She slid further down under the covers. “I don’t know what hurts the most, my head or my ribs,” she moaned. Maybe taking it upon herself to decrease her medication wasn’t the best idea.
“Let me get the nurse so she can give you something for the pain.” He turned to leave, but she reached out and touched his arm. “No. Don’t. I’m tired of ... drug-induced sleep. Just stay with me.”
Tyler leaned against the bed and cradled her hand. “I’m not going anywhere. Now close those beautiful eyes and get some rest.”
****
The next morning Tyler sat in his home office trying to review the documents that Quinn had sent over for his review. But with his sister-in-law, Simone, on the telephone yapping in his ear about how he should let Dallas move in with him, he wasn’t getting very far.
“Simone, I can’t,” he said for the third time. He placed the unread report on his desk, leaned back in his chair and glanced around his spacious office. His suburban home was his pride and joy, but his office provided a sense of calm that was often needed after willing and dealing all day. He noted the curtains on the wall-to-wall windows had been opened, letting in much needed sunlight for the plants his housekeeper insisted he needed. “Please, Tyler. Who’s going to help her? You know she’s not going to agree to come to San Diego and stay with us. And my doctor has already told me no more traveling. Dallas will be all alone in Chicago. Just let her stay with you. You have more than enough space in that mini-mansion. At least let her stay until she gets back on her feet,” Simone begged. “It’s only for six weeks.”
Only six weeks. Tyler loved his sister-in-law, but right now she was asking a lot. He had already spent too much time with Dallas. There were moments he had to remind himself that she was his ex, not his woman. He stood and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling built-in bookcases near the fireplace as he half-listened. Replacing several construction books he’d used days ago he asked, “Why can’t she stay with one of her sisters?”
“The only sister Dallas still has in Milwaukee is, Harmony. She can barely take care of herself. And when I talked with her sister that lives in L.A, she said there was no way she could get away right now. And her oldest sister is stationed in Germany, so that rules her out.”
Tyler hesitated. “I don’t know, Simone.” He leaned against the mantle and gave her his full attention. “I don’t think her staying here will be a good idea. Besides, you know Dallas. There is no way she’ll agree to this type of arrangement.” Sure he was concerned about her well being, but after spending days with her, he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle being around her much longer. They had a history. A very passionate history that he didn’t want to risk revisiting.
“Well, she doesn’t have a choice. With a broken leg, she can’t drive, let alone maneuver around her house alone. She needs you!” Simone’s voice rose with every word. She needs me? Yeah right. Tyler thought about the many times Dallas had told him flat out that she didn’t need him. She never wanted him to do anything for her.
“Tyler,” his brother got on the line, “is there anything you can do? I know Simone is not going to let this go until she knows that Dallas is going to be taken care of.”