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The easy smile Justin always threw slowly disappeared. “I wish. I seriously wish it were that easy.” It was as though the temperature dropped a few degrees as he grabbed Serena’s empty glass and headed down the bar.
“I guess that was your last drink.”
Her eyebrows knitted together. “You sure you want to do this?”
Want to? No. Going to? Yes. It was a small price, and hopefully, I didn’t murder Austin during his recovery. Hopefully, he was a great patient. A model patient. Then, it would all be okay.
“I’m sure.” I threw my arm over her shoulders and rested my head against hers. “You’d better get back to work since we’re not closing up shop anytime soon.” And just being able to say that and seeing the relieved gratitude in my sister’s eyes made it all worth it.
CHAPTER17
SYDNEY
I receivedthe call from Dr. Klein later that afternoon, announcing that Austin was done with surgery and that all had gone well. Supposedly, he was so doped up on anesthesia that he couldn’t even tell the nurses his own name.
My feet trudged through the snow. It was as if I were walking through a battlefield, not knowing what awaited me at the hospital. I headed into the post-op hospital room, the new room number given to me by Dr. Klein, and noted a sleepy-eyed Austin smiling like a loon. He waved an excited hand back and forth like he was a little kid getting picked up from school by his mom.
“Sydney …” He drawled out my name as though it was his favorite word.
The doctor had said he couldn’t remember his own name, yet he remembered mine.
Oh boy.
I gave him an appeasing smile and asked Dr. Klein, “Do I have to wait till the anesthesia wears off?”
“He should be fine.” He was scribbling some notes in a chart. “We have someone coming to help you get him to his apartment.”
My eyes flickered back to the bed where Austin was waving at me. Again.
“After a very long argument, Austin finally agreed on a male nurse,” Dr. Klein told me.
“He did?” My eyebrows flew to my hairline.
“It wasn’t easy, but he did. The nurse has been vetted and is highly qualified. Austin briefly spoke to him on the phone.”
“You can cancel the nurse,” I said, hoping it wasn’t too late. I needed this deal.
Dr. Klein frowned. “You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
My eyes teetered back to the bed. Austin was dozing off, hopefully drifting away to never-never land.
“I told security at his place to help you up into his apartment,” Dr. Klein said, reviewing something on his clipboard that he held in front of him. “After dinner, he can take his sedative to help him sleep through the night. He will be in some pain.” He thought for a moment and added, “He also mentioned needing to shower. Let’s wait on that. The most important thing is to not get the dressing wet and keep his arm stabilized.”
I nodded as I made a mental checklist.
Dr. Klein smiled. “All right. Good luck, Ms. Loverly.” He gave me a look like he knew I was going to need it. “I’ll call the nurse in.” He patted my back twice before leaving.
I sighed as I took in a drooling Austin. I was tempted to take a picture but then thought better of it. That was why he’d wanted me in the first place, right? To keep his privacy and all of these embarrassing moments just between the two of us.
I ignored the little flutter in my heart as I watched him sleep so peacefully.
He sure is handsome, isn’t he? Especially when he isn’t asking me for favors.
Slipping my cell back in my purse, I thought,Yes. These next four weeks should be very interesting.
* * *
