by Tamie Dearen
“I wouldn’t tell a soul.” Laurie moved on wooden legs to her desk chair, trying to keep her tone light. “Not only am I not a gossip, but I’ve hardly met anyone at work. Haven’t had time to make friends.”
“Well, you certainly have a friend in Finn Anderson. I know you don’t want to be his buddy, but at least he cares about you. He called from the hospital and spent thirty minutes on the phone telling Branson what he had to do to help you with your project.”
Laurie felt about three inches tall… maybe two. Of course Finn wouldn’t desert their work to go on some extravagant trip. How could she have believed such a farfetched story?
“He needs to concentrate on getting well,” Laurie said. “I hope Bran told him not to worry about me and the fundraiser.”
“He did. He told Finn that he and Cole could handle it, but Finn can be as stubborn as Branson. I know he feels extra guilty since Jarrett is out, too.”
“But it’s not his fault. No matter how hard he tries to prevent it, he’ll get sick sometimes. That’s the reality of CF.”
“I know that. But Bran says he’s always been like this. I don’t understand it, either.”
“It’s like he’s determined never to let his cystic fibrosis disturb anyone else in any way. He’s more worried about protecting other people from the effect of CF than protecting himself.”
“I wonder who made him feel that way,” Steph mused. “Guilty about something he has no control over.”
“I don’t know.” Laurie chewed on her lower lip. “But I sure hope I didn’t contribute to it.”
And if I did, I’m going to find a way to make it up to him… like any good friend would.
“Time to get some blood from you.”
The perky lab tech woke Finn up from a dead sleep. He felt like he’d been run over by a truck.
“What time is it?” he croaked, rubbing his eyes.
“It’s 4:15.” She rolled her noisy cart beside his bed and set up for a blood draw. With a freckled forehead and her hair in a ponytail, she looked all of twelve years old, though she had to be at least eighteen.
“4:15 in the morning?” He swam through the fog in his head. How long had he been here?
“4:15 in the afternoon. Want me to open the blinds before I go? Let the sun in?” She wrapped a rubber tie around his arm.
“No.” He was so tired, he knew he’d fall back to sleep as soon as she left. But wait, he needed to stay awake so he could call Laurie. She was bound to be furious with him, considering his cover story. “I changed my mind. I think I’d like the blinds open, after all. I’m sorry, I missed your name.”
“It’s Mallory.”
He watched her push the needle through his skin and into his vein. “Mallory, how did you decide to become a vampire?”
She giggled as she released the band and blood flowed into the waiting tube. “I guess I was inspired by reading vampire romance novels. Don’t worry—they were clean romances.”
“Clean romance? Didn’t know there was such a thing.”
She pulled the needle out and secured a pad in its place with a piece of stretchy gauze around his arm.
His cough started up again and wouldn’t stop. Over and over, the violent cough tore at his raw throat. Mallory took a few steps backward, probably grateful she was wearing a face mask. When it finally subsided, he sent an apologetic look her way, but she was already rolling her cart out the door, having forgotten her promise to open the blinds.
He found the control and lifted the head of his bed, all too familiar with the procedure from all his hospital stays. After drinking water to soothe his irritated throat, he practiced speaking, intent on hiding his hoarseness. Two more rounds of drinking and practicing followed, and then he dialed Laurie’s cell number.
The phone rang for a while before she answered, her voice tentative. “Hello?”
“Hey, I thought I’d check in while I had cell phone reception.” He steeled himself against the angry retort he knew was coming. She’d had hours to rehearse, so it would probably fillet him with precision. But he deserved it. Though he hadn’t escaped on an overseas vacation as he’d claimed, he’d nonetheless let Laurie down. Not only her, but also Branson, Cole, Jarrett, and his whole R&D team. He would undoubtedly lose a minimum of a week at work, lying around, sick and useless.
“Finn? How are you?” She made a throat-clearing noise. “I mean… how is your trip?”
“Uhmm… good, so far.” Where was her sharp temper? Why was she holding back? “I know you’re angry with me, but—”
“I’m not upset at all. I mean… I was at first, but now I’ve got everything under control. I have an appointment with Branson in the morning to sort things out, and Cole’s helping me, starting Thursday.”
“Excuse me a second,” he rasped, stuffing the phone under his pillow to stifle the sound of his violent coughing. He sipped some water before he picked up the phone again. “Listen, Laurie. You don’t have to pretend you aren’t mad. But I think I can help you, even though I’m not there.”
“Honestly, I’m making great progress on my own. I got two more physical checks in the mail today. Hard to believe these wealthy people are still doing checks the old-fashioned way.”
A sinking feeling swirled in his gut. Something wasn’t right. “You know, don’t you?”
“I… uh… I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
If he hadn’t been so weak, he would’ve been angry. As it was, he didn’t have the energy to care. “You’re a terrible liar. Might as well admit it.”
“Why does it matter if I know?”
“Because, I don’t want your pity.”
“Good thing, buddy, because you aren’t getting it.”
He imagined her lifting her chin and making that cute, sassy face, pushing her plump lips into a pout. “Who told you? Was it Frederick?”
“Are you kidding me? That man wouldn’t reveal the color of your hair if I stuck him with live electrical wires.”
He laughed, which made him cough, once again. As it subsided, he heard Laurie asking, “The real question is why didn’t you tell me? I thought we were good friends.”
“Just a second.” Feeling cold, Finn spread out his extra blanket, huddling under the covers while conjuring an answer. “I guess I get tired of being defined by CF. I don’t want to be that guy you can’t depend on because he’s sick all the time… even if it’s true.”
Her voice came back, gentle and soothing. “No one thinks that, Finn. No one but you.”
He wanted to believe her, but he knew better. “You sound like my sister.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“That’s how I meant it.” A sudden chill had him shivering, and he pulled his blanket tighter.
“How long will you be in the hospital?”
“Hope they let me out soon. I have this PICC line, so I can keep up the IV antibiotics when I leave the hospital.” His lids blinked shut over scratchy eyes.
“Finn? Are you there?”
Her voice jolted him awake.
“I’m here. Resting my eyes.”
“Can I come visit you in the hospital?”
Should he say yes? He’d told his best friends to stay away. If he let Laurie come, she might read something into it. She might believe they were more than friends. Even more dangerous, he might believe it.
“No offense, Laurie, but I’d rather you didn’t.”
“Okay.” Her voice sounded small… uncertain… disappointed.
Against his better judgment, he added, “But I’ll call you.”
“You will? Tonight?”
Pride swelled inside. She had a smile in her voice now, and he’d put it there.
“Tonight,” he mumbled, as he fell into a dead sleep.
Chapter 10
After tossing and turning all night, Laurie finally gave up on sleep at three a.m. Aware of Bran’s sleep schedule, she bided her time until 4:30 before calling him. From his rapid b
reathing, she could tell he’d already started his morning workout.
“Laurie? What’s wrong?” He correctly guessed she wasn’t calling for a casual chat about work.
“It’s Finn. I need to know where he is.”
Branson made a frustrated growl. “I’m sorry, Laurie. I gave my word I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“Yes, but I know where he is, already. I just don’t know where.” She shook her head, attempting to clear it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t sleep last night, so my mind is kind of like soggy cereal. I’m trying to tell you I know he’s in the hospital.”
“How did you find out?” Bran’s voice had an edge.
Laurie couldn’t get Steph in trouble for accidentally spilling the beans, so she avoided the question. “We talked on the phone yesterday afternoon. You know, Finn and I are friends now.”
“He called you?” Bran sounded more curious than shocked.
“He promised to call me back last night, but he never did.” She did another deft side-step.
“It doesn’t mean anything. Maybe he was sleeping and didn’t wake up until it was too late to call.”
Bran’s heavy sigh said it all—he thought she was overreacting. But Laurie had an anxious feeling she couldn’t ignore.
“I don’t think so. I sent a half-dozen texts, and he didn’t respond.”
“Last time he was kind of out-of-it the first couple of days.”
“Please, Branson. Just tell me where he is so I can check on him.” She was too tired to hide her desperation. Let Branson think what he wanted.
“You won’t be able to find out anything, unless he put your name on the list.”
“Then, I’ll march up to his room and break the door down.”
Bran chuckled. “You don’t even know his room number, do you?”
“No,” she admitted, sullenly. “But I have this terrible feeling something’s happened. You have to help me. If I’m wrong, I’ll never question you again. And I’ll…” What could she use as a bargaining chip with a billionaire who had everything he wanted. “I’ll come over and cook my special fried shrimp Saturday night.”
“Tempting… I do love your fried shrimp,” he teased. “But I feel bad taking this bet. He probably just forgot. Or maybe his cell phone died. There’s a dozen reasons he might not have called.”
He’s right—it’s probably all in my head. And Finn will be so ticked when he finds out I made a fuss. Yet the knot in her stomach persisted. “Chances are I’m wrong, and I’m making a big deal out of nothing. But I’ll gladly spend a couple of hours cooking shrimp, just for the peace of mind.”
“If you’re that worried, I’ll get online and check his patient portal, though I doubt it’s been updated yet.”
“Thank you! And if there’s no update, will you call the hospital?”
“Fine. I’ll keep pushing until I get confirmation everything’s okay. I have to say, I’m glad your uh… friendship has progressed to this point. Last week, Cole and I were taking bets on how long it would be before the two of you had a knock-down-drag-out.”
“If he doesn’t have a darned-good excuse for not calling me or returning my texts, that could still happen.”
Finn tried to open his eyes, but they were glued shut. Something was pressing on his face, and he thought to push it away. But he felt a hand tighten around his wrist and force his arm back to the bed.
“Leave that alone. It’s an oxygen mask.” A man spoke in quiet tones, and Finn didn’t have the strength to resist.
He knew that voice.
“Branson.” His attempt to speak with a thick dry tongue produced more of a “Brrmph.”
“Are you finally awake?” Bran asked.
“Water.” Finn’s throat felt like someone had been rubbing it with sandpaper.
“Hang on. There’s a cup here somewhere.”
First the scrape of a chair on the floor, and then shuffling noises came from somewhere near Finn’s head. Then Bran spoke again. “Here’s some water, but I can’t get it to your mouth. You’re going to have to sit up and loosen your mask a bit.”
Finn pried his eyelids open, his blurry vision gradually coming into focus. He found the bed control and tilted the head up before taking the cup from Bran’s hand. Lifting the bottom of the mask, he wedged the straw into his mouth and sipped the soothing water.
“Why are you here?” he rasped, his voice so weak Bran leaned in close. “Told you not to come.”
“You had such a high fever you were thrashing around and wouldn’t leave your oxygen mask on. We had to come and take turns holding your hands down.”
Finn knew the docs used a full oxygen mask when nasal congestion forced him to breathe through his mouth.
“Nurses can take care of me,” he replied in a hoarse whisper.
“The nurses can’t sit in here twenty-four seven, and they aren’t allowed to strap you down.”
He felt an ache in his chest that wasn’t from his lungs. Branson and Cole were true friends. They had sacrificed to sit beside him in the hospital, putting them even further behind at work.
“Thank you for this. I owe you guys, big time.”
“You don’t owe me anything. Branson’s forehead drew into stern lines. “I’ve always thought your rule was stupid. There’s no good reason for us to stay away when you’re in the hospital. This just proves it.”
“Having you here makes it feel too real.” Finn drank some more water and stretched to set the cup down on the rolling table near his head.
“I know you like to compartmentalize your life.” Bran sat back down, one hand rising to rub the scruff on his chin. “You do your therapy in the mornings and then go about your day pretending you’re just like everyone else who doesn’t have cystic fibrosis. Believe me, I understand the appeal. I wish I could do the same thing.”
“I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s worked for thirty-three years.”
“It’s fine for your general acquaintances, Finn. But your friends and family… we’re here for the nitty gritty of real life. You didn’t desert me when I tried to withdraw from the world. We’ll be there for Jarrett when he’s throwing up from chemo. We all know Cole has his ghosts, and we haven’t turned our backs on him yet. So, it’s your turn to accept a little help from your friends.”
“I appreciate you guys, but I’m fine now. You can head back to the office.”
A mocking smile slid onto Bran’s face. “It’s eight p.m.—a little late to go back to work.”
“Are you kidding me? I lost a whole day?” He felt guiltier than ever. “Did you stay the entire time or trade off with Cole?”
“I was at the office all day. I’ve only been sitting here a few hours. I had to pull the sheet over your arms so I could hear when you were reaching for that mask again.”
“I’m still sorry you had to do it, even for a few hours.”
“I had to find some way to give Laurie a break. She’s been watching you since five a.m.” Branson gestured toward the window on the opposite side of the bed. “She had her laptop with her, but I don’t think she got much done. She said you fought with that oxygen mask all day long.”
Finn turned to look in the direction Bran had pointed. Curled up on the hard loveseat, Laurie lay with her head askew, propped on the vinyl-covered arm. She appeared to be sound asleep, though her neck had to be strained. “Why did you bring her here?”
Bran shook his head, wearing a rueful grin. “Once she found out your fever was so high you were delirious, I couldn’t have kept her away without a set of chains.”
“Why would she do this?” Finn murmured as he watched the rise and fall of her gentle breaths.
“She claims the two of you are friends, now.”
Finn could hear Bran’s skepticism, loud and clear, but he didn’t care what Bran thought. He only cared that Laurie had given up her whole day for him. Warmth spread inside his chest. She cares about me. Then a nervous chill shook him from head to toe. This woman was chipping
away at his carefully constructed wall.
“That’s right—we’re friends.” He answered with a firm and confident tone, not so much to convince Branson as himself. “And nothing more.”
A loud knocking jarred Laurie from her deep sleep. Bright light flooded the room.
“Mr. Anderson, it’s good to see you awake.” The nurse marched in, his boisterous voice making it impossible for Laurie to fade back into dreamland.
She swung her feet to the floor and sat up, rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands. Did he say Finn’s awake? Her gaze jerked toward the hospital bed where it connected with Finn’s intense stare. His brows pulled together, a deep line forming between them, leaving no doubt he was displeased to find her here. But her relief at seeing him sitting up and in his right mind far outweighed any possible consequence. She sent up a silent prayer of thanks.
As he took Finn’s vital signs, the nurse chatted. “101.8—that’s excellent. We’re overdue for a breathing treatment, and we need to get your O2 level up. I’ll send PT in right away.”
“This late at night?” Finn asked.
A glance at her watch told Laurie it was 8:15. She’d been napping since six—her only sleep in the past twenty-four hours. Her body longed to collapse in her bed at home. But should she leave Finn unattended? Branson needed to go home to Steph and the kids, so it only made sense for her to stay.
“We have at least one physical therapist on duty at night,” the nurse explained, as he took Finn’s blood pressure. “But we’ll get you back on a normal schedule tomorrow.”
The door burst open and Cole strolled in, his cowboy boots clomping on the floor. “Are y’all having a party in here?”
“What are you doing here, Cole?” Finn asked, clearly disgruntled at the invasion.
“I’m here for the night.” Cole held up a small duffel bag. “Branson’s taking Laurie home.”
“I don’t think you’ll fit on this loveseat,” she argued, irritated the two men had made the decision without her input. She hadn’t even had a chance to talk to Finn. No telling what Branson had said about her presence—she deserved a chance to explain why she was there.
