Jake nodded, even though he didn’t actually know. “Let’s get you outside, okay? Medic should be able to take a look.” He hooked one arm under Mason’s armpits and guided him through the front door, down the steps, and over to the trailers. “Medical? Anyone?”
A young, dark-skinned woman in a red polo shirt walked up. She moved a little faster once she got close. “What happened?”
“I don’t know exactly.” Jake let her take the lead, guiding him over to a separate tent with actual flaps to close. “I think a shelving unit clipped him.”
“It’s nothing, really.” It wasn’t terribly convincing, while Mason was sitting on the little cot, still holding his bleeding head wound. “Just a bad set of circumstances. They dropped the shelf while they were trying to hang it and I happened to be walking by at the wrong time. Metal pipe caught me on the head.” He waved his bloody hand in the air. “I didn’t mean to cause a fuss, yelling like that. More shock than pain.”
The medic grabbed a small bottle and sprayed clear liquid around the wound, clearing it out and winning herself a hiss of pain from Mason. “I think you’re probably right. But we have to be safe.” She touched around it, Mason cringing, then sighed. “I don’t think you need stitches or staples for this one.” She went into a small box and pulled out some sort of bandage with little strips in the middle. “This should keep it closed, but if it doesn’t, you will have to go to urgent care before I can let you back on set.”
Jake grabbed his hand while she cleaned the wound one more time, and he certainly squeezed down as she tightened the closure, cinching the wound up and finally stopping the bleeding. Another cleanup, then she went back to the box. “You want something for the pain?”
Mason shook his head. “Just stings. Honestly, it’s not even that bad anymore. But thanks.”
“Well, I’m going to check on you through the rest of the day. If you start feeling nauseous or lightheaded or just off in any way, find me or have someone flag me down. I doubt you have a concussion if the hit was really that light, but I’m not ready to take chances on head injuries, okay?” She tucked her box of goodies away, then nodded at him. “Promise me you’re not going to be all manly and dumb about this.Anythingfeels wrong, I need to know.”
“Good thing I’m the one who got hurt, then. I don’t have a manly bone in my body.”
Jake nodded. “Unless it’s attached to your date.”
Mason’s jaw dropped and he smacked Jake in the chest.
The medic poorly suppressed a grin. “Well good. You have the all-clear for now.”
She walked away and Mason stood. “You should probably go make sure that your shelves are okay after ramming into a head as hard as mine.”
“I’m sure they’re fine. But are you seriously good?”
“I’m seriously good. Although I should go apologize. Didn’t use the most genteel language when it first hit me.” He patted Jake on the shoulder. “Thanks for getting me out here in one piece.” He took a tentative step and smiled, some of the tension leaking out when he didn’t immediately collapse. “I owe you one.”
“We’re good.” Jake followed, partially to check on the shelves, and partially just to make sure Mason was really all right. He couldn’t hover forever, but for a bit at least. They went back inside and the guys who’d been hanging the shelves were wiping everything up with wet rags.
Mason picked up the pace a little. “Hey, wait. I can clean up my own blood. You shouldn’t have to do that.”
While they debated and apologized back and forth, Jake turned his attention back to the shelves, currently leaning against the cabinets. He checked them by eye and didn’t see any obvious dents or warps, but he’d bring a level in once things had calmed down, make sure. Open shelves like that, they needed to be totally flat, and he’d adjusted the length of the pipes to account for variance from the aging ceiling.
“Hey, I’m sorry about that.” Linda walked up to him, frowning at the shelves. “Any damage?”
“Not that I can see. Really, don’t apologize, especially to me. You didn’t do it. Mason’s not mad. Accidents just happen on a job site.”
“I know. Still hate to see it.” She reached into the pocket of her overalls and came back out with a small level. “I’m guessing this would be good?”
“Bless you.” Jake took it and rested it against every flat surface, then sighed. “Luck was on my side with this one.”
She nodded and took her level back. “They look nice. Haven’t had a chance to tell you.”
“Yeah. Evander had the right call on this one. I think they’ll work in the space really well.”
A light knock sounded on the door and Jake turned and smiled.
Chapter seventeen
Quinn
“Whoa.” Quinn walked slowlyinto the house, taking in what he could. But there was a lot. If he didn’t know better, he’d have had a hard time telling it was the same house.
Everyone was gathered around the edge of the kitchen, it seemed, and he waved at Jake. Then took in the scene a little better. A couple workers talking with Mason, who had a bandage across his right temple, and Jake and the contractor, whose name Quinn wasn’t sure he’d ever gotten, standing next to a set of shelves thatdefinitelyweren’t original to the house.
Quinn walked up to Mason first. “You good?”
