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Taken by surprise, I nod without thinking, and my reply slips out, “Sure. I guess so, sure.”
A smile blossoms on her lips. “You can drop by his room on your way out?”
I’ll need to make it quick, but I’ll do it. “I can do that.”
“We’ll be hanging around Manhattan for a few weeks while Dax recovers,” she tells me. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again before we go home.”
“What?” Saylor tugs on the hem of the blouse her mom is wearing. “We get to stay here with Daxie?”
“For a little while,” she explains to her daughter. “Daddy will come visit us too.”
“I miss him.” Saylor’s bottom lip quivers.
“Why don’t we call him while Eloise goes to say hi to Dax?” she suggests. “When we’re done, we’ll go check on what time we can take your brother home.”
I take that as a cue to leave and with a single glance back over my shoulder, I leave the waiting area and set off down the hallway toward where Daxton waits.
I waitfor a nurse to exit Daxton’s private room before I knock on the doorjamb. He turns his head instantly, his blue eyes lighting up as he spots me.
“Hey! Come on in,” he says, his voice at least an octave higher than Dr. Morgan’s.
I have no idea why I compare them in my mind.
That’s a lie, I’ve compared every man I’ve met these past three years to my masked lover from Club Skyn.
“I’m Eloise Rehn.” I approach him with my hand help out.
He offers his right hand to me. It quivers slightly as it hangs in the air waiting for me to cross the room to where he is.
I fully expected to find him in the bed, but he’s sitting in a chair, dressed in what I assume is a hospital issued gown and a blanket resting on his lap covering his legs. His hair looks similar to how it did on Friday night. It’s cut short but has a natural wave to it. It seems it’s been brushed or combed since he was loaded into the ambulance at Atlas 22.
I take his hand in mine for a quick shake. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too, Eloise Rehn.” His eyes search my face. “You’re Pen’s friend.”
I consider that a stretch, but I nod while I explain, “I’m still getting to know her. We actually met on Friday night at the restaurant.”
He smiles. “She filled me in.”
“I’m glad you’re going to be okay,” I say, before I realize that I’m not sure he’s completely out of the woods yet.
I’ve based my assumption on the fact that everyone around him is smiling, and he’s on the cusp of leaving the hospital for the greener pasture of his home.
“Me too.” He huffs out a laugh. “Pen said you’re a transplant to the city like we both are. You’re from Buffalo.”
I nod. “I moved here after high school.”
“She also mentioned you go to FIT.” He chuckles. “I heard you’re knitting something for one of my sister’s toys.”
He knows considerably more about me than I know about him, but I’m sure if I hang out with Penny a few more times, I’ll know Daxton’s birthdate along with his favorite color.
“I made her Piggie a sweater but her dog named Billy Goat is wearing that.”
“Sounds like a Saylor move.” He smiles but that fades quickly. “I wanted to thank you for coming to the hospital with Pen, and for keeping her company until Dr. Morgan filled her in on what was going on.”
“Of course,” I offer with a smile. “I couldn’t let her come here alone.”
“You’re a good person.” He points at the bed that I’m standing next to. “You can sit if you want.”
