Page 72 of Saving You

Oz wanted to cry with relief. And with the stress of everything. “Is that all?”

“Yep. Some nice, strong ibuprofen for you, and if you want a muscle relaxer, I can add that in, then we can get you discharged. The only holdup is the officers who were on scene. They want a word with you before you go.”

Oz figured as much. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure the car had taken the corner too fast. But hewasa hundred percent sure that Rex had leapt into traffic without looking. He couldn’t blame the car for being in the road. He was just grateful it was him instead of a very small child.

“We’ve already spoken to the little boy’s father. You’re his?—”

“Deaf mentor,” Oz said quietly. “It was my fault. We were heading for pizza, and I paused to text his dad. I wasn’t holding his hand. I feel like absolute shit.”

The doctor sighed softly. “I have kids. Trust me, it’s a miracle most of them survive to adulthood. And he looks old enough to know that running into the street is a bad move.”

It was true. Rex knew street rules. The Deaf school was adamant about it. They taught the kids how to be vigilant and careful since they couldn’t rely on sounds to warn them, and cars could very much be their worst enemy.

But some days, Rex struggled, and Oz should have been paying better attention.

“I know that look.” The doctor leaned against the railing. “When my son was nine, I took him to a friend’s house. My wife and I were both vehemently against trampolines. As an ER doctor, I’ve seen how absolutely tragic those things can end. But I caved one time. Just one time.”

Oz swallowed heavily. “What happened?”

“Broken neck,” the doctor said very softly. “It was by a literal miracle alone he didn’t injure his spinal cord, but the difference between walking away from the hospital and never being able to move his limbs again was thinner than a hair. I knew how bad it could be, but I made one choice—one thoughtless choice because my kid was bored and I was tired. It’s a guilt you eventually get through, but it takes a while. Remember to breathe and that the worst thing that could have happened didn’t.”

“Thank you,” Oz told him. He wasn’t sure if those words helped yet. He needed to look Frey in the eye himself, and he wasn’t sure when he’d have the courage to do it.

He wanted Ridge. He wanted to forget that his shoulder hurt, and that his ex had shown up out of nowhere, and that his sister was meddling in so many corners of his life. His throat felt hot and tight, and he cleared it.

“Right. Let’s get that arm set, and then we’ll get those discharge papers your way,” the doctor said, clapping his hands loudly.

Oz winced. He knew this was going to be bad. All he could do was hold his breath, brace himself, and hope that the pain faded quickly.

By the time Oz was in a sling and giving his statement to the two officers who had been waiting around for him, Ridge had returned. He sat in a chair beside Oz, his face serious like he’d take on a full army if one more person fucked with Oz.

The officers assured Oz that he wasn’t in any trouble for the incident with Rex, and the driver wasn’t cited since all indications were that they were going the speed limit. Oz wasn’tupset about it. He’d done what he had to do, but he couldn’t blame a person on the road for a slippery-footed child.

It all seemed well and good except for the fact that he hadn’t seen Frey or Rex at all. Or Renato, for that matter. He was starting to wonder if they were blaming him now that the shock was wearing off and reality was setting in.

“What’s that look?” Ridge asked, tapping Oz’s thigh.

Oz looked over, tried to raise his right arm, then switched to his left when the sling and pain reminded him he was going to be one-handed for a while. ‘Nothing.’

Ridge sighed and stood up, plopping on the edge of the bed. ‘Tell me.’

Oz glanced down at his feet. He still had his clothes on. His pants were streaked with black from the road, and he knew that when he stripped down, he was going to find all the road rash the nurses had cleaned up while he was still out of it.

“I think I need to call out sick,” Oz said. “They’re going to fire me.”

“If they fire you for getting hit by a car,” came a voice behind the curtain. It shifted aside, and Frey appeared, “tell me. I will rain hellfire down on them.”

Oz swallowed heavily. ‘I didn’t think I was going to see you before I left.’

Frey looked torn, glancing behind him. ‘Rex is inconsolable. I asked him to come see you. He was scared you were really hurt.’

‘He can come in,’ Oz signed quickly.

Frey seemed sad as he shook his head. ‘He’s not ready.’

Of course not. Oz was the fuckup here.

‘He’s afraid you’re going to hate him for the rest of his life,’ Frey went on.

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