Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
As he sipped from the straw, he noticed Emerson studying his face, but when he looked up, Emerson’s gaze darted away. Yeah, something definitely felt strange between them.
“How are the kids?” he asked.
“Worried about you, but otherwise good,” Emerson replied. “They’re in the waiting room because they insisted on coming. The ICU rules don’t usually allow it, but I think I convinced the staff to let them visit for five minutes. The other option is to bring them back tomorrow when you move to a regular room.”
Rhys’s gaze darted to the nurses station as his chest flooded with deep regard. Those kids were like family. “I’d love to see them.”
“They have a three-person visiting rule,” his mom said, motioning to the door. “So we’ll head down to the cafeteria for a bit.”
“Be right back,” Emerson said, following behind them.
“Em, wait.”
“Yeah?” Emerson stepped toward the bed.
“Give it to me straight? Is everything gonna be okay?” His voice sounded wobbly with fear, so he swallowed roughly.
“Yeah, of course.” Emerson’s eyes were a stormy blue filled with emotion. “You just need time. I’m here for you.”
“Thank you,” he choked out, then looked away, embarrassed as his lip trembled.
“Always,” Emerson replied, then walked out, giving Rhys enough time to recover.
Sam stayed closer to the door when Rhys brought them into the room, but Audrey bounded toward him, though she slowed down at Emerson’s warning to be careful.
“You look so grown up,” Rhys said as he looked her over, and she scrunched her nose, realization taking hold. Her face crumpled a little. “I’m sorry I don’t remember—”
“Don’t be sorry,” Emerson said. “Sam, come say hi.”
Sam teetered on the balls of his feet as his gaze darted toward the equipment near his bedside.
“No need to be freaked, buddy. I know you and medical stuff don’t always mix.”
Rhys suddenly remembered Sam getting squeamish when he helped clean out a deep scrape on Rhys’s knee from wiping out on his bike.
Putting on a brave face, Sam padded toward his bed. “What are those for?” he asked, pointing to the machines.
“Hmm, I know one monitors my heart rate, and oh, this one gives me fluids.”
Sam gave a sideways glance toward the needle in his wrist, looking sort of green.
“You should definitely not pursue a medical profession.”
“Sorry,” Sam replied, a flush crawling across his skin. “Will you be coming home soon?”
He tried to remember what the doctor had told him the last time she made rounds. “I think so.”
Sam nodded. “Emerson says you’re gonna stay with us.”
Rhys’s eyes darted to Emerson, who looked a bit nervous. “Just while you recover.”
“No, you shouldn’t have to—”
“It’s already been decided.” When Emerson pinned him with a sharp look, Rhys nearly smiled at Emerson’s stern rebuke. He found he liked having someone he trusted call the shots, especially when he was traversing such a slippery slope. “Your mom and I think it makes the most sense, since we have a first-floor master bedroom and bath.”
“First floor?” For some reason his eyes misted, and a memory washed over him by varying degrees. Fuck, Mr. and Mrs. Rose. Pain stabbed at his gut as he recalled the accident and their grief. “But that’s your parents’— ”
“Emerson says it’s time,” Audrey said in a solid voice, mind apparently made up. “And it’ll be fun having you live with us.”
He arched a brow. “So I can beat your butt in Mortal Kombat?”
She looked momentarily puzzled before she replied, “Lately we’ve been playing Fortnite.”
“We’ll definitely catch him up on stuff,” Emerson said in a warning tone as Rhys’s mind began to spin again. Fuck, he really didn’t remember anything recent.
Right then a guy in blue scrubs swept inside the room. He looked familiar, but there had been so many damned staff in and out at all hours of the day. “MRI time, buddy.”
Anger flared in his chest. He’d forgotten that the doctor had ordered another one, and right when he’d just gotten to see Emerson again. He pouted and grumbled as he was pushed toward the door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Emerson said as they watched him being wheeled out.
He looked back at the Rose family one last time so he’d have a snapshot of them captured in his head. Just in case.
6
Emerson
“Did you want to get some lunch?” his coworker, Neil, asked.
Emerson stiffened briefly before glancing at the clock on the wall. He’d been so absorbed in updating patient data, he’d lost track of time.
“Not sure,” he admitted. “I’m behind, and I want to get home on time today.”
Neil cocked an eyebrow. Emerson kept mostly to himself, but he’d been working with Neil for the better part of a year now and they had become friends. Well, as much as you could when you were always racing home to your family. But whenever there was a work function, they always went together, and had gotten to know each other a bit better in the process.