Page 25 of Yours, Always
He heard Prudence scream as he hit the ground. His head hit the mat on the other side, and he saw stars.What the fuck? Did they triple wax that damn hood?Greyson kept rolling, finally coming to a stop when he slammed his head, again, this time on the base of a camera. The last thing he heard before everything went black was Simon Fredora shouting, “We can take that out in editing!”
Chapter Thirteen
Prudence tapped her foot on the floor impatiently. It seemed like they’d been waiting for hours, although she knew it hadn’t even been forty-five minutes. Gabe reached over and laid his hand on hers to steady it, before setting his magazine on the table in front of them.
Being in the clinic was disorienting. The Amber Falls Clinic was a large, renovated Victorian home near the center of town. Dr. Simmons had practiced in a nearby town before moving to Amber Falls and setting up his clinic last year. Instead of building, he’d purchased this old Victorian house and remodeled it so it could hold both the clinic and his home. The waiting room was decorated more like a parlor, and Prudence expected a maid to walk in with tea service at any moment.
“We got him here fast enough, Pru. Everything will be fine. If there’s one person whose head can withstand being smacked into that camera, it’s Greyson,” Gabe said, trying to ease Prudence’s mind.
“I can’t stop picturing him on the ground not moving.” Tears started forming in her eyes, and she grabbed a tissue from her purse.
“He was awake when he got here and there was no blood that I could see. He’ll be fine.” Gabe reached for his coffee cup, the slight tremor in his hand the only thing giving away that he was worried. “Annie asked for tonight off months ago, and I’m working her closing shift. I hate to even ask, but I don’t suppose you have anything going on later. I think that someone will have to stay with him, at least for one night.”
“Don’t even worry about it. Chuck and I were going out tonight, but I’ll cancel that.” Prudence’s phone started buzzing. “That’s actually him. I’m going to take this. Grab me if the nurse comes out.” She stood and walked to the door.
Stepping outside onto the screened in wrap-around porch she started pacing with nervous energy and answered the call. “Hey, Chuck.”
“That guy is a professional. You’ll be happy to hear we got the shot in one take.”
Prudence stopped short. “What?” she asked incredulously.
“Simon showed us the footage and said he can work with it to make the commercial. Thank God he did the voice-over first.”
“Chuck, our friend was hurt, possibly seriously, and all you care about is that damned commercial?”
“I was gonna ask how he was.” There was a long silence on the other end. “How is he?” Chuck finally asked.
“We haven’t heard anything yet. Greyson was awake by the time we got here, though. So that’s good news.”
“I really was going to ask, you know. Everyone here wanted to know, too.”
Prudence sighed, feeling on edge. “It’s not every day you see a friend lying unconscious on the ground. I thought you’d be more worried.”
“You and Gabe are there, he’s in good hands. What time are you going to be done?”
“I don’t know, we haven’t talked to the doctor yet. We’ll know more soon, I hope.”
“Okay, well, I have some steaks in the fridge, I was going to bring them over tonight to grill, I’m thinking about six?”
“Oh, Chuck, I won’t be home. Gabe has to work at the bar, and we’re sure someone is going to have to stay with Greyson to wake him overnight to make sure he’s okay. He wanted to know if I could stay, and I said yes.”
“Why would you say yes? Can’t Annabelle or someone else stay?”
“Annabelle?” she questioned. “Why would I have to ask Annabelle when I’m free?”
“You don’t have to be free. There’s gotta be someone else that can stay with him.”
“There’s me. I’m going to stay with him.”
“Gabe owns the bar. Why does he get stuck working the closing shift?” Chuck’s voice was starting to get shrill.
“What’s going on, Chuck? Why are you making this into such a big deal?”
“It’s not a big deal. My girlfriend is just staying the night with Greyson Atwood. No other guy would possibly see that as a big deal either, I suppose.”
“Oh my God, Chuck, are you being serious right now? We’ve both known Greyson since the dawn of time, and you’re choosing now to have an issue with our friendship?”
“But, babe, what am I gonna do with these steaks for dinner?” Chuck said in a voice that could only be described as a whine.