“I’m good,” she said with a gasp of air.
Ben urged her off her chair and took her lightly by the elbow as they left the banquet hall. Jake followed them onto the elevator with Lonnie and they rode back up to the fourteenth floor where their rooms were located. Lonnie stayed at the elevators as Ben steered Claire back to their room. He scanned his card, and the lock clicked open. He motioned for Claire to enter, and the door closed behind them.
“Claire, I need you to tell me where else you’re injured,” Ben said.
Claire looked at him. Jake stood behind him with a worried look on his face. His eyes roved over her body as if he were attempting to see any injuries she might be hiding.
“I’m fine,” she whispered.
“You’re not,” Ben said, a little forcefully.
Claire flinched and took a step back.
“Dude,” Jake said, setting a hand on Ben’s arm.
Ben sat down on the bed and dropped his head in his hands. “I’m sorry, Claire. It kills me that this happened, and I didn’t stop it.”
She didn’t reply. Her eyes flitted between Ben and Jake.
Jake looked between where Ben sat on the bed and Claire stood near the window.
“How about I call the tour physician to come check Claire out?”
Ben looked up and nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
“Claire?” Jake asked.
Claire nodded. “Okay.”
She hadn’t realized there was a physician on tour with them, but it made sense. There were many people on the crew andwith the hours they pulled, they likely got sick frequently. Plus, with their popularity, it would be easier to have a doctor with them than to be running into medical clinics where they would constantly have to transfer records. And this solved the problem of having to find a doctor to see today.
Her eyes met Jake’s, and she tried to give him a small smile of thanks.
He nodded his head before pulling out his cell phone and making a call.
6
Claire waited in the hotel room as the tour doctor ushered the men out. Ben tried to argue that he needed to stay, but Dr. Patrick was firm in demanding privacy for Claire, which she appreciated.
Once they left the room, Dr. Patrick sighed and gave her a warm smile. She was in her thirties with dark hair that was pulled into a tight bun. She dressed in plain clothes, but carried a small bag with the items she needed to do a proper check-up.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Claire. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Claire looked at her, startled. “You have?”
Dr. Patrick smiled as she pulled a stethoscope out of her bag and looped it around her neck before she dug into her bag for more items.
“Ben has mentioned you several times and how he hoped you’d come to a show when they were near you.”
Guilt crept up Claire’s back. She had avoided all the shows because Charles wouldn’t let her go. One time she had tried to sneak out to go see it once Charles had passed out from drinking too much, or so she had thought. He caught her before she couldleave the driveway. She never made that mistake again. That was the first time she realized how horrible Charles could be. She hadn’t thought she’d survive it.
“I wish I had,” she whispered. “Thank you for seeing me today, Dr. Patrick. I planned to go find a doctor in town while the guys were busy. I didn’t realize they had a doctor on tour with them.”
Dr. Patrick pulled up a chair in front of Claire at the little table in the hotel room.
“My name is Celine. You don’t need to call me Dr. Patrick. We’re pretty informal around here.”
Claire smiled. “Can I just say I’m thankful you’re a woman?”
