20. Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Joy
“C an I get you anything, Mrs. Garrison?”
It takes me a moment to realize the nurse is speaking to me. “Oh, no, thank you. I’m okay. I’ll probably go on a coffee run soon anyway.”
We’ve been at the hospital most of the night. When Gray didn’t get up after getting thrown off the bull, all hell broke loose. Tate refused to leave his brother’s side; I refused to leave Tate’s side. River stepped up and has been holding us all together, taking charge and making sure Gray received the proper care. Well, until we got to the hospital and this asshole doctor showed up. Now, I’m afraid to leave Tate’s side because I can tell he’s about to lose his shit.
“You can go for coffee,” Tate says softly. “I’m fine.”
He’s not fine. I doubt he even believes himself. I was hoping Tate would be less on edge once Gray returned to his room, but he’s still leaning forward in his chair with his elbows resting on his thighs as he stares at his brother. My heart feels like it’s been torn in two. One half goes to Tate and the other to River who is still in the waiting room. The only reason I’ve been allowed back is because Tate told the nurses that I’m his wife. When we told them that River is Gray’s wife, the nurse just gave a sad smile. Dr. Buckner had already made sure to tell the entire staff that River was not immediate family and not on his case.
“I’ll stay here with you until he wakes up. Or until they let River back here.”
A low, humorless laugh rumbles out of him. “You don’t have to babysit me. If I haven’t beat the shit out of that asshole doctor yet, I’m probably not going to.”
“That’s not—” I start to argue, but his stern gaze causes my lie to falter. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
I swallow hard as I look at him. He looks broken. Dark circles surround his eyes and his jaw is set. His lips form a grim line, and they barely twitch as I correct my lie. I do just want him to be okay. And part of being okay is not getting arrested for assault.
“Thank you,” he breathes before returning his gaze to the hospital bed.
I wish I knew what to say. Or what to do. The last thing I said to Tate before shit hit the fan was that I needed space to figure out if I could do this. I still need space, but I’m not leaving him here alone. Not like this. I place my hand on his back, preparing to rub it, but he instantly sits up and then leans his body toward me. Opening my arms in invitation, I wrap them around him when he leans his shoulder against mine and rests his head back against the wall. No, I definitely can’t leave him like this.
I must have fallen asleep, because next thing I know, Tate is kissing my forehead and giving my shoulder a gentle shake. The curtains are drawn, so it’s hard to tell how long I’ve been asleep or what time of day it is. Gray still appears to be sleeping.
“What’s wrong?”
Tate smiles and shakes his head. “Nothing is wrong. They are going to let River come back if you want to go on that coffee run. Or if you want to go home and get some sleep…”
“Oh,” I said, breathing a sigh of relief. “That’s good. How’s he doing? Did I miss anything while I was asleep?”
He kisses my cheek before sitting back in his seat. “He’s doing okay. Squeezed my hand when I told him we were still here.”
I feel every muscle in my body noticeably relax as more relief rushes through me. That has to be good news. I feel okay about leaving to clear my head. And I can’t miss my shift at the ranch. Especially not now. At least I know he won’t be alone. He’ll have River here with him.
“That’s so good. Better than okay.” I place my hand on his thigh and give it a squeeze. “What do you want for breakfast? I have time to grab something before I head to the ranch.”
Tate is quiet as he studies me. His eyes are serious, but he gives nothing away even as he hesitates to respond. “I’m not really hungry, but I’ll eat whatever you want to bring me. Thank you.”
I squeeze his hand before I stand to leave because I still have no idea how to not be awkward. Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to notice with all his attention on his brother. Meanwhile, I’m silently dying. I feel like I’m supposed to be with Tate. Even after telling him it wasn’t going to work if he’s my boss, I didn’t think twice about driving him to the hospital or sitting with him while we all wait for Grayson to wake up. Even now, I hate the thought of leaving him. I’ve already decided that after my shift at the ranch, I’m going to shower, change, and come right back here.