It was a busy morning, now wasn’t it? May moved quickly toward reception, Ivy right behind her, and stopped short.
Jack Jones leaned heavily against the counter, pale and sweating. His older companion supported him, arm locked firmly around his waist. A running shoe sat abandoned near the door, and a muddy sock clung to an obviously injured foot.
“What happened?” May asked.
“I’m Jack. We met the other day. I think my foot’s broken.” Pain etched into the lines of the young man’s face. He wore muddy gray sweats with a blue tank top that showed edged muscles.
Ivy gasped. “Jack? Oh no. It’s broken?”
“Let’s not decide that from the lobby.” May pointed toward the hallway. “Bring him back.”
His friend helped him hop past a watchful Nancy at reception, down the hallway, and into the second exam room to sit on the table.
“What happened?” May asked.
“I went for a run and hit a slick patch. My ankle rolled hard,” Jack hissed out.
May eased the sock off carefully. “Okay. Let’s take a look.”
Ivy inhaled.
Swelling had already set in, with deepening purple discoloration along the lateral ankle. May focused. “I’m going to examine it. Let me know where it hurts most.” Her fingers palpated gently, mapping bone, ligament, joint line. He flinched when she reached the lateral ligaments. “Here?” she asked.
“Yes.” He paled.
“And here?”
“Yes.”
Despite the bruising, there was still movement. “I don’t think it’s broken,” she said calmly. “But we’ll confirm with an X-ray.”
The older man cleared his throat. “I’m Peter. Is he going to be okay?”
“I think it’s most likely a sprain. We’ll know more once we image it. The hospital is attached to the clinic, and we’ll do X-rays there,” May said.
Jack exhaled shakily, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. “Worst vacation timing ever.” He winked at Ivy. “Although I’ve learned to fish at night, even if it was light outside.”
May allowed herself a small smile. It was nice to see Ivy having some fun, even if her new love interest worked for Kyle the jackass senator.
“Dr. Smirnov?” Peter asked.
She looked up.
Peter was dressed in a polo shirt and jeans, leaning casually against the far wall. “Since we have you here, do you think you could take some photographs? Maybe out by the trees near the river. Just a few photographs with Kyle. Fishing shots, maybe.”
“Why would I do that?” May asked.
Peter smiled politely. “He says you’re getting back together. We’d like to show a more romantic side of him. Voters love that kind of thing.”
May didn’t hesitate. “We’re never getting back together.”
The man straightened. “Ah. I’m sorry, May. I didn’t introduce myself properly and just gave you my first name. I’m Peter Langford, Kyle’s chief of staff. I joined the team a couple of months ago and wasn’t there when you used to date.”
“Dr. Smirnov, not May,” she said evenly. “If you want to help your candidate, tell him to stay away from me.”
Peter’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh?”
“Yes. If he doesn’t leave me alone, I’ll go to the media.”
