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All he knew was he’d needed to get to her.
On the drive down the mountain, a deer had leapt out of the darkness in front of the car. Nathan had reacted and tried to swerve, sending them into a thick patch of trees.
Noah knew the second he looked at his brother, still strapped into the driver’s seat, that he was gone.
After dealing with his own injuries, he’d attended his brother’s funeral. Then he’d gone straight to the hospital and barely left Mia’s bedside for a week.
He’d never felt so lost. Losing his brother had been a shock, not to mention devastating. Losing both Nathan and Mia would have killed him.
Lucky for Mia, when they finally figured out what was causing her symptoms, it turned out her disease was manageable, and could even be cured with a transplant. As she improved, he’d leaned heavily on her as he dealt with the grief of losing Nathan. She did the same with him as she adjusted to life with a chronic illness.
“Noah.” Mia’s voice brought him back, and he squeezed her hand tighter. “I can’t tell if you’re playing the part of worried, doting husband, or if you’ve had a stroke.”
He huffed out a breath. “Neither. You scared me.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“What would have happened if I hadn’t been there?”
“Claire would have brought me. She’d sit here with me like you are right now. She’d have left the chair over in the corner, though.”
He didn’t find that funny.
“I should have come sooner,” she said. “I know it’s better to catch it early, but I just hoped the pain would pass.”
“What happens now?”
“We wait for my blood work to come back. Usually when the cysts act up like this, other things are off, too. I’ll probably need a few more medications.”
He ran his free hand through his hair. She tugged at his hand and when he looked at her, she nodded to the top of his head. He lowered it and leaned forward, and her fingers smoothed the back of his hair.
“I’ll be fine. You know that, right?”
He kept his head bowed. “That’s what I’m telling myself.”
“Trust me. I’ve been here before. A few times. I know the drill.”
He lifted his head and met her gaze. “I hate this for you.”
“I hate it foryou.”
Anger flared like a bottle of whisky poured on a flame. “Don’t.”
“Why? You shouldn’t be here. You should be on your way to Clear Creek Canyon with Graham right now.” She pulled her hand away. “As a matter of fact, you should still go. There’s nothing to do now but wait.”
He didn’t reach for her hand. He didn’t move at all. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She glared at him, which was almost laughable. Mia didn’t do angry well.
Cheerful? Yes.
Welcoming? Always.
Mischievous? Definitely.
Angry? Didn’t suit her.
He lowered his voice. “What kind of husband would leave their wife while she’s in the hospital?”
