All I do is a backward wave. “I’ve got a woman to woo. See you fuckers later.”
The next day, I pull up at work, eager to get my shift done and dusted so I can go to Tori’s house. Even after the gym, I didn’t go to sleep for a long time, my mind racing with ideas of how I can make her believe this is it for me. That she and Cooper are what I want, now and forever.
Nothing can stop me today. I’m joking with the guys, shooting the shit, doing what needs to be done. We answer a call for a kitchen fire, and I lead the crew through the easy job of putting it out, proving yet again that I can one hundred percent balance a relationship and my job.
I may not know exactly how I’m going to prove my intentions to Tori, but I do know I’m not leaving her house tonight until she at least agrees to give me a shot.
The alarm goes off for a medical — a car accident on the highway, and the guys and I jump into action. Like a well-oiled machine, we load up and head to the scene. Once there, we’re efficient, setting up cones, making sure everything is safe, and start to triage the injured. It’s a bad one, multiple vehicles involved, and there’s several people that need attention. But the ambulance crew is right behind us, and everything’s going smoothly.
Until I hear Sloan shout my name, but it’s too late.
When I wake up in a fucking hospital bed, the first thing I register is the supremely annoying beeps coming from some machine on the wall. The second thing I notice is how numb my leg feels. The third thing is the worried faces of several family members staring at me.
“Sawyer? How you doin’, brother?” Max lifts my eyelids, even as I swat his hand away.
“What happened?” I mumble.
“You got hit by a dumbass who couldn’t keep his eyes on the road,” Hunter says from the foot of my bed. “I was just pulling up to help with traffic, saw the whole damn thing happen.”
My eyes drift down to my leg, elevated on a stack of pillows and looking very bulky. “My leg?”
“Broken in two places, which is why you needed emergency surgery,” Max says grimly.
“But you’re okay, and that’s what matters.”
My head lolls to the side. “Mom?”
She gives me a watery smile. “Hi, baby. You scared me. Your dad had to stay home with Violet, but he’ll be so relieved to know you’re awake.”
“I just texted the family group,” Hunter says, looking up from his phone.
The pain is starting to hit me now as I become more conscious and aware of, well, everything. I remember being at the scene and Sloan yelling at me, but then it’s all a blur. “Did I hit my head?”
Max is the one who answers. “Yeah, you were unconscious at the scene for about a minute, apparently. The paramedics that brought you in said when you woke up, you were asking for Tori. I think the girls were going to call her once we tell them you’re awake.”
“Shit.” I wince and turn to my mom. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay, you’ve earned a curse word or two. But don’t you want them to call her?” Mom asks, her brow furrowing. “I thought you two were together now.”
“No? Yes? We are, well, I think. I don’t know. I need to talk to her, and doing so from a hospital bed isn’t exactly the way I planned it.”
Mom stands, leaning over to kiss my forehead. “You’ll work it out.” Just then, the door opens, and some dude wearing scrubs comes in.
“Hello there, Sawyer, glad to see you’re awake. That means we can move you to the ward soon.” He looks at Max, Hunter, and my mom. “You’ll be able toofficiallyhave more than one visitor there.”
Max shakes his hand while Hunter looks a little embarrassed. Even as my pain is growing in intensity, I can easily read between the lines and realize Max used his hospital privileges and Hunter pulled the cop card so they could all be with me.
“Thanks, guys. Go back to work, I’ll be fine.”
They both lean down to give me a hug before leaving, Hunter reassuring me he’ll update my crew on my status.
“I’ll go and check in on your father, and the rest of the family will see you once you’re settled.” Mom gives me a longer hug, and I let her, knowing this must be bringing back some painful memories from Dad’s accident.
Once I’m alone, it isn’t long before a nurse walks up just in time to see my grimace as I try to shift in bed. “Hold on there, Mr. Donnelly, let me help.” I manage to get into a more comfortable position, but the effort leaves me out of breath from the pain.
“I’m going to give you something that will help. It’ll make you sleepy, so when you wake up, don’t be surprised if you’re in a room on the orthopedic ward instead of here, okay?”
I muster up a nod and close my eyes. Pain or no pain, I’m still fucking terrified of needles and I know she’s about to push a syringe filled with clear liquid into my IV. Thankfully, it works fast, and my eyes start to droop as the fiery pain in my leg eases slightly.
