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“The ambulance is on its way.” The doorman took a step toward him, then must have thought better of leaving the entrance to the club unattended and returned to his post. “It’ll be here soon.”
Lori’s eyes flickered but didn’t open. Her lips parted, and she licked them, then swallowed. “Zane.”
“Hey, baby.” He brushed hair off her face, his mouth dry, hands trembling. “I got you. Help’s coming.”
Half-lidded, she managed to make eye contact for a second, and then closed them again. “Dizzy. Everything’s spinning.”
“Just stay calm, Lori.” Great advice, dickhead. Try taking it. His heart rattled inside his chest, and he wasn’t sure if his legs would hold him when the time came to stand. “You’re going to be fine. You fainted, that’s all.” He felt her forehead. Normal. That was something, at least.
“Zane, what the fuck?” Calum jogged over, dropping to a crouch beside them. “What happened?”
“She fainted.” Zane jerked his head back. “They’ve called an ambulance.”
“No ambulance,” Lori murmured and tried to sit up, then groaned. “Shit, if the world would just stop spinning.”
“’Kay, rockstar.” Calum grinned. “We know you’re tough and all, but if you fainted, you probably should get checked out.”
“Great,” Lori grumbled. “Two against one.”
Zane’s stress waned. If she was making jokes, that was a good sign. It had been hot in the club, and they’d drunk a fair amount of wine with dinner.
The ambulance drew up outside, and two paramedics jumped out. Hauling heavy bags, they made their way over.
“Hello, sweetheart.” The first paramedic lowered to her haunches and opened her bag. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”
Zane gave her the rundown, including the dizziness she was experiencing and the fact she was a transplant patient. Lori shot him a glare at that part, almost as if she’d rather not acknowledge the very real fear that this could be the start of the thing they both dreaded: that the increased medication had stopped controlling her symptoms and her heart was packing up.
Think positive. It’s not that. It’s not.
The paramedic wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Lori’s arm. The machine did its thing.
“Hmm, it’s a little high. I think we should take you to the hospital and let the medics check you over.” She snapped the clasp on her medical bag and rose to her feet.
Zane helped Lori into the back of the ambulance, with Calum hovering nearby.
“I’ll let everyone know what’s happened. We’ll follow you.”
“Can you get our coats? My cell is in the pocket.”
Calum nodded. “Right behind you, bud.”
On arrival at the hospital, Lori refused a wheelchair with a glower and a snarl at the nurse who dared to make such an outrageous suggestion. With each moment that passed, Zane’s relief grew, and the clamp that’d tightened like a vise around his chest lessened. Color had seeped back into Lori’s cheeks, and although she clung to him for support, when he asked her, she said the dizziness wasn’t so bad.
Zane backed into the corner to stay out of the way while the doctor carried out a few routine tests and asked Lori a barrage of questions. In her usual dauntless style, she brushed off concerns with a flick of her wrist and an almost bored response to each query.
He could only imagine how many times she’d lain in a hospital bed over the years since her transplant surgery being prodded and poked and asked one thing after another. Sleeping in hospital beds surrounded by sick people who acted as a constant reminder that all wasn’t well. No wonder she was so reluctant to admit herself. And at the back of her mind, that constant niggling worry that she might get given the news of her heart packing up and the entire horrific journey would begin all over again.
Not for the first time, he cursed that he hadn’t been there for her. That she’d loved him so much she’d let him go. Well, this time, he wasn’t going anywhere. Whatever they had to face, they’d face it together.
“Okay, Lori.” The doctor hung his stethoscope around his neck. “I’ll get this bloodwork sent off for a routine screening, and once we get the results back, providing everything is okay, you’re free to go.”
“How long will that take?” she asked.
“Not long. I’ll have the nurse bring you some water.” He pulled back the curtain and disappeared.
Lori sank into the pillows and sighed. “What time is it?”
Zane tugged up his shirt sleeve. “Five after one. Do you want me to call your parents?”
