Town of Chance 5:Sweet Caroline(33)

Caroline was relieved until the doctor began to remove her cast and ask her some questions. How long had she lived in town, where did she work, how he never met her sister but knew she worked for Kenneth Pace. It was all too nosey, too personal, and under normal circumstances she would find it nice and feel welcomed. Considering she was trying to hide out and hope that Cameron didn’t find her, Chance seemed to be the worst town to hide out in.

“The receptionist said that you don’t have insurance and are paying cash. We run some great programs through the county if you need some paperwork on that,” he suggested as he began to break off the cast.

“No thank you. I’m good.”

When he finally had the cast removed, he started to examine her arm. It felt so good to have that damn cast off. She felt the tears in her eyes. She was free from Cameron. From the last physical reminder of what he had done to her. She wiggled her fingers and rubbed her hands together.

“It feels good, huh?” Hunter asked and she smiled.

“Amazing,” she replied.

“Well, I’ll let you fill out the paperwork while the nurse gets the bill ready for you.”

She glanced at Hunter and wished he weren’t there yet she felt safer that he was.

“Dr. Anders.” He turned to look at her.

“Uhm, is there any way I could just pay you and not fill this stuff out?” She glanced at Hunter and he watched her and then he took her hand and she felt the tears fill her eyes once again. He was being her rock and support yet he didn’t know what she was hiding. Could he really be trusted?

The doctor looked at them and at Hunter.

“Sweetie, are you in some kind of trouble?” he asked her.

She started to shake her head and then she lowered her eyes and took a deep breath. She could hear the emotion in her voice as she spoke. “Please, don’t ask me questions. I haven’t done anything illegal. I just can’t let you put my name in some computer system that anyone can access.”

He stepped closer to her.

“You’re safe here. The people of Chance protect their own, and you’re a member of this town. We have rules to follow, and I’m certain that Hunter will be helpful in explaining those rules and how they can ensure you’re extra safe and extra protected.” She shook her head and started to pull back but Hunter hugged her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her cheek and whispered next her. His arms felt so good wrapped around her much smaller frame.

“Trust us, baby. Please, trust us to protect you. Take the chance and you’ll see we won’t fail you.” She looked at the doctor who nodded and smiled.

“No documents in the computer?” she asked.

“If you promise to tell us what’s going on and who hurt you.”

Hunter caressed her hair and kept his strong arm around her midsection.

“Who are you running from?” Dr. Anders asked.

“My ex-boyfriend.”

She held onto Hunter’s arm.

“Was he the one who broke your arm?”

“Yes.”

Hunter’s arm stiffened.

“He was abusive?”

“Yes.”

“I need you to trust me and tell me the truth, Caroline. Is he looking for you, to come hurt you more?”

The tears rolled down her cheeks. Her nose clogged up and she could hardly breathe. She felt her vision blur and started to feel like she was going to pass out.

“Hold her, Hunter,” Dr. Anders said.

“Got her,” she heard him say and that was it.

The next thing she knew she was lying on an examining table and felt someone caressing her cheek. As she blinked her eyes open, she saw Hunter. His blue eyes looked so serious but then he smiled and they lit up beautifully.

“Hey, gorgeous, we lost you there a moment.”

“What happened?” she asked and tried to move.

“You passed out,” someone said and when she turned to the right she saw the sheriff standing there in uniform with his hand resting on his holster as he sat halfway on a table, giving her a calm smile. Dr. Anders was there, too.

“I’ll leave you three to talk,” Dr. Anders said and Hunter helped her to sit up.

“I’m so embarrassed. What the heck happened?” she asked Hunter, who caressed her hair, fixing it.

“You were telling us about your ex-boyfriend,” Hunter said to her. She slid down off the bed and Hunter held her hand. “Slow down, so you don’t get dizzy,” he said to her.

“Caroline, I’m here because Hunter and Dr. Anders believe that you’re in some kind of trouble and they’re worried about you. So am I.”

“I’m not in trouble. I didn’t do anything wrong,” she said, shaking her head and getting all nervous again.