Chapter 5

The ride to the hospital was blissfully silent, except for the thunderous pain inside John’s head and the pulsing pain coming from his wrists.

John found himself staring at Molly’s shoes. His gaze wandered up to her legs, she had always had spectacular legs, among other things. What was she thinking wearing high heels and a skirt to a dairy farm?

Back then, when John knew Molly had gone to Europe, he felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. She had given up on their love without a real fight. Her leaving had probably been the best thing for him, legally, but it didn’t make it hurt less.

He found himself alone, with no one to talk to, no one to share his grief with. Finally, he hooked up with Ginger as a rebound. She was available and ready to get married and get out of her parents’ home. He was lonely and hurt and wanting to forget Molly.

They reached the hospital in short order. She pulled up to the emergency room entrance and parked in a loading zone. John managed to get out of the car without Molly’s help, though it wasn’t easy.

“I’ll ask for a wheelchair,” Molly offered.

“My legs are fine, Molly.”

John knew he was being foolish and stubborn, but he couldn’t help it.

As soon as they entered the waiting room, Molly’s gaze flicked around the place. A few words to the nurse at the desk, and she guided them to the doctor’s office as if they were first in the line.

John watched her in amazement. Molly knew exactly what to say to get what she wanted with minimal trouble or time. She was a Carter after all. She was in charge from the moment they entered the building.

With difficulty, John pulled his attention from the sight of Molly to the doctor at his side.

“Did you lose consciousness, John?”

He remembered falling, hitting the ground, pain in his head, his wrists, the sight of Ginger, believing she was a dream...

“I must have for a brief moment,” he muttered.

“Mhm,” The doctor scribbled something on his clipboard.

“Is that bad?”

“I think we’ll keep you here for a few hours, just in case.”

“In case what?”

“I need to run some tests first, John,” the doctor said, deflecting his question. “Looks like you did a number on those wrists.”

“They hurt like hell,” John admitted. “How bad are they?”

“One’s broken, maybe both. We’ll take you to an X-ray in a minute. But it’s your head I’m worried about.”

“Me, too,” Molly said. The knot on his head had grown even bigger.

John glanced up. Molly watched him warily. Suddenly he remembered she used to smell like fresh-cut lavender, and she tasted like wild honey. He shook his head to make the images go away. He must have hit his head very hard to be thinking about the scent of her skin and the taste of her lips.