Page 63 of Stripping Bare

On his way to St. Elizabeth’s hospital, Jonah called the restaurant in Charlotte. He was able to get one of the bartenders on the phone. “Hey, I was at your place Saturday night and I thought I saw one of my old college buddies there, but he left before I could catch up with him. Could you check your receipts and give me the name of a guy who was drinking martinis? Threeolives.”

“Dude, I’m notsure—”

“Do it, and I’ll call your manager and add more gratuity to the bar bill for thatnight.”

A sigh came from the other end of the line. “I’ll need a little time to check thesystem.”

Jonah gave the bartender his callbacknumber.

When he arrived at the hospital, he strode up to the information desk and flashed a strained smile. “I’m looking for Eva Vanderwinkle’sroom.”

“Room212.”

On the second floor, a nurse stopped him as he tried to enter the room. “Are youfamily?”

With no reluctance at all, he lifted a bouquet of flowers and said, “Hergrandson.”

“You can stay ten minutes. They recently brought her up fromrecovery.”

Crap.That meant she’d needed surgery. “Thanks.”

He strolled toward the other end of the hallway and rounded the corner. Thank God for walls because he leaned against the nearest one and tried to catch his breath. He could’ve killed Mrs.Vanderwinkle.

When he got himself together and found the correct room, he walked in to find Mrs. Vanderwinkle alone and hooked up to all kinds of beeping and flashingmachines.

The sight made his insides go cold. Where was herfamily?

He placed the flowers, so damned inadequate as an apology, on a nearby rolling table and went to the bedside to take herhand.

Her thin eyelids fluttered open, and she pinned him with sharp blue eyes. “JonahSteele.”

“Yes, ma’am. How’re youfeeling?”

She waved toward a pitcher sitting next to the flowers he’d brought and rasped out, “How do you think I’m feeling? Like a Yugo that’s been flattened by asemi.”

With unsteady hands, he hurried to fill a plastic cup with water and shoved a straw init.

“Lift the bed alittle.”

He found the button and increased the incline enough so she wouldn’t choke on a sip of water. He held the cup and straw, and she took two halfhearted sips before lying back on thepillows.

After a few bolstering breaths, she said, “Who was that pretty girl you werewith?”

“A friend.” Seriously? He’d put her in the hospital and she wanted to know about Tessa? “The nurse said you had surgery, but I wasn’t able to get any otherinformation.”

“Just a pin in myhip.”

Justa pin? That meant recovery time and physical therapy. He pulled out his phone and sent himself a reminder text to hire her a private physical therapist. “Do you have someone to stay with you here at thehospital?”

“My daughter’s on her way down from Alexandria. Don’t you worry. I’m eighty-three years old. I didn’t get to my age by being a dainty little flower. I’m a tough oldbroad.”

He took her hand again, conscious of the birdlike bones beneath hisfingers.

“Don’t let my size fool you. My Henry used to say I was the hardiest heifer in the pasture.” Her smile reached her tired eyes. “Poor man didn’t exactly have a way with the compliments, but he meant well. Point being that we women are made of sterner stuff than you mightthink.”

What would Tessa say if he told her she was the hardiest heifer in the pasture? Based on all she’d said to him lately, he had a feeling she’d take it as a compliment. Maybe Mrs. Vanderwinkle was right. He was still seeing Tessa as delicate instead of strong. “Please know that I never meant to hurt you. I thought you were someoneelse.”

“Jonah, you’re a good boy,” she said. “You saved this town, so why in the world would you go around attacking the senior citizens here? That doesn’t make a bit of sense. Besides, your mother raised you better. But I would like to know who you mistook mefor.”