aware of Elise’s high-heeled boots tapping down the corridor as he waited for the harsh edges of reality to blur.
CHAPTER NINE
“Greg? Greg, are you awake?”
His eyes were closed and he was lying absolutely still.
Lily hesitated, half in and half out of the doorway to his room. She was as nervous as she’d ever been in her life, and she wanted more than anything to turn and run. But if she did, her conscience would only force her to come back again, and then she’d have to go through all the anxiety that had plagued her for the past two days a second time. Better to get this over with now.
He’d been moved to a different room, a private. She’d had to check at the nursing station to locate him, and one of the nurses was an acquaintance. When Lily asked about Greg, the woman confided that he was as difficult to deal
with as any patient they’d ever had.
“We’re hoping we never get another doctor up here,” she said vehemently. “We’ve had some before, and most of them are a major pain in the butt, but your Doc Brulotte wins the prize. We’re praying he gets sent down to rehab real quick. It’s not just staff he’s hard on, either. He’s awful with his family. His mom was here about half an hour ago, and she was bawling like crazy when she left his room. Seems like a nice lady, too. Sharp dresser and attractive. She sells real estate, one of the orderlies bought a house from her.”
Now, hovering at the door to his room, Lily called him tentatively. “Greg?” She pitched her voice a bit louder. “You awake?”
Slowly he opened his eyes and turned his head, and her heart sank. His pupils were glassy, and he had the groggy, spaced-out look of someone who’d recently had strong medication. So it wasn’t a good time to talk to him after all. She needed him wide-awake and alert. It wasn’t fair to tell him about the Hep C when he was too groggy to take it all in. She’d have to come back, but she couldn’t just turn and leave the way she longed to do.
Her stomach knotted and her hands grew increasingly clammy as she moved over to stand beside his bed.
“Hi, Greg.” He was wearing green hospital pajamas that bared his muscular upper arms. The hair on his head was longer than usual, curling around his ears and down his neck. He’d been shaved, but he looked weary and disheveled and disgruntled. And yet, in spite of the cast and the bandages, he was still wildly attractive and very male.
“Hello, Lil.” He used his left hand to push the control that raised the head of the bed.
She considered repositioning the pillows behind him and decided against it. Even when he was drugged, there was no telling what would send him into a temper.
“So, Lil.” His words were slurred. “Are you here to lecture me again on my bad attitude?”
His words were meant to be derisive, but something in his voice reflected the same dejection she herself was feeling.
“I’m not really in the mood to give anybody a lecture tonight,” she heard herself say. “Truth is, I’ve had a rough day.” Instead of leaving it at that, she babbled on. “My niece, Zoe, is two, and she spilled a whole bottle of my brother’s best olive oil on the kitchen floor. It was like a skating rink. It’s almost impossible to clean up, and while we were sliding around in it, my grandmother came charging into the kitchen and slipped and fell. I was terrified that she’d broken a hip or something, but she was fine, just mad at me. I got her and Zoe and the floor cleaned up finally, with Gram giving me holy hell for not watching Zoe more closely.”
Lily didn’t add that the reason she hadn’t been keeping a closer eye on her niece was because she was trying to get her grandmother dressed. It was one of those days when Hannah was at her most contrary, taking off each item of clothing as soon as Lily put it on.
“How old is your grandmother?”
Lily hadn’t expected a response from him, and for a moment she
CHAPTER NINE
“Greg? Greg, are you awake?”
His eyes were closed and he was lying absolutely still.
Lily hesitated, half in and half out of the doorway to his room. She was as nervous as she’d ever been in her life, and she wanted more than anything to turn and run. But if she did, her conscience would only force her to come back again, and then she’d have to go through all the anxiety that had plagued her for the past two days a second time. Better to get this over with now.
He’d been moved to a different room, a private. She’d had to check at the nursing station to locate him, and one of the nurses was an acquaintance. When Lily asked about Greg, the woman confided that he was as difficult to deal
with as any patient they’d ever had.
“We’re hoping we never get another doctor up here,” she said vehemently. “We’ve had some before, and most of them are a major pain in the butt, but your Doc Brulotte wins the prize. We’re praying he gets sent down to rehab real quick. It’s not just staff he’s hard on, either. He’s awful with his family. His mom was here about half an hour ago, and she was bawling like crazy when she left his room. Seems like a nice lady, too. Sharp dresser and attractive. She sells real estate, one of the orderlies bought a house from her.”
Now, hovering at the door to his room, Lily called him tentatively. “Greg?” She pitched her voice a bit louder. “You awake?”
Slowly he opened his eyes and turned his head, and her heart sank. His pupils were glassy, and he had the groggy, spaced-out look of someone who’d recently had strong medication. So it wasn’t a good time to talk to him after all. She needed him wide-awake and alert. It wasn’t fair to tell him about the Hep C when he was too groggy to take it all in. She’d have to come back, but she couldn’t just turn and leave the way she longed to do.
Her stomach knotted and her hands grew increasingly clammy as she moved over to stand beside his bed.
“Hi, Greg.” He was wearing green hospital pajamas that bared his muscular upper arms. The hair on his head was longer than usual, curling around his ears and down his neck. He’d been shaved, but he looked weary and disheveled and disgruntled. And yet, in spite of the cast and the bandages, he was still wildly attractive and very male.
“Hello, Lil.” He used his left hand to push the control that raised the head of the bed.
She considered repositioning the pillows behind him and decided against it. Even when he was drugged, there was no telling what would send him into a temper.
“So, Lil.” His words were slurred. “Are you here to lecture me again on my bad attitude?”
His words were meant to be derisive, but something in his voice reflected the same dejection she herself was feeling.
“I’m not really in the mood to give anybody a lecture tonight,” she heard herself say. “Truth is, I’ve had a rough day.” Instead of leaving it at that, she babbled on. “My niece, Zoe, is two, and she spilled a whole bottle of my brother’s best olive oil on the kitchen floor. It was like a skating rink. It’s almost impossible to clean up, and while we were sliding around in it, my grandmother came charging into the kitchen and slipped and fell. I was terrified that she’d broken a hip or something, but she was fine, just mad at me. I got her and Zoe and the floor cleaned up finally, with Gram giving me holy hell for not watching Zoe more closely.”
Lily didn’t add that the reason she hadn’t been keeping a closer eye on her niece was because she was trying to get her grandmother dressed. It was one of those days when Hannah was at her most contrary, taking off each item of clothing as soon as Lily put it on.
“How old is your grandmother?”
Lily hadn’t expected a response from him, and for a moment she
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