Each step Ethan took elicited a pained “ouch” from Ginger. “Can you take it easy?” she asked, her voice tight with pain. Ethan tried to move more gently, but with every step he took, she squeaked like a toy being squeezed.
The icy terrain made it difficult for Ethan to maintain his balance, and he found himself slipping and sliding like a novice ice skater. Ginger gripped him tighter, her knuckles white with effort. “Maybe we should have called an ambulance.”
“It would take them forever. This will be faster.”
As they continued their awkward trek, a low-hanging branch caught Ethan off guard, smacking him right in the face. He let out a muffled “oof” and stumbled, nearly dropping Ginger in the process.
“Now you’re getting as clumsy as me.” Ginger let out a laugh, which was cut short by a squeal of pain.
Finally, they reached the car, and Ethan managed to get the passenger door open.
“What were you even doing out here this early?” Ethan asked as he gently slid her into the passenger seat of his truck.
“I needed some more pine needles for my experiments, and Mason said I could come,” she mumbled weakly, her face contorted with pain.
“If you’d called me, I could’ve come out to help you.”
Ginger frowned and let out a yelp.
Ethan sensed there was something to her response, and suddenly, it hit him—he hadn’t exactly made her feel welcome when she had been at the farm yesterday. He felt a pang of guilt—if he had been more open and approachable, maybe this accident wouldn’t have happened.
“It wouldn’t have been a bother.” He meant to sound contrite, but it came out rather grumpy even to his own ears.
“It’s okay. These things happen to me all the time,” Ginger said, smiling through the pain. The warmth of her smile seemed to chase away some of the chill in the air, and Ethan found himself grateful for her ability to find humor even in the most difficult situations.
“All right, let’s get you to the hospital,” he said, snapping her seatbelt in. Then he jogged over to the driver’s side.
Chapter10
Ginger’s eyelids fluttered open. The world around her was a blur of sterile white and harsh fluorescent light. She tried to take in her surroundings but felt as though her brain were swimming through a thick fog of pea soup.
“Ugh… where am I?” she groaned, attempting to sit up, only for a sharp pain to shoot through her left leg. “Ow!”
“Hey, hey, easy there.” Ethan’s voice cut through the haze, his strong hands gently pushing her back against the pillows. “You’re in the hospital.”
Ginger blinked at him, trying to focus her vision. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, dark circles underlining his eyes, and his usually neatly combed hair was a disheveled mess. Her heart skipped a beat, despite her confusion. Was it possible that the brooding tree farmer had been watching over her?
“Wha… What happened?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Remember that little tumble you took on our farm?” Ethan asked, a hint of amusement touching his lips. “Turns out you broke your leg.”
“Ah,” she replied, feeling her face flush with embarrassment as it all came flooding back to her. “Of course I did. It’s not a proper day for Ginger Sanders without an accident, right?”
Ethan chuckled softly. “It seems so. You’ve been out for a while, which is why I’ve been here keeping an eye on you.”
“Really? You didn’t have to do that, you know,” Ginger said, touched by his concern. As much as she hated being a damsel in distress, she couldn’t help but feel a warm swell in her chest at the thought of the strong, silent Ethan sitting vigil by her bedside.
“Least I could do after you fell on my property,” he said.
“Thanks,” Ginger murmured. She looked around the room, taking in the sterile space with a pang of loneliness. “I hope you didn’t neglect your farm because of me.”
“No. We haven’t been here that long,” he assured her.
“How long?”
“Only a few hours.”
That was good. Ginger hated the idea of being unconscious for a long time. And now that she was waking up and starting to feel better, all she wanted was to get out of there.
