He wondered if she’d seen her face or if Rich had told her how bad the injuries were.
The doctor in Noah wanted to demand to see her chart so he could review it, but she needed to be consoled, needed to know everything would be all right. Because no matter what care she needed, he’d see to it himself. And he didn’t mean hire a nurse. He’d literally see to her every need personally. Even if he had to refer his clients for the next few weeks to a colleague, he would do everything in his power to make her comfortable and secure.
“Callie.” He moved over to the edge of the bed, taking her good hand in his. “There’s absolutely nothing to apologize about. Nothing.”
“I’m sorry to have to bother you, but I didn’t know who else to call when my neighbor wasn’t home,” she told him, trying to turn her head away.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” He squeezed her hand. “What can I do for you?”
She tried to shake her head, wincing at the obvious pain.
“Just try to relax.” He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “I’m not going anywhere, Callie.”
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him, but her voice cracked as tears filled her eyes again. “I know they’re keeping me tonight, but I’ll have my neighbor take me home when I get released tomorrow. You don’t have to stay.”
“I’ll leave if you really want me to, but when you’re dismissed, I’m taking you home with me.”
She slid her hand from his and tried to roll over, only to gasp when she realized she’d rolled onto her bad side.
“Easy, Callie. Don’t be so stubborn. You’re going to need help, and since I’m a doctor, I think the best place for you is with me.”
She didn’t respond. Silence filled the room and Noah knew she didn’t want his help. Too bad. He wasn’t going to leave her like this.
“Do you want me to try your neighbor again?” he asked. “You can give me the number.”
“No,” Callie said softly. “I don’t need a babysitter. I know I need someone, but…God, Noah, I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to need someone.”
Before he could say anything further, Rich stepped into the room and slid back the curtain.
“CT scan looks good,” he said. “But I’m going to go ahead and get a room ready for you just for overnight observation. You were unconscious when you were brought in and I’d feel more comfortable monitoring you for a bit. You should be able to go home in the morning. Have you thought about who can help you there?”
“I’ll manage,” she told him, still keeping her face turned to the far wall.
“Miss Matthews, I can’t let you go without knowing you’ll be taken care of.”
Noah shot Rich a look and whispered, “I’ll take her.”
Rich merely nodded and left the room.
“I’m not going to stay with you,” Callie said. “I’ll be fine at home.”
“Then I can stay with you,” he told her, trying not to get angry over her stubbornness.
“I know I should have someone to help, but I’ll call my neighbor or you if I absolutely have to. I want to be alone.”
Noah refused to back down. “Well, that’s too bad. I’m going to help you, Callie, whether you want it or not. So you can decide right now if you want to be difficult or if you want to cooperate. The end result
will be the same.”
Slowly, she turned to face him. “End result? And what is the end result, Noah? That I’ll never be able to start filming this movie? That my dream was just pulled out from under me? They won’t wait on me to heal, if I ever do heal. I’ll never be the same.”
God, he hadn’t wanted her to do the film, but he’d certainly never wished for anything bad to happen to her. And if he hadn’t insisted she model for him, she wouldn’t be in this damn bed wrapped up and broken.
Sobs tore through the room and Callie pounded the bed with her left fist. “Don’t you see, Noah? The end result is that my life and everything I’ve ever worked for were just taken away.”
Noah took her hand once more and laced his fingers with hers. “I’ll make this right, Callie. No matter what I have to do, I’ll make you whole again.”
Four