LITMIR.BIZ

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dipped her head, but he caught the grin chasing the frown from her mouth. He got the feeling smiles were a rare commodity for her. He couldn’t kick the urge to help her. At least offer. Who knew if she’d be a willing recipient? Only way to find out was test the waters and try to build rapport.

      “And according to Reece, I’m strange.” He poked a gentle finger into Reece’s arm. She giggled again, and this time, her smile remained.

      Amelia watched the interaction with what he interpreted as guarded interest. “I teach her not to talk to strangers. She gets words mixed up sometimes.”

      His wink found Reece. “Happens to the best of us.” He returned his attention to Amelia. “They brought a food tray a few minutes before you woke up. You should try to eat.”

      Shame darkened her features as she eyed the room until she found the tray. She started to stand.

      Palm up, Ben stopped her. “Please, allow me.”

      He wheeled the creaky bedside tray over her knees in the bed. He hit the lever to adjust the table height but it caught. Too high for her to eat on. He fiddled with another lever. The table came down. Hard.

      “Yow!”

      Heat scorched his face and he lifted the tray off her knees. He cast his best sheepish grin. “Sorry. I never was any good at working those things.”

      She rubbed her knee and eyed him through long lashes, much the way Reece had at the mall. “Since you saved my life, I’ll forgive you one little bruised knee.”

      He nodded, containing his reaction over seeing a quest for truce enter her eyes. And the hint of a captivating smile that he knew if turned up to full wattage would knock his jump boots off.

      Amelia waved Reece close. “Here, try some of this.” She offered what looked and smelled like a tuna salad croissant.

      “My tummy’s full, Mommy. Mr. Ben and Miss Harker got me something to eat at the big house. And see what else I got?” She lifted a plastic tiara. “This came with my chicken nuggets.”

      “What’s the big house?” Amelia asked.

      “Refuge Bed and Breakfast. To my estimation, it houses the best restaurant in town. Country dishes. Real eggs fried in bacon grease. Heart-attack-on-a-plate kind of meals. Though they do offer healthy alternatives.”

      Reece bounded on her knees in the bed. “Mommy, you have to go there. They have curly fries as long as your leg.”

      Amelia pulled Reece close. “Is that right? Who’s Miss—?”

      The door swished open. A nurse with a name tag bearing Bailey, RN scurried in. “Sorry about that. I was tied up with a new admit. Good to see you awake and coherent.” Smiling, she switched out Amelia’s IV fluid.

      “You’re hanging another bag?” Amelia eyed the wall clock.

      “Yes, ma’am. You were severely depleted. You’re fortunate. When you came in, the electrical conductivity of your heart wasn’t firing well. We’re playing catch-up. We’ll draw blood in the morning. If your potassium’s back on track, you could be discharged Tuesday to rest. The doctor will want to follow up with you Wednesday. Make sure nothing more ominous is going on.”

      “But I don’t live here. We’re just passing through town. I’m on my way to a secretarial job in Missouri. Waiting is out of the question.” Panic piggybacked Amelia’s words.

      Nurse Bailey raised raven brows. “Tuesday would be the earliest you’d be released. We need to be sure you’re able to keep liquids in and maintain normal potassium ranges on your own. Not only that, Doc Callahan has a strict policy to have hospitalized patients return to his office for a follow-up visit two days after discharge.”

      Silence blanketed the room. It was so heavy, Reece must have noticed. Her hand ceased coloring, and she regarded her mom carefully. Amelia’s lazy eye started twitching. Nervous trait, maybe? Other than that, she didn’t reflect the anxiety Ben knew blasted her the second those words left Bailey’s lips.

      Amelia brushed her hand down Reece’s back. “We’ll need to find a way around that.” Her voice remained unruffled, but the pulse at her neck fluttered. “Maybe I could follow up with a doctor in Missouri.”

      Bailey regulated the IV drip rate. “Not sure that’s an option. Besides, I gather your car’s in worse shape than you.”

      Amelia’s eyes sought Ben.

      He pocketed his hands, mostly to keep from placing them on her shoulders in comfort. “When you crashed after fainting, your car didn’t fare well.” He paused to let her soak in the news.

      Her enthralling eyes watered. She blinked and hid her face from Reece but one tear escaped.

      His fingers ached to brush it, and her pain, away. “Once the police release it to a garage, it’ll be in automobile ICU awhile, I’m guessing.”

      Bailey cast a kind smile. “And I’m afraid Dr. Callahan won’t release you if he thinks you’re gonna skip town. Maybe your man here can find you all a place to stay for a few nights.”

      Amelia’s face flamed. “He’s not, we’re not—”

      “I’m a friend,” Ben finished for her, though they’d only just met and weren’t friends. Yet. He wanted to spare her dignity.

      The nurse halted and cut him a sour look. “But I assumed you were family, all the questions you were asking.” She peered at Amelia. “You okay with him being in here?”

      Properly scolded, Ben nibbled his lip. He felt oddly busted out even though it hadn’t been his idea to stay. Miss Harker apparently had a “tense situation arise” with Amelia’s parents that she didn’t want to solve with Reece in earshot.

      “He saved my life and possibly my daughter’s. I think he just wants to make sure we’re going to be okay.”

      Head lifted, Ben met and held Amelia’s gaze. “Besides, I was watching Reece for Harker.” He faced the nurse. “She must have gotten hung up.” She’d gone downstairs to talk to Amelia’s family by teleconference with the doctor. Maybe he ought to go investigate the holdup.

      Nurse Bailey plumped Amelia’s pillows. “All right, then. I assumed because he came in with you, and your little girl insisted on him staying, that he was family. My apologies for breaking any confidentiality. I’m usually rigorous about checking visitors, but we’ve been swamped this evening.” She cast apologetic, motherly glances at Amelia. Then her smile vanished as she slashed another zesty look at Ben.

      Uh-oh. Not even Amelia’s endorsement had gotten him added to Bailey’s friends list. No doubt if Amelia oracled the orders, Bailey’d bounce him right out of here.

      “I haven’t properly thanked him anyhow.” Amelia eyed the phone, then Bailey. “Does it cost to use that?”

      “Not for local calls. It won’t let you call long distance unless you use a card or it’s added to your bill.”

      Amelia’s face fell. Ben spotted her attempt to hide it. He doubted Reece picked up on it since Amelia seemed ultra-mindful of choosing discreet words and controlling facial reactions. She lifted her arm as Bailey approached with a blood pressure cuff.

      A beep sounded from the IV machine. Reece’s eyes widened. “What’s that?”

      Ben pointed to the puffy cuff. “This gadget hushes flow for a second when it hugs your mom’s arm. This alerts nurses. It’s loud because it doesn’t know when they’re in the room.”

      Shards of respect sanded rough edges off Bailey’s expression as she eyed him curiously and chuckled. “He’s right. It hollers at us to find out what’s clogged it from dripping.”

      “Hollers, huh? Hmm. Just like Grandpa. Only he’s louder. You can definitely hear him from the other room.”

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