You Only (Cameron Farms Book 1) - Melanie Jayne Page 0,105
thought that she had beautiful, graceful hands with long slender fingers. Christ, she’d bashed in a man’s skull gripping a fire extinguisher. They looked so small and fragile in his. He shook his head, trying to erase that visual.
Of course, it took longer than a few minutes for the nurse to come in to unhook Hale from the machines. She did doze for a few minutes. Finally, she had signed the paperwork, and was being pushed in a wheelchair to Jasmine’s Mercedes.
Matt was following him, he knew that he was needed for the press conference. Matt was staying quiet, but he could sense his impatience. Duty was calling and had been kept waiting long enough.
The nurse locked the wheels on the wheelchair, and Finn moved quickly to open the car door. “I got this,” he assured the nurse.
He helped Hale stand and move into the sedan. He reached across to fasten her seatbelt.
She shifted on the seat trying to get comfortable.
“I have to go.” He lightly brushed her lips with his.
“I understand,” she told him.
“You’ll come by when you get free.” Jasmine made it sound like a command.
“Sure. I’ll call later to check in,” he promised. He would, after he sorted things out in his head.
Chapter Fourteen
Hale woke slowly from her nap. After staring at the ceiling for who knows how long, she tried to sit up. Her body felt heavy, and she really needed to find a toothbrush. Jasmine was a wonderful caregiver. She had arranged for a bag of her things to be packed and delivered. She also arranged for Ashley to spend a night or two at Hale’s house, so that Miller wouldn’t be alone. Maria had invaded soon after she’d arrived at Jasmine’s, to assist in making her comfortable. Poppy and Ashley arrived soon after. When the chaos of so many women trying to care for her became too much, she asked for her pain medication and fell asleep.
She noticed her phone sitting on the bedside table and reached for it. She wanted to see if Finn had called. Disappointment slid through her when she didn’t see his number, yet she understood that he had to be busy with the aftermath of today’s events.
She typed a text to Jasmine: “I’m up and I need to pee.”
Her best friend/nurse replied. “K”
Just to be difficult, Hale continued. “Now Jazz! Or you’ll need to change the sheets.”
Her phone beeped. “OK.”
Ten seconds later, there was a brief knock on the door and Jasmine came in with Lily Rose right behind her. “You sent me a text? In my own house?” Jasmine was laughing. “When I was two rooms away?”
“Well, I didn’t want to yell, ’cause I really have to go. I remember you telling me not to get out of bed alone, so I thought texting was my best option.” Hale threw back the covers and started shifting to move her legs to the side of the bed.
“Slow down and let me help you.” Jasmine grasped her ankles gently and helped turn her so that she was sitting on the side of the bed. “Lily Rose, go around to the other side and put your shoulder under her arm.”
Hale was a little unstable at first, her body stiff and her legs felt rubbery.
“Are you hurting?” Jasmine was concerned.
“Nope. I feel doped up. A little woozy, those pills are good shit.” She giggled and then laughed harder at herself.
“Stop laughing. If you pee on my carpet, I’m going to be pissed.” Jasmine warned her.
“Oh my God, you just said pissed.” She had to lean against the bathroom door because she was laughing so hard. “I’m stoned,” she told them.
Hale moved her arm from around Lily Rose and held onto the doorframe. “I think there is only room for one of you to help me in there.”
“Mom, that’s your job.” Lily Rose quickly backed away.
“Why don’t you go get the stoner some juice and ask Grandma to make her a snack?” Lily Rose left them. “It might sober you up a little,” she advised.
After taking care of necessary things in the bathroom, including washing her face and brushing her teeth, Hale was back in bed, finishing her snack. “You were right, I was starving.” She had eaten every bit of the cup of fruit salad and slice of freshly baked brown bread that Poppy had prepared.
“That’s a good sign. We’ll be having dinner in about an hour.” Jasmine started clearing the tray and straightening her covers.