Stepping into her room, it’s dark, the light from a lamp on her bedside table casting a yellow glow on the walls. I was hoping to get a sight of her big blue eyes before I took off for the night, but she’s asleep looking so tiny in her white hospital bed.
“She had a rough day.” I look up to see the head nurse of this unit.
“Hey, Susie.”
She nods and walks further into the room. “She’s been asleep for the past few hours.”
Leaning down, I kiss Emily’s bald head and stroke her tiny forearm. “I had lunch with her earlier, what changed?”
“Dr. McAdams said her white blood cells dropped. She’ll be okay in the morning.” Susie is checking her vitals, and I can’t thank her enough for all she does for the children on this floor.
While that fatal accident stole my career, it changed Emily’s life forever, even more than mine. I’d kept tabs on her over the past few years and when I found out she was sick and her foster parents couldn’t handle the stress of taking care of a sick eight-year-old girl, I made her my responsibility. Visiting when the staff allows, helping cover the cost of any medical procedures the state says aren’t necessary. I will give this little girl whatever she needs to survive. The more loved she feels, the better chance she’ll walk out of this place cured, and in the past nine months, she’s become my sole focus.
Unfortunately, her attorney, Thomas Feeley, the biggest jackass on the planet, wants me to disappear. He knows my involvement in that accident, and in his legal opinion, my presence is not in the best interest of the child. He’ll stop at nothing to limit my time with Emily.
“I hear there’s a family interested in adopting her,” Susie says.
That instantly gets my attention. “Who?”
She shrugs, “No clue, but she’s hoping to meet them next week.”
“I want to be there—at the meeting. It’s only right I have a say in what happens to her after she gets released from here.”
Susie’s eyes soften, and her shoulders relax; I don’t like the look she’s giving me. “Damian, you and I both know they’ll never allow that.” She reaches up and places her hand on my shoulder. “Her attorney has been clear as day, he wants her placed in a family with a mother and a father. He wants a happily ever after for Emily. A single dad doesn’t fit into that description.”
As effortlessly as I can, I shrug her hand off me. “I’m not asking to adopt her, only to have a say in what’s best for her.”
“Well, whatever you do Damian, be careful. I don’t want to see Emily’s health slip because you were suddenly banned from this room.”
Hating every word that just escaped Susie’s lips, I leave Emily to sleep and head home. Pulling into my parking spot, it looks like Addison is here, too. Screw Reed. If she’s home alone on a Friday night, I’m going to see what she’s up to.
I quickly take a shower. As I’m turning off the hot water, I hear something crash and break on the other side of the wall. On high alert, I throw on some clothes and step outside to scout out the situation.
It’s eerily quiet.
A car door slams to my left and takes off. I place my ear up to her front door, but can’t hear a thing, so I knock. All I get in return is complete silence. Looking over the railing to the carport, her black Jeep Cherokee is in the same position it was two hours ago. I knock again, harder this time.
The door flies open, slamming against the inside wall, and momentarily startling me. “What now!”
At first, I’m caught off guard by her irate greeting, but as she stands frozen in the doorway, her eyes grow wide in surprise, and a blush shadows her ivory face.
Damn. She’s beautiful.
I have to bite my lip to stifle a grin.
“I’m sorry. I thought you were somebody else.” Her tongue darts out and licks nervously at her lips. An intense desire to capture it between my teeth and slide it between my own lips spikes through me.
Leaning casually against her doorframe, I cross my arms over my chest. “I heard something crash. Is everything okay?”
Her shoulders drop slightly, and her hard eyes soften, meeting mine. “Yeah, everything’s fine. A friend made me angry, and I threw a vase at the wall.”