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“Aw, sleepy girl,” Farrah says. “We were just about to lay her down for a nap.” She smiles.
Amber’s eyes droop. “As much as I want to hold her all day, I don’t think I can stay awake. Would you mind laying her down for me, Farrah?” Amber asks, and my sister looks delighted to get the baby back.
When Nella is out of Amber’s arms, Amber moves to stand up but she’s unsteady on her feet, still experiencing some vertigo from the dye. I’m there in an instant, one hand under her arm and the other sliding around her waist. “I got you; can you make it up the stairs with my help? I could carry you.”
Amber turns her head in my direction, quirking a brow.
Mom snickers from where she’s sitting on the couch. “Oh, Ford, watching you as a doting husband might be my favorite thing ever.”
Amber doesn’t look as amused as Mom. She sighs and says, “I can walk, but I might need your help.”
I try not to be disappointed. I kind of wanted to carry her. “Okay. You got it.”
She makes it up the stairs fine and I get her settled into bed, pulling the blankets up over her small body. Amber’s smaller than me, of course, but something about seeing her in a state of recovery makes her seem even smaller.
She yawns, and I turn to leave so she can rest, but her voice stops me. “Will you stay with me?”
“Of course,” I answer, toeing my shoes off then crawling into bed beside her. “You don’t want me to get you any water or anything?”
“No. I just want you here with me.” She yawns.
“I’m here,” I tell her, reaching out to search for her hand under the blankets. Her small hand wraps around mine, and we both fall asleep.
When I wake up, I can barely remember where I am or what day it is. I know I had the easy job the past thirty-six hours, wasn’t even the one being sedated, but the anxiety of the whole thing apparently wore me out. I also was sharing a hospital bed with Amber, a hospital bed that was not made for a 6’4 athlete. As great as it was cuddling with Amber, I didn’t get the best sleep.
My eyes open to find Amber awake and watching me. The color of her skin has returned to normal, and she looks well-rested.
“So, did I say anything weird after the sedation wore off?” She asks.
My eyes shift to the side. “Nope.”
“Liar.” She laughs.
I find something interesting to study on her nightstand. A glass of water from the night before her surgery. Fascinating.
“Just tell me what I said.”
“It wasn’t that weird.”
She raises her brows, and I groan, rubbing my eyes with my fists. “You said I was more handsome than Colby Knight.”
Amber’s eyes widen and she slaps a hand over her mouth. “No, I didn’t,” she mumbles through her hand.
I nod slowly.
Amber lets her hand fall away and starts giggling uncontrollably. The sound soothes me—it’s nice to have her back to herself. As much as I enjoyed her half-asleep revelations of my hotness.
Her laughter fades when she moves to get up, grunting in pain when she puts weight on her left hand. “I might need some help.”
I smile. “I got you.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVEN
AMBER
Ford’s three days off fly by faster than I want them to. I’m lucky we even got those three family emergency days with him though, considering it’s the middle of the season.
