Evie did as instructed and took up soap and warm water. She gently scrubbed the damaged area and spoke to him. “Max, it’s Evie. You need to wake up now.”
He stirred and moaned, but nothing more.
Evie continued to clean him up. “Max, you’ve been injured, and my father needs to stitch you up. It’s going to hurt a bit, and it would be better if you would wake up so that you knew what was going on.”
His eyes opened for just a moment, then closed again. He seemed to be coming around.
“Max, come on. Wake up.” She touched his cheek. Feelings that she’d never known seemed to surge to life, and she found herself completely overwhelmed by the rush of emotions. She cared about this man. Cared a great deal. Seeing him injured caused her great concern, more than she normally felt with patients.
In her training she had learned to distance herself from feeling too much for a patient. A clear and unemotional head was needed to perform the duties required. It had always been taught that working on loved ones should be avoided for just such reasons.
She glanced down and found he was watching her. She smiled and ran her hand along his jaw. “It’s about time you woke up.”
“Am I—” He coughed and sputtered. “Wa-water, please.”
Evie reached for a bottle and helped him raise his head justenough to get a drink. “Not too much, Max. Not too fast.” She helped him to lie flat once more.
“Am I dead?” He closed his eyes again, and Evie feared he was slipping away.
“Wake up,” she said rather sternly. “You aren’t dead.”
“But I saw an angel.” A grin spread across his lips.
“Wake up now!” she said a little louder than intended.
He opened his eyes, and his smile broadened. “You’re a bossy nurse.”
She laughed. “Yes, I am.”
“I thought—” he coughed again—“I thought you were an angel.”
She rolled her gaze heavenward. “I’m no angel, and as soon as I start helping my father stitch you up, you’ll know that well enough.”
“Do your worst,” he murmured.
Father returned with his suture kit and gave Max’s eyes a close inspection. “How are you feeling? You took a hard blow to the head.”
“And shoulder. Hurts a great deal.”
“You have some bad burns there,” Evie explained.
Father waved her back. “Try to raise your left arm, Max.”
He tried but cried out in pain. Father stilled his efforts and felt along the shoulder.
“Collarbone is broken, and the worst of your burns are located around the same area. It feels like the collarbone fell back into place, but I’ll double check it momentarily. First, I’ll get you stitched up. Then we’ll tend to the burns and collarbone.”
Max looked at Evie and again gave her a hint of a smile. “Will you hold my hand?”
Evie’s father laughed out loud. “That’s probably a good idea. That way when I stick this needle in, you won’t be able to punch me.”
Max shook his head ever so slightly. “I promise to mind my manners.”
Evie took his hands. “Go ahead, Father. I’ve got a good grip.”
Max tightened his hold on her. She met his gaze and saw something in his expression that suggested his feelings for her had somehow deepened. She didn’t know what it was about his look, but it caused a shiver to run up her spine. Her eyes widened slightly as she considered the feelings coursing through her. Was this love?
14
