Read Online Fortune's Cinderella by Karen Templeton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Karen Templeton
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them—”
Now settled in the wheelchair, Christina looked up. “Javier?”
Another shadow settled in Scott’s eyes, this one far darker, and more ominous, than before. “The guy who drove some of us to the airport. My sister’s brother-in-law, nicest guy you’d ever meet. He’s…he’s in critical condition.”
“Oh, Scott…” Christina wrapped her hand around his. Words were useless, she knew. But sometimes it helped simply to know somebody cared. “I’m so sorry. Really.”
Scott looked down at their joined hands, gave hers a gentle squeeze, then left.
“You part of the family, too?” the tech asked as he wheeled Christina out to the elevators.
“Not hardly. You might say fate…blew us in each other’s path.”
The tech chuckled. “You ask me, dude doesn’t look like he’s exactly unhappy about that.”
So not what she wanted to hear.
Nearly as many Mendozas filled the waiting room as had been at the wedding, although obviously the mood was much more somber this time. Scott recognized Luis, Javier’s father, and Javier’s next youngest brother Rafe, an attorney who’d recently opened an office in Red Rock, as well as a slew of more distant relatives whose names he didn’t remember. Wendy threaded her way over, shooting him a Don’t say it look.
“Marcos is worried sick. There’s no way I’m not going to be here with him. I saw the others—they went down to the cafeteria to get something to eat.” Wendy glanced back over her shoulder at her father-in-law, who was sitting very still with his hands clamped to the armrests, listening to Rafe, before she led Scott a little further away. “The E.R. doctor said they’ve taken Javier into surgery.”
“For…?”
“His legs. His head. To relieve the swelling. The doctor…he suggested the family contact their priest. Just in case.” Her eyes filled. “The head wound…they’re not giving any guarantees.”
Muttering a curse, Scott patted Wendy’s arm, then returned to the family. Javier’s father stood and gave Scott a wan smile, although he looked ten years older and much grayer than he had barely a week before.
“We’re very close friends with a top-notch neurologist in Atlanta,” Scott said quietly. “He’s the best in his field. I’m sure as a favor to the family he’d be more than willing to fly in for a consultation—”
“Thank you, son,” Luis said, “but we wouldn’t want to put you to any trouble—”
“It’s no trouble, I assure you.” He glanced at Wendy who’d come up beside him, her hand in her husband’s, then back at Luis and his two other sons. “Besides, we’re all family now, right?”
Smiling sadly, Luis touched Scott’s arm. “You’re very kind. But if you don’t mind, I’d like to see what the doctors here say first.”
“Of course.”
At a staff member’s suggestion, the family then headed off to the surgical unit’s waiting room. A moment later the ambulatory Fortunes returned from the cafeteria, Emily hobbling along on crutches.
“Here,” Blake said, handing Scott a white paper bag smelling of burgers and fries.
“Not hungry. But thanks.”
“Take the damn food. And eat it. Or you’re going to pass out. Speaking of which, we got a couple of hotel rooms nearby. The girls desperately want to get cleaned up, and honestly we’re all about to collapse. Mom and Dad are both asleep, there’s not much else we can do here. Mike and I had another couple of rental cars delivered so we don’t have to travel in a pack—”
“You all go on ahead. I can’t leave yet.”
“Scott.” At the sharp tone to Blake’s voice, Scott frowned at his brother. “The world will manage without you long enough to catch a shower. And eat. And buy some clean clothes.” He smirked. “Even you can deal with jeans and a T-shirt for a day.”
Scott had to admit his brother was right—while everything was in limbo no one would miss him for an hour or so. So, burger and fries in hand, he
Now settled in the wheelchair, Christina looked up. “Javier?”
Another shadow settled in Scott’s eyes, this one far darker, and more ominous, than before. “The guy who drove some of us to the airport. My sister’s brother-in-law, nicest guy you’d ever meet. He’s…he’s in critical condition.”
“Oh, Scott…” Christina wrapped her hand around his. Words were useless, she knew. But sometimes it helped simply to know somebody cared. “I’m so sorry. Really.”
Scott looked down at their joined hands, gave hers a gentle squeeze, then left.
“You part of the family, too?” the tech asked as he wheeled Christina out to the elevators.
“Not hardly. You might say fate…blew us in each other’s path.”
The tech chuckled. “You ask me, dude doesn’t look like he’s exactly unhappy about that.”
So not what she wanted to hear.
Nearly as many Mendozas filled the waiting room as had been at the wedding, although obviously the mood was much more somber this time. Scott recognized Luis, Javier’s father, and Javier’s next youngest brother Rafe, an attorney who’d recently opened an office in Red Rock, as well as a slew of more distant relatives whose names he didn’t remember. Wendy threaded her way over, shooting him a Don’t say it look.
“Marcos is worried sick. There’s no way I’m not going to be here with him. I saw the others—they went down to the cafeteria to get something to eat.” Wendy glanced back over her shoulder at her father-in-law, who was sitting very still with his hands clamped to the armrests, listening to Rafe, before she led Scott a little further away. “The E.R. doctor said they’ve taken Javier into surgery.”
“For…?”
“His legs. His head. To relieve the swelling. The doctor…he suggested the family contact their priest. Just in case.” Her eyes filled. “The head wound…they’re not giving any guarantees.”
Muttering a curse, Scott patted Wendy’s arm, then returned to the family. Javier’s father stood and gave Scott a wan smile, although he looked ten years older and much grayer than he had barely a week before.
“We’re very close friends with a top-notch neurologist in Atlanta,” Scott said quietly. “He’s the best in his field. I’m sure as a favor to the family he’d be more than willing to fly in for a consultation—”
“Thank you, son,” Luis said, “but we wouldn’t want to put you to any trouble—”
“It’s no trouble, I assure you.” He glanced at Wendy who’d come up beside him, her hand in her husband’s, then back at Luis and his two other sons. “Besides, we’re all family now, right?”
Smiling sadly, Luis touched Scott’s arm. “You’re very kind. But if you don’t mind, I’d like to see what the doctors here say first.”
“Of course.”
At a staff member’s suggestion, the family then headed off to the surgical unit’s waiting room. A moment later the ambulatory Fortunes returned from the cafeteria, Emily hobbling along on crutches.
“Here,” Blake said, handing Scott a white paper bag smelling of burgers and fries.
“Not hungry. But thanks.”
“Take the damn food. And eat it. Or you’re going to pass out. Speaking of which, we got a couple of hotel rooms nearby. The girls desperately want to get cleaned up, and honestly we’re all about to collapse. Mom and Dad are both asleep, there’s not much else we can do here. Mike and I had another couple of rental cars delivered so we don’t have to travel in a pack—”
“You all go on ahead. I can’t leave yet.”
“Scott.” At the sharp tone to Blake’s voice, Scott frowned at his brother. “The world will manage without you long enough to catch a shower. And eat. And buy some clean clothes.” He smirked. “Even you can deal with jeans and a T-shirt for a day.”
Scott had to admit his brother was right—while everything was in limbo no one would miss him for an hour or so. So, burger and fries in hand, he
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