She wouldn’t fight him on it. Not tonight.
But someday she was going to make sure that love came back to him, too. Not as a debt but as a choice.
“Everyone still alive?” Ryder appeared in the gap in the curtain, still in his vest.
His gaze switched from Jen’s face to Wyatt’s hand. “Is that?—”
“Ryder.” Wyatt arched an eyebrow.
Ryder’s grin widened. “Your Volvo got shot.”
Silence.
“Straight through the rear quarter panel. Total tragedy.” He shook his head slowly, his expression caught between grief and delight. “It’s the most interesting thing that car has ever done. At least now it has a war story.”
Jen laughed.
The sound surprised her. It hurt her face—a sharp pull across her bruised cheek—but it came up from somewhere deep and unexpected. The first laugh since Sophie’s kitchen.
A lifetime ago.
The curtain shifted as the nurse stepped out with her tray of swabs. Caleb slipped in behind Ryder, dragging a chair with him. He swung it around and dropped into it backwards, arms folded across the back.
“Do join us,” Wyatt said dryly, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Plenty of space.”
Caleb ignored him. “Sarah’s on her way. She’ll have an update.”
He turned to Wyatt. “You good?”
Wyatt nodded.
Caleb’s eyes dropped to the hand. “Are you going to let someone look at that?”
“When they’re done with Jen.”
Caleb rolled his eyes.
“Is he always like this?” Jen asked.
“He is.” Ryder grimaced. “Welcome to the family.” He pushed off the wall. “I’ve gotta call Ivy. Let her know everything’s okay before she organizes a search party.”
Wyatt squeezed Jen’s knee.
Her eyes stung, but she blinked it away.
This was the world he’d opened for her. The closed book had let her into every page, and the pages were full of people who showed up armed and stayed until morning.
Ryder stepped aside as their sister strode through the curtain.
“I hope you are behaving yourself.” Sarah fired Ryder a look.
She crossed straight to Jen and wrapped her in a careful hug.
“So glad you’re okay,” she murmured against her hair.
When she released her, she moved to Wyatt and hugged him hard.
“And you.” She stepped back, eyes narrowing. “I distinctly remember telling you not to engage alone.”
