better that you let a doctor check you. Come on. I’ll go with you.” Losing consciousness could indicate something more serious.
“Okay, if you say so,” Mitch grumbled.
Bennett helped him to his feet. Local shopkeepers and onlookers had gathered around, and when Mitch stood, they broke out in applause.
Mitch gave them a thumbs-up and grinned. “First time I’ve ever had a standing ovation. Heck of a way to get it, though.”
Bennett was glad to hear Mitch’s sense of humor coming back. Still, he wanted to make sure his friend was okay. He remembered the noodles and salad. That would have to wait a little longer.
At the small local hospital, a doctor saw Mitch right away. After running tests and ordering an x-ray—all of which appeared normal—the physician released Mitch with a warning.
“I could take you home, but I don’t want to leave you alone,” Bennett said. “As the doctor said, we should continue to watch you for possible signs of a concussion. Why don’t you come over to the inn? You can stay in my room, and Shelly can look after you.”
“Sounds good,” Mitch said as Bennett helped him into his SUV. “I need to see Shelly. Did you call her?”
“I wanted to make sure you were all right first. You can tell her what happened.” Bennett started back to the inn. “That’s a pretty impressive bandage above your eye. You’re sure to get some sympathy for that.”
Mitch nodded thoughtfully. “That happened so fast. One second I was cruising along, and in the next second, I was airborne. Life could have changed in an instant—and not in a good way.”
“That can happen,” Bennett said. “But it can change for the better, too. Think of the moment you first saw Shelly.”
Mitch quirked a corner of his mouth. Touching the bandage above his eye, he added, “Just when you think you have forever ahead of you, maybe you don’t.”
16
Ivy and Shelly were in the kitchen making supper when they heard the kitchen door slam.
“You sure took long enough,” Ivy said, a little annoyed. Looking up, she saw blood on Bennett’s white shirt. His face was drained of color. She cried out, “Oh, my goodness, what happened?”
He put up his hands. “Mitch is okay now, but—”
“Is he hurt?” Shelly dropped the cucumber she was slicing. “Where is he?” she demanded.
“I helped him up to my room,” Bennett said. “He’s resting on the couch, but he’s pretty beat up. Nothing broken—except his skateboard. He checked out at the hospital, just to make sure. A car made a U-turn, and he had to leap out of the way. You might want to take some ice packs and pain medication if you have them. He’s going to be sore tomorrow.”
Ivy quickly pulled out ice packs from one of the refrigerators and shoved them into a grocery bag, along with dish towels. She handed the bag to Shelly. “Take these, and I’ll bring some hot tea.”
Shelly grabbed the bag and raced outside toward Bennett’s apartment over the garage.
Watching her go, Ivy pressed a hand against her chest, thankful that Mitch wasn’t badly injured. Shelly would have been devastated.
Ivy wrapped her arms around Bennett. “Thanks for bringing him back here. How did you find him?”
“I saw it happen. If that car had been going any faster, he wouldn’t have had a chance.” Bennett went on to tell her the whole story, and she put on a teapot as she listened.
When Bennett finished, Ivy asked, “Do you think he’ll have to stay in bed for a while?”
“He’s young, and nothing is broken. He’ll probably ache tomorrow, but he should mend quickly.”
“Thank goodness,” Ivy said. “I’m so glad you were there.”
“Me, too, though it was pretty tough to see.”
When the tea was ready, Bennett carried the tray to Mitch while Ivy looked for pain relief medication in her bathroom. When she found some tablets, she hurried to join Bennett and Shelly, who were seated beside Mitch. Bennett had changed shirts, and Shelly was gently wiping Mitch’s face and limbs with a damp washcloth.
Watching Shelly tend to Mitch touched Ivy’s heart. He was in good hands with her. And Ivy knew that worked both ways. They belong together, she thought. Since the gossip in town had died down, maybe he’d gain the confidence he needed to move forward with their wedding.
She placed the pain medication on the coffee table. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Mitch.”
“I’ve got a great nurse here with me,” he said, looking up at Shelly with love in his