Page 107 of Small Town, Big Storm

Twenty-Eight

Poppy

“Purple, pink, blue, or red?”the tech asks.

“Purple,” Storm says before I can answer.

“You remember my favorite color?”

A shrug, the movement belying everything about his next words and how they make me feel.“I remember everything, Poppyseed.”

The tech sighs softly and I turn to look at her.“Ignore me,” she says, blinking rapidly.“You guys are cute and I, uh, well, my boyfriend and I just broke up.”She starts gathering supplies, says with forced cheer, “Purple it is!”

I reach out with my uninjured arm.“I’m sorry.”

“Eh,” she says, putting on a very brave face.“He cheated, so he wasn’t worth it in the first place.”She brushes her hands together.“Now, let’s get you casted so you can get the heck out of here, yeah?”

My eyes connect with Storm’s.Hold.“Yeah,” I tell her gently, “that sounds great.Only,” I add as she reaches for a package of purple cast material, “would you mind making it red?”

Gray eyes fill with heat.

And I know he’s thinking about precisely what Iwanthim to be thinking about.

The tiny red bikini.

“I still have it,” I mouth as the tech—Emma, I see on her badge—straightens from searching the cabinets, a red packet of casting material in hand.“Here were go!”

His mouth quirks, need bleeding into his expression, and I know I’m likely going to pay for that?—

Or more likely have to payup.

But it’s worth it.

And I do still have the bikini.

“Ready?”Emma asks, and the next few minutes are filled with her putting on my cast.

I wish I could say it was my first experience with the process.Alas, it’s my third broken bone—and the second time breaking this wrist.

Though, the first time around, I opted for purple.

“All set,” Emma says, squeezing the cast lightly to finish forming its shape.It’s weird how warm it feels as it dries, weird how within a couple of minutes it will turn rock hard.

But that’s science for you.

“Thanks,” I tell her.“And if you ever come down to Sully’s in Cedar Hollow, your drink is on me.”

She smiles, and though it’s genuine, those eyes of hers are still a little sad.“I’ll take you up on that.”

Cast in hand—oronhand, pun definitely intended—we leave the hospital a little while later.

The doctor called in a prescription for pain killers, something I’m thankful for.Though I won’t be using them unless things become dire.

Being hopped up on drugs and trying to mother effectively aren’t exactly conducive to one another.

So…ibuprofen for the win.

“Tired?”Storm asks.