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“Get your hands off her, asshole!” Tanner yelled.
Suddenly, the hand was ripped away from her and there was the sound of scuffling.
More distressed cries came from her lips.
“Shh, Lara. It’s okay, you’re all right,” Flick murmured, placing an arm around her.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to create such problems.”
“You didn’t,” Flick told her. “There’s nothing to apologize for.”
“You got one thing right, asshole! You’ve got half a mind!” Tanner told the driver of the car. She glimpsed up at them. Tanner had grabbed hold of the other man, who was dressed in an expensive suit. He was glaring down at her, and she hid her face once more on her knees.
She was such a wimp.
She should get up and apologize.
“I wasn’t fucking speeding! She’s a stupid bitch for walking out in front of me!”
“Enough!” Tanner roared, pushing him. “If you continue to talk to her like that, then I’m going to call the fucking cops on you. Maybe they need to breathalyze you, huh?”
Around him, people murmured in agreement, and she looked up again to see that they’d drawn a crowd.
Oh, shit. She really hoped this didn’t get back to Chandler and her mother. They hated anything that even hinted of a scandal. Chandler liked to pretend he was this great, upstanding citizen that never did anything wrong.
But she knew differently.
As though realizing that the crowd was against him, the other man stepped away from Tanner, straightening his suit.
He sneered down at her. “Watch where you’re going next time.”
Tanner shoved him back again, and he wobbled before regaining his balance. “Don’t you touch me! Or I’ll sue!”
“Like to see you try, asswipe. Got plenty of witnesses here. Anyone see me hit this guy?”
Everyone shook their heads. The man looked around, as though searching for support. When no one spoke up for him, he let out a huff and stormed off to his car.
6
She had to bite back a whimper. Suddenly, Tanner crouched in front of her. “Hey, sweetie, how you doing? You hurting anywhere?”
“No,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
“No need to apologize,” Flick told her.
“Are you sure you’re not hurt?” Tanner asked. “Do you need a doctor?”
“No, no. I’m fine.”
“That was so close, though,” Flick said, visibly trembling. “I was terrified.”
Tanner shot Flick a worried look. “Maybe we need to get you checked over by the doc.”
“Me? Lara was nearly hit by a car! I was standing safely on the sidewalk.”
“Yeah, but you’re carrying a baby. And that was a lot of excitement for you. We should get you looked at.”
Wow. It was so cute how protective he was of her. And she wasn’t even his girlfriend. She was his sister-in-law. She’d never had that. From anyone in her life.
And she wanted it so bad.
“Tanner Malone, I am not going to see the doctor just because I got a fright,” Flick protested.
“Yeah? How about we call West and ask him?”
“Don’t you dare!” Flick stood and Tanner leaped to help her. “It’s not me that you should be worried about, it’s poor Lara.”
Oh, great, now all the attention was back on her.
“Is she all right?” a woman asked, stepping forward. “Do you need an ambulance?”
“No, no, I’m fine,” she said hastily. Not only because she didn’t want to make a fuss. But she also couldn’t afford a trip to the hospital.
She pushed herself onto her feet, feeling decidedly wobbly. Tanner grabbed her hands to help her up. He was a good-looking guy. Kind and a bit naughty, which she thought would be her type. But he just didn’t do anything for her. Unlike his gorgeous, sexy brother.
“Are you sure, Lara?” Tanner frowned down at her. “You’re pale and trembling.”
“We should take her to the doctor,” Flick said.
“No! No,” she said more quietly as they both stared at her in surprise. “I’m all good. Really. I don’t need the doctor.”
“Are you scared of doctors?” Flick asked. “We know a really nice one in Haven. She’s not scary at all. And if she has to jab you, she’ll give you a sucker.”
“Only you get those,” Tanner muttered. “She never gives me a sucker.”
“That’s because she’d run out if she kept having to give you suckers, Tanner Malone. You’re always getting patched up by her.” She turned to Lara, studying her. “I don’t think we should leave you on your own. You look shaky and pale. You should come home with us. Shouldn’t she, Tanner?”
No. Nope. That was the last thing she wanted to do. What she needed to do was go back to her motel room, crawl under the covers, and hide.
This had been a hideous day, and she wanted to hide for the rest of it. Until the day was over at least. Surely it couldn’t get any worse.
“No, I’m fine. I just want to go back to my motel room.”
“A motel room?” Flick asked. “You’re just visiting here?”
