Free Hawk's Way: Callen & Zach by Joan Johnston Page A

an accusing glance on Callen, who stared defiantly back at him. “I told you I didn’t need to see a doctor.”
    “I have no desire to bury a husband I’ve just married,” she replied tartly. “You’ll let the doctor look at you, Sam Longstreet, if you know what’s good for you.”
    Sam had to admire her daring, even if he deplored her tactics. He couldn’t very well walk out on her this time, and so long as the doctor was here, he might as well get checked over. “All right, Doc. Go ahead and look. All you’re going to find is a few busted ribs.”
    Sam couldn’t stand the anxious look on Callen’s face. “You don’t need to stay,” he told her.
    “Just try getting me out of here!” she challenged with a spark in her eyes.
    Sam turned his face toward the wall. She had him over a barrel and she knew it. Hell, it wasn’t so bad having a woman hovering over him all concerned like this. In fact, it felt kind of nice to know she cared. “Do what you want,” he said. But there was more resignation in his voice than anger.
    Sam lay as still as he could under the doctor’s poking and prodding, but more than once he wished Callen weren’t there so he could let out the groans he had gritted behind his teeth.
    “Broken ribs, all right,” Dr. Stephens confirmed. “I don’t like the looks of that bruising. Could be some internal bleeding. I’d like you to come to the hospital where I can do some more thorough tests.”
    “No,” Sam said. “No hospital. No tests.”
    “Sam,” Callen pleaded.
    “No.”
    The doctor frowned. “If that’s the way you want it, I can’t force you to go. But I want Callen to check for tenderness in your belly here and here—” he pointed out the spots to Callen with his fingertips “—every couple of hours for the next twenty-four, and get you to the hospital quick if any tenderness shows up. Also, watch to make sure that bruising doesn’t spread any farther downward.”
    “Will he be all right?” Callen asked.
    “So long as he takes it easy until those ribs heal.”
    “How long?” Callen asked.
    “No work for ten days, at least,” the doctor said. “Two weeks would be better. Otherwise you take the chance of aggravating your injury.”
    Sam scowled. He already had more work than he could handle. This wasn’t going to help things. Hewould get up when he was damned good and ready, no matter what the doctor said.
    In that respect, Sam had underestimated Callen. She threatened dire consequences if he left the bedroom and brought his meals on a tray. Sam had never had anyone fuss over him in his life. At first he felt uncomfortable having her wait on him. He had done nothing to deserve Callen’s concern, and if she knew the truth, she would be throwing bowls of soup at him, not serving them.
    But, oh, how he relished the tender care his wife gave him! Callen crooned to him as she soothed his sweating brow with a cool cloth. She made delicious meals and served them to him with the newspaper, which she read to him while he ate, saving him the effort.
    “Why didn’t you tell me you were helping Jimmy Lee Johnson earn the money for a car?” Callen asked him one afternoon.
    Sam felt the heat in his throat rising toward his face. “How’d you find out about that?”
    “He came here looking for work. I thought he’d heard about your ribs, but he told me you’ve hired him to work for you every Wednesday.”
    Sam was expecting Callen to complain about the expense. He had opened his mouth to justify himself when she leaned over and kissed him hard on the mouth. He was too stunned even to respond.
    “You are about the nicest man I ever met, Sam Longstreet. Not many men would hire a teenage boy to do work he could easily do himself and pay him money that he doesn’t have, all to help that teenage boy realize his dream. Oh, I’m so proud to be your wife!”
    She was gone a moment later, back to chores in the house. But the good feeling she had inspired—the simple