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“And calling me? That is unimportant, too?”
He loved his mother. He did. But right now, it took all he had to say, “I drove fast on the way to the hospital. It was no time to make phone calls. I’ve apologized.”
“When will I see you?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I have to go, Mamá. I’m at the witness’s home and need to speak to her.”
“Very well. I’ll wait until you have time for me.” Guilt inserted like a stiletto, she hung up on him.
He muttered an obscenity and turned to go back inside. That’s when he saw Beth standing only a few feet away, close enough to have heard every word.
Hugging her cast to her body, looking very alone, she said, “The witness?”
* * *
HE HADN’T HEARD her padding barefoot into the kitchen. Beth almost immediately realized who he was talking to. And she’d heard him call her a witness twice.
Yes, it stung.
“I was already irritated enough,” he said. “This wasn’t the moment to mention that I’m seeing a woman.”
Not having known Tony quite a week, she should let this go. But…witness? Who—oh, by the way—he’d slept with?
So she said tartly, “Aren’t you usually seeing a woman?”
“Damn it, don’t make this into something it isn’t,” he said irritably, closing the door and walking right past her into the kitchen. “And, no, I don’t tell my mother when I’m involved with someone. She’d insist on meeting her, then interfering.”
“But you know my family.”
“They’re not like mine. Anyway, I’ve met them on the job, not because of any personal relationship.”
That was true but painfully brought home that he’d met her on the job, too. From his point of view, instead of “friends with benefits,” this might qualify as an extra job benefit.
She opened a drawer and took out a plastic kitchen trash bag to cover her cast. “I’m going to take a shower.”
He didn’t follow her. Even humiliatingly aware she might not be able to get her bra on or the tank top she intended to wear over the cast, Beth was not going to ask him for help.
She should have gone home with Matt. A teacher, Ashley had the summer off. The two of them had always gotten along well. Ashley wouldn’t have minded helping.
It’s not too late, Beth thought. She’d rather stay home—but this thing was miserably unwieldy, and she hurt. It was Tony’s pampering she wanted, not her sister-in-law’s, but Ashley was family.
Trying to keep the spray from getting inside the plastic bag made showering awkward. Plus, she should have taken the next pain pill before the shower.
On getting out, she discovered that twisting a towel into place on her head was a challenge with one hand. She couldn’t really dry her back, either.
And, oh, she hated feeling sorry for herself.
Then don’t.
Beth stuck her tongue out at herself in the mirror before struggling into panties and stretchy pants. Lightheaded before she was done, she sank onto the closed toilet seat and bent forward.
At a tap on the door, she straightened. “Yes?”
“Can I come in?”
The least he could do was fasten her damn bra. “Sure.”
He came in and crouched in front of her, eyes a dark chocolate, expression rueful. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. What you tell your mother is your business.” Beth reached for her bra. “If you wouldn’t mind fastening this…”
He took it from her, helping her maneuver her cast through the opening, then scoop her breasts into the cups. He got a few sneaky caresses in there, before she leaned forward again so he could hook it closed.
“Shirt?”
“I’m just going to wear a tank top today.”
He managed to slip it on her without jarring her arm, a minor miracle. When he finished that, he gave her head a rub with the towel and brushed her wet hair for her.
“Shall I leave it loose?”
“Do you know how to braid?”
His mouth quirked. “Remember all those little sisters?” He deftly began.
Picturing him getting half a dozen little girls ready for school in the morning, hair braided or decorated, made her smile.
