Brodie fell back to sleep with a smile on his face, thinking of Zoey with her arms wrapped tight around his neck, imagining her being hauled to safety by his brothers. Then he thought of Maeve, as he was wheeled into hospital, clasping her chest in despair, wringing her hands, weeping at the sight of him fighting for his life. Her hero.
No, he remembered wrongly.Zoey’shero.
Maeve had only thanked him. It was almost worth it just for that.
He woke up in a different ward. Sunshine streaming in through the window. Logan and Noah there.
Noah folded as best he could into a too-small chair, chin propped in his hand, eyes shut. Logan standing by the window, hands in his pockets looking down at whatever was going on below them. He turned when he heard Brodie move and his tired face cracked a smile.
“Hey.”
Brodie yawned. “Hey.”
Noah’s eyes opened. Without moving, he said, “That was quite some rescue.”
Brodie shuffled himself to sit up in the bed, everything still ached. “I thought you said you could lasso anything.”
Noah laughed, sitting up straight, he shrugged and said, “I’ll admit it wasn’t my best.”
Brodie raised his brows like that was an understatement. “Three tries! It was like you were me.”
Noah sat forward, elbows on his knees. “What can I say, panic set in.”
Brodie feigned being unimpressed for a moment then smiled and said, “Thanks for getting there in the end.”
Noah shook his head, half-smile on his lips, clearly incredulous he was getting chewed out for not being quick enough on the lifesaving. Then he raised his chin toward the open door and said, “So she’s your kid, huh?”
Sucking in a breath, still more terrified by the knowledge than the near-drowning, Brodie nodded. “Yeah.”
Noah nodded back. “Nice.”
Brodie let out a breath. He’d weirdly expected something more, maybe some shock or admonishment. The ease of Noah’s reply made his heart slow to a more manageable rate. He found himself glancing guiltily at Logan, wondering if that was where his reprimand would come from.
But Logan simply came over and, standing by the side of the bed, said, “You’re a lucky guy, she’s a great kid. And Noah’s right, that was an impressive rescue mission, Brodie. I honestly didn’t know you had it in you.”
Brodie glanced down at the bed sheet, this time the pride infusing him felt more boyish, more bashful, even. He looked back up, shrugged a shoulder and said casually, “One day when you’re a father you’ll understand.”
Logan narrowed his eyes, gave a slow shake of his head. “You’re still full of crap.”
“That’s a dollar in the swear jar,” came a small voice.
They all turned to see Zoey standing in the doorway. She was wearing red leggings and the Jackson General Hospital sweater that seemed so favored by her family.
Logan stood up straighter. “Apologies, ma’am.”
“That’s okay,” Zoey said, but looking very seriously at Logan added, “You can give my mom the money. We’re collecting for the new children’s wing.”
Logan nodded. “Will do.”
Noah stood behind him trying to keep a straight face at his brother being kept in check by an eight-year-old. “We’ll leave you to it,” he said.
Brodie nodded, but as Noah walked away, he added, “I am really grateful that you did your lasso practice.”
Noah snorted a surprised laugh. Then he looked his twin in the eye and said, “Me, too.”
The men filed out. Logan still suitably abashed at having been caught cursing.
Zoey stood where she was in the doorway and said, “Is it okay to come in?”
