Page 13 of Santa of the Creek

“I promise not to run away,” I say solemnly, and she giggles.

I close my eyes as she leaves me alone. Deep breath in. Breathe out. Deep breath in. Breathe out. The nausea subsides a little and I start to feel better. I’ll stay like this for a moment.

“Echo?”

“Huh.” I open my eyes. “Sorry, what drink do you want?” I must have dropped off behind the bar. How embarrassing. Then I focus on Dean’s amused expression. “Could you repeat the order?”

“I’m here to take you home,” he says.

Home? I stare at him, confused. Then it all floods back. Dean. Hospital. Santa.

“Why are you here?”

“I’m here to take you home,” he repeats.

“Oh. Okay, I’m sorry to bother you.”

“No problem. I forgot I had your keys.” He hands them over.

I shove them in my pocket as Sue bustles up. “Oh, you’re here already. Dean. That was quick. Echo just needs to sign the forms, and he’s ready to go.”

I grimace as I sign my life away. I might have to find another job to pay back just the ambulance ride. I’m going to have to work this week. Maybe I can hop behind the bar.

Then I look at Dean. “I’m all yours.” I hide my smile at his blush.

He plucks the forms out of my hand and tucks them in his pocket, then he hands me the crutches, and we take a slow walk out of the clinic as I work out how to use them. Dean stops me after a moment.

“Crutches and boot, then leg.”

I practice until I’m smoother, and he beams at me.

“That’s it.”

I glow under his smile, feeling like a kid who’s just been praised by his dad. “You’re a pro.”

“Broken leg as a kid. I was in a cast for six weeks, then a boot.”

“What did you do?”

“My brother pushed me off a swing.”

I stared at him. “The mayor pushed you off a swing?”

“He wasn’t the mayor then,” Dean points out with a twitch of his lips. “But yeah, Danny pushed so hard I went flying.”

It’s my turn to blush. I have this thing about authority figures. I can’t imagine them as anything except who they are now. I could never be friends with my doctor or dentist, or even my boss. It’s a thing people laugh at, but I’ve always been the same.

“Echo, are you okay?”

“Huh?” Then I realize I’ve stopped halfway through the door. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

“I’m not surprised,” Dean agrees. “Let’s get you home to bed.”

We both blush furiously. I don’t know about Dean, but my mind went straight to the gutter. Then I hear a snort and look up to see a nurse smirking at Dean. I scowl at him, and he backs away with his hands up.

“Just ignore him,” Dean says wearily. “I went to school with Lee. He was always the same.”

I glare after the nurse. “I don’t like bullies.”