AllFreeNovel
Share Us
That information grated Dog’s ass. Didn’t this shithead understandmedical emergency? “That sucks. Are all your clients so demanding?”
She stopped pacing and sat on the edge of the bed. “No, thank god. This one is just in trouble with the IRS. Trouble of his own making, mind you, but he fully expects me to get him out of it.”
Dog’s phone chimed a text coming in, but he ignored it.
“You don’t have to babysit me, Dog.” Charley waved toward his vest. “I know you have a life to live. If you just get me back to my car, I’ll be okay.”
No way Dog was leaving her now, not after watching her collapse. “Doc wants you to take it easy. What little I’ve seen, you don’t do that too good.”
It was like she curled into herself, the way her shoulders hunched. “I really don’t, do I? You’ve known me five minutes and you see it.” Her face crinkled, her brows tight over her nose. “I have this threat from the client, a deadline next week, a team to form for a new client, a report to write by next Friday for another, one hundred and five unread emails, and six unanswered texts. The texts aren’t really work, just people expressing concern. And that’s just one days’ worth. If I do what the doctor suggests, actually take time off? My firm will implode.”
“Your people can’t pick up the slack for a couple of days?”
She shook her head. “My people are fantastic, but they don’t have the name ‘Charley Abbott.’ My father built this firm, and it runs on his reputation. I’ve had to work hard to convince people I can deliver as he did. They want me, not my employees. Or at least they think they do.”
There was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Charley called, rising from the bed.
A new nurse entered holding paperwork. “I have your discharge papers, and an orderly with a wheelchair. You’re all set to leave.”
Charley took the paperwork and crammed it in her enormous purse. Her heels clacked across the floor as she followed the nurse out into the hallway. An orderly rolled a wheelchair to Charley, setting the brake. “It’s ready for you,” he said.
She rolled her eyes but sat in it.
“I got this,” Dog said to the orderly, who nodded and walked away with the nurse.
“Totally ridiculous,” Charley muttered.
Dog smiled behind her back as he tipped up the brake with his toe. She was gonna be a handful.
“You mind if we make a quick stop on the children’s wing before I take you back to Edwards? I got a brother with a sick five-year-old daughter, Jessie, admitted there. Wanna show my support.”
She glanced over her shoulder with wide eyes, then she smiled. “Sure. That’s really sweet of you.”
Dog shook his head. “I’m not sweet. He’s my brother. It’s what we do.”
Dog shot a quick text to Cutter telling him they were on their way and began a slow roll down the hall. A quick look in the rooms they passed told him there were a lot of sick people. They barely passed the doors exiting the adult part of the hospital when Charley said, “Stop this wheelchair right now.”
Dog did as she asked, and she bolted to her feet. She straightened her pant suit and smoothed the fabric. “We need to stop by a giftshop. I want to get Jessie something to brighten her stay.”
“Now who’s being sweet? It’s a great idea. Thanks for thinkin’ of it.”
“I spent a lot of time in hospitals when my parents were passing. Nothing uplifting about them at all. No little girl should have to stay in one. Let’s try to make it better.”
They took the elevator to the first-floor gift shop, and Charley picked out an enormous bunch of colorful helium balloons withGet Well Soonprinted on the sides. When she tried to pay, Dog pushed her wallet away. “Thanks, but no. My brother, my purchase. We’ll tell her they’re from you, though, since it was your idea.”
“You don’t have to—”
“It’s decided.”
Charley rolled her eyes and headed out of the giftshop toward the elevators, almost hidden by the balloons. They rode up three floors. When the doors opened, Cutter was leaning on the wall next to the nurses’ station and staring at his phone, his long hair in a messy knot on his head. Dog guessed it was a look, but he didn’t like it.
Dog placed a hand low on Charley’s back and guided her toward him. “You waitin’ on us?”
Cutter looked up and grinned, his eyes all over Charley, making Dog narrow his own. “Yeah. Wanted to make sure you didn’t lose your way.” He held out a hand to Charley. “I’m Cutter.”
Charley took his hand in hers. “Charley. I saw you at the Round last night.”
