Chapter 12
“I’ll be bringing a few boats out to Ohio next week while you’re there. Maybe we can grab some dinner.” Brady watched Kenley’s expression for some clue of what was going on. Zane had been acting weird all week. All he’d said when Brady teased him about the boat show trip was that it was cut short because Sidney had the baby. But something was up. Brady could tell.
“Maybe.”
“Are you afraid Zane will have a problem with us having dinner together?”
Her cheeks turned a pretty pink and she looked away with a shrug.
And there it was. Zane and Kenley had had sex.
He nearly fell off the desk in shock. Zane had claimed her after Brady pretty much forced him into it. But he didn’t think the guy would really make a move. Good for him.
Except they weren’t acting very happy about it. Something must have gone wrong.
Before he had the chance to ask a bunch of nosy questions, his phone rang. He recognized the number and ducked out of the office to take the call.
“Hello?”
“Is this Brady Martin?”
“Yes. Is Hunter okay?” He didn’t have the patience for a get-to-know-you if something was wrong with his little brother.
“He’s fine. The doctor says he may have a mildly sprained ankle. He fell out of a tree.”
“What was he doing in a tree?”
“He found a nest on the ground and wanted to put it back.”
Brady pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. He paid these people a shit-ton of money to watch his brother and keep him safe. He should get a refund.
“It’s protocol to contact you if there’s an incident.”
“You mean anytime you people aren’t paying attention to your patients?” He knew it probably wasn’t this woman’s fault. She was most likely the person who got stuck making the phone call. But it pissed him off that he couldn’t take better care of his brother.
“There are notes in his chart that you do not want him sedated or overmedicated. Would it be okay to give him something for the pain?”
“Something mild. I swear, if he can’t say his name when I get there, I’m going to own that place.”
“I’ll tell him you’re on your way,” she said, ignoring his threat. Probably for the best.
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes. You might want to wait about eighteen minutes before you tell him I’m coming. He likes to count down the minutes.”
“I’ll meet you when you arrive.”
After she hung up, Brady realized he hadn’t caught her name.
He pulled in at Elmhurst Adult Care Center twenty-three minutes later. Inside he found Hunter chatting to the two women at the desk.
“Are you sure he said he was coming? He should have been here. It’s not Saturday. Are you sure he’s coming?” Hunter’s anxiety twisted Brady’s stomach.
“Here I am.” It never got old, the way Hunter’s face lit up when Brady walked in the door.
“I wasn’t sure you were really coming. You were three minutes late.”
“Traffic.”
“Is it Thursday?” Some might think it was Hunter’s way of accusing him of making up the traffic, but no, he’d just changed topics that quickly.
“It is.”
“Will I still go home with you on Saturday?”
“Yep.”
“Two days.”
“You got it.”
Another woman walked out carrying crutches.
“Okay, Hunter. Can you try these? Keep your left foot off the floor if possible. Use the crutches to hold yourself up.”
“Brady, I get to have crutches.” To see the excitement on his face, you would have thought he’d won the lottery.
“I see that. Maybe don’t climb any more trees.”
“But the nest fell on the ground, and the bird would come home and it wouldn’t be there.”
The other woman stepped closer and held out her hand.
“I’m Dr. Walker. I just took over as director two weeks ago.” He recognized her voice as the person who had called him.
“And how many of your patients have fallen out of trees in the last two weeks?”
* * *
“Do you have a moment to discuss your brother’s care?” Michaela asked, as she ignored his jab and tried to stand tall. She was on the short side, but she knew backing down from this huge man who was trying his best to intimidate her would get her nowhere.
“Yes.” He turned to his brother and smiled. For a moment she wished he would have smiled at her. But of course he wouldn’t. He was angry. She needed to diffuse the situation. “I’ll be right back. Keep your foot up, okay?”
“You’ll be back?”
“Yes. Right back.”
“How many minutes?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll let you know when I come out.”
“Okay.”
Michaela led the giant to her office and gestured to the chairs in front of her desk.
“So what’s up?” Brady took possession of the room the minute he sat. He looked completely in control as he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I wanted to discuss some options with you.”
“Options?”
“Yes. I guess I wondered why Hunter was here.”
“Why?” Brady looked at her like she was nuts. “Because when he was eleven he was thrown through a windshield and ended up in a coma for nearly two months before he woke up with brain damage.”
“I’ve read his chart. I understand the injury. I’m just wondering why you haven’t looked into assisted living or group homes.”
“That’s what this place is.”
“No. This is a complete care center. It’s for people who need more extensive care and rehabilitation.”
“A pretty expensive one who allows people to fall from trees.”
It didn’t seem he was going to let it go anytime soon. “Do you know how he fell out of the tree?”
“I’m aware of how gravity works Mrs. Walker. I’m guessing he fell down.” Oh, this guy was clever. If he wasn’t so angry she might find him amusing.
“He went to the maintenance building and got a ladder. It was a step ladder, but he propped it against the tree and climbed up high enough to reach the limb. He actually put the nest back in the tree. He only fell on his way down when the ladder slipped away from the tree.” She took a deep breath before adding. “And it’s Dr. Walker, not Mrs.” She would like to think she corrected him because she’d worked hard for the two letters in front and the three others behind her name, but if she were honest she just didn’t want him to think she was married.
“Did someone videotape the scene instead of stopping it?”
“No. No. He told me every detail. He is capable of more than you think.”
“Excuse me, but didn’t you just say you’ve only been here two weeks?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve been taking care of him for the last nine years. Don’t tell me what I think.”
“Fair enough. But when Hunter would have first come out of recovery he was undoubtedly worse than he is now. I understand he was placed here straight out of the hospital.”
“I’d just got home from Iraq. I was dealing with some other things. I couldn’t take care of him myself.”
“I’m not judging. I just wanted to know if you’ve considered other options since he’s improved.”
The man blinked at her, and she braced herself for some rude comment aimed to unhinge her. Instead he let out a breath and tilted his head.
“I have to get back to work. If you could just say what it is you need to say, I’d appreciate it.”
“Fine.” She could do that. “Your brother is capable of more than you might realize. With occupational therapy and job placement, he could potentially become employed and learn to care for himself in an assisted living or group home situation. I understand it may be difficult for you to envision him being self-sufficient, but I want you to know it is possible and I’d like your permission to explore his potential.”
“You want to put him to work?” It figured that was all he’d picked up from her statement.
“I want him to live the best life he can.”
“You’re saying I’m doing a bad job?”
“No. No! Definitely not. I’ve looked at his charts. You visit all the time and you take him home with you every weekend. I know he’s not just being parked.”
Brady’s eyes went wide at the same time she realized her mistake.
“Parked?”
“It’s a term we use to describe someone who could be in a personal home, but a family member doesn’t want to be bothered.” She appreciated his look of disgust at the thought.
“I have to travel for work. I needed a job that paid well and had good insurance so I could afford the best home for him. The downside of that is I’m not around a lot or I’d have him with me more often.”
“With some training, he might be able to stay by himself.” Brady shook his head, but she cut him off before he could contest. “Hunter is a twenty-year-old man. He has a long life ahead of him. Is this place all you want for him?”
“I appreciate the optimism, but he likes it here and we’re doing fine.”
Time to get tough.
“I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this Mr. Martin, but you’ve given me no choice.” She straightened her shoulders, ready to fight fire with fire. She didn’t want to be the wicked bitch of Elmhurst, but he needed a good shaking. “You mentioned needing good insurance. Even the best insurance doesn’t pay for all of Hunter’s care.”
“Trust me, I’m aware of how much the insurance doesn’t pay.”
“Part of our process is patient evaluations for the insurance companies. Until now, Hunter has been reported as a long-term care candidate and your insurance pays the biggest portion of his care. If I change his status the insurance will decline to pay.”
“Are you kidding me? Your incompetent staff let my brother fall out of a tree, and now you’re threatening me? Is this some tactic to keep me from suing your asses?” He got up and walked to the door. She noticed a slight limp when he rushed out to where his brother was chatting with the nurses. Hunter’s leg was not propped up. “Come on, Hunter. We’re going.”
“But it’s not Saturday. It’s only Thursday.”
“I know. We’re mixing it up.”
Hunter smiled and waved at her as he followed his older brother out the door, carrying his crutches instead of using them.
“I get to go home with my brother on a Thursday.” He spent most of his time at Elmhurst, but his brother’s apartment was considered home.
* * *
It was obvious something was wrong when Brady walked into the office. Kenley could feel the tension coming off the already intimidating man. He had a younger man with him who had to be related to him. They looked so much alike.
“I have a huge favor to ask,” he said as he placed both palms on her desk and leaned over. “This is my brother, Hunter. Would it be okay if he sat in here with you until I get these boats loaded up? Then I’ll take him home.”
“Sure.” Kenley didn’t understand why he needed to be watched. Her confusion must have showed.
“Hunter, why don’t you go wash your hands?”
“Do I need my crutches?”
“Does it hurt when you walk?”
“No.”
“Then you can leave them here.”
Hunter walked down the hall and went in the right door on the first try. He must have been here before.
“When I was in Iraq, our drunk of a mother wrecked her car and nearly killed Hunter while managing to kill herself. I’ve been taking care of him ever since he woke up from the coma. He’s not dangerous. He hurt his ankle today at the home. I didn’t want to leave him there.”
His expression tensed on the last part, but she nodded.
“Sure. I’d love to have some company.” She was sick of staring out the window, thinking about Zane.
“He won’t be in the way. He’ll be fine to sit and look through magazines until I’m finished.” Hunter came out of the bathroom, waving his hands that weren’t quite dry.
“Hunter, this is Kenley.”
“Sidney is home with Baby Paige. We took her a stuffed rabbit last weekend.”
“Right. I want you to stay with Kenley until I come back, okay?”
“How many minutes?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know.”
“Okay.” Hunter took a seat and picked up the first magazine. “Don’t get in the car with Mom,” he said with a wave to his older brother.
Brady let out a sigh and went through the door that would take him out to the shop.
Other than the occasional swish of a turning page, Hunter was as quiet as a mouse. It meant she was able to focus on her job, but it also meant she found herself staring out the window again, thinking about Zane.
When Brady came in to collect Hunter, he thanked her profusely.
“It was no problem at all.”
“It was nice meeting you,” Hunter called by the door.
“It was nice to meet you too.”
When the brothers were gone, she locked up the building and headed out.
Following the directions she was given, Kenley pulled down a winding driveway to a large brick home. It looked as if it could easily house twelve people.
Sidney met her at the door before she even had the chance to knock.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” Sidney said, giving her a hug. “I haven’t had the chance to thank you for the flowers.”
“Of course. I understand.” Kenley rubbed her hands together. “So where is she?”
“She’s napping.”
Kenley didn’t hide her disappointment, letting her shoulders fall with an “Awww.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure you also came to visit me and will be happy to wait to hold my child.”
“Yeah. I guess so.” Kenley laughed and Sidney playfully swatted her on the shoulder.
“So how are things going?”
“Fine. Good.” She hadn’t come there to bash Zane. At least not unless Sidney started it first. “Brady brought his brother in to the office today. He’s a sweetie.”
“He is. It breaks my heart that a mother is capable of hurting her child. The worst thing is how he always tells Brady ‘not to ride with Mom.’” Kenley had noticed that, but hadn’t asked. “If he’d done just that when he was eleven, who knows what he’d be doing today. I’m sure it tears Brady up every time he says it. The poor guy feels terrible about what happened, but it wasn’t like he could help. He was in a hospital in Germany when the accident happened.”
“Why was Brady in the hospital?” Kenley asked.
Sidney looked a little surprised and then said, “He lost his foot in Iraq.”
“Oh. I had no idea.” She’d noticed a slight limp, but nothing to indicate it was that serious.
“I guess that’s the point, that he’s able to walk well enough no one would know it’s a prosthetic.” She shrugged.
“Brady is like a different person when Hunter is around. No joking or flirting. I didn’t realize he could be serious.”
“He’s spent a lot of his life being way too serious.” Before she could ask what Sidney meant, they were distracted by the sound of Paige’s slight whimper on the baby monitor.
“She’s up! I get to hold her.”
Sidney rolled her eyes, but led her to the nursery. Once Kenley was settled in the rocker with the baby in her arms she felt the stress of the last week flow away.
“She’s beautiful,” Kenley said while sniffing her hair. “And she smells so good.”
“Trust me. Sometimes she doesn’t smell good at all.” The sound of someone coming in the front door caused Sidney to stop laughing and go investigate.
Kenley heard the low rumble of his voice before he stepped into the room.
Perfect. Zane was here.
* * *
To say Zane was shocked to see Kenley in his sister’s home rocking his niece was an understatement. He’d been on the phone when he arrived and didn’t notice her car.
Then he remembered he didn’t have any reason to hide. Not that he needed a reason, obviously. He’d been doing a fair job of it since the night she’d gone out with Scott.
He knew that hadn’t gone anywhere. For a cop, Officer Porter didn’t seem to realize when someone was manipulating information out of him.
He’d been almost chatty about how he’d kissed Kenley—a statement that made Zane cringe—but it hadn’t been right. They’d had no chemistry.
Zane knew for a fact, the fault wasn’t Kenley’s. The two of them had plenty of chemistry. Too much, in fact.
“Hi, Kenley.”
“Zane.” She managed to say his name, though she didn’t look up from the baby.
While he knew his niece was adorable and could captivate anyone’s attention, it was pretty obvious Kenley was uncomfortable.
She still did a great job at work, but she’d yet to speak, text or email him about anything other than business. He didn’t know what to do. Or if he should do anything. Wasn’t this what he’d been hoping for? That they could go back to what they’d had before without the tension? Except there was still a lot of tension.
He’d suggested they talk about what had happened, but she’d resisted. And he’d backed off, but maybe things still needed to be addressed.
He told himself every day this was for the best. It was bound to come to the same end. Eventually he would have done something to mess it up.
“Sorry. I didn’t know I needed to make an appointment,” Zane joked. Again, Kenley didn’t look up.
“I should get going.” Kenley moved to get up and Zane stopped her.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to leave on my account. I’m the uncle. I get to hold her anytime I want.”
She passed a now sleeping Paige over to Sidney, who glared at him, but spoke to Kenley.
“You don’t have to go. If you want, I can kick this big doofus out of my house so we can visit longer.”
“I just remembered I need to go pick up a few things for my trip on Monday.”
“Trip?” he asked.
“You told me to set up the office in Ohio. Is that not what you want?”
It was, but he had planned to stay in the office all next week so he could try to work things out with her. If he changed his plans now it would be too obvious.
“That’s fine. I didn’t realize.”
“I put a note on your desk.” A note he wouldn’t have seen because he’d been away. He let out a sigh.
“Okay. Good. Thanks.”
“I’ll stop in when I get back next week,” she promised Sidney, who put the baby back in the crib and walked her out.
He watched Paige breathing while listening to the murmurs downstairs. He couldn’t make out the words, but it didn’t matter. They were most likely complaining about him. After the sound of the door opening and closing, Zane braced for battle.
“Tell me this is not still about your stupidity at the hospital,” Sidney snapped when she walked back into the nursery.
Zane put his index finger to his lips and pointed into the crib in an effort to silence the woman, but it didn’t work.
“Paige is used to it. She had a front-row seat for the last nine months.”
He let out a breath and shrugged.
“We decided it would be better if we kept things professional.”
Sid tilted her head to the side as if to contemplate his position.
“Good luck with that.”