She swallowed, and when their silence stretched, he stepped forward, eliminating the last of the space between them before grazing her hip with his thumb. “Please.”
“Okay.”
CHAPTER 15
Tilly leaned her head back against the hospital wall. She’d been in the waiting room for hours. What was the time? Three? Four in the afternoon? She wasn’t sure, but she hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since breakfast, so not only was she hungry, she was exhausted. A bone-deep exhaustion that tugged at her limbs and was doing nothing for her aching head.
The waiting room was busy, and she knew people with higher needs would be put ahead of her, but it seemed everyone was coming and going and she was just…waiting.
There’d been a changeover in staff at the front desk about an hour ago, and when the first, older nurse had left, she’d whispered something into the younger woman’s ear, then they’d both looked her way. Because they were intentionally making sure no one saw her?
Kayden had wanted to drive her here, but he’d been busy talking to Eastern, so she’d accepted a ride from one of the deputies with the thought that the sooner she arrived, the sooner she’d be seen. Well, that had not been accurate.
Screw it. She rose from her seat for what had to be the twentieth time since arriving.
The woman behind the desk huffed. “Miss Taylor, I’ve told you, you need to wait.”
“I’ve been here all day. All I need is a doctor to check if I need stitches and make sure I don’t have a concussion.”
“There’s nothing I can do. The doctor’s busy.” She said the words slowly, as if Tilly was an idiot and wouldn’t understand otherwise.
On another day, Tilly might have let it slide, but today…today she was angry and tired and completely over this entire town treating her like a pariah. “I know what you’re doing. You’re punishing me for being my father’s daughter by denying me medical care. You know you could lose your job over this, right? Is that a risk you’re willing to take?”
“Oh, trust me, Matilda, this town has already learned not to takeriskswhen it comes to members of your family. It certainly didn’t bode well for mine. But if you have a problem with the service you’re receiving, you’re welcome to put in a complaint.”
She shoved a form over the counter. A form Tilly was sure if she filled out, would swiftly be placed in the trash.
She wouldn’t be seeing a doctor today. And suddenly, she had no fight left. The headache was pounding in her temple, and all she wanted to do was go home.
Ignoring the form, Tilly turned and headed for the door, blinking back tears of frustration. She’d just stepped outside when her phone beeped with a text.
Kayden: Just checking in? What did the doctor say? I hate that I didn’t go with you.
For some reason, she considered lying to him. Telling him she’d been seen and all was fine. Maybe because she didn’t want his pity. But honestly, she didn’t even have the energy for that.
Tilly: I was never seen.
That’s all she wrote. Because how was she supposed to express in a text the reason behind not being seen?
Immediately, her phone rang.
“Kayden—”
“What do you mean, you were never seen? Why?” He sounded angry.
“They’ve been telling me all day that I need to wait my turn, but…”
“But what?”
She almost laughed as she massaged her temple. “But this town hates me. So it’s clear my turn will never come.”
There was a heavy beat of silence, and when Kayden spoke again, his voice held barely concealed rage. “Don’t leave. I’m coming down there.”
“No. Kayden, I don’t want you to keep fighting my battles. I’m fine. I’m pretty sure I just need rest. I’m just going to go home and—”
“I’m coming. Don’t. Go.” They were his last words before the line cut off.
Maybe sheshouldhave just told him everything was fine. Because what was his plan? To come here, threaten someone and demand she be seen?
