“Okay, if you’re sure.”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Gabe pulled up to the front entrance and let her open her own door. She wanted to be independent, and now he was in flux again. Should he insist on walking in with her, making sure she got to the office all right? Or would that just be making her dependent on him?Shit.
“Misty, I should go with you.”
“No, you shouldn’t.” She slammed the car door shut and ambled down the sidewalk. He watched as she entered the revolving door. She held onto the bar in front of her, but she seemed to be walking okay.
He sat there for a few moments, debating with himself. At last, he decided to park the car and meet her at the MRI unit. And it wasn’t because he had to. It was because he wanted to.
When he found her, she was in the waiting room, scanning a magazine. She didn’t seem to be reading, just glancing at the pictures. Maybe she was more nervous than she had let on. He was glad he didn’t just take off and leave her.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said as he sat next to her. “Is this seat taken?”
She glanced over at him and shrugged. “I was saving it for some good-looking dude, but you’ll do.”
Gabe laughed. She still had her sense of humor. At least he hoped that was a joke.
“Misty, if you think you’re being a burden, don’t. I’m not here because Parker asked me to look out for you. Well, not completely.”
She closed the magazine and faced him. “Then why are you here? I told you I could do this on my own.”
“I know you can.” What could he say?I’m here because I care about you?He didn’t want her to take that the wrong way, although it was true. He simply didn’t elaborate.
She went back to gazing at her magazine. He wondered how much concentration she had, since she flipped the pages frequently.
When she got to the end of the magazine, she tossed it back on the table next to her, and instead of picking up another one, she slid down in her chair. Leaning her head against the top of the backrest, she stared at the ceiling.
“Bored?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
This wasn’t the Misty he knew. Her answers were short and not so sweet. Something was up. Maybe it was simply the stress of her impending appointment.
Fortunately, at that moment, a nurse opened the door and called her name. She got up slowly and seemed to be a little unsteady. Gabe shot to his feet and grasped her arm. She shook him off. “I’m fine,” she snapped.
He backed away with his hands in the air. “Okay, okay. I’ll be here when you get out.” He watched as she followed the nurse through the door toward the first step in finding out the truth.
That’s got to be it. She’s got to be scared out of her mind. That’s why she’s not herself.
A big part of him sensed there was more to it.
