Broken Ground: (Broken Series Book 1) (43 page)

I STOOD HELPLESSLY
by her bedside, listening to the hiss of the machines as I watched her chest rise and fall. There were tubes and gadgets everywhere, measuring and dripping and beeping out a mournful song. There were no actual rooms in the ICU, just segments of open space arranged in a circle around the nurse's station and partitioned off with curtains. I supposed it was safer that way, making it easy for the staff to look in on the patients, but I would have given anything for a private moment just then.

A shadow crossed the foot of the bed, bringing my head up as I hastily swiped at my damp cheeks. The man was nearly my height with a slightly thinner build and thick head of gray-streaked mahogany hair. He glanced at me and then locked his gaze on the woman in the bed, the woman I loved more than anything else on earth.

His daughter.

He crept closer, eyes never leaving her face as he took silent inventory of her condition. He reached for her hand with one of his, extending the other across the bed toward me. "Since you look like I feel, I'm gonna venture a guess and say you're the boyfriend." His voice was nearly as deep as mine, with a steady strength that I admired.

I gave his hand a firm shake and nodded though I knew he didn't see. "Yes, sir. I am." I looked down at the woman between us, the corners of my mouth curling into a hopeful smile. "That is until she agrees to have me as her husband."

He didn't look up, gave no indication of surprise though I'd shocked the shit out of myself. What was even more shocking was that I meant it. Every damn word. And I wasn't the least bit afraid.

Jeffrey Walker, hopefully my future father-in-law, just nodded and said. "It's nice to finally meet you, son."

Son.

He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

WE STEPPED OUT
a few minutes later, knowing Talia was anxious for her turn. Walking back to the waiting room, we passed by the nurses station, and I whispered, "I can't believe they let you back here. We had to promise to keep it one at a time."

Jeffrey snorted and didn't bother whispering when he said, "I didn't promise 'em shit. I'd like to see someone try to keep me out."

Yep, there's that family resemblance.

We didn't even make it to the waiting room before Talia scurried past, placing a quick peck on Jeffrey's cheek and heading to the ICU. He just smiled as he turned to watch her leave. "That girl must think a lot of you. I would have bet good money she'd be the first back there to see Ali."

I smiled in her wake, knowing he was right. "Well, I made sure I had permission before I went. I've been roughed up enough for one night without having to take her on."

He chuckled and slapped my good shoulder. "Yeah, best to hang onto that one good arm if you can. I think my little girl might find some comfort in it when this is all over. Let's grab a cup of coffee while you fill me in."

I ducked my head into the waiting room to ask Spencer to join us, but the room was empty. I checked my phone and discovered he'd sent a text.
"Going out front to wait for Gran. She'll be here soon, and I don't want her terrorizing the staff looking for us."

I shook my head and sent him a reply wishing him luck, then headed to the cafeteria.

AFTER FINDING THE
cafeteria and procuring a decent cup of coffee from the bored cashier, Jeffrey and I sat at one of the booths and I told him everything the doctor said. After that, he asked about the fire, why Ali was there, how it started. I explained why she'd gone back to the house, but the rest was still a mystery.

He studied me thoughtfully for a while, sipping his coffee. Placing the nearly empty cup on the table between us, he pointed to my shoulder. "How'd that happen?"

"I had to bust through the back door to get to her." I avoided his penetrating stare and attempted to shrug it off with my uninjured arm, pain lighting through the other one though I hadn't moved it.

"Must have been one damn strong door to do that. Or one damn determined man."

I remembered the pop that had accompanied my injury, wincing. "It was a good dose of both. The door was oak, solid and reinforced." I sighed, gingerly touching my shoulder "Built it myself out of an antique farm table, and I built it to last."

He pursed his mouth in a solemn smile. "From the look on your face, I'm guessing that thing meant a lot to you." I nodded. "How many times did you hit it after you did that to your shoulder?"

I thought back and couldn't recall. "I'm not really sure. I just kept going until it gave way."

"How bad did they say the injury is? Anything broken? Dislocated?"

"No idea, I haven't had it checked yet. I'll let them look at it in the morning."

He narrowed his eyes. "You'll let them look at it right damn now, son, or you and I are going to have a problem."

I bristled, not liking his tone one bit. "I'm not letting them touch me until I know Ali is okay. It'll wait."

"And if waiting causes irreparable damage? Then what? You plan to carry my daughter over the threshold with one arm?"

"Carried her out of a burning house with one arm, didn't I?" I growled.

He sat back and glared at me a minute before breaking into a smile. Chuckling, he said, "Damn if the two of you aren't perfect for each other. She's a stubborn one, too." He held up a finger, sobering, "But I know she'll give me hell if I don't look after you while she can't. So, as soon as she peeks one eye open, you're getting checked out, or you're going to have to fight me one-handed. And, son, I fight dirty."

Much as I tried to resist, the fatherly lecture made me smile.

ALI'S MOTHER CALLED
Talia just before midnight to say she and Holden were two hours out. I didn't ask for the particulars, but I gleaned from Talia's side of the conversation that they had been out of town. It was also apparent that Talia wasn't particularly fond of the woman, given the near constant eye rolls and general air of exasperation while they spoke.

I hoped for Ali's sake that the woman would step up and act like the mother she deserved, even if only for one night.

And I'd deal with Holden later.

Ali was my priority, now and always. The rest be damned.

Between Spencer and I, we managed to charm the nurses into letting us all take turns at Ali's bedside. Brant texted to say his flight was delayed, but he'd be there by morning if he had to rent a damn helicopter and figure out how to fly it himself.

Brilliant as he was, there was a good chance he could do it.

Gran showed up mid-way through the night, scowling and blaming Vanessa for her tardiness. Apparently, Vanessa hadn't been able to drop everything to drive her right away, causing her and Gran to have words. From the weary, defeated look on my aunt's face, it had been a long damn ride.

I hugged them both and gave them the run-down on Ali's condition, pausing to introduce them to Jeffrey when he stepped back into the waiting room. He greeted them warmly and signaled to me, letting me know it was my turn to sit with her. Gran still looked distraught despite being told that Ali's oxygen levels were improving, so I told her to go on ahead. She and Vanessa had come a long way, and I wasn't going to make them wait.

When Gran returned a few minutes later, Vanessa silently stood and walked out of the room, Gran pointedly not looking at her. I walked over and put my good arm around Gran, squeezing reassuringly as I steered her toward the table where Spencer and Jeffrey sat quietly talking. I kissed her forehead and told her, "You need to quit snapping at Vanessa. She was probably on duty tonight and had to find a replacement. It's not her fault. Okay?"

Gran huffed indignantly and pouted, saying nothing.

I somehow resisted the urge to strangle her. "I'm not asking, Gran. I'm telling you. I don't need this shit tonight. No one here does. We're here for Ali, and she's what's important. So suck it the hell up or go home. I won't have your dramatic streak upsetting Ali." I stood and walked out of the room, unwilling to put up with her childish behavior a moment longer. It was the first time I could ever recall giving Gran an ultimatum.

I needed to see Ali, needed the calming affect her presence had on me.

I stepped through the doors of the ICU, garnering a pointed stare from the nurse. She didn't say anything, but I knew we were on thin ice as it was and having two visitors in the room was pressing our luck. I smiled my most charming smile and told her we were swapping out not doubling up.

When I closed in on Ali's 'room', I nearly ran into Vanessa as she made her exit, clutching a tear-soaked tissue. She and Ali weren't close, having only met the one time, so I had a hunch that her tears were mostly about Gran. I pulled her into a hug and softly shushed her, telling her everything would be alright. Whether Gran had gotten there five minutes ago or five hours ago, there was nothing she could do to help. None of us could do anything but wait. Ali had to do this on her own, and she was going to come through with flying colors.

I had no doubt in my mind that she'd recover twice as fast as expected, it was just the way Ali was made.

Overachiever to the core.

I CAME AWAKE
slowly, feeling disoriented. Faint remnants of my dream lingered at the edge of my awareness, images of flames and smoke, and the sound of Ali's screams. I didn't get to her in time in the dream, the door was too strong, like steel that I battered myself against until I was broken and bloodied. Instead of saving her, I feebly pounded on the oak barrier with bloody hands as I listened to her screams.

The soothing sensation of fingers running through my hair made me want to drift back to sleep. I'd dozed on and off all night, each time fighting flame-filled nightmares as I lay huddled in the waiting room, letting everyone get their turns visiting. But I wasn't in the waiting room as the warm hand stroked my disheveled hair, lulling me back into a warm floating state somewhere between consciousness and oblivion.

When I realized where I was, I sat up with a jolt, surprised when Ali's green eyes greeted me. They'd taken the breathing tube out hours ago, but Ali had remained unconscious. I'd fallen asleep slumped over the edge of her hospital bed, her scraped hand held carefully in mine.