Kassie’s fingers went to work, getting her out of her clothes and into a hospital gown. Warm blankets soon followed and she wallowed in their heat.
“How do you feel, Hannah?” Claire asked, putting another blanket over her.
“I remembered. It happened like you told me. The water triggered it and I recalled them reviving me with it,” she cried.
“I can give you something to relax you and then we can talk about additional therapies tomorrow,” Claire said gently.
“No, I don’t want anything. Where’s Cole?” she asked, sitting up.
Claire turned and said something to Kassie. A minute later, the man she trusted more than anything rushed into her room. He didn’t care who saw him as he crawled under the blankets with her and held her tight.
“I’m right here,” he soothed as he kissed her forehead.
“I love you, Cole,” she whispered. “I wanted to say it and waited for the right time. It’s never the wrong time. I’ve loved you from the moment you took my pinecone.”
“Ahhh, Stormy. I’ve loved you from the moment I gazed into your green eyes. I didn’t want to push you,” he confessed. “It might appear as if I took advantage of you by having you stay at my cabin.”
“I remembered, Cole. I don’t know if knowing feels any worse than not having any idea and letting my imagination run wild,” she said, snuggling closer to his body heat.
“We’ll get through this together,” he said gently. “I’m not going anywhere. And no matter what you tell me, it won’t make me feel any less for you. Brody and I plan on keeping you forever.”
“Brownie and I accept,” she whispered against his chest. She closed her eyes, feeling the safety of his arms and knowing Cole always gave her a choice.
“Where’s my daughter?” Conrad Bailey bellowed.
“I’m in here, Dad,” she called, hoping to keep him from disrupting the hospital staff who cared for all the seniors.
The door flew open and her parents rushed inside. Her dad gave Cole a stern glance, but he refused to let her go.
“Oh, my sweet girl,” her mom exclaimed, kissing her cheeks. “I saw you fly into the lake, and I nearly died right on the spot.”
“It didn’t top my list,” Hannah joked.
Someone knocked, and Hannah yelled, “Come in.”
Taco, Shadow, Knight, and Scarlett entered the room. “Do you need anything, Stormy?”
“I’m good,” she assured them.
“We can use a change of clothes,” Cole said, as he pulled the blanket higher. “We’re in hospital attire.”
“I’ll run to your cabin and grab you some items,” Taco volunteered. “You okay with me going through your underwear, Stormy?”
“Didn’t we settle this earlier? Treat us all the same,” she reminded him.
“You got it. Rest up and we’ll check on you later,” Knight said, giving her a chin lift.
“Good job, Stormy,” Shadow said. “We’ll celebrate later.”
Cole tucked the blankets around her and got out of bed. “I have to check on Leo. He and Patch went to the ER. Will you be all right until I come back? If Kassie releases us, I’ll take you home later.”
“I’ll go with you, son,” her father volunteered.
Her mom smoothed the hair from her face. “Your dad’s proud of you,” she said quietly.
“Oh, it only took me nearly drowning and saving a busload of people to gain his approval. I don’t want it now,” she said, hurt.
“Oh, Hannah. I know your dad has a difficult time expressing his emotions, but we’ve let this go on too long. He loves you,” her mom defended him.
