Page 37 of Nothing At All

“It’s non-displaced, which is good. Once you’re numb, I’ll realign the bones, set you up with a splint.” The young doctor rested his hands on the bedrail and flicked a glance at me. “It’s going to swell, and you’ll have a hell of a pair of black eyes.”

A grunt of amusement rumbled in Dan’s throat before he winced. “Lila?”

“She just got here.” Josh shifted so I could step across the threshold and into the room. A nurse laid out equipment on a tray near the bed.

The doctor flashed a quick smile. “He’s been waiting for you.”

With a slight nod, I made myself move toward the bed. My Dan was shy, a little awkward, with an underlying steadiness. Eager to please me, to learn about what worked for me, in bed and out.

This Dan, injured because of what he did every day, was pale except for that awful bruising at his nose, under his eyes.

I didn’t know what to do. A pit yawned in the bottom of my stomach, widening with the awareness of eyes all around me. I eased forward to stand at the edge of his bed. “Hey.”

Pain and confusion clouded his exhausted eyes. One corner of his mouth quirked up before the smile disappeared into a pained grimace.

“Hey.” He fumbled, rotated his wrist, looking for my hand. His fingers brushed the barest edges of mine. “Glad you’re here.”

My eyes stung. Again, the not-knowing what to say or do swamped me. Unable to pull enough oxygen into my lungs, I squeezed his hand. “I’m glad to see you.”

His chest moved with uneven breaths. My gaze skittered to the monitors, although the numbers there really didn’t mean much to me. Selling pharmaceuticals didn’t require medical knowledge beyond the facts and side effects listed in the brochures.

Behind me, a phone buzzed and fabric rustled before Josh murmured a hello.

“Gallagher, it’s your mom.” He joined me at the side of the bed, holding the phone near Dan’s chin, the device hissing with an open line on speaker. “She wants to talk to Mackey and hear from you.”

Dan blinked. “Mama.”

“Oh, my Lord, Dan.” Panic strangled Stephanie’s normally calm voice. “I can’t get a flight out–”

“Mama, ‘skay.” His fingers tightened on mine. “Lila’s here.”

Stephanie’s relief rushed out in an audible breath. “So you’re not alone.”

Again, I felt eyes lingering on me. I was such a fraud here. With a hard swallow, I wrapped my free hand around the bed rail. “No, ma’am. He’s not.”

“Oh, thank God. Jay? Are you there?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Dr. Mackey propped his forearms on the opposite bedrail. “His scans are clear. No brain bleed, but he has a concussion so we’re watching him. He’ll have a few days off to rest. His face will be a little bruised.”

My gaze jerked to him. A little?

“Remember when Lydia got hit with the soccer ball?” he continued. “About like that.”

“You’re sure?”

“Mrs. Stephanie, I would never not shoot you straight. He needs a little rest and time to heal. He’ll be right as rain.”

Josh snorted. “You’re like an eighty-year-old man.”

Dr. Mackey grinned at him, then returned his attention to the phone. “You heard that, right, Mrs. Stephanie?”

“Thank you, Jay. Daniel, I can fly out–”

“Mama.” He coughed, hoarse and choked. “I’m fine.”

“Lydia can–”

“Mama. She doesn’t need to take time off.” He scowled, hissed in a breath, and exhaled. “I’m good.”