by Mara Wells
“The hospital is no place to joke around.” Riley tried to keep her face stern, but Grams’ delight was infectious. If she was cracking jokes, she really must be okay.
“If not here, where?” Grams raised a penciled-in eyebrow that had lost some of its definition this late at night. “Everyone is so serious. They could use a laugh.”
“And you’re a laugh a minute.” Riley grinned. Something she’d learned long ago—when Grams had showed up at her high school to rail against some policy or another—was that Grams would be Grams. There was no stopping her.
Authoritative footsteps stopped outside the curtain, then marched in, carrying a young doctor with the word Resident embroidered on the lapel of his lab coat. “Looks like they have a bed for you upstairs, Mrs. Carson. I’ve started the admitting paperwork.”
“I don’t want to stay,” Grams said at the same time as Riley asked, “Why are you keeping her?”
The doctor checked the chart. “The CAT scans came back fine, but she’s unsteady on her feet. Physical therapy recommended a night of observation, and I concur. You can’t be too careful with someone her age.”
“My age.” Grams’ face flushed. “I didn’t fall because of my age. I’ll have you know I was perfectly drunk in my bathtub, a habit I’ve had my entire adult life. Age has nothing to do with it.”
“And in your entire adult life, did you ever fall and injure yourself because of this habit?” The doctor might be young, but he’d perfected the I-know-better-than-you face.
“It was an accident.” Grams huffed.
The doctor jotted something on the chart.
“What’re you writing?” Grams narrowed her eyes at him, a sign that usually made Riley flinch and tell her everything, but the doctor merely hummed a noncommittal response.
“I’d feel better if you stayed.” Riley squeezed her grandmother’s hand. “It was really scary to find you. And all that blood. If you’re here, it’ll give me a chance to clean up your place, get everything back in order for you. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Maybe Riley couldn’t bake a mouthwatering muffin, but she could get bloodstains out of anything.
“I suppose,” Grams conceded with a final glare at the doctor.
“Excellent. It’ll take a while to get the parts in place, but as soon as everything’s settled, we’ll get you to your new room.” He scribbled another note and ducked through the opening in the curtain.
“You go on home.” Grams extracted her hand from Riley’s to smooth her hair. “It’s nothing but waiting from here on out.”
“I’ll stay until you’re settled in your new room.” Riley leaned her head against the bed railing. She wasn’t going anywhere until she knew Grams was safe.
Grams stroked Riley’s hair like she’d done whenever Riley was sick and stayed home from school to watch cartoons in Grams’ bed.
“I love you, Grams.” Riley snaked her arm through the railing to hold her hand.
Grams gave her a squeeze. “Love you, too. You’re a good girl, Riley Carson.”
Chapter 24
It was after midnight when Riley wandered out to the parking garage, not completely sure where she’d parked her car so many hours ago. Her head fogged with exhaustion, and every step she took felt like a major accomplishment. Good job, she told herself, waiting for the elevator. You can totally do this. The arrival bing jolted her out of a semitrance, one that meant she might or might not’ve been asleep on her feet, and she wished with fierce intensity for her poodle. She could use a good doggy cuddle, and LouLou’s elevator enthusiasm would certainly cheer her up.
She remembered winding through the parking garage for forever on her way to find Grams, so she chose the biggest number, resting her head on the elevator wall after all the effort of pushing the button. The elevator groaned itself up, opening on the roofless top floor. It was a cloudless night, and the moon was almost full. A few scattered cars made her Mazda easy to spot, and she groaned louder than the elevator when she saw it. Home. LouLou. Coffee. All she had to do was stay awake a little while longer.
“How’re you doing?”
Riley stumbled over her own feet, surprised someone else was on the roof this late. Adrenaline flooded her body, and she raised her fist of keys like she’d been taught in the self-defense class she took back in college. Muscle memory. Good for me.
“It’s only me.” Caleb raised both hands to shoulder height and took a step back. “Please don’t key me to death.”
“Oh. Hey.” She relaxed quickly, and the keys dropped from her suddenly limp grip to the paved rooftop, jangling louder than her nerves.
Caleb was beside her instantly, picking up the keys and using them to open up her car. “Here, why don’t you let me drive you home?”
She blinked heavy eyelids. “What about your car?”
He held the passenger door open, gesturing like she’d won a grand prize. “It’s not going anywhere. I’ll swing by tomorrow.”
“I’m fine. I can drive.” Sitting in the passenger seat negated her very excellent point. It took an awful lot of concentration to keep her head upright.
“Of course you can. I’m not saying you aren’t perfectly capable of doing whatever you set your mind to.” He pulled the seat belt across her chest, clicking it into place. “I’m suggesting simply you don’t have to. I’m here. Let me help.”
If her head weren’t heavier than five gallons of paint, she might’ve protested. Instead, she put a hand on his chest and looked up at the way one of the parking garage lights created shadowed patterns on his skin. His eyes were dark pools in his face. “Thanks.”
He smiled and touched his forehead to hers. “I’ve got you.”
He does get me. Riley let herself be tucked into the passenger seat of her own car. She snuggled into the jacket he draped over her, pulling it up to her chin and inhaling the slightly woodsy scent of his cologne. “How did you find me?”
“I waited in the ER for a while, but then the nurse told me they moved your grandmother to the observation wing. Figured you’d eventually come out to your car.” He clicked his own seat belt into place and started her car.
“You’ve been waiting this entire time?”
“Well, Sydney had to go. Some kind of client meeting, she said.” He angled toward the down ramp, following the exit signs at a sedate speed. “She checked in with Eliza, who took LouLou home with her, by the way. So I decided to stay.”
“It’s been hours. How’d you know where I parked?”
“I had some emails to take care of on my phone, and a brisk walk through the parking lot helped me stay awake. It’s fine, Riley.”
“Why didn’t you text?”
“I did.”
Riley fished out her phone. Sure enough, there were several texts asking how she was, where she was, if she needed anything. “I didn’t hear them.”
“I figured.”
“You’re pretty confident I wasn’t ghosting you.” Half her mouth tilted in a grin. The other half was too tired to keep up.
“When Grandpa William was in the hospital, I worried so much I could barely remember my own name. If you wanted me gone, I figured you could tell me in person.”
“So that didn’t happen.” Riley rubbed at her tired eyes. “Now here you are, driving my car.”
“Yeah, I think you’re starting to like me.”
She blinked, midrub, and blinked again. “Oh my gosh, that might actually be true.”
“Good, because I definitely like you.” He kept his eyes on the road, but she saw the flash of his smile in the dark. It warmed her more than her blanket, more than a hot cup of coffee on a cool morning. More than a video of a wiggly puppy licking mashed bananas off a laughing baby’s face. She was in trouble now, liking a Donovan, but she couldn’t find it in herself to fight it.
She reached across the center conso
le and placed her hand midthigh. He dropped one hand from the steering wheel to cover hers, and they drove the rest of the way to the Dorothy in silence, partly because he was concentrating on the drive but mostly because Riley was already asleep.
* * *
Caleb admitted to feeling a bit stalkerish waiting in the parking garage for Riley, but she’d been more relieved than anything to see him, and the weight of her head against his shoulder, uncomfortable console between them and all, made him smile. She was used to doing everything for everyone. It felt good that she let him take care of her just a little bit.
He was under no illusion that this was anything but an extreme circumstance. Her Grams was clearly the most important person in her life, and the thought that something might happen to her terrified Riley. He understood, having gone through a similar situation with Grandpa William, but he couldn’t help but wonder what it must feel like to be the most important person in Riley’s world.
Had he ever been the most important person to anyone? He knew his parents loved him, that Grandpa William was proud of him in his own way, that his ex-wife had claimed to love him until most of their assets were seized. But the devotion between Riley and Grams? No, he didn’t think he’d ever experienced that. What would it take to win Riley’s trust? To be even the second most important person in her life? Or third, if you counted LouLou, which of course he should.
After finding parking half a block from the Dorothy, Caleb waited a few moments to see if Riley would wake on her own. She would not. However, a night in the car with her head at its current angle would lead to sore muscles in the morning. It was a kindness to wake her, even if it did make him feel guilty as hell.
She mumbled something about puppies with bows in their hair while he guided her out of the car. Once on the sidewalk, she weaved like she’d had a whole bottle of wine to herself. He really had no choice but to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her in to his side. She let her head fall against him, a move he was growing to associate with her, and stumbled along still talking about her puppy dream.
“Do you often dream about puppies?” he asked when she paused in her rambling.
She slow-blinked sleepy eyes up at him. “Caleb?”
“Yes, still here. You have your key?”
She fumbled in her pocket, pulling out the bundle she’d threatened him with earlier. It only took a moment to locate the master building key, and soon they were tripping over the shoe pile outside her front door.
When the door swung open, she turned panicked eyes to him. “Where’s LouLou?”
“Sleep over at Eliza’s, remember? She and Lady are probably wreaking all kinds of havoc over there.”
“I should call. Go get her.”
“It’s nearly one in the morning. Let Eliza sleep. We’ll go get little LouLou in the morning. First thing. I promise.”
“Okay. I feel funny.”
“You are funny. Let’s sit on the couch for a minute.”
“No, take me to bed.”
His whole body froze. How long had he been waiting to hear those words? It felt like his whole life. Blood flooded to parts of him that didn’t do his best thinking, but he took two deep breaths and said, “Let’s get you tucked in.”
She leaned heavily on him during the short walk to the bedroom, and when she saw her bed, she exclaimed with delight and flopped on top of the patchwork duvet cover.
“Poor Grams can’t be in her own bed tonight, but this is plain heavenly.” She sprawled on the bed, then patted the space beside her. “Where’s LouLou?”
She was so tired. It was quite frankly adorable. “At Eliza’s, remember?”
“Right.” Her head flopped heavily onto the pillow. “Doggy sleepover. Eliza’s so nice.”
“Yes, she is. Do you want to take your shoes off?”
“Usually take them off outside the door.” She tried to toe off her maroon Skechers, but they didn’t budge.
“I’ve noticed. Quite a collection you have out there.”
“I like shoes.” Finally, the left shoe popped off and hit him on the shin. “I like a lot of shoes.”
“Let me help.” He took her right foot in his hands and pried off the sneaker. He used a knuckle to rub the arch of her foot, and she groaned. “You like that, huh?”
“Oh my God.” She threw an arm over her eyes. “I’ll pay you a hundred thousand dollars to keep doing that.”
“I don’t think you have a hundred thousand dollars.” But he kept up the massage anyway, standing beside the bed with her foot in his hands.
Her head rolled to the side so she could eye him. “Probably not. But I’m good for it. Eventually. Over a lifetime of earnings.”
“That’s a big commitment for one foot massage.”
“You’re going to do both, aren’t you?” Her left foot bashed against his thigh.
“Of course, and for you, I’ll give the friends-and-family discount.”
“You think we’re friends?” She propped herself up on her elbows.
“Aren’t we?” He dug a knuckle into the tightest part of her arch, and she flopped onto her back again, head bouncing on her pillow.
“Yeah, I think we are.” She closed her eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
He was tired, too, should probably get home soon. Just a few more minutes and he’d go. For sure. Her head lolled to the side, and she appeared to be dead asleep. He swung her legs around and placed her feet on the mattress. He took the crocheted quilt at the bottom of her bed and used it to tuck her in.
Riley opened one sleepy eye. “Where you going?”
“Home. It’s been a long day, hasn’t it?”
“But you don’t have a car.”
“I’ll call a service. Don’t worry. Get some rest.”
She tugged on his hand. “Stay.”
God give him strength. He stared up at the ceiling. “I’ll catch you in the morning.”
“You don’t want to stay?” Her lips pouted, and all he wanted to do was lean in for a kiss.
“Too much.”
“Then stay.” She tugged again, and he let himself be pulled to her side. She lifted the edge of the blanket so he could scoot in. Then she rolled and pressed against his side, one arm flung over his chest. “That’s nice, isn’t it?”
She was asleep before he could answer. He kissed the top of her head and wrapped an arm around her back. It was nice, her heat and the way she fit against his side. He stretched his legs out and snuggled closer. A guy could get used to this.
Chapter 25
Riley woke slowly, comfortably warm and toasty with a body much bigger than LouLou’s providing heat all along her back. Large hands rested on her stomach, and her head was pillowed on a muscled arm.
“Good morning.” Caleb’s voice rumbled in her ear.
“Mmm, good morning.” She turned, and they were face-to-face. She traced the side of his face with her fingers, enjoying the tickle of early-morning stubble. “Thanks for staying. Didn’t give you much choice, did I?”
“It wasn’t a hard sell.” He smiled and turned his head to kiss her palm, and her heart thump-thumped in response. “How’re you doing this morning?”
“Better.” She checked the clock on the nightstand, torn between duty—get up, get to the hospital, get busy—and the delicious possibilities right here in her bed. “A bit early to check on Grams. Hungry?” A compromise, then, to justify not rushing off and not being quite ready to let Caleb go yet.
“Not exactly.” He grazed his lips along the line of her neck, biting lightly where it curved into her shoulder.
She shivered and pushed at his shoulders. “What’re you doing? I’ll feed you real food.”
“I don’t want food.” He lifted his head, and their eyes met, blue to brown, sky to earth, him to her. A universe of possibilities swirled b
etween them.
She stilled. “What do you want?”
“You.”
Riley knew the world didn’t freeze in that moment; it only felt that way, like the slow tick of minutes stretched until one second was the same as a thousand. She stared into Caleb’s sky-heavy eyes, sure no one had ever looked at her like he looked at her now. Like she wasn’t just special but everything. The earth and sky and universe all together, packed under her skin. She felt it, too, the possibilities waiting to explode out of her, what they could be together. If she agreed. How could she not?
She nodded, suddenly shy, and was relieved by the flash of his joyful smile.
She smiled back, and with a groan, he claimed her mouth. She loved the taste of him, and he held her so tight, drinking her in with long kisses that left her gasping. Already his hands skimmed her skin, searching out all the places that made her sigh, lingering when the sighs turned into low moans.
She placed her hands under the polo he’d slept in, tugging it up over his tight abs, feeling his strength, the flex of muscle as he sucked in a deep breath, dragging the air from her mouth into him like it was a nutrient he couldn’t live without. She felt the same way, as if she’d been starving for him her whole life. He broke away from her mouth just long enough to strip the polo over his head, and then he did the same with her pink T-shirt and made quick work of her lacy blush bra.
“You’re pink everywhere,” he breathed out, taking in her rosy nipples, and she turned pinker with the compliment, resisting the urge to cover them with her palms like some shy maiden in an old-fashioned movie. Take the compliment, Riley. But it made her nervous, all this open admiration. Suddenly, she was nervous. So nervous that she couldn’t stop the babbling from escaping her lips.
“Grams raised me to have a signature color. It makes a woman stand out, she said.” God, talking about her grandmother while they were naked. She was ruining everything. Caleb would make some polite excuse any moment now, and she’d be alone in her bed. Again.
