Eric helpedVictoria into his truck to make certain she didn’t get dizzy and fall. When she was buckled in, he walked around to the back of the vehicle and made a quick call to Megs. He would never ask her to do anything like this under normal circumstances, but he was desperate.
“Megs here.”
“Hey, I need your help. Can you and whoever else is around head to my house, climb in through the bathroom window, and clean the place? I haven’t been there much for the past week, and it’s a pit. I’m headed that way with Victoria—”
“Oh, my gentle Jesus.” She moved the phone away from her mouth, but not far enough that Eric couldn’t hear her. “Hawke wants me to tone out the Team to clean his house for Victoria. He must be in love.”
He hadn’t asked her to tone out anyone. “There’s a six-pack in it for those who volunteer. I don’t want her to see the place when it’s a wreck.”
Megs laughed. “You mean you don’t want her to see how you really live. You’ve got it bad for her, don’t you?”
“You have no idea. Please, will you do it?”
“Sure. I’ll see who else is willing to help me.”
“Thanks, Megs. I owe you big time.”
“I probably owe you a few, too, but who’s counting?”
“Thanks so much. We’re leaving Boulder now.”
“How is she?”
“She’s still having bad headaches and short-term memory problems. Light hurts her eyes. But her scans have all been normal. She’s going to be okay.”
“I’m relieved to hear it. She’s got guts.”
“Yes, she does.” Eric thanked Megs again and ended the call, then walked around to the driver’s side door and climbed in.
“An important call?” Victoria asked him.
“Just Megs. Team stuff.” He shoved his key into the ignition, and then his pager went off. He slipped it off his belt, scrolled through the message.
MEET AT HAWKE’S HOUSE. HE’S BRINGING VICTORIA HOME AND ASKED US TO CLEAN HIS PIGSTY. MUST BE SPOTLESS IN NEXT 30 MIN. BRING YOUR OWN HAZMAT GEAR.
Jesus!
The Team would never let him live this one down.
They talked of little things on the way up the canyon. Victoria was unusually quiet, a slight frown on her face. Was she in pain?
“Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m so happy that I’m here with you, but I feel bad about missing work. I feel like I’m playing hooky or something.”
She had rescheduled her flight for next Saturday. Eric had managed to trade for more days off, but he would be on call. Still, that gave them the better part of six more days together—unless someone set the town on fire.
He reached over, took her hand. “You have a skull fracture and a concussion, for God’s sake. You heard the doc. He said you need lots of rest.”
“He also said I could travel.”
“He said you could travelifyou felt up to it—which you and I both know you don’t. Cut yourself some slack, okay?”
She nodded, tried to smile. “I’m not very good at that.”
“I’ve noticed.”
Eric drove to the inn first to get Victoria’s bags. Bob and Kendra had moved her things downstairs into Lexi’s old bedroom to make room for the suite’s new occupants.
