Page 24 of Searching for Bristol
Bristol bit her lip. She thought about what Rocky had said, about her staying in his apartment and getting her clothes and food. She racked her brain, doing her best to remember if they’d had a conversation about what would happen once she got out of the hospital, but it was no use. Everything was a blank.
Rocky came out of the bathroom, the hair at his temples wet and little drops of water in his beard. He’d obviously washed his face. To wake up? Or to give him time to figure out what to say to her? Bristol wasn’t sure. But she guessed it was probably a combination of both.
He sat back down on the chair next to her bed, but this time he didn’t reach for her hand. A pang of disappointment hit Bristol, and she mentally scolded herself for being ridiculous. “I’m guessing we had some sort of conversation about after my release from the hospital?” she asked, not willing to beat around the bush.
Rocky nodded. “Yeah. As I told you before, you’ve got options.” He took a breath, likely about to repeat all the choices he’d mentioned the day before, but Bristol stopped him.
“I said I’d stay with you?” she asked bluntly.
He stared at her for a moment before nodding. “But if you’re not comfortable with that, it’s not a big deal.”
“I don’t remember the conversation.”
He chuckled, but it wasn’t a humorous sound. “Yeah, I got that, Punky. I should’ve realized you were so out of it and that you wouldn’t remember what we talked about.”
“Is it going to put you out if I stay with you?”
“No. As I told you, I have a guest room. It’s nothing fancy, and the walls in the apartment complex are kind of thin. But if you stay with me, you’ll have your own room. We’ll have to share a bathroom though. I do live on the second floor, so you’ll need help getting up and down the stairs for a while, I’m guessing. I’ll need to get back to work soon after we return, so you might get bored sitting in the apartment, but I’m sure both Lilly and Elsie will visit as much as they can. Not to mention, when Sandra hears where you are, she’ll probably be a regular guest.” He snorted. “Who am I kidding? Once the people of Fallport hear where you are, and that you’re kind of stuck until you can walk again, you’ll probably be bombarded with visitors.”
Bristol tilted her head and studied him. “Why?”
“Why what?” he asked.
“Why would anyone care?”
“You aren’t familiar with small towns, are you?”
Bristol shrugged. “Not really. Kingsport isn’t huge, but it’s bigger than Fallport. I’ve met my neighbors a couple of times, though I don’t reallyknowthem. I was impressed when Sandra remembered my name after only one visit to the diner.”
“Everyone knows everyone in small towns. It can be great, as in the case of Sandra knowing who you were the second time you came in, and asking me to go find you. It can also be a pain in the butt, as everyone knows everyone’s business. I can’t believe Zeke was able to keep it a secret from Elsie that he’d turned the Eagle Point Watch Tower into a comfortable love nest for the two of them. Hell, when I went to the post office the day everyone left for the hike, Art and his cronies asked me about it, and if I’d heard anything about how she liked it yet.”
“Art?” Bristol asked.
“He’s one of three men who sit outside the post office on the square every day. They love gossiping and are damn good at it. Anyway, all I’m saying is that small towns aren’t like any other place. People care. Yeah, they might be nosy Nellies looking for information, but they’ll still bring over a casserole while they’re ferreting out your secrets.” He chuckled. “So, to answer your first question about why people care…it’s just how they are in Fallport. Not being conceited, but my friends and I are held in pretty high esteem, simply because of the people we’ve found. And if you’re staying with me, they’ll want to help out however they can.”
Bristol nodded. She could understand that. Rocky was a likeable guy, there was no doubt. And if his friends on his search and rescue team were half as accommodating and generous as Rocky had been, she wasn’t surprised that the good people of Fallport would bend over backward to help someone he was championing.
“For the record, I don’t do this,” he said, gesturing between them. “My role is to find people, not nurse them back to health. Not to drive them to Roanoke to the hospital.” He shrugged a little self-consciously. “And if the Eagle Point SAR teamdidoffer this kind of service to the people we rescue, I’d probably be the last person someone would want at their side.”
Bristol frowned. But he went on before she could comment.
“I’m too…rough around the edges. My looks scare people off sometimes. Not to mention the lumberjack jokes I have to suffer through.”
That bothered Bristol. “Well, those people are stupid,” she said with a huff.
Rocky smiled, then sobered. “Anyway, the next couple of weeks are gonna be tough for you. The thought of you leaving and trying to do things on your own in Kingsport, and possibly getting hurt in the process, doesn’t sit well with me. We get along well, I enjoy talking to you, and I can help while you’re healing.” He shrugged. “I’m not making my case very well.”
“Actually, you are,” Bristol told him. “I’m not mad at all that you already seem to have everything planned. I’m relieved, to tell you the truth. And for the record, I don’t usually go around accepting offers to live with men I just met.” She smiled at him shyly. “But it feels as if I’ve known you for months, rather than for only a day.”
“Right?” he asked with a grin. “It’s kind of weird.”
“It’ssoweird,” she agreed.
They smiled at each other, and Bristol couldn’t stop the sigh of relief when he once more reached for her hand.
“So…your brother and his fiancée will be coming by this morning?” she asked.
“Most likely. I do still need to call after you see the doctor, to update them on how you’re doing and how long you’ll be here.”
