discussed the phones and their functions. Eventually, they called her over, and Aaron explained what amounted to a miniature handheld computer with a touch screen, camera, microphone and speaker. The thing was amazing and must have cost a fortune. She turned over the sleek contraption in her hand and looked to Stephen.
“This really isn’t necessary, you know.”
“I think it is,” he said dismissively, failing to meet her gaze.
Aaron jumped in, using his “good buddy” voice. “I’ve programmed in Steve’s new number, mine and the doc’s. The roll-up keyboard works like this.” He demonstrated, adding,“Makes it easier if you’re not used to phone-pad texting. This way you just type.”
“Okay,” Kaylie said, pocketing the sleek new gadget. “If you say so.”
“One thing,” Stephen insisted, deigning to look at her. “I want your word that you’ll keep that with you at all times. Understood?”
Kaylie just barely refrained from rolling her eyes. “I’ll keep it with me at all times. And when you don’t need my assistance anymore, I’ll return it.”
Stephen bobbed his head in a curt nod. Aaron split an uncertain look between the two of them and clapped his hands together with forced joviality. “Okeydoke. I am off to see the little woman.” He walked backward toward the door. “Either of you need anything, you give me a shout.” He paused in the doorway long enough to point a finger at Stephen and say, “I’ll see you in a day or two, kid. You behave yourself and let nurse darlin’ take care of you. Understand?” He winked at Kaylie and blew her a noisy kiss, exclaiming, “Angel of mercy!” With that, he turned and hurried from sight.
Stephen put his head back and closed his eyes, dismissing her as effectively as if he’d turned his back on her. Unfortunately for him, she’d had a good deal of recent experience in dealing with hardheaded men. Leaning a shoulder against the bedpost at the foot of the bed, she folded her arms and regarded him thoughtfully. Kaylie very much wanted to ask Stephen about the “she” whose phone call to Aaron Doolin had so obviously upset him earlier, but she had no plausible professional reason for doing so. She didn’t see anything to be gained by taking him to task for his attitude, but the accident, on the other hand, seemed well within her purview, her personal curiosity aside.
“It might help me to know about your accident,” she said after a long moment of silence.
He opened an eye and peered down his nose at her. Closing that eye again, he settled more comfortably. She assumed that would be the end of it, but just as she dropped her arms and started to straighten away from the bedpost, he spoke.
“I accidentally drove my car through the garage wall and into my house. What else do you want to know?”
Horrified, she shook her head, grasping the bedpost with both hands. “How on earth did such a thing happen?”
Sighing richly, he opened both eyes and stared up at the ceiling. “Some friends had driven my car and left it parked outside with the top down and a storm threatening.” Kaylie winced. “Worried that the storm would ruin the interior, I rushed out to move the car into the garage, but when I should have hit the brake, I accidentally hit the gas pedal.”
“Oh, my, and in a convertible, no less.”
“A very expensive convertible with a powerful engine. Powerful enough to propel me through two walls and right into a free-standing fireplace.”
“Goodness!”
“Nothing good about it,” he said sourly. “Not only was the car ruined, the house all but came down.”
“No wonder your injuries are so serious!”
He lifted a hand to his head, as if holding down the top of it. “Nothing I don’t deserve for being so incredibly stupid. Idiotic dwass, ” he muttered.
She didn’t need to know Dutch to understand the gist of that. Her heart went out to him. He might be a spoiled sports figure, but he was also a seriously
“This really isn’t necessary, you know.”
“I think it is,” he said dismissively, failing to meet her gaze.
Aaron jumped in, using his “good buddy” voice. “I’ve programmed in Steve’s new number, mine and the doc’s. The roll-up keyboard works like this.” He demonstrated, adding,“Makes it easier if you’re not used to phone-pad texting. This way you just type.”
“Okay,” Kaylie said, pocketing the sleek new gadget. “If you say so.”
“One thing,” Stephen insisted, deigning to look at her. “I want your word that you’ll keep that with you at all times. Understood?”
Kaylie just barely refrained from rolling her eyes. “I’ll keep it with me at all times. And when you don’t need my assistance anymore, I’ll return it.”
Stephen bobbed his head in a curt nod. Aaron split an uncertain look between the two of them and clapped his hands together with forced joviality. “Okeydoke. I am off to see the little woman.” He walked backward toward the door. “Either of you need anything, you give me a shout.” He paused in the doorway long enough to point a finger at Stephen and say, “I’ll see you in a day or two, kid. You behave yourself and let nurse darlin’ take care of you. Understand?” He winked at Kaylie and blew her a noisy kiss, exclaiming, “Angel of mercy!” With that, he turned and hurried from sight.
Stephen put his head back and closed his eyes, dismissing her as effectively as if he’d turned his back on her. Unfortunately for him, she’d had a good deal of recent experience in dealing with hardheaded men. Leaning a shoulder against the bedpost at the foot of the bed, she folded her arms and regarded him thoughtfully. Kaylie very much wanted to ask Stephen about the “she” whose phone call to Aaron Doolin had so obviously upset him earlier, but she had no plausible professional reason for doing so. She didn’t see anything to be gained by taking him to task for his attitude, but the accident, on the other hand, seemed well within her purview, her personal curiosity aside.
“It might help me to know about your accident,” she said after a long moment of silence.
He opened an eye and peered down his nose at her. Closing that eye again, he settled more comfortably. She assumed that would be the end of it, but just as she dropped her arms and started to straighten away from the bedpost, he spoke.
“I accidentally drove my car through the garage wall and into my house. What else do you want to know?”
Horrified, she shook her head, grasping the bedpost with both hands. “How on earth did such a thing happen?”
Sighing richly, he opened both eyes and stared up at the ceiling. “Some friends had driven my car and left it parked outside with the top down and a storm threatening.” Kaylie winced. “Worried that the storm would ruin the interior, I rushed out to move the car into the garage, but when I should have hit the brake, I accidentally hit the gas pedal.”
“Oh, my, and in a convertible, no less.”
“A very expensive convertible with a powerful engine. Powerful enough to propel me through two walls and right into a free-standing fireplace.”
“Goodness!”
“Nothing good about it,” he said sourly. “Not only was the car ruined, the house all but came down.”
“No wonder your injuries are so serious!”
He lifted a hand to his head, as if holding down the top of it. “Nothing I don’t deserve for being so incredibly stupid. Idiotic dwass, ” he muttered.
She didn’t need to know Dutch to understand the gist of that. Her heart went out to him. He might be a spoiled sports figure, but he was also a seriously
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