Personal, huh?Five bucks said the wordgaycame out of his mouth next, but since I’d been prepared for that, I said, “You can ask me anything.”
He dropped his eyes down to where he was rolling the glass between his hands. “Why did you come visit me in the hospital?”
Okaay,so notthe wordgay.Instead, he’d asked the one question I didn’t want to answer.
“Is that something you do with all the people you help?” he said.
I thought about lying, telling him I always snuck into patients’ rooms to check up on them, but when I saw the sincerity in his eyes, I couldn’t fudge the truth.
“Honest answer?” I said, and he nodded. “No. No, I never visit patients after we transition them over to the hospital.” Before he could ask the question I knew was on the tip of his tongue, I added, “Sometimes I check on them in other ways. Call up to the ER, and if a friend picks up the phone, they’ll give me a brief rundown. But I shouldn’t even be doing that, because it’s a patient privacy violation.”
Reid’s brows lifted. “It is?”
“Yes.”
“And the day of the accident was the first time we ever spoke?”
“Yes.”
He rubbed his forehead, as if he was deep in thought as he took in what I’d said. “Then I don’t understand. Don’t take this the wrong way, but…why were you in my room when I woke up?”
“Because…” I was at a loss for words. “You have to understand, I saw you every day. You always came into the same place I did, Joe’s, and you got your daily latte—yes, you drink coffee. And I don’t know, Reid. No, we didn’t know each other, but it felt like I knew you. You were familiar to me. And when I took the call and saw it was you in that accident? I had to know that you were okay once I left, whether it was wrong or not.”
Reid didn’t move, didn’t blink. Just stared at me as he seemed to process what I said. Or maybe he was seeing through what I said to the other why, which didn’t need to be mentioned. But then he nodded and looked down at the drink in his hands.
“I appreciate that, Ollie. I hope I would’ve done the same for you, had our positions been reversed.” He went to lift his glass to his lips and stopped. “Wait. Did you say I drink coffee?”
I couldn’t help the chuckle that left me as I lifted my mug. “Only a latte every day. Have you even tried coffee lately?”
“No. I just assumed I hated it.”
“Care to try some?”
“Uh…I’ll take a raincheck,” he said, then finished off his water. “So… Did you have any plans today besides answering all my questions? I’m guessing you probably have to work, huh?”
“No, I’m off today. Several things I could be doing, I guess, but I don’t usually get to relax and do a whole lot of nothing.”
“And here I am, bugging the hell out of you.” Reid got to his feet.
“Where are you going?”
“I think I’ve probably taken up enough of your time.”
“What? No, stay.” Then before I knew it was going to come out, I said, “How do you feel about pizza? And maybe a movie? I promise I have something better thanAnt-Manin my stash.”
The line between Reid’s brows creased. “You want me to stay?”
Hell yes, I do.But now wasn’t the time forthatmuch enthusiasm. “Sure. No pressure, but you look like you could use a chill day yourself.”
Reid chewed on his lip as he seemed to debate with himself, and I wondered what it was that made him want to leave. Did he feel like he was stepping on my toes? Or, worse, did he think I’d hit on him or something? “If you’re sure…”
“I’m sure. But there is something important we need to discuss if you stay.”
Reid sat back down on the couch. “And what’s that?”
“Pepperoni or sausage?”
six