Chapter 28
Hunter
It was agony to watch her in that bed with all the tubes and wires coming out of her body.
She looked so fragile. Bruises were already blooming on her face and arms. Thankfully, they’d ruled out paralysis.
But she’d torn a ligament in her left leg, broken three ribs, and they were worried about traumatic brain injury since she still hadn’t woken up.
She definitely had a concussion, at the very least.
Talk of scans and possible diagnoses went completely over my head.
I was just glad to be here. Beau had pushed for me and him to be the two people allowed in her room, and I was so fucking thankful. We still hadn’t had a chance to talk. We were too busy freaking out over Iz.
“She just has to wake up. She’ll wake up,” I whispered to myself, holding her left hand up to my lips since it was the one free of IVs. “Iz. I need you, princess. I need you to wake up.”
I stared unabashedly at her face, looking for any sign that she could hear me.
Her brow furrowed, but that wasn’t new. She had frowned and flinched in the hour I’d been in the room. But she still hadn’t woken up.
“Are her lips moving?” Beau rumbled next to me.
I leaned forward, staring hard at her face.
“Mom,” she whimpered. “Mom!”
“She’s waking up!” I rocked in my seat, so full of anticipation of seeing those gorgeous brown eyes again.
Sure enough, her eyelashes fluttered, and then she was staring straight into my eyes.
“Iz! Thank fucking god.”
“I’ll tell the nurse,” Beau whispered hoarsely before ripping the door open and baying for a nurse.
Iz flinched and shook her head slightly. “Too loud,” she murmured.
“I’m so sorry, princess. If I could take away the pain, I would. The nurse will be in here in a second and give you the happy juice. They had to dial it back since you weren’t waking up.”
She blinked, and I couldn’t tell if she heard me or not.
Then the room was full of medical personnel, and Beau and I were pushed into the furthest corner as questions flew around the room.
“Fuck,” Beau whispered hoarsely. “I’m so fucking grateful she woke up. You don’t even know.”
“Oh I do. I really fucking do,” I whispered back.
We exchanged wet-eyed looks, completely unashamed of the emotional moment.
“I’m sorry for punching you when I found out about you and Izzy. I can see that you genuinely care about her.”
“I’d fucking give her my kidney if she needed it. I love her.”
“Good,” Beau grunted. “Keep it that way.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about Iz.
She’s more than capable of looking after herself.
” My eyes were glued to her still form on the hospital bed.
I could hear her soft voice, but I couldn’t make out any of the words.
“But I’ll always be there if and when she does need anything. Hopefully before she even realizes it.”
“I’ve made so many mistakes.” Beau groaned softly and burrowed his fingers into his hair. “I think it’s safe to say that my marriage ending isn’t one.”
I sucked in a breath but didn’t say anything. I didn’t happen to disagree with him there.
“There’s still a part of me that wonders if the witnesses are wrong and that Phoebe did do it.” He turned away from the action on the other end of the room to stare at the wall. “And I fucking hate that.”
“Fuck, man, that’s not on you. We all thought it.”
“Yeah, but I married her. I laid in a bed next to her at night. And what the fuck does that say about me?” He let out a deep breath and rolled his shoulders.
“I can’t keep being that asshole. Something has to change.
I have to change. I can’t keep being so fucking selfish.
I have a kid now. And maybe sometime soon, a grandkid. Fuck, that burns to say out loud.”
“Whoa, pump the brakes. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. There won’t be a grandkid anytime soon. Iz is going to be going back to school at the start of the next semester. Maybe. I’m still pulling for her to transfer to UCLA, but she’s stubborn.”
“Fuck yeah she is.” Beau grinned like that was a positive personality trait.
I grinned back because I agreed.
Then a doctor came over and went through a whole lot of medical jargon and tests they still wanted to run. I listened with half an ear as most of it went over my head but kept my eyes on Iz the entire time.
Hers were closed now. I was starting to doubt she’d woken up.
Then she blinked and opened those gorgeous brown eyes again, her gaze shooting around the room wildly.
I left Beau and the doc behind to cross the room and hold her hand again. “Hey there, princess. You doing okay?”
“Hurts,” she whispered.
“Hey doc!” I turned back to where I’d left them. “Can you get her something for the pain? She’s hurting.”
He nodded. “I’ve ordered something. Let me check on it.”
I took my seat at Iz’s side again and held her IV-free hand to my lips. “I was so worried about you. Don’t ever fucking scare me like that again.”
“Don’t invite your crazy ex to any more parties, and I won’t.”
Beau’s booming laughter echoed around us. “She’s got you there, kid.”
I cursed under my breath but still had to smile.
A ghost of a smile curved Iz’s lips too before she grimaced.
Then a nurse bustled in and pushed some drugs for her and her eyelashes fluttered closed again.
I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand. “If it helps any, princess, Cheyenne will be going away for a while, so we won’t have to worry about her anytime soon.”
“We’re getting a restraining order against the bitch, too.” Beau resumed his pacing. “Maybe we should off her. I know a guy.”
I tossed him an incredulous look, but he was a hundred percent serious, judging by his thunderous expression.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” the young nurse murmured. “But if anything does happen to that young lady, I will have to report this conversation to the authorities.”
“He’s just joking.” I laughed uncomfortably. “Dark humor or whatever.”
Her eyebrows were still raised as she looked between the two of us. After a beat, she shook her head and left the room.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I whisper-shouted. “You don’t fucking plan murders when there are witnesses around.”
Beau shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “I thought we had confidentiality or whatever.”
“That’s only for Iz, and only for her health shit. Not for potential felonies!”
A giggle came from the bed before she moaned softly. “You two should do a comedy routine. Maybe as a warmup before you play.”
A wave of love almost overwhelmed me. She really was going to be okay.
“I think the next thing we’re going to be planning is our wedding.” I pressed another kiss to the back of her hand.
She giggled. “Whoa, these really are good drugs. ‘Cause I just heard you tell me we’re getting married. So crazy.”
“Nope, not the drugs. I’m serious. The second you’re out of here, we’re going to Vegas or whatever and getting married.”
Beau bit out a curse behind me.
“What?” She blinked a few times. “What happened to ‘I’m never getting married. It’s a religious trap.’”
“You. You happened.” My eyes sheened with tears.
“You got under all my defenses. You made me love you and then you almost died. They wouldn’t let me near you in the E.R.
The only reason I’m even sitting next to you here is because Beau allowed it.
I’m not doing this again. So we’re getting married. ”
She snickered. “You’re being ridiculous. I really don’t think I’m gonna get pushed down a flight of stairs again, so I think we’re okay there. It’s not a reason to get married.”
“But it was the thing that woke me up. Or maybe it was Beau’s left hook.”
“What? My—Beau—punched you? When?”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. We’re good now.
But I’m saying that I love you. I want to have babies with you and watch them grow.
You make me dream of things I never would’ve dared to dream of before.
You make me believe that anything’s possible.
Like we can build a fucking wonderful world together. ”
“What did you say?” Iz whispered.
“What? That I want to have babies with you? I don’t mean right now. After you’re done with school—”
“No,” she interrupted me. “The wonderful world part.”
“I just meant that we get to learn from our parents’ mistakes. We don’t have to make the same ones. We can build a wonderful family and a wonderful world of our own—together.”
Tears pooled in her eyes. “Oh my god.”
“Iz? Are you okay? We can talk about this later. It doesn’t have to—”
“I love you so much. It means so much that you would say that. I can’t—I don’t… My mom would’ve loved you. So much.”
I inclined my head. “I think I would’ve liked her too. She raised an amazing woman.”
“Hear, hear!” Beau cheered behind me, making us both jump. “Sorry. I just happen to agree. Katrina was amazing. And so are you, Izzy. Love you, kiddo.”
“Love you too. Dad.”
Beau crossed over to the other side of the bed to lean over the bed and press a kiss on Iz’s cheek. His eyes were suspiciously bright as he straightened. “If it helps any, I happen to approve. Hunter is a great guy.”
“I kinda figured that out on my own a while ago.” She shot me a mischievous look.
“Not all of us are as bright as you, kiddo. I figure you got that from your mother. And to prove my point, we’re going to have to find somewhere else to stay for a while. Phoebe might be getting the house in our divorce.”
“You guys are separating?” Iz asked.
Beau shifted his feet. “Yeah. Sorry to put you out. I’m going to stay at the Chateau Marmont for a while. Do you want me to book a bungalow for you, too?”
“Nah, no need for that.” I squeezed her hand gently. “She’ll be staying with me anyways. I’ve got a wedding to talk her into.”
Beau inclined his head. “Let me know if you change your mind—about anything. I’m up for a Vegas wedding whenever or to book you a room next to me. Just say the word, kiddo.”
“Love you too, Dad.” Iz blinked heavily.
Beau’s eyes softened. “Love you to the depths of my soul, kiddo. Seriously.”
Judging by her relaxed expression, Iz missed that part. She was already out again.
Beau brushed some of Iz’s hair off her face. “I’m going to head out. I have some arrangements to make. I wasn’t kidding about the house. Phoebe already texted me a pic of all my shit in the driveway. Crazy bitch broke a few of my guitars.”
“Just give me a shout if you need any help hauling anything.”
“Nah, you should stay here and take care of our girl. Make sure she’s getting the care she needs.”
“Always.”