Shocking Sapphires - Ann Omasta Page 0,7

a tough enough time without adding into the mix the pressure of having the entire world’s eyes on him.

Formulating a plan as I spoke, I said, “Put the word out to everyone to lock this down. Word of Grant’s accident––or even his presence in town––is a secret.”

Dani and Max were both giving me wary looks. Max was the first to try to shoot down my idea. “There are already loads of people who know he’s here and that he was in that terrible crash. Word has probably already spread like wildfire about it.”

Dani jumped in to back him up. “If the hospital was located in Brunswick Bay Harbor, we might be able to control the story, but this emergency room covers three local towns. We don’t even know most of the people that work here.”

I huffed out a frustrated breath at them, already feeling as protective as a mama bear over the famous movie star and his baby.

“We are all Mainers, and we know how to keep our yaps shut when we need to. You are two of the most influential people in this area. You are a doctor and a firefighter, for Heaven’s sake. Get out there and stop this story to help protect this man. He deserves at least that from us.”

They both looked contrite as they nodded and agreed to do their best before leaving.

Feeling helpless, I leaned back and stared at the ceiling, hoping they could somehow do the impossible and contain this story.

6

Grant

Every part of my body hurt. Even my hair ached. Whatever I’d done this time had been a doozy. I wouldn’t be doing any more of my own stunts for at least a day or two.

I stayed as still as I could, hoping the pounding in my head would ease up a bit, but it didn’t. After a long while, I tentatively opened my eyelids a tiny bit and peeked out. The bright, harsh overhead lighting had me immediately snapping them back closed.

“I think I saw him move.” The woman’s voice was filled with hope.

“Nah, he probably won’t wake up any time soon. His body has been through too much trauma and needs to recover.” The gruff male voice weighed in.

I wanted to ask them what had happened, but even the idea of stringing words together into a question and voicing them out loud made me nauseous.

A baby cooed and the memories slammed into me. Scout.

Was he here? Was he okay? Was someone taking care of my sweet baby boy?

I stirred and tried to formulate the many questions that were swirling around my brain, but it came out as merely a pained groan.

“See? I told you he was waking up,” the woman snapped at the man.

I hoped these two weren’t a romantic couple because little-miss-know-it-all would end up driving the poor guy to excessive drinking.

Needing to see if Scout was the baby I had heard, I tried again to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt as heavy as the free weights my overpriced personal trainer enjoyed using to find new ways to torture me.

“He’s trying to open his eyes,” the woman’s voice said, sounding much closer to me.

Her cold hand lightly touched my arm. I expected to wince from the pain, but it actually became the only part of my body that didn’t hurt, so I focused my full attention on the calming coolness the skin-to-skin contact with her provided.

“You’re going to be okay,” she assured me confidently, making me wonder if she was my doctor.

“Molly,” the man’s tone held a significant amount of disapproval. Even though he had only said her name, the single word came out sounding almost like a reprimand.

Perhaps these two deserve each other.

Proving that she heard the same chastisement in his voice as I had, the woman immediately grew defensive. “What? He is going to be okay––eventually. He will learn to adjust to his new reality.”

What the hell did that mean? I was desperate to ask the question aloud, but words failed me. My brain and mouth were refusing to cooperate, but this had to be temporary. Right?

The woman turned her attention back to me as she gently rubbed her fingers over my forearm. “You’re going to be just fine, Grant,” she reassured me before adding, “And I’ll take wonderful care of your sweet baby boy until you’re back on your feet.”

The man sucked in a startled breath, and I could feel the tension emanating between the two of them, even though they were silent.

Eventually, the woman