Chapter Fourteen
Pain woke Drew from the best dream. He was working on a search and rescue team with a Belgian Malinois as his partner. He was living with Brody, who was training to be a flight nurse. They were trying to figure out where to settle down.
“Son of a fucking bitch,” Drew exclaimed as his eyes popped open.
“Hey, you need to calm down,” Brody said from next to Drew. When he looked over, Brody was stretched out in the visitor chair with his feet up and an iPad on his lap. He was in winter PT gear and it looked like he had earbuds in.
“Didn’t we do this before? And you know, if you wanted to watch me sleep, we could’ve made different arrangements.” Drew slammed his mouth shut. What. The. Fuck. It had to be the pain meds hijacking his mouth. Um, that was his story and he was sticking to it. “Sorry?”
“I do believe that could be arranged at a later date. However, I took the night shift for two reasons: one, to keep your family from fighting with the visiting hours policy and the staff, and two, I needed to stay awake so I could sleep today for my shift tonight. Win-win. They got sleep and I…” Brody paused and chewed on his bottom lip.
Something that Drew really, really wanted to do himself.
He watched as Brody pulled in a deep breath then blew it out before he finished his sentence.
“And I wasn’t home staring at the blank walls of my apartment. ”
Drew knew that feeling intimately. Maybe he and Brody had more in common than just having gone through the same ROTC program. He held out his hand to Brody, wondering if he would leave Drew hanging. He didn’t have to wait long for his answer as Brody dropped his feet and put his hand in Drew’s.
“What’s your pain level?” Brody asked as he shifted his fingers to rest against Drew’s wrist. It looked like Brody was silently counting. Hmmm, taking Drew’s pulse maybe?
“Did they put something in my IV because I’m a little fuzzy?” It felt like there was cotton surrounding Drew. Like there was a buffer between his thoughts and his body.
“Evan gave you a dose of morphine in your IV around zero-four-hundred. You were groaning in your sleep and were restless,” Brody told him.
“Mike and Trish said they’d be back this afternoon.
I’ve got shift tonight so I’m going to go grab some sleep.
You’re awake, and someone sho—” Brody’s sentence was cut off as Nova pushed into the hospital room with Nicole on her hip.
She wasn’t even five steps in when she thrust Nicole at Brody, trusting that he would catch her child.
“Oh. My. God! Drew! You need to not scare us like this again,” Nova demanded as she got next to the bed.
“Nova, what are you doing here?” Drew had been having a moment with Brody.
Well, at least he thought they were having a moment before Brody began to make excuses to leave.
Fuck. He really wished that he’d gotten his head out of his ass since he’d known that Brody was at Brooke.
He should’ve contacted him. Even if they didn’t click on a romantic level, Drew could always use a friend.
“What am I doing here? Are you fucking serious?” Nova shot back.
“You end up in surgery from a wicked knife wound and you ask why I’m here?
You should thank me. Julia was going to fly in except Tax Day is in less than a month.
She’s buried under forms which you would know if you actually answered any of the group texts. ”
Drew could feel his face getting hot. Yeah, he’d been avoiding the group texts for the past few months. He knew no matter what he’d said in them that someone would figure out he was on the verge of depression.
“I’m sorry?” he offered. “I’ll try and do better. It’s been a little nuts at the unit with being down one platoon leader. I’m—”
“I call bullshit but we can take that up later. When are you getting out? We’re trying to juggle everyone’s schedules so someone can be with you twenty-four-seven,” Nova said as she sat on the edge of the bed gently.
Drew looked at her closely and he could see the strain on her face. He reached his good arm out to her.
“What’s wrong, Nova? You look tired.” Drew thought back over the past few weeks of texts. He hadn’t really participated but he’d read them all. He didn’t remember there being anything major. Of course, right now his brain was mush from the morphine.
Nova shook her head and turned to the side to watch Brody rocking Nicole.
“The little shit who I love with all my heart is cutting teeth. Only time she’s sleeping is when she’s being held.
Keith and I have been trading off so neither of us is getting much sleep.
Think I could hire Brody to come and spell us? Seems like he’s got the knack.”
Brody’s head snapped up so fast with his jaw dropping. Drew started laughing, then groaning when his ribs protested. “Um, I’m not sure I’m the right—” Brody sputtered before Nova cut him off.
“You’re a natural, Brody. Besides, how else are you going to pay me to fix the disaster that is your hair right now?” Nova pointed out. “I have no idea who you went to, but really? They should not have a license to do hair in Texas. Well, anywhere.”
Brody had the good graces to look ashamed as Nova laid into him. Even if Brody and Drew hadn’t connected again in San Antonio, Brody could’ve visited with Drew’s family. Nova had especially adopted him at the pinning. “Um, I’ve got a pair of clippers and every week or so I run them over my head.”
Nova gasped and slapped her free hand over her heart.
“Nice aim. Perfect kill shot. Are you kidding? Obviously, you’re not because it looks like someone took garden shears to your hair.
You will come see me in the next few days or I’m hunting you down.
You’re an officer. You need to set an example for those under your command,” she lectured before turning back to Drew.
“Now, when are you getting out? Keith or I will take the first day or so then Mom and Dad will rotate in. If Uncle Kevin or Aunt Brittany can get a flight out, they’ll pick up after that. ”
Oh, hell no. Drew had worked too hard to have his independence. He knew that Uncle Mike and Aunt Trish were watching over him for his parents, if from a slight distance. How was he going to stop his family from coddling him? Fuck.
“How about instead of me being on baby-rocking duty, Drew can stay with me. I’ve got a guest room.
Got the medical knowledge to know what to do in an emergency.
Hell, I was the first to see his wound in the ER.
I’m on nights but he’ll be sleeping while I’m at work.
I can change his bandage, watch for infection.
Then none of you have to shift things around,” Brody suggested.
Drew’s family might think he was incapable of taking care of himself but he wasn’t stupid. He was so taking Brody up on his offer. Hot male nurse? Sign him up. “You’re hired,” Drew said.