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She kind of already did, because this meant time away from her own writing and possibly M. She really wanted to spend more time getting to know him.
Rick took another step toward her, looking like he wanted to kiss her or something. She stepped back, slipped on the gooey cheese sauce from the chili cheese fries she’d plated, and landed on her ass. Shethrew her hand out to catch herself, and a sharp, biting pain in her wrist made her yelp.
She held up her arm and stared at the broken piece of plate sticking out of the side of her wrist.Fuck!
“What the hell happened back here?” Melody stood over her.
Rick squatted and reached for her arm.
“Leave it in,” Melody snapped.
Lyric pulled her hand away from Rick and held it close to her chest. “Back up. Let me stand.” Now she was really angry.
Melody glanced over her shoulder at the kitchen staff. “Can one of you clean this up while I take her to the ER?”
“I don’t need to go to the hospital.” But she did want to go up to her place and collect herself.
“That looks really bad.” Rick cringed. “It’s going to need stitches.”
“Ugh!” This wouldn’t have happened if Rick hadn’t invaded her kitchen and her life. Again. “Fine. I’ll go. But I can drive myself.”
“I’ll take you,” Melody insisted.
The bar was packed. “I need you to run the kitchen. I’m already a worker short tonight.” Lyric glanced at the order tickets piling up. “Please,” she said to her sister.
Melody stared at the bleeding wound. “But your arm.”
Blood trickled down her arm and soaked into her shirt sleeve at her elbow. “I’ll be fine.” She grabbed a clean towel out of the drawer by the sink and gently wrapped it around her arm to sop up the blood.
Rick helped her as the wound throbbed and hurt like hell. “I’ll drive you.”
She tried not to show how upset or angry she wasabout what had happened. It was an accident. One he’d caused but not intended. Still, not his fault. “I’ll take care of this myself. It hurts, but it’s not bleeding that badly.” Understatement, but if it got Rick to back off, great.
Aria rushed in. “Oh my God, what the hell?” She stopped short, her eyes glued to the blood seeping out of the wound and soaking the towel.
“I’m fine,” Lyric assured her sister.
“That is not fine.” Aria glanced at Rick, then at her. “Let me get my keys and purse. I’ll drive you to the hospital.”
“Good luck with that.” Melody plated up a new order of chili cheese fries and put it on the counter under the heat lamps for the waitress to take out to their customer.
Aria glared at Melody, then her.
Lyric laid out the practical plans. “You need to run the bar. Melody will take over the kitchen. If Jax is here, get him serving. If not, call someone else in. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Aria took charge like she always did. “You,” she snapped at Rick. “Out of the kitchen. Now,” she barked. “I’m taking Lyric to the hospital. Melody, you’ve got the bar and kitchen. You know what to do.” With that, Aria stared down Lyric. “Now, let’s go.”
Lyric grabbed her jacket off the coatrack by the back door and slid her good arm into it.
Rick helped her drape the other side over her shoulder. “I really want to go with you.”
She turned to him. “Just...”back off, she wanted to scream at him. But she’d been warned not to antagonize him. It could make things worse. So she bit her tongue, took a breath, and found some calm in the chaos. “We’ll talk later. Okay?”
“But I want to help.” The puppy-dog eyes and plea didn’t sway her.
The ER was bound to be busy. She already had little patience for Rick. She wished M was here tonight. She’d probably let him take her. He’d calm her.
Rick made her anxious and cautious, and she didn’t need any more anxiety tonight.
