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“What are you doing?” she asked in a panic. “Put me down!”
“Just relax. I’m gonna set you in my truck. We need to get you to the hospital.”
“The hospital? No, I’m fine. Just put me down!”
“Hold on.” Miller helped her stand, and that’s when a jackhammer turned on over her right temple.
“Ahhh,” Liza said as she covered her forehead.
Miller opened the truck door and ushered her to sit.
“You slipped and hit your head on a tree root or a rock I think. I’m gonna go run the dogs inside. I’ll be right back. Don’t go to sleep, okay? Stay with me.” Liza felt calm in Miller’s presence, but she also sensed an anxiousness in his words.
When they arrived at the hospital, a nurse brought out a wheelchair. Liza kept her eyes closed. Light was evil and seared pain into her brain. She heard Miller explaining what happened, and then someone rolled her into an exam room.
“Liza, hi. My name’s Julie. I’m a nurse here. We’re gonna get you some medication for your pain okay?”
“Okay,” Liza whimpered. She felt a hand cover hers.
“Liza, I’m so sorry. I’m right here okay?” Miller’s voice was laced with concern.
The nurse handed her a cup of water and two pills.
After swallowing, Liza laid back. A doctor came in and explained that he believed she had a mild concussion. There were more directions, but Liza zoned out. She just wanted to shut her eyes and rest.
The faint sound of barking tickled Liza’s ears. She heard someone talking in hushed tones. As she opened her eyes, she was alarmed by the unfamiliar scene. Eventually, she recognized that she was in Miller’s room, lying on his futon.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” a soft voice asked. Miller’s face appeared next to her.
She tried to sit up, but a hammer raged in her head and she quickly relaxed back into the pillow.
“Don’t try to get up. It’s time to take some more pain meds. That’ll help.”
Liza kept her eyes closed as she asked, “What time is it?”
“It’s almost two.”
“Two… Oh my gosh! I gotta go get the kids soon. Can you drop me off at home?”
“You’re not supposed to drive for twenty-four to forty-eight hours, and you need to rest. What’s their parents’ names? I can call them.”
Liza exhaled. “No, just send a text. Susan is their mom’s name.”
Miller picked up Liza’s phone. “Gonna need your code.”
“One two three four,” Liza told him.
“Seriously? Are you just asking someone to break into your phone? Nevermind, don’t answer that.”
Liza heard Miller typing the message. Then, she remembered her date with Dr. Sam. It was her chance to ask him to be her plus-one at Maggie’s wedding. Sheneededhim to be her date. It was the only shot she had at avoiding her mom’s incessant matchmaking and judgy comments about her career choice. There’s no way Deborah Eckland could argue with Liza dating a handsome chiropractor. The plan was foolproof—as long as Dr. Sam was up for it.
“I’ll rest a little longer, but… I have an important meeting tonight and I can’t miss it.”
“Well you’ll have to.”
“No, I'm serious. Can you drive me? I’ll only stay for a half hour or so.”
“Fine,” Miller replied with a sigh. “What’s this meeting about anyway?”
