Justus giggled.We were out under the stars talking and it happened. Perfection.
Her phone rang immediately instead of a text coming back. She turned off the water before she answered.
“Okay. You can’t leave me hanging like that. More than talking had to have led up to a kiss,” Chaney said.
“Not necessarily. Unless you consider the days and weeks leading up to it,” Justus said.
“Well, that is a given. Had you been flirting with him like we talked about you doing?” Chaney asked.
“No, because it never seemed like the right time to start without it coming across as being obvious,” Justus explained.
“And he still kissed you? Amazing. Rawlins hasn’t made a move yet and we’ve been flirting for weeks now. So unfair,” Chaney said.
“Maybe you should make the first move,” Justus said.
“No. I’ve been flirting. If that isn’t a sign that I’m open to more with him and he can’t step up on his own, then I’m not exposing myself to ridicule or embarrassment because he doesn’t feel the same by making an overture.”
“It’s up to you,” Justus said. “I’m going to go grab a shower.”
“No wait. I wanted to ask if taking the combination of medication, I suggested helped with your pain the other day,” Chaney said.
“It did. Thank you. I slept like a baby that night thanks to you,” she said.
“Good. I thought maybe it did since you didn’t call back. I’ve struggled with painful monthlies since I started so it wasn’t anything new for me after the implant was removed.”
“I’m so sorry,” Justus said. “I had no idea.”
“Just count your blessings.”
“I will,” she said, fighting off a yawn. Listen, I’m still tired from earlier in the week. I’m going to go get in the shower before I fall asleep talking to you. Talk to you later?”
“Sure.”
Drake Minchinfinally got to see a rehabilitating Dan the following day after spending the evening talking to several doctors and nurses in the emergency department before finding the one who had actually taken care of him when he’d been brought in back in June. That doctor had been very helpful giving him a full report of the incident and how he’d kept in touch with Dan’s progress after he’d left the emergency department and transferred to the regular care floor. The gunshot wound had left him temporarily paralyzed on his right side and he needed constant care and rehabilitation to get back to one hundred percent.
When he arrived at the care facility and was directed to the physical therapy area where Dan was working with his therapist, Minchin gave Leland a call. “Boss, I’ve found him. I didn’t want to call until I actual laid eyes on him, but he’s in a rehab facility where he’s been following a gunshot wound after the raid.”
“What? He was shot?” Leland sounded dumbfounded
“That was my reaction when I heard it from the Fool’s Gold Deputy Sheriff yesterday,” Minchin said. “Should I approach him? Let him know we’ve been looking for him, that he still has a place in your crew?”
There was a pause on the line. “He was a screw up, but he did what he was told for the most part. Yes, tell him he still has a place if he wants to return. Make sure he knows we’ve beensearching for him. That we were concerned about him, Leland said.
“You got it boss,” he said.
When they ended the call, he gave Jennings a call. “I’ve found him. Let Evans know.”
“Where?” Jennings asked.
“I’ll fill you both in when I see you,” Minchin said before hanging up. He pocketed the phone and pushed through the double doors. Dan was walking up a set up six steps and back down, without holding on to the rail that was on one side of the steps. His therapist stood by with a clip board.
He walked over to the pair and the therapist acknowledged him. “You must be Mr. Minchin?”
“I am.”
“Dan, this is the man I mentioned was coming to see you from your employer,” his therapist said.
“Took him long enough to send someone,” Dan said, starting back up the steps.
