“Ithinkso.”
“Looks like you’ve got a datetomorrow,then.”
Ash punched my arm, and I fell onto the bed, laughing. Jedwashot, but Ash cheating on me was something I’d never worried about, and I wasn’t about to start now. Neither one of us was perfect, but our commitment to each other was absolute. That fucker was my soul mate, and for better or worse, heknewit.
“Did you knowJed’sgay?”
I stopped laughing and rubbed my arm. “I wondered, but I wasn’t sure. Max is adude,then?”
“Yup.”
I nodded slowly and imagined the lakeside cabin Glenn often talked about when he started getting whimsical about his friends in Oregon. He’d never named them as Jed and Max, but it made sense now. Jed was as rugged as Glenn—more so—and I could picture him sanding the boats that Glenn rambled on about when he’d had one too many beers. “Are you workingtoday?”
“This afternoon. I’m taking Liam to school, then I have a meeting with Nicola before I hit thestudio.”
Ash made a face that made me want to jump his bones, though I settled for snickering. Nicola was as close to an agent as he’d consent to having. She organized the rare gallery shows he agreed to and managed the legal side of his work. What she actually did with her time, I had no idea, but she took good care of Ash’s hard-earned money, and that was good enough for me. “What are you working on at thestudio?”
“A Suicide Squad backpiece.”
“The one you started lastmonth?”
“Yeah. Yourememberthat?”
I frowned. “’Course I do. With the blonde chicks and the swords,right?”
“Uh-huh.”
Ash didn’t look convinced, but a glance at the clock revealed I’d run out of time to make amends for whatever I’d done to make him frown. “Igottago.”
I kissed him goodbye for longer than I should have—which was hardly unusual—and wound up having to jog the two blocks to the hospital. Glenn was waiting for me at the nurses’ station. “I need afavor.”
“Already? I justgothere.”
“Right. Come find me when you’re on thefloor.”
“Okay.”
I changed into my scrubs and headed out into the chaos of the ER. The board was full, but the trauma rooms were relatively clear. I took over from the nurse who’d been covering them, then went to find Glenn. “What’sup?”
“Jed needs an iron IV. He’s in exam four with the dog. Can you set it upforme?”
“Sure.” I took the chart Glenn held out and studied the order he’d scrawled on it. I didn’t know much more about gastroparesis than I’d told Ash that morning, and from Jed’s blood results, it was hard to tell why he’d wound up in the ER. “What’s his status? Does he needanythingelse?”
“Nah. Just the IV, maybe some Vicodin if he cramps up. He’s had a hundred of these, so follow his lead. He’s only having it here because the grouchy bastard won’t fuckinggohome.”
Glenn stomped away, leaving me shaking my head. He was an awesome doctor—cool headed and a leading expert in trauma care—but it was clear that treating his buddy got under his skin. And I got that. Joe had gotten shoulder surgery last year for an old football injury and I’d just about lost my shit. And Maggie’s care? Fuck. Glenn was the only doctor I’d ever lettouchher.
A cold shiver buzzed my spine, but I pushed the ghosts aside and got the supplies I’d need to start Jed’s IV. Then I went to his room and found him sitting on the edge of the bed, scribbling in a leather-bound notebook and looking for all the world like an older version of Ash. Wow. How had I not noticedthatbefore?
Jed glanced up as the notion hit me. “Hey. Sorry if this has fucked up your schedule. I told Glenn it could wait until I got home, but he’s not in the mood to listentoday.”
“It’s okay.” I set my supplies on the bed. “You need it, right? Might as well haveithere.”
Jed hummed and closed his notebook. “I don’t like that I need it. Desta doesn’t either. He’ll probably growl when you stick me, but don’t worry. Hewon’tmove.”
Until then I hadn’t registered the spaniel by Jed’s feet. He was so well-trained that he blended into Jed’s surroundings, which I supposed was thepoint.
I set up the IV and drew Jed’s arm to me to insert the cannula. As warned, Desta growled but didn’t move. I took my gloves off as Jed settled on the bed. “Can I pet him, or does he hatemenow?”
