She rubbed my shoulder compassionately, the same way she has done since the accident happened. “You weren’t too embarrassed?”
“I most certainly was,” I said on a laugh. “It was too late to do anything about it, though. He asked appropriate questions, and was more than understanding about it. Then we talked about his daughter and—”
“His daughter?” she asked, leaning back in surprise. “He’s got a daughter?”
“Yes, Athena. She’s eighteen and away at college in California. He was a teenage father.”
“Holy man,” Haylee said on an exhale. “Proof positive that you never know what’s going on in someone’s life.”
“He told me a few nights ago. He never married Athena’s mother or even lived with them, but he has taken an active role in Athena’s life. Considering he was sixteen when she was born, he stepped up and did the right thing by her.”
“For sure,” Haylee agreed, her head nodding. “As a foster kid married to a foster kid, I know where that girl might have ended up if he had walked away.”
“It sounds like her mom had very supportive parents who helped. Sam is a social worker now, and married to Athena’s step-dad, who helped raise her. They co-parent well together.”
“How does that make you feel?”
“How does what make me feel?”
“Bishop being a father.”
I gave her the palms out. “Uh, fine? It’s not like she lives with him. She’s an adult and goes to school across the country. Besides, I have no right to have any feelings about it. I’m his neighbor, not his mother.”
“I see,” she said as if she didn’t. “Did you explain to Bishop about your leg.”
“Yup, and my arm, and the situation as it stands. I also told him my best friend ripped the rug out from under me, and I needed to sort out what to do.”
“What did he say about that?”
“He said you were right to call me out. If I didn’t do something about my leg, I was going to require more than a short, forced time-out.”
Her brow went up. “Smart man.”
“I promised him I was going home to think it over. He walked me there, kissed me, and I went to bed. End of story.”
“What!” she squealed instantly. “Next time, lead with that!” Her laughter, dancing in the chair, and foot-stomping on the floor told me she was excited.
Brady came racing around the corner, nearly running into the wall when he tried to stop short. “What’s the matter?” he asked out of breath.
“Nothing,” Haylee said, finger-waving at him. “Sorry, I was just excited to find out I don’t have to do all this paperwork because Amber’s going to do it.”
Brady did a fist pump. “Excellent. Give me ten minutes to get my buns out of the oven, and I’ll help you load it all.”
“Buns in the oven, you say. I hear that was almost a thing between you two,” I said, snickering when Haylee groaned.
“One day, it will be a certain thing,” he said as he walked away.
Haylee leaned in and took my hand. “I can’t believe you kissed him already.”
I swallowed and looked anywhere but at her. “It just kind of happened. It wasn’t planned. The moment was there, so I took it. I mean, he was going to kiss me, all I did was encourage it.”
She made the out with it motion with her hand. “Was it completely panty-melting as expected?”
“Panty melting?” I asked with laughter in my voice. Her brow lowered, and she growled until I answered. “My panties didn’t melt off, but it was close.”
She clapped her hands like a little girl, excitement radiating from her. “I knew it! I’m thrilled that you guys are moving forward with this!”
“Moving forward with what?” I asked, confused.
“A relationship!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air.
I stood instantly and shook my head hard. “No. No, no, no. No relationship,” I insisted, stepping toward the door. “It was just an innocent kiss, Haylee.” I took another step backward and never found my footing before I was falling to the floor.
“Amber!” Haylee yelled, grabbing me before I fell onto the hard concrete. “Stop before you hurt yourself.”
She swung me back into the chair carefully and knelt, taking stock of me. Her hand went to my forehead and held it there. “You’re warm.”
“It’s warm in here,” I said, shaken by the near fall. I had to remember to keep my crutches with me at all times now.
“No, you have a fever.”
I looked to the ceiling because making eye contact with her would only make me cry. “I think the leg is infected or something. I don’t feel right.”
She yelled for Brady again while putting the ice pack back on my knee. He came running and stopped at the doorway. “We need to get her home,” Haylee said, standing up. “I don’t want her driving. She’s got a fever.”
I swatted at her, and my dress fell to cover my leg again. “I’m fine. I drove myself here. I can drive myself home. I’m not a child.”
Brady knelt in front of the chair and gazed up at me with his bright blue eyes. “We know you aren’t a child, but you can’t let this go any longer. You have a serious problem and one that’s going to cause serious consequences if you don’t have it looked at by a doctor. If you have a fever, then you have an infection. You can’t pretend anymore, Amber.”
I nodded once. “I know. I was already planning to call Dr. Newton today.”
Brady glanced at his watch and then to his wife. “I’ll cover the bakery. The clinic is open. Take her there. She needs a doctor, whether it’s the one she always sees or not. No more waiting or she’ll be in the
