“His most recent scan shows the swelling in his brain has gone down slightly. Not as fast as we’d like, but the fact that it’sgoing down at all is promising. Of course, we don’t know what permanent effect it’ll have until we can wake him up.”
Images of the look of determination on Hanlon’s ten-year-old face fill my mind. His laugh of glee every time he got a hot chocolate mustache when he was seven. His smile of gratitude when Dad and Lana gave him his first telescope for his ninth birthday. His look of wonder and hero worship every time I came back home for the holidays. My stomach twists with regret, wishing I had gotten my head out of my ass sooner.
“Can I see him?” I ask.
The nurse purses her lips at me.
“Honey, you have two fractured vertebrae, a tibial nail holding your shin together, you can’t walk, and because of the cast on your arm, you can’t use a wheelchair or crutches. Your nose is broken, and you’re lucky they could stop the internal bleeding. Most people who get hurled against a tree trunk at forty miles an hour wouldn’t live to talk about it.”
“What if I wheel him up there?” Logan asks while I’m trying to process the severity of everything the nurse just told me about my injuries. “Very carefully, of course. Honestly, Nurse Easton, putting them together would probably be the best thing you could do to encourage both of their recoveries. I can guarantee Hanlon will be able to tell Stone is near him, and I’d be willing to bet Stone’s presence will have a positive effect on Hanlon’s edema.”
She sucks on her cheek. It’s obvious she doesn’t like this idea, but is mulling it over because of Logan’s words about Hanlon’s recovery—which I appreciate more than he’ll ever know.
“Give me a second,” she says and exits the room.
“Thank you,” I tell Logan, a little more calmly, with the prospect of being able to see Hanlon.
“For what?” he scoffs. “Almost killing the love of your life?”
“For risking yours and saving mine,” I clarify, squeezing his hand where it continues to rest on my arm. “How is everyone else?”
“A little banged up and bruised, but thanks to you sending them down when you did, they all made it. One of the backcountry skiers was dead by the time their group was located. The others made it, but barely.”
That’s tragic, but it could have been much worse. Unfortunately, death is a risk of playing in such a dangerous environment.
I simply nod before asking, “Are you really leaving at the end of the season?”
Now, it’s Logan’s turn to nod as he pulls his hands from my grasp. “Yeah, man. It’s time. There’s nothing for me in Ricochet.”
Before I can respond, Nurse Easton reenters my room, followed by two more people in scrubs, and begins disconnecting me from all the machines.
“I’ve gotten approval to move your bed to his room. Mr. Winchester’s room is a corner unit and can accommodate the second bed, if you’re sure you won’t mind the extra beeping and whirring of his machines?”
“I won’t mind,” I answer immediately, my voice still raspy and damaged from the cold.
Ten minutes later, Logan is holding the door to Hanlon’s room open while the team of nurses pushes me inside, and my whole world tilts on its axis.
An anguished cry rings throughout the room. Based on the way everyone is looking at me, Chase included, I guess the sound came from me.
“Closer.Please,” I beg, needing to touch him.
They place my bed as close as they can while still leaving room for the staff to access Hanlon from allsides.
I still can’t reach him, nor can I turn my head to see him, but knowing we’re breathing the same air eases some of the pressure in my chest.
Logan rolls a tray between our beds, puts an extra pillow on it, and very gently places Hanlon’s forearm on top of it.
The first thing I notice is how tightly curled his fingers are. It’s not a great sign since he should be relaxed enough to allow the tightness to release.
Slowly, I reach my hand over, and my stomach clenches when I wrap my fingers around his.
Not caring who hears me since Chase and Logan already know everything, I start whispering to Hanlon.
“It’s going to be okay, baby. You saved me, Skittles. You saved me, and now I’m here, so you can’t leave me. Do you understand?” The silence is too much, so I start talking again. “I never wanted to be rescued if it meant losing you.Please, baby.I’m not scared anymore. My job is just a job. Anyone on my team will vouch for your internship. Our parents can fuck off. I just wantyou.Please, Han. Please come back to me.”
I wear myself out and close my tired eyes, simply trying to focus on the feel of Hanlon’s fingers in mine, doing my best to massage them one-handed.
“How long after he woke up did he demand to be brought up here?” Chase asks Logan, his voice low.
