Emma went back to work, very aware of his presence as they sifted the dirt in silence. Just as the sun dropped below the tree line, one of the men said, “It’s quitting time, and I think we’ve dug as deep as you wanted us to.”
Emma wasn’t ready to quit. Just a little deeper and they might discover what was buried here. She grabbed the stick and measured the hole. A little over three feet. It was time to use the trowels. “Thanks, guys. I’ll take it from here.”
As the other two men walked away, Sam said, “I’m going to change.”
After they all left, she busied herself picking out the hand tools she would need and hoped that Sam left with the men. Instead, he returned a few minutes later, dressed in his green-and-gray uniform.
“You ready to leave?”
“You don’t have to stay,” Emma said. “I need to get everything set up for tomorrow, and I’m fine closing up alone—I do it every night.” Still not looking at him, she picked up a hand trowel and set it with the other tools.
He stilled her hands, his touch searing her heart. “You are not staying here by yourself.”
His voice brooked no argument, sending a wave of anger through her. She probably should quit for the day, but Emma didn’t like Sam assuming she would leave when he said so.
Emma jerked her hands away and stepped back, tripping over one of the tent poles. Sam grabbed for her as she tumbled into the hole and landed on her outstretched hand. Sharp pain shot through her wrist. She was barely aware when Sam jumped down next to her. In seconds he scooped her up and set her on the edge of the hole.
“Are you okay?” he asked gruffly.
As much as she wanted to say yes, the knot that popped up on her hand would give her away. That and the wincing every time she moved her fingers. “I think I’ve broken something.”
“Let me see.” He gently examined her wrist. “Can you move your fingers?”
She tried and gasped. “Not without pain.”
“Yeah, you’ve probably broken something. I’m taking you to the hospital.”
“No! I’ll ice it when I get home.”
“Emma . . .”
“I don’t have time to go to the hospital. I need to wrap things up here.” She pulled her hand away from his. Bad mistake, as pain shot through her wrist. She hugged her hand to her chest, with pain now throbbing with each heartbeat, making her nauseous. “Or maybe not. What time is it?”
He checked his watch. “Almost five. I can take you to the ER and your dad could meet us there.”
“No, don’t call him.” Friday night was when her dad got together with several of his buddies to unwind, something he desperately needed by the end of the week. She wasn’t taking him away from that because of her clumsiness. “Take me to the sports clinic. They should still be open.”
His eyes narrowed as he studied her. Finally, he nodded. “Do you have any ice at the visitor center?”
She tried to think. “No, but there may be some in the kitchen at the maintenance building.”
“Do you want me to carry you?”
In spite of how she hurt, Emma laughed. “It’s my wrist, not my leg,” she said.
“Right. Still . . .”
“Thank you, but I can walk to the office.”
A few painful minutes later, she fished the key from her backpack with her good hand, and he unlocked the door to the building. Gently, he guided her to a chair in the kitchen area. “You sit here.”
A few minutes later, he placed ice wrapped in a towel around her wrist. “Think you can hold it in place?”
“Yes.” The ice gave cooling relief.
“Then if you’re ready . . .”
“Give me time to collect myself.”
“Five minutes, and we need to leave. Otherwise, we might get to the clinic too late,” Sam said and nodded toward her office. “Do you use your office much?”
He was trying to take her mind off the pain. “If I have a volunteer at the visitor center, I come over here and write reports.”
He walked around the kitchen, studying the different photos taken at stops along the Natchez Trace. “Good shots,” he said, and then he cocked his head. “How’s the pain?”
In other words, was she ready to go to the clinic? “Better.”
“Good.” He held the door open for her. “We’ll take my SUV.”
Emma hadn’t even considered that she couldn’t drive. Sam walked her to his vehicle and steadied Emma while she