Sand Angel Page 0,36

refused to be restrained.

“Miss Davis, you were knocked unconscious,” the paramedic explained.

Zoë prepared herself for the effort she knew it would take to talk. “It’s not the first time.” She tried to laugh, but the ache in her side stole it away. “Won’t be—last time.” Please, God, don’t let Josh see how much that hurt. She batted her lashes at falling tears. “Nothing a couple of aspirin—” the breath she sucked in wedged somewhere in her throat, “—and a shot of tequila won’t cure.” Her humor fell flat as Josh cursed, wiping the tears from her face. She didn’t need his sympathy—she didn’t need anyone’s. “Josh, get me out of here.”

Josh reached for her hand and squeezed. “Zoë, please.” She’d never heard such a sorrowful plea in his voice. “Let ’em take you to the hospital and check you out.” The worry in his eyes made her cringe. This was the reason she never contacted her family when she got hurt. Of course, he was right about the hospital, especially if she expected to leave tonight. No way did she want to place other people’s lives in jeopardy because of her stubbornness. The continuous flap of helicopter blades told her that someone had already gotten hurt.

Dammit. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. It was a race, just like any other race. Instead of showing her true feelings, the fact that she cared, like always Zoë turned to sarcasm. “So, genius, if you’re riding with me to the hospital, how are we getting back once they discover it’s just a bump on the head? Taxi? Here in the desert?”

Color flared across his face, revealing Josh hadn’t thought that far. “Uh…I’ll have Drew follow us.”

“No.” Her abrupt response caused a burst of heat behind her eyes. She paused, gathered her strength. After the agony subsided, she said, “You follow. I’ll be okay.” She glanced at the paramedic’s blurry name tag. “Tell him, Smith.”

Smith nodded, pumping the blood pressure bulb so hard she swore her arm might fall off. “Like she said, it’s probably nothing, but it’s best to make sure.”

Josh hesitated, then pushed to his feet.

God love him. Even with all his interference, Zoë knew he cared. How could she stay mad at him? “How fast can this meat wagon go?” she asked as Smith and his female partner raised the gurney and slid her into the ambulance. Faking a smile, she added, “Can I drive?”

An uneasy chuckle squeezed between Josh’s thin lips. “Better tighten those straps or you’ll be in for the ride of your life.” She heard him add, “I’ll be right behind you, Zoë.”

“Lock and load,” Smith yelled to his partner and the door slammed shut. With a jerk, the ambulance lunged forward.

“Man. I hate hospitals,” Zoë groaned.

Fortunately the outcome was as she predicted. A mild head injury and bumps and bruises from thinking she could fly without wings. Nothing serious—this time. Luck didn’t last forever. How much longer would hers hold out?

The nurse pushing Zoë down the hallway was nice enough, but it was humiliating riding in a wheelchair when she had two perfectly good legs. Instead of meeting Josh in the waiting room, Zoë would have given anything to have her rig outside. She didn’t rely on anyone. With shaky hands, she clutched release papers and her boots in her lap. The nurse had given her a little pair of blue booties to wear.

Bottom line, Zoë was scared. She’d had the last three hours strapped to a backboard to think about things. Riding was her life, she loved it. It defined her. She wouldn’t know who she was without it, but it had become a crutch. What hurt the most was the discovery that what had happened between her and Drew had been an excuse for her behavior. She had no one to blame but herself. She’d been weak, unable to deal with his “rejection”.

It was time to make a change, time to get her life back on track. How did one do that when the past looked her in the eyes? Drew stood beside Josh. His stare was intense as his gaze swept over her. She got the impression he was taking inventory, counting fingers and toes. He needed to look beyond the obvious because it was brain cells she was missing. She knew better than to take her eyes off the road.

Josh shifted his feet nervously. The sheepish expression on his face told her that he expected her to explode the minute she saw