winces and raises a hand to his forehead. “I’m sorry, Jojo. You know I’m just giving you a hard time,” he says. “I’ve been dying for you to finally give in to that boy and spend some real time with him. The way he looks at you?”
He shakes his head and whistles.
“What?” The warmth of a blush is creeping back into my cheeks.
“If you can’t see it, there’s no use trying to explain it to you,” he says. “But I see it. And all I have to say is it’s about damn time. I just hate that I ruined your fun night with all this nonsense.”
I lean over and kiss the part of his head that isn’t bandaged. “You didn’t ruin anything, Daddy,” I say. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Well, if he’s here anyway, why don’t you bring Colton back here with us?” he says. “No sense in him sitting in the waiting room all by his lonesome.”
“They told me we could only have next of kin back here in the room with you,” I say.
“Bullshit. Just go tell Kelly you’re bringing your friend back,” he says. “She’ll get him through, no problem.”
“Kelly’s working today?” I haven’t seen her in ages, it seems like. She and my dad dated for a while when I was in high school. She’s really the only woman I’ve ever seen him head-over-heels for, and I still don’t quite understand why it didn’t work out between them. I always liked her.
“She’s here,” he says. “You can imagine how excited I was to have her see me in here looking the way I do.”
He pats his hair, and I laugh. “Handsome as ever,” I say. “I’ll be right back.”
I find Kelly by the nurse’s station and she stands to give me a hug.
“Your daddy gave you quite the scare tonight, huh?”
“You have no idea,” I say.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw them wheel him back here. Nearly had a heart attack,” she says, touching her hand to her chest. “Thank goodness he’s going to be okay.”
“I’ve never been so relieved in my life.”
“Does he need something?”
“I hate to ask, because I know they told me next of kin only, but I’ve got a friend in the waiting room and Dad said to ask if he could come back with us?”
She smiles. “It wouldn’t happen to be that tall drink of water with the dark blond hair and the eyes to die for, would it?”
I blush again, thinking that this is probably the most I’ve ever blushed in my life. It’s beginning to be a nuisance. I’m sure everyone can see right through me.
“His name is Colton, and before you go getting any ideas, he works for us at the bar.”
“Whatever you say.” She smiles and bumps my shoulder. “You can bring him back with you. Anything that’ll help keep Rob alert and awake for the next few hours will be a big help.”
“I don’t suppose you guys have a pack of playing cards back here anywhere, do you?” I ask.
“Believe it or not, we actually do,” she says. “Some of the doctors like to play poker on the slower nights, which is sadly not often enough. I’ll go see if Sandy can find them for me.”
“Thank you.”
I duck my head out of the double doors leading to the emergency wing and Colton looks up. I crook my finger at him and he smiles and stands.
“How’s he feeling?”
“Back to his old self, mostly,” I say. “Thank the good Lord. He sent me out here to ask if you want to play a few rounds of cards since they’re wanting to keep him awake the rest of the morning. I understand if you want to go home, though. It’s been a long night.”
“What? And miss the opportunity to play some Blackjack with you and your daddy in the emergency room? I wouldn’t dare.”
He smiles and my stomach flips in the most pleasant way.
The receptionist sitting at the desk gives me the evil eye, so I grab the front of his shirt and pull him through the doors with me. I lead him to the room where they’re keeping my dad, glancing around like a thief in the night, trying not to get caught breaking the rules.
Kelly is already there, double-checking the IV and chatting with my father.
“There they are,” she says. “I’ll leave you guys to it. Take it easy, now. No betting or anything. Rob doesn’t need the disappointment of losing too badly after taking a