She hesitated, but the earnestness in his voice broke her resolve. She finally nodded. He grabbed a fresh towel from her cart before gently unwrapping the rag from her finger. The moment the pressure was released, the blood flowed freely, and Charlotte’s head spun. Ben hastily wrapped the clean towel around her hand, cinching it tight enough that she whimpered. Spots appeared in front of her eyes, but before she said anything, Ben’s strong arms encircled her waist.
“Just breathe, sweetheart. I’m going to lead you over here and let you sit down for a moment. Do you guys keep juice for the guests anywhere?”
“Fridge under the coffee pot,” was all she managed as the world spun around her.
He lowered her to the couch, and she rested her head against the cushions. Her eyelids slid shut as she lifted a silent prayer that she wouldn’t faint in front of Ben. His boots cast heavy footfalls on the hardwood as he moved around. She knew the moment he returned to her side, the heat from his body permeating her uniform.
“Here, sweetheart. Sip this.”
He lifted a plastic bottle of orange juice to her mouth, his hand bracing the back of her head. The cool liquid slid down her throat, the acidic, sweet taste chasing away the dizziness. She took a couple of deep breaths.
“Thanks. I’m good now.”
She gave him a small smile, but he still watched her with concern.
“You’re going to need stitches.”
Stitches meant a trip to the emergency room to see a doctor, which meant a sizable medical bill that she had no insurance to cover. She shook her head quickly but slowed the motion when she felt woozy again.
“No, please. I’ll be fine. I’m sure it looks worse than it really is.”
His brow furrowed, and she resisted the temptation to smooth it with her finger.
“Charlotte—”
She quickly interrupted him with a change in subject. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be heading to work?”
“What’s going on?”
Charlotte had been so focused on Ben that she hadn’t heard her boss come in the back door and through his office. Charlotte’s tension eased. She could count on him to back up her decision not to go to a hospital. Wally hated doctors and refused to go to one. He loved to brag about how he hadn’t visited a doctor’s office since he was a child and broke his leg roughhousing with his friends.
“Hi, Wally. Sorry I don’t have your coffee ready. I dropped a vase and cut myself trying to clean it up. Just give me a sec, and I’ll get caught up on everything.”
Her breezy tone earned her a stern stare from Ben. She ignored him, instead looking over his shoulder as Wally made his way over to them. Her boss' eyes widened when he spotted her towel-wrapped hand. The blood had seeped through, though not as much as it had the first rag she used. The pressure from the towel on her wound slowed the bleeding, and she would use that to validate her decision not to seek medical treatment.
“It’s not just a cut,” Wally said.
“She needs stitches,” Ben told him.
She glared at Ben. “I told you I’m fine.” Then she looked up at Wally. “It’s nothing. The bleeding has almost stopped. I’ll clean it with antiseptic, cover it with a bandage, and I’m good to get back to work.”
“You should get checked out,” Wally told her. “You were hurt at work, so I’ll cover the bill.”
“The bill? Is that why you’re refusing to see a doctor?” Ben demanded.
Charlotte’s eyes shifted back and forth from Wally to Ben. “It’s none of your business! I said I’m fine. Let it go, okay? I have a mess to clean up and work to get back to.”
The pain in her finger was hard to ignore, and the two men hovering over her made her feel smothered. This time when she pulled away from Ben, he let her go.
Wally shook his head at her. “Forget the mess. I’ll clean it up, and I’ll call Betsy in to cover your shift. Then you and I are going to the doctor.”
“That’s not—”
“I can take her,” Ben volunteered.
“No.” Charlotte blew out a frustrated breath. “You have a job to get to. So do I. Once I finish my work, I’ll have my finger examined. Does that work for you?”
Wally addressed Ben as if she hadn’t spoken. “It started pouring rain when I came in. You still have to work at the construction site?”
