Chapter 4
Nick had spent the hour Poppy had been gone for X-rays sitting in the uncomfortable plastic chair that was too small for a man his size. He was currently reading a pamphlet about thorough handwashing, which, as it turned out, he’d been doing wrong his entire life.
“Hey, you.” He got out of the chair as a nurse wheeled her in.
“It’s sprained, not broken,” Poppy said, pointing to her arm that was now in a sling.
“We’ve stitched her head wound, and the doctor would like to keep her in overnight,” the nurse said. “We need to monitor her concussion.”
“No.” Poppy shook her head and then winced.
“Yes,” Nick said. “She’ll stay,” he added, overriding her.
“I don’t want to stay.”
“Tough.”
“Excellent, someone will be along shortly to take you to your room.” The nurse hurried out like all hospital staff, with ten things to do at once.
“Before you launch at me, you’re going to listen to what I have to say, Poppy. First off, these people are medical professionals. You are not.”
“It’s my decision, Nick. I’ve been making them for years, and I don’t need any help from you. In fact, you have no say in this.”
She’d clamped her lips together, making her look like one of his nieces or nephews when they were pissed about something.
“I’m pretty sure these people have a few letters after their names that suggests they’ve done years of study to back up their decision to keep you overnight.”
“I can look after myself.” She couldn’t cross her arms, so she continued to glare at him.
The woman was way too cute, with her messy hair now out of its clip and eyes a little unfocused with pain.
“Second, if my memory serves me well, and it usually does, you studied law in college, not medicine. So, I’m going with the doctor’s diagnosis.
Third,” he said, lifting a hand as she opened her mouth, “you’re pale, sick, and have a head injury, and unless you can assure me you have someone with a medical degree waiting to care for you at home, you’re not heading there any time soon. ”
“I hate hospitals, I don’t want to stay, and you’re not the boss of me,” she added, sounding like a kid.
“Answer the question,” Nick said, looking down at her.
“No, there’s no one at home, medical degree or not.”
Nick shouldn’t feel relieved there was no one waiting at home for her. No man, he clarified silently, but that didn’t mean she had no boyfriend. They may not be living together. But then, if she had a boyfriend wouldn’t he be the first one she called?
“Any family nearby you can call?”
She shook her head, and he could tell she wanted desperately to lie to him, but lying wasn’t in her nature. Something he’d always respected about her.
“Close friends?”
“No,” she muttered.
He didn’t want to feel sad there weren’t a dozen people for Poppy to call on like he could. Not many people had their siblings, all living within spitting distance, and enough relatives to populate a small island.
“To my way of thinking, that settles it, then.”
She sighed, and he watched as she slumped onto the bed, losing the stiffness and angst.
“You win.”
“I usually do,” Nick said, knowing it would annoy the hell out of her.
He was subjected to a long look out of her red-rimmed eyes.
“I’m not going to say anything about that comment because without you today I would not have coped, but tomorrow that will change.”
“Fair enough.”
The nurse came back with the wheelchair, which Poppy said she didn’t need. Nick simply nudged her down into it.
“So, I’ll see you, and thanks, Nick. Really,” she said to his chin as the nurse wheeled her away.
“After everything we’ve been through, you’re just dismissing me?”
Her eyes shot to his. “What?”
“It really hurts, Poppy. I thought I meant more to you than that.”
“What?” She blinked.
“Us.” He pointed to her, then his chest. “It hurts you don’t take us seriously.”
The nurse made a tsking sound and glared at Poppy.
Poppy rolled her eyes. “Ignore him. This is a game we used to play in college.”
“I wondered if you’d remember that,” he said.
“What game?” the nurse asked.
“To see who could make the other look bad in front of people by inventing some silly story. Nick was always the best at it because he was popular.”
“Or I was a good liar,” he added.
“Go home, Nick. I release you from your duties.” She didn’t look at him but the nurse. “Can I go to my room now, please?”
“What floor are you taking her to?”
The nurse told him that and the room number.
“Bye,” Poppy said to his left ear. “Thanks again, and have a good life, Nick.”
She was wheeled away, and clearly thought he would leave, and they’d never see each other again. Nick had other ideas.
He went to the cafeteria, where tired staff sat about inhaling coffee, and ordered Poppy a drink and some food. Is she allowed coffee? Then he picked up a magazine from the gift shop. When he walked into her room, her cool forest-green eyes locked on him as he moved to her side.
“I thought you were going home.”
“You’re such good company, I stayed. Nice dress.” He studied her hospital gown.
“The nurse had to wrap the ties around twice. Seems they didn’t have my size.”
“Still, that prison-wall pale gray really works for you. Brings out the red in your eyes.”
“Is that for me?” She pointed to the coffee.
“It is. I brought you some food and a magazine.”
“Really?”
“Why does my generosity surprise you so much?” Her response pissed him off.
“You weren’t generous in college. In fact, you were a self-satisfied, loathsome jerk.”
“I always thought I admired your honesty.”
“I was never honest back then,” she said.
He thought seriously about not giving her the coffee, but then she was only telling the truth, and he likely deserved it. Even if her criticism was years too late.
“Sugar?” He held up the coffee.
“Three.”
“Three sugars? Who has that many these days?” Nick popped the lid and dumped in three packets. Luckily, he’d brought spares.
“Today, me.” She took it from him and drank. Her sigh came from the soles of her feet.
Nick wondered about the sounds she’d make while she was under him. Where the hell had that come from? It’s not like he’d ever find out.
Poppy took another mouthful of coffee. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be snippy.”
“I don’t think I’ve heard that word since you used it constantly in college.”
“You should head away now. I’m sure I’ve taken up more than enough of your time, and thanks again, Nick.”
Why did he not want to leave her alone? Yes, they’d once been friends, but now they were strangers.
“And what do you plan to do about your handbag, credit cards, and cell phone?”
“I forgot about them.”
Taking out his phone, he handed it to her. “At least one of us is thinking clearly. Seems that’s changed since college.”
“I have a concussion. What was your excuse?”
“Girls and hormones were clouding my thought processes then,” Nick said.
“How about now?”
“No, now I’m pretty much perfect.”
She flipped him her middle finger, but as it was the hand sticking out of her sling, it didn’t go so well.
“Poppy, if I say sorry again, years too late, will you forgive me for being an asshole in college?”