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“It was a beautiful ceremony,” Dani says.
“Very private,” Tess adds. “Only family was there. No press. They were going to make an announcement next week.”
The nurse is still doubtful but she’s in the process of being swayed by the romance. “I’ll have to check with Mr. Wiseman and his doctors.”
“Yes, please do that.” Tess flashes a winning smile. “Tell Conner that his wife is waiting to see him. Thank you so much!”
“Stay here,” the nurse says before briskly disappearing through a set of double doors.
Dani grabs my hand with a nod of encouragement.
“This will work,” Tess says with confidence.
She knows what she’s talking about. Within a few minutes the nurse returns, happy to share the good news.
“Follow me,” she says and holds the security door open until I walk through it.
Chapter26
Haven
Hospitals will always remind me of the unbearable days that followed Lita’s coma. The smell of antiseptic. The view of wide, bright hallways. The sight of medical staff bustling around in comfortable scrubs. These scenes would all become very familiar to me over the years.
I’m not paying attention to where we’re going. A left here, a right there, a labyrinth of hallways. My only purpose is to obediently follow the nurse in the pink scrubs who has promised to bring me to Conner.
She pauses and presses an elevator button. “He was just moved to a private room.”
I nod without a word because I’m paranoid that if I say the wrong thing then I’ll be stopped from seeing Conner and I’ll absolutely have to fight someone if that happens.
“So, tell me.” The nurse inches close enough for me to read the name on her hospital badge. Penny Pope. The corners of her eyes crinkle when she smiles. “How did you two meet?”
There’s no easy answer to that question. “I’ve always known Conner.”
This is not quite accurate but I don’t care enough to elaborate. She waits to hear if I’ll say more but luckily the elevator dings and the doors slide open.
“This way,” she says and after a few more turns she stops in front of a door that’s no different than dozens of other doors we have passed. She raps twice on the wood and twists the silver handle without awaiting a reply.
“Congratulations on the wedding.”
It’s the last thing I hear her say before I rush into Conner’s room. The door whispers shut at my back.
He sits up in bed and although the side of his face is slightly puffy, he’s undamaged and beautiful. He waves. “Hey there, angry girl. Guess I was knocked out for longer than I thought. Seems like I’ve acquired a wife. I was hoping she was you.”
Most people look vulnerable and weak when lying in a hospital bed. Conner, even dressed in some absurd powder blue hospital gown, looks like a sun kissed god. The bed seems like it should be inadequate to hold him. That lazy grin of his instantly heals the broken pieces of my heart.
I want to leap into bed beside him and pledge my undying love. But he did just suffer a serious concussion. Conner’s blue eyes follow me as I pull a chair over to his bedside.
He’s unhappy with this arrangement. Before I get settled into the chair his arm shoots out and snakes around my waist. He lifts me with no effort and pulls me into bed beside him.
“That’s better,” he says and locks his hands around my body so I can’t move.
Not that I want to move. With the warmth of his body and the thud of his heartbeat under my palm I feel like I can take a deep breath for the first time since I saw him fall.
“Are you okay?” I hear the crack in my voice and can’t stop a tear from rolling down my cheek.
He looks down at me and swipes at the tear with his thumb. “I’m fine, baby. Just got the wind knocked out of me.”
I sit up and examine him more closely. My fingertips brush over the swelling on his face. Tenderly, my fingers explore his head, needing the reassurance that he really is in one piece. “Conner, that was terrifying.”
