“Do you know why I’m calling?”
There was a long, uncomfortable pause. “Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“I…”
“Hayden, now is not the time. Get your ass to the hospital. Becca needs you.”
“I’m here.” He sounded embarrassed. Good.
Owen blinked. “Where?”
“Outside.” What the hell? “I—I’ve been here for a bit.”
Owen swore. “Get inside.”
Then he hung up and swore again before stalking to the elevators. It didn’t take long for Hayden to appear, all six feet of him. He was wearing khaki shorts and a t-shirt that looked expensive. The kind Adam wore clubbing. “Where is she?”
Owen led the way.
Hayden cleared his throat. “Thank you for calling, sir.”
Owen shrugged. “It wasn’t for you.”
“I understand.” The younger man hesitated. “I got a job for the summer. Did Becca tell you that? I’ve been working as a line cook at Mac’s during breakfast.”
No, Becca hadn’t said a word. And Owen rarely went there for breakfast anymore, since they’d leaned so heavily on Mac’s for dinner due to her aversion to meat cooking in her vicinity. “Have you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What did your coach say about that?”
“He wasn’t thrilled.” Hayden’s throat worked, like he was going to say something more about how important it was to focus on conditioning over the summer.
Owen didn’t need to hear that, but luckily they’d arrived at Becca’s room. “Shall we?”
Hayden almost pounced forward. “Yeah.”
Inside, Rachel gave Hayden a hug, then got out of his way so he could sink down onto the bed next to Becca.
“Come on,” she said to Owen. “Let’s give them a minute alone.”
“He dressed up,” Owen muttered once they were in the hallway.
Rachel gave him a look.
“What?”
“If he’d shown up in his usual basketball shorts and a tank top, you’d have groused that he was underdressed for the occasion.”
He snorted. “So he was just sitting outside, apparently. Waiting in his car.”
She sighed. “At least he came inside eventually?”
Owen scrubbed a hand over his face. “Yeah. Listen, do you want a coffee?”
“Sure.” She hesitated and glanced back at the room.
