Chapter 52 Hallie
HALLIE
The faint beeping pulled at me, shoving me out of the sea of nothingness. I let out a garbled moan. A hand squeezed mine.
“Come on, Little Minx. Been telling all the nurses what a fighter you are. Gotta prove me right.”
I knew that voice. I wanted to get to it. To reach Lawson.
My eyelids fluttered, the bright lights making me squint.
“There she is.”
Lawson’s face filled my vision. His scruff was longer than usual, and dark circles rimmed his beautiful eyes.
“Blue,” I rasped.
Pain streaked across his face. “Worried I’d never hear you call me that again.”
My hand spasmed in his as it all came rushing back. The vet’s office. The cave. “Damien?”
That pain morphed into fury. “He’s gone. You’ll never have to worry about him again.”
Relief rushed through me. Blessed relief. Maybe that made me a bad person, but this world would be a better place without Damien Miller in it.
Lawson leaned over me, pressing his forehead to mine. “You’re safe.”
“I can’t believe it was him and not Len Keller.”
Something passed over Lawson’s eyes.
My stomach knotted. “What?”
“Cops a couple of counties over found Len and got him back to the hospital. It turns out his daughter was one of Miller’s victims. It didn’t pop at first because she had a different last name. She was newly married.”
“Oh, God,” I whispered. “That poor man.”
Lawson’s fingers traced over the back of my hand. “Some part of his broken mind thought he was trying to save you.”
I couldn’t imagine how tormented he must’ve been. How much he’d lost. “You won’t charge him, right?”
Lawson shook his head. “Not unless you want to. He’s getting the help he needs now.”
“I don’t want to charge him. He’s been through enough. We all have.”
His lips ghosted across mine. “I love you, Hallie. With everything I have.”
“I love you, too.”
Lawson pulled back, searching my face. “Are you in pain? Should I get a nurse?”
I squeezed his hand. My stomach throbbed, but I didn’t want medicine. “I just need you. A few minutes holding your hand so I know for sure this is real.”
Lawson brushed the hair away from my face. “This is real. You fought for it. Battled your way back to me. To us.”
My eyes burned. “You were with me. I thought of you and the boys, and I wouldn’t give up.”
He lifted my hand to his lips, kissing it and then just holding it there so he was speaking against my knuckles. “Don’t want to waste any time. I’m already an old man.”
I grinned. “You don’t look old to me. And you definitely don’t feel old.”
Lawson chuckled, the sound skating over my skin. “I want every second with you, and I want to live it to the fullest.”
That pressure built behind my eyes. “Me, too. I’ll never take a moment for granted.”
He slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out something I couldn’t see. “My grandmother gave me a ring once. I never knew why I didn’t give it to Melody; it just didn’t feel right. But I know now. Because it was always meant for you.”
My breath hitched as my heart rate sped up.
Lawson slipped a band onto my finger. The metal was warm from being so close to his body. I stared down at the breathtaking ring. A stunning round diamond glittered up at me, set in a delicate rose gold band with flowers woven into the metal.
My gaze snapped to his.
“Marry me, Hallie.”
My mouth curved even as tears spilled over and tracked down my cheeks. “That doesn’t sound like a question.”
“Say yes anyway.”
“Yes,” I breathed.
Lawson bent, his lips taking mine.
“We brought you a sandwich from the deli down the street. It’s better than this awful cafeteria—oh! She’s awake! Em, she’s awake,” Adrian all but cheered as he stepped into the room, his husband behind him.
Emerson’s eyes filled. “I can see that. And she’s making out with her hunk of a man already.”
“Our girl has her priorities in order,” Adrian said with a grin, tears shining in his eyes.
And then they were running to my side, peppering me with questions and gentle hugs.
Adrian gripped my hand and held it up to the light. “Um, Em…I think our girl has some news.”
Emerson’s tears fell now as he glanced at Lawson. “You move quick.”
“Not going to miss another second with her.”
My heart clenched, but there was no pain, only the kind of joy that left an ache behind. The real kind.
Adrian squeezed my hand and grinned. “We are going to have the most fun planning a wedding!”
I smiled back, knowing he was right. And we could all use some happiness.
I glanced at Lawson. “Where are Charlie, Drew, and Luke?”
A shadow passed over his eyes. “You’ve been in and out for over three days.”
My eyes widened. “Three days?”
He nodded. “They wanted to stay, but I finally got Mom to get them back to the hotel. They refused to go back to Cedar Ridge.”
Fresh pain washed through me, knowing how scared they must’ve been. “Where am I?”
“Seattle,” Lawson explained. “They airlifted you here, and the family met us.”
“Seattle?”
Lawson took my hand again. “It was touch and go for a while. You lost a lot of blood, and there was damage to one of your kidneys. They had to remove it, but the surgeon has assured us that you’ll make a full recovery.”
I stared down at my torso. No wonder it had been throbbing since I awoke. “But everything else? I’m okay?”
He bent, pressing his lips to my temple. “You’re going to have to take it easy for a while, but you’ll be just fine.”
I breathed out a sigh of relief and glanced at Emerson. “Do Mom and Dad know?”
A look of fury took root on his face, and I steeled myself for whatever was coming.
“I called them on my way here.” His jaw worked back and forth as if he struggled to get the words out.
“They said it was your choice to put yourself at risk by living here. Said these were the ramifications of your actions.”
Tears stung the backs of my eyes. “They aren’t coming.”
“No,” Emerson said through gritted teeth.
Lawson pressed his forehead to my temple. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not,” I admitted.
He pulled back, confusion on his face.
“I’m finally free of them. Maybe I just needed them to cut the cord.”
Lawson squeezed my hand. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off.
“Dad, I brought you a milkshake,” Charlie called from the hallway. As he entered the room, he skidded to a stop. “Hallie?” Tears filled his eyes. “Hallie!”
He took off at a dead run, launching himself at me.
Emerson caught him around the waist as Adrian caught the milkshake.
“Whoa,” Emerson said, amusement lacing his tone.
“Hallie has stitches, remember?” Lawson asked. “We have to be really careful.”
Charlie bobbed his head up and down as Emerson set him down. He moved toward the head of the bed, and I instantly reached for his hand.
“I missed you so much,” I whispered.
Tears tracked down his cheeks. “I missed you more. Dad said you were gonna be okay, but you weren’t waking up. I was so scared.”
I pulled Charlie closer. “I’m so sorry, buddy. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Drew and Luke crowded closer to the bed. There were dark circles under Drew’s eyes. “You’re okay? Really?”
I nodded. “Gonna be sore for a while, but I’ll be just fine.”
Tears shone in Luke’s eyes. “Love you, Hallie.”
My throat clogged. “I love you, too.”
Lawson cleared his throat, glancing at Charlie, who had laid his head on my shoulder. “You know how we talked about me and Hallie? How we were dating and would let you know when things changed?”
Drew and Luke shared a look while Charlie sat up straight.
Lawson grinned. “I have some good news and some bad news…”
“Spill, Pops,” Drew demanded.
“Well, Hallie quit as your nanny.”
Their gazes all jerked in my direction, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.
“But she said yes to being my wife,” Lawson hurried to add.
Hoots filled the room from Wren, Holt, Nash, and Maddie, who had come in behind the boys.
Drew smiled widely as he glanced at my ring. “You don’t mess around, bruh. Respect.”
Lawson just shook his head.
Charlie looked at me wide-eyed. “Does this mean you can be my real mom? Not just in my heart?”
My eyes filled as I swallowed down the emotion and glanced at Lawson.
He took my hand and squeezed.
“Nothing would make me happier than to be your mom, Charlie,” I whispered.
“I wished it from the first day you came,” he said with a wide smile. “And when Drew blew out his candles, I wished it then, too.” He glanced at Drew. “Sorry, I stole your wish.”
Everyone laughed, and Drew just grinned. “No worries, little man. I can’t think of a better one.” He shuffled his feet. “Maybe I could call you Mom, too? If it’s not weird.”
The tears started to fall then. “If it’s weird, then I’m the biggest weirdo of all because I’d love it.”
Luke moved closer, eyes holding so much emotion. “You’ve been more of a mom than we’ve ever had.”
Lawson leaned in closer, kissing my temple.
“You guys have given me everything I thought I’d never have. More than I ever could’ve dreamed,” I whispered.
Charlie grinned at me. “We’re like the best present ever.”
He had no idea.