Shame the Devil (Portland Devils #3) - Rosalind James Page 0,83

the couch, and she was still naked underneath the thing. He was going to have to pay for that, too, because this robe would never be the same. Bleach could only do so much. She waved a hand and said, “I’m going to say … childhood? Infancy? In other words, I have no idea. But I don’t think this resort has tetanus in their bathroom. Do you have tetanus in your bathroom?” she asked the manager. “I’d love to think you clean better than that.”

“Mom,” Dyma said, “what happened?”

The doctor said, “Tetanus shot, then. I’ll give that in your upper arm, if you’ll just slip it out of that robe for me.”

Jennifer said, “Yeah, maybe not. Then I’d really be naked, and Owen didn’t pay for a dance in the Champagne Room.” Which made Harlan laugh again, and Dyma say, “Mom. What?”

The doctor said, “We’ll do the thigh, then,” Jennifer said, “Plenty of meat on there,” and Harlan grinned.

The manager said, “When you’re finished here, Mr. Kristiansen, just ring the front desk.” He put his business card down on the coffee table, on a rare non-bloody spot. “I’ve set aside another room for the ladies, when they’re ready. As soon as you call, we’ll send a bellman to help with the bags.” He set a paper bag on the coffee table next. It was a very glossy paper bag. It was a wine-sized paper bag. “To help make up for the trouble. Anything else you need, please just ask.”

“Appreciate that,” Harlan said, as if this were normal. “You know what? I only got a bite of my dinner before all the bloodletting happened. It’s cold now, and Jennifer didn’t get anything at all. Want some enchiladas?” he asked Jennifer. “They’re chicken. The bite I had was pretty good.”

“Or you could have what I had,” Dyma said.

Jennifer squinted at her. “Is it vegetables?”

The doctor said, “Little prick here,” Jennifer said, “Oh, surely not. So disappointing,” and this time, both Harlan and Owen grinned.

Dyma said, as the needle went in and Jennifer didn’t even care, “Are you even my mother? And yes, it’s vegetables. Of course it’s vegetables. I told you, I’m doing this.”

“Enchiladas, then, please,” Jennifer said. “I’ve bled way too much to eat vegetables.”

“Two of those,” Harlan said. “And I’m sure whatever’s in this bag is real good, but if you’d have them send up a beer along with that food, that’d be even better. When I get this much blood on me, I tend to want a beer. Of course, it’s usually my blood, but still. Whatever’s local and cold will work for me. Send all that to my room, please.”

“Of course,” the manager said, and melted away.

“Wow,” Jennifer said. “I mean, it’s not like I didn’t know rich people get treated better, but I didn’t think you could bleed all over somebody’s best suite and have them apologize to you. And give you wine. Does this happen to you all the time?”

“Nope,” Harlan said. “But only because I’m better behaved than you.” And this time, she laughed.

The doctor said, “I’m giving you an antibiotic shot as well, just in case.”

“Why not?” Jennifer said. “He’s paying. Notice how I’ve given up caring about that,” she told Harlan. “I have surrendered to my fate.”

The doctor smiled, then said, “I can get some crutches sent around first thing in the morning. It could be tricky to hobble on this thing for the next day or so.”

Harlan said, “Nope. I’ve got this.”

Jennifer said, “How, exactly, this time? I can’t wait to hear this one.”

“I’m carrying you,” he said. “Of course I am. What, you’re using crutches in the snow? No.”

“I’m heavy,” she said.

“Maybe,” he said, “but I’m strong.”

Dyma said, “Oh, man. You’re not supposed to agree with her! What are you, clueless? She’s sensitive about her weight.”

Harlan, though, was laughing. “Nah. Excuse to grope.”

“I need the crutches,” Jennifer told the doctor. “For after I go home.”

Harlan didn’t object to that, because how could he? “Bill through the hotel?” he asked the doctor instead.

“That’s how it works,” the doctor said, and started packing up. “Take care of yourself, young lady, and stay off that foot as much as you can. The internal stitches will dissolve on their own, and the outer layers are glued, but if you have any problems after you get home, be sure to give your own doctor a call.” After that, he stripped off his gloves and melted away only slightly less discreetly than the manager.

Which left Dyma and