CHAPTER 20
Sunshine trickled through the hospital window and hit Brooke’s face. Drowsy, she swiped her eyes and slowly gained her bearings.Hospital, surgery, appendicitis. She stretched then winced. Her abdomen still stung with the slightest shift. But nothing compared to the pain she’d experienced before she passed out.
Across the room sat Logan. Their eyes locked. “Hey.” She pressed the button on the bed to raise it to sitting position. “You’re still here.”
“Hi, sunshine.” Logan scuttled out of his chair and rounded the bed and sat on the edge of it. “You’re back in the land of the living.” He found her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“I’m still not feeling a hundred percent.” Brooke knew she looked like a hot mess. Slime coated her teeth. She scrunched her nose to the feeling of grease slathered across it. Her hand attempted to smooth out her dirty and dingy hair. “I can’t remember the last time I showered.”
“Unfortunately—” he squeezed her hand, “I think you’ll have to wait another twenty-four hours to shower. You still can’t get the incision wet.”
“Ugh,” she groaned. “I look and feel disgusting.”
“I think you look beautiful.” He had a doe-eyed look.
“You’re lying.” Brooke’s lips twitched. “But I appreciate it.”
“It isn’t a lie.” Logan scooted closer to her on the bed. “I always think you look beautiful.”
“Again,” she wagged a finger. “Lies, but since I’m at an all-time low, I’ll accept your attempt at boosting my spirit.”
Dr. James barreled into the room interrupting them. “Everything is looking great.” She had a stack of papers in her hands. “I put in for you to be discharged tomorrow afternoon.”
“Really?” Brooke exchanged a look with Logan then peered back at the doctor. “So soon?”
“Your infection is under control, your incision is looking good, I figure you’d prefer sleeping in your own bed over this one as soon as possible,” Dr. James said.
“True,” Brooke agreed.
“Are you the significant other?” Dr. James asked.
“I’m the boyfriend.”
Boyfriend, Brooke liked the sound of that.
“Okay.” Dr. James glanced down at the paperwork then back at Logan. “So, I assume you’ll be helping Brooke with her recovery.”
“Yes, absolutely.” Logan stood.
“Then let me go over the aftercare with both of you.”
Dr. James reviewed the dos and don’ts after her surgery. Logan listened intently, which she appreciated, because her head throbbed a little and found concentrating extra difficult.
Once the explanation was completed, Dr. James said, “I understand you both work here, so I hope to see you in the hallways sometime.” Then she shoved her hands into her lab coat pockets.
“Yes, likewise,” Logan said.
Then Dr. James exited. They watched her leave.
When they were alone once more, Logan said, “I wanted to ask you?—”
Then Brooke’s nurse entered to check her vitals, then further go over her discharge. Whatever Logan cared to share with her had to wait, because a long stream of medical personnel seemed determined to keep them from discussing anything alone. The rest of the evening and following morning continued in the same manner.
By the next afternoon, Brooke itched to go home and sleep in her own bed without being endlessly interrupted by random people. Logan brought over some comfy sweats from her apartment, and she changed into them before being discharged.
The doctor signed off on her release, and they exited her room to the elevator bay. Eventually, the elevators swung open. A few doctors and staff members tumbled out. Brooke and Logan waited for the elevator to clear before they entered it.
Once in the quiet of the elevator car. Brooke confessed, “I’m sorry I pushed you away. I’m sorry I made you go out with Shelby. Which I’m assuming if you’re here, it’s because things didn’t work out with her. I hope you staying by my side means you want something more between us.”
