Chapter 36
I made sure Haley was resting and relaxed her first day home from the hospital.
I gave her her pain meds as needed and made sure she drank fluids. Between her short naps, I checked that she did her breathing exercises. I cooked her dinner. And Maverick didn’t leave her side; he either lay on the couch with her when I wasn’t there or settled right next to her on the floor.
That first night brought me little rest because I watched over her, wanting to ensure she was okay and as comfortable as possible.
The next morning, as if she could feel the clock ticking in her veins, Haley’s eyes brightened when, exactly forty-eight hours after the chest tube was removed, she asked to shower.
I steadied her as she slowly walked into my bathroom, then turned the shower handle, waiting until the water was warm. As she carefully undressed, I opened a small package. “Here, I grabbed some Tegaderm to go over your incision to keep it covered.”
I placed the transparent film over the small bandaged incision to ensure it stayed dry, securing it in place.
Afterward, I helped her step carefully over the shower threshold, steadying her by the waist. As the first stream of hot water washed over her, a deep, shuddering sigh escaped her lips—part relief, part quiet gratitude. “This is the best thing ever.”
I chuckled from where I stood on the other side of the glass door, observing her every move. Then, I made a split-second decision to join her.
When I slipped behind her in the shower a few moments later, she turned and looked at me, a small smile ghosting her lips. “What are you doing?”
“Helping you. Tip your head back.” Haley kept her eyes on me as she tilted her head just enough so her hair was beneath the spray, soaking it thoroughly. “Now, turn around.”
She turned, putting her back to me. For a moment, I just stood there, overwhelmed. Her presence, even in its vulnerability, was magnetic.
On the other side of that tenderness, I found myself appreciating the view, but I kept myself in check and did nothing more than look.
This moment was a true lesson in self-control.
I grabbed the shampoo, putting a generous amount in my hands, and then gently massaged it into her scalp. She let out a quiet sound, and I smiled softly. “You okay?”
“Mhmm,” she hummed before turning to face me. She reached out, resting her hands against my chest for support as I massaged her scalp. She tilted her head down, giving me better access to the nape of her neck. “I could get used to this.”
I smiled. “I’ll do it anytime you want.”
“Even when I’m healed and can do it myself?”
“Even then.”
“We can just have more fun with it later.”
A chuckle escaped me. “Like I’ve said before. You’re trouble, baby girl.”
“You love it.”
“Correction. I love you.”
Haley looked up at me, eyes bright with a fierce tenderness, her gaze soft. Her voice trembled as she whispered, “I love you, too.”
The next evening, after confirming with Haley that she was feeling up to it, Wes, Morgan, Lucas, Callie, and Gabe all came by to see her. Callie and Lucas brought dinner for everyone from Harbor House Diner.
While Wes, Morgan, and Callie greeted Haley on the couch, I helped Gabe and Lucas unload food containers in the kitchen.
“That’s Morgan’s burger,” Lucas said as he slid one of the containers to the side before checking the next. “And this one with the fried pickles is Callie’s.”
“Wings?” Gabe asked.
“Wes,” Lucas answered.
As I set some plates on the island, Lucas looked at me, a small smirk playing on his lips. “So,” he began quietly, “you and Haley, huh?”
Gabe chuckled, looking at me curiously at Lucas’s question.
I knew it was coming eventually. I hadn’t talked to them one-on-one, but in our group chat with Wes, when they were asking me for daily updates on Haley during her hospital stay, I figured they’d been made aware.
A smile ghosted my lips under their scrutiny, and I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah,” I said with a nod. “Me and Haley.”
“How long has that been going on?” my brother asked.
I let out a breath mixed with a chuckle. “Uh…a while…” I answered honestly.
“And how long’s ‘a while’?” Lucas questioned.
My gaze flickered up to ensure Wes was still occupied with Haley—I was pretty sure he wouldn’t care to hear this part of what I was going to say. “Well, unofficially…I guess it kind of started a year ago…”
Their brows both arched with smiles. “Unofficially?” Gabe prompted.
“Honest to God, it was an accident.”
“An accident?” Lucas chuckled. “I’m gonna need you to elaborate.”
I scratched the back of my head. “I, uh…I saw her out at a bar one night…and I didn’t recognize her.”
They both barked out a laugh. “No fucking way,” Gabe said.
“Way,” I replied with a nod. “I swear, I had no idea it was her. And in her defense, she thought I was fucking with her, so she just played along. We went our separate ways and dubbed it a mistake. Then, I started working in the ER with her a couple of months later, and things just…happened.”
Gabe smiled. “Wes seems to be taking it well.”
I blew out a breath. “Yeah. Better than I gave him credit for, that’s for sure.”
And that was the truth. I hadn’t given Wes nearly enough credit when it came to how he would react.
I’d been so convinced he would be furious or, worse, would hate me.
And maybe at first, he did, but if so, it didn’t last all but twenty minutes.
I think my feelings for her played a part in his handling it so well—he knew how much she meant to me.
He also knew I was nothing like those pricks in her past that he always complained about.
I wasn’t perfect—far from it—but he knew me and my character.
“Well, I don’t think Wes could ask for anyone better for his sister,” Lucas said with a grin.
The corner of my mouth twitched with a sheepish smile. “Thanks.”
“You two seem good for each other,” Gabe added.
“And don’t think Wes isn’t secretly ecstatic,” Lucas said with a chuckle. “Morgan told Callie that he kept saying how you could be his ‘real brother’ if things work out.”
I let out a snort. “Jesus Christ.”
“So, Wes is good with it. But what about work?” Gabe asked. “With you precepting her, I mean. Are they going to say anything?”
“I talked to our boss,” I explained. “She kind of figured it out on her own after seeing my state when Haley was first brought in after the accident. I didn’t want to lie to her.
I told her I understood if she needed to put Haley with another physician, but she said as long as it didn’t affect my ability to precept and teach her, she would ‘mind her business.’ I gave her my word that it wouldn’t interfere.
And that’s when she gave me the next two weeks off, so that I could be here with her. ”
“Good,” Lucas said, nodding with a smile. “That’s good.”
Gabe squeezed my shoulder. “I’m glad things are panning out. And you seem…good. In a better headspace.”
I nodded. “I am.”
My eyes fell on Haley, where she was talking to Callie, Wes, and Morgan, and my heart swelled. I was in a better headspace. Because of her. And like I told her, I had some healing left to do, but for the first time, I felt content with where things were headed.
The week blurred by as Haley slowly regained her strength—every small win was a victory.
Walking without getting too tired was her first hurdle.
On day one, she only reached the end of the driveway.
Gradually, she was gaining distance. And as she needed less pain medication, she switched to over-the-counter options.
When Sunday rolled around, a week since she’d been discharged, she told me she wanted to go to her mom’s for Sunday dinner. And she asked me to come. So, we killed two birds with one stone.
We drove up to Cliffside Village and went to my parents’ first—I wanted them to know about us, and while slightly surprised by the news, they were unsurprisingly thrilled. They’d known Haley her whole life, knew her family—our moms were both retired doctors and close friends.
And when the time came, we left my parents’ house and walked across the street to her mom’s just as Wes and Morgan pulled in the driveway.
“Man, Sunday dinners just got a hell of a lot more fun,” Wes said with a chuckle as he got out of his car.
“Not gonna lie…this is still going to take some getting used to, though. My best friend and my sister,” he jokingly sneered.
Haley rolled her eyes with a smile as he clapped my shoulder, then looked at her. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m getting there,” Haley replied with a nod.
“Can you drink wine?” Morgan asked before looking at me. “Can she drink wine?”
“She’s not on the narcotics anymore. A small glass wouldn’t hurt.”
“Thanks, doc,” Haley quipped.
Morgan chuckled. “Come on.” She took Haley’s hand, helping her inside.
Wes and I trailed behind them. “Is she really doing okay?”
“Yeah,” I answered. “She’s making good progress and is on the mend.”
“And you?” he asked, looking over at me. “How are you doing?”
I met his gaze. “I’m good.”
And for the first time in a long time, the words felt real.