Noah snorted. “Yeah. I’m your younger brother, but I’m two inches taller than you, so I’m not your little brother and haven’t been since tenth grade.”
Dante let out an exasperated breath. “Whatever. Look, maybe if it’s a chemical imbalance problem, there might be a chemical solution.”
“What? Like an antidepressant counteracts the chemical imbalance of depression? Are you thinking she’ll be fine with some medication?”
“Yeah. Why not?”
“I have a bad feeling about this. You’re as easy to read as a book. Your energy is returning, and you look excited. You have some kind of crazy idea brewing in your head.”
Dante smiled. “She might need a good friend right about now.”
Noah just laughed and shook his head at his brother. “I always knew you were the incurable optimist of the family, but I didn’t think you were completely insane.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Look, Bro. She’s not the girl you thought you knew. Obviously. You need to forget about her.”
“Why? Just because she’s hit a bump in the road?”
“That bump could be a land mine. I’m just looking out for you.”
“I don’t care what you think. I’m going to the hospital to check on her.” Dante grabbed his keys off the counter and strode to the coat closet.
Noah rose and rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll go with you. Don’t be surprised if she’s already locked up in the loony bin.”
“Hey, will you cut that out?”
“Cut what out?”
“The insults. Loony bin. Batshit crazy.”
“Sorry, Bro. I just think you need to hear it the way others will see it. I know you.”
“Then you know I won’t just desert a friend in need.”
Noah picked his coat up off the floor. “Yeah, and neither will I.”
* * *
Mallory Summers sat in the hallway, just outside the ER’s nurses’ station. There had been some kind of multicar crash and people were being brought in on stretchers. She realized bloody victims took precedence over someone whomight beseeing things thatsupposedlyweren’t there, but she felt like she’d been waiting for-friggin’-ever.
She had given her insurance card and contact information, filled out the long-ass medical form, and twiddled her thumbs for about as long as she could stand it. When she rose to leave, a nurse popped her head up over the desk.
“We’ll be right with you, hon. Just have a seat.”
“You said that an hour ago.”
“It hasn’t been an hour, has it?” She swiveled to look at the large analog clock on the wall. “Oh, wow. It’s time for my break.”
Mallory dropped the clipboard on the desk and strode out the double doors of the waiting room. When she heard the nurse calling after her, she sped up and finally ran outdoors. She didn’t get far. One moment, she was looking over her shoulder, and the next, she smashed into something solid that said, “Oomph,” and grabbed her arms.
“Excuse me!”
“Where are you going in such a hurry?”
She looked up into the friendly face of Dante Fierro again. He was with someone else who looked familiar. She thought it must be one of his many brothers.
“I’m…I’m going home. There’s nothing wrong with me.”
