“I’ll turn them off.” He moved away, swiped at the switch, and the fluorescents extinguished. The room was still plenty bright with the light flooding in from the hallway. He returned bedside. “Better?” When she lowered her hand he took it again, needing to feel her skin, warm and alive beneath his.
“What happened?” she croaked. “Why am I in the hospital?”
“You don’t remember? We were in the barn, checking out the hayloft. You fell off the ladder. I’m sorry. I should’ve been holding it for you. You fell from pretty high up. An ambulance came and brought you to the hospital.”
She pulled her hand from his. Blinked up at him. “What barn?”
Before he could register the question, Carson McConnell swept into the room, wearing teal scrubs, a white lab coat, and a stethoscope slung around his neck. He was a friend from church and a pediatrics intern at the hospital. His brows pinched when he spotted Lauren. “Hey. One of the nurses told me you took a fall. What rotten luck.”
Lauren’s eyes swung his direction. “Hi.” Her hand trembled as she tried to smooth her hair.
Carson greeted Jonah and they shook hands. Then Carson approached the bed. “How are you feeling? Nasty headache, I’ll bet.”
The tips of her ears pinkened as she met Carson’s eyes, reminding Jonah of the crush she’d had on the man when she first arrived in town. “It’s pounding. I’m—I’m a little foggy.”
“No doubt. I’m just coming off my shift, but I’ll see if I can get you bumped up in line.”
Jonah moved closer to Lauren, took her hand in both of his. “We’d appreciate that. She just had a CT scan. She could use something for her headache.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Can I call anyone for you? Your dad and mom?” He glanced at Lauren. “Your family?”
The guy was already attractive. Did he have to be thoughtful too? Never mind that Lauren didn’t have any family to speak of. He’d call her best friend Sydney later. “Thanks, but it’s taken care of.”
Carson gave Lauren his anchorman smile. “All right then. I can see you’re in good hands. Just wanted to stop by and check on you. I’ll see if I can get someone in here quickly.”
“Thank you.” Lauren’s lips lifted. “Very kind of you.”
“Least I can do for a friend. Let me know if I can do anything else,” Carson said to Jonah on his way out.
“I will. Thanks.”
Lauren watched him go, then closed her eyes.
“Hopefully they’ll be in soon to check you over.” Jonah recalled the way she’d smiled at Carson. Something seemed off. She didn’t seem her usual self. She wasn’t particularly demonstrative, but she’d hardly glanced at Jonah since she’d awakened, and her hand was lying as limp as a dead fish in his.
Her chest rose and fell slowly. Her finely arched brows were drawn together over eyes that moved behind closed lids. Her tangled lashes fanned out above pale cheeks.
Her eyes flashed open and her gaze darted wildly around the room before jerking to him. Her chest rose and fell with quick breaths.
“Hey...” He squeezed her hand. “It’s gonna be okay. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Confusion flickered in the depths of her eyes. “What happened? Where am I?”
Chapter 3
Lauren couldn’t think. Her head was full of cotton, and her pulse thrummed in her temples. Something was around her neck; she couldn’t move her head. She didn’t remember coming here. Didn’t remember any of this!
What’s happening to me?
“Hey, it’s okay.” Jonah squeezed her hand. “We’re at Pinehaven Hospital. You took a fall—that’s why you have a neck brace, just a precaution. You’ve had a CT scan and we’re waiting for the doctor.”
“I hit my head?” She removed her hand from his and raised it to the back of her head. Winced at the tender lump. Her stomach roiled. She lowered her hand and closed her eyes against the pain. She didn’t want to see Jonah. Where was his mom? She’d rather have Tammy at her bedside. Would rather have anyone here, even Carson, though she must be a fright.
Good grief, how vain could she be? And why wouldn’t someone come in and give her something for this awful headache?
“That’s it, close your eyes, rest a bit.”
At least Jonah was being nice for a change. Sad that she had to get whacked upside the head to wring a smidgen of kindness from him. She opened her eyes. He looked different. He’d cut off all that long dark hair and shaved his scraggly beard. When had he done that?
