Free Scattered Ashes by Maria Rachel Hooley Page B

there.  You cut your forehead on the bricks.”
    “Must be why it hurts,” she muttered and blinked, trying to get the world to come back into focus.  It worked.  The guy’s dark hair took shape first, and when she could finally see his eyes, she realized just how brown they were, much darker than Jordan’s.  She chewed her bottom lip not only to distract herself from the pain splitting her head but also to try and make things seem less foggy.
    “Are you a doctor?” she asked, puzzled at how he knew so much about caring for a head wound.
    “Nope.  Used to be an EMT.  Now I’m just a lawyer.”  He turned to Sarah.  “Do you think she broke anything?”
    “I don’t think so,” Sarah said, chewing her nails as she anxiously watched him check out her friend.
    The guy turned back to Nicole.  “Do you think you can sit up?”
    If it’ll keep me out of the hospital, you betcha, Nicole thought, taking a deep breath.  “Probably.  Could you at least tell me your name?”
    He chuckled, and Nicole found irritation in it.  “What’s so funny?” she asked.
    “I only tell people who are standing so if you can get to your feet, I’ll let you know.”  He winked at her.
    “Funny guy.”  She gritted her teeth and started to sit up in spite of the way it made everything fuzzy and unbalanced.  She was grateful when the stranger slipped his hand to her back and gently helped her upright.
    "You okay?” he asked softly, the sudden smugness gone as he watched her.
    “Of course I’m fine.  It’s just a little bump on the head.”
    “I wouldn’t….” he started to say when Nicole found herself falling, with only his arms to keep her from hitting the pavement.
    “I’m okay,” she said.  “Just a little dizzy.”
    He lifted her hair to peer at the wound on her forehead.  “Be that as it may, I think maybe we might want to take her to a hospital, and we need to call the cops to report that guy.”
    “No hospitals,” she spat, “and I really don’t feel like talking to the cops.  I didn’t have much money and no credit cards in the wallet.  I just want to rest.”  She tried to step out of his arms, but he refused to let go.
    “Stubborn, aren’t you?”
    “Yes.  Now will you tell me your name?”
    The grin returned.  “Michael Adams at your service.”  He looked around.  “Do you live in the city, or are you staying at a hotel?”
    Sarah said “Hotel” at the same time Nicole muttered “We live here.”  He frowned, looking from one to the other before shaking his head.
    “Okay.  You two need to get your stories straight.  Which is it?”
    This time, Nicole said “Hotel” and Sarah replied “We live here.” They looked at each other in horror as he started laughing. 
    “How about the truth this time?”
    “Neither,” Sarah finally admitted, a flush creeping into her cheeks.  “Our reservations fell through, and we live two hours away, in Bristol.”  She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the wall, almost looking like she were about to burst into tears.
    “Okay, that settles it.”  He slid Nicole’s arm around his neck and wrapped his arm around her back.  “Let’s go.”
    Nicole tried to plant her feet, but she was still so dizzy she could barely walk.  “Where do you think we're going?”  She tried to sound condescending.  Instead, her voice only wavered weakly.
    He nodded toward the hotel just ahead, the one right on the canal.  “My hotel.  You need to get comfortable, and you aren’t going to be able to do that in a car or with all these people watching.”
    Sarah stepped into his path.  “We’re not going to your hotel.  We don’t even know you.”
    “Good point.  Then again, I do have an extra room that you can use with no strings attached, and I don’t think you want to find a bed for her at the hospital, so if you would just humor me, I’d appreciate it.”  He looked from one to the other, waiting for more