“Sandwich and coffee?”
She finally cracked a smile, though it looked like it was fueled by relief. “I’ll see what I can do.”
She stood and started toward the door. That was when I noticed she wasn’t wearing her uniform. As a matter of fact, I was pretty sure those were jammie pants.
“Duckies?” I asked.
She turned. Gave me a tolerant look. “It has been a long day. Too long. And I like duckies. You have something to say about that?”
“I like duckies too. We should make it a part of the official uniform. Very intimidating.”
She shook her head, but at least this time her smile was more than just relief. “I’m going to tell them to dial down your meds.”
I scowled, but couldn’t hold it for long. “Don’t be a spoilsport. My boyfriend walked out on me and I got shot. I deserve a night up in the clouds.”
“Walked out on you?” Jean perked up and slid her phone back into her pocket. “Is this Ryder we’re talking about?”
“You mean that he left you at the judging?” Myra asked.
It took me an extended moment to try to think of what to say, which only made me sound guilty as hell.
“Oh-ho.” Jean leaned her elbows on the bed’s side bar thingy. “She doesnotmean the judging. Talk, drunkie. Tell all.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“I’ll be back,” Myra said. “Don’t hassle her, Jean.”
Myra walked out. As soon as the door closed, Jean tapped my arm with a fingertip and wiggled her eyebrows. “Out with it. What happened with Ryder?”
“Nothing.” I held her gaze. Must have done a pretty good job at it too, because she leaned back.
“Do I need to hunt him down and break a few fingers?”
“Wow. Way to go Mafia on me. What games have you and Hogan been playing?”
“The good ones.” She narrowed her eyes. “Seriously, Del. What did he do?”
“It’s…fine. He was— We were… It’s all fine. I don’t know why I even brought it up. Drugs.”
And paranoid hippy vampires.
I lifted my arm again to show her the tubes, and the pink balloon made thatplinkingsound.
“He tied a balloon to my pinkie.” I grinned up at it for a while.
Jean patted my arm. “He didn’t hurt you?”
“Death?”
“Ryder.”
“Oh.” I frowned, thought about that, sort of prodding my heart to see if most of the pieces were still together. “He didn’t hurt me. We’re good. This is all just new. It’s going to go how it goes.”
“Yeah, totally new. You haven’t been crazy in love with him for half your life.”
“I think I’ve been in love with the idea of him.”
“Oh, bull.” She laughed. “You know him. You’ve seen him, been a part of his life. You are seriously in deep Xs and Os with the man. Not with the idea of who he is.”
