Chapter Three
With Eleanor dressed in hospital scrubs, Wes wheeled her to his Tahoe. “I appreciate all your help.” Beads of sweat broke out on her lip.
“It’s my pleasure. No one likes hospitals.” He leaned over and applied the wheelchair brakes. It hurt to see her bruised and wrapped in bandages. “Let me help you.” He lifted her to standing, turned her and slipped an arm under her knees and across her back. With her balanced in his arms, he sat her in his passenger seat and buckled her in. “Comfortable?”
“Yes.” She chewed her lip.
Wes climbed beside her and drove toward the Center. “I had your car towed to the Center. It’s a total loss, but I asked staff to rescue your belongings.”
“I didn’t think of that.” She held on to the strap of her seatbelt as if she were going to fall.
“Hey, right now, I want you to concentrate on healing. It has to be scary and disorientating not to be able to see, but you heard the doctor. He said a day or two. Tonight, I’ll get you settled, and you can sleep. Tomorrow, I’ll help you figure out what you need to take care of.” He placed his hand on top of hers. Her fingers were damp and cold. Squeezing them, he said, “Curly, it’s gonna be alright.”
“You called me that in my car,” her voice rose.
“I did. You remember?”
“Your voice.” She crunched her brows. “There were other voices.”
“Before you heard mine?” Wes questioned.
“I think so…I…think…someone was there.” She sounded worried.
“What is the last thing you remember?” Wes’s voice remained neutral.
“The road was slippery. I heard a scream…my scream.” Her breathing rate increased.
“No more for now.” He wanted her to stay as calm as possible.
“God, I never picked up the keys to my apartment.”
Wes chuckled. “You’re a worrier, aren’t you? I’m in charge of the facility. I think I can break the rules and get you your keys. But, until you are medically cleared, you’re not staying alone.”
She shuddered. “Where am I staying?”
“My place.” There was no hesitation in his voice.
“I can’t stay with you. I barely know you,” she protested.
“I have a seven-bedroom home on the Center property. You are staying in my guest room. I promised Pete Walter I’d keep an eye on you. Normally, when a staff member is sick or hurt, we assign medical staff around the clock. Since I’m a paramedic, he felt you’d be safe with me watching over you. We are spread a little thin on medical staff. And if you are more comfortable, I can ask one of our female security staff to stay too.”
“I’m sorry. I jumped to a conclusion. You would…never mind.”
“I would never what?” he asked firmly.
“Nothing,” she sniffed.
“Curly, let me make myself clear. I would never take advantage of you in your current condition.”
“You mean my weight,” she whispered.
Wes signaled and pulled to the side of the road. Gently, he took both of her hands in his. “By current condition, I mean blind, concussed and bruised. I don’t know who messed with your head before you bounced it off a tree…”You are a beautiful woman with curves in all the right places, he finished the statement in his head.
“I’m sorry. I’m overwhelmed,” she deflected.
“I know.” Because of the bandages, he could look at her carefully. All he saw was fear.
* * *
