Her eyes didn’t open, but her mouth did. The words, however raspy and strained, were enough to fill James with more love than he ever thought he was capable of feeling. “If you touch those movies I’ll never have sex with you again.”
James choked out a laugh, getting to his feet. He carefully brushed the hair away from her face and pressed his lips to her bruised forehead. “Thank you.” He kissed her again. “Thank you.”
“My head hurts,” she muttered.
“I’ll get the doctor.”
“Wait.”
James stilled.
“I love you,” she whispered, the sound ragged in her smoke-ravaged throat.
“Oh, God, baby,” he sobbed. “I love you.”
Four
After Dr. Fitzgerald checked her over, pulsing a light into her eyes and asking her a few mundane questions, he pronounced her well on her way to recovery.
“I want to go home,” Mandy announced.
James immediately started shaking his head. “Don’t even think about it.”
Dr. Fitzgerald smiled. “Your friend here is right,” he said. “We need to keep you for observation for at least twenty-four hours. That means two full nights.”
Mandy balked. “I don’t like hospitals.”
“No one does,” the doctor said. “You need one right now, young lady. You’re very lucky to be alive.”
Mandy grimaced as she shifted in the bed. “I don’t feel very lucky. My whole body hurts.”
“It’s going to feel worse tomorrow,” Fitzgerald said, his tone serious. “You’re going to be in pain for several days. You might even wish, on occasion, that you had died. It’s going to hurt that much. I’m not going to sugarcoat it.”
“What about work?”
He’d had her back for twenty minutes and James already wanted to throttle her. “You’re worried about work?”
“You’re going to need a few weeks away from your job,” Dr. Fitzgerald said.
Mandy opened her mouth to argue, but James silenced her with a scorching look. “You can’t even type with that cast.”
Mandy scowled. “But … .”
“Don’t you dare argue with me,” James warned. “My poor heart can’t take it.”
Mandy rolled her eyes, flinching at the pain in her forehead. “Fine.”
James shifted his gaze to the doctor. “I’m assuming she’s going to need some medication.”
“And a lot of rest.”
James nodded, rubbing his hand against Mandy’s jaw tenderly. “I can guarantee that.”
“You’re treating me like a child,” Mandy complained.
“Well, some things never change.”
James glanced up at the doorway, smiling when he saw Finn, Emma, Sophie, Grady, and his baby sister, Ally, fluttering nervously at the threshold.
“Once Ally arrived, waiting wasn’t an option anymore,” Grady explained. “She berated the receptionist until they let us back here.”
James nodded. He was familiar with his sister’s brand of annoyance. Ally pushed her way into the room, slipping by the doctor and making her way to Mandy’s side. She looked her up and down, her eyes filled with a mixture of sympathy and mayhem. “You look awful.”
“You’re a bitch,” Mandy countered.
“I am,” Ally agreed, perching on the edge of the bed. “I’m so happy you’re going to be okay.”
“That makes two of us,” James said.
“I think that makes six of us,” Sophie said, smiling.
Dr. Fitzgerald eyed the new guests. “I can see you’re all close,” he said. “And while I’m glad this all turned out so well for you, I have to ask that you all say your goodbyes and leave Ms. Avery to get some rest. She needs time to recuperate.”
Ally was affronted. “She needs me.”
“She can only have one guest overnight,” the doctor replied, not falling for her pouty expression. “I think that slot is already filled.” He shot a pointed look in James’ direction.
Ally sighed dramatically. “Fine. I’m coming back tomorrow, though.”
“I can’t wait,” Dr. Fitzgerald said. “You still need to leave right now.”
Ally wasn’t used to people telling her no. “You’re not a very nice doctor.”
“No,” he agreed. “I am, however, a good doctor. Your friend is very lucky to be alive. She needs to rest, because the next few days are going to be hard on her. She’s going to be in a lot of pain.”
Ally rolled her eyes. “Well, duh. That’s why I’m going to be here to brighten her day tomorrow.”