Page 57 of Knotting Hill
I fall in love with her at that moment. She is concerned about our pack, and that is the most precious thing in the world to me. It will mean everything to Russell.
“Yes, they’re at the hospital.”
She chews her lip. “What can I expect?”
“He’s had two heart attacks, and they’re planning a triple bypass. They couldn’t do it the other day; he wasn’t stable enough.”
“Fuck.” Then her eyes go wide again. “I could ask my dad. He’s the best in the country.”
“We know. He’s already on the case,” I reassure her as we stand up. “But thank you. That means so much.”
“Good. That’s good.”
We walk hand-in-hand with no other words between us to the road where I already have a taxi waiting to take me to the hospital.
Sliding inside, she cuddles up to me, sipping her coffee every now and again. I want to tell her how I feel about her, but it’s premature. I don’t want to do anything to scare her off. The need to know what is going through her head is clawing at me, but I know I did the right thing telling her about Russell’s dad. She needed to know that before anything else. If for no other reason than to know we didn’t forget about her.
Soon we are pulling up outside the hospital, and I help her out of the taxi. She pauses to throw her empty cup away and shoots me a worried glance.
“Will he be mad that you told me? That I’m here? What about his family?”
“He will be thrilled to see you.”
It’s all I need to say to appease her concerns. She takes my hand again, and I feel like I’m the king of the world as we stroll into the hospital. As soon as we get to the first floor, she leaves me, unlocking our hands and going straight to Russell, who couldn’t be more surprised to see her. She wraps her arms around him, and he returns it quickly, finding my gaze over the top of her head, questions in his eyes.
I shrug and join JP on the far side of the waiting room.
“How the fuck did you manage that?” he asks, a smile playing on his lips.
“Fate.” I gaze at them, still embracing. “She is our fate, and fate is sick of everyone dicking about. She was placed in my path at the exact right moment.”
“No kidding,” he murmurs, his eyes also on Russell and Storm. “You did good, kid.”
I snort. “Yeah. I think she’s coming around.”
His face clouds over and I know why. He has to tell her about the trust fund issue. It’s not going to go down well, at all.
I slap him on the shoulder. “Best to get it over with.”
He nods. “I’ll drive her home in a bit. I’ll tell her then.”
“Good call.”
We sit back in silence then, contemplating the shit that is going to hit the fan, but I’m hopeful that coming clean before we’ve gone further will go a long way.
Thirty-Five
Storm
The atmospherein the private hospital waiting room is one of anxious anticipation. Everyone is waiting for news about Russell's dad after suffering a heart attack. It is a tense and heavy atmosphere, the air thick with the sound of murmuring, the movement of people shuffling in chairs and the occasional rustling of papers.
I stare at the wall opposite the couch I’m sitting on with Russell. The walls are a light beige, and the furniture is clean and polished. It is impossible to hide the nervousness and worry emanating from the people near me. Some sit quietly, hands clenched in their laps, while others pace back and forth, unable to sit still, eyes darting from one person to the next in search of some reassurance.
The waiting room feels small and stuffy, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken questions and emotions, and though no one speaks of it, each person is acutely aware of the stakes of the situation.
The only sound to break the tense silence is the occasional beep of a machine, or the soft whir of a fan as it circulates the still air. Every so often, a nurse will stride by, briskly walking and taking notes as they go, their presence a reminder of the gravity of the situation.
The clock seems to tick slower than usual, and the seconds drag on as everyone waits for some word, anything, to break the silence.
