A Perfect Trade. Anna Sugden

pitied Jenny’s boss. Hell, if these two were his kids, he’d have had a stroke just to get away from them.

      The nurse patiently went through Harry’s status again. “Perhaps, as you’re next of kin, you’d prefer to handle the paperwork for his admission.”

      Felicia fluttered her hands, looking panicked. “I couldn’t.”

      “Good God, no. That’s what she’s here for.” Irving arched an eyebrow at Jenny. “That is what a personal assistant is supposed to do, isn’t it?”

      Irritation spiked at the crude insinuation, despite Tru’s own questions about Jenny’s relationship with her boss only minutes earlier. He waited for Jenny to lambaste the man. She’d cut some of the biggest stars in the National Hockey League off at the knees for less, slicing through their egos like a sushi chef with fresh tuna.

      But Jenny said nothing. She stood there, staring at Irving. The white knuckles of her clenched fists, hanging by her sides, were the only sign she was bothered by Irving’s gibe.

      What the hell was wrong with her? Why was she letting him walk all over her?

      “Your father would be in the morgue, if it wasn’t for Jenny’s fast action,” Tru snapped.

      Sturridge’s daughter gasped.

      Irving cast his gaze lazily over Tru. “Don’t tell me you brought one of your hockey hulks with you, Jenny?” His lip curled. “Can’t you do without them for one afternoon?”

      Jenny’s hand whipped out and grabbed Tru’s arm as he curled his fingers into a fist. With surprising strength, she prevented him from smashing the arrogant ass’s nose.

      For the first time since her boss had collapsed in the drugstore, she morphed into the haughty ice queen he was used to. “Show the hospital and your father some respect.”

      The younger man flushed. “You little tramp. I’ll show you...”

      The nurse cleared her throat. “Mr. Sturridge, please lower your voice. If you can’t control yourself, I’ll ask security to escort you from the premises.”

      Before Irving could respond, his sister stopped him. “Daddy wouldn’t like it.” She turned to the nurse. “When can we see our father?”

      “You’ll have to wait until we’ve completed our tests and he’s in his room.” The nurse kept her tone professional. “Take a seat and I’ll come for you when we’re ready.” She smiled at Jenny. “Ms. Martin, if you’d follow me.”

      “Why does she get to go with you?” Felicia whined.

      “You wanted me to handle the forms,” Jenny said stiffly. “If you’d rather...”

      “Oh...no.” Felicia shook her head quickly.

      “Just get it done.” Irving stalked over to an empty seat, followed by his sister.

      Jenny turned to Tru. Her expression softened fractionally. “I appreciate your help, but you don’t need to hang around. This may take a while. I can get a cab home.”

      “No way.” His tone brooked no argument. “I’ll wait and give you a ride.”

      This time, her hesitation was brief. “Okay. Thanks. Hopefully, I won’t be too long.”

      Her half smile hit him square in the chest. His next breath hurt, as though he’d bruised a rib. Damn. Some things never changed.

      As Jenny followed the nurse through the E.R. doors, Tru returned to his mom and told her the score. “I can take you home, then come back for Jenny.”

      “Don’t be silly. I want to wait for Jenny, to see if everything’s all right.” She frowned at him. “Are you feeling okay?”

      Tru realized he was rubbing the center of his chest. “I’m fine. A little hungry,” he lied.

      “I’ll make you something to eat when we get home. I have stew in a pot, waiting to be fired up.”

      “Heated up, Ma.” He grinned.

      “Heated, fired. It’s the same, no?” She shrugged. “Still tastes good.”

      “Sure. Sounds great.”

      The E.R. staff still hadn’t called Harry’s children through by the time Jenny returned, an hour later. A fact that Irving had complained about loudly every fifteen minutes.

      Jenny spoke briefly to the pair, then joined Tru and his mom. Her mouth was set in a grim line as they walked out to the parking lot, and there were shadows under her blue eyes. Despite her stiff spine, an air of vulnerability surrounded her, making her seem fragile.

      “Thank you for waiting,” she said wearily, as Tru drove out of the parking lot. “I’m sorry that took longer than expected. They let me see Harry for a few moments while they got him settled in his room.”

      “No problem.” Tru pulled out onto the main road. “How’s he doing?”

      “No change.” She sighed. “They don’t know why he hasn’t woken up, but everything seems to be working okay and the scans don’t show any major damage.”

      “The body heals in its own time. Give it a few days and see how things look then.” He added lightly, “He’s probably playing possum to avoid his kids.”

      “That would be just like him.” Jenny managed a half smile. “In the meantime, I’ll have to deal with Felicia and Irving. She’s always more needy and demanding when Harry’s not around. Irving hangs around the office, sticking his nose into everything and generally being a pain in the ass.”

      “If you need help handling them, I can round up a posse of Ice Cats.”

      “I may take you up on that.”

      The rest of the drive wasn’t as tense as the trip to the hospital had been. Still, as they got closer to Jenny’s house, he sensed that barrier rebuilding around her.

      By the time he pulled into her drive, Jenny was back to her normal, distant self.

      “Would you like to come in for a coffee?” Her polite invitation was wooden.

      “I should get Mom home.”

      His mom frowned at his abrupt tone. “Will you be okay, Jenny?”

      “Sure. Thanks again for your help today.”

      “No need for thanks. That’s what friends do, look after each other.”

      “Still, I appreciate it, Karina.” Jenny shot Tru a look with a message that needed no translation. He wasn’t her friend and she didn’t need or want his help.

      “Don’t forget your shopping.” His mom held out a white plastic bag.

      “Oh...yes...thanks,” Jenny stuttered and flushed.

      Tru was relieved to pull back out of Jenny’s driveway and head home.

      He hadn’t gone far when he noticed his mom’s pensive expression. “What’s up, Ma?”

      “Nothing really.”

      “Come on, something’s clearly on your mind.”

      “I just wondered why Jenny would need pregnancy vitamins.”

      * * *

      “TRUMAN JELINEK CALLED again to find out how Mr. Sturridge was doing.”

      Jenny tried to hide her surprise from the nurse. “How thoughtful.”

      “He seems like a nice guy. You’d never guess he played hockey. Anyway, I told him there had been no change.”

      “Thanks.” Jenny smiled then headed to Harry’s room.

      She was relieved when the nurse turned back to her charts, instead of accompanying her. The last thing Jenny