her boss’s sister and was finally feeling a part of the community and Echo Mountain Church. She didn’t want to think about moving again, although it could be the best option to remain safe.
Another option would be hiring a private investigator to dig into her husband’s accounts. If only she had the budget to afford one. Knowing what Rick was involved in could help Billie anticipate what was coming next and protect herself.
The things you didn’t see coming were the most dangerous of all, things like Rick’s sudden personality change and questionable behavior.
And Billie’s imprudent attraction to Quinn Donovan.
She’d been so relieved earlier today when she’d regained consciousness and seen Quinn staring down at her with worry in his eyes. She’d almost thought she was dreaming.
She was not only relieved but also surprised. After she’d left Waverly Harbor, she never thought she’d see him again. Oh, he’d texted her a few times to make sure she was okay and had settled comfortably into her new life.
She’d purposely kept her responses to his text messages polite but short and didn’t dare ask about his life. She didn’t want to know about his latest conquests, either in business or in the romance department.
A doctor in his mid-fifties with a gentle smile stepped into the examining area. “I’m Dr. Green. So, Wilhelma, are you on any medications or have you had any medical issues we should know about?”
“Please, call me Billie. No, no medications. I’m pretty healthy.”
“And extremely lucky. You don’t seem to have sustained any serious injuries from the fall, but you do have bruised ribs, a sprained wrist and slight concussion.”
“Great, then you’re releasing me?”
“I’d prefer you stay overnight for observation. Your injuries have the potential for complications.”
“I’d rather not. I have to—”
“She’ll stay,” Quinn said, stepping around the corner into the examining area.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” she snapped.
The doctor glanced from Quinn to Billie. “Do I need to call security?”
Billie crossed her arms over her chest and stared straight ahead. “No, it’s fine.”
Quinn extended his hand to the doctor. “Quinn Donovan. I’m with search and rescue. I helped retrieve Billie. Believe it or not, we’re friends.”
The doctor glanced at Billie for confirmation.
“It’s true,” she said.
“Fine, well, they’ll come to move you to a room shortly,” the doctor said.
“Do I really need to stay?”
“We need to keep an eye on swelling of the tissue, both in the lungs and brain, which could lead to more serious problems. Twenty-four hours to be safe.” Dr. Green nodded at Billie and left.
Quinn stepped closer to the bed. “What’s the rush to get out of here?”
“I don’t like hospitals.”
“It’s more than that. Are you worried the guy from the trail is going to track you down? Because I won’t let that happen. I’m staying with you until you’re released.”
“That’s not necessary,” she said a little too sharply. “I’m not worrying about him, but I want to get out and start investigating what he said about Rick.”
“Investigating?”
“Yes, I need to figure out what Rick was into and why that man approached me on the trail.”
“No, I won’t allow it.”
“Excuse me?” She half chuckled, wincing at the pain in her chest.
“It’s too dangerous.”
“It’s more dangerous if I do nothing.”
He leaned closer. “You don’t know what your husband was into. If you go digging into his business you’ll risk stirring up all sorts of trouble. You need to hire someone to do that for you, like a retired cop or a P.I.”
“I don’t have the budget to—”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Billie—”
“Not happening, Quinn. I won’t let you keep paying for things and taking care of me. I’m not a charity case and I resent being treated like one.”
He jerked back as if she’d physically slapped him. She regretted the words, but they had to be said.
“I’m just trying to help,” he said.
“You have. You’ve rescued me twice now. You’ve done more than enough. So please, go back to Waverly Harbor and leave me to manage my own life.”
* * *
Quinn didn’t care how much she protested, he wasn’t abandoning her, not until he knew she was truly safe. With a nod, he stepped into the hallway to give her space. He wouldn’t go far. She was fighting him with what little strength she had left and he didn’t want to upset her further.
But it was his duty to make sure she was okay. He’d assigned himself her protector after the first rescue for many reasons, the least of which being a request made by her dying husband: Take care of Billie. She deserves so much better.
No one knew about the dying man’s plea. Quinn didn’t even tell his own brother, Alex.
Quinn would never forget the look in Billie’s brown eyes when she was told her husband had died. It wasn’t simply grief, it was complete and utter confusion. She’d obviously loved her husband and had been devastated by the loss.
After she came to work for Quinn and he got to know her better, he suspected something else, as well: regret. What he never figured out was if she regretted not being able to prevent her husband from spiraling into depression, or if she regretted marrying Rick Bronson in the first place.
“Wishful thinking,” he muttered.
It would make things so much easier if Quinn thought she’d wanted out of her marriage long before her husband died. Easier as in easier to pursue something more than friendship with Billie? That’s not easy. That’s insanity.
He’d made himself a promise never to go there with her, no matter how much his heart ached to have this special woman in his life. He simply didn’t deserve that kind of goodness, and she surely deserved better than a blackguard like Quinn.
“Quinn?”
Quinn spotted his friend Aiden with his sister, Bree, heading in his direction. The tall, sandy-haired Aiden
