“They gave her something for pain,” Kyle explained quietly to the McDooleys. “She’s kind of out of it.”
“I am not,” she protested, turning to him so quickly she would have tipped over if he hadn’t steadied her. And then she ruined her indignant denial by giggling again.
“Why don’t you and I step outside, Kyle, and Jewel can help Molly get dressed.”
Kyle nodded in response to Mack’s suggestion, though he lingered a bit longer at Molly’s side. “You’ll be okay?”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t need you to help me get dressed, if that’s what you mean.”
His slight flush amused her again. Muttering something she didn’t quite catch, he stepped outside with Mack, letting the door swing shut behind them.
Molly shook her head. “The way he’s carried on, you’d think I’d done major damage to myself rather than just tearing a ligament in my ankle.”
Jewel set the bag on a chair and reached into it. “He’s feeling bad about you being hurt at his house. It must have scared him half to death when you fell.”
“I think he was more scared than I was,” Molly confided, remembering how Kyle’s hands had trembled when he had helped her up and assisted her to her car. She had tried to be brave, as much for his sake as for her own, but she hadn’t been able to suppress the occasional gasp of pain. Each time she’d moaned, he had gone a shade paler.
The drive down the mountain to the nearest medical facility had been accomplished at breakneck speed, making her worry that neither of them would arrive in one piece. When they’d reached the hospital, Kyle had told her to remain in the car while he’d dashed inside to fetch someone with a wheelchair. He had then proceeded to snap orders at everyone who had come near her—orderlies, nurses and doctors alike—until someone had sent him out of the room while she was treated. He hadn’t been allowed back in until they’d finished with her.
Jewel held up a pair of wide-legged gray fleece pants with hot pink piping and a drawstring waistband. “I figured a drawstring would help them fit better if I guessed your size wrong from Kyle’s description of you. The wide legs should fit over your brace without any problems.”
“They’re perfect,” Molly exclaimed, though she couldn’t help wondering how Kyle had described her. “They look very comfortable.”
Smiling, Jewel pulled another garment out of the bag, this one a long-sleeved hot pink T-shirt that matched the piping down the sides of the pants. “I didn’t know if you’d torn your blouse when you fell, so I bought the whole set. Kyle neglected to mention that you’re a redhead, but fortunately, this color will look fine on you. There’s another set in the bag, in navy with a lime-green shirt.”
“This was so sweet of you.” Molly was aware that she was overusing the word sweet, but it seemed to be fixed firmly in her medication-clouded brain. “I’ll reimburse you for the clothes, of course.”
“Kyle’s taking care of that.”
As she allowed Jewel to help her into the clothes, Molly decided that she would argue with Kyle about that later. He was already paying the medical bills
, assuring her that his homeowner’s insurance would cover them. He shouldn’t feel that he had to buy her clothes, too.
The sporty outfit fit very well. Molly felt much better once she was fully dressed and could set the drafty hospital gown aside. A nurse came in, had her sign some papers, then bustled out again, promising to be right back with a pair of crutches.
Molly sighed. “I’m beginning to wonder if I’m ever going to get out of here.”
Jewel patted her arm sympathetically. “That’s the thing about hospitals. They run on their own time.”
Looking down at her injured leg again, Molly groaned.
“Is your leg hurting, hon?”
“Not really. I was just thinking about what a mess I’ve gotten myself into this time. I have to call my brother, and he’s going to chew me out for being here at all, much less doing something stupid like spraining my ankle. I’m not sure I can drive in this brace thing, so I don’t know how I’m getting back to Texas. And I’ve caused poor Kyle so much trouble already, nagging him to attend a party he said all along he didn’t want to go to.”
Jewel’s hand tightened bracingly on Molly’s arm. “Now, don’t you be fretting about Kyle. You were right to invite him to that party, and if he knew what was best for him, he’d go. As for spraining your ankle, surely no one would blame you for that.”
“You haven’t met my brother.”
After a quick, sharp rap of warning, Kyle came back into the room, followed closely by Mack. Kyle nodded in approval when he saw Molly’s comfortable and practical outfit. “Thanks, Jewel. I know you’d come through.”
“It was my pleasure.” Giving Molly’s arm a final, friendly pat, Jewel moved away to allow Kyle to take her place. “The nurse is bringing crutches so Molly can leave. I think you should both come to our house. It’s past lunchtime and I’m sure everyone is hungry.”
“I’m hungry!” Molly placed a hand on her stomach.
Jewel nodded as if everything were settled. “Mack and I will go get lunch started. You two follow as soon as you can get away from here.”
“Looks like we have our orders,” Kyle murmured when the older couple had left the room.