They all looked at me, and I shrank back.
Everything was still for a moment before the nurse marched forward. He made a B-line for me. Nash and Cat stepped back. He checked the device pinched on my finger and then removed it. Thank the lords of embarrassment.
The nurse looked me in the eye, face kind. “We monitored you all night. Things look good. If you’re feeling well enough, we can release you. Do you have somewhere to go?”
I looked at Cat, but she was avoiding my gaze on purpose.
The nurse continued, very chatty, “I understand you’re here from a home fire. I’m assuming your residence? I just want to be sure we don’t need to arrange something for you. We do have temporary housing options.”
Nash cleared his throat, stepping forward again. “She can stay with me.”
My gaze shot to him with horror. I was instantly relieved they’d disconnected me from the heart rate monitor at this point; my heart had left the building.
He looked at Cat. “I mean, I have a lot of space. My sister lives with me, but there’s plenty of room. Sybil knows Betty, too. We’d be happy to take her on as a tenant until...” he trailed off and looked at me then, confidence etched into his features. His gaze held mine for a moment, my cheeks heating. He looked back at Cat. “If you think that makes sense?”
Cat lifted her chin, eyeing him down the length of her nose,as though this wasn’t exactly what she wanted. She hummed, thinking.
Did I not have a choice in this?
Crooking her finger at him, she beckoned. “Come talk with me in the hall, young man. Let’s allow the nurse to finish up here.”
I leaned forward as though to stop them, but my aching throat wouldn’t allow the words to escape. Once Nash vacated my side, Bill was quick to replace him, placing his bandaged front paws onto the bed and nudging me with his nose.
Bill’s distraction halted my efforts. It was too late. The door shut. Nervous, I tried to focus on Bill and the nurse, who removed the blood pressure cuff from my arm.
I touched Bill’s wrapped paw, and he whined.
In the exhilaration of all that had transpired since I woke, I was ashamed that I’d yet to check if he was okay. I leaned down, rubbing his head and giving him a kiss. As I did so, I saw bandages covering my arms, and I tipped up the edge of one, discovering several deep scratches that looked like Mr. Beans’ doing.
“Mr. Beans,”I croaked, coughing.“Is he okay?”
The nurse looked at me. “Oh yes, Mr. Beans was quite the patient last night.” He handed me a fresh cup of water he’d poured from a pitcher nearby.
I took it and sipped it for a moment. “Where—is he?”
The nurse was wrapping up a cord. “As I understand from the night rotation, your friend that was just here, the man, came in with the cat bundled in a sweatshirt like a god straight out of the forest after chopping wood and saving cats from trees.”
I laughed, though it hurt.
“The dog was with him too.” He gestured to Bill, whose chin was resting between his paws on my leg. “We let the man stay with you for the sake of the dog since you were unconscious. The man claimed to be your husband, but we didn’t see any rings.” He winked. “People fake that all the time. Anyway, the vet came and checked them both, and then I believe a woman later arrived and left with the cat.”
I tried to ignore the husband part. “What did she look like?” I whispered.
“I don’t know, since I wasn’t here. I assume that hunk of a man knew, though?”
It was likely Bee. If Catherine hadn’t known until this morning, then she wouldn’t have been the one to take him.
“That man wassoworried about the animals, and you. The ladies on the night staff were trying to decide if he was your boyfriend, or something else?” A little hum escaped his lips. “I think they were hoping he was single. I mean, I’m wondering, too. That man is a fine slice ofyumminess.”
I grinned, but hesitated. “Um...”
He ran with it.“Ooooooo.”He gave me a playful nudge. “Then you are one lucky little thing, aren’t you?”
“Just my neighbor,”I blurted instead.
“Ha!” he barked. “That man will never be‘just a neighbor,’my dear girl. If you knew what was good for you, you’d get after it. It’s quite clear, at least to me, he’s sweet on you.”
I felt myself flush again.
