Opposites Distract (17 page)

The man was so sweet! But she shook her head. She glanced at the big stockpot, sitting at the back of the stove, to cool. “I'll come down at five to finish the soup.”

He nodded. “I'll report for kitchen duty then.” He took her empty plate and motioned to the stairs. “Get to it!”

On the way up the steps, Harmony knew what Serifina's answer to Luxar would be. She'd pull him into her bed and enjoy him before the battle. She didn't know if she'd live with him, but she'd make sure to visit him every chance she got.

Hmm, that made Harmony think. She and Brody didn't live that far apart from each other. New York was going to be even more glorious now.

T
essa was wiped out by the end of supper that night. The busy day had taken its toll. Brody glanced out the kitchen window and scowled. “The storm wasn't supposed to come until after midnight.”

They all glanced at the foul weather. Wind howled, and sleet pelted the glass panes.

Tessa worried her bottom lip. “Grams had her big dinner tonight.”

“It started at five,” Ian reminded her. “People eat, visit, and go home early. She'll be fine.”

Harmony was surprised to see it was nearly nine. By the time they'd gotten there at six-thirty, set up, ate, and visited, she hadn't realized it was so late.

Ian ran a hand through his dark hair, listening to the storm rage. “Maybe you guys should stay here. I stopped at the store before I came home. We're stocked up on milk, crackers, and sorbet.” He grinned. “Wifey goes through a pint a day, but she'd share.”

Tessa tossed him a look. “It soothes my stomach, and we have plenty of leftover soup, even if Brody ate three bowls.”

“I was hungry.” Brody's gaze returned to the bad weather outside. “Thanks for the offer to put us up, but I'd rather head back. It's not that far. We'll help clear the table, then take off.”

“I can do that,” Ian said. “If you're going to go, go, before it gets worse.”

They didn't dally. The sidewalks were as slippery as an ice rink. They slid to the SUV and Harmony watched sleet bounce off the windshield. The blizzard had started, full blast. Thank the heavens the lodge was just down the road.

Brody turned the SUV's wipers to full speed and drove slower than a snail. Even then, it was hard to see. They were at the crossroads before they realized it and had made it halfway through when headlights glared in the side window, brakes squealed, and metal crunched. The air bag smashed Harmony in place, and she glanced at Brody. The left side of his head was bloody. His head fell forward on the bag. He was unconscious.

Oh, please, please, please, be all right
. The airbags started to deflate, and Harmony reached to gently lean Brody against his door for support, then fumbled for her cell phone and called Ian. “We've been hit at the crossroads. Brody's unconscious. Call 911.”

Her hands shook. Her whole body trembled with jitters. Adrenalin? She knew nothing about how to handle emergencies.

A man pounded on her window, the driver of the other vehicle. She glanced at him and her adrenalin spiked higher. The damn, careless truck driver. She fumbled to release her seat belt. She'd throttle him. If Brody wasn't all right, she'd hunt him down and hurt him.

He opened her door. Her side of the vehicle had no damage at all. Brody's was crumpled and caved in, the entire side smashed, but thank God, it was a heavy SUV, or it wouldn't have survived a box truck.

The man started speaking right away. “I didn't see you! I glanced both ways, but the storm was too bad. I'm not sure you had your lights on.”

Idiot! “They were on. You were just going too fast to see them.” She wasn't sure her legs would hold her, and she leaned against the hood. It took a few moments before she felt stable.

The driver kept talking. “Hey, anyone could have an accident on a night like this. I didn't see you. I couldn't stop in time.”

She quit listening and glanced through the windshield at Brody.
Please, ambulance, get here!

“You can't blame me for this,” the man said.

Was he nuts? She just wanted him to shut up. “No one barrels down a road when they can't see ten feet ahead of them. You almost hit us last night. You didn't stop for the sign and drive too fast.”

The man stalked away to open Brody's door and pull him out.

“Don't touch him!” Harmony ran to wedge herself between the driver and the SUV. “Keep away from him. He shouldn't be moved.”

“Cool your jets, lady. He's leaning against shattered glass. That can't be good.” He put out an arm to push her aside. He was her height, but stocky. She tried to root herself in place.

Headlights stopped behind the SUV, and Ian rushed to Harmony. She pointed to the truck driver. “He's trying to move Brody.”

“I wouldn't do that.” Ian straightened to his full height, and the man took a step back from them.

“I was just trying to make him more comfortable.”

“If he has a broken rib or bone, you'll make him worse. The EMS should be here soon.” Ian turned to scan Harmony. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, but tears misted her eyes and emotion clogged her throat. “Brody's bleeding.”

A deep gash oozed blood along his left temple. The driver pinched his lips together and paced in a small circle. “I don't need this shit. It's not my fault I couldn't see his car. My boss said he'd fire me if I had one more accident, but this isn't fair.”

Ian's warm brown eyes flashed with temper. “Just shut up. All you think about is yourself.”

“Hey, man—” Luckily, his words were cut off by the sound of a siren.

Harmony stepped out of the way to let the experts do their job. She looked away when they lifted a limp Brody from the SUV and strapped him on a gurney. They were wheeling him away when he opened his eyes, frowned, and said, “Where's Harmony?”

She hurried forward so that he could see her. “I'm here. I'm fine.”

“Stay with me.”

She blinked, surprised. “Ian's here.”

“I want you.”

She glanced at the tech, unsure.

He shrugged. “Grams is a good friend of mine. He's not critical. If you want to ride with him, I'm down with it.”

She sat next to his gurney on the way to the hospital, and he never let go of her hand.

“My insurance information's on a card in my wallet,” he told her. “They'll ask for that.”

When they rolled him into the emergency room, she sat in the lobby, waiting for Ian's arrival. So many emotions churned through her, she had trouble sorting them. Fear. Worry. Anger. And deep, deep down, a sort of numbness. Brody could have been killed. She could have lost him.

Ian stalked through the doors a short time later. “Sorry, I had to stay to talk to the deputy and make a statement. Glad I did. The box truck driver kept insisting Brody didn't have his headlights on.”

That didn't surprise her. The man was a jerk.

“How's he doing?” Ian asked.

“Too soon to be sure, but the EMT thought he had a broken arm.”

Ian winced. “He took a beating. Thanks for staying with him.”

“I'm glad they let me.” She bit her bottom lip. “The worry would have driven me crazy if they hadn't.”

“Tess wanted to come, but I talked her out of it. I don't want her out on these roads tonight. I can give you a ride home when they kick us out of here.”

Harmony nodded, only half taking in what he said. She kept seeing Brody, slumped against the side of the SUV, blood oozing from his temple. What would she have done if she'd lost him? The thought stopped her. She couldn't go there.

A doctor walked toward them, giving off an air of authority and calm. “Brody's being taken to his room now. You can visit him in a few minutes. His ribs are severely bruised, and he'll have to take pain medication so he can breathe normally. And his left arm was broken. It's in a cast. His head wound was minor, and there's no concussion, but we're going to keep him overnight for observation. He won't be able to do his usual work for a few weeks, but all in all, he got lucky. Everything will heal.”

Harmony felt air gush from her in relief. Ian stood and shook the doctor's hand, then called Tessa to tell her the news. When they gathered their things to go to Brody's room, Harmony kept clenching and unclenching the fingers on her left hand. Brody was all right. She kept repeating it in her head.

By the time they reached the room, the nurse was just leaving. She gave them a bright smile and said, “He's all settled. He shouldn't laugh or cough. It will cause him a lot of pain, but he keeps asking for Harmony.”

Ian turned to Harmony with a smile. “My brother thinks the world of you.”

She didn't know what to say. “He's pretty great himself.”

When they entered the room, Harmony tried to hide a gasp. Brody looked terrible. The left side of his face and neck were covered with bruises.

Ian, as always, stayed upbeat. “The doc says you're going to live. I wasn't too worried. Only the good die young.”

Brody shook his head and winced. He reached for Harmony's hand, and she went to sit next to his bed, gripping his hand firmly in her own. “I won't be able to lay the rest of the floors.”

Ian sighed. “I watched you. So did Luther. We can manage.”

Brody gave his brother a skeptical look. Clearly, he didn't think they'd do the job he did.

Serious for a moment, Ian said, “Look, I'm just glad you're not in worse shape. A damn box truck hit you.”

Brody tried to turn to see Harmony and gritted his teeth. “Are you all right?”

“Not even a scratch.” She stood up and walked to the end of his bed, so he could see her. There, she turned in a circle and said, “See? The air bag held me in place.”

Ian narrowed his eyes. “When I get home, Tessa's old pickup is history. She's getting the heaviest, safest vehicle on the road with a dozen air bags spaced everywhere.”

Before they could reply, the nurse returned to the room. She gave Brody another bright smile. “Time for your pain meds.” She pushed meds through a hypodermic, then busied herself at a computer mounted on the wall. She kept glancing at Brody as she entered information and smiled when his head sank deep into his pillow and his eyes shut.

“He'll sleep for the rest of the night,” she told Ian and Harmony. “You two might as well go home and get some rest, too. His muscle and body aches are going to be horrible tomorrow.”

Harmony realized that she was exhausted. By the time she and Ian made it to his pickup, she could hardly move her limbs. Must be the crash after the adrenalin rush. On the ride home, they didn't talk, and Harmony realized that Ian was as emotionally depleted as she was.

“You're welcome to spend the night at our place,” he offered, but Harmony shook her head. She needed time by herself. He dropped her off at the lodge and drove home.

Harmony went straight to the kitchen and carried a bottle of wine to her room. After a glass, she crawled into bed and crashed hard.

She woke at eight, got ready, and grabbed her laptop. Ian was nowhere to be seen, so she called Tessa. “I'm driving to the hospital to spend a couple of hours with Brody. I'll probably grab lunch in town, so tell Ian and Paula not to worry about me.”

“The roads are better now,” Tessa said. “The salt and sand trucks have been out. Tell Brody we'll be up later.”

Harmony was tense on the drive to town. The accident made her wary of every intersection she drove through. When she walked into Brody's room, he smiled at her.

“Whenever the doctor signs the form, I get to go home today. I can't work, and I'll be on pain meds, but I can supervise.”

“Lucky Ian.”

Brody started to laugh, but groaned instead. “Damn that hurts.”

“Getting released from a hospital can take a while. I brought my laptop. Want to watch Harry Potter?”

His pale eyes gleamed. “Thanks for coming. I'm cutting into your writing time.”

“I've made good progress. I'll hit my deadline, no problems.” Brody was more important than a damned book. She scooted her chair close and rested her laptop on his bed tray. They were watching
The Order of the Phoenix
when footsteps hurried down the hall. The door flew open, and a woman with long, wavy red hair burst into the room.

Ian trailed behind her and sent his brother an apologetic look. He smiled at Harmony, but the woman paid her no mind. She stalked straight to Brody's bed. “I came to take you home.”

Brody looked startled. “I'm not finished here.”

“Yes, you are. Ian told me that he can hire Luther to help wrap up the job. The heavy stuff's done.”

Brody crossed his arms over his chest, not easy with a cast and sling. “I'm staying, Bridge. I have a broken arm. I'm not a cripple.”

Bridge. Finally, things fell into place for Harmony. The fierce McGregor sister with the fiery temper and red hair.

Brody glanced at Harmony to make introductions, but Bridget ignored him. “Maeve and I are going to take turns staying at your apartment with you. We'll have you in good shape in no time.”

Brody's expression turned stubborn. “You're not listening to me. I'm
staying
.”

Bridget blinked, surprised. “You never did like being told what to do, but the insurance company told Ian that your SUV is totaled. You don't need to stay to collect it. We can get airline tickets, and you can fly back with me. Mom's worried.”

“I'll call Mom. My voice still works.”

Bridget narrowed her eyes. “There's something else going on here. Something you're not telling me.” She glared at Harmony. “Is it because of her?”

Harmony could feel the blood drain from her face. She hated family drama. Avoided conflict. She pushed to her feet, grabbed her laptop, and said, “I have to go. Good luck with everything.”

As she hurried from the room, she saw Ian's brows crease as he turned to his sister. Brody looked just as angry.

Bridget's voice grew faint as Harmony fled down the hall. “What are you two looking at me like that for?”