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Not knowing how much comfort Anthony would want, yet following his instincts, he capped the boy’s shoulder. “She’s not going to be mad. She’s going to be worried. All she’s going to care about is that you’re okay.”
“But I’m not. I have to go to the hospital.”
At that moment, Angela rushed into the nurse’s office and came up short when she saw David.
“Anthony asked them to call me when they couldn’t get hold of you,” he said in quiet explanation.
“I forgot to charge my phone last night. When I got to Felice’s Nieces, there was a message to call the school.”
David moved away as she rushed over to Anthony and put her arm around him. “Oh, honey. How are you doing?”
“It hurts, Mom.”
David could see the boy was trying to keep a stiff upper lip for his mother, but it wasn’t working too well. He went on, “I’m sorry I fell. I shouldn’t have stayed. If I had listened to you—”
“It’s okay,” she said soothingly. “The important thing now is to get you taken care of.”
It was easy to see how upset Angela was, even though she was trying to hide it. Her hand was shaking a bit, and David didn’t think she should drive Anthony herself. “Would you like me to drive you to the emergency room?”
Angela’s gaze met his and they both remembered the last conversation they had. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You don’t have to ask. I’m offering. I think it would be safer for everyone if I drove.”
She took a deep, calming breath. “I hate to admit it, but I think you’re right. The problem is, I won’t have my van when we’re all finished.”
“I can drive your van and then get a ride back here.”
Her blue eyes asked the question if he was trying to prove she was wrong about him…wrong to doubt him. But that wasn’t why he was doing this. Something about Angela more than interested him. She was trying to take on the world, all by herself, and take care of her kids at the same time. She deserved a little help.
The nurse got up from her chair then. “We keep a wheelchair here just for these kinds of situations. I can wheel Anthony outside.”
“If you give me your keys I’ll bring your van to the front door,” David said to Angela.
After only a moment’s hesitation, she reached into her purse and took out her key ring. About ten keys were on a ring attached to a large rhinestone star. He had to smile.
Fifteen minutes later they were at the hospital. Angela had called the pediatrician, and he’d advised her to take Anthony to the emergency room. An hour had passed until Angela filled out the paperwork and an orthopedic doctor had checked out Anthony, who had insisted David come to the examining room with them.
The doctor told Angela, “I need X-rays. I’ll send someone for your son. Do you want to come along?”
“Can Coach Moore come instead?” Anthony asked the doctor.
Angela’s hurt was evident in the quick sheen that coated her eyes. “You don’t want me to come with you?”
“Oh, Mom, you’ll just cry or somethin’. Coach Moore is probably used to this kind of thing, playing sports and all.” He looked up at David. “Did you have X-rays after your accident?”
“I had all kinds of tests.”
“See? I told you, Mom.”
Her attention went from her son to David. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all. While we’re gone, you can take a few deep breaths. I doubt if we’ll be long.”
Once the attendant came to wheel Anthony to X-ray, the rest didn’t take long at all. David kept the boy distracted as best he could, telling him about playing football in high school and college, asking Anthony what subjects he liked best in school, discovering the boy intended to be a firefighter when he grew up. The arm was hurting him badly. David could tell. Talking seemed to help, and by the time the attendant wheeled Anthony back to the cubicle in the E.R., they were on their way to forming a friendship of sorts. That was going to be all shot to hell if Angela decided she wanted another mentor for her son. But Anthony needed a friend now, and David could be that for him tonight.
Waiting wasn’t anybody’s strong suit, and by the time the doctor reported to Angela what the X-rays had shown, David could see she was worried sick but trying to pretend she was a competent mother who took accidents like this in stride.
The doctor was all business as he declared, “It’s broken, all right. We might as well take care of setting it now. No use making the boy suffer longer than he has to. Son, have you had anything to eat this afternoon?”
“No, sir. Nothing since lunch.”
“Great. We’ll get you prepped and you can go home with a cast that everybody can sign.”
Things moved fast after that. Before they knew it, Angela was kissing Anthony, and a nurse was wheeling him away. She’d followed the gurney out of the cubicle and stood in the hall looking after it.
David picked up the bag that held Anthony’s clothes and belongings. “Come on. Let’s go up to the waiting room outside same-day surgery. The doctor said that’s where they’ll bring him when he’s finished.”
When she turned toward him, she was pale.
“He’s going to be all right,” David reassured her.
“I know. But he’s so little. The hospital’s so big. I don’t want him to be scared. I don’t want this to hurt his chances to be anything he wants to be.”
“Nothing’s going to keep that boy down.”
She ducked her head and David knew why. Taking her hand, he pulled her back into the cubicle for some privacy. Setting the bag of clothes on a vinyl chair, he cupped her chin in his hand and lifted her head. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” he asked gently.
“I tried to do everything right. I married a man I thought I could have a life with. We were happy with three beautiful kids until I found out about his affairs. Until he decided he wanted to be single. Until everything fell apart. I don’t know what I would have done without Megan the past three years. But she’s moving out, I had to take this extra job, and now Anthony’s hurt. And I can’t get in touch with Jerome. It’s as if he doesn’t even care he has a family. Or had a family. Somehow I always feel as if everything is all my fault.”
Her tears were flowing in earnest now, and there was only one thing David could do. He enfolded her into his arms.
Holding Angela was supposed to be a comfort-giving gesture. She needed someone to lean on, and he was there. She was leaning into him. Her breasts were pressing into his chest. Her sweet, summer-garden scent filled his nostrils and made him need in elemental ways. Her hair was silky under his jaw as he held her and she cried out of frustration, loss and fear. He suspected there was a lot of fear. She was a woman alone with three kids. She could be afraid of responsibility and bills and a life that was changing. At first, she’d seemed to be the epitome of an independent woman, and maybe she was. But this was another side of her—the side that needed a man’s comfort and support and a shoulder that was strong enough to help get her through this crisis.
Who was the real Angela? Did she want to be on her own? Did she want to hook up with a man? Did she need someone to count on? Or was she looking for an easier way to live her life than as a single mom?
Jessica had had a poor background without the loving family David had experienced in his early years. She’d worked at a fitness center, but as they’d gotten engaged and they’d both pinned their hopes on NFL dreams, she’d talked about quitting her job, searching for a house for them, taking the time to decorate it and join a few clubs. She’d wanted a life with him that would lift her out of the one she’d known. Not so much emotionally, but physically and monetarily. He hadn’t realized all that until after she’d left.
He wouldn’t be any woman’s easy way out again.
Angela’s sobs had ebbed away and she was quiet now, just resting against him. Freezing the desire that raced through him like a running back heading for a touchdown, he forced himself to put his hands on her shoulders and back away.
When she looked up at him, there was confusion there…and dismay. “I’m so sorry. I don’t break down like this. It’s not me.”
Was that the truth? he wondered. Was this situation with Anthony the clincher after a long list of squalls she’d had to handle on her own? “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “You’re entitled. Your son was just taken to the operating room.”
Seeing the bag of Anthony’s belongings on the chair, she went to it. “I tossed my purse in here.” Retrieving it, she straightened her shoulders. “I’m going to the ladies’ room before we head upstairs. I know you’re probably sorry you got mixed up in this whole thing. I never meant to fall apart on you.” She ran her hand through her hair. “I must look a mess.”
“You couldn’t look a mess if you tried,” he said honestly.
At that, color came back into her cheeks again. “I’ll meet you in the E.R. waiting room in five minutes, tops. I promise.”
As Angela went down the corridor, he realized he’d have to decide just how involved he wanted to get in her life.
Then again, maybe getting involved wasn’t an option. He didn’t even know if she still wanted a mentor for her son. He wondered if he should be that mentor—or if he should walk away now.
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