A Billionaire's Redemption - By Cindy Dees Page 0,77
days, but it should heal up. I’ll have the doc come take a look at you when he’s done with the young woman.”
“How is she?”
“Now, how would I know?” the nurse asked gently. “I’ve been in here the whole time taking care of you.”
“Could you check for me? Is she going to be all right?”
“Are you family?”
“Might as well be. She’s got no one else. Well, technically, her mother’s alive, but that woman’s less than useless right now. Her mom’s the reason she was out driving on that dangerous road, anyway.”
The nurse left without comment and he swore under his breath, agonizing. Willa had to be okay. She had to. He prayed hard then, making every bargain with God he could think of if He would just save Willa’s life.
The nurse poked her head back in a few minutes later. “Since you’re not family I can’t say anything, but if you were family, I’d tell you your friend is alive.”
“What else would you tell me?” he asked anxiously.
“She hit her head. Concussion. Going to have to spend a day or two here for observation at a minimum. She’s gone for an MRI to rule out any internal injuries, but initial indications don’t show anything life threatening. She’s regained consciousness. Is asking for you. As soon as she’s done getting scanned, you can see her.”
Gabe jumped up off the edge of the bed and gave the nurse a big hug.
“Easy, there,” she exclaimed. “I just got your bleeding stopped. Don’t make me clean you up twice.”
He let go and stepped back sheepishly.
“By the way, your ex-wife has been moved to a room. The doctor wanted to release her, but she made such a stink about it that he finally gave in. What a bi—” the nurse broke off. “Uhh, interesting woman, your wife.”
He replied blandly, “She can be quite a bitch, too.”
The nurse smiled broadly at him. “There’s a big pile of paperwork out front for you to fill out when you have a moment.”
He nodded, and spent the next half hour filling out the required insurance forms and questionnaires on himself and Willa. He indicated that he would pay for any medical costs her insurance didn’t cover.
He glanced at the big clock on the wall. Nearly eleven o’clock. If he was lucky, Melinda would be asleep by now, and this obligatory sympathy visit would be short and sweet.
Nonetheless, he got directions and headed up to the third floor where Melinda’s room was. He stopped by the nurses’ station to inquire about her, but a screech of fury from her room answered the question of whether or not she was asleep.
The duty nurse glared up at him in exasperation.
“Horse tranquilizers might shut her up,” he commented drily.
“Or a ball-peen hammer,” the woman snapped back.
They broke into simultaneous smiles. Gabe murmured, “Could you tell her I stopped by to ask about her...after she went to sleep?”
“Gabe? Is that you?” Melinda called out from her room.
Drat.
“Busted,” the nurse whispered sympathetically.
“If there’s any word on Willa Merris, will you come rescue me?”
The nurse nodded conspiratorially. Steeling himself to endure one of Melinda’s patented tirades, he stepped into her room. But his heart was in another part of the building entirely.
Chapter 16
Willa started as she opened her eyes and was surrounded by nothing but white. Had she died? “Where am I?” she asked experimentally.
A disembodied voice answered, “You’re in an MRI machine, Miss Merris. Please don’t move. We’re almost done.”
“I’m alive, then?”
“Very much so.”
That was good, at any rate. “How did I get here?”
“An orderly wheeled you down here on a gurney.”
“No. I mean to the hospital.”
“Mr. Dawson brought you in.”
So, she hadn’t imagined that dream of him cradling her with his body and climbing out of hell with her. Except it hadn’t been hell. It had been outside, though. She remembered feeling a breeze on her skin. And the acrid taste of limestone dust.
Something bad had happened.... She tried to remember, but only snatches came back to her. Strange laughter echoing around her. Someone pushing her. No, not her. She frowned and tried hard to remember. Her car. Someone pushed her car.
Abruptly, memory exploded of standing on her brake pedal with all her strength while her little car slid over the edge of a cliff on the way to Lover’s Point.
“Oh!” she exclaimed. She tried to sit up, but something restrained her.