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“If you need anything till then, you can press the call button, and the nurses will be happy to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out, especially if you start feeling any differently,” she says before leaving the room.
We sit in silence for a few moments, and that’s when Dylan groans.
“Suppose that means you won’t be texting the code word tonight.” I chuckle, breaking the tension, but he rolls his eyes instead.
“On a serious note, after I’m moved to my room, you should go back to the hotel where you can actually sleep comfortably. I don’t want you to be a prisoner in the hospital, too.”
I stare at him. “Are you sure? I’ll stay here with you. I don’t mind.”
“Yes, I’ll be fine,” he insists. “I’m gonna try to get some sleep so I can live it up the rest of the time we’re here. I don’t think what happened has completely set in yet, but I feel exhausted, and it’s barely five.”
I nod, not wanting to argue with him because I can only imagine how he feels. Though I don’t feel right about leaving him here, I don’t argue with him. An hour passes and Dylan is finally moved to his room. I go with him, and when we enter, I’m almost grateful he doesn’t want me to stay. It’s small and stuffy, and there’s a chair in the corner with a blanket draped over the arm. A nurse closes the blinds and tells Dylan the kitchen will close pretty soon. He smiles and nods, but I can tell he’s too tired to eat.
“If you need me before tomorrow, don’t hesitate to call me. Also, text me when you get discharged, okay? And don’t be too damn stubborn while you’re here.”
“I’ll let you know,” he says.
As I walk toward the door to leave, Dylan calls my name. “Alex.”
I turn around and look at him. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for saving my life.”
I smile. “Really glad you weren’t a statistic, man. Next time, no fucking water sports.” I point a finger at him as if I’m scolding him. “Honestly though, without River, I don’t know what would’ve happened.” I shrug, hating to admit that and terrified of the what-ifs.
“Well, from the sounds of it, both of you saved my life. I owe you one,” he says sincerely, pulling the blanket up to his chest and releasing a yawn. “You better not tell my mama.”
“I won’t. I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say as I exit.
After a taxi ride across the island, I arrive at the hotel and head up to the room. As soon as I get in the room, I jump in the shower and wash the day away before changing into some jeans and a button-up shirt. I grab one of the miniature whiskey bottles from the wet bar and slide the balcony door open. I plan to soak up the late evening breeze and forget about what happened. From a distance, I can see the calmness of the water and hear the wind blowing through the palm trees.
Glancing around outside, I scan the bar outside near the pool, and that’s when I see her.
River.
She’s smiling and chatting with Natalie, and I find myself watching her play with her long locks. I notice a few little things, like how she throws her head back when she’s truly laughing. One can only imagine the conversation they’re having after all the excitement today, and Natalie seems like the kind of friend who constantly gives her shit regardless if she saved a man’s life or not. There’s no telling what they’re discussing.
I let out a small chuckle and realize I never properly thanked her for stepping in without hesitation and saving Dylan.
That changes now.
CHAPTER SIX
RIVER
After the day’s excitement, I need a drink. Or ten.
I’ve saved many lives before; hell, I’ve worked on a child’s chest, pumping and giving him CPR while the mother screamed and cried and called me every curse word in the book. I’ve also had many experiences with life-threatening emergencies, even before I was in nursing school, but the Dylan situation definitely made me nervous.
“Look at the hero walking in,” Natalie teases as soon as I take the seat next to her at the bar.
“Stop,” I groan. “I can’t escape it.”
“Of course not! You’re the town hero!” she mocks, lifting her shot glass up victoriously before tilting her head back and shooting it down her throat.
I give her a look that tells her to tone it down a notch.
No one could’ve anticipated what happened with Dylan today. Over the years, I’ve found when emergencies arise, I don’t give myself time to even think before rushing into action. As soon as I saw that blond guy pull Dylan out of the water, I knew something was wrong. I hurried over and immediately saw how pale he was as he lay motionless on the sand.
