So she’d borne the stigma of having a child out of wedlock with her chin held high, refusing to think of Ben as a mistake.
Her son was the highlight of her life. The best thing to ever happen to her. He could never be a mistake.
And she didn’t need a man in her life to be happy.
Seth finished the cast, telling Ben how he could use a permanent marker to write on the outside if he wanted, then joking that if he wanted to write the word “Bears” he’d have to ask for his mother’s help, because he wasn’t sure how to spell it and might accidentally write “Packers” instead. Then he rolled the cast cart back out of the room, promising to return soon.
Ben’s eyelids drifted closed, so Kylie took advantage of the moment to rest her head on his bed, still holding on to his non-casted hand. Now that the adrenaline rush had faded, she felt as if she’d gone ten rounds in the ring with a boxer and lost every one.
She must have dozed a bit, because suddenly she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. “Wake up, Kylie.”
Prying her eyes open, she blinked, focusing on Seth’s face. His kindness was like a balm to her wounded soul. “I’m awake. Sorry. Do you have the results?”
He nodded and gave a reassuring smile. “Yes, and you’ll be glad to know Ben’s CT is clear. He’s suffered a minor concussion, but there isn’t any sign of a bleed.”
“Thank heavens,” she whispered. Glancing at her son, she noticed Ben was still asleep. The pain meds were no doubt making him drowsy.
“I’d still like Ben to see an ophthalmologist.” Seth frowned, his expression turning serious. “The cut over his eye is very deep, and once the swelling goes down he should see a specialist to make sure there isn’t any damage to the eye—particularly the retina.”
“All right.” She stared at her son for a moment, before lifting her gaze to Seth’s. “Thank you for everything. You did a wonderful job with him.”
He smiled gently. “No problem. That’s what I’m here for. Besides, he’s a great kid.”
“Yes, he is. When I saw his bike mangled beneath that car…” She swallowed hard and shook her head. “I was so scared.”
“I can only imagine how awful that must have been.”
His hand tightened on her shoulder for a moment, and she had the insane urge to rest her cheek against his arm, drawing from his seemingly endless strength.
“I’ll get a nurse in here to go through the discharge paperwork.”
Seth’s hand dropped from her shoulder and she immediately felt the loss of his touch. “Take care of yourself, and follow up with Ben’s pediatrician in a week.”
“I will.” She watched Seth leave, noting how serious he’d been since they’d arrived. There was no sign of the flirty charm he’d displayed with they’d first met.
Which was exactly what she wanted—for him to treat her as an equal. As a professional.
There was no reason to feel this sense of desolation at the change in Seth’s demeanor.
It struck him, as Seth watched Kylie prepare to leave, packing up the supplies they’d given her for Ben’s dressing changes, that since she’d come in on the ambulance with Ben she probably needed a ride home.
Cedar Bluff was a fairly small town. They didn’t have a regular or reliable cab service. People always tended to help each other out when needed.
He glanced at the clock, thinking that he hadn’t taken a lunch break yet. If Simon Carter, one of the other ED physicians, would cover for him, he could drive Kylie home.
He walked into the room while Kylie was asking a nurse about local bus routes.
“I’ll drive you home,” he said. “It’s well past time for my lunch break anyway.”
She hesitated, but then glanced at Ben, and he could practically see her weighing the options before she nodded. “If you don’t mind, that would be great.”
“I don’t mind.” He gathered up the bright Cedar Bluff Hospital bag stuffed with dressings, leaving her to carry Ben. “I’m in the employee lot, though, so why don’t you wait here for a minute? I’ll swing past the front doors to pick you up.”
Somewhat dazed, she nodded, and he hustled off. A few minutes later he pulled up at the front door, hurrying out to give her a hand.
“You drive a cherry-red Corvette with a white leather interior?” she asked, half in awe, half exasperated. “Are you crazy? We can’t ride in that. What if Ben gets sick or something?”
He hadn’t even realized his car might not be suitable. “It doesn’t matter. But you’ll have to hold him on your lap, since Charlene doesn’t have a backseat.” Seth was used to disparaging comments about his penchant for fast cars, but he figured it was better than going bungee jumping or skydiving, like he’d been tempted to do for his twenty-eighth birthday last year. He intended to live life to the fullest, no matter what.
“It’s illegal,” she protested, hanging back. “And I’m worried. What if something happens to Ben?”
He mentally kicked himself for not thinking ahead about how Kylie might feel. Especially so soon after Ben’s accident. “Do you want me to borrow a car?” He knew Leila drove a sedan.
“No, that’s all right,” she said slowly. “I guess we don’t have a booster seat for him anyway. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
He hesitated, but when she climbed in he simply closed the door behind her. He hurried around and slid into the driver’s seat. “Don’t worry. We’ll be home before you know it.”
“Okay, but don’t speed.” She clutched Ben tighter.
“I promise we’ll go slow.”
“I doubt your slow is the same as my slow,” she muttered. “And I can’t believe you named your car Charlene.”
Seth flashed an unrepentant grin. “Why not? I name all my cars.”
She rolled her eyes. “Figures. And I bet they’re all female names, too.”
“Of course.” Did she really think a guy would name a car after another guy? Hello? No way, no how.
She shook her head, as if not understanding the male psyche one bit. “I live off Ryerson and Birch, in a small subdivision off Highway 22.”
He nodded, vaguely familiar with the area. She didn’t say much as he drove, and before he knew it she was directing him to her house.
“Fourth on the north side of the street—the bluegray ranch. I’m renting until I have enough for a down payment.”
Smart not to overextend herself. He saw the mangled red bicycle off to the side of her driveway before he saw anything else. Geez, the kid had been lucky. If the car had been going faster, the boy’s injuries would have been far more serious. He could only imagine how terrified Kylie must have been.
He could remember all too clearly the night the police had come to their house to tell them about the accident that had claimed his father’s life. They’d all been teenagers, he the youngest of three. His older sister and older brother now lived in other parts of the country. His father’s death had hit them all hard, but together they’d managed to weather the storm.
Kylie was alone, though. Who would have helped her if something awful had happened to her son?
No one. Losing the people you loved was difficult at any time, but he couldn’t imagine anything worse than losing a child. All the more reason to keep his distance. Kylie and her son were a family,