He didn’t sound as if he would allow any argument. She nodded and told Rick, “You drive my car home. I’ll be there as soon as I see about Ann Marie. You can have cake and ice cream here. It’s in the car. The ice cream’s in the cooler in the trunk.”
“I’ll take care of it,” one of the girls called as Cynthia hurried to catch up with Sean, who was already headed toward the parking area. “Ann Marie, I’ll save you some for when you get home.”
Ann Marie gave the girl a weak wave.
“Thanks,” Cynthia said, over her shoulder. Nearing a midsized four-door car that Sean was obviously headed for, she hurried past him to open the back door. It was locked.
“The keys are in my pocket. You’re going to have to get them.”
What? She wasn’t going to stick her hand in his pants pocket.
“I can hold An—”
Sean gave her a stern look. “They’re in my right pocket. Get them.”
Cynthia stepped around him. Swallowing hard, she slowly slipped her hand into the top of his front pocket. Thankfully Sean’s pants weren’t super tight. His body tensed. The hiss of air told her Sean wasn’t unaffected by her actions.
She bit down on her lower lip as her hand continued to push farther along his leg. Her fingers found the keys and jerked them out. Cynthia released the breath she had been holding, unlocked the doors, and opened the rear one.
Sean worked to sit Ann Marie on the seat in the small confined space. Cynthia went around to the other side and, by putting her hands under the girl’s arms, pulled her across the seat. “Ann Marie, I’m going to close the door and you can lean against it. It won’t be a comfortable ride but your leg and foot need to rest straight on the seat.”
She watched as Sean quickly pulled his sweater off. A hint of a firm abdomen showed above his beltline when his shirt came untucked. She hated to admit her disappointment when it disappeared as his arms came down from over his head.
“Here.” He wadded the sweater up and handed it to Ann Marie. “You can use this to cushion your back against the door handle.” Cynthia closed the door and watched through the window to make sure the girl was settled before she started around the car to the front passenger seat. The other car door slammed, and Sean met her halfway around the car.
“Thanks for your help,” Cynthia said.
“Not a problem.” Sean continued to the driver’s side.
* * *
Half an hour later, Sean drove up to the entrance of Emergency Department and stopped. He hopped out of the car and circled it to find Cynthia at the rear door with it already open. She was helping Ann Marie to slide across the seat.
“Don’t let her stand. I’m going to get an orderly and a wheelchair.” Sean headed toward the sliding glass doors.
“We’ll be right here,” Cynthia called after him.
Minutes later he returned pulling a rolling bed while a member of the medical staff pushed it. They positioned it beside the car. With the wheel brakes on, Sean said, “Cynthia, if you would help scoot Ann Marie as far to the edge of the seat as you can, then I’ll lift her onto the rolling bed.”
Sean waited until Cynthia had the girl in position. Supporting her back with one arm and the other under her knees, he lifted Ann Marie gently and placed her on the bed. Turning to Cynthia, he handed her his keys. “Why don’t you park my car? I’ll see to Ann Marie. I have a buddy who’s an ortho guy. I’m going to give him a call.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Sean didn’t have to wait long before Cynthia joined him in the examination room. She’d removed her coveralls and now wore a sweatshirt with a local college insignia on the front and jeans. She looked about the same age as Ann Marie.
The orderly finished settling the girl. “The doctor’s on her way in.”
Sean said, “I’ve already phoned Dr. Mills. He has agreed to consult. He should be here soon.”
Cynthia immediately stepped to the bedside. “Are you feeling any pain?”
“It throbs,” Ann Marie said quietly.
Cynthia patted her hand. “I’m sure they’ll do X-rays and have you out of here in no time.”
“I hope so. Mama and Dad are not going to be happy when they see me.” The girl seemed more concerned about her parents than she was about her foot.
While on their way he and Cynthia had listened as Ann Marie called and told her parents what had happened and which hospital she was being taken to. Her mother’s voice could be heard loud and clear from the backseat. She wasn’t happy.
“I’m sure they’ll just be glad you weren’t hurt worse,” Cynthia assured her.
Soon a tech from X-ray entered and whisked Ann Marie away leaving him and Cynthia in the empty room.
“Uh, here’re your keys.” She pulled them from her pocket and handed them to him. Her cheeks went pink. Was she thinking of when she’d had to fish them out of his pocket?
Sean took them. Her hand touched his for a split second. Even that sent an electric shock through him. What was it with this woman? “You did a nice job out there with Ann Marie. It looked like you’ve had first-aid training.”
She moved to “her” side of the room, as if they were boxers facing off but unsure of the next move. “More like nursing training.”
“Really? You’re in nursing school?”
“I was, or was planning to be. I took nursing classes in high school. I was going to college to be a RN.” Cynthia took one of the two chairs in the small space. She sat straight in her chair with her hands in her lap as if she wasn’t completely comfortable around him.
“Well, it showed. You were cool, calm and collected.” Sean meant it. He’d been impressed. If he hadn’t stepped in, he was sure she’d still have been able to handle the situation.
Cynthia looked at him. “You did a nice job on wrapping her foot. Quick thinking.”
He shrugged and grinned. “I have had some medical training after all.”
“Wrap a lot of noses in scarves, do ya?”
He laughed. “Not so many. There’s always a first time for everything.”
“You get an A plus for effort. I do appreciate you driving us over and having your friend see Ann Marie. I know you had other plans tonight. Please don’t feel like you have to stay.”
Sean leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “Trying to get rid of me?”
“No, but I know you’re concerned about that grant application. And time is tight. You must need to go.”
He checked his watch. He did have to meet Charles soon but he still had time. “I’m good. I have the report with me. I’ll call my colleague and make new arrangements. I want to make sure Ann Marie doesn’t need me to cut any red tape before I leave.”
“You have the report with you?”
“Yeah. I stuck it in my car while you were hunting for the first-aid kit.”
There was a commotion in the hall. The door to the room opened and a middle-aged couple hurried in. It could only be Ann Marie’s parents. Sean straightened and Cynthia stood.
She took a step toward the couple. Sean came to stand behind her as she said, “Mr. and Mrs. Lucas, I’m Cynthia Marcum. Rick’s sister. I want to assure you that Ann Marie is doing fine. She’s having an X-ray done now.”
The woman took a threatening step toward Cynthia. “How could you’ve let this happen? I told Ann Marie she couldn’t come to the party. There wouldn’t be enough supervision with just you there. I blame you for this.”
Cynthia recoiled until her back met his chest. Sean felt a slight tremor roll through her. His neck stiffened. What was he missing here? He wasn’t going to allow anyone to talk to her that way.
“I can assure you that Ms. Marcum has taken and still is taking extremely good care of Ann Marie. What happened to
Ann Marie was merely an accident.” Stepping around Cynthia, he put himself between the irate mother and her. “I’m Dr. Sean Donavon. She handled the situation admirably. Ann Marie is doing fine.”
Cynthia shifted to stand ridged beside him. She was going to stand her own ground, it appeared. “Mr. and Mrs. Lucas, I can assure you that your daughter has been under continuous supervision and has had capable care. She took a fall and twisted her ankle. We brought her here only as a precaution. I’m sorry it happened but she’s doing fine. She’ll be back here in a few minutes.”
“I told Dan—” the mother glanced at her husband before turning her leer on Cynthia again “—that Ann Marie wasn’t to go to the party. I just knew something like this would happen,” she hissed.
Sean’s shoulders relaxed when he saw Ann Marie being pushed into the room, ending the conversation. He touched Cynthia’s shoulder and nodded toward the far wall. She joined him out of the way. Cynthia must be as glad the discussion was over as he was. His jaw was tight in an effort not to say what he really thought to the over-the-top mother. Ann Marie’s father hadn’t said anything. Sean wasn’t surprised; he couldn’t be anything but browbeaten.
The mother hurried to the bedside, hardly letting the transporter get the bed back into position. “Oh, honey, are you okay? I told you that you had no business at that party.”
“Rick is my friend,” Ann Marie whined.
“Yes, but you know how we feel about his family,” the mother said in a tight voice, glaring at Cynthia.