiled down at her.
“You’re very polite and sweet,” Trent said. “I’m very glad to meet you.”
“You, too.”
Simon caught her clutching the blanket up around her chest and then the tremors she was trying to hide.
“Are you cold, Baby?”
Casey nodded. “I’m always cold. I’m used to it.”
“Well, I won’t stand for it. If you get cold, tell me,” Simon said, pulling a few more blankets out of the closet and spreading them over her. “Is this better?”
She nodded, but her teeth were still clenched.
“Will you get the IV stand, please?” Simon asked.
Trent nodded. “Sure.”
There was no way he’d stand for her being cold. Simon lifted her over the railing, sat in the chair, and arranged her on his lap.
“What are you doing?” she asked, astonished.
“I’m going to get you warm. Tell me if I’m hurting you,” Simon said. He pressed her head against his shoulder and made sure the blankets were over her.
“Simon, this can’t be comfortable,” she said.
“Hush and relax. If you can sleep, that would be good.”
Trent chuckled when her mouth dropped open.
Casey looked at him. “Can he do this, like in real life?”
Both men smiled.
Trent nodded. “Absolutely.”
Simon kissed the top of her head. When she tilted her head back to look up at him, he kissed her forehead.
“Why are you kissing me?” she asked.
“Because I want to.”
When she scowled, he pressed her head against his shoulder and held it there.
“I was going to get you guys something to eat. Is she restricted at all?” Trent asked.
“No,” Simon said and shook his head.
“I’m not hungry,” Casey said against his shirt.
“You’ll eat for me. You can’t get better if you don’t,” Simon told her.
“Oh my God,” she exclaimed and tried to sit up.
“What?”
“My puppy. Did they find my puppy?”
Fuck. Simon hadn’t seen any clues that a dog had been in the car. “What kind?”
“I think a German shepherd. It’s hard to tell because his hair is long.”
“How big was he?” Simon asked.
“Oh, I’m not sure.” She raised her hands and made a big circle.
“So, it was a young dog?” Trent asked.
“No, I’ve had him a long time.”
Simon was confused. “I can have them look through the car, and if he’s not there, they’ll search for him.”
“Oh, I hope so. He’s probably so scared.”
Simon looked up when Trent went to the closet. He saw him digging through the bags and then heard him chuckle.
“What?” Simon asked.
Trent turned around and held up the stuffed animal. “Honey, is this your puppy?”
Casey yelled. “Yes! Come here, Booboo.”
Trent brought it over and handed it to her. She squeezed it tightly in her arms and settled back against him.
Simon looked at Trent to see his amused expression and narrowed his eyes. “How was I supposed to know?”
Chapter Four
Trent chuckled. “Do you like hamburgers, Casey?”
“With cheese and no pickles?”
“I can get that. Okay, a kid’s meal with a cheeseburger, fries, and a strawberry shake.”
“That sounds good,” Simon said. “I’ll take that but supersize it.”
“If my purse is in the closet, my wallet should be there. Just take what you need.”
Simon rolled his eyes. “Baby. You won’t be buying anything.”
“But that’s not fair,” she said.
“Too bad.”
She gasped. “I don’t know if you’re being mean or not.”
“He’d never be mean to you, Honey,” Trent said. “I’ll be back.”
“Is he right?” she asked after the door closed.
“Yes. I might scold you, but that’s only when you do something that might get you hurt.”
She snorted. “How can I get hurt in a hospital?”
“I’m talking when we leave.”
She was confused. “We?”
“Yes. You’ll come home with me.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
Simon shrugged. “You didn’t. I made a decision.”
“But.” Her brows pinched together. “You can’t do that. I’m a big girl.”
“I know you are.”
Her energy was starting to wane. The heat from his body was amazing, and she couldn’t fight it anymore. She closed her eyes. “We’re not done talking about it.”
“Yes, we are.”
She wanted to argue, but she fell asleep.
The smell of food woke her up next. She had no idea how much time had passed. She looked up to see Trent unpack the sacks he hadbrought.
“That smells good,” she said and tried to sit up.
“Do you want to be in bed to eat, Baby?” Simon asked.
“Yes.”
Simon lifted her and adjusted the bed so she could sit up, but also be comfortable. He moved the tray over the bed and unwrapped her sandwich.
“Eat.”
She didn’t say anything and took a bite. Her eyes closed, and she hummed. “Mmmm. This is really good. It’s not McDonald’s, is it?”
Both men grunted.
“No. This is from a diner in town we love. They have the best food,” Trent told her.
Casey was surprised when she ate half of the burgerandmost of the fries and was still working on the shake.
A nurse walked in and saw all the food. She grinned. “That answers my question. I was going to ask if you were hungry.”
Casey shook her head and smiled. “No. It’s okay, they brought me food. I don’t want them to get in trouble.”
“It’s fine. The doctor didn’t put any restrictions on your chart. I’m pleased you’re eating. I’ll check in on you again later. Push the call button if you need me.”
“Thank you,” Casey said.
Simon wrapped up the rest of her food, stuck it in the bags, and set it to the side. Casey handed him the cup and then relaxed back. She listened as the men talked.
“If you don’t need anything else now, I’ll head out. But call if you think of something,” Trent said. He bent and kissed her cheek. “Get some rest, Honey.”
“I will. Thank you again. It was very nice to meet you. I will remember you guys forever.”
Trent looked over at Simon. She caught Simon’s head shake and then Trent’s grin and wondered about it. She turned back to Simon.
“What was that?” she asked.
“Let’s get you comfortable,” Simon said, starting to lower the bed.”Do you want any pain medication?”
She stared at him, but she could tell she wasn’t going to get anything out of him at that moment.
“Not right now.” She felt herself blush. “I do have to use … I have to potty … should I call a nurse?”
He smiled. “No. I can help.”
She gasped. “What? Are you kidding? You can’t help me with that.”
He rolled his eyes. “I can get you into the bathroom. Do you think you can use the toilet by yourself? If not, I’ll get a nurse.”
“No, I think I can do it by myself, but you can’t be in there,” she told him sternly.
“All right. I promise to stay outside the room. How’s that?”
“Good.”
He lifted her to her feet and made sure she was steady. When she nodded, he wrapped an arm around her waist and grabbed the IV stand with his other hand. He went slow. When he got her into the little room, he stood her beside the toilet and set the IV stand off to the side.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m shaking, but okay.”
“Yell for me. I’ll be right out the door.”
“You won’t be able to hear me pee, will you?” He turned away from her, but she thought he was grinning.
“No, Baby. I won’t be able to hear anything but your voice.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
Casey used the toilet, wiped,and flushed. She moved carefully to the sink to wash her hands. When she looked at herself, her mouth dropped open, and tears filled her eyes.
There were cuts all over her face and chest, and a few stitches that horrified her. How could anyone look at her and not laugh? Besides being pale, her hair was a frizzy mess.
“Casey. Are you done?”
“No. I’ll be fine. Just go.” She couldn’t hold the tears back.
“Go where, Baby?”
“Away. Just away.”
He opened the door, and she wanted to scream at him.
“Have you washed your hands, Baby?”
She nodded and wiped her eyes.
“Let’s get you back in bed, and then we’ll talk.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk. I want to be left alone.”
She heard him sigh, but he continued to maneuver her to the bed. He lifted her on and arranged the blankets before putting the IV stand off to the side.
Simon walked around the bed and turned off most of the lights except the one over the bed. He sat down on the side of the bed again, leaned over her, and rested his hand on the other side of her.
“Now, let’s talk.”
She shook her head. “No. I want you to go.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose before he looked at her. “Why, Baby?”
“Because you lied to me.”
He looked confused. “When?”
“You said I looked fine and didn’t look like Frankenstein. You lied.”
“No, I didn’t. I know it looks bad now, but I know for a fact you’ll look better as you heal. Do you think I’ve never had stitches before?”
That upset her. “Why?”
“Baby, I used to be a cop. I got hurt sometimes. I was also a rambunctious kid. I drove my mom nuts. I don’t remember how many times she had to take me to theER.”
“But you’re a boy. It’s different.”
“No, it’s not. You will heal, and I’ll be there to help you along the way.”
“I don’t want you to look at me,” she murmured.
“I don’t care how many cuts you have on your face or body. I think you’re beautiful.”
She felt her sadness lift and then plummet. “You look like a movie star, and I’ve never looked beautiful. Now, I look horrible.”
He smoothed the hair from her face. “Maybe you think so. But I don’t. Give yourself some time to heal.”
“I … I think I want to sleep now.”
He sighed and stood before making sure her covers were up around her neck. He bent and kissed her forehead. “Sleep. We can talk later.”
She turned to her side, closed her eyes, and willed herself to sleep, but it didn’t come easily.