19
Millie
IDOZEoff while I wait to be transferred to a private room, and when I wake in an unfamiliar space, it’s quiet and the lights are dim.
The only sound I can make out is Ezra’s voice. “Yeah, man, I promise to take good care of her. Try not to worry. Do you want my number, in case your sister doesn’t answer?”
Sister? My heart stumbles a little. Is he talking to Asher?
I inhale, working up the energy to speak, but it’s no use. My eyelids are too heavy and my mouth is too dry.
The next time I wake, the room is empty. An IV has been inserted into my arm, and I’m groggy as fuck.
Where’s Ezra? Did he go home?
I spot my phone on a table a few feet away and force myself to sit up.
Just as I swing my legs over the bed, a deep voice reverberates through the room. “What are you doing?”
Ezra strides around the foot of the bed and places a hand on my shoulder.
“I have to pee,” I croak.
“Stay still. Let me call someone.”
A minute later, a nurse helps me out of bed, and when I’m mostly steady on my feet, Ezra offers to take over.
“I can do it myself,” I snap. The moment the phrase is out, I regret my tone.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t.” He wraps his arm a little too tightly around my waist as I hold the IV pole.
I’m in a hospital gown and fuzzy socks that keep the coolness of the tile from soaking into me as I pad over to the en suite restroom. Fuzzy socks that look oddly familiar, actually.
In the doorway, I stop and study my feet. “How did I get these?”
“Val dropped a bag off.”
Ezra turns so his back is to me but refuses to close the door while I pee. Then he’s practically carrying me back to bed.
The nurse checks my IV and the bag dangling from the pole. “We’ve got you hooked up to fluids for now. We’re waiting on the blood bank, but we’ll start the transfusion shortly. If you have questions, I’m sure your husband can answer them for you.” With a chuckle, she winks at Ezra. “He’s asked more questions than any patient or spouse I’ve ever met.”
He shrugs his shoulders in return.
Husband. He told them we were married so he could come back with me to triage. How long is he going to keep this charade going? And why do I like it so much?
Once the nurse leaves, Ezra presents a small duffel. “I wasn’t entirely sure what you’d need, but Val did a good job packing. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up. I was trying to find out why it’s taking so long to get the transfusion started.”
“It’s okay. Really. You can go home if you want.” I run my fingers through my hair, noting the rat’s nest of tangles at the back of my head, and for the first time in hours, I think about how truly horrendous I must look.
“You must be out of your damn mind if you think I’m going home after you lost so much blood.”
The vehemence in his response makes me chuckle. “You’re awfully bossy.”
“What can I say? I like bossing you around.”
There’s no fighting my grin. “Are you flirting with me,Mr. Greer?”
“Lay back.” He glares.
