Chapter 31
Denise watched Maddox after they walked through the hospital’s automatic sliding doors until they were no longer visible through the glass.
Her throat felt thick when she tried to swallow.
They looked the same as they always did, really.
That tall, slim frame and purposeful stride.
But they also seemed vulnerable and maybe even lost.
Her hands tightened on the steering wheel, resolution coursing through her as she pulled away from the drop-off area and into the parking lot.
A few minutes later, she found her way to the emergency room.
An automated swinging door controlled by the ER reception desk blocked access to the exam rooms, but Denise slipped through it behind another visitor with no one noticing.
Once inside, it didn’t take long to find the room where Maddox’s grandmother was.
She hesitated at the door that was halfway ajar, realizing how invasive and inappropriate this might be. Would she be making Maddox uncomfortable by being here? Forcing her help on them in the form of the ride was one thing, but this was another entirely.
Carefully, she peeked inside the door. Maddox’s grandmother was lying in the bed and connected to an IV and oxygen. She appeared to be asleep. Maddox sat in a chair beside the bed, elbows resting on their knees and head in their hands.
Denise’s heart ached for them even worse than it already had been, and her mind was made up. She opened the door slowly, hoping to keep quiet and not disturb the sleeping patient as she stepped inside.
Maddox’s head jerked up, and their eyes widened. “What are you still doing here?”
Denise hesitated at the abruptness of the question.
Her pulse picked up, and she was in danger of second or third-guessing her decision to enter the room.
She glanced at the bed and saw Maddox’s grandmother was still sleeping.
The noise from the various machines in the room probably drowned out the sound of their voices, but Denise lowered hers just in case. “I thought you might need the company.”
Now that they were over the surprise, Maddox’s expression softened. “I appreciate it, but there’s no need for you to waste your time like that. I’m fine. And if that changes, I can call a friend from work or somewhere else.”
Like Janelle?
Denise shoved the thought aside. This wasn’t the time to think about that. Then her mind zeroed in on the first part of Maddox’s statement. …there’s no need for you to waste your time. Is that what they really thought being here for them was? A waste?
She took a step further into the room and looked Maddox directly in the face. It was odd how much she’d missed being able to do that in the past few days when the two of them had been stepping around each other. “Do you truly want to wait here by yourself?”
Maddox held Denise’s gaze for a minute then looked at their gran again. Their voice was low and small when they finally said, “Not really, no.”
Denise nodded and moved even closer. “But after I leave, will you actually call someone from work or another friend and ask them to come sit with you?”
She was almost positive she knew the answer to that question even before Maddox answered with a frustrated shake of their head, “It’s just a waiting game. There’s no point in pulling someone else into it.”
“Maddox…” She leaned down to catch their gaze and make them look at her as she emphasized each word. “There absolutely is a point if it’s something you need and want.”
Their jaw worked as several emotions flitted across their face. Finally, they looked down at their clenched hands in their lap. “Just because I want something, it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.”
Denise’s stomach twisted. She continued to stare at them as she dissected their words.
Maddox was talking about the two of them, weren’t they?
Was the bad idea their night together? Was it spending even more time with each other?
Her stomach somersaulted as the questions piled on.
Was Maddox really involved with someone after all, and they’d kept it from her?
There seemed to be such an openness and authenticity about them, she didn’t want to believe it.
But how could she know, really? Not after that one encounter years ago and the short amount of time since then. She really needed to ask and—
“Maddie?” a frail voice mumbled from the bed.
Maddox’s attention immediately shifted as they scooted closer. “I’m here, Gran.”
The woman’s eyes brightened above the clear plastic mask that covered her mouth as if she were smiling at her grandchild. Maddox smiled back, and it was so sweet that it made Denise’s breath catch in her throat.
As Maddox leaned in close to hear what their grandmother was saying through the oxygen mask, Denise couldn’t seem to stop studying Maddox’s eyes. The gentleness and deep affection were so apparent. What would it be like to be on the receiving end of that?
She snapped out of the reverie when Maddox’s eyebrows dipped low in concern and said, “Gran, I think you should leave that on.”
The statement went unheeded as their gran tugged at the mask until it came off.
“Gran!” Maddox chided. “You need to keep that on.”
“In a minute. I just want to know when I’m getting out of here. I feel fine now!”
“Probably because you had that oxygen on,” Maddox pointed out, prompting their gran to scrunch her nose up at them.
“Smartypants,” she said without any actual heat. “It’s so loud in here and freezing. I’m sure I’d get better faster in my own bed.”
Denise’s ears caught the freezing complaint, and she slipped backwards out of the room while the two inside continued their light squabbling. At least maybe there was one thing she could do.
When she returned from a trip to the nurse’s station, Denise approached Maddox and handed them the blanket she’d gotten. “Here. This one has been heated.”
Maddox’s lips parted as they reached for it. “Oh. Thank you.”
They looked like they were trying to say something else when their gran interrupted with, “Who is this?”
Denise froze and looked from the older woman to Maddox.
She really hadn’t thought this whole sticking around thing through, had she? What would Maddox say about her? Gran, meet Denise. She’s one of my more complicated hookups. Or how about: This is Ms. Farrington, the evil witch that’s going to tear down Oliver’s resort.
“This is my friend Denise,” Maddox answered. “She gave me a ride here.”
Oh. Friend. Denise pursed her lips. That was simple enough, if not entirely accurate. Although she found that she really wished it was.
When the older woman’s attention fixated on her, Denise’s face heated, but she stepped forward. “Hello, Ms. Daniels.”
The face looking back at her was scrunched in confusion or maybe suspicion, and Denise’s nerves ramped up even higher.
Her go-to trick for coping when she had new people anxiety was to pay a small compliment.
But she’d never had to try that with someone in a hospital bed.
So she stepped closer and said the first thing she could think of. “You have a remarkable grandchild.”
It took all her manners not to cringe at her own words. Oh God. What?
Even though it was the last thing she wanted to do, her head turned of its own volition, and she looked at Maddox. They were staring at her with wide eyes.
Denise jerked her gaze away and back to the bed, where a serene smile greeted her instead of the scowl from before. “You’re right, hon. She really is. And you can call me Louise.”
That brought a real smile to Denise’s still overheated face. “Louise.”
A petite, blonde nurse with a startling amount of eyeliner swept into the room for a check-in. The oxygen mask argument soon became her issue instead of Maddox’s.
Maddox stepped out of the nurse’s way and closer to Denise. They raised an eyebrow. “That was an interesting introduction.”
By now, Denise was pretty sure her cheeks were going to burst into flames. “I’m sorry! I just figured the one thing grandmothers always love to hear is compliments about their grandkids.”
“So you don’t actually think I’m remarkable?” Maddox asked with a frown.
“No, I didn’t mean…”
As she floundered, Maddox’s lips quirked up in a wide grin. The widest Denise had seen from them since she’d gotten back, and all she wanted to do was bask in it, even if it was at her expense. “Now you’re teasing me.”
“Little bit. Yeah,” Maddox confirmed, their brown eyes twinkling with mischief. For a moment, it was impossible for Denise to tear her gaze away from them, and Maddox didn’t seem to be in a hurry to look away either.
“Okay!” the nurse called in a chipper tone, startling Maddox and Denise into moving apart as if they’d been up to something they shouldn’t have.
“We’ve got Ms. Louise settled for the moment.
Her oxygen levels are much better than when she got here, so we’re taking her off that nasty old mask and giving her the nasal kind instead.
Still not comfy, but it’s a lot better! And the doctor said we’ll be keeping her overnight. ”
“Oh, good heavens!” Louise grumbled, probably in response to the overnight part.
Maddox turned and shuffled to the bed to soothe things over, as the nurse said, “We’ll get her admitted soon.”
When the nurse headed toward the door, Denise stopped her. Almost without thinking, she assumed the firm, serious tone she often used at work. “And will the doctor be coming in to talk soon? I’m sure Louise and her family would appreciate more details about her condition.”
The nurse blinked twice. “Oh. He hasn’t been here yet?”
Denise turned to Maddox, whose focus was on her at the moment instead of the nurse. But they seemed to register the question a second later because they shook their head. “No, he hasn’t.”