Page 107 of Hooked
Patricia let go of her and laughed. “The language may be harsh, but the sentiment isn’t far from what my mother told me before I came out to California.” She took Tayla by the shoulders. “She said, ‘Don’t wait for life to come to you. Work hard and never settle for almost perfect when perfect is what you want.’”
“That’s right.” Doug stretched his arms up and crossed them behind his head. “She waited for perfect, and perfect was what she got.”
Patricia’s eyebrow went up in a very familiar arch. “I was talking about my job, Douglas.”
“And yet you somehow found a perfect husband too.” He smiled.
Tayla was gobsmacked by their easy and affectionate teasing. “You two are wonderful.”
Doug smiled. “We do all right.” He stood up. “Now, Patty, if you’re done second-guessing every medical professional in this hospital, why don’t we head over to Pop’s? He’s going to want an update now that the boy’s awake.”
“But are you sure—?”
“Tayla’s with him. She’ll call the house if anything comes up.”
“Write down your numbers.” She wiped her eyes and held out the pad sitting on the tray. “I’m not supposed to turn my phone on in here, but I’ll call you if he needs you.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Doug gave her a one-armed hug. “It’s been a long day. You try to get some rest, okay?”
“I’ll try.”
Jeremy waslucky enough to be in a double room with no one on the opposite bed, so Tayla stretched out next to him and a sympathetic nurse brought a couple of extra blankets.
She was a mess. She’d brought her bag in from the car and washed her face before she slept. She tied her hair back in a couple of braids and tried to sleep with nurses coming in and out through the night, checking on Jeremy’s vital signs, the drainage on his arm, and helping him to the bathroom when he woke up at midnight.
The male nurse who helped him was taller than Jeremy and built like a football player. Tayla half listened to them while she dozed.
“Rock climbing accident, huh?”
“Yeah.” Jeremy’s voice was rough.
“You know, we’re the hospital that search and rescue brings all the climbers to. Could have been a lot worse.”
“I keep telling myself that.”
“That your wife?”
“Girlfriend.”
“She’s cute. Seems nice. Might be a good idea to try to stay in one piece for her.”
“That’s definitely the plan.”
After the nurse left, Jeremy dragged his IV stand over to Tayla’s bed, lowered the railing, and climbed in beside her.
“Hey. Aren’t you supposed to—?”
His kiss cut off her protest. He kissed her long and hard, his cast arm draped over her waist. When he let her go, Tayla was silent.
“My bed is cold.”
“I can get you more blankets.”
“Or I can just cuddle with you.” He snuggled in next to her. “You’re softer than the bed railing.”
“You know they’re going to make you move the next time they come to check you.”
“Shhhhh.” He kissed her forehead. “Go back to sleep.”
