“That sounds amazing,” Avery said. “Thank you. For everything.”
“I know how I’d feel if I hadn’t showered in a day, much less four.” She gave her a gentle smile. “Do you need assistance?”
Avery shook her head. “No. I’m getting around on my own. Almost as good as new.”
“Don’t push too hard,” the nurse said. “Head injuries can be tricky.” She laid the brush and toothbrush on the rolling table near the bed. “I’ll be back with your discharge instructions in a few minutes. You’ll have enough time for that shower.”
After the nurse left the room, Avery gathered her clothes and faced Grant. “I know you didn’t ask for this, and I wasn’t quite in my right mind when I gave your name to the nurse but thank you for coming.” She hesitated. “You don’t have to stay, you know.”
“I’m here. You’ve been injured. I’m not going to leave you until I know you’re one hundred percent. Right now, I’m not convinced.”
She nodded. “I need to go on to Shadow Valley. I’m sure they’re worried that I didn’t show up.”
“You could call and let them know what happened,” Grant said.
She raised her hands. “I don’t have my phone, my purse or my credentials. I feel a little lost, like I don’t know who I am.”
Grant crossed to her and pulled her into his arms. “I know you won’t take the doctor’s advice to rest for a few days, so at least let me go with you and keep an eye on you to make sure you’re recovering, not regressing.” He leaned back and tipped her chin up. “I can’t in good conscience let you go alone, especially if you’re working a potential serial killer case. I know you better than anyone who’ll be there. I’ll know if you’re acting funny.”
She stared up into his eyes. “You knew me. It’s been a while.”
He nodded. “It has. But you’re still you.” His lips twitched. “A little confused but getting better every minute. So, how about it? I have a rental car.” He raised his eyebrows in challenge.
She rested his hands on his chest. “I don’t even know what happened to mine. I think it was in a creek or something.”
Grant’s arms tightened around her; the thought of her struggling to get out of a crashed vehicle submerged in a creek almost more than he could imagine. “Do you remember what happened?”
“Some. Just like clips from a horror movie.”
He hugged her briefly. “Get your shower. You can fill me in on our way to Shadow Valley.”
Avery ducked into the bathroom. Moments later, Grant could hear the sound of water splashing against the tile floor. He waited by the door in case she fell and needed help up.
As she had always done, she was done in a few efficient minutes. The shower shut off. After another couple of minutes, the door opened, and she stepped out wearing trousers, a dark blouse and dark sneakers. She’d wrapped her hair in a towel like a turban on her head.
She walked to the bed, sat on the side and pulled the towel off her head. “Has the nurse come by?” she asked, dragging the brush through the mass of tangles, her movements impatient and jerky.
“Not yet.” Grant reached out. “Let me.” He’d always had more patience combing the tangles out of her long black hair.
She laid the brush in his palm and turned her back to him.
He carefully worked the knots out of her hair, one strand at a time. When he was done, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her damp crown like he always had, without thinking, counting it off as muscle memory. Then he handed her the brush.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Better, having divested myself of a couple of pounds of mud and...” she grimaced, “twigs.”
He sat on the bed behind her, gripped her shoulders and pulled her back against him. “Oh, baby, what happened?”
She leaned her head back on his shoulder and closed her eyes. “I’m not sure what was real and what was a dream I might have been having while I was sleeping.”
“Tell me,” he said, smoothing her damp hair back from her forehead. She’d always liked it when he’d stroked her hair.
He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed this. He wished he’d been there for her, that she wouldn’t have had to extricate herself from her car all alone.
“It was raining,” she said softly. “I was tired, having left San Antonio later than I’d wanted to. Something big and brown leaped out in front of me. I hit the brakes, but they didn’t work, or maybe the road was too slick.” She shook her head. “Anyway, the big brown thing, I think it was a deer, crashed into my car, rolled up over the hood, and smashed into my windshield.” She shivered. “What happened next is a blur. I couldn’t see anything in front of me. I went off the road while I was still going pretty fast. When the car came to a sudden stop, it was standing on its front grill in rising water.” She shivered.
Grant’s arms slid around her middle and held her close.
