Natalie took Tessa’s hand. “I’m sorry, Tessa. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”
“It’s not your fault.” Tessa gave her hand a squeeze. “Julian does a dangerous job. I’ve known that since I met him, and it’s part of why I respect and love him. We’ll get through this. We’ll all get through this. At least he’s alive.”
And Natalie wondered if she’d be able to respond with half as much grace if she were in Tessa’s position.
THE HOURS DRAGGED by as Natalie and Tessa waited, sharing a quiet dinner in the hospital cafeteria and getting to know each other in a way they hadn’t before. Holly and Kara came with a change of clothes, shoes, and a makeup kit so that Natalie should freshen up and have something dry to wear. Then investigators arrived to interview Natalie, followed by the media. Hospital security took Natalie and Tessa to a private waiting room upstairs to keep the media from pestering them—except for their own paper, of course.
Tom sent Matt to cover the shoot-out, as he was the only member of the I-Team available. Kat was still on the rez. Sophie was home with her own kids and babysitting Tessa’s daughter. Comfortable only reporting the facts, Natalie told Matt what she could—which was far more than any other media outlet would be able to report.
“Good God, Natalie,” Matt said when she finished. “If you don’t get a Pulitzer out of this, I will personally kick the committee’s ass.”
Then he left, headed back to the newsroom for a late night of deadline reporting.
“Tessa Darcangelo?” A doctor in surgical garb stepped into the room, his green surgical mask around his neck.
Tessa’s face went white. She stood. “I’m Tessa.”
The doctor came over, shook her hand. “Your husband’s lost a fair amount of blood, so we transfused him. We were able to remove the bullet, and that injury should heal well. He’ll have stiffness and pain in his shoulder for a time, but the bullet hit muscle, so there was no injury to the structure of the joint itself.”
“Thank goodness! What about his thumb?”
“We’ve reattached it. There’s blood flow. But we won’t know for some time how much function or sensation he’ll have. He’s awake and in recovery now, so if you’d like to see him—”
“God bless you! Yes, I’d love to see him.” Then Tessa turned, took Natalie’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. “I hope they bring good news about Zach soon.”
Natalie smiled, hoping the very same thing. “Go be with your husband.”
IT WAS ALMOST midnight by the time doctors came for Natalie with the welcome news that none of the tests showed permanent damage to Zach’s heart—and that Zach had been asking for her.
“Oh, thank God! When can I see him? I’d like to stay with him tonight.”
“Only family are allowed back into the ICU.”
And so she lied. “I’m his wife.”
Back in the ICU, she found Zach asleep, his naked body covered only at the groin, by a towel. Electrodes were attached to his chest and side, IVs in his left arm, an oxygen tube beneath his nose. There were red blotches on his torso, dressings on his right shoulder and left thigh where bullets had grazed him—proof of how much he’d risked and how much he’d suffered to protect her.
She took his hand, pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’m here, Zach. I’m going to stay right here beside you.”
IT WAS A combination of fluorescent light and a woman’s sweet voice that woke him.
Zach opened his eyes, found Natalie sitting next to him, her gaze fixed on the heart monitor screen, worry and exhaustion lining her pretty face. “Angel.”
She looked down at him, her lips curving in a sweet smile. “How do you feel?”
“Not too bad . . . for a dead guy.”
Her smile vanished. “Don’t even joke about that.”
“Sorry.” He glanced around. “I thought they were moving me out of ICU.”
She stroked his cheek. “Not till later this morning—and only if your heart keeps beating like it should.”
His tests had come back normal, no sign of organ damage, external burns only. He was one lucky son of a bitch, and he knew it.
He reached up and ran a knuckle down her cheek, needing to touch her. “How can you look so beautiful after all you’ve been through?”
“I don’t.” Her smiled returned. “They’re just giving you good drugs.”