Adrenaline filled her, spurring her to action. “Rennie, get the cell phone and the first-aid kit! Now!” she called as she ran toward where he’d fallen.

Rennie quickly obeyed, pressing both into her mother’s hands just moments later. One-handed, Elise dialed 911, relayed the information and handed the phone off to Rennie, whom she’d ordered up onto hot guy’s lawn, out of the way of a return trip by the hitand-run driver or the arrival of the aid vehicles.

Elise wasn’t a stranger to first aid triage. She held the memories at bay and pretended to be someone else while she stanched the bleeding on his forehead and checked him for other injuries. Her hair had fallen from where she’d had it loosely knotted, but she didn’t want to let go of the pressure on his wound, so she let it fall into her face.

His eyes flickered open here and there as he fought unconsciousness, but he never seemed to focus on her at all. During one such moment of his partial consciousness, she smiled down at him, hoping she was at least somewhat comforting. “Hold on. You’re going to be all right. Help is on the way.”

He licked his bottom lip and closed his eyes again, God help her, the sight tightened things low in her gut.

It wasn’t too much after that when the sound of a siren punctuated the afternoon and paramedics pushed through the crowd surrounding them.

She reassured him quietly, keeping out of the way as best as she could. And when he opened his eyes, focusing them on her, seeing her for the first time as the paramedic knelt beside them, she felt the connection all the way to her toes.

Her pulse jumped as he blinked thick, sooty lashes shading big, brown eyes. He smiled, crooked through the neatly trimmed goatee and mustache. “Angel.”

She laughed. “Not so much. You’re going to be all right, Mr. . . . Um, yeah, I don’t know your name.”

“Brown. Brody Brown.” No slurring, so that was good. A bit of tension in the words, probably soreness and pain. But his pupils looked fine.

A cop stood to her left and she multitasked, speaking to the officer about the car, the license plate and other details while making sure Rennie kept her booty away from the street.

The paramedics got him onto a board as she kept her eye on them, making sure they didn’t jar him. He grumped at the paramedics, bitching about being bumped around. She smiled down at him, touching his cheek, sliding her fingertips into the surprising softness of his beard. “Okay, Brody Brown, stop fussing and let them take care of you. I’m talking to the cops right now. I’ve got it handled. Do you want me to call anyone for you?”

“You’re not real.”

She laughed. “My electric bill says otherwise. I’ll lock your house up for you, all right?”

“On my phone, in the hall, push one. My sister.”

She nodded. “All right then. I’ll go now.”

They told her where they were taking him, and she stood watching as they drove away, then she headed into his house.

She didn’t expect what she saw inside, even just from the entry near the phone. Neat. Lived in, but neat. Hmm. Elise grabbed the phone, steeling herself for a call she was frightfully glad she wasn’t on the other end of for a change.

Erin groaned and leaned over Todd’s body to grab the phone. Late nights under his talented hands were more than worth the sleepiness the next morning.

“Hello, Brody. Why on earth are you calling my house at ten on a Saturday?”

“I’m sorry to wake you up. I’m Elise Sorenson. I live across the street from your brother. First let me tell you he’s fine.”

Erin sat up, awake instantly. Todd stirred, his handsome face creasing with the concern he must have felt when he saw her reaction.

“Is everything all right?” Nausea swamped her, her heart pounded.

“He’s had an accident. They’re taking him to Harborview right now. He asked me to call you.”

Erin scrambled up and began to get dressed as she held the phone to her ear with her shoulder.

The woman on the other end gave her details but kept her cool. Erin really appreciated that level voice as the fear threatened to tear reason from her head.

Ben came in carrying a cup of coffee and wearing nothing more than a smile. Sweet baby Jesus, was he pretty to look at. Even better, when he saw the look on Erin’s face and Todd getting dressed, he simply put the mug down and began to dress as well.

“Thank you, Elise, I appreciate you calling and locking up Brody’s house too.”

“Not a problem. He’s going to be all right. He was conscious enough to be grumping at the people getting him in the ambulance and to tell me where the phone was to call you.” She paused. “If you need anything, please feel free to call me. I’m just across the street.”

Erin liked this Elise Sorenson. The woman was no-nonsense and calm, two qualities Erin needed and appreciated right then. She hung up after giving Erin her phone number and offering to help if she could, kindly waving away Erin’s profuse thanks.

“What’s going on, gorgeous?” After she dressed quickly, Ben handed her the coffee, now transferred to a travel mug, and the three of them headed to the door.

Thank God for them. Her men, her everything. She rose on tiptoe to kiss Ben and then Todd. “Brody got hit by a car. They’re taking him to Harborview. His neighbor called. She says he’s all right, but I’ll feel a lot better when I see for myself.”

Todd nodded, taking the keys. “I’ll drive. You call Adrian on the way.”