“Not what I meant,” Spider said, shaking his head.
“What did you mean?”she asked with a frown.
He blinked a moment, trying to find the right words to ask something he hadn’t fully processed before he’d asked the first time.“How would you handle it?Say something happened to your husband and he had to go through all this.”He waved one hand down the length of his bed.“What would you do?”
She tilted her head to one side but didn’t look away.
“I’m not sure.”She shook her head.“I’m not trying to avoid answering.I just don’t know.I’d like to say I’d stick.That I’d do anything I needed to to make sure he got through it, but if I’m totally honest, and I try to be, I can’t say it with certainty.We never know how we will handle any situation until we’re faced with it.We can say what we think we would do, but what we think and what happens in life often isn’t the same thing, is it?If it were, there’d be no divorce, no abuse.I mean if we promise to love and cherish for the rest of our lives, then we divorce, we didn’t do what we thought we would, did we?”
Spider’s brows lifted.He’d never thought about it that way.There was more to Jordon than was apparent.
“Not that I’m the right person to ask.I’m not married.”She gave him a half smile, one side of her mouth quirking up in a gesture similar to a look Clint had made several times while telling his story.
Spider shrugged.“Just because you haven’t made it legal yet don’t mean nothing.I’m sure your guy knows better than to do something stupid like let you go.”He watched as she looked away and her face turned pink.
“Thank you, but I’m not seeing anyone.”
Spider found that hard to believe.This woman was knock ‘em dead hot and she walked with the confidence of someone who knew what she was worth.That alone would have made him stop and talk to her ...well, if he wasn’t looking at such a long recovery.But this wasn’t the time to start something.He wouldn’t have time to devote to finding out everything about her, much less to give her the time she deserved, not when he planned to spend as much time as he could getting back on his feet, literally.
Clint shifted in his seat, bringing Spider’s attention back to him.
“I want to support you in any way I can.You need to talk?About anything.Call me.I’ll be there.I’ll listen.If you need someone to come down and cheer you on through PT, I can do that.If you need someone to sit there and try to shame you into pushing harder than you want, I can do that, too.”
Spider couldn’t help but chuckle, even though it hurt and he had to tighten his arm against his ribs.“I think my brothers will have it handled if I need hecklers, but I appreciate the offer.I’m sure I’ll reach out, though, because I have no doubt I will have questions or just need someone to talk to who has an idea where I’m coming from.”
“I can do that.”Clint said, pushing himself to his feet.“But we woke you, and I know you have to be tired.”He turned to Jordon who had already stood and was standing quietly, waiting.“I’ll plan to come earlier next time.Have they told you when you’ll start physical therapy?”
“I started this morning.”
Clint’s eyes went wide.
“That was fast.”
“I insisted.It’s upper body only for now, but I already spent almost a week unconscious.I don’t want to lose any more muscle mass than I already have.”
Clint nodded.“Just don’t push too hard.That will set you back more than it will help.Trust me.”He glanced toward his daughter, then headed for the door.“Feel free to call or text any time,” he said as they left.
Spider watched them go, then let his head fall back against the bed.Clint hadn’t been wrong about him being tired.He glanced at his phone, thinking he should let Fletch know they were gone.But he was tired.He would do it in a minute.Then he fell asleep.
