“For once, I will not argue with you. I am seriously exhausted.”
He pulled her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips over her fingers.
“I’ll be here. Rest.”
“Thanks for coming for me. Again.” Her eyes were barely open.
“I’ll always come for you.”
She gave him a little smile, then he watched as slumber took her over.
She was still in hospital twenty-four hours later. It was annoying, but she was starting to realize just how tired she had been. If she were getting good sleep while in the hospital, she definitely had needed it. At least they were letting her walk around, which had been something they had not let her do in the ICU.
“You have more color in your face,” Autumn said from her seat beside Lila’s bed. Her grandmother had stationed herself in the chair in the corner and she watched everyone with what Hawaiians called the stink eye.
“Thanks. I’m feeling a lot better.”
Autumn shifted in the chair and glanced over at Lila’s grandmother.
“I find your ability to fake a death to be pretty cool.”
And from her voice, she definitely did. Seth was outside the room. Lila hadn’t seen him, but she knew he was there. Over the few hours she had actually been in her room, the TFH and Dillon folks had been in and out of the room.
First had come Rami and Nikki, apologizing for leaving her and Autumn. She kept telling them it didn’t matter, but they definitely felt guilty. Then Miko had spent some time with her. As soon as one person left, another person showed up. It was a lot. Even before she had gone on the run, she’d had problems with crowds and people in general. Still, she put up with it because she knew Ian was behind it.
Even thinking his name made her sad. He had stayed by her side in the ICU, then he said he needed to grab a few things from his apartment. She knew she had told him she loved him and he had yet to reciprocate. God, it was so embarrassing that she just blurted it out like that. Now he had to deal with a lovesick woman he felt he had to take care of.
“What is going on in your beautiful mind there, Lila?” Autumn asked.
Oh, I just embarrassed myself in front of your brother and he’s too nice to tell me to bugger off.
“Nothing. I’m just getting tired again.”
She looked like she didn’t believe Lila, but she let it go. Mainly because the door opened revealing the man in question.
“Did you bring any snacks?” Autumn asked. No hello, or anything. Of course, Autumn did have a weird connection to food.
“No. Your husband is in the hallway. Tell him to take you somewhere to eat.”
Autumn glanced over at Lila. “Are you okay with that?”
A lot of people looked at Ian’s sister and thought she was an idiot. She was different, but there was a very perceptive mind in that head of hers. She sometimes noticed things other people didn’t.
“I’m fine. I told you. I’m just tired.”
“Okay.” Autumn stood and looked at her brother. “Keep it together, bra.”
He rolled his eyes. “Go eat.”
“Definitely. Bye Memaw Judy,” she said with a wave of her hand.
Lila shared a smile with her grandmother. She pretended she didn’t like the name, but the fact that several of the Dillon folks now called her by that name seemed to tickle her grandmother.
“Well, I think I will do the same. I need some rest because that jet lag is catching up to me.”
After giving Lila a kiss and promising to rest, she was on her way.
“Finally,” Ian said.
