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I didn’t wait for Harvey to peel himself off the dashboard, nor for Doc, who rolled in behind me, as I ran across the asphalt and shoved through the Emergency Room’s double doors.
Addy sat in the corner of the room, her arm in a makeshift sling. Kelly lounged in the chair next to her.
“Oh, thank God.” I swallowed the coconut-sized lump in my throat and jogged across the carpet, indifferent to the stares of the handful of other patrons waiting for their turn with a doctor. I squatted in front of Addy, wanting to squeeze her tight against me, but holding back due to her arm. “Hi, Sweetie. I’m so glad you’re safe.”
Her brow was wrinkled as she looked up, her lower lip quivering. “Mom, I lost Elvis.”
Huh? The king of rock n’ roll? “Elvis?”
“My chicken.”
Oh. I needed to start writing down these kinds of things. “Addy, your chicken is a girl.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I knew you wouldn’t understand.”
Jesus!I’d just spent the last few hours having my heart and soul ripped out through my throat whilewhat-ifdemons stripped years from my life. Excuse me if I struggled with working up a snuffle or two for a freaking chicken who used the hood of my Bronco as its own personal outhouse.
“Sweetheart,” I had trouble keeping the terseness from my tone, “I’m sorry you lost your chi—Elvis.”
“Me, too,” she whispered.
Her fat tears weathered away my rough edges. I brushed the wetness from her cheeks. “Maybe we’ll see about getting you another one.”
What?Who said that? It wasn’t me, because the last thing I wanted was another chicken roosting on my pillow every night. Although snuggling up to a pet snake would be worse.
“No, I don’t want another chicken. Just Elvis.”
Well, thank the poultry gods for that. I kissed her on the forehead, soaking up the feel and taste of her skin against my lips.
“Hello, Violet Parker.”
I stood, smiling at Jeff Wymonds without effort for the first time since meeting him. “Thank you so much for your help.”
“No problem.” He patted Kelly’s head and then sat in the seat across from her. “I just hope these two numbskulls understand now why that old mine was barricaded and plastered with No Trespassing signs, and don’t pull this kind of shit again.” He shot a glare at his daughter. “Next time, I might not be around to fish either of you out of a shaft.”
“We know, Dad.” Kelly’s sigh could have won her an Emmy for theBest Dramatic Scene in a Daytime Soap Operacategory. “You lectured us all the way to the hospital, remember?”
Addy’s forehead was puckered as she looked up at me. “We wouldn’t have gone in if Elvis hadn’t squeezed between the boards. It was a rescue mission, Mom, see?”
A tap on my shoulder made me turn. Doc stood behind me, holding out a can of Diet Coke.
“Thanks,” I took the cold can and cracked it open. “Jeff, this is my …” I paused, not sure really what role Doc played in my life. “My friend, Doc Nyce.”
“Yeah, the pool player.” Jeff remained seated but held out his hand toward Doc while giving me a raised-brow look. “I thought you said he was a client.”
Oops, I’d forgotten all about our lunch conversation.
“Violet likes to mix business with pleasure,” Doc said, his grin teasing me as he released Jeff’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Wymonds.”
“Where’s Harvey?” I asked Doc and dropped into the seat next to Addy. Coming down from my adrenaline rush left my legs weak.
“He said something about needing to use the facilities.” Doc ruffled Addy’s blonde hair. “Good to see you again, Squirt. I hear the doctor says you’re going to need a cast.”
“Yep. It’s going to be purple, too.”
“Cool. I can’t wait to see it.”
Sipping on my Diet Coke, I patted the chair next to me, not ready to break the bond that I’d forged with Doc this afternoon. While he’d made it clear I couldn’t act on this crush I had for him, which was mushrooming out of control by the minute, there were no rules about feeding a friendship.
