“Mommy, are you hurt?”
“Just my pride,” I say, and he crinkles his nose. “I’m okay. I slipped.”
“One of the kids must have spilled their juice,” Nina says as she grabs tissues from her purse and wipes up the liquid. “I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault. It’s no one’s fault. Just an accident.” I put pressure on my ankle and wince.
“I think we need to get you to emergency.” Liam’s eyes narrow. “You might have broken your ankle.”
I give a fast shake of my head, and the room spins a bit. Damn, do I have a concussion? “I’m sure it’s just sprained.”
“Can I have a look?” Jules asks, and I remember her telling me she was a nurse.
“I think it’s okay.”
She drops down, and checks my eyes. “Does your head hurt?”
“No, I didn’t hit it hard.” With her brows raised, she checks my head, then turns her attention to my foot. “Does it hurt here?” she asks and applies a bit of pressure.
“Yeah a bit.” She does a thorough examination, and sets my foot on her lap.
“I think it’s just sprained.” She looks into my eyes again, checking my pupils a second time. “I’d suggest staying off it for a couple of days.”
“I can’t,” I say quickly, too quickly judging by the curious stares. “I mean, Gavin, he’s busy.” It’s true, he is, but I can’t miss time from work. I have bills to pay, a business to save for.
“Don’t worry about Gavin.” I turn to Liam as he speaks. “I can take care of him.”
“I can’t ask you to do that,” I say quickly.
“You didn’t, and hey, isn’t that what big brothers are for.”
“Big brothers are for giving wedgies and embarrassing you,” Rider says. “Big sisters too.”
As everyone chuckles, Liam holds his hand out to me. “Do you want to try to walk, or do you want me to carry you to the truck?”
“Walk,” I say quickly. Good Lord, I already look the fool. I can’t imagine being carried out of here. I put my hand in his and he carefully lifts me. I set my foot on the floor, and apply a bit of pressure. I do my very best not to wince, but Liam clearly isn’t buying it.
“Okay, that’s it,” he says and scoops me up. Nina takes her son’s hand as well as Gavin’s.
“Gavin can drive back with us. You get Harper into the truck, and we’ll meet you at your place, Liam.”
I’m so not used to other people making decisions for me, whether they’re good or bad, so I say, “I’m sure I’ll be okay, and I need to get my car. I left it at work.”
“That will be all taken care of,” Liam explains as my hands slide around his neck to hold on. He carries me outside, and I note the news van is still there. The guy was creeping around inside earlier, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t get any pictures of me with Liam. That’s all I need. If pictures of Liam and me were printed, it would only result in trouble for me.
Liam sets me in the car, and buckles me in. I angle my head. “My ankle is hurt, not my arm. I’m quite capable of buckling in.”
“And I’m quite capable of buckling you.” He grabs the booster seat from the back and hands it to Nina. “Thanks.”
“I think he’ll enjoy driving with Brandon and Casey. Do you need me to stop for anything?” Nina asks me.
Oh, just my dignity…
Liam circles the car and jumps in. His brow is furrowed.
“What?” I ask.
“I trust Jules’s diagnosis, but maybe we should go to the hospital. Get an x-ray.”
I honestly don’t have money to spare on a checkup, when I’m certain it’s not broken. “I think I’d be better off just to go home and put some ice on it.”
He thinks about that for a second and then nods. “Okay.” He starts the truck and I catch sight of Gavin, smiling and happy to be with Brandon and his little brother. He obviously admires the older boy and to be honest, all the kids were so great with him, so open and inviting. That thought makes my stomach tighten. The last two men in Gavin’s life walked out on him. If Liam decides being a big brother isn’t for him, and Gavin loses all these new friends, it will gut him.
I shake my head, and work to push off old insecurities. It’s not fair that I’m judging Liam like that. He’s been nothing but nice to us, and doesn’t deserve to be placed in the same box as the last two guys in my life.
“We should probably go straight to my place. I have to get dinner prepared, and get ready for work tomorrow.”
Liam casts me a quick glance. “Who takes care of Gavin when you work?”
“We have a girl down the road that watches him, and sometimes he goes to Holden’s. Holden’s mom is a really good friend of mine. Come this fall, Gavin starts kindergarten, so we’ll have to figure out new arrangements.” I take a breath. “One thing at a time, though.”
“You should give your sitter a call. Let her know she won’t be needed for the rest of the week or two.”
I eye him, but he averts his gaze. “What are you talking about?”
“You see, I’m responsible for you hurting yourself—”
“No, you weren’t. I didn’t fall on the ice, and that wouldn’t have been your fault anyway. I fell on the floor.” I roll my eyes. “I never thought a backpack would take me down before skates.” I laugh at that, and Liam reaches across the seat, takes my hand in his and gives it a little squeeze.
All righty then.
I gulp as his heat zings through me, and steal a glance at him, taking in his strong profile as he stares straight ahead, the muscles in his jaw clenching like he’s chewing on my words.
“Everything okay?”
He looks at me. “No, you’re hurt.”
My
