“For what?”
“For giving me back a life, even if it was only for a brief time.” She opens the door and disappears.
“Nellie.”
I stiffen at the sound of Theo’s curt greeting to her a few seconds before he appears in the doorway. He smiles. I fight back my emotions, the ones that could one day make another attempt at my life and succeed.
“Hello.”
He moves to the bed. “Surgery went well.”
“So I hear.”
“Your father knows you.” He nods to the bottle of carrot juice then opens the lid, drops the straw into it, and brings it to my mouth.
I take a sip. The cool juice feels like heaven on my dry throat. “He does, but don’t let him hear you say ‘father.’”
“Did you get your urgent matter settled with him?”
Him? No. Settled? Hardly.
“Thank you for calling him and getting him here.”
Theo nods, taking a seat in the chair by my bed. “You get to go home tomorrow.”
I laugh. “Home? Where is that?”
“Good question.” He smirks. “I don’t think my mattress on the floor is conducive to your compromised physical condition.”
“Brilliant observation, Mr. Reed.”
We smile at each other for a few long moments. It feels good. In spite of everything, and even if I don’t have one damn good reason to do so, I love this man with every fiber of my being.
“So… Nellie. She’s better? And your father? They’re together? I don’t understand.”
I wait. Maybe if I wait long enough, he’ll ask me to lie to him.
He doesn’t.
“Nellie, she—”
“Ruby?” Oscar peeks his head around the door. “We’re going to go back to the hotel for a few hours. Can I have a quick word with you before I leave?”
Theo sighs and stands. “I’ll be back,” he whispers in my ear before biting my earlobe.
“Thanks.” I smile at him.
As soon as he leaves the room, my smile dies.
“Interesting bloke.”
“Sorry I wasn’t awake to introduce the two of you.”
“He doesn’t say much.”
“And he’s not even British.”
Oscar smiles. “Do you think he’s a good choice for you?”
