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Sage followed her back to where she drew a small vial of blood.
“What do you do with all the blood you vampires take?” he asked.
She wiggled her eyebrows as she wrapped the cuff around his arm. “You don’t want to know.”
He stayed silent as she took his blood pressure. “It’s up a bit from your last visit.”
“Is that bad?”
“You’re usually on the low side of normal.” She made notes on the chart and entered them into the computer.
Was this because he was worried about Carolina? He took a deep breath. He loved her. But could her actions measure up to the Cornell code of honor? Hell, could he? Living a life of honor was ingrained in his family; they would never be in Carolina’s situation. He gnawed on this thought like a rawhide bone.
“Dr. Shaw is running early, so let’s get you back to an exam room.”
He took off his shirt as instructed but refused to sit on the exam table, dangling his legs. He waited in the guest chair.
Dr. Shaw came in, flipping through his chart. You’d think showing up every two weeks, the doc would have his file memorized. “How are the headaches?”
Sage paused, assessed. “Better. Sometimes they come on from bright lights, but less frequently than before.”
Even last night with the spotlight flashing off Carolina’s sparkling dress, he hadn’t needed to take anything.
“Let’s check your balance.”
The doc ran him through a gamut of tests. Then checked reflexes. “Improvement.”
“Finally.”
The doc ran the eye test. For once the letters didn’t swim and merge. Had to be a good sign, because he hadn’t slept last night. Then he read a magazine to the doc. Lord. Cosmo? Only tiny shards of pain stabbed into his head as he concentrated on the words.
Shaw entered the info into the computer, not saying a word.
Sage couldn’t stop his fingers from drumming on his thigh. This had to be the day. He was antsier than his first day at Quantico.
“I’m going to clear you for driving.”
“Thank you.” Sage’s exhale pushed his hair off his forehead. “What about work?”
The doc patted his knee. “Reading still bothers you. Come back in two weeks.”
Okay, baby steps with the driving, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
At the receptionist desk he made another appointment. “I sure hope that’ll be the last one.”
“You look better than you did two months ago.” The receptionist, old enough to be his grandmother, winked. “And you looked pretty good back then.”
He was smiling as he left. Still smiling as the cab dropped him off at his condo. And grinning when he grabbed his keys. He planned to hop in his truck and drive—finally.
He patted the leather seats of his F-150 pickup. Nice to be mobile again. On his way to Fitzgerald House, he figured out what he would do for the next two weeks. He would work on Rosa’s stairs and porch.
For the first time ever, he parked in the Fitzgerald House parking lot.
He took the steps to the apartment without needing to hold the railing. Success. Then stopped, not sure if he should use the key Carolina had given him or knock. With Ella there, things had changed. Even staying last night and knowing she was in the other room had been strange.
So he rapped his knuckles on the wooden door.
Ella answered it. “Good morning, again.”
“How is she?” he asked.
“Walking around like a zombie.” Ella wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t know what to do for her. She’s lost her balance.”
That, he could sympathize with. “What time does she work today?”
“Not until seven.” She eased away from the door so he could come in.
“Good. I’ll… I’ll take her away from here. To Tybee for lunch.”
“I hope that helps,” Ella said. “She’s in the kitchen.”
Belatedly he asked, “Do you want to come with us?”
“I play at five.” She shook her head. “Cheer up our girl.”
“I’ll try.” He headed to the kitchen and stopped under the archway.
Carolina stared into her mug, her hair drooping around her face.
His heart ached. “Hey.”
She blinked and tears fell into her coffee. “Hey.”
He hurried over and kissed her. “Let me take you to lunch.”
“Southern Comforts?” She shook her head. “No way.”
“Tybee. I’ve heard there’s a place by the lighthouse that has great fish tacos.”
“North Beach Bar and Grill.”
He nodded.
“I haven’t been there in ages. Let me grab my keys.” She pushed away from the table.
