Eight Days (Love Always #1.5) (6 page)

Day 6

I wake up before the sun rises. My hand sweats, and it takes me a second to realize why. I’ve had Kate’s hand clasped in mine all night. I let go, worried that I’ve overheated her. Wiping my palm on my jeans, I stand up to check the monitor that keeps track of her vitals. I’m not sure what I’m seeing, but no alarms are going off. Regardless, I lay the back of my hand over Kate’s forehead.

She’s warm. Much warmer than earlier.

Again, I peer up at the screen. Damn it. I wish I knew what the hell those numbers meant.

My gut tells me something’s not right. I’m beginning to panic because I have no idea what’s wrong, and I can’t do shit about it. I can’t stop what’s happening.

For a second, I consider rousing Marcy. I shoot a quick glance over my shoulder. Marcy seems to be sleeping peacefully for once, and she’s in the same helpless boat as I’m in. No, I won’t disturb her.

Instead, I lean over Kate and kiss her head. “I’m going to find Tammy, baby. I’ll be right back.”

I swallow hard because I don’t want to leave her. I could push the call button, but I don’t want to worry Marcy. She has enough to deal with, and if I’m wrong, then I’ve woken her up for no reason.

God, I hope I’m wrong.

My gaze trails over Kate one last time before I exit the room, leaving the door cracked behind me. There’s one nurse—Pat—at the nurses’ station, and she’s a newbie on this floor. I doubt she knows anything about Kate’s case.

“Where’s Tammy?” I demand. Fuck the niceties.

Her brows furrow at me. My tone catches her off guard. “Um, she’s making her rounds. Can I help you, Damian?” she asks, scowling—yeah,
scowling
—at me.

Perfect. She knows my name, and judging by her expression, my reputation has preceded me. I’m not going to get anywhere with this nurse.

I slap the counter. “No, you can’t. What room is she in?” I’m not the guy I was yesterday. Hell, I’m not
that
guy at all.

The nurse shakes her head. “I’m not at liberty to give you that infor—”

“I don’t give a fuck what information you’re not at liberty to give,” I say, my tone dropping low. I don’t handle these situations well, especially when it involves someone I care about. And this nurse is
really
starting to piss me off.

“Hospital policy states—”

Is she serious?

“Something is wrong with Kate Browdy, and Tammy knows her case. Where is she?”

Pat checks her computer then shakes her head. “Kate Browdy is fine. If something were wrong, I’d know about it. Now, visiting hours don’t begin until—”

I’ve had enough of this bullshit. And right now, I’m desperate.

“I need to speak with Tammy, and I need to speak with her now. So, if you don’t give me what I need, I will stalk up and down this hallway, slamming every goddamn door open until I find her. Do you understand me?”

Even as I say it, I know it’s an empty threat. I might be an asshole, but this is the pediatric oncology floor, and there are young children in those rooms. However, I’m counting on my reputation to make this work.

I see a hint of fear in her eyes, and I’m sure she’s close to giving in.

She doesn’t.

“I’m calling security,” she says, reaching for the phone.

Shit!

I grab her wrist before she touches the receiver. She fixes her stare on me, eyes wide.

“Tammy,” I repeat.

Kate’s on the verge of something bad, and I’m close to losing it with Pat.

The nurse’s nostrils flare, and I think she’s shaking a little. I don’t let go, though. In fact, I squeeze her wrist a little tighter for emphasis. I’m not thinking of the repercussions for my actions. I’m a man on a mission.

Her breath hitches at my grip, and I cock my head to the side. “I’m fucking serious,” I grind out.

Her eyes flick up and focus behind me. I spin around to see Tammy exiting a patient’s room halfway down the corridor.

I toss the nurse’s hand away and jog down the hallway. She’ll probably have security on the phone in one second flat, but I’ve got more pressing matters on my mind. I’ve dealt with hospital security before. They know me well.

“Tammy,” I say when I catch up to her.

She must see the panic on my face because her brows knit together in concern. “What’s wrong, Damian?” she asks.

“Kate. She’s warm, and—”

I’m cut off by alarms ringing at the nurses’ station. My head snaps toward the sound, and I know it’s Kate even before Pat darts the short distance into her room.

“Fuck!”

I run down the hall, Tammy on my heels. I swing into Kate’s room. Roused from her sleep, Marcy’s on her feet at the foot of Kate’s bed, and Nurse Bitch is just studying the goddamn printout!

Tunnel-visioned, I sweep behind Marcy. With the lights on, I see how pale Kate is. How her lips are no longer pink. It’s a complete one-eighty from the flushed face I left her with. Like all of the blood has drained from her.

Pat yelps when I shove her out of my way. “Kate, I’m here. I’m here, Kate.” I fold her hand into mine.

“You need to step back, young man,” I hear her say. I ignore her because if she’d have only listened to me in the first place, then…

Her voice rises when she says my name. “Damian, you need to—”

“Pat,” Tammy cuts her off, shaking her head. Tammy’s all business, and I could fucking hug her for it. “Page Doctor Lowell.”

Pat shuts up, nods once, and hurries out of the room.

“Is it that bad?” Marcy asks, her arms wrapped around herself.

Tammy checks Kate’s IV before answering. “Her blood pressure’s dropped, and it’s straining her heart.” She sighs, her eyes teetering to me. “I’m sorry, but when Dr. Lowell arrives, you’ll need to wait outside.”

I open my mouth to object when Marcy says, “Of course. Whatever you need.” She’s on the verge of tears.

I rake my hand through my hair, frustrated. The last thing I want is to leave Kate here alone. But I feel myself nodding my agreement.

Slowly, I raise Kate’s fingers to my lips. “You’re in good hands, baby.”

I don’t care that Tammy heard me and is now staring at me. I let Kate’s hand slip from mine, and it takes everything I have to follow Marcy out.

As soon as we leave, I see my dad rushing toward us. He doesn’t look at me, not that I expect him to. Like me, his only concern is Kate.

I watch him enter Kate’s room, Pat right behind him. At the same time, I see Matt the security guard step off the elevator. Perfect fucking timing.

“I’ll go grab us some coffee,” I tell Marcy.

“Thank you, Damian,” she says, and walks down the hallway to the Commons.

I, on the other hand, saunter toward Matt. The man doesn’t look happy.

“I received a call from Patricia that you assaulted her. Damian—”

Assaulted? What the fuck?

I hold up a palm. “Now’s not a good time, man.”

Matt gives me a skeptical once-over and sniffs the air around me. “Have you been drinking?”

I wish.

“No. Kate needed help. It was an emergency. The shit with Pat, dude that was all a misunderstanding.” He doesn’t know who Kate is, and I doubt he cares.

Matt glares at me, and I don’t think he’s buying my story. I need to do something because I’m not getting kicked out of here. Not today.

“Where’s Patricia?” he asks.

“I told you. There was an emergency. She’s in there.” I point toward Kate’s closed door.

“Damian,” he starts, “you have a history here, and assault is a very serious accusation.”

“I’m not leaving. Not as long as Kate’s here in this hospital.”

Matt sighs as he considers his next move. I’m resilient, and he knows it. No one on earth could get away with the shit I’ve evaded here. My dad’s the best oncologist they have, and they don’t want to lose him. It’s the only reason I’m allowed inside.

“Tammy,” he says, pushing past me.

I swing around to see her exiting Kate’s room, her face solemn. What does it mean that she left? Her eyes bounce up to me for a split second before they fall on Matt.

I move in closer to hear them.

“—assaulted her,” Matt finishes.

Again, Tammy’s gaze flashes to me then back to the security guard. “It was a misunderstanding, Matt. We’ve all had a rough morning. I’ll talk to Pat. Thank you for your quick response in this matter, but I assure you, everything is fine.”

Mat hesitates. “Okay, then,” he says, before he turns to me. “Stay out of trouble, Damian.”

“Yes, sir,” I mutter as he stalks away. “Tammy—”

“You really care about Kate, don’t you?” she interrupts me.

All I can do is nod because I don’t think I’m strong enough to say it out loud. “Is she okay?”

“They’re still working on her. She’s a tough girl.”

“Yeah, she is.”

“Hang in there, Damian,” Tammy says, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Kate has a lot worth fighting for.”

~*~

Kate’s dad is with Marcy when I return to the Commons with our coffees. The Browdys sit at a small table, heads leaned in together.

“Thank you,” Marcy says as I hand her the Styrofoam cup.

Wordlessly, I slump onto the sofa on the other side of the room by myself. I want to be alone with my thoughts. It’s definitely not what Liam would do, but I’m done caring what he would do. Kate never wanted Liam. She didn’t even know him, so I can begin fresh. I don’t have his perfect-ass standard to live up to with her.

I drag a hand down my face, sliding my fingers over the stubble on my jaw. Six days ago, I was considering leaving Kate because
I
couldn’t handle her disease. Because
I
wasn’t strong enough.

Today, I’m still not strong enough, but thanks to Ellie, I realize that I don’t have to be. She didn’t love Liam because he was perfect. No, she loved him because he was genuine.

Kate doesn’t need me to be strong. She needs me to be there. To be
me
. The rest we can work out together.

Now all Kate has to do is beat the virus and wake the hell the up.

An hour passes, and beams of sunlight scatter through the blinds. No one has come in to give us an update on Kate’s condition. My coffee is long gone, and I cross my arms.

I’m cold. I’m hot. I’m scared.

I’m so fucking scared.

Finally, my dad appears in the doorway. His face is long, tired. He glances in my direction before he approaches Kate’s parents. I don’t follow him over. I just sit here, watching as he speaks quietly to the Browdys.

Marcy’s hand covers her mouth, tears slipping onto her cheeks. Mr. Browdy cradles her in his arms, and my heart drops into my stomach. Kate has to be okay.

The need to see her for myself overwhelms me. Quietly, I slip out of the Commons and head to Kate’s room. There’s one nurse at the nurses’ station, but she doesn’t look up when I walk past. The door to Kate’s room is shut, and I hesitate as I reach for the handle. I don’t know what I’ll find behind it, but I don’t want to dwell on the possibilities, either.

I push the fear away and open the door.

The soft hum of machines greets me, and for once, it’s a welcoming sound. But it’s not enough to back me off the edge. That won’t happen until I know she’ll be okay. Hell, until she says my name.

Whoever left the room last closed the curtain. I gather the material in my hand and slide it back. She’s lying there, hooked up like when I left her. I can’t see if she’s breathing. My eyes flick up to the monitor, and the first thing I notice is the steady heartbeat.

I hear myself exhale as relief floods through me like a damn breaking free.

She’s alive.

My gaze returns to her. The same body I woke up to this morning rests on top of the mattress, but it’s different. Stronger. More resilient.

This girl. This beautiful girl in front of me amazes me with everything she is.

Her skin’s not as pale as earlier. Her lips are pink again. I lean over her, my hands on either side of her head, smashing into her pillow. Closing my eyes, I hold my position over her, not touching her. I want to feel her warmth on my face, her breath on my mouth.

“It’s just us, Katie,” I whisper. “Give me something to let me know you can hear me.”

Closing my eyes, I wait. I don’t move or breathe. She offers nothing, and I open my eyes to take her in. I lower myself until my nose grazes hers. Then I repeat the words I told her a week ago in front of the fireplace. This time I understand what I’m saying.

This time it’s for real.

“Don’t leave me, Katie. Don’t leave me.”