And then he had to hold his breath again until the doctor showed up. After a thorough exam, the doc ordered some testing, and they were sent to the imaging department.
“I know where it is,” Josh said, offering to push Monica’s wheelchair because it seemed like the least he could do.
When they were alone in the CT and X-ray waiting room, she swept her gaze over the entire room before stopping just above his head. “You don’t have to do this.”
“Yeah, I do. What you said when I got to the car, about consequences and me enjoying it…that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
She winced and drifted her attention away, looking over at the unattended reception desk. “I was trying to make a joke, because of course the only tow truck driver who can be witness to my stupidity is my ex-husband.”
“Your husband.” The correction tore out of him in a tight, cold, two-word blast. He didn’t know why it mattered to correct that detail.
But it did matter. It mattered a fuck ton.
And then she was called in for the CT scan, and that was followed by an X-ray. Josh had a long stretch of silent, agonizing minutes to think about the fact he was married for three whole years and had no fucking clue.
There was no time to talk about that, though, because as soon as they were back in her numbered bed in Emerg, the doc came over with good—but complicated—news.
“You mostly have some soft tissue damage from the impact. We’ll give you some strong painkillers to get you through the night, and a prescription for the next few days. You’ll be more sore tomorrow, and then it will get better after that.”
“Any sign of concussion?” Josh asked.
The doctor shook their head. “The CT scan is clear, and she passes the assessment. Of course, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Let your body guide the recovery here and get as much rest and sleep as you can.”
Monica furrowed her brow. “Uh…what about air travel?”
“I’d strongly advise against any unnecessary travel, but especially long drives or flights.”
“All right.” She twisted her fingers around the hem of her hospital gown as she almost looked in Josh’s direction. “Can you pass me my phone? I need to find a rental house.”
“Uh…” The doctor glanced back and forth between them. “It would be better if you weren’t alone. At least for tonight. Further symptoms could develop at any time, and it’s better if someone else can monitor those.”
“She'll stay with me,” Josh heard himself say. Monica’s eyes went wide. He was just as shocked as she was.
“Excellent. I’ll get you the information sheets for concussions and pain management.” The doctor left them alone.
For the first time since they’d arrived at the hospital, Monica looked straight at Josh, really looking at him, and her brow furrowed in confusion.
Of course she wouldn't want to stay with him.
And now that he’d said it out loud, he really, really wished he could claw it back.
* * *
The driveback to Pine Harbour was unbearable. Monica pressed her body against the passenger side door of his tow truck. Josh was painfully aware of how dusty and creaky the truck was, and each click they got closer to Pine Harbour, the more he dreaded taking her up the stairs to his apartment.
He tried to imagine how it would look through her eyes. Dingy and dated and in desperate need of renovations.
Like an updated apartment above the garage would impress her?
Nothing would. They were from two different worlds. He needed to remember that. He wasn’t trying to impress her tonight, he was showing her he could be a decent human being and put her health first.
But she picked up on his wariness, apparently, because she cleared her throat just as he turned off the highway. “I do have other options,” she said quietly. “I have…an assistant. I should have suggested this at the hospital. They could watch me over a video call. Or my mother—”
“It’s not necessary,” he ground out.
Silence stretched again as they drove down Main Street. Everything was closed now. It was well past dinner time, and dusk threatened any minute.
“Perhaps one of your neighbours might like a very fair market rate for the use of their guest room?” She said it lightly, as if it were a joke.
