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“Yeah, must be that,” Daisy replies, giving me a worried look.
After checking all the other eating establishments and the stores Daisy suggested looking in, Drix is nowhere to be found and my anxiety is steadily growing. It’s not like Drix to just up and disappear without at least calling first.
“Let’s head out to the car. Perhaps we went to the wrong cafe and he couldn’t find us so is waiting for us there?” Daisy says as we step outside into the wintry air. Snow is falling once again, adding to the chill scattering down my spine.
“Is that an ambulance?” Daisy whispers, her attention caught by the flashing lights and the bright yellow truck on the other side of the car park. “You don’t think…?”
My gaze follows her, my heart lurching.
“Wait here with Toby,” I say, shoving my shopping bag at her and running towards the ambulance before she’s even able to respond.
By the time I reach the ambulance, my mind has already gone to a dark place. Thoughts of Drix hurt and in pain have my eyes welling with tears.
“Drix!” I shout, recognising his leather boots and jean-clad legs as he lies on the gurney in the back of the ambulance. He’s partly obscured by the paramedic, but that doesn’t stop me from pushing my way into the back of the ambulance. “What happened?” I ask, my hands trembling as I reach for him, noticing immediately the bandage wrapped around his head, blood seeping through the material at his temple. He appears to be unconscious.
“You need to step out of the vehicle whilst I attend to him,” the paramedic says.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I snap back, gently touching Drix’s cheek with my fingers. He doesn’t even react to my touch. “Tell me what happened.”
“We’re not sure. Got a call saying that a man with a head injury was needing assistance. Nasty gash on his head. It will need a few stitches, I’m sure. Can you give me his name?”
“Drix Hammer. Hendrix Hammer is his full name,” I correct.
“And you are?” the paramedic asks, jotting the details down on his pad before checking Drix’s vitals on the machine. It makes a regular beeping noise, and whilst I’m not a medical professional, his pulse rate appears to be steady.
“Miss?” the paramedic prompts, eying me.
“I’m the woman who loves him,” I reply instantly, feeling that love squeeze my heart in a frantic embrace.
“Lia?” Drix mutters, his eyes blinking as I snap my head back around, leaning over him.
“Drix. Oh my God, you scared me to death!”
“You love me?” he retorts, a smirk pulling up his lips.
The paramedic laughs. “Looks like your secret’s out.”
“I thought you said he had a concussion!” I accuse the paramedic, shaking my head as the tears pooling in my eyes slide down my cheeks.
“Pretty sure I said nothing of the sort, though given the details from the passerby who found him, it seems as though he did lose consciousness for a while,” the paramedic replies, winking at Drix who smiles up at him.
“You were pretending just now?” I accuse, swiping at my tears, laughing despite everything.
He shrugs. “I was just resting my eyes.”
“Don’t do that to me ever again!” I half-shout, half-sob.
“Come here,” he says, holding his arms out and I fall against his chest, pressing my lips against his neck, internally cursing him for scaring the crap out of me.
“I thought something terrible had happened to you,” I whisper, the anger quickly subsiding and replaced with a swell of love that almost takes my breath away.
“Slipped and fell on some damn ice after I dropped off Toby’s presents in the car. By the time I came too, the ambulance was here and my phone had run out of battery. I’m sorry I scared you.”
“You should be more careful!” I scold him, without any heat behind it as I nestle in his arms, completely oblivious to everything else apart from how warm he feels, how alive, how very, very mine.
“A man could get used to this,” he says, pressing his mouth against the top of my head, his strong arms holding me tight.
“What, cracking your head open, ending up in an ambulance, and scaring the shit out of me?” I counter, pushing upwards so I can look down at him.
