“I’ve convinced Dr. Taylor to allow you a few moments with Brad.
Apparently he’s been muttering your name even though he’s
unconscious.”
“Thank you,” Alex said fervently, following her toward the
cubicle.
Carolyn paused just before the curtain, lowering her voice to a whisper. “I told them you were his fiancée.”
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“Good, because I told them the same thing,” Alex whispered
back.
Carolyn’s blue eyes lit with amusement. “Smart woman.” Her
expression sobered. “Its possible hearing your voice will trigger him into consciousness.”
Alex nodded, slipping through the curtain, her eyes filling again as she gazed down at him. He looked so big, so handsome and so damn still. The smell of antiseptic was strong and the white bandage on his head collided with the brown of his skin. Some color had seeped back into his face, however, and that fact helped her gain control. She took a deep breath, calling on the powers she had been born with.
She ran her fingers gently along each side of his forehead,
closing her eyes, melding his pain with her mind. She fought the urge to stop, to avoid what she knew was to come and began her gentle massage once again. Only her love for the man under her restless fingers urged her go on. She could feel her skin stretch and part, feel the blood trickling down her cheek. She sobbed with the agony of it. Then the pain began to recede and she rode the sensation, her hands no longer on skin but on the cold metal of the rail fighting to stay afloat, keep conscious.
She slowly opened her heavy eyelids, sliding her gaze toward the man lying in front of her. She had eased the majority of his discomfort and time would take care of the rest.
“Wake up, Brad,” she whispered, taking his hand in hers and
holding her breath.
His eyelids fluttered and then opened. He blinked wincing as he turned his head. When his gaze locked with hers, he grabbed her hand.
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“Alex,” he muttered his voice thick, “are you okay?”
She sobbed a laugh as she bent down to kiss him. “I’m fine.”
He reached up to touch the bandage on his head. “He shot me.
I remember leaning over to reach for something shining on the floor of the car and heard the pop. Then everything went dark.”
“You were so still and so pale,” she said, her voice breaking.
He held out his arms and she melted into them, reassured by
the steady beating of his heart. “It’ll take more than that bastard to put me down,” he said hoarsely.
She was silent for a few moments, resting her cheek against his chest, fighting the emotion.
“Did you see him?”
“I didn’t see a damn thing. Only felt the sting of the bullet and then nothing.”
“We should have been more alert,” she sighed, reluctant to
move from his arms. “We’re getting too close. At least he thinks we are and he’s reacting. We should have expected that.”
“Maybe,” he sighed pulling her closer. He reached up to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear and slid a finger along her earlobe, pausing as he tilted her head the other way.
“You’re missing something.”
“What?”
“An earring,” he said, touching the spot where it was missing.
“I think that’s what I saw in the car when I was shot.” His gaze moved to hers. “If I hadn’t leaned over…”
Alex shuddered. “Things could have been a lot worse.”
Reluctantly, she disengaged herself from his arms and stood, swaying just slightly but catching herself before he noticed.
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Healing always made her slightly weak. She took a deep breath and felt steadier.
“Your family is out in the waiting room. Let me tell them you’re all right. They’ve been just as worried as I have.”
“What family?”
“Maggie, Kevin, his fiancée, Carolyn, and your father.”
Brad abruptly sat up and then grabbed his head, sinking back down. “My father is here?”
“He is and his mood isn’t the best. He’s sure not enough is
being done for you. Maggie managed to calm him down and I let him have it as well.”
“And how did he respond to that?” he asked dryly.
“Told me I was impertinent.”
“I’ll bet.” He frowned, his gaze straying to the parted curtain.
“I’m surprised he came. Who called him?”
“I did. He needs to see you, Brad. The man is truly worried.”
“Then I guess you should send him in.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure,” he said throwing an arm over his eyes and settling back against the pillow.
Hesitating for just a moment, her heart aching, she did as he asked after stopping to let the nurse know he was awake.
Andrew was waiting impatiently, still pacing when she entered the waiting room again.
She smiled reassuringly, although suddenly she was almost too weary to speak. “He’s awake and doing well.”
“Thank God!” Kevin said, sinking down beside Carolyn.
“I want to see him. Now!”
“As it happens, Mr. Norton, he wants to see you as well.”
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That stopped him. He opened his mouth then closed it. “Good.
Which way?”
“I’ll show you.”
When they reached the curtain, he paused. “I don’t know if I can go in there,” he muttered.
“Why?”
He turned to her. “I don’t like feeling so uncertain. That’s not who I am.”
She met his gaze. “No, what you are is a concerned father. He needs you.”
He shot her a quick glance. “He tell you that?”
“He didn’t have to. I know.”
Andrew took a moment to study the woman in front of him.
There was something steady, calming about her. His lips curved in a reluctant smile. “I believe you do.” He took a deep breath and pushed the curtain aside.
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Andrew stood just inside the room, his gaze moving toward his son. Brad had his eyes closed, his big body dwarfing the stretcher he was on. Emotions he wasn’t even aware he could feel rushed through him, memories of another time, another loved one dying while he stood there feeling totally helpless. His fists clenched as he fought to hold on to that iron control he always relied on.
“Are you going to stand there or come in?”
A muscle worked at Andrew’s jaw as his eyes shot to his son’s now open ones. “I see you’re feeling better,” he said, his words more harsh than he intended them to be.
“I’m not sure how I’m feeling right now,” Brad said, grimacing again as he struggled to sit up.
“Why the hell weren’t you more careful?”
“Why the hell do you care?”
Andrew’s expression stiffened then slowly relaxed. “I guess I deserve that,” he said quietly.
“No you didn’t,” Brad said harshly. “You’re right; we should have been more suspicious, more alert.”
Andrew paused as one of the nurses walked in to take Brad’s
temperature and blood pressure and, nodding in satisfaction, left them alone again.
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“I hate hospitals,” Andrew said gruffly, moving to the side of the stretcher. “Hate the way they smell, the way they make you feel. So damn helpless.” He was silent for a long moment. “I loved her you know. So much it hurt.”
Brad’s gaze shot to his, knowing without having to be told
exactly what he was referring to. “I know that.”
“She was so full of life, so incredibly open. I didn’t know what to make of her. She laughed at me when I complained about her always being late. She called me stiff and old-fashioned. She was everything I wasn’t. Yet I fell so deeply in love with her.”
“It doesn’t matter now.”
Andrew shook his head. “It matters. When I got that phone call it was as if I were reliving the past all over again. I suddenly realized I could lose you just like I lost her and it hurt like hell.”
Brad wasn’t sure what to make of this new side to his father. It wasn’t like him to be so open, so direct about what he was feeling.
He found it difficult to accept what he was saying or maybe he just didn’t want to expose himself to being hurt all over again.
“Maggie told me something awhile back that I didn’t
understand then. I do now,” Andrew continued. “She told me,
‘Brad will know you mean the words you say when you really mean them.’ His gaze locked on Brad’s. “Do you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“You think you can forgive me?”
“I’ll work on it.”
Andrew’s lips curved in a ghost of a smile. “That’s a start then.”
He moved a chair nearer and sat. “We’ve got a lot to work through.
It’s probably not going to be easy.”
“Wouldn’t mean anything if it was,” Brad replied.
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Andrew studied his son. “While I’m apologizing for being such an ass, I might as well go all the way. It seems you and Kevin were right about Ellie’s death. That,” he said, pointing to the bandage on Brad’s head, “appears to confirm your suspicions.”
“Alex said as much.”
Andrew smiled, relaxing against the back of the chair. “It
appears that young woman knows her mind.”
“She does.”
“She reminds me of your mother.”
“Why?” Brad asked, surprised.
“Because she has the same way about her. Says what she
thinks.”
Brad nodded, a smile playing about his lips. “That she does.”
“Do I hear my name being used in vain?” Alex asked peeking
around the curtain.
“You know what they say about eavesdroppers?” Brad said
dryly, his gaze catching and holding Alex’s.
Dr. Taylor appeared behind her moving into the room. He bent to examine Brad’s wound and then checked his eyes with a small light.
“Well, Mr. Norton, it appears you’re feeling much better. How’s the head?”
“Not too bad. Aches a little.”
“Not surprising. You were very, very lucky.”
“I know.” He shifted restlessly. “When can I get out of here?”
“I’d like to keep you overnight. Just to make sure there are no residual effects.”
Brad shook his head emphatically, ignoring the pain the
movement caused. “No way.”
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Alex gave him a gentle shove. “Quit being such a pain.” She
turned to the doctor. “What if I guarantee he won’t be left alone tonight and I bring him back in tomorrow for a follow up?”
“I guess that would be acceptable. I’ll have one of the nurses give you some instructions on what to watch for.”
“Thank you.”
She waited until he left, then shook her finger at Brad. “Don’t think you’re getting away with anything, buddy.”
He captured her hand and squeezed. “Yes, ma’am.” He swung
his legs over the side of the bed, fighting the slight dizziness as he sat up. “Let’s go.”
“It might be a good idea if you got dressed first, sport,” Alex teased. “Of course, I like your cute backside but the visitors out there might not feel the same way.”
“Then get me my clothes,” he growled.
Alex shot Andrew an amused glance. “Temper, temper. I’ll find them.” Andrew followed her out and then stopped her with a hand on her arm. “He needs someone like you, young lady.”
She looked up. “Meaning?”
Andrew glanced back. “Someone who will push him past the
emotional scars. Scars I’m responsible for.”
Alex’s heart warmed to the honesty she detected in his voice.
“Don’t beat yourself up too much, Mr. Norton. We all make
mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them.”
“Please call me Andrew.”
She nodded. “After all, if I hadn’t been blinded by what I feel for your son, I would have been more diligent.”
“What exactly is it you feel toward Brad?”
Her lips twitched. “That, Andrew, is none of your business.”
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“Kind of figured I’d get that answer.” His gaze strayed to the closed curtain. “It isn’t your fault, you know.”
She sighed. “Maybe not, but I don’t like being caught by
surprise. I just didn’t expect whoever this is to act so soon. After all, we haven’t exactly found anything conclusive.”
“You found something, that much is obvious,” he said dryly.
“You just might not know it yet.”
“Then I’ll find out what that something is. Soon.”
“I don’t doubt you will.”
* * *
It was over an hour later that Alex and Brad were finally alone in the hotel room she had reserved. She smiled absently at the fancy bar and the large space with the heart-shaped Jacuzzi tub at one end. Didn’t mean a whole lot now, she thought fleetingly. She was so tired anything, even the floor, would do right at this moment. Fortunately the rest of the Brad’s family was able to find rooms in the same hotel. They were all beyond exhausted,
physically and emotionally.
Brad stretched out on the bed and sighed. “Damn! This feels
good. Nothing like lying on a narrow cart for hours to appreciate a soft bed.”
She eyed him carefully. “You okay?”
He rubbed his eyes and then stretched again. “Better than okay now that I’m out of that blasted place.”
“No headache or blurred vision?”
He tossed her a look of disgust. “I’m fine, Alex. Leave it.”
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“I will if you agree to take that sleeping pill the doctor
prescribed.”
“I’m not taking any sedatives,” he said, rubbing his forehead.
“Listen, Brad, I promised the doctor I’d wake you up
periodically through the night. If you don’t take that pill you won’t be fit for anything tomorrow.”
“All right, all right, I’ll take the damn thing,” he growled.
She handed it to him, waiting until he swallowed it. Satisfied, she moved toward her suitcase, eyeing her stained shirt in
distaste. “You relax there and I’ll get rid of these clothes. Be back in a minute.” She tossed a warning look back at him. “And behave yourself, will you? The door’s locked and the curtains are pulled.