“You’ll have to be more specific.”
“Josh fell getting out of the tub and it sounds like he’s stuck, if not hurt. He either can’t or won’t unlock the door to let me in.”
“Can’t Andy help him?”
“He went fishing with Drew. I guess things aren’t going so well with Mallory and they needed some father—son time.”
Mitch closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Do you think he’s hurt?”
“He’s cussing up a blue streak, so I’d say he’s either hurt or mad as hell. But he says he’s okay, so probably not too bad.”
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Paige’s concern was written all over her face. “Who’s hurt?”
“Josh fell and he won’t let Rosie mother him. I’m going to have to take a rain check on having my way with you.”
“Anticipation makes it all the sweeter.”
“Unless my balls explode in the meantime,” he muttered before remembering they were in a very public place. He glanced around, but either the obvious fact they were working or Ava’s interference had kept the customers at the other end of the diner.
After gathering his stuff, he leaned down and kissed her. “Your place tomorrow?”
“I’ll make dinner.”
He kissed her again, then went out to his truck and made the drive back to the lodge in a few minutes less than was legal. Nobody was around, so he went up the stairs, assuming Josh was still on the bathroom floor.
Rose had never looked so glad to see him as she did at that moment. “He won’t tell me what’s going on.”
“Go find me a nail or something else long and thin I can pop this push-button lock with.” After she left, he pounded on the door. “Josh, what the hell’s going on in there?”
“Leave me alone.”
“As soon as Rosie gets back, I’m popping the lock.”
A stream of curse words that would have made a sailor proud was the only response, so Mitch waited until Rose hurried back with a knitting needle. “I think this one’s small enough to do it.”
“Thanks. Go downstairs and I’ll let you know when the coast is clear.”
She looked as though she wanted to argue, but Mitch stood firm. There was a good chance Josh’s worst injury was going to be to his pride, but at least brothers didn’t have much dignity between them in the first place. After another stream of curses from the bathroom, she gave Mitch a sharp look and walked away.
It only took him a few seconds to pop the lock and he opened the door slowly, just in case Josh was sprawled in front of it.
He was sprawled, all right, but not in front of the door. He was naked, wet and had somehow managed to wedge his cast behind the base of the old pedestal sink as he’d fallen. A quick inspection told Mitch he was a lot more pissed than he was hurt.
It took him a few minutes, trying a few different angles, but Mitch finally managed to get him unstuck. He had to stand in the tub and bend way over to catch Josh under the arms so he could slide him back as he sat him up.
When Josh was finally free of the sink, Mitch tossed him a towel and sat on the edge of the tub to catch his breath. Josh draped the towel over his lap and leaned his head against the wall to do the same.
“You hurt at all?”
“Wrenched up a bit, especially my back.” Which sucked, because Mitch knew his back was already twisted up a bit from the crutches. “Probably feel like I got hit by a truck in the morning, but no damage to the cast or the leg and I managed not to hit my head on the tub on my way down.”
“You’ll live, then. You may never live this down, but you’ll live.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“I’d be in Paige’s bed right now if you learned to dry your feet before stepping on the tile.”
“She can thank me later.”
“Now who’s the asshole?” He stood and hauled Josh to his feet.
Once Mitch was sure his brother wasn’t going to fall over and could manage the drying and dressing process without his help, he went down the stairs and wasn’t surprised to find Rose standing at the bottom, her arms crossed. “Well?”
“He’s fine. Slipped and got his cast stuck behind the sink. Pissed him off to no end and he probably tweaked his back, but he’ll be fine.”
“I don’t want either of you running around tonight, so I guess I’ll make supper.”
Mitch thought of Paige. He could be back in town in no time and they could pick up where they’d left off. Although maybe a little distance wasn’t a bad thing, since they’d left off with him daydreaming about them playing house.
And he knew when a mother hen like Rose needed to cluck over her chicks, if only to make herself feel better.
“You’re the best, Rosie,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “No matter what the others might say.”
*