Hope White - Mountain Ambush

“She texted me, wanting my help, but I assumed she was alone.”

Maddie’s brow furrowed. “Poor kid. She seemed so lost when we brought her in.”

Lost. Exactly how Spence felt right now. Confused, fragile and powerless. Not a feeling he was used to.

“How’s the head pain?” she asked.

“About a two.”

“Uh-huh.” She narrowed her eyes. “I saw what happened, remember?”

“Wait, that sound... You were singing?”

“That sound? Wow, thanks.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“It’s fine, I know I’m no Carrie Underwood. I figured singing would distract the guy long enough for you to get the upper hand. Well-done, by the way.”

“Thanks.”

“But then, how did he get the advantage?”

He struggled to remember. “Gwen was gasping for air. Guess I got distracted.” He sipped his water. “Why am I in a room?”

“They’re keeping you overnight for observation.” She tapped her forefinger to her own forehead. “Concerned about the brain trauma.”

“I’m fine.”

“So you’ve said. If the MRI comes back clean you’ll be good to go. I think it’s scheduled for tonight.”

He felt bad for keeping her from her life.

“You should go.” That didn’t come out right, and the thought of her leaving him alone twisted his gut into a knot. What was wrong with him? Maddie was nothing more than a paramedic he occasionally ran into at the hospital.

“Oh, so you’re dismissing me?” she said, in a strange tone.

Had he offended her? “I meant you don’t have to stay and babysit me.”

“I came with you in the helicopter so I’m waiting for a ride.” She redirected her attention to her phone.

Good to know that she wasn’t hovering at his bedside because she cared about him, that he’d have to worry about her developing feelings for a man who had no interest in love.

Love? He was surely suffering from brain trauma.

“Huh,” she said, eyeing something on her phone.

“What?”

“A text from my cop brother. They can’t find the assailant who attacked you.” She sighed. “Terrific, now there’s a psycho running around town. Makes me wish I woulda shot him.”

“You’re kidding,” he said, his voice flat.

“Yes, Doctor, I am kidding. Did you ever have a sense of humor or was it beaten out of you in the mountains?”

He was about to shoot back a smart remark when Dr. William Danner breezed into the room. “There he is, the superhero not looking so super.” He stopped short and glanced at Maddie. “What are you doing here?”

“I came in the helicopter with him.” She crossed her arms over her chest as if daring him to challenge her.

Danner, a few years older than Spence, had a razor-sharp tongue he used to intimidate much of the staff at Echo Mountain Hospital. But not Spence and apparently not Maddie, either. She narrowed her eyes at Danner as if challenging him to pick a fight.

Spence never could understand guys like Danner. Instead of leading with compassion, he ruled with intimidation. The guy was a bully.

“What’s my prognosis, Doctor?” Spence said, hoping to divert him from ripping into Maddie. The thought bothered Spence.

Danner redirected his attention to Spence, no doubt a bigger and more interesting target. For some reason Danner considered Spence his competition and would use any means necessary to come out the victor. Yet weren’t they after the same thing? Helping patients?

“Besides the head injury, where else were you injured? Ribs?”

“Minor bruising. I’d like to be discharged,” Spence said.

“Is that right?”

Spence realized by the slight curl to Danner’s lips that he was enjoying being in control of Spence’s life a little too much.

“I lost consciousness,” Spence said. “It happens after a head injury. I’m fine.”

Danner checked Spence’s pupils. “Be that as it may, Dr. Carver wants MRI results before you can be released.”

“I can always discharge myself.”

“You could, which would only prove that your head trauma is clouding your judgment. Is it clouding your judgment, Kyle?”

No one had called him Kyle since his relationship with Andrea had exploded into pieces. He preferred not to be called Kyle because it brought back too many memories. Danner obviously sensed this and used it as a weapon.

“He seems pretty sharp to me,” Maddie offered.

Without looking at her, Danner responded. “And who, pray tell, are you to offer a medical opinion?”

“Hey,” Spence snapped. “She saved my life out there.”

“I didn’t realize you two were...” Danner’s voice trailed off.

“We’re not,” Maddie said firmly.

Nurse Heather Warren came into the room. She was in her forties with a round face and warm smile. “I have the medication you ordered, Dr. Danner.”

“What medication?” Spence asked.

“Sedative for the MRI,” Nurse Heather said.

“I don’t need that.”

“And I don’t need you messing up the imaging department’s schedule because you have a claustrophobic meltdown,” Danner said.

“Who says I’m claustrophobic?” Spence snapped.

“Hey, what’s going on in here?” Dr. Ruth Carver said, entering the room.

Spence was glad to see his friend, the one person Danner wouldn’t challenge. Ruth was the hospital administrator who’d hired Spence over a year ago. They had served on medical committees and had become friends over the years, and when there was an opening at Echo Mountain Hospital, she contacted him about joining their team. The timing had been perfect, a few months after his ugly breakup.

Dr. Danner handed Ruth the clipboard. “He’s all yours. I have patients who need me.” Danner marched out of the room.

“Jerk,” Maddie let slip.

Nurse Heather bit back a smile.

“Leave the medication,” Ruth said to the nurse.

“Yes, Doctor.” Heather did as ordered and left the room.

Ruth looked at Spence. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner. The board president cornered me. How’s your pain?”

“About a two.”

“At least a six,” Maddie offered.

“I said a two,” Spence countered.

“But you meant a seven.”

“I can speak for myself. I don’t need medication and I want to be discharged.”

Ruth narrowed her eyes. “You’re not acting like yourself, Spence.”

Which they both knew was another symptom of brain trauma.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“Spence, you live alone out in the country,” Ruth said. “If I send you home without MRI results and it’s worse than a mild concussion and you lose consciousness, I’d never forgive myself. Please don’t fight me on this,” she said with pleading brown eyes.

Ruth and her husband, Cal, both in their fifties, had been gracious to Spence when he moved to town, having him over for dinner a number of times and treating him like family.

“Sorry,” he said. “I guess I’m proof that doctors make horrible patients.”

Relief eased across Ruth’s face. “Good, now that that’s settled, take the sedative so you can relax for the MRI. It’s very mild.”

If he was his own patient he’d be following Ruth’s protocol without question. He swallowed the pill and sipped water to wash it down.

“They’ll be up shortly to take you to imaging.” Ruth glanced at Maddie. “Are you staying?”

“Until my ride shows up.”

“You mean Rocky?”

“No, my cousin Bree.”

“Oh, I thought your boyfriend would pick you up.”

“My boyfriend?”

“I assumed you and Rocky were a couple, but kept it quiet because of work policy.”

Spence noted Maddie’s confused expression. Not guilty for putting her job at risk by dating a fellow employee, but she seemed confused by the question as if the thought of dating Rocky had never crossed her mind.