“So that’s it?” Ro reached back and pulled her long hair free from inside the jacket’s collar. Looking to him for verification. “I can go home?”
She’d been doing that a lot since they’d first arrived at the hospital. Looking to him when she asked a question, rather than the doctor. As if she instinctually expected him to have all the answers.
As if she trusted him completely.
I wonder if she even realizes she’s doing it.
Unfortunately for them both, Brody didn’t have all the answers. Or any, for that matter. Yet. But he was damn sure going to do everything in his power to find them.
Just as soon as he knew Ro was safe.
“I have the discharge papers right here.” Dr. Rawlins handed her patient a set of stapled papers.
Tapping the screen of the electronic tablet the hospital used in place of the old, paper charts, she quickly reviewed the orders aloud from start to finish. The rote tone of the woman’s voice as she read made it obvious she’d repeated those exact same words on far too many occasions.
“Do either of you have any questions for me?” The pretty blonde looked first to Ro and then Brody. When they both shook their heads, she nodded with a smile. “Like I said, you should feel completely normal from here on out, but if anything changes, my direct extension is at the bottom.”
“Thank you.” Ro gave the kind doctor a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
Your smiles should always reach those gorgeous eyes of yours, Princess.
“I’d say anytime, but it’s my sincere hope I never see you as a patient in my E.R. again.”
Understanding the intent behind Rawlins’ words, Brody thanked the other woman as well before she turned to leave the room. Alone with Ro again, he pulled his truck keys from his pocket and blew out a breath.
“You ready to go?”
“God, yes.” Without hesitation, she slid her purse over her shoulder and started for the door. “I hate hospitals.”
“I know.”
Surprise flickered in her weary gaze, those incredible eyes of hers widening slightly from his comment. It was true. He did know she hated hospitals.
Because he remembered.
When they were younger, Ro and her dad had spent days—sometimes weeks—holed up in her mother’s hospital room where she’d still been fighting the ruthless disease. He’d gone by a couple times with his parents and Meg, but his sister had been the one to spend hours on end there.
Keeping her best friend company and trying to help so Ro wouldn’t completely fall apart.
Brody remembered Meg coming home in tears more than once because she knew Ro was devastated at the thought of losing her mom. A loss he and Meg would also suffer a few years later.
Only they hadn’t only lost their mom. They’d lost both parents.
In the blink of an eye, Ro, Brody, and Meg had all had their worlds turned upside down from losing those they’d loved. And now…
What if I lost her, too?
Refusing to entertain the thought, Brody reached for the papers in Ro’s hands. “I’ve got these.”
He folded them vertically and slid them into his jacket pocket. Without thinking better of it, he then took her hand in his and headed for the door.
Despite the situation, he nearly smiled, his chest growing warm when she didn’t pull away. But then…
“Wait.” Ro kept her hold on him but refused to move.
He turned back, scanning the room. “What wrong? Did you forget something?”
“No, I just…” A quick lick of her lips. “I just wanted to say thank you. For insisting we come here, and for coming to the house when Meg called…”