“Someone claiming to be your husband showed up here about thirty minutes after you arrived. He’s been demanding to see you, rather rudely, I might add. But we explained to him you were already in the middle of getting your scans.”
“What? I don’t have a—”
At that moment, Giles burst into the exam room. He looked angry.
“This guy.” The doctor pointed at him. “Sir, I told you we would come to get you as soon as—”
He held up his hand, dismissing her. “No one should have to wait an hour to see their significant other. That’s ridiculous.”
I looked at Giles like he had grown two heads. Was my concussion messing with me?
“Well, I’ll leave you and yourhusbandalone for a moment.” The way she said husband implied she didn’t buy what Giles was trying to sell. “Someone will be in shortly to set your ankle.”
As soon as she left, I crossed my arms and gawked at Giles. “My husband?”
He shook his head and walked over to me. “These assholes weren’t giving me any information because I wasn’t family.”
“So, you lied?”
He shrugged. “They weren’t going to let me come back here and see you.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m getting released soon.”
He sat down in the chair next to my hospital bed and rested his head in his hands.
“You look exhausted,” I said.
He ran his hands down his face. “Searching through trees and rough terrain for hours is pretty tiring.”
“Ugh,” I groaned, slumping back in my bed. “You were searching too? I’m so sorry. This is so embarrassing.”
“That’s not the word I would use.”
“I fell off the side of the hill, and everyone on the whole mountain was searching for me. What would you call that?”
“Scary? Terrifying?”
“I guess it was pretty scary.”
“I know, but I meant for me—for all of us. You scared the shit out of me, Florida. I was worried about you.” His gaze was fixated on me.
My cheeks grew hot under his stare. “You were?”
“Obviously. When I got to the hill earlier, Erin was already in a panic, reporting you missing to ski patrol. I guess they had already done two laps and couldn’t find you anywhere. It felt like a punch in the gut knowing you were lost. I know firsthand how dangerous boarding can be, especially for a beginner. We searched for hours. I’ve been over every surface of that fucking hill. When it started to get dark, I was—we were all panicking. When I got to the bottom of the last run and found out you had already been taken away in an ambulance, I got here as fast as I could.”
“I-I appreciate you searching for me,” I stumbled over my words. “I’m sure it’s all part of the job, right?” I joked, trying to lighten his intense demeanor.
“That’s not it at all.” He lowered his head into his hand and kneaded his forehead. “Mattie, I’m sorry about earlier, but after today…I-I can’t pretend I don’t feel anything.”
“You can’t?” Hope fluttered inside my chest.
“Today has been the worst day I’ve had in a long time. Probably since…” He trailed off, but I could imagine what he was thinking.Since my parents’ accident. “And all I could think about was that bullshit conversation we had this morning. How I brushed you off after the most amazing night. I’m such a prick.”
The corner of my lip tugged up. “It wasn’t exactly how I was envisioning the conversation going.”
He scooted his chair closer to my bedside and gently grabbed my hand, tracing light circles into my palm. “I’m sorry about that. I know I shut you out. I’ve been so used to shutting people out my whole life that it just felt easier than facing whatever this thing is between us.” His eyes were locked on mine.
“You don’t owe me an explanation.”
