He grabs for Gabriel with his good hand and pulls him in while I linger in the doorway. “Any news?”
“Nope. We’re gonna head upstairs in a minute and wait closer to the OR.”
It’s news to me, but it makes sense, and I want to go right now. I need to be near Tanner, even if there’s sweet fuck all I can do for him. But I have to get through this first. I have to see for myself that Jerry’s okay, cos somehow I know it’s the first thing Tanner will ask when he’s back with us.
Jerry and Gabriel murmur to each other, then Jerry calls my name. “You saved us,” he says. “I couldn’t press the buttons on that damn phone, and Lord knew where Tanner had landed. I couldn’t find him, Jax. He was right there, pushing me out of the way, then he was just gone.”
His words skewer me. I force my heavy legs forward and clasp his outstretched hand as Gabriel moves aside. “What the fuck was he even doing out there? He should’ve been at the bar.”
“He was at the cabin. I don’t know what he was doing there, he never said.”
My gaze flickers to Gabriel. “He told me he hadn’t been back to the cabin since last year.”
Gabriel shrugs. “We talked about it yesterday. Maybe he got the urge to check on my housekeeping.”
I’m missing something, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter. Jerry’s okay, and that’s all I need to know right now. I squeeze his hand and back up. Gabriel takes the hint and we leave Jerry at the mercy of his wife and the hordes of young kids she’s brought with her to the hospital.
We take the elevator upstairs. The OR waiting room is practically empty. We find a quiet corner and take root in chairs with more cushioning than the ones in the ER. I’m wrecked with fatigue, but I can’t sleep because I’m petrified the only man I’ve ever loved is dying somewhere beyond the double doors at the front of the room.
I’m terrified, and it hurts. I can’t lose Tanner now. We haven’t been happy.
* * *
The surgical resident is the blandest motherfucker in the entire world, but I’m glad of it. By the time he appears several hours later, I’m no longer able to deal in anything more than cold, hard facts.
“It was touch and go for a while, but we’ve repaired the artery and stabilized the hypovolemia with transfusions and platelets.”
He says other words, but they wash over me. I already know how injuries like Tanner’s are treated. “What about his head? Did you scan it?”
“We did. The neuro attending reviewed it and couldn’t see any bleeding or swelling. Mr. Reid is going to have quite a headache when he wakes up, and perhaps some minor concussive symptoms, but we’re not worried about it. Overall, his status is as positive as we could hope for right now. Whoever strapped that tree branch in place saved his life.”
“Tell him twice,” Gabriel says, nudging me. “Jax is having a hard time believing his own heroics.”
The doctor doesn’t smile. Just nods and turns to go.
I lean forward. “Wait. Can we see him?”
“Soon. I’ll send a nurse to come and get you when we’re ready.”
He leaves. I sit back in my seat and remember Gabriel beside me. “Sorry. You’ll want to see him first. You’re family.”
Gabriel snorts. “As if he’ll be pleased to see my mean mug if you’re not right there with me. He’ll probably punch me in the face.”
I stare at him. “What?”
“He loves you, man.”
“How’d you figure that?”
“He told me.”
“When?”
“Yesterday. And let me tell you, it was the first time I’ve seen that fucker smile like that in years, so can it with the guilt bullshit, okay? He’s alive because of you, and something tells me it’s because of you he wants to stay that way too.”
By the time I’ve processed his words, he’s tipped his head back and closed his eyes. He’s not asleep, but I sense the worry draining from him as he makes his own peace with what the doctor told us. I study him and measure the man I’ve judged him to be against the kindness he’s shown me in the last few hours. The easy acceptance of the man his brother apparently loves. I’ve done Gabriel Reid wrong. Just like his brother, he’s the nicest guy in the world.
The thought keeps me company while I wait for the elusive nurse to come back. My phone buzzes in my pocket.
