Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,57
through the dog-and-pony show, with the cops taking a report and Bella refusing medical attention. There was minor damage to both cars, so they exchanged insurance cards and drove away. He’d finally lost his shit and insisted they drive to her house so she could at least rest and decide from there. Under the threat he was calling Avery and Taylor ASAP, she’d grudgingly agreed to go home for a cup of tea and to prove she was fine.
She sat on the floral couch, her feet up on the ottoman, her fingers clutching the teacup. He’d insisted she cover herself with an afghan—he’d read warmth was good for shock—and already checked WebMD for all the horrible things that could happen to her after a minor rear-end accident.
He was freaking out.
“You need to report every accident in case something happens—it’s Insurance 101. What if I call Dr. Petrosky to come take a quick look at you? Make sure you don’t need a CAT scan.”
He would’ve enjoyed her laugh if he’d been in a better space. “My pediatrician? Are you serious right now?”
“Why? He’s fine for Zoe! He’ll at least be able to confirm you’re okay!”
She gave a long sigh and settled back onto the couch. “Gabe, I appreciate your concern, I really do, but you’re starting to make me nervous. Can you just grab some tea and sit down with me? You can ask me a bunch of questions where I can prove I remember my name and family history. If you want to see my eyes dilate, there’s a flashlight in the top drawer.”
He rubbed his head, gave her a grudging stare, then stomped into the kitchen. He hated tea, but he made a quick cup of coffee with the Keurig and settled down next to her with enough space to make them both comfortable. “People don’t pass out after minor car accidents,” he muttered. “Trust me, I’m not the nervous type, but I think if your sisters hear what happened, they’ll want you to get checked out.”
Her sigh was soft and a tiny bit sad. She stared into her cup with a broody look. “Honestly, it was more my reaction to the noise. The crash startled me, and I’d been thinking about some stuff, and it just hit me all at once. You have to trust me. I’d never put Zoe at risk by being too prideful to go to a doctor. Okay?”
He relaxed a bit. She never messed around where Zoe was concerned. Slowly, he nodded. “Fine, but you have to promise to tell them.”
“I will. How was the floral appointment?”
He made a face. “You really want to talk about work when you’re recovering?”
“Yes, I really want to talk about work. Did you finalize the bouquet?”
“Devon did an amazing job. I was going to text you pics, but I’ll show you now.” He flicked through them, and she made low, murmuring sounds of approval that made his muscles clench. He switched to thinking about serial killers to give his poor body a break.
“Brilliant. Adele will love it.” She sighed and glanced at her watch. “I have to leave at three forty-five to get Zoe from the bus, and I wanted to squeeze in some paperwork at the office first.”
“Yeah, I was heading there, too, but I think you should just rest for a while. You can work on your laptop right here.”
“I keep telling you, I’m fine. Stop trying to treat me like a delicate china doll that’s ready to break.”
He snorted. “You? Trust me—you’re more like the WWE wrestler chick–doll that’s ready to kick some ass. I just feel like you don’t need to push your luck with a bad day.”
Her sudden paleness made him worried again. Those blue eyes widened, haunted by something that leached away the normal warmth and sparkle.
“Bella? I was just joking. Did I say something?”
She stared out at something he couldn’t see in the distance. She placed her tea carefully down. “I’ll be right back. Just want to hit the bathroom,” she said woodenly.
He nodded, watching her go, checking to see if she looked steady. Damn, it was as if she’d seen a ghost. He’d been half joking, but he did wonder if certain days were better cut short when one had a gut instinct of wrongness. Not that a minor car accident should scare her. But it was the way she’d looked at him right before she passed out in his arms. Like she was trapped in a horror movie of