Page 75 of Rune
“Good. I mean the hand is really, really not good. How am I gonna work?”
“Could your girls cover for you? For just a few weeks?”
“Maybe? But one of them is very pregnant, so there’s no one to cover for meandher when she needs to take some time off.”
“Well, we can figure all that out. But that’s not tonight’s problem.”
It was right then that there was a knock at the door.
“Everybody decent?” Spike called.
Rune reached out to pull open the door.
“Found one,” Spike said, waving a black brace in the air. “I’ll be gentle,” he told me as he undid the velcro then slid the brace up my arm. “But this part might suck a little,” he warned as he slid my two middlemost fingers into an opening, then tightened the straps around them. “If you swell, you might want to loosenthis. Won’t be doing any good to fix the break and lose your fingers to lack of circulation.”
“Got it,” I agreed. “This already feels a little better.”
“One of these might help too,” Spike said, producing two bottles from his pockets: one over-the-counter, one prescription. “How about I get you something to take them with? Vodka? Beer? Coffee?”
“Water?”
“Got it.”
When we were alone again, Rune set the pills on the dresser and pulled me toward the edge of the bed, pulling me to sit down beside him.
“You’re staying here until we figure this out.”
It wasn’t a question.
“I was kind of hoping I could,” I admitted. “For a night or two maybe.”
“Until it’s sorted,” he reiterated. “I’m not letting anything happen to you. Besides, you’re gonna need help getting dressed and undressed,” he said, eyes dancing. “I think I’m the right man for that job.”
A little laugh escaped me at that as I nudged him with my shoulder. “Do you have a spare pillow and blanket?”
“Got everything you need right here.” He waved back at the bed. “I’ll grab a bed in the prospect room. There’s always space.”
“I’m not going to put you out of your room.”
“It’s done.”
Spike knocked, then opened the door.
“Brought water. And some snacks in case you wake up hungry at three in the morning. Maybe that’s just me, though.”
“Thanks for everything, Spike. Really.”
“Didn’t do shit,” Spike said, shrugging. “Get some rest. I won’t lie and say it’s so you’ll feel better in the morning, becausethat would be a lie. But when you’re unconscious, you don’t feel all the pain. So there’s that.”
“I appreciate a realistic pep talk,” I told him.
“Goodnight, Carmen, was it?”
“Yes.”
“Goodnight, Carmen.”
“Goodnight.”
