“It was bloody!” Alden shrieked.
Daisy knelt in front of him “Are you okay?”
Alden nodded. “Yes. I didn’t cut my finger off.”
She nodded, feeling somewhat shocked. “No. You didn’t.”
“Daddy cut his hand really bad,” Wren said, her cheeks tearstained.
Daisy wiped one of the tears away. “I’m so sorry, sweetie. I’m sorry Daddy got hurt.”
“Daddy said you’d probably laugh about it,” Avery said.
Daisy worked to keep her face neutral. “Daddy was wrong about that. I don’t think it’s funny he got hurt.” Though clearly if he had the breath in his lungs to talk shit about her in front of their kids while he was en route to the ER, he was fine enough. “I don’t think it’s funny that you’re scared for him.”
The ER doors opened, and she turned to look, right as Zach walked in. Her heart slammed against her breastbone. He was disheveled and sexy.
Did he have her bra with him?
He crossed quickly to where she and Amberly were and moved to stand next to Daisy, protective intensity radiating off him.
Amberly looked at Zach and ... turned pink. “Zach Woods.”
“Yeah,” said Zach, looking between her and Daisy.
“I mean, I know you’re, like, Jonathan’s business partner, but we haven’t met yet, and I binge-watchedSecond Chance Cityon streaming like three months ago, because I was five when it was on, so I didn’t see it then, but you are amazing.”
Zach shot Daisy a look, then he looked back at Amberly. “Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Jonathan hasn’t seen it yet. I should make him watch it while he’s recovering.”
“That’s ... uh ... nice.” It was rare that Daisy had ever seen Zach lost for words, but Amberly had done it.
She noticed Amberly had blood on her hands too. She had been there for Jonathan when he was hurt. And she’d been there for the kids.
Those mixed feelings were even more intense now.
“You can go, Amberly,” Daisy said. “I’ve got the kids.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Of course. They need to get to bed, and you can go and be with him.”
“Thank you.” She walked quickly toward the counter and filled out a badge, and for some reason Daisy found herself standing there watching her. It was an out-of-body experience. If this had happened a few months ago, that would have been her worrying about Jonathan. It would have been her going back to see how he was doing.
Worrying about his hand and the future of the business.
“Are you okay?”
She turned to Zach, who was looking at her. “I don’t know. But I need to get the kids home.”
“I’ll go with you.”
She could protest. But she didn’t want to.
The doors to the ER opened, and right as Amberly started to go in, Nora came rushing out, her eyes round. She looked past Daisy, over her shoulder, and Daisy noticed Sam for the first time since she’d come into the crowded room.
“Nora!” Daisy called out to her, and the two of them stood there staring at each other. As if this could get any weirder or more reminiscent of that moment they’d reconnected in Alexandra’s hospital room what felt like a whole lifetime ago.
