Chapter 6 - Lewis #2
Once the doctor leaves, Gladys goes over the discharge instructions with Chloe, occasionally shooting meaningful glances my way that make me feel like I'm being evaluated.
"Now, Lewis," Gladys says sternly once she's finished with Chloe, "I'm trusting you to make sure she follows these instructions. Plenty of fluids, rest, no exertion, and she needs to take her medication on schedule."
"Yes, ma'am," I say seriously. "I'll make sure of it."
"I am right here, you know," Chloe interjects, though there's amusement in her voice rather than annoyance. "And I'm perfectly capable of following instructions."
Gladys gives her a skeptical look. "Mmm-hmm. That's what they all say. Then they're back in here a week later because they 'just had to' move that furniture or clean the gutters or whatever else couldn't possibly wait." She turns back to me. "Don't let her do anything strenuous. I mean it."
I hold up my hands in surrender. "I promise. She won't lift a finger."
"Good," Gladys says, apparently satisfied. "I'll go get the discharge paperwork started."
Once she's gone, Chloe gives me an amused look. "Is she always like that?"
"She used to be worse. And we'd better follow her instructions to the letter, or we'll both be in trouble."
Chloe laughs, then winces slightly at the strain on her throat. "So what's the plan? Am I really staying with you?"
The question brings me up short. In the chaos of the fire and the hospital, I didn't stop to consider how strange this must seem to her—a man she barely knows offering his home.
"Only if you're comfortable with that," I say quickly. "Like I said before, there are other options. My brother and his girlfriend have a guest room. Or I could see if Max and Jennie—"
"Lewis," she interrupts gently. "I was just making sure the offer still stands. I'm not uncomfortable with it."
"Oh. Good. Then yes, the offer still stands."
She smiles, and it transforms her face, making her even more beautiful than she already is. "Thank you. Though I should warn you, I'm not used to being coddled. I might not be the best patient."
"I think I can handle it," I say, returning her smile. "I deal with Max on a daily basis, and he's basically a six-foot toddler when he gets hurt."
That makes her laugh again, and the sound does something to my insides, something warm and bright. I want to keep making her laugh, keep seeing that smile.
While we wait for the discharge paperwork, I step out briefly to call Ollis and let him know what's happening. He answers on the second ring, sounding like he's just woken up.
"Hey," I say. "Sorry if I woke you, but I wanted to let you know Chloe's being discharged today. I'm taking her to my place to recover."
There's a pause, and I can practically hear Ollis processing this information. "The lawyer? The one from the fire?"
"Yes, the lawyer from the fire," I confirm, a little impatiently. "She needs someone to keep an eye on her for a few days, and she doesn't know anyone else in town."
"Uh-huh," Ollis says, and I can hear the skepticism in his voice. "And this has nothing to do with the fact that she's gorgeous and you haven't stopped talking about her since we pulled you two out?"
"I haven't been talking about her non-stop," I protest, though I know it's not entirely true. I may have mentioned her a few times. Several times. "She needs help, Ollis. That's all."
"Sure," he says, clearly unconvinced. "Just... be careful, okay? You tend to jump into things headfirst."
The concern in his voice is familiar—it's the same tone he's used ever since we were kids, and I was about to do something ill-advised. But this time, it irritates me more than usual.
"I know what I'm doing," I say, more sharply than I intended.
Ollis sighs. "I just don't want to see you get hurt. Or for you to hurt her. She's been through enough."
The reminder of what Chloe's endured in the past twenty-four hours softens my irritation. "I know. I'm not going to hurt her. I just want to help."
"Okay," Ollis says, sounding only partially convinced. "Let me know if you need anything. Evelyn's making lasagna tonight—we can bring some over if you want. I get home at 9 pm. We’ll get to your house at 10."
The offer reminds me that despite his overprotectiveness, Ollis always has my back. "That would be great, actually. Thanks."
After hanging up, I take a moment to collect myself before heading back to Chloe's room.
Ollis isn't entirely wrong—I do have a history of diving into things without thinking them through.
But this feels different. This isn't just attraction, though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to her.
There's something more here, something that started in those quiet moments in the burning building when we thought we might not make it out.
When I return to the room, Chloe is sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in the clean clothes someone must have arranged for her—jeans and a simple blue t-shirt that brings out the color of her eyes.
Her dark hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and without the hospital gown, she looks more like herself—whoever that is.
I realize how little I actually know about her beyond what we shared in those intense moments during the fire.
"Everything okay?" she asks, noticing my expression.
"Yeah, just checking in with Ollis," I say. "He and his girlfriend are bringing lasagna over tonight. Hope that's okay."
Chloe's face lights up. "That sounds amazing."
"Wait until you try Evelyn's cooking," I tell her. "She's incredible. Makes me look like a complete amateur."
"So, no competition for your famous cheeseburgers?" she teases.
I grin, pleased that she remembered. "Different categories. Her lasagna, my burgers. Both championship-worthy."
Gladys returns with the discharge paperwork, which Chloe signs with the efficiency of someone used to legal documents. Then, it's just a matter of getting her into a wheelchair—hospital policy, despite her protests that she can walk perfectly fine—and out to my truck.
The April sun is bright as we exit the hospital, and Chloe tilts her face up to it, closing her eyes briefly as if soaking in the warmth.
After the fire's darkness and the hospital's sterile confines, I understand the impulse.
I find myself wishing I could freeze this moment—Chloe's face turned toward the sun, her profile delicate against the blue sky, the sense of possibility hanging in the air between us.
"Ready?" I ask softly, not wanting to break the spell but knowing we need to get her settled.
She opens her eyes and smiles at me, a smile that reaches all the way to those expressive eyes. "Ready."
And as I help her into my truck, I realize that I am too—ready for whatever comes next with this woman who walked through fire and emerged even stronger.
Ready to learn who Chloe Bennett really is, beyond the lawyer who needed saving.
Ready to show her that Cedar Falls—and I—can be the fresh start she's looking for.