Page 56 of The Geography of Happiness

Spencer was quiet a moment before responding, “Maybe the rain?—”

“Exactly,” I huffed angrily, staring out the side window through the perpetual drizzle. “They should never have been out in this weather. ItoldZach how hard it was for Hannah in the wet, especially managing Gabby. He should’ve at least been close enough to stop her fall. He should’ve been right there, dammit.”

Spencer hesitated before pointing out the obvious. “Maybe we should wait until we hear exactly what happened before assuming the worst. Zach wouldn’t knowingly put Hannah in danger. He is a search and rescue specialist, after all. He’s careful as hell, I know that, and I think you do too.”

I looked over and rolled my eyes. “Don’t patronise me.”

But Spencer held his ground. “I’m not. You said yourself that Hannah’s here to push her boundaries and upskill before next year, and I imagine this is all part of it. She can’t always avoid the rain or bad weather, right?”

“She can when she has me to get her where she needs to go,” I replied acidly. “So this only confirms everything I’ve been saying. She’s not ready.”

Spencer sighed. “Terry, maybe?—”

“Stay out of it, Spencer.” I twisted in my seat to face him. “You don’t get to have an opinion on this.”

He flicked a glance my way, his expression stoic. “I wasn’t aware that’s what I was doing.”

I said nothing because he was right, and the rest of the drive passed in a suffocating silence that was entirely my own fault.

Oakwood Medical Centre was a lot bigger than I’d expected—much more like a mini hospital that included a dedicated ER, a small theatre, and a couple of adjoining wards. The quiet waiting room played host to an elderly man with a hacking cough being comforted by a younger woman and a man in a hi-vis vest with his forearm wrapped in a towel.

The nurse at reception greeted Spencer with a coy, overly familiar smile that set my teeth on edge. Spencer seemed not to notice, just thanked her when she sent us through to the treatment area out back.

“She’s still in X-ray, but you can wait with Zach,” the nurse said as she pushed a button to release the double doors. “Go left at the end of the hall and it’s the second room on the right.”

Spencer held the door open for me to pass through first and then followed, his hand resting reassuringly on the small of my back.

“I’m guessing that was a previous conquest of yours?” I asked, regretting the question the second it left my mouth.

“Once, a long time ago,” Spencer answered mildly, giving my back a gentle squeeze. “Not interested in a repeat.” He guided me down the hall and to the left, which was just as well as I’d completely forgotten the nurse’s directions, too focused on the way she’d ogled Spencer like a treat she wasn’t done with.

“Maybe someone should tellherthat,” I said snippily, wondering who the fuck had taken control of my mouth.

“I already have,” he answered equally curtly before coming to a stop outside a room labelledH. O’Connor. “I’ll take Gabby and leave you with Zach.” He went to push through the door, but I grabbed his jacket.

“I’m sorry, Spencer. That was fucking rude. It’s none of my business. I’m just...”

“It’s fine.” His smile was quick and reassuring. “You’re worried about Hannah. I get it. I’ll come back to check on you when I’ve attended to Gabby.”

I frowned in confusion. “You don’t have to hang around here all night. I’m fine?—”

“I’m staying,” he answered definitively, brooking no argument. Then he cupped my face, and the touch almost undid the tenuous grip I had on my composure. “Friends do that for each other, right?”

I put my hand over his and drew a shaky breath. “Yeah, they do. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Now, I’ll take Gabby and let you and Zach talk.” He hesitated before adding, “Just remember, Zach’s a good man, Terry.”

I drew a slow breath. “I know he is. I was a dick back there. I didn’t mean it.”

Spencer smiled, then shocked the hell out of me by brushing his lips over mine in the sweetest of kisses. “If Zach is right, I shouldn’t be too long.”

“Terry.” Zach jumped up from the chair the minute I entered the room. He was alone, which meant Hannah was still in X-ray. “I’m so sorry. It happened too fast for me to stop her fall.”

“Let me take a look at Gabby first, yeah?” Spencer interrupted, his eyes on Zach, no doubt warning him about what an arsehole I was about to be. Then he crossed the room to where Gabby lay quietly beside Zach’s chair and knelt down.

I tried to compose myself so I didn’t lose my shit completely, but when I finally caught sight of Gabby’s bloodied right hip, I gasped and rushed over. “Holy shit. Is she gonna be okay?” I knelt at Gabby’s head and stroked her shoulder.

Spencer caught my eye, his smile reassuring. “She’ll be fine. It’s mostly puncture wounds except for a small piece of missing skin.” He indicated a circular spot about three centimetres in diameter on her flank. “Stitches and antibiotics should do the job, but I’ll know more when I can get her on the table and shave the area.”

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