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She said nothing, and my gut clenched.
The dark-haired, dark-skinned form of Dr. Washington rushed into the reception area. She took one look at Katie and gestured. “Follow me.”
I complied and soon laid Katie down on a hospital bed. I didn’t even get the chance to brush the hair off her face before the doctor motioned me aside. “Let me check her over. Wait in the chair over there.”
Reluctantly, I obeyed and sat down in the chair. I watched as the doctor listened to Katie’s lungs, checked her pulse, and took her temperature. By that point, a nurse had come in and was sent off on an errand.
Soon, they had Katie hooked up to an IV drip. I tried to stand up, but Dr. Washington gave me a look. “Stay there until I’m finished, or I’ll banish you to the hall.”
Nodding, I sat back down and watched the doctor work.
I hated being so fucking helpless. It seemed to be the story of my life. No matter what I suggested, my family always turned down my offers of help. All the Wolfes were stubborn, yes. But it fucking hurt when they kept declining money or other types of assistance from me. Beck letting me record videos for the winery had been my only victory.
And now there was Katie. Even if the engagement was fake, she should’ve reached out to me. Maybe even asked me to check on her.
Why did no one ever want to rely on me?
Rubbing my hands over my face, I told myself to stop the fucking pity party. I would do just fine and survive, as always. Right now, all that mattered was Katie getting well.
I had no idea how much time passed before the doctor walked over to me. As soon as I stood, I asked, “What’s wrong with her?”
“I’m waiting on some tests to be sure, but I think she has both the flu and strep throat. One or the other is a lot easier to manage, but together they can be more dangerous. It’s good that you brought her in because she’ll need antibiotics for the strep. Plus, she’s extremely dehydrated.” The doctor studied me a second before asking, “How long has she been this ill?”
I ran a hand through my hair. “I don’t know. I live and work in L.A., and we mostly text and call when we’re apart. The last time we talked on the phone was maybe five days ago? Six? I’ve been busy with my job, and the days have kind of blurred together.”
Dr. Washington nodded. “I get that. Well, I’d like for her to stay on the drip for an hour. In the meantime, I’ll send her prescription out and it should be ready by the time you leave. Once you get her home, make sure she rests, drinks plenty of fluids, and takes the antibiotics until they’re gone.”
“Yes, Dr. Washington. Thank you.”
“Just promise me one thing, okay?”
“Anything.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Next time, don’t shout at my staff like that. I know you were worried, but it doesn’t make us work any faster.”
I resisted shifting my feet. “Er, sorry. I promise I’ll be a true gentleman next time.”
Dr. Washington nodded. “Good. Then I’ll go write that prescription. You can sit with her, if you like.”
Once the doctor and nurse were gone, I pulled up a chair next to Katie’s bed and took her hand. I brought it to my lips and kissed it. Seeing her unconscious and hooked up to the drip made one thing crystal clear to me—Katie had become more than a means of getting rid of my ex. She meant something to me, maybe more than I was ready to admit.
All I knew was that I wanted her as my girlfriend for real. The trick would be figuring out how to win her over, given my complicated life.
Chapter Thirteen
Katie
Iblinked my eyes open to near-darkness. My entire body ached, my throat was on fire, and I felt as if I’d run twenty miles and promptly collapsed from fatigue.
I had a fuzzy memory of Nolan charging into my room and carrying me somewhere before I passed out.
But that couldn’t be right, could it?
My eyes slowly adjusted, and I noticed I wasn’t in my room. The walls were dark green, the bed was a lot bigger, and the window was in the wrong place.
As I tried to figure out where I was, I noticed someone sitting in a chair next to the bed, their head propped atop their arms on the mattress, snoring softly.
“Nolan?” I croaked.
