Hired Bride by Jackie Merritt

Author:Jackie Merritt
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 1999-04-18T16:00:00+00:00

Ten

It seemed to take forever in the Emergency Room. Dr. Parker was an extremely thorough physician, and he closely checked Ashley for other injuries. “A fall from a horse can be serious business,” he told Gwen. To her intense relief, however, beyond the cut on Ashley’s forehead he found nothing but some bruises.

Still, after he finally stitched Ashley’s forehead, he then requested that she remain lying down for a while so he could keep an eye on her. Naturally Gwen and Zane didn’t say no. They had put the little girl in Dr. Parker’s hands, and they would not rush his treatment. Gwen sat next to her daughter’s bed for hours, and Zane did a lot of pacing in the waiting room, though every so often he would appear to see for himself how Ashley was doing.

His concern seemed so genuine to Gwen, and she kept thinking of that while she watched Ashley and held her hand. There were more sides to Zane than she could have guessed.

Much later Zane slipped in to the curtained cubicle and whispered, “How’s she doing?”

“Okay,” Gwen whispered back. The dried blood on his shirt bothered her every time she saw it, but her own blouse—and Ashley’s clothes—had the same dark stains. She would soak her and Ashley’s things and try to save them, but Zane would probably toss his shirt in the trash can. As trivial as discarding a few clothes was in the greater scheme of things, it illustrated quite graphically just how far apart in thought and deed she and Zane really were.

And if she wanted further proof of their incompatibility, all she had to do was look at him. He was handsome beyond belief, a golden-haired Adonis, and she was…she was… Well, she certainly wasn’t in his league in the looks department. She wasn’t in his league in any department, so why did he even bother with her? Wasn’t assuming that he was pining for her body just a bit far-fetched when he could probably have any woman he wanted?

“Has the doctor been in again?” Zane whispered.

“He took a quick look and rushed out. He seems to be very busy, but I’m sure he’ll let us know when he thinks it’s safe for Ashley to leave.”

“Yes, I’m sure he will. Gwen, are you holding up okay?”

“Yes, don’t worry about me.”

There was that tough note of independence again, Zane thought. Had she always been this way, determined to take care of herself, by herself? What kind of man had her husband been? Had she been the strong one in that relationship? And what about her folks? Had they raised her to rely on no one but herself?

He looked into her eyes and again wished she would let him help her out financially. But he knew it wasn’t going to happen. He would give her what she would accept—moral support.

“All right,” he said quietly, with an ache in his heart, “I’ll take another stroll around.”

Watching him walk out of the curtained cubicle, Gwen suddenly recalled Rosita Perez’s prediction at Hannah and Parker’s wedding.

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