The Fairy Tale Bride (15 page)

Lisa couldn’t believe
what had just happened. The noise. The smoke. The screams. Faye and Alice were staring out at the street open-mouthed and she ushered them quickly towards the back of the shop.

And Adam, vanishing without a second thought under the car. Lisa pulled out a pile of Sage’s chocolates and put them on the table. “Don’t eat them all at once,” she said quickly to the girls and went back to the open door.

People had started to gather on the street. It took a few seconds for rational thoughts to enter her head. She grabbed her phone from her pocket and hit 911, requesting emergency services.

Dawson thudded down the street towards her and automatically bent down under the car. “Who is under there?” he yelled. She might have guessed he would appear. Dawson was never off duty.

“Adam,” she said quickly.

“Who else?” Her brain was scrambled. The woman was still howling in front of the car and she noticed something sticking out from underneath the front fender. Oh no. A little wheel – like the kind you’d find on a stroller.

A wave of nausea rolled over her. “A kid,” she whispered. “I think it’s a kid.”

Someone appeared and put their arm around the woman, murmuring words of comfort and trying to pull her away.

Adam. Adam was under there. Should she help? But what could she do? And there was no way she wanted to leave Faye and Alice unattended.

There was nothing like an accident to attract attention. Some of the reporters covering the celebrity wedding started to appear. Most of them were just talking under their breath.

The sound of sirens in the distance gave her a sense of relief. Help. That’s what was needed. Help.

Dawson started shouting around. Looking for a flashlight. She ran back into the shop and pulled out one from the under the counter. She used it occasionally to find things at the back of the stock cupboard. She grabbed it and rushed outside, throwing it towards Dawson who put his head under the car again.

He was looking worried. Lisa blinked back tears. She had no idea what Adam was dealing with under the car. She hated to think.

Then something hit her. A smell. A smell of petrol. It seemed to hit all the surrounding spectators at once. People started to panic. Particularly when a wisp of white smoke appeared from under the hood.

Dawson yelled, “Get over here,” to a couple of the bystanders. “We need to get this car off the kid and the doc.”

“Get out, Adam,” Lisa shouted. She’d no idea where that had come from. Something was pressing against her chest. Adam was under a car that was leaking fuel and could go on fire at any second. He had to get out. He had to.

She wanted to rush over. She wanted to help. But there was no way she had the strength to lift a car. There were six men now, all straining, their faces getting redder by the second.

The smell of fuel was getting stronger. Blue flashing lights appeared at the end of the street, the local patrol car kicking up dust as it skidded to a halt on the street with the Marietta ambulance right behind it. Toby, the sheriff was out in a flash, standing shoulder to shoulder with Dawson to join in the rescue effort.

“Where’s fire and rescue?” Dawson asked.

Toby shook his head. “Out at a fire at one of the ranches – they’re at least fifteen minutes away.”

Within a few minutes the driver of the car had a neck brace in place and was manoeuvred out of the car and into the back of one of the ambulances. She had no idea who he was – didn’t recognize him, or the car, at all.

“Who is under that car?” The reporter that had been pestering her in the diner at few days ago sidled up to her.

“Adam Brady – the doctor,” she said quickly, turning her back again and focusing her attention back on the accident.

“One, two, three, go!” The voices came from the group of men assembled around the car. The paramedic was face down on the ground, obviously working with Adam. But the car didn’t seem to be moving.

Someone appeared with a hose, connecting it to a point in one of the nearby stores and starting to wet down the ground around the car.

Lisa turned quickly to make a quick check on the girls. They were oblivious. Lost in the land of fairy princess dresses and chocolate. Thank goodness.

She dropped to her knees, trying to get any kind of view of what was happening beneath the car. It was nearly impossible. There were more men crowded around the car now, willing to lend their muscles to the job. Between the thick calves and boots she could barely glimpse Adam – only see part of his shoulder and the back of his head.

Someone signalled again. “Now!”

This time the crumpled car did move. A thin piece of plastic must have been wiggled under the car and under the little boy, because once the car was lifted clear by a few inches the little boy was yanked clear.

Adam rolled out from under the car, not even glancing in her direction, but getting directly to work.

The little boy was conscious and wailing loudly. The noise gave simultaneous relief and anguish. He was alive. He was responsive – but he was obviously in pain.

The reporter nudged into her. His eyes widened as he stared at his mobile phone. “Got it.
That’s
who he is. I knew it. I knew I knew his face.”

Adam was safe. The kiddie was safe. Everyone moved quickly away from the car just as the smoke started to thicken and some of the locals started covering the car in water.

Her chest wasn’t quite as tight. Her breathing was starting to ease off again. She swallowed. She really needed something to drink. She needed to check on the girls again. Adam hadn’t even glanced back in her direction – but he hadn’t had time and she knew that. He was doing exactly what he needed to be doing.

Something clicked in her head. She turned to face the reporter. “What did you just say?”

He hardly even lifted his head – just popped a piece of gum in his mouth as his eyes continued to study his phone. His shoulders shrugged – your boyfriend – he’s the Millionaire Doctor.” He looked up and gave her a wink, “Bagged yourself a good one there, didn’t you?”

It was the weirdest feeling. A rush of blood to the head coupled by a roaring in her ears and every hair standing on end on her arms – as if a cool breeze had just passed over her.

She hated this little man in front of her. Irrationally despised him. But she couldn’t stop her mouth from asking the questions it shouldn’t.

“What are you talking about?” Her eyes flitted back to Adam, every bit of his attention was on his little patient. He hadn’t even noticed the reporter.

The reporter eyed her curiously. He could sniff a story at twenty paces. “Adam Brady, Washington’s millionaire doc? What – you didn’t even know?” He pulled out his voice recorder. “Now, there is a story.” He glanced up at the salon. “What’s your name again? Do you think your millionaire doc might even know some of these celebs? He might actually be here for the wedding?”

She pushed the recorder away roughly. “Don’t be ridiculous. Adam is a doctor. That’s what he’s here to do.”

Thoughts were flying around her brain. Tiny pieces of a puzzle she didn’t even know was there were slotting into place. Fragments of conversations sifted through her mind, tiny memories of fleeting glances or expressions on his face.
That’s
why Adam could afford to offer her money for her business.
That’s
why Adam could afford a house on Bramble Lane. Anger was building inside her chest.

Was this why he’d been a little off with her at times? She didn’t care about this. She didn’t care about any of this. She cared about the man in front of her who hadn’t hesitated to dive under a car leaking fuel in an attempt to rescue a child.
That
was the person she cared about.

She planted her hands on her hips, sucking in a breath between her teeth. Adam was next to the trolley wheeling the little guy into the back of the ambulance. He looked up in her direction. It was a second – just a tiny second, that he noticed the reporter standing next to her and an automatic frown fell into place.

Then he shook his head and mouthed over to her. “I have to go.” She nodded. Of course he did. He had to assess the kid and decide what happens next.

As did she.

She walked into the salon and slammed the door behind her in case the reporter decided to follow her. Alice and Faye jumped, both immersed in the shoes and headpieces all across the floor. Lisa fixed her smile firmly in place.

Adam hadn’t told her. He hadn’t trusted her.

She’d trusted him. She’d shared a secret with him that most of Marietta didn’t know. But he couldn’t find it in himself to trust her with a half-secret that most of Washington already knew.

Where exactly did that leave them?

‡

T
he hospital was
quiet again. The little boy was safe – amazingly his injuries hadn’t been severe. He’d been cushioned by the frame of the stroller and the blanket covering him. The stitches to his arm and forehead would heal quickly, leaving him only with a wizard-style scar.

Adam glanced down at his own clothes. His trousers and shirt were grubby from lying on the ground. There were some definite blood stains and his shirt sleeve was ripped from the struggle of trying to reach the little boy.

One of the ER nurses walked by and tapped him on the shoulder. “Good job, Adam. Glad you were there.” She gave a little smile at his appearance. “Scrubs in the changing room if you need them.”

Adam groaned. “I’m getting a bit tired of walking the streets of Marietta in ER scrubs.”

She laughed, “Well, isn’t it time you learned your lesson and brought in some spare clothes?” She gestured towards the ER reception. “Some reporter guy was asking questions about you. Left you a message.” She started back down the corridor. “Don’t worry, I headed him off.”

Darn it. He knew it. As soon as he spotted that guy talking to Lisa he knew exactly what was going on. He’d been praying that he wasn’t important enough for any of the reporters to remember. Seems like he was wrong.

“Have you seen Lisa?” he shouted after the nurse. He had to speak to her. Doubtless she’d wonder why he hadn’t told her himself.

She pointed upwards. “I saw her an hour ago heading to the pediatric ward with two kiddies.”

Of course. Faye and Alice needed to be returned to the ward.

He headed to the stairwell with a sprint. He could only hope she was still there.

*

Mary, the nurse,
eyed him as soon as he appeared. She shook her head. “Don’t even go there, she’s mad.”

His heart sank. “Really?”

Mary folded her arms. “Really. She told me specifically she didn’t want to talk to you.”

“Where is she?” His fingers started to play with a set of keys on the desk.

“She’s with the girls in the playroom showing them the pictures she took of them this morning.” Mary leaned against the desk. “I checked Alice and Faye over when they came back. Their observations are fine. And it’s the brightest I’ve seen both of them for a while. The little trip out has worked wonders for them.”

Adam smiled. “I’m glad.” He glanced sideways at Mary. “She told me, you know, about her sister. I know why she does this.”

Mary leaned her head on her hand. “She told you?”

He nodded. He didn’t add anything else. He wasn’t quite sure just what Mary knew.

But Mary wasn’t finished. She walked around the desk. “So, Lisa told you about her – but you didn’t tell
her
about
you
.”

He cringed. When she said the words out loud it sounded so much worse. He put his head down on the desk. “I know, I know. I just didn’t tell anyone.” He raised his eyes. “Let’s just say my previous experience wasn’t great. I wanted folks in Marietta to get to know
me
, instead of Adam, the millionaire doc.”

Mary waved her hand. “You don’t seem like a millionaire to me. Anyway, these days you can spend a million in a matter of minutes. Do you have any left?”

He shrugged. “Just a little. Enough to help out a friend if they needed it.” His hand continued to play with the keys on the desk. There was a flicker of recognition in his brain. He held them up. “These are Lisa’s, aren’t they?”