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“Hey,” he says. “We’ve got a visitor.”
Mrs. Hunt looks up, her blue eyes sunken, sad, and rimmed with mascara smears. “Savannah. How nice.”
“Gert and Jordan are on their way,” I say.
Then I glance at Ashley.
I stop my jaw from dropping.
Gorgeous Ashley’s face is swollen and half covered in bandages. Severe lacerations, probably from the glass from her windshield.
“She had internal bleeding,” Mr. Hunt says, “which required surgery. She’s sedated, and she hasn’t woken up much. Only a few times, and then she falls right back to sleep.”
Mr. Hunt hands her the bag.
“I won’t try to talk to her.” I gaze at Mrs. Hunt. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
Mrs. Hunt takes the sandwich out of the bag. “Yes, actually. I’d love a bottle of water to go with this.”
Mr. Hunt sighs. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s okay, Tony. I’m not thinking straight either.”
“That’s no problem,” I say. “I’ll get you both a bottle of water. I’m feeling a little parched myself.”
“Thank you, Savannah.” Mr. Hunt smiles weakly.
I nod and leave the room, secretly glad not to have to look at Ashley. Remorse flows through me. I’d been thinking badly of her, and now…
I shake my head to clear it. My negative thoughts didn’t do this. Besides, she’s been way nastier to me than I’ve ever been to her. Still, she doesn’t deserve this.
I stop at the nurse’s desk.
“May I help you?” a young man in green scrubs asks.
“Yeah. Is there a vending machine up here? I need a couple bottles of water.”
“All the way to the end of the floor.” He points. “There’s a little sitting area there and a couple vending machines.”
“Thank you.” I head that way, find the machines, and grab a credit card from my purse.
Only to find that the bottled water is empty.
Crap.
I guess I’m heading back downstairs where the main vending machines are. I walk to the elevator and push the down button. Once on the first floor, I walk toward the cafeteria signs. Sure enough, right next to the cafeteria is a small alcove with several vending machines, but since the cafeteria is still open, I decide to go there instead to pick up the waters.
I find the refrigerated section, grab three bottles, and take them to the cashier to pay.
“Damn,” I mutter, walking back to the elevator.
The bottles are freezing. I should have gotten a bag. I get into the elevator and push the button for seven. When the elevator dings and the doors open, I walk into the ward toward Ashley’s room, when I notice the room numbers begin with six instead of seven.
How did I push the wrong button?
Easy. I’m holding three large bottles of water.
I head back toward the elevators when a man walks out of one of the rooms, and—
The three bottles fall from my grip, landing on the hospital floor with three consecutive thuds.
10
FALCON
My heart nearly stops.
Savannah Gallo. What the hell is she doing here?
I bend down, trying to ignore the ache in my hip, and retrieve her bottles of water.
“Thank you,” she murmurs.
“You’re welcome. What are you doing up here?”
God, I hope she doesn’t know someone on this floor. No one deserves that.
“I… I pushed the wrong button. I meant to go to seven.”
I sigh in relief. “Oh. Good.”
“Good?”
“I mean, I’m glad you… Never mind.”
“What floor is this?”
“Six.”
“I know that. I mean…”
“Oncology.” I clear my throat. “It’s oncology.”
She gasps. “Oh my God… Are you…?”
I shake my head. “I’m fine. Just a little sore from a procedure I had today.”
She swallows. “A procedure?”
“Yeah. I told you I had an appointment that I couldn’t miss.”
“I… Okay… I mean…”
“It’s okay. You can ask about it.”
“You’re not…ill, are you?”
“No. I’m fine.” I point to my aching hip. “I had a bone marrow procurement.”
“You’re donating?”
I nod.
“That’s very kind of you. May I ask…to whom?”
“My sister.”
Her pretty brown eyes widen. “Oh, God…I’m so sorry.”
I hold up a hand. I don’t need her pity, and neither does Raven. “She has a chance now.”
She pauses. “So that’s it.”
“That’s what?”
“Why your parole date was moved up.”
“Right.”
God. Does everything have to come back to that?
Of course it does. This woman is my parole officer.
Which is why I can’t have her.
No matter how much I want her.
She glances toward the door of Raven’s room. “Is your sister in there?”
“She is. She’s sleeping.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean I was going to bother her.”
“I know.”
“I… Well, I guess I should go.”
I’m still holding her bottles of water. “Let me help you.”
“I have to go up a floor.”
“Okay. I’ll go with you. Are you visiting someone?’
She nods. “A friend of mine was in a car accident last night. I just now found out. In fact…it’s one of the women I was at the bar with. Actually, you may know her. She went out to talk to you.”
“The blonde? Yeah, I remember. Fuck. I’m sorry.”
