“Margaret Kinley.”
“Finally!” Maggie exclaimed, standing up quickly and swaying. Seth was right there to catch her. This was becoming a habit with them.
“Easy. You can’t stand up that fast, Maggie.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I don’t mind catching you.”
Maggie leaned into Seth as he wrapped his arm around her waist. His warm body was comforting. She let him lead her to the nurse waiting at the double doors. They followed the nurse to a curtained bay, Seth holding her tight the whole way. As the three of them entered the area, the nurse addressed Maggie.
“I need you to take everything off except your underwear, and put this gown on. The doctor will be in soon.”
“Why do I need to undress? I only have a cut on my finger.”
“You also have a head wound and you lost consciousness. The doctor wants a CT scan.”
“But—”
“But nothing. We need to make sure you’re okay, Maggie. If the doctor wants a scan, you’re getting a scan.” Seth spoke up in agreement.
“Listen to your husband. A head wound is nothing to mess around with.”
“He’s not my hus—”
“Well, your boyfriend then. Listen to him. Now, everything off, nothing metal, and tie the gown in the back. The doctor will be in soon.” With a swish of the curtain closing, the nurse was gone.
“He’s not my boyfriend either,” Maggie mumbled.
“I’ll step outside while you change. Let me know when you’re decent.”
With a frustrated groan, Maggie stripped out of her clothes and into the gown. She wasn’t able to tie the gown with her bandaged finger, so she called for Seth to come back in to help her.
“All set?”
“Yes, but could you do me up in the back?”
“Uh . . . what did you say?”
“The ties. I can’t tie them with my finger like this. Could you tie them for me, please?”
“Oh yeah, sure. Sorry, my mind went elsewhere.”
It took her a second to catch on. Oh, God. Why did she say that? It sounded really bad. Maggie felt a heat spread over her face and knew she was probably blushing. She could be such an idiot sometimes.
“Let go so I can tie the gown.”
“Oops. I’m sorry.” She felt the cool air on her skin as the gown fell open.
“Nice tattoo. Where did you get it done?”
“On spring break in the Keys, about ten years ago.”
“Nice. Do you have any more tats?”
“Yes, one on each hip. Smaller scenes to match the back.”
“Sweet. I’d love to see them sometime.”
Maggie smiled to herself and thought about offering him a view, then decided against it. He was probably just saying that. He couldn’t possibly mean it. Could he? She felt Seth’s hand working the ties. He stepped closer, his hands grasping her hips lightly. His breath tickled her neck as he spoke in a husky whisper close to her ear.
“Do you always match your bra and panties?”
Maggie felt her face getting hotter. She was at a loss for words. Here she was just meeting this guy, and he’d already seen her bra, underwear, and tattoo. She would laugh if it wasn’t so odd. What must he think of her? She still couldn’t believe that she’d changed her shirt in front of him earlier. And now she was standing in front of him with her entire back exposed. Why couldn’t the floor just open up and swallow her already?
“No answer. I guess I’ll draw my own conclusions.”
“No. I mean, I don’t always . . . it just happened. Why am I still talking?” Maggie buried her face in her hands.
The heat of Seth’s body warmed her as he leaned in closer to her. His lips ghosted across her neck, causing goosebumps to rise in their wake. She shivered. “Don’t cover that pretty face from me. Oh, how cute. You’re blushing.”
The opening of the curtain startled them apart, and they both turned to face the new arrival.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Chen. I’ll be taking care of you this evening. It says here you cut your finger and hit your head on a counter. You also lost consciousness for a few minutes. Is that right?”
As the doctor spoke, Seth helped Maggie get onto the bed, then took a few steps away.
“Yes, but I’m fine. I only need stitches in my finger.”
“So you didn’t lose consciousness? What about this wound on your head?”
“I guess I hit it when I fell,” Maggie said with a shrug.
“You fell?”
“Yes, after I saw the blood. I don’t like the sight of blood. I get queasy.”
“She fell forward and hit her head on the corner of the counter pretty hard. She was out of it for two to four minutes. She’s been unsteady on her feet ever since.”
Maggie shot Seth a dirty look, which he shrugged off with a wink and silly grin. She almost laughed. He was not helping her situation. She didn't think any of this was that big of a deal.
“Let’s have a look at you to see what we’re dealing with,” the doctor said before beginning his examination.
Dr. Chen checked the head wound, then her finger. A nurse came in with a couple of bundles wrapped in blue, setting them on the metal table. When the doctor was finished with his examination, he asked the nurse to clean the wounds to prepare them for stitching. He turned to address Maggie again.
“You’ll need about three stitches in your finger and another two on your head. Nurse Lynne will get you cleaned up and prepared for them. You’re in line for the CT. When was your last tetanus shot?”
“About three years ago.”
“Excellent. You won’t be needing one tonight.”
“Yay.”
Maggie’s tone was filled with sarcasm. When she heard Seth’s quiet laugh, she gave him the evilest look she could muster. This was going to be one long night from hell.
* * *
Hours had passed since the doctor had stitched Maggie’s wounds. She’d had her CT scan, and they were now waiting for the results. Seth had sat with her the whole time, keeping her company.
“Hey, wake up. I don’t think you’re supposed to fall asleep.”
“I’m so tired. What time is it?”
Seth looked down at his phone. “Almost one.”
“In the morning?”
“No, we’ve been here, like, eighteen hours, and it’s now Saturday afternoon.” He tried to keep a straight face but couldn’t.
Maggie laughed, and he was really starting to love the sound. In fact, the longer this night went on, the more he found to like about her. He was definitely asking her out after all this was over.
“How about we play a game? It will keep you awake and help us pass the time.”
“Okay. What should we play?”
Seth looked around the room trying to think of something. After a few moments, he looked back at Maggie and smiled. “We could play doctor.”
Maggie’s only reply was to laugh and shake her head.
“What, too soon?”
“You can’t be serious. Aren’t we a little old to be playing doctor?”
“Hmm, maybe you’re right. Oh, I know. What about the Heads Up app?”
“I’ve never played it myself, but I have an idea how it works.”
“Here, I’ll give the clues first.”
Maggie brought the phone to her forehead and winced when it came in contact with the bump. “Ow.”
“Ouch. Are you okay?”
“Yes. I’m such an idiot.”
“No, you’re not. I am. Not the smartest move to play a game that involves head contact. I’m sorry. I really wasn’t thinking.”
And he was sorry. The last thing Seth wanted was to cause her any more pain. Maggie had been hurt enough through her life. Over the hours spent in this room, they had talked about everything. Seth told her about his dream to own his own restaurant, and his life growing up as a military brat. Maggie told him about her life, and it both broke his heart and angered him for different reasons.
Maggie had lost her mother to breast cancer when she was only six years old. Her father had turned to alcohol to cope, then became abusive. Maggie suffered in silence for years, until the night her father wrapped their car around a tree while driving drunk. He’d died, and Maggie almost did but pulled through and spent months in the hospital recuperating. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she was in a few abusive relationships, the latest with Chad. Although it wasn’t physical abuse, the emotional abuse had left its scars. The more Seth heard, the more he wanted to be with her, to protect her, care for her, and quite possibly love her. Given the time and opportunity.
“Well, Miss Kinley, your scan came back clear, but I’d like to keep you here for observation,” Dr. Chen said after entering the curtained area.
“No. I want to go home.”
“I advise against that. Although your scan was clear of any bleeds, you do have a concussion and need to be observed for the next twelve to twenty-four hours. It’s part of the protocol.”
“I feel fine! I just want to go home.”
“Again, I strongly advise—”
“NO!” Maggie moved to get out of bed only to have Seth stop her.
“Maggie, if the doctor thinks you should stay, you should stay. I’ll stay here with you so you’re not alone.”
“It’s not that. I just need to get out of here. I can’t stay here anymore.” Her voice was shaky, and she appeared to be on the verge of tears.
Seth turned to the doctor. “What does the observation entail? Can it be done at home?”
“I suppose it could. She’ll need to be woken every two hours. There are signs to watch for and a list of questions she’ll have to answer. I can give you a sheet with the instructions.” Dr. Chen then addressed Maggie, “You would need to sign a waiver that you are leaving against medical advice. Do you understand that, Miss Kinley?”
“Yes, I know. This isn’t my first concussion. I know the risks, but I can’t stay here any longer. I need to go home.”
“As long as you understand, I’ll ask the nurse to prepare your discharge papers. As for your wounds, you’ll need to have the stitches removed in seven to ten days. Your primary care physician can handle that. You’ll need a follow-up CT and visit. Those can also be arranged by your P.C.”
“Thank you. May I get dressed now?”
“Of course. Nurse Lynne will be in with your paperwork soon.”
Seth helped Maggie to stand, making sure she was steady on her feet before letting go. He untied the back of her gown, then stepped outside the curtain. After a few minutes, Maggie called him back into the room.
“So, your place or mine?” Seth asked when he returned.
“What? Oh, I’ll go home. You can just drop me at my car. I can’t impose on you any longer. You’ve done so much already. There’s no need for you to take care of me. I’ll be fine.”
Seth walked up to Maggie, shaking his head. There was no way he was letting her go home alone. He did have a need to take care of her, and he was going to.
“Now, you heard the doctor; you need someone with you to wake you up and ask those questions.”
“I can set an alarm and whatever else. Really, I’ll be fine. Like I told the doctor, this isn’t my first concussion. Been here, done this.”
“All the more reason for me to stay with you, or you with me.”
Maggie was quiet. Seth watched an array of emotions cross her face as she seemed to be thinking things over. He took a couple of steps to close the distance between them, then raised his hands to cup her face. Her flinch sent a tinge of pain to his heart. It was obviously an instant reaction that most likely stemmed back to her past abuse. He placed a light kiss on her forehead.
“Please, Maggie, let me take care of you.”
“Okay.”
Seth released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He looked down at Maggie and asked, “So, my place?”
* * *
Maggie leaned back in the seat. They were on their way to Seth’s house after her discharge and a stop at the hospital’s pharmacy. It had been such a long night, and through it all, Seth was there in good spirits, keeping her entertained and alert. She was so tired, she felt as if she could sleep for a week. Maggie couldn’t explain why she had opened up to him like she did. She wasn’t one to talk about her past and the struggles she had faced. Seth had responded with warmth and concern. He didn’t say it, but the expressions on his face when she talked about her abusive past said it for him. He was mad and probably wanted a few minutes alone with those guys.
Seth seemed to be one of the good guys. He was kind, generous, hard-working, and really hot. He had shared his dream of opening his own restaurant one day and that the cooking courses he taught were funding that dream. What really impressed her was he never, not once, blamed her for the kitchen disaster. He didn’t belittle her as Chad would have. He certainly didn’t beat her like Todd or her father would have. What could be the chances of them having a relationship? What would it be like to have someone like him in her life? Maggie had never had much luck with relationships. She felt Seth’s large warm hand cover hers, and that warmth traveled up her arm and through her body, providing a comfort she hadn’t felt in, well, maybe ever.
“Hey, are you still with me? What day is it?”
“I think we’ve traveled into Saturday already, if I remember correctly from asking you earlier.”
“Good. Who is the president?”
“Biden. The year is twenty-twenty-three, my birthday is May the tenth, and we’re in your car heading to your house. Did I pass muster?”
“With flying colors.”
“See? I told you I was okay. You can just drop me at my car and I’ll go home. I’m sure you have better things to do on a Saturday than play nursemaid to me.”
“Not a chance, darling. You’re stuck with me for the next twelve hours at least. Unless you have someone else that can stay with you today. In that case, I’ll bring you to your house.”
“No, not really. Chad got most of the friends in our breakup, and I don’t have many close ones.”
“Well, looks like it’s just me and you.”
Maggie liked the way that sounded—just them—but it was too much to wish it were true. Maggie never got the good guy. Quite the opposite, actually. She closed her eyes and let the gentle motion of the car lull her to sleep.