Drop Dead Gorgeous by Linda Howard Read Free Book Online Page B

house, and she was postponing the showing until later in the day. She also called Siana , but either she didn't mention Siana by name or I totally missed it, because I was surprised when Siana entered the room around eight-thirty, wearing a great-fitting pair of jeans and a slinky little chemise top with sequined straps, plus a leather blazer draped over her shoulders. That was so not what she would wear to work, that I knew she'd taken the day off. Siana's a lawyer—as I've mentioned—very junior in a firm full of rainmakers, but senior in attitude. I didn't think she'd stick with the firm for much longer, because she'd do better on her own. Siana was born to have her own firm and be a raging success. Who wouldn't hire her? She was brilliant, had killer dimples, and was ruthless, all of which are great things to look for in a lawyer.
    "Why aren't you working?" I asked.
    "I'm taking Mom's place so she can close on a house." She settled in the chair where Wyatt had spent the night, eating an apple.
    I eyed the apple. The hospital hadn't offered me anything to eat, just some crushed ice, evidently holding off on feeding me until some doctor somewhere decided I wouldn't need emergency brain surgery. Said doctor was taking his or her own sweet time, and I was starving. Hey! Surprised, I did a quick check of myself. Yep, the nausea had diminished. Maybe I couldn't handle eggs, bacon, and toast just yet, but I could certainly handle yogurt and a banana.
    "Stop staring at my apple," Siana said placidly. "You can't have it. Apple envy is an ugly thing."
    Automatically I defended myself. "I don't have apple envy. I was thinking more along the lines of a banana. And you didn't have to take off work, I should be released sometime this morning. It was just for overnight."
    " 'Overnight' doesn't mean the same thing to doctors that it does to real people," Mom said, completely dismissing the reality of the entire medical profession. "The emergency room doctor won't be the one who releases you, anyway. Another one will eventually look at your test results, eventually look at you , and with any luck you'll be home by late this afternoon."
    She was probably right. This was the first time I'd actually been admitted to a hospital, though I'd visited the emergency department a few times and had found that time definitely had a different meaning there. "A few minutes" invariably meant a couple of hours, which was okay if you knew that, but if someone went in expecting to be seen literally "in a few minutes" she was bound to be frustrated and annoyed.
    "Regardless of that, I don't need a babysitter." I felt honor bound to point that out, though we all knew I didn't want to be left alone, they weren't going to leave me alone, and discussion was fruitless. Though sometimes I enjoy fruitless discussions.
    "Deal with it," Siana said, grinning at me and flashing her dimples. "I thought the firm needed a day without me, anyway. I'm being taken for granted, and I don't like it." She took another bite of her apple, then tossed the core in the trash. "I've turned off my cell phone." She looked pleased with herself, which meant the people who had been taking her for granted would probably try several times during the day to get in touch with her.
    "I have to leave," Mom said, leaning over to kiss my forehead. She looked great, despite a night of very little sleep and her worrying about me. "But I'll check in during the day. Let's see, you need clothes to go home in. I'll swing by and pick them up before I go home, then bring them at lunch. No way will you be released before lunch. I'm also hot on the trail of a wedding cake maker, I've located an arbor, and late this afternoon I'm going to Roberta's house"— Roberta is Wyatt's mom—"and we're going to brainstorm emergency procedures if the weather is bad. Everything's under control, so don't worry."
    "I have to worry; that's the bride's job. There's no way all the marks from the road rash will be gone by