“We’re looking for Keenan Gallagher,” she tells the woman before I have the chance to. “The woman downstairs said he’s on this floor.”
The nurse taps away on what looks like an iPad then looks up at us. “He is. Both of you family?”
Lord, she’s about to get a stern talking to. “We don’t have to be family. You bloody well know it too. But I’ll give you a little info since you’re so nosey. I’m his girlfriend, and this is his sister. Now take us back to him before we have your job, and trust me, we’re not the type who play around.”
“Shite, Delilah.” Keeva cackles and tries to refrain from smiling.
The nurse looks us over and nods. “Well, then you’d both best follow me,” she says.
“What happened to him?” Keeva asks while the nurse pauses at the door. “I wasn’t told much on the phone.”
“He was shot.”
I hold in my gasp and close my hand around Keeva’s arm. It’s the only way I’ll stay on my feet. Keenan and I have already spent too much time apart, and with each new detail I learn, the reality of the fact that we might’ve come close to never being together again hits home.
I’m still very proud of myself for keeping things together the way I am, even if I did lose my shit a bit at the nurse a few moments ago. I don’t regret it, though. Not in the least.
“It was very touch and go for a while, but he pulled through. Now he has a wound in his shoulder and in his abdomen, so please tread carefully.”
“We will,” I comment in a mere whisper. I don’t even know why I’m whispering in the first place, probably because I’m afraid about what I’m going to walk into.
“Keenan,” the nurse says as we walk in. “Your sister andlovelygirlfriend are here to see you.” She talks to him the way someone would to an older person. Like maybe they won’t hear you if the words don’t come slow and loud. I didn’t miss the sarcasm when she called me lovely, though. It would probably be best if she scurries off before I make her life living hell.
I really hope that’s because of the pain meds. From the sounds of his wounds, he needs the good stuff.
“Keeva?” he says, but his voice doesn’t sound like him. It’s groggy and gravelly like his vocal cords have been raked over the kitchen mandolin. I step out from behind the nurse. “Delilah.” This time his whisper sounds somewhat like a prayer.
My bottom lip trembles, but I pull everything back in. No time to fall apart. Not in front of his sister and this bitchy nurse.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it.” The nurse grunts and leaves the room.
“Are you all right, brother?” Keeva asks him first.
My feet are inexplicably cemented to the floor. It doesn’t matter how much I push for them to move, they don’t. But Keenan never takes his eyes off of me.
“I’ll be fine,” Keenan tells her, still with his eyes on my body. It’s like he’s studying me as if he worries something will happen and he’ll never see me again.
Keeva glances from him to me then shakes her head. “I’ll go hunt us down some coffee. Give you two some time.”
Neither of us acknowledges her as she scoots past me. Instead, the pungent silence hangs between us. There are so many things that I want to say, and now, they’re all coming out at once.
“I’m sorry,” I say suddenly. “I’m so sorry that I doubted you. That we’ve ever argued. That I was so stupid to think that you were disrespecting me.”
“Don’t do that.” He holds up his good hand and flexes his fingers to tell me to come to him. Of course, I do. When my hand slides into his, my brain finally acknowledges that he’s there, and for now, he’s alive. “Don’t pretend that I’ve never done anything wrong now just because I got hurt.”
“That’s not—”
“That’s exactly what you’re doing. When I should be apologizing to you.” His eyes lock with mine. “I’m sorry I’m putting you through this right now. Did Keeva call you?”
“Yes, but she didn’t know what was happening. Just that you’d been hurt. I don’t even know who called her.”
“Probably my cousin, Liam.”
I’m about to ask more, but the quick rap on the door keeps the words in my mouth.
A young-looking doctor walks in wearing some sort of vest. It’s odd, in America, doctors wear lab coats, but not here. He has blond hair and a kind face. I turn my body to face him without letting go of Keenan’s hand. I’ll keep a hold of him as long as he lets me.
“How are you feeling?” the doctor asks. The name on his vest says Dr. Williams. This doctor had better be a good one.
