Page 78 of Mountain Impact

“I love you, Isolde.”

She brought her face close to his, her voice so low he had to strain to hear it. “You’d better live if you want to hear me say it back.”

Drake laughed. Then his world went dark.

Chapter 24

Isolde

Isolde sipped the lukewarm coffee Kat had brought for her. She’d counted the slats in the hospital waiting room ceiling a hundred times in the few hours they’d been here.

“Thank you,” she said. Her shaking hand wrapped around the paper cup. If Kat noticed the tremors, she didn’t say anything.

Isolde had traveled with Drake in the ambulance but, as soon as they’d gotten to the hospital, he’d been wheeled away into surgery. She hadn’t been allowed to go in with him―none of them had, since it wasn’t just her waiting out here. All his team members were there, as well as Tess, Damien’s wife, who’d joined them later.

“He’s going to be fine,” Jens said, coming up beside her.

“You’ve spoken with the doctor?” she asked hopefully.

The tall man shook his head quickly, and she realized he didn’t want to raise her hopes. “No, but I know Drake and he’s a tough son of a bitch. He’s going to be fine.”

“I hope so,” she said.

He has to be okay.

I haven’t told him I love him yet.

“Has anybody taken a look at you, Isolde?” Damien asked, sitting beside her.

Isolde shook her head. “I’m fine.” Her voice quivered in fear. She tried again. “I’m not hurt like Drake is.”

Just then, the doors to the emergency room opened and Dr. Matthieu walked out.

Finally, a piece of good luck.

Isolde took a step forward.

“Dr. Matthieu,” she said. “Robert.”

“Isolde. Mr. Jacobs said you’d probably be out here.”

Drake said …

“He’s talking? Does that mean―” Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

Dr. Matthieu nodded. His eyes were kind. He looked around, recognizing Drake’s team. She could see the wheels turning in his mind, and the moment he decided it was okay to talk to them.

“The bullet grazed his kidney. We thought we might have to remove it, but finally we managed to contain the bleeding. He’s still in the post-anesthesia care unit, but I expect him to make a full recovery.”

Isolde felt herself sway in relief.

Kat was beside her in a second, placing an arm around her shoulder.

“Can I see him?” Isolde asked. She didn’t care if she was cutting in front of his team. She needed to see Drake with her own eyes.

“He’ll be moved to a room over the next hour.” Dr. Matthieu looked at the tablet in his hand. “Room 212. Why don’t you wait there?”

She nodded gratefully and thanked the doctor. After he’d gone back through the doors, Isolde turned to his team. They were all smiling from ear to ear. Gael and Hiro clapped each other in the back.