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Why didn’t you tell me, Carly? Did you think I was so shallow I wouldn’t like you because you’d lost your hair? Is that how I came across?
Or maybe she was dying, and that’s why she didn’t want to start a relationship. His breaths came faster, seeking for more oxygen from the air that felt as thin as on a mountain top.
“She was awake ten minutes ago.” Liam gestured toward Carly’s sleeping form, frail and helpless on the bed with a white bandage wound around her head.
“That’s great. I’m sure she’ll wake up again.” Dr. Kemp looked at his watch and typed something else. “You said it was fifteen minutes ago? How long was she awake?”
“I don’t know. Maybe five minutes?”
“And was she coherent?”
“Not exactly,” Liam said. “She didn’t know where she was.”
“Hmmm....” The doctor typed some more.
Liam moved beside Carly and wiped a tissue on the new black smears under her eyes, repeating their conversation in his mind. What if those were the last words they ever exchanged? He hadn’t said the right things. It had taken him too long to understand what she was talking about. And his mind had been blown when she’d said the accident was her fault.
Why did you jump in front of my car, Carly? Just to keep me from driving away? Yes, I was mad, but that’s not something you risk your life over!
If only he could take back everything he’d said and done when he’d realized she was Ben’s little sister. Why hadn’t he stuffed his stupid pride into a sack and given her a chance to explain?
Liam pulled at the collar on his sweater, which suddenly felt too tight. “Is it a bad sign that she was still confused?”
“It’s too early to say.” The doctor glanced at her, as if he could gather some kind of new data from the way she was lying on the bed. “It’s only been a couple of hours. We know she has a concussion, so we expect some confusion.”
“And you’re positive she doesn’t have any broken bones or internal bleeding?” Liam’s ribs refused to expand enough for him to take a full breath.
If she dies, it will be my fault.
He already felt responsible for Ben. He couldn’t let that happen to Carly.
“Her legs and hips have contusions, but the x-rays didn’t reveal any broken bones. The only serious injury was from the impact of her head on the pavement.” Dr. Kemp rubbed the bridge of his nose. “If we’re lucky, she has nothing more than a moderate concussion. If new symptoms develop, like nausea and vomiting, we’ll do a second MRI to see if there could be bleeding in the brain.”
“But what if—”
“I know you’re worried, but you can relax.” Dr. Kemp patted his arm the way one would soothe a child. “Any patient associated with Branson Knight is going to get red-carpet treatment. That’s why you have me, the head of Emergency Medicine, instead of one of our other doctors. And our top neurosurgeon is already on standby in case anything goes wrong.”
“I told you they would take care of her, Liam,” Bran said as he entered the room. “These guys are the best at what they do. Meanwhile, I got through to the people down in Houston. We should have emergency contact information within twenty minutes.”
He used his cane to navigate to where the doctor stood, and offered his hand. Dr. Kemp shook it. “We won’t let you down, Mr. Knight. I’m treating her like I would my own daughter.”
More resigned than content, Liam moved beside Carly and eased his chair down until he was on her level.
“I assume she hasn’t woken up?” Bran said when the doctor was gone.
“She did for a few minutes.” Liam stretched his arm beside Carly’s on the bed, holding her hand. “She thought I was her brother at first. And then she started apologizing, spouting some absurd story about how the accident that killed Ben was her fault.”
“Her fault? I hadn’t heard that.”
“I’m surprised.” Liam couldn’t keep the edge of irritation out of his voice. “Seems like she told you and Fordham everything.”
“I hope you can forgive me for not being completely honest about Carly.” Bran edged forward with his cane until he stood at the end of the hospital bed. “The only reason we knew the truth was because Fordham ran a security check on her before you arrived. He confronted her and decided he trusted her. But I wasn’t happy about keeping it a secret from you. She kept promising she would tell you everything, but she was putting it off.”
“Why wasn’t she honest about who she was to begin with?”
“Fordham’s the only one who knows.” Bran shrugged. “But hopefully, she’ll wake up soon and you can ask her yourself.”
“And you didn’t know she was having cancer treatment?”
