Page 122 of At First Smile
“I know…butIwon’t be ‘til I see you. You know how it is; you’re the strong one, and I’m the needy fuck.” I force a smile into my words, hoping it eases the worry that underscores her tone.
“Rowan?” Gillian’s hand lands on my shoulder as I end the call. “What’s wrong?”
I rake my fingers into my hair. “Pen was attacked by a dog. They’re taking her to the hospital… I need to go.” Slipping my mobile into my back pocket, I turn.
“Hold on.” Gillian tugs me to a stop. “You’re in no state to drive.”
“I’m fine.” I pull away and stride towards the door.
He jumps in front of me. “Give me your keys.”
“What?”
“I’m driving.” He extends his palm. “You’ll be no good to Pen if you get in an accident or pulled over because you’re driving like a man desperate to get to the woman he loves.”
“He’s right, Rowan,” Yasmine cautions.
“Fine.” I hand over my keys.
Goddamn L.A. traffic.
Ninety minutes later, Gillian pulls up in front of the ER. “You go in. I’ll park and meet you inside.”
“Thanks.” I unbuckle and open the door.
“Game face,” he says, repeating what he’d told me on our way here.
For the entire drive, I funneled through all the emotions. Guilt about not being there. Worry she is hurt worse than she says. Anger that this happened.
Gillian lays a hand on my forearm. “Get those emotions out here. Because once you walk into that room you’ll need to be there forherfeelings, not your own.”
I inhale sharply, then let the breath snake back out. I repeat the cycle and then step out of the car.
Each thump of my heartbeat as I enter the ER drowns out the murmured conversations of the half-filled waiting room and overhead announcements. Scanning the room, I don’t see Pen or JoJo, so I hurry to the reception desk.
“Pen Meadows,” I rasp, reaching the clerk.
The clerk blinks and grabs a clipboard from behind the counter. “Are you checking in? You’ll need to fill this out.”
“No, my girlfriend is here. Pen Meadows.”
“Oh, okay,” Chuckling, the clerk pulls up something on the computer.
“Can I go back and see her?”
“Patients are only allowed one loved one back there at a time.”
JoJo must be back there with her; she’d messaged when she arrived an hour ago. If I can’t be with Pen, at least one of her other people is there. Still, worry spools tight in my stomach. That knot won’t be undone until I see her, until I touch her.
“Can you tell me how she’s doing?” I scrub my hand down my face.
“Sorry, I can only release info to immediate family.”
“She is my family, and I’m hers,” I snarl, my fists balling at my side.
“Sir, if you’ll take a seat in the waiting room, I can check with the nurse assigned to her case who can speak directly with the patient.”
“I’ll wait here.”
