His face lifted in surprise. “Roar.”
“Well,” the nurse said. “Thisseems friendly enough.Callme if you need something,Jack.Thedoctor should be doing rounds soon and we’ll see about getting you out of here.”
“Thanks,Melissa,” he said weakly as he punched a button on the side of the bed to raise it to a sitting position.
The heavy door closing behind me was like a shotgun blast.
“What happened?”Icroaked as the sight of him set in.Jacklooked like he had walked through hell and back.
A soft smile floated across his mouth.Helooked fucking exhausted. “IfIdidn’t know better,I’dsay it sounds like you care about me,Roar.”
“Of courseIcare,”Iwhispered as tears flooded my eyes.
Jack opened his good arm, beckoning me in. “Comehere.”
I hurried to him, easing on to the side of the bed soIcould be as close to him as humanly possible. “WhenDrewtold me that?—”
“Drew?”
I nodded. “Igot a little worried when you didn’t come home, soIwent by the station.”Iraised my hands in defense. “WhichItotally get that it sounds super stalkerish and very clingy.IswearI’mnot a stalker.Iwas just worried.”Isighed. “Drewtold me what happened and gave me the name of the hospital.”
Jack wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side.Anoxygen mask had been discarded on his lap.Iwasn’t sure if the nurses had done that, or if he had gotten tired of the damn thing.
“I would have called you, butI’man idiot and didn’t get your number the day we met.”
“To be fair,Ididn’t like you very much that day.”
He hummed under his breath. “Andhas that changed?”
I rested my head on his good shoulder and closed my eyes. “Verymuch.”
Jack kissed my forehead. “Good.Butfor the record,Ineed your number.”
“Drew gave me yours.I’lltext you.”
Jack’s arm tightened around me. “Thanksfor coming.I’mglad you’re here.”
“I hope it’s not weird,”Imumbled.
“Roar, this has been the best part of my day.Now, ifIcould just get out of here . . .”
“What happened?”Iasked.
The look on his face said he wouldn’t be apologizing or explaining.Tosome extent,Irespected that.Butit also made me worry.
“I was just doing my job,” he said. “Nothingmore than that.”
“ButDrewsaid?—”
“Roar.”Jackpaused when his words made him break into a coughing fit. “It’smy job.Idid my job.That’sall.Iwasn’t heroic.Iwasn’t stupid.Itwas just another day at the office.Itjust happened to be a really shitty day at the office.”
“I know,”Isaid. “Iunderstand that.ButI’llstill worry.Canyou be okay with that?”
“Yeah.”Hetipped my chin up and pecked my lips. “Ilike the idea of having someone worry about me.”
We didn’t rehash the day.Jackhad stowed the shift’s events away in neat little compartments.Fromthe look of it, he had a process to work through what he saw on a daily basis.Copingmechanisms that were finely honed after years of seeing humanity on their worst days.
“Let me know if you’re not okay.I’llbe there,”Ipromised.
