Chapter Nine––––––––
By the time they got in the door, his foot was throbbing. The shoe seemed too tight. Obviously, his foot had swollen. He sat down on the couch and unlaced his sneaker. Easing it off, he let out a sigh as the discomfort let up a bit.
“Does it hurt?”
He nodded.
“Let me see.” She dropped to her knees and set gentle fingers to removing the sock. Even her light touch sent pain through him. As she slid it off, he hissed. Once the foot was bared, he could see an angry, red and purple bruise around his arch.
“Be right back,” she said.
He stretched out on the sofa and put his leg up on the coffee table. Raising it would help reduce some of the swelling.
Dusty returned with an ice pack and a bowl of hot water. “Like the guy said—cold then hot, cold then hot.”
He lay back
