Chapter Thirty-Two
I came awake with a start. Realizing I’d drifted back to sleep, I quickly reached for my phone. It was only 8:30. Claire and I planned to go to the beach at 11.
Logan walked in from the bathroom, putting on his watch. “Did I wake you?”
“I don’t think so… thought I might be running late.” I rolled over on my back. “Remember,” I rubbed my groggy eyes and yawned, “beach with Claire, taking the day off.”
Logan nodded as he sat on the edge of the bed. “I hope you enjoy yourselves. Maybe not as much as Claire, Devin, and I did last night though.” He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles. “I’m going to head in and knock out paperwork I have been putting off.” He kissed my fingers again, more sensually this time. “I’ve been a bit distracted… I’d planned to make an earlier start. ”
I stretched like a contented house cat. “Claire and Devin are planning to leave for Orlando around 4:00, do you think you might make it back to see them off?”
“I can head to the hospital a little early if I manage to get unburied. If I’m not back before they need to head out, tell them thanks again for a great time last night and I look forward to seeing them again,” he smiled, “but I’m swearing off margaritas.”
Logan put on his shoes and stood, the t-shirt he had picked up from the floor in his hand. “I was thinking maybe spaghetti for dinner? I heard Ina and Fred arguing about meatballs the other day. I can’t seem to get them out of my head.”
I grinned as I nodded my agreement.
He tossed the shirt to me. “I think you should wear that to bed again tonight. Fond memories.”
I sat up and pulled it back over my head. “Maybe, if you’re lucky.”
“Oh, I believe I am.”
I loved when he said sweet, sentimental things like that.
Logan leaned over and gave me a slow, sweet kiss. “I’ll pour you coffee before I leave.”
I sighed and relaxed back against the pillows. “Bless you.”
He stopped in the doorway and glanced back at me. “Yes, yes you do.”
“Laying on the mushy stuff pretty thick this morning, I see.”
Logan held up his hand with a slight wave. “Get used to it, sweetheart,” he called over his shoulder as he disappeared from view .
I grabbed my phone again to check for any messages, doubting Claire was up yet considering she had practically been double-fisting drinks last night. No notifications so I opened my email.
I could faintly hear Logan moving around in the kitchen. He was opening a cabinet for a coffee cup and then rummaging in the refrigerator for cream.
His cell phone rang. Then rang again.
“This is Logan Harper.”
The intensity of his tone stopped my scrolling finger.
Several silent seconds followed.
I was listening intently and almost jumped out of my skin at the startling crash of a dish breaking. Then again when there was a sudden loud thud. When I heard the heavy pounding of shoes hitting the tile in a run, I bolted up in bed.
“Is everything okay, Logan?” I called out anxiously.
“Come on, open damnit!” His distressed voice came to me from the distance of the entryway.
I shot from the bed and was almost at the door when I called again. “Logan! Wait, what’s going on!?”
I rounded the corner, sighting the elevator door just as it was closing. I rushed to it and frantically pressed the button, but it didn’t open again. I started towards the door for the emergency stairway but remembered I was only wearing a shirt.
I rushed back to the bedroom and scooped my phone up from where I’d dropped it on the floor, my heart racing as I called Logan .
“Come on, come on!” I put it between my cheek and shoulder as I grabbed my underwear from the floor to pull on. Seconds later, I heard his phone ringing. “Oh no!”
I ran to the kitchen, stopping as I rounded the bar. The refrigerator door was still open and the cup of coffee Logan had poured was a shattered mess of porcelain and liquid on the tile. His phone was lying in the middle of it all.
I hurried over, careful not to cut my feet as I grabbed it. I turned to the counter for a towel to wipe off the dripping coffee. “Please work!”
When the screen lit up, I was thankful Logan had told me the passcode matched the elevator pin as I unlocked it and went to his call log. Below my missed one from moments ago, the next incoming was from ‘ Riley’s Doctor .’
“Oh my god,” I whispered, gripping the phone in a shaking hand as I ran to the bedroom to get dressed.
I barely hit the brakes as I drove into the hospital parking lot. I paid no attention to the people giving me startled looks as I dashed into the building and past them to the elevators.
Waiting for one to come and open and close and lift and open again felt like it took an eternity but barely a minute had passed when I was running down the hall in Long Term Care.
A nurse I didn’t recognize sitting at the station called after me. “Excuse me! Hey, wait, you can’t—”
I ignored her and didn’t stop until I was just short of the open doorway to Riley’s room. I took a moment to catch my breath and calm myself. My worry and anxiety had maxed out during the drive here. What Logan told me about the doctor’s recent reports had run on a loop in my head through every mile and stop light. He ran off so frantically, I was so scared of what I was about to walk into.
My heart was pounding but I tried to steady myself, preparing to control my face and reaction so I could support him in any way he might need. When I was ready, I stepped into the doorway.
A man and woman in white coats were in a corner, their heads together in conference. Logan was sitting on the side of the bed, his back to me as he leaned over Riley’s body. A nurse stood beside Logan, one hand on his shoulder, the other covering her mouth.
It felt like there was wax in my ears, only able to make out muffled voices and sounds. The constant hum of medical equipment usually heavy in the room was lower than I’d grown used to. Some of their screens were blank, terrifying me.
I took a few steps into the room then swallowed my fear and put on a brave face before softly saying Logan’s name.
Heads turned toward my voice, his included. I blinked and focused on him. On the tears in his eyes and running down his cheeks.
Then I saw Logan’s beautiful smile .
My brow furrowed and I shook my head in confusion as he stood quickly and turned. I looked down at the little hand in his. When my eyes snapped to Riley’s face, her curious green ones were looking right back at me.