"Clay." Bo's voice was steady, but held a certain edge.
"Yeah?" Clay replied, his eyes on Julie with a hint of respect.
"Get her the hell out of my room before I do something…." Bo's voice was beginning to rise.
"What are you going to do, Bo?" Julie shook her head at Clay before Clay had a chance to say anything. "From what I understand, you haven't been out of this room. Just lying around feeling sorry for yourself."
Clay's eyebrows shooting up into his hairline clearly indicated she'd just shocked the hell out of him, and he didn't seem very pleased with her approach. Most families and loved ones weren't happy with this approach, but it was something that had to be done when one had given up on life. She knew the Marshalls were fighters, and all she had to do was light a fire under his ass. It wasn't going to be easy, but her job never was and that's what she loved about it.
"You don't know shit!" He spat her way as he reached toward the table next to his bed. After knocking stuff over, he finally grabbed a whiskey bottle. "Get the fuck out of here, bitch."
Again Julie had to warn Clay, this time with a glare, as he started to say something to his brother. "I am leaving for just a bit, but not because you ordered it. I'm going to fix you something to eat, because you look like crap and need to put on some weight. Can't have you walking around weak and falling all over the place."
Call it a sixth sense or been there, done that, but she knew the whiskey bottle was going to be heading her way so she was ready when he let it sail across the room. Expertly, she dodged the flying golden missile, which then smashed against the wall behind her. She had to admit that was pretty adequate aim, but she'd be damned if she told him that.
Clay headed toward his brother, his face a mask of rage, but Julie headed him off. "Stop." She mouthed the words, both her hands on his chest pushing him or at least trying to push him backwards out of the room. "Looks like we need to work on your aim also, Bo, because you missed by a mile. I'll be back."
"I hate you, you bitch." Bo's words weren't laced with rage this time. No, this time he sounded like a young man who had just lost everything he knew of life and was totally clueless about what to do. That she understood. That was what she fought for, and what she would conquer for those whose souls were temporarily lost.
"Well, Bo, I really hate to hear that because—" Julie grunted as she was still pushing Clay out the door. "—it's only just begun. If you hate me now, just wait until tomorrow. I'm not going anywhere, so you just think on that a bit and get used to the idea." And with that she shut the door quietly behind her then glared up at Clay.
"This isn't going to work." Clay shook his head, still glaring at the door.
"If you don't stay out of my way, you're right… this won't work." Julie stared up at him, finally removing her hands from his warm tight chest. Her hands actually tingled with an itchy feeling and she briefly wondered if she was allergic to the man. What in the hell was that feeling?
"What do you mean, stay out of your way?" Clay finally looked down at her. "Are you saying this not working would be my fault?"
"Absolutely." Julie nodded, never more serious in her life. Most of the time the hardest part of her job was teaching the families and loved ones, not the blind individual.
"He is too dangerous to be around. Did you not see the whiskey bottle heading straight for your face?" Clay looked amazed and frustrated at the same time.
"Of course I did… I ducked." Julie snorted. "Listen, this is going to get much harder. He is going to curse me, throw things at me, try everything in his power to make me leave, but let me tell you he has never met anyone like me. I take my job seriously, Mr. Marshall, and I promise you when I'm done you will have your brother back, but you have to let me do my job."
Clay hesitated. He seemed to fight an inner struggle, and it was quite fascinating to watch. "I will be close by, but I will let you do your job without any interference," Clay finally agreed, then added, "I just want you to know that isn't Bo in there. He would never do anything to hurt a lady."
"Mr. Marshall, I'm no lady." Julie actually laughed. "And I'll probably be proving that really soon. I can and will probably out-curse your brother before this is done and over with."
"It's Clay, not Mr. Marshall." He hesitantly smiled down at her. "And that I will have to see."
"And it's Julie, not Ms. Daniels." She nodded, increasingly uncomfortable under his gaze. "Now, can you show me where the kitchen is? I need to make him something to eat. I don't want to leave him without my cheery disposition too long."
When Clay walked past her and down the hall to the steps, Julie frowned, hoping she could deliver everything she'd just promised. As her eyes automatically roamed down Clay's body, she hoped she could do it and keep her heart intact.
Chapter Two