Page 46 of I Still Do

She hung up then. He rushed to get dressed, grabbed his car keys, and began the drive to the hospital. As he drove up to the ER doors, Cora emerged with a tired wave. He reached across the cab of his car to open the door for her.

“I hate that this happened to you,” he said as she buckled her seat belt. “Do they have any leads?”

She shook her head. “Just some broken glass on the pavement. There are cameras in the parking lot, but the lighting isn’t great in that area, so I’m not sure how much they can see. Of course, they have an alert out on it. Even if they locate it, it’ll probably be stripped or wrecked.” She released a heavy sigh and rested her arm against the window before leaning her head on it. “I guess I’ll call my insurance in the morning. I’ll be able to get a rental, but really didn’t need to mess with this.”

“Of course not.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t think you ever told me your address.”

She glanced at him, a smile lifting the frown from her face. “I suppose I hadn’t.”

After she told him, he put the car in drive. They both remained silent as he maneuvered his way through the streets of Denton to her apartment complex. It wasn’t the nicest he’d seen around town. He stopped at the entrance and softly touched Cora’s shoulder. She’d been so quiet, he thought she might’ve fallen asleep.

She lifted her head and blinked. “Oh. I’m in building seven. It’s up ahead on the right.” She yawned as she leaned her head against the seat behind her.

With her direction, he found a parking spot, got out, and went around to open her door. “Come on, I’ll walk you in.” He offered a hand to help her out. When she didn’t withdraw hers after she was out of the car, he happily continued to hold it. She led the way to a door on the first floor, unlocked it, and stepped inside.

Grey followed, taking in the small space. From the entry, he could see the kitchen, tiny living room, and a door that led to what looked like a single bedroom. It couldn’t be more than six hundred square feet.

He put a hand against her back and directed her to the futon in the living room. “Why don’t you sit down and let me get you some water. Where are your glasses?”

“In the cabinet to the right of the sink.”

He waited long enough to see she took his advice before heading to the kitchen. When he returned, she took a long drink and sat the glass on the coffee table. “Thank you. Ugh, what a night.”

Grey took a seat on the other end of the futon. “I hope they consider putting more lighting in the parking lot.”

“To my knowledge, this hasn’t happened before. It was probably a fluke and certainly no fault of the hospital.” She shrugged, a defeated look on her face. “At least I don’t have a shift until eight tonight, so I should be able to get a rental before then. They can bring them to you, right?”

“Yes, they’ll bring one to you. But if they don’t for some reason, let me know, and I’ll drive you to the office to pick it up.”

She nodded. “I appreciate it. I’m really sorry for dragging you out at this hour.” She yawned again.

“Don’t be sorry, Cora. I don’t mind helping out.” That’s why he’d told her to call him if she ever needed him. “Why don’t you lie down here and try to get some sleep. I’ll get a blanket from your room.”

She nodded again and shifted to lie on her side. While she got comfortable, Grey retrieved the comforter from her bed. By the time he got back in the living room again, her eyes were half closed, and her hands clasped beneath her chin. His heart turned over in his chest as he spread the blanket over her.

He crouched in front of her. “You going to be okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll sleep for a while and then call the insurance company when I wake up. Nothing I can do about it all right now anyway.” She pointed to her cell phone on the coffee table nearby. “The police will call if they have any news.”

He really didn’t want to leave her, but he couldn’t just sit in the nearby recliner and watch her sleep like a stalker, either. “Sounds like a plan.” He started to stand and stopped himself. “Hey, Cora? Thanks for calling me.”

Her long lashes lifted, and her hazel eyes focused on him. “You were the first person I thought of.” Then they fell again as she drifted off to sleep.

Grey’s heart felt as though it might explode. He gently brushed some hair away and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. She didn’t move a muscle.

“Sleep well, sweetheart.”

With that, he locked the door behind him and headed home. He probably should try to get another hour of sleep in, but there was no way this adrenaline rush was going to allow that.

“Thank you for keeping her safe tonight,” he prayed aloud as he pulled into his driveway. He didn’t get out of his car but simply stared at the side of the house illuminated by the headlights. He drank in the realization that truly mending their relationship seemed like a true possibility.

~*~

When Cora woke up later that morning, it took her a moment to process why she was sleeping on the couch in the living room. She remembered the situation with her car and how Grey had come to her rescue. She barely remembered him tucking her in under a blanket before falling asleep. He’d been there for her when he didn’t have to be. He’d been her hero, just like he used to be.

Cora’s heart sped up with that realization. She needed Grey, which was both exciting and scary. She told him they ought to go slow, get to know each other again. All of that made sense. She was afraid to risk her heart but knew full well it was already too late.

Two hours later, she’d taken a shower, talked to her insurance company, and signed for a rental car that was delivered to her apartment. She still hadn’t heard from the police, but at least she’d be able to get to work without a problem.

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