What it Takes (11 page)

Kelsey approached Patrick and softly said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.” She took his hand in hers and he felt her trembling.

“I’m just worried.” He pushed aside his anger to smile soothingly, fighting the urge to pull her into him and wrap her in his arms until she stopped shaking.

“I’m fine.” She released his hand and walked to the counter then opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bag of apples. As she set them on the counter, Patrick slowly moved closer.

“What’re you doing?” he asked cautiously.

Her shaky hand pulled a knife out of the drawer and Patrick took a step back. “Fixing a snack,” she said with a small shrug. “Would you like some?”

He took her wrist and held it tight. “Kelsey, I don’t think you should be handling a knife.”

She looked down to where he held her and he slowly, reluctantly, opened his fingers. Her hand started to shake again and she looked surprised.

She put the knife down. “No, I guess not,” she agreed quietly.

“Talk to me,” Patrick said and she looked at him. Her anger had subsided, but he could still see fear in her eyes. “What did he want?”

She swallowed. “Money.” Her jaw clenched once. “Same thing he always wants,” she added bitterly.

“Why?”

“Gambling debts.”

“How much?” Their eyes were locked on each other.

She sighed. “More than a little.”

Patrick raised an eyebrow and she stuck her chin out. Afraid she was about to shut him out, he softened his gaze. He wasn’t going to force her to talk, but he wanted, felt compelled, to help her. She relaxed and shook her head. He exhaled the air he hadn’t realized he was holding.

“What’re you going to do?” Patrick asked as Kelsey turned back to the counter.

“I don’t know.” With a glazed look, she cut into an apple. “I’m trying to figure that out.”

“What’s there to figure out? Why should you bail him out after that?”

She pressed her lips together in a look that was sweet and condescending at the same time. “It’s not that simple.” She was focusing on the apple again. When she’d finished slicing it, she picked up another. “I’ve got to think about my sister and the kids.” She looked at him again and her eyes were calmer, back to their clear green color that he was beginning to enjoy so much.

Patrick took a step closer as he studied her face. “He should, too, don’t you think?”

She looked away. “He should but he doesn’t.” She split the apple. “I’m just afraid that if he doesn’t pay them off, they’ll come after her, and since she doesn’t earn that much, she’ll have to come to me anyway. She’ll hate herself for coming to me, and she’ll hate him for putting her in that situation.”

“She should hate him,” Patrick stated as he traced her hairline with his eyes. When he reached her chin, Kelsey cried out in pain and the knife hit the counter. He looked down and saw that she was holding one hand in the other, and blood was starting to ooze between her fingers. “Are you okay?”

Remembering her queasiness on movie night, he put his arm around her waist to steady her. He looked at her hand again and saw more blood then grabbed a bunch of paper towels and replaced her hand with his and the towels. He led her to the couch as the color drained from her face. His heart began to pound in his chest.

“You look pale, lie back,” he softly commanded her before turning to the door. He opened it and pointed to the first person he saw. “I need a paramedic, now!” He closed the door, grabbed another paper towel to clean her uninjured hand, and quickly returned to her side.

Kelsey closed her eyes and focused on breathing, struggling to get the nausea under control. She looked at Patrick for a moment when he gently stroked her cheek then closed her eyes again. She felt him take her hand as he held the towel around her thumb and kept it above her heart. The paramedic came into the trailer without knocking, and Kelsey opened her eyes.

She saw Patrick gazing down at her, his eyes and forehead wrinkled with concern. He moved closer to her head and held her hand out for the EMT to examine. Her head was swimming and the only words she could hear clearly were “stitches” and “hospital.” She watched Patrick nod his agreement and the medic left.

She swallowed a couple of times to moisten her throat. “What’s going on?”

“I’m taking you to the hospital. You need several stitches and they can’t do that here. It’s not sterile enough,” he frowned briefly as he stepped away to grab another towel.

“You shouldn’t,” she tried to argue.

“Why not?” He knelt beside her and took her hand with the clean towels.

“Patrick, there’s no need for both of us to be gone.” She tried to sit up but he stopped her with a hand on her forehead. Lying back, she drew strength from his calm manner. “If you stay, you can work on some of your solo scenes. If you come with me, it’ll delay things and Andy won’t like it very much.”

“Too bad,” he said, putting a quick end to their discussion just as Andy came in the door.

Doesn’t anyone knock anymore?
Kelsey thought.

Patrick quickly explained to Andy what had happened, leaving out Richard’s visit, and that he was going with Kelsey to the hospital.

“You can stay here and we’ll move up some of your scenes,” Andy argued. Kelsey inwardly humphed; she’d thought the same thing.

“No, everything is already set up for the scenes we’d planned for this afternoon,” Patrick stated calmly. “Grayson and Veronica have some scenes on that set so you can move theirs up.”

Andy nodded. “What’ll people say if you show up at the hospital with her? She should take a bodyguard instead.”

“She needs a friend, not a protector.” Patrick glanced at Kelsey and she had the feeling he viewed himself as both. “Plus I was there when it happened, so I can answer any questions that she can’t.”

Kelsey sat up a little as the queasiness passed.

“We’re wasting time.” Patrick helped her to her feet.

“Fine. Go,” Andy agreed resignedly. “But be quick about it.”

“What about the apples?” she asked weakly.

Patrick chuckled. “I’m sure someone will eat them,” he whispered in her ear. She nodded and he quickly escorted her to a waiting car.

Six

P
atrick opened his door as soon as the car stopped in front of the hospital. He had one foot out when Kelsey laid her hand on his arm.

“You really don’t need to do this,” she said as she slid closer to the door.

He chuckled reassuringly as he leaned closer. “Trust me.” His eyes scanned her face, momentarily coming to rest on her lips before he turned and left. She sighed and laid her head on the back of the seat. He’d been quite persistent that she let him arrange for a private room for her and she hadn’t had the energy to argue.

He quickly returned and helped her out of the car. Patrick told the driver that he could leave then led Kelsey directly to a nurse, who showed her into a small triage room near the waiting room. Patrick stood across from the door, just outside the room, watching silently as the nurse took Kelsey’s information. When the nurse stepped between them to take her blood pressure, Kelsey leaned around so she could see Patrick.

As she answered more questions, a woman approached Patrick and tapped his shoulder. He turned and greeted her with the easy grin Kelsey recognized from the bar. It was the one he’d given those brats he’d danced with, but as they continued to chat, Kelsey watched his expression change. When a little boy, his arm in a pristine, white cast, joined them, Patrick squatted to his level. The look in his eyes softened, became brighter and more natural, and Kelsey realized that she was seeing the real Patrick. She hadn’t even realized his behavior at the bar had been a façade.

Patrick was very animated as he talked to the little boy. The boy held up four fingers as Patrick’s eyes widened. He nodded and smiled at the little boy and she could tell he was really listening to the child’s story. Her heart fluttered as she watched Patrick sign the cast and hold his hand up for a high five. The little boy complied then threw his arms around Patrick’s neck. When he was released, Patrick stood, exchanged a few more words with the mother and waved to them as they left. He looked at Kelsey and smiled sheepishly as he walked toward her.

“That was sweet,” she said as he sat in the now-empty chair next to her. He shrugged as he gently took her injured hand and held another towel on it. “What was that all about?”

“He recognized me from a movie I did last summer. He said he has my action figure.” He chuckled and colored slightly. “He broke his arm playing football with four of his friends.”

“Aw,” she said sweetly and he rolled his eyes as he smirked. She shifted a little and grimaced at the discomfort in her hand.

“I’m not squeezing too hard, am I?” he asked. She shook her head. “Good.” He laid his other hand on her arm. “How’re you feeling? Queasy or anything?”

“No, Patrick, I’m fine.” She moaned. “Stop worrying so much.”

“Sorry,” he murmured as the nurse returned. Kelsey’s room was ready and Patrick helped her rise. When she started to argue, he leaned closer. “Just let me help you.”

Kelsey nodded as he put an arm around her waist and they followed the nurse to the room.

“You don’t have to do all of this, you know,” Kelsey said as Patrick helped her sit on the bed when they were alone again. She was trying to read his expression as he regarded her. “Why’d you do it anyway?”

“Do what?”

“Go to the trouble of getting this room? I could’ve waited like everyone else.”

“Two reasons,” he said. “One, I know your privacy means a lot to you, and can you imagine the talk if we’d been seen in the ER waiting room together?” He gasped and held his hand up to his mouth, feigning shock, which made her giggle. He tried to suppress a smile as he continued, “Two, the faster you’re stitched up, the sooner we can get back to work, which makes everyone else happy—especially Andy.”

She nodded regally. “Well then, I guess I owe you a big thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He leaned closer, almost touching his nose to hers. Her cheeks warmed and he took a deep, quiet breath as he stepped back. “Now, are you calm enough to talk?” he asked. She pressed her lips together and exhaled slowly before nodding once. “Why’d you let him leave so easily?”

She shrugged and focused on the wall, gently rolling her bottom lip between her teeth. When she turned to him, their eyes met and Kelsey lost herself. She suddenly felt compelled to tell him almost anything. She hadn’t wanted to be so open with anyone since she was dating Tim, and the idea of it terrified her.

“It’s complicated,” she said as she shook her head. “And it’s personal.”

Patrick placed his hands on his hips, tipped his head back, and let out a soft growl.

“Are you angry with me?” Kelsey asked softly. The thought that he might be gripped her heart and squeezed.

He looked at her and shook his head. “No, I’m just frustrated with the whole situation.” He sat beside her on the bed. “I know how important your privacy is to you.” He waved to their surroundings. “I won’t tell anyone else anything that’s happened today, Kelsey. You must know that at least.”

She nodded her head and looked at her lap, feeling a slight twinge of guilt. He’d gone to the trouble of arranging a private room so no one else would see them. He’d not said anything to anyone on set about Richard. He certainly had earned her trust, and still she was afraid to give it to him.

“I want to help,” he said.

“You can’t help,” Kelsey said, suddenly feeling the weight of Richard’s problems on her shoulders.

“Then at least help me understand.” Patrick lightly lifted her chin so she was staring into his eyes.

What she saw there surprised her. There was a depth of concern and care that she’d only ever seen in her father’s and Janelle’s eyes. This look surpassed any she’d ever gotten from Tim. She wasn’t sure what to think of it, but knew that, without a doubt, she could trust Patrick.

What had he asked her again?

It took effort to focus. “I had to let him go. I didn’t have a choice.” Her shoulders drooped and he released her chin. “It would’ve caused more problems at home. I’m sure no one there knows he was here, so I can pretend it never happened.”