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  She stood and handed him the piece of paper. “Anything else you need right now? A glass of water? Pain medication always makes me thirsty.”

  “A glass of water would be great.”

  There it was again. Another great suggestion by Gretchen Mascoe. Was she great at everything or was it limited to nursing accident victims back to health?

  She disappeared again.

  Was she humming? He closed his eyes and soaked in the sound. A cabinet door shut with a soft thud. Water rushed. The humming continued then grew louder.

  “Here you go.”

  He opened his eyes and found her standing next to him, a tall clear glass in her hand. She studied him with a furrowed brow.

  “Thanks.”

  She handed him the glass but didn’t say anything else.

  His energy was waning quickly. Much too quickly.

  “I should be back in about thirty minutes. Call me if you think of anything you need.”

  “Gretchen,” he called to her retreating back.

  “Yeah?”

  He couldn’t see her, couldn’t read her expression, but that was okay. “Thanks…for everything.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  He heard the door shut behind her, the click of her key turning the lock and then the sound of her car’s engine a few seconds later. When it was quiet he put the glass on the ottoman, groaning as his ribs and shoulder protested the movement. Then he relaxed into the sofa and gave up the pretence of being okay.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Gretchen made her way through the drugstore to the pharmacy counter, silently rehearsing what she was going to say. She’d never filled a prescription for anyone other than herself and Gran so she wasn’t sure if the pharmacist would give her a hard time or not. But Greg wasn’t going anywhere for the time being so it was up to her to collect his pain medicine. That fact, plus her long time feelings where he was concerned, gave her courage.

  “We’ll be right with ya,” a curly haired woman said as she whizzed past, her arms laden with small boxes.

  “Thank you,” Gretchen called, but the woman had already disappeared around the corner.

  If pressed, she’d go with the fiancé routine again since it’d worked at the hospital, although, she wasn’t entirely sure the snotty brunette had believed the ruse.

  Staring at the rows of bottles, she made a mental note to call JJ as soon as she got home. Though they weren’t related by blood, JJ and Greg were as close as any sister and brother could be. Closer than Gretchen was with her own sister in fact. Although, Gretchen loved Annie, the eight year divide in their ages sometimes seemed like a hundred.

  She tapped her fingertips on the counter as she waited, barely aware of the nervous habit.

  Since JJ probably wouldn’t get in tonight she needed to make Greg comfortable. A piece of her was happy with that news as she’d always enjoyed his company. And he’d indicated that nothing had actually happened between him and Baby. That news made her heart beat a little faster. Silly heart. She should be trying to get rid of Greg instead of playing house with him.

  But when it came to Greg, her caution dissolved like sugar in hot tea. Her foolish heart liked him in her house, on her sofa. Dear Lord, he’d only been there for five minutes and she was ready to play house. Just knowing he was there, waiting for her, relying on her lifted her spirits after a particularly trying day.

  What was wrong with her?

  He’s been in a horrific accident, Gretchen. Don’t forget that. Don’t forget that he wanted Baby, despite what he’d said in the car.

  Gretchen took a deep breath and peered around the corner into the back, hoping to catch the eye of someone who worked there. Patience was not one of her virtues today. If there’d been a bell, she would have rung it.

  Her phone trilled in her purse and as she retrieved it, she glanced at the screen. Baby’s name headed a text message. Think of the devil…

  GOING SHOPPING IN THE MORNING. WANT TO COME?

  “How can I help you?” A tall, good looking guy in a stereotypical white cotton coat startled her and she shoved the phone back in her purse.

  “I need to get this prescription filled please.” She slid the paper across the desk.

  “Then you’re in the right place,” he said with a warm smile that reached his eyes.

  Gretchen wasn’t used to men smiling at her like that, showing off perfectly white teeth. According to her mom, on the scale of sisterly to bombshell, Gretchen was pretty much invisible. Was that a zero?

  But this guy didn’t make her feel like a zero. He kept steady eye contact and gave her his full attention. At least she assumed it was his full attention.

  She straightened her spine a fraction and smiled back. David, the man’s nametag read, picked up the slip of paper and studied it for a few seconds.

  “For your husband?” he asked. His smile cooled and he moved to the computer.

  “I’m not married.” At almost thirty years old she was seriously starting to wonder if she’d ever find Mr. Right and settle down. Thirty might be the new twenty but she felt ancient. A few months away from starting a collection of cats, in fact.

  “Ahh…” He stopped typing and glanced over at her. “Fiancé then.”

  “From your lips to God’s ears,” she murmured.

  He must have heard her because his lips twitched.

  “Give me a few minutes.” He turned to the back.

  With time to kill, Gretchen headed across the store for a bottle of gummy multivitamins.

  Heading back to the pharmacy and Mr. Hottie she passed several shelves of condom boxes. The bright colors and promises of pleasure drew her eyes like the Super Bowl drew spectators. A tendril of heat swept through her. But she had no use for condoms. After two errors in judgment, she wasn’t going to be getting horizontal again anytime soon.

  There were two other people waiting at the pharmacy counter so she got in line and prepared to wait. After digging out her phone she checked her email. Nothing there besides newsletters and a coupon for half off couples erotic massage in Midtown. That was a thing? She’d had a normal massage before and found it dreamy. But erotic massage? Her cheeks heated, imagining the scene, the man next to her –

  Well, it wasn’t worth thinking about. She wasn’t part of a couple.

  She clicked back to the text messaging app. Gretchen knew that Baby’s invitation was an olive branch; the tension between them had grown to a head. Gretchen hated that her secret had caused contention in their friendship, hated any type of conflict for that matter. Baby probably didn’t have a clue why Gretchen had been cool and distant lately but Gretchen knew what Baby would have done with the information.

  Baby wasn’t the type to sit on her hands, no ma’am. She would have pushed and picked at Gretchen until she’d asked Greg out. And if that hadn’t worked, she would have pushed Greg into asking Gretchen out. For whatever reason, Baby had it in her head that Gretchen needed to “get some” as if a string of sexual partners was going to make her forget that she still didn’t have a family of her own.

  However, most things were not worth losing a friend over. And now that she knew the truth, according to Greg, it was time to kick her wounded pride to the door, put on her big girl panties and move on. Had she not had an injured man at home she would have considered accepting Baby’s invite so they could start mending fences. Taking a deep breath, she typed a brief message back.

  WISH I COULD. TAKING CARE OF GREG AND GETTING MY HAIR CUT.

  Let Baby make of that what she would. She still couldn’t think of her friend without seeing her leading Greg up the stairs.

  After she replied to the text from Baby she replied to another from Annie. Her sister was crazy in love and Gretchen was happy that her little sis seemed ready to settle down. Briefly she wondered if there would be wedding bells in her future. Speaking of brides-to-be, JJ’s text simply read “Call me as soon as you can.”

  The line at the pharmacy counter hadn’t budged
and there was no sign of Mr. Hottie so she hit dial.

  “Hey,” she said quietly after JJ answered.

  “How is he?” Her friend didn’t bother with pleasantries and Gretchen couldn’t really blame her.

  “Well, I don’t want to get in the middle but he does seem okay,” Gretchen said. “Just tired and—”

  “He didn’t sound like himself,” JJ interrupted.

  “I know he doesn’t.” That was an understatement. Greg was gregarious, funny and fun loving. Well, until the accident. Now he seemed…muted. “But I’m sure it’s just the effects of the pain medication. It’s been a rough few hours and I’m sure he’ll be fine by Monday.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  Me too.

  She’d seen people who were scarred for life after an accident. Her uncle for one. He’d never gotten over losing a foot after a particularly bad motorcycle crash and had become withdrawn over the years until he’d simply wasted away, almost literally. Every time she’d seen him he’d been thinner and frail, his skin getting papery thin and his hair barely there. There’d been no soul in his eyes and he’d lost every bit of social grace he’d ever possessed. No amount of care and concern on her grandmother’s part had helped. Gretchen had hated visiting him.

  “Greg said we don’t need to fly back tonight but I don’t believe him. Men are big babies when they’re injured.”

  Gretchen heard Trevor make a comment in the background and smiled at the two love birds. This time last year she, JJ, Cindy and Baby had all been single. Now JJ and Trevor were getting married and maybe one day in the not too distant future she’d be an Auntie Gretchen. She couldn’t wait.

  “Can I talk to him for a minute or is he sleeping? Where are you by the way? Are you still at the hospital?”

  Gretchen’s eyebrows lifted at all the rapid fire questions. Had JJ managed to take a breath in there anywhere?

  “I’m at the pharmacy getting his prescription filled. He’s at my house for the time being since he’s not supposed to go up stairs until the bruising and swelling on his knee goes down. You can call my house if you want, but I have a feeling he’s taking a nap. He looked pretty sleepy when I left.”

  “Greg’s at your house?”

  “Yes. So don’t change your plans. You’ll be back in a few days anyway and then you can check on him yourself.”

  JJ sighed, obviously torn between her plans and family. This was just one of the many things Gretchen loved about the Fairchilds. They were close. They looked out for each other. She, on the other hand, had no idea where her mother was living this month and her mom liked it that way.

  “He’s alive. I promise,” Gretchen assured her.

  “I still can’t get ahold of my dad.”

  “I’m betting his battery died after a long day on the lake. He’ll get it charged tonight and check in tomorrow morning.”

  JJ remained quiet so Gretchen trudged on.

  “I’ve got things handled on this end. Don’t skip your gala. I’m picking up his prescription now. I’ll make him something to eat and then toss him in my guest room. It’ll be fine.”

  That seemed to placate her friend who finally agreed.

  “I’m so glad you were there to answer my call. I feel so much better—” JJ’s words gave way to a crackling sound.

  The person in front of her stepped away from the counter as Gretchen confirmed that the call had been dropped. She’d message JJ later. Right now she needed to get Greg’s medication and get back to him.

  Mr. Hottie rang up her purchases, checked her ID and then handed over the paper bag with the prescription in it. After a few quick tips about side effects she was on her way.

  Back in her little sedan she headed home and tried, unsuccessfully, to calm the flutters in her stomach. There were one thousand and one reasons she liked Greg Fairchild and right now, none of them mattered. She was just a friend helping him through a rough patch. The flutters didn’t get the memo; accident or not, she was still thrilled to be spending time with him.

  By the time she parked in her teeny-beanie driveway, she’d come up with a good list of reasons she had no business looking at Greg as anything more than a friend. Every last one of them went straight out the living room window when she found him asleep on her couch, phone resting against his chest, like her fantasy come to life. Despite scratches on his face and the bandage around his head he was incredibly handsome. She’d always thought he had boyish good looks. That cheeky smile that would let him get away with anything, dazzling blue eyes that could knock a nun for a loop, and thick, dark hair that called to a woman’s fingers.

  He was one of those rare men who looked just as delicious in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt as he did in a suit. Or in a pair of borrowed scrubs. She smiled at the memory of him telling the doctor that he didn’t want to wait for her to get him a change of clothes, that he wanted out of that hospital and out of that gown pronto. Who said pronto these days? She chuckled softly.

  This is a sight I could get used to.

  Which meant she needed to remember The List.

  Unfortunately, the list was out the window and she couldn’t remember the first item on it. Giving him one last look, she socked away the visual and then settled onto the ottoman that doubled as her coffee table. She dropped her purse to the floor as quietly as possible and retrieved the bottle of pain meds. The label indicated he could have one every four hours. She glanced at the patient, again wondering if she should let him sleep or wake him for a pill.

  He probably needed his rest. Right now he didn’t look troubled and he wasn’t putting on a tough guy front. She’d let him sleep it off but how comfortable could that couch be?

  She put the pills next to the empty water glass on the tray she kept on one end of the ottoman.

  Gathering her purse and purchases, she headed to her bedroom to put things away. Then she texted JJ back, once again assuring her that Greg was in one piece and they’d talk later. After that she tried Mr. Fairchild again. If she had the number of the cabin he stayed at she would call there. Instead she left her name and number and a quick message telling him about Greg’s status. There wasn’t anything else she could do but wait.

  Her stomach growled, reminding her it’d been hours since her last good meal. She headed for the kitchen and put her cell phone on the charger before investigating the contents of her fridge.

  Sandwiches, left over pizza, salad, stir fry makings...none of which made her taste buds water. She opened the freezer door. Living on her own meant freezing lots of left overs. Over the years she’d perfected a few recipes that froze and reheated well in the finicky microwave at work. Tugging her lower lip between her teeth she studied the array of single portion containers squeezed behind three pints of Ben & Jerry’s.

  With spring warring against winter she decided soup was in order. Her vegetable soup was pretty amazing if she did say so herself. And it would be easy on Greg’s stomach. After plopping two containers into a pot she returned to the freezer for the bag of pesto cubes she’d frozen last fall. She put a few cubes in a small bowl to thaw and her taste buds tingled. A few slices of the thick baguette in the fridge would complete things nicely, especially on such short notice.

  With a fresh glass of water in hand, she headed back to the living room and found Greg stirring. Taking up her position on the ottoman again, she placed a hand on his forearm. His eyelids opened and he blinked twice before staring at her through thick dark lashes.

  “Hi sleepy head,” she said softly, almost overcome with longing. How many times had she imagined him right here, napping away a Sunday afternoon? She swallowed at the lump in her throat. “Have a good nap?”

  He winced.

  Taking that as a sign that his body was coming back online and feeling the pain she reached for the prescription and poured a pill into her palm.

  “Here. They gave you the good stuff.” She smiled as she said the words, hoping a cheery demeanor would perk him up. Holding out her hand,
she offered him the pill and then reached for the water glass.

  Once again she had to force herself away from him and treat him like a man, not a five year old. Even though he was in pain, his pride was intact and she wanted to respect that. After handing him the water she rounded the ottoman and rearranged the throw pillows on the other sofa.

  “Feel like vegetable soup for dinner?” she asked, turning back to find him staring at the hand print on her hip. Self-consciously, she wiped at the stain as if it would go away.

  “A little boy in my class was a wee bit too excited about finger painting today. Insisted on giving me a hug. The little booger.”

  Embarrassed by her rambling and unnerved by his silence, she looked around for something to tidy, anything that would busy her hands. Finding nothing out of place, she dared a glance at his face again. His gaze lifted to her face and she got the distinct impression, along with accompanying tummy flutters, that he was staring at her lips. She froze for a handful of heartbeats, not wanting to break the spell. His scrutiny brought a flush of heat to her skin; she’d imagined that look in his eyes at least a hundred times over the years. Sometimes she dreamed of it and then he’d cup her cheeks in his hands and kiss her. Like making-up-for-lost-time kiss her.

  But this was reality, not fantasy. Remember that Gretchen. Remember the accident.

  “But you don’t care about that,” she said quickly. “How about that soup?”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Greg stared at the small red hand print on Gretchen’s hip as his brain tried to comprehend her words. Vegetable soup?

  Oh yeah. She was offering to feed him dinner. His stomach growled at the proposition.

  “Sounds good.”

  But what he really wanted to say was that he could understand the kid’s excitement and didn’t blame him for wanting to hug her.

  In the hospital he’d been lost in painful thoughts only to turn and find a friendly face filled with concern. The relief that had ricocheted through his body had stunned him. Then, a few minutes ago, he’d woken up to a shapely pair of legs and an angel’s voice. After a rough night in the hospital and a frustrating day trying to get ahold of someone to take him home, Gretchen was more than a welcome sight. She was a savior.