He moved forward, a frown pulling his brow low. “Are you sure she’ll be okay this soon after being in a coma for three days?”
“All her vital signs are strong and normal. If she’s steady on her feet and has support at home, I see no reason to keep her here.” His lips twisted. “The food isn’t bad, but it’s not as good as I’m sure you can get at home.”
Grant would have felt better if they’d kept her at least another day longer. “When can she return to work?”
Avery’s lips pressed together. When the doctor wasn’t looking at her, she glared at Grant.
“She needs to rest and watch for any signs of worsening conditions. The nurse will give you a list of symptoms to look out for. I wouldn’t return to work for at least forty-eight hours. Avoid strenuous activities. But first, conquer the hallway, or it’s another night in the hospital.” The doctor winked at Avery.
“Give me five minutes, ten tops, and I’ll have the hallway laps complete,” Avery said, reaching for Grant’s arm.
He took both of her hands and helped her slide off the bed and onto her feet. “Nice socks,” he observed with a grin.
Avery stared down at the bright red hospital socks with the dots of white rubber patches to keep the patient from slipping. “They’ll do.”
Grant let her hold onto his arm as she took several tentative steps.
She leaned heavily on him as she shuffled toward the door.
The doctor cleared his throat. “Uh, you might want to tie the back of your gown before you leave the room.”
Avery’s pale cheeks flushed a pretty pink as she reached behind her with her free hand in an attempt to find the strings.
“Let me,” Grant said and circled his arms around her, his fingers feeling for the strings.
Avery rested her hands and forehead against his chest, so close he could feel the warmth of her breath through his shirt.
He’d missed holding her and would have loved to prolong the contact, but she was on a mission to prove she could walk so she could be released from the hospital.
He found the strings and quickly tied them together. “You’re covered.”
“Thanks,” she said and leaned back, hooking her hand through the crook of his elbow.
As they passed through the door, the doctor called out, “I’ll have the nurse draw up the papers for your discharge.”
“Thank you,” Avery replied and started the first lap down the hallway, moving faster with each step.
“It’s not a race,” Grant murmured.
“Shadow Valley,” she blurted.
“What does that have to do with racing?” he asked, helping her turn at the end of the hallway.
“It’s the name of the town I was supposed to be in four days ago.” She stepped forward, leaning less and less on his arm. “I need to get there.”
“What kind of assignment was it? Why did they send you there?” Grant asked. “Do you remember?”
Avery stopped in the middle of the hall, her brow furrowing. “Murder,” she said and looked up into his eyes. “Two. They asked the FBI for help. They think it might be a serial killer and don’t want to wait for a third victim before asking for help.” She started walking with purpose toward her room. “I need to get there. I was supposed to meet another FBI agent there from our office.” She pushed through the swinging door into her room, releasing her hold on Grant’s arm.
“Can’t the other agent handle the investigation for another couple of days until you’re fully recovered?”
Avery stood in the middle of the room. “Where are my clothes?”
Grant crossed the small locker-like closet and opened the door. He retrieved a plastic bag and handed it to her.
She pulled out her black pants, her black polo shirt and the matching sneakers and held them to her nose.
The nurse chose that moment to enter. “Oh, sweetie, they’re clean. When you came in, you were soaked from the rain and covered in mud.” She held up a brush and a toothbrush. “Thought you might want these. There’s a small travel-size bottle of shampoo and conditioner in the bathroom if you’d like to shower before you’re discharged.”
