Between her grandfather’s dream, and the one with Mick, she’d felt so comfortable, and she knew everything would be all right. However, now that she was awake, she wanted to return back to her dreams where she didn’t feel anything but love.
She struggled to open her eyes, and once she did, there was a little light in the room, coming through the closed blinds covering the window. The last she remembered it was dark. How long had she been asleep?
Several machines were hooked to her body, one giving out a steady beep. A few of them were the same ones her grandfather had. She wasn’t wearing an oxygen mask, but the tube was still connected to her nose, and she wore a neck-brace.
She moved her gaze around the hospital room. Mick sat in the chair asleep with his head resting against the wall. He was still wearing the same clothes as when she’d seen him last. His shirt had smears of blood, and bandages wrapped his forearms.
Had he been in the accident with her? Or maybe the same truck that tried to run her off the road had run Mick off the road, too. Hopefully, the police could find that truck. She’d be able to give them a vivid description of what the truck looked like.
As she stared at Mick, her heart softened. He hadn’t needed to stay here in her room, but knowing that he cared that much, made her happy. Perhaps his charming act wasn’t anactafter all. And maybe the words he’d told her while they were inside the elevator actually came from his heart.
She called out his name, but her throat was so dry and scratchy, no sound came from her throat. She tried to swallow, but it was nearly impossible. Water. She needed a drink, but her arms were hooked up to the machines, plus it hurt to move.
She cleared her throat the best she could. “Mick,” her voice croaked, sounding more like a frog than a woman.
He must have heard because his body jerked. Soon, he was blinking and looking around. Seconds later, his gaze jumped to hers. He sighed and smiled.
“You’re awake.”
She nodded. “I’m thirsty.” Once again, the frog in her throat wouldn’t allow her to talk normally.
He rushed to the table and poured her a drink from the plastic pitcher. He placed a straw in it before lifting it to her lips. One of his hands carefully moved underneath her neck to try and lift her. She sipped the water from the straw, enjoying the coolness gliding down her throat.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
Being just as gentle, he pulled his hand out from underneath her. He stroked her cheek.
“How are you feeling?”
“I ache all over.”
“The doctor says you’re going to be fine. You have a gash on your forehead, but he didn’t use stitches, just glue.”
“Oh, good.” She licked her dry lips. “How are you? Did that black truck run you off the road, too?”
“It almost did.”
She switched her focus to his bandaged arms. “Then what happened to your arms?”
“Nothing to worry about, sweetheart. I just got scratched up a bit when I crawled into your car to get you out.”
Her heart flipped.He did what?“You... you saved me?”
“I guess you can say that, but I mainly pulled you out of the car to see if you were all right.” He stroked her cheek again. “You were unconscious. I was really worried about you.”
Nicole noticed that his voice tightened a little. Her heart flipped again. “Oh, Mick. Thank you for caring.”
“It’s hard not to care about you.” He winked.
“I... don’t know what to say.”
He chuckled. “You don’t have to say anything. However, once we get you out of this hospital, I want to take you somewhere special. It’s your treat. Anywhere you want to go. Italy. Paris... wherever.”
“You’re too sweet, Mick, but I think there are more important matters we need to worry about first.”
“Yes, you’re right. Adkins Dev-Tech.”
“Mick? I... I think my grandfather died. Did he?”
