Romanced by the Malones (Haven, Texas) Read online

  “She’s coming. You fainted.”

  “But doctors don’t make house calls anymore, West!”

  “They do in Haven,” he told her.

  “Don’t you think you’re overreacting? I just stood up too fast.”

  He leaned in, close to her, giving her a firm look. “She’s coming to check you over. End of story. Here, I’ll help you sit up so you can drink some water.”

  West put some pillows behind her and then held the bottle of water up for her. Jeez. She could hold her own water bottle. She wasn’t an invalid. But the scowl on his face told her not to argue.

  West was the most stubborn man she knew. But he was especially stubborn when it came to her and her health and safety.

  “Do you need a blanket? Are you cold? Something to eat? Do you need the bathroom?” He rapidly fired the questions at her one after the other.

  “West, I’m fine. Really. I wish you hadn’t called Jenna though.”

  “People don’t just faint for no reason,” he told her. His phone beeped and he picked it up from the bedside table, checking the message. “She’s at the gate.”

  All this fuss for nothing.

  Ten minutes later, Jenna walked into the bedroom with a smile on her face. She was married to Curt, who owned a security company. They had the most gorgeous little boy they’d adopted.

  “Hey, Flick.”

  “Hi, Jenna. I’m sorry you had to come all the way out here.” Flick glared at West. “Especially when I’m not sick. I just stood up too quickly and fainted.”

  Jenna set her bag down on the end of the bed and then studied Flick for a moment. “Well, it wasn’t any bother, I was actually on another call out this way.”

  Oh, so that’s how she’d gotten here so quickly. That made Flick feel better. Slightly.

  “And why don’t you let me be the judge of how well you are, hmm? Because, frankly, you’re looking quite pale to me.”

  Jenna glanced over at West, who was leaning against the wall facing Flick. “You’re staying?”

  West grunted.

  Jenna turned back to her with a wink. “Don’t know why I even bothered asking.”

  “Neither do I,” West said.

  “West!” Flick scolded.

  Jenna opened her bag and took out a blood pressure machine. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

  “I was cleaning out the fridge and just stood up too quickly, that’s all. I remember feeling a bit ill and dizzy then I must have passed out.”

  “She went really pale and would have hit her head if I hadn’t caught her,” West added.

  “Have you been feeling all right otherwise, Flick?” Jenna asked as she took her pulse. “You had strep throat recently. Did you recover fully from that?”

  “Yes, I took all the antibiotics like you told me to. I took the last one the morning that we had the accident.”

  Jenna nodded. “That’s good. And how have you felt since the accident? Any headaches? Any pain anywhere?” She slid the blood pressure cuff onto Flick’s arm. She pushed the button and it started tightening.

  “I’m fine.”

  Jenna shot her a look. “You being honest with me, Flick?”

  “No headaches,” Flick told her. “I didn’t hit my head. The doctor at the hospital checked me over and I was fine. And the only pain is from the bruises from the seatbelt.”

  “I’ll have a look at those in a moment,” Jenna said. “Let’s just finish up here.” She checked her temperature, breathing, and her vision. She was thorough, looking in her throat and ears before she had Flick lay down and raise her top.

  “They don’t look too serious,” Jenna said.

  “See, I’m fine,” she told West.

  He just glowered down at her. “You don’t faint for no reason.”

  “No,” Jenna agreed softly. “I want to take some blood. See what else could be going on. To be honest, I don’t like how pale you are. How have you been dealing with the aftermath of the accident? Something like that can really affect you.”

  “I slept through it, I don’t see how it would affect me.” She didn’t want to talk about this.

  Jenna looked thoughtful. “How are you sleeping?”

  Flick swallowed. “I’ve had a couple of nightmares.”

  Jenna nodded. “Have you been eating all right since? When was the last time you ate?”

  Shit. West wasn’t going to like this. “Um, West made some dinner last night.”

  West frowned. “You didn’t eat more than a few bites. You didn’t have any breakfast?”

  “I wasn’t hungry.”

  “But you ate several times yesterday. Your plate was clean each time I came to grab it,” he said.

  Guilt filled her, gnawing at her insides.

  “Flick?” West growled at her. “Damn it. Your face says it all. You didn’t eat the food, did you?”

  She shook her head. “I threw it out.”

  “What? Why?” he snapped.

  She flinched at his tone. “I didn’t want you to worry, but every time I tried to eat, my stomach hurt. So I gave up trying.”

  “You’re in so much trouble, little girl.”

  She blushed at his words and couldn’t look at Jenna. Although, she had to be used to the way these Haven men were. She was married to one, after all.

  “Has your appetite been lacking ever since the accident?” Jenna asked.

  “Yes, I guess. My stomach seems to be full of nerves.”

  “Okay. Well, your pressure is low. I think you likely fainted from hypoglycemia. I’m going to take some blood to check that you’re not anemic. I’ll look for a few other things as well. But other than the strep throat, you were pretty healthy before the accident, right? You’ve been eating and sleeping properly up until then?”

  “She didn’t eat much while she was ill with strep throat,” West said. “Her throat was too sore.”

  “Yeah. I didn’t sleep that great either. But I was starting to feel better. I went to Molly’s that night. I just had a couple drinks, but I was really out of it and fell asleep in the back seat of the truck.”

  “But you were still on antibiotics then?” Jenna said, pushing the needle into the vein in her arm.

  “Yes, I’d just taken the final one that day.”

  Jenna nodded as she placed a small bandage on Flick’s arm. She stored the vial of blood she’d taken. “Antibiotics and alcohol don’t always mix well. And if you hadn’t eaten much that day it’s no wonder a few drinks affected you so much.”

  “Oh. Really? The nurse when I woke up acted like . . .”

  “Acted like what?” Jenna asked in a sharp voice.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  She felt the weight of their stares. “She just made a few comments about how I can’t have only had three drinks since I slept through the accident and how I reeked of alcohol. She made me feel small,” she confessed.

  “I’ll take care of her,” Jenna said quietly.

  She looked up at her friend. Noticed the ice in her eyes. She’d never seen her look so cold.

  “It doesn’t matter. She was just doing her job. She didn’t have the full picture,” Flick told her.

  “She should have had the full picture,” Jenna replied. “It was her job to ask questions. Not to judge.”

  “I’ll deal with it,” West growled.

  “No,” Jenna said sharply. “This is something I’ll do.”

  Flick raised her eyebrows in surprise. Jenna stood up to West, her stance calm but filled with confidence.

  West frowned.

  “I have ties to the hospital, West. Flick is my patient. I can find her name from Flick’s records. Believe me, I’ll make sure this nurse is dealt with.”

  Flick sighed. They were making a big deal out of nothing.

  But was it nothing? When that nurse made you feel so small, so guilty? And what if she does it to others?

  “All right, Flick. We need to concentrate on getting you fit and healthy
again. Your immune system likely hasn’t fully recovered since your strep throat with all the stress and not eating or sleeping properly. Rest up today, all right? Nothing strenuous. I want you to eat regularly. Even if it’s just small bits at a time, often. That’s going to be a good start. Plenty of water. Sleep is very important, but so is getting up and moving around if you’re feeling up to it. Exercise is good for the mind.”

  “She fainted. She can’t exercise. What if she falls over?” West scowled.

  “You’re going to let her fall over?” Jenna asked him.

  “Of course not,” he snapped.

  “Didn’t think so. I’m not saying go for a run or take up some new form of exercise. But you could take a walk outside with West. If you start to feel tired, go back inside. Rest. If you’re still having trouble, the nightmares continue, or you can’t sleep then I want you to make an appointment with Molly, all right?”

  “Yes. Okay,” Flick whispered. She had to admit, she felt like a weight had been lifted now that she’d come clean.

  “Hey,” Jenna told her. “Everything will be all right. Call me if you need me.”

  West pointed at Flick. “Stay there while I walk Jenna out to her truck.”

  She sighed but nodded. She had a feeling she was in for one hell of a scolding. And she’d be lucky if that was all she got.

  West was fuming as he walked Jenna out.

  He couldn’t believe Flick had pretended to eat yesterday and thrown the food out instead. That she’d kept so much stuff from him.

  Jenna paused outside her truck then reached out and lightly grasped his forearm. “Don’t go too hard on her.”

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “Flick has a lot of scars from her brother’s treatment of her. And I’m not talking physical scars, but emotional ones that we both know take far longer to heal. The accident and that nurse’s treatment of her, it could have stirred things up.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “How often does Flick drink?” Jenna asked.

  It seemed a bizarre question to West. What did that have to do with anything?

  “Hardly ever. Why? She hadn’t drank that much the other night. She doesn’t have a problem with alcohol.” What was she trying to suggest?

  “I’m not saying she does,” Jenna said soothingly. “But she might have mixed-up feelings about what happened because of Spencer’s alcoholism. Just be a bit gentle with her. And if she needs to talk, make sure she calls Molly. All right?”

  He nodded. He’d go into town and kidnap Molly and drag her back there if that’s what Flick needed.

  Whatever it took.

  When he returned to the bedroom, panic filled him as he realized she wasn’t where he’d left her. Why wouldn’t that damn woman just stay put? The door to the attached bathroom opened and she walked out.

  “I told you to stay in bed.” Okay, that was a bit harsher than he’d meant to sound.

  Her eyes widened. “I needed to pee.”

  Calm down, be reasonable.

  “West, I’m all right, I promise,” she said in a gentle voice.

  He ran his hand over his face. “No, you’re not. But you will be. We need to talk. But first, you’re going to eat. Go back to bed, I’ll bring something up. And this time, I’m going to watch you eat it.”

  “Jenna said I should rest, but that doesn’t mean I have to stay in bed.”

  He ground his teeth together. He wanted her safely tucked up in bed where he could make sure she wouldn’t get hurt. But that wasn’t necessarily what was best for Flick.

  “Bed or couch?”

  “I have to clean up the—”

  “Bed or couch were your choices and don’t test me on this, sunshine.” He could only bend so far.

  Right now, he was feeling too much on edge to compromise any further.

  She nodded. “All right. Couch, please.”

  He nodded then slipped his arm under her legs and around her back.

  “West, I can walk,” she protested.

  Pausing, he stared down at her intently. “I’m not happy with you right now.”

  She swallowed heavily. “I know.”

  “So, you should also know that the only reason you’re not over my knee is because you’re not well.”

  “I’m not ill,” she replied.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Are you arguing that you’re well enough to go over my knee and get your butt spanked?”

  Her eyes flared. “Uh, no. That would be foolish.”

  “If you’re not well enough for a spanking, you’re not well enough to walk up and down the stairs, understand me?”

  “Jenna said I should exercise.”

  “She didn’t mean today. She said to take it easy today. And Jenna might be your doctor, but I’m your man, your guardian. Your health and safety are my responsibilities. Today, you’re resting, eating, and drinking. Oh, and talking. That’s it.”

  Flick felt nervous as he sat on the armchair and watched every bite she took.

  “Aren’t you going to eat?” She waved her hand at his plate.

  “Once you have.”

  “West, you’re making me feel self-conscious.”

  “I thought I could trust you.”

  Ouch. That hurt like a knife to the chest. “You can,” she whispered.

  “You hid that you weren’t eating yesterday. How long haven’t you been eating?”

  “Only since the accident. I mean, I had trouble eating while I had strep throat and I think I kind of lost my appetite. But since the accident it’s been hard to eat because my stomach has been so tight.”

  “You’ve lost weight.”

  “I know.”

  “Why didn’t you say you were having problems? Why hide it from me?” he asked.

  “I didn’t want you to worry.”

  “It’s my goddamn job to worry.”

  She flinched and he sighed. He ran his hand over his face. “Baby, if you don’t tell me, how am I supposed to know something is wrong? You know I don’t always pick up on shit. Although I’m usually better than this.”

  “None of this is your fault.”

  “No? Then how come I didn’t fucking know you weren’t eating? Hmm? That you were having nightmares?”

  She looked down at her clenched hands.

  “We shouldn’t talk about this now,” he said tiredly. “You need to eat.”

  She hated that she was causing him so much stress. “I can’t eat anymore.”

  “Flick,” he said on a sigh.

  “I’ll be sick. Jenna said small amounts often were all right.”

  He eyed her then nodded. “Fine. You can have a snack in a few hours.”

  “I’m sorry I kept things from you.”

  “Why did you?” he asked quietly.

  “Because I was ashamed.” She turned her gaze to his, seeing the love and concern in his eyes.

  “Of?” he asked.

  “Of the fact that I got drunk and passed out and had no idea that you or Mia had been hurt,” she blurted out. “Who does that? Sleeps through an accident?”

  “Baby—”

  “What if I’m like him?” she added.

  He blinked. “Like whom?”

  “Spencer. When he got drunk and passed out, nothing would have woken him. He didn’t remember things. Like how he’d hurt me the night before.”

  “Jesus fucking Christ. You’re worried you’re like Spencer?” he snapped.

  “I’m not,” she said fiercely. “I won’t be like him. I’m not drinking again. Not ever.”

  Standing, he picked her up then sat back in the sofa with her on his lap. He held her tightly, surrounding her in safety.

  “You could never be like him. Just because you had a few drinks doesn’t make you the same as him. So what if you slept through the accident? I know it must have been scary waking up on your own like that with no idea what was going on. I was fucking terrified when I didn’t know where you were. I’ve had some nightmare
s myself.”

  “You have?” she whispered.

  He tilted up her chin. “Tell me, if that bitch of a nurse hadn’t said those things to you, would you feel like this?”

  “I . . . I don’t know.” But she did. She’d already thought about this. “I don’t think so.”

  “So, you’re going to let her comments affect you like that? Flick, you were ill. You were on medication and you hadn’t been eating or sleeping well. Of course those few drinks hit you hard. But you were happy. You wanted to dance and sing. You weren’t violent or angry. It’s okay if you don’t want to drink again. I get it. But don’t ever think you’ll be like him. You’re nothing like him.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him tightly. “West, I’ve lost everyone, I can’t lose you.”

  “You won’t,” he whispered, running his hand up and down her back. “I’m not going anywhere. But if for some reason, something did happen to me, you know that you’re not alone. You’re one of the Malone’s now, sunshine. You won’t ever be alone again. Not only that, but you’re part of Haven. The people here take care of their own.”

  “I don’t want anyone but you.”

  “I know, baby. I feel the same way. No keeping things from me anymore because you’re ashamed, understand?”

  “I won’t.”

  “That’s my good girl.” Leaning down, he kissed her lightly. “But just so we’re clear, once you’re feeling better, you’re getting one hell of a spanking.”

  Darn it.

  7

  “Which pattern do you like? The one with flowers or with swirls?” Flick held up two swatches of material for West.

  He paused the television and gave her a look. “What?”

  “Which pattern? It’s for the table runners for the reception after the wedding.”

  He scowled. “We have to go to that?”

  “West! We’re the ones getting married.”

  “Yeah? So? Shouldn’t that mean we get to choose whether we want to do all this stuff?”

  She narrowed her gaze at him. Sometimes it was difficult to tell if he was being serious.

  “West Malone, we are not missing our wedding reception. There’re going to be speeches and dancing. There’s our first dance as husband and wife.”