and might have a concussion though.” Aggie answered authoritatively, as if she had seen injuries of a similar nature occur in her days at the pub. You never know when a rogue cue ball will strike...or when a drunken idiot gets a hold of a pool stick , I thought.
“I'm fine you two. Really.” I tried to sound convincing, though two head injuries in one day was probably pushing my limit.
“I'll take her ta get checked out.” Nolan told Aggie as he slid a hand under my shoulder.
“I said I’m fine!”
“Harley, even if ya think yer fine, as yer employer I’m held liable if ya get hurt here. Just let me take ya ta get looked at real quick.” He frowned at me. I shrugged in defeat and let he and Aggie pull me to my feet. The room tilted slightly, but I didn't dare tell them that. “Bring her out the back entrance ta my car.” Nolan told Aggie before he disappeared into the kitchen.
“You guys are making a big deal out of nothing. I’m completely fine.”
“Fine my arse.” She mumbled, throwing me a sideways glance as I stumbled next to her. I rolled my eyes but quickly realized it wasn’t the best idea when you’re already dizzy.
“Whoa there.” My face landed against Nolan's chest and my forehead brushed against the scruff on his neck as he caught me. “Someone is taking the rest of the night off.” He looked down at me as he helped me steady myself.
“Seriously guys. Five minutes and I'll be good as new.”
“Shut up, Harley.” Aggie immediately scolded me. I was not winning this one.
Aggie took care to load me into the passenger side of Nolan's yellow Honda hatchback. For such a tall guy, I had no idea how he fit himself in there. Less than five minutes later, he parked in front of the urgent care center attached to the hospital.
“Here we go.” Nolan opened my door and reached down to help me out of the low sitting car. The awkwardness that seemed to exist between us must have been forgotten momentarily with my alarming billiard injury. He kept an arm crooked around my waist as we walked into the urgent care center towards the reception desk.
“How can I help you?” A frail-looking older lady smiled at us from the other side of the desk.
“She might have a concussion.” He nodded towards me. I sighed but remained silent. Things had stopped spinning slightly, but I still felt like I was on a carousel. She pressed her lips together as she appraised my current state, and then instructed me to fill out a stack of paperwork before pointing us to the waiting area.
“So next time someone yells “Watch out!” I'll be sure to duck.” I joked as I scribbled down some basic information. Nolan didn't seem as amused as he stared at the growing lump on my head with concern.
“I'm sorry that arsehole was saying those things about ya, or that ya had ta hear any of it.” Nolan's voice was apologetic as he watched me.
“It's fine. He was a miserable grouch.” I shrugged, handing him the clipboard. I wasn't about to venture back towards the reception desk unassisted. Nolan took it from me and returned it to the old woman.
“So, Finley's was your dad's place first?” I asked as he sat back down.
“Yep.” He grinned. “My dad opened the place back when I was just a baby, after they moved here from Ireland. He decided ta retire six years ago and turned it over ta me. He and my mom moved down ta Florida.”
“Did you want to take over Finley's?” I asked, unsure if I was hitting on unsafe territory.
“Oh yeah. I loved that place. Worked there straight through my teens. I always knew it would be mine one day.” His face lit up as he talked about the pub. I couldn't help but smile as well, fascinated by his passion for it. All I had wanted since I was a teenager was to get out of Louisiana. Maybe if I had grown up in a place like this I wouldn't have wanted to leave either.
“Harley Martin?” A nurse called my name as a large door swung open next to reception. I went to stand,
“I'm fine you two. Really.” I tried to sound convincing, though two head injuries in one day was probably pushing my limit.
“I'll take her ta get checked out.” Nolan told Aggie as he slid a hand under my shoulder.
“I said I’m fine!”
“Harley, even if ya think yer fine, as yer employer I’m held liable if ya get hurt here. Just let me take ya ta get looked at real quick.” He frowned at me. I shrugged in defeat and let he and Aggie pull me to my feet. The room tilted slightly, but I didn't dare tell them that. “Bring her out the back entrance ta my car.” Nolan told Aggie before he disappeared into the kitchen.
“You guys are making a big deal out of nothing. I’m completely fine.”
“Fine my arse.” She mumbled, throwing me a sideways glance as I stumbled next to her. I rolled my eyes but quickly realized it wasn’t the best idea when you’re already dizzy.
“Whoa there.” My face landed against Nolan's chest and my forehead brushed against the scruff on his neck as he caught me. “Someone is taking the rest of the night off.” He looked down at me as he helped me steady myself.
“Seriously guys. Five minutes and I'll be good as new.”
“Shut up, Harley.” Aggie immediately scolded me. I was not winning this one.
Aggie took care to load me into the passenger side of Nolan's yellow Honda hatchback. For such a tall guy, I had no idea how he fit himself in there. Less than five minutes later, he parked in front of the urgent care center attached to the hospital.
“Here we go.” Nolan opened my door and reached down to help me out of the low sitting car. The awkwardness that seemed to exist between us must have been forgotten momentarily with my alarming billiard injury. He kept an arm crooked around my waist as we walked into the urgent care center towards the reception desk.
“How can I help you?” A frail-looking older lady smiled at us from the other side of the desk.
“She might have a concussion.” He nodded towards me. I sighed but remained silent. Things had stopped spinning slightly, but I still felt like I was on a carousel. She pressed her lips together as she appraised my current state, and then instructed me to fill out a stack of paperwork before pointing us to the waiting area.
“So next time someone yells “Watch out!” I'll be sure to duck.” I joked as I scribbled down some basic information. Nolan didn't seem as amused as he stared at the growing lump on my head with concern.
“I'm sorry that arsehole was saying those things about ya, or that ya had ta hear any of it.” Nolan's voice was apologetic as he watched me.
“It's fine. He was a miserable grouch.” I shrugged, handing him the clipboard. I wasn't about to venture back towards the reception desk unassisted. Nolan took it from me and returned it to the old woman.
“So, Finley's was your dad's place first?” I asked as he sat back down.
“Yep.” He grinned. “My dad opened the place back when I was just a baby, after they moved here from Ireland. He decided ta retire six years ago and turned it over ta me. He and my mom moved down ta Florida.”
“Did you want to take over Finley's?” I asked, unsure if I was hitting on unsafe territory.
“Oh yeah. I loved that place. Worked there straight through my teens. I always knew it would be mine one day.” His face lit up as he talked about the pub. I couldn't help but smile as well, fascinated by his passion for it. All I had wanted since I was a teenager was to get out of Louisiana. Maybe if I had grown up in a place like this I wouldn't have wanted to leave either.
“Harley Martin?” A nurse called my name as a large door swung open next to reception. I went to stand,
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