****
“You need to stay, Zoe,” Bowie said.
It was the tenth time he’d said it. Now that the pain in her leg had settled down to a dull throb, Zoe wasn’t buying it. She’d had enough of hospitals to last her a lifetime. “I hit my leg, and it’s not broken. I’ll do fine with the crutches. I’ll follow up with the doctor the ER guy recommended, and I’ll be fine.” Please God let the leg be fine.
She wiggled off the edge of the hospital bed and balanced on one foot while she looped her purse over her head to hang across her body to her hip. The strap hit the fabric burn on her cheek and she flinched. She touched it gingerly, checking the ointment the nurse had applied. “I need to get back and see what’s happening at Brett’s apartment.” She adjusted the crutches beneath her arms.
Bowie frowned. “We’re supposed to wait for you to ride down in a wheelchair.”
“I’m good to go, and I’m not waiting.”
Bowie threw up a hand in supplication. “I’m seeing a new side of you that reminds me of Cutter.”
“Is that so surprising?”
He grinned. “No.” The smile faded quickly. “Aren’t you going to call Hawk, and let him know what’s happened?”
She concentrated on putting the paperwork and pain medication the nurse had given her into her purse. “That would be redundant, since you’ve already done it.”
He rested a hand on her shoulder. “Look, I don’t know what’s gone wrong between you, but he deserved to know you were here.”
Zoe drew a deep breath as all the things she could say whipped through her mind. What happened is he stomped all over my heart. He didn’t want my love. He’s gone from wanting to let my family know we’re a couple, to telling me it was all a mistake.
“It isn’t important to anyone but me, Bowie. I don’t intend to put you in the middle. What happened between Hawk and me stays between us.” It hurt to draw breath, but her voice sounded only a little--strangled. “Now, I’d appreciate a ride to the apartment, and if that’s inconvenient, I can call a cab.”
Bowie sighed. “That won’t be necessary. I’ve got it covered.”
In her peripheral vision, she saw his hand hovering just within reach of her arm the first few swings she took with the crutches. “I’ve had years of practice with these. The only thing I don’t like to do is go down stairs.”
“Good thing they only have elevators here,” Bowie said.
“Yeah.”
They stood in front of the elevator.
Bowie snagged her arm when the door opened. “Look, Hawk is on his way. Stay just long enough for him to see for himself you’re ambulatory.”
All the things Hawk had said to her, all the pain he’d dealt her because of it, rose up to give her heart a painful squeeze. Tears blurred her vision. She concentrated on the tile beneath her feet instead. “I can’t do that, Bowie. I’m not ready to see him again, yet. Please call him and tell him not to bother coming.”
She caught the edge of the elevator door with the end of her crutch before it closed. It slid back open. She propelled herself inside.
Bowie breathed an expletive and stepped inside. “If you want him called, you’re going to have to do it yourself.”
Then he’d make an unnecessary trip. She wasn’t calling him.
When she didn’t make a move to get her cell phone from her purse, Bowie swore again. A half dozen people filtered into the conveyance from the next floor keeping him from making any comment.
The doors opened on the lobby level and they waited for the others to exit. “You at least owe him a phone call, Zoe.”
“I’m not getting into who owes who. Stay out of it, Bowie.”
She swung forward.
They caught another elevator to the parking structure attached to the hospital. “Stay here and I’ll get the car,” Bowie said. He strode up the paved incline.
Zoe’s hands gripped the crutches. The air, moist and cool enveloped her. Standing alone, an exaggerated vulnerability swept over her. The distance between the floor and ceiling appeared to narrow. Her chest constricted, and it grew difficult to breathe. Her good leg struggled to hold her weight. Delayed reaction. Anxiety. That’s all it was. She’d be okay.
The doors behind her opened and she bit back a yelp, startled by the sudden sound.
Hawk stepped out of the elevator, along with a man and woman. The couple hustled past and moved up the incline.
Relief drained Zoe’s fear away, and for a moment she continued to stare at Hawk. The need to feel his arms around her struck her with such physical longing she began to shake.
Hawk’s stare pinned her as his long strides closed the distance between them. As he crowded close, heat radiated from his body. “Come back to the house with me, Zoe.”
She turned away from the look of grave concern on his face. Her hands tightened on the crutch handles. “No thanks.” She looked up the row of cars to where Bowie had disappeared. Where was he?
“Please, Zoe. Your safety is more important than what’s happened between us.”
Nothing was more important than what had happened between them. Nothing. Every touch, every look, every word they had shared was everything. That’s what he didn’t get. “I don’t need you to protect me. I can buy locks, and guns for that. I don’t need you to provide a roof over my head. I have that covered. The one thing I needed from you, you say you can’t give me, so please--just leave.”
Hawk rested a hand on her shoulder and she jerked away.
“Zoe--I have to know you’re safe,“ Hawk said in a tone, nearly hoarse with emotion.
Pain and anger gave her the courage to look up at him. “Why would that matter to you? If you go wheels up, and you’re seven thousand miles away, will you know if I’m sick, or hurt? Will I know if you are?”
Hawk’s expression blanked for a second, then he flinched. “I promised your mom--”
“To hell with that and to hell with you!” Had her hands been free, she’d have slapped him. “And to hell with Bowie for deserting me, just so you’d have time to ambush me.” She swung around and clomped her way back to the elevator.
Bowie’s breaks squeaked as he pulled up in the car. The elevator door opened before Zoe. She got on and hit the close door button with the heel of her hand.