Mason (Carter Brothers #2) - Lisa Helen Gray Page 0,101

good wash. Maybe two with the way I’m feeling at the moment, especially being in a clean, disinfected hospital.

“How are you feeling babe?’’ Mason asks groggily, rubbing sleep from his eyes and moving back into his chair.

“Okay. Ready for a shower and bed,’’ I smile teasingly.

He laughs shaking his head before he turns his attention back to the nurse. “Are our family still here?’’

“They came back a few hours ago. I told them I’d call them once you were awake, but if you’d like you can use the phone in reception to call them. You’ll be free to go once I’ve done this and Denny’s signed these forms,’’ she informs us and for some reason, I feel at ease in her presence. After the bad experience I had when I was brought in after Harlow’s attack, I promised myself never to step foot in one again unless really necessary. And although this is necessary the option has still been taken away from me. I hated it. The nurses all stuck their noses up at me. They were sharp tongued, disapproving towards me and just plain mean. I’d wanted to cry. I’d been so alone, on my own, without anyone who could sit by my bedside to tell me everything would be okay. They had me attached to a machine, monitoring the baby’s heartbeat because of the fall I had taken and the knock to the head. Thankfully everything with the baby had been fine. Obviously.

“Can I? I haven’t got my phone with me or my car, so I’ll need to call for a lift.’’

“Honestly, just say Lorna sent you and they will be okay,’’ she smiles to Mason.

“I’ll be back in a minute,’’ he says getting up from his chair, but he looks back down at me with his face scrunched up in concern. He doesn’t want to leave me. I can understand. A part of me doesn’t want him to leave either.

“Go, I’ll be fine. Make sure you ask them to bring food, I’m star-ving,’’ I sing, rubbing my large belly.

“I’ll see what I can do,’’ he chuckles before leaning down to give me a kiss on the head.

“Oh, he’s such a looker,’’ the woman grins at me.

“He is, isn’t he,’’ I grin back.

“I thought I was going to have to fight off all the other nurses at one point. They’ve been dying to come in and catch a glimpse of the young hottie all day, especially when they heard how protective he was of you when you first came in.’’

“Huh?’’ I ask, and then wince when she slides the IV out of my arm, the sting startling me.

“When you first came in he was funny with people around you. He kept asking us to be careful, to double check everything when we gave you the all clear. It was so sweet. In all my years of nursing I’ve never seen a man worried the way he was. It’s rare, but rarer to find one his age that loves someone the way he does.’’

“I huh...I don’t know what to say,’’ I tell her completely dumbfounded.

“Nothing to say my lovely, just make sure you take care of each other. So many couples your age break up because they expect too much from the other person. They expect them to be who they want them to be and not who they are. With you and that young man, you can tell neither of you expect anything but being yourselves to each other.’’

“That’s kind of poetic,’’ I whisper.

“Nah, I think I read it in a magazine once,’’ she teases giving me a wink. “The police still want to talk to you, but they left ages ago. I’m sure they’ll get in touch soon enough.’’

Opening my mouth no words come out, my eyes and mouth flicker to the door, my heartbeat beating far too fast. When it’s Mason that walks through my body visibly relaxes.

“Are you okay?’’ the nurse asks, keeping her voice down.

My eyes look over to her to see her looking over at me with concern and worry. I nod my head yes, not really sure. I’m fine physically, but mentally, I’m still waiting for Carl to jump out and try to take me again.

“Maverick is going to pick us up. He’s nearly here.’’

“Already?’’ I ask shocked.

“Yeah, he was coming over to check in on us and to let us know Hannah’s parents have been informed about her body, and that Carl has been arrested for murder, rape, kidnap, and some