She grinned. “No thanks. I have a tendency to go through hobbies like a person changes clothes. As long as they don’t cost much. I have a monthly budget for it that I won’t go over. But I’ve done a lot of different arts and crafts at this point. Ceramics isn’t the thing for me. I need safe hobbies like crocheting.”
That made me chuckle. “Fair enough. You know there’s a crocheting trend on Red Oak Mountain. I’ll tell you about it sometime when we know each other better.”
Amy’s eyebrows rose. “I have to know you better before I can hear about it?”
“Yup. It’s X-rated, ma’am.”
She started laughing, but it jostled her arm, and the laughter faded into a wince of pain.
Seeing her laid out in a hospital bed because of me was eating me up inside. The only good side to it was the fact that it had given me a chance to get to know her better.
“I’d like to hear about this X-rated crochet trend you’ve got going on the mountain.”
“Let’s save it for the second date.”
Her lips quirked up in amusement, and then she looked at me intently. “A second date? So you really consider this afirstdate, Dawson?”
I squeezed her hand gently, never wanting to let her go again. “Yeah. If I haveanythingto say about it, I’m your new boyfriend.”
Our eyes caught, a warm glow passing between us, and it was like the hospital didn’t even exist for us. We could have been anywhere having this conversation. On the roof of the airport here in Fernwood. Or at the edge of Red Bluff Falls. Or sitting in a crowded bar. Something was connecting us, and it was more than her fine ass.
Amy was down to earth, sweet as hell, and sensible.
She might just be my dream woman.
Chapter 7
Amy
It took so long to get the results, I fell asleep.
Evidently, they were going through some staffing shortages in the imaging department. I was just grateful they had a bed for me. Although I didn’t want to think about how much my co-pay would be for this visit.
That handsome mountain man, Dawson, stayed the whole time.
I’d tried to talk him into going home when I realized it would be an all-nighter, and he told me would.
But when I woke up, it was four in the morning, and he was speaking in hushed tones with a doctor.
“She’s going to be fine, Mr. Allen.”
He breathed an audible sigh of relief and thanked him.
That perked my ears straight up.
After the doctor left, I studied Dawson.
When he finally looked my way I asked, “Mr. Allen?”
He looked totally busted.
“It was the only way they let me in to stay by your side. I had to pretend we were married. I hope you don’t mind too much.”
“Nope. It’s just the first timeanyman’s ever pretended to be my husband before. Maybe I should get hurt more often.”
He shook his head, his luscious lips curling up. “No, ma’am. You’re aiming forfewerinjuries, not more.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed with a soft smile on his face, his hand rubbing my leg through the covers. “Do you want to hear the news?”
