Marry Me at Christmas (Fool's Gold #19)(56)

“I’m fine,” he told Madeline for the fourth time since he’d come back from getting X-rays. He ignored the throbbing pain and the seeping blood that stained the towel he’d been given. “It’s a couple of cuts and a sprain. Nothing more.”

She didn’t look convinced. “It looks awful.”

His left hand was kind of beat up. There was a growing bruise, a couple of gashes that were going to need stitches and some swelling around his wrist. It also hurt like a sonofabitch, but he wasn’t going to mention that. She was already worried enough.

“I shouldn’t have slipped,” she told him.

She sat in the single visitor’s chair in the small treatment room. He was on the bed, although sitting up. He refused to lie down. That was too much like admitting defeat.

“Did you plan to slip?” he asked.

“No.”

“Did you slip on purpose?”

“Of course not.”

“Then it’s not your fault. Blame the weather. Or the fact that I insisted on coming with you to the meeting.”

“You’re not blaming Eddie and Gladys.”

“They feel bad enough.”

The two old ladies had already called twice to check on him.

The doctor came in and pulled up a stool. “Gabriel Boylan,” he said. “You’re right-handed?”

Jonny held up his injured left hand and nodded. “Lucky, huh?”

“Better luck would have been not to get injured in the first place. Hey, Madeline.”

Jonny looked between them.

“Gabriel is married to my friend Noelle. His brother owns a couple of local radio stations.” She pressed her lips together as if concerned she’d been babbling. “Is he okay?”

Gabriel looked at Jonny. “Do I have your permission to discuss your medical condition in front of her?”

“Sure.”

Gabriel typed on his tablet, then turned it so they could both see the X-rays. “No broken bones. You’re banged up and bruised. It’s gonna hurt over the next few days, but you’ll be fine. We’ll need to put in a couple of stitches to keep the cuts closed while they heal.”

The doctor went on to give him instructions on how to care for his hand. They had a brief discussion on painkillers and how long Jonny should use ice.

“I’ve done this sort of thing before,” he said without thinking, then wished he hadn’t. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about injuries on a movie shoot. His hand hurt more and more, and while he knew he was going to heal, he also understood it was going to get ugly before it started getting better.

“Stopped cars with your bare hands?” Gabriel asked before turning to Madeline. “Did you get hit by the car?”

“No. I was busy falling into the slush.”

“Bump your head? Your hip? Your knee?”

She held up both hands as if to show they were fine. “I’m wet from the snow. I had a soft landing and am dealing with nothing more earth-shattering than guilt.”

Gabriel turned to Jonny. “Okay. I’ll be back to suture you up and then I’ll write up the prescriptions. Take it easy for the next day or two. No more playing hero.” He stood, then crossed to Madeline and patted her shoulder. “You stay out of trouble, too.”

“I’ll do my best.”

He left the room.

Madeline turned to Jonny. “You were saving me. I just got that. You put yourself in danger so I wouldn’t be hit by a car.”

Tears filled her eyes.

He was a typical guy who didn’t like tears on any woman, but especially not when it came to the one he was seeing. Not that he didn’t appreciate she was worried about him, but tears? He was prepared to do nearly anything to stop the flow. Lucky for him, her cell phone rang again.

“You should get that,” he told her.

“It’s not going to make me forget what you did for me,” she promised, then pushed the talk button on her phone. “Hello?”

He watched as she listened. Madeline frowned slightly, then shook her head. “I don’t have room. Four dogs? I know it’s only for a few days, but I’m working. I couldn’t leave them home alone at my place and I don’t think I could get back to walk them.” She listened for a second, then flushed. “No. I’m not going to ask him. You do realize we’re in the hospital emergency room, right? Yes, he was hit by a car.” Another pause. “Eddie and Gladys. No, he’s fine, it’s just...”

She sighed. “There has to be someone who can take them. I’m happy to help, take a walking shift or something.”

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Just a second,” she told the caller, then lowered the phone.

“The Day of Giving is Saturday.”

“Yet another Fool’s Gold festival?” he asked.

“Yes. Local charities have vendor booths so they can explain about their programs. There’s also a pet adoption. It’s become really successful, so they bring in pets from shelters around the state. Several dogs are arriving and they need a place to stay until the event on Saturday.”

Now her conversation made sense. “You’re right,” he told her. “No way you could handle four dogs at your place. It’s not big enough and you have to be at Paper Moon.”