Ronan straightened and said something to Beth. He sat beside me, pulling me into his side. Beth hurried down the hall.
Ronan hugged me close. “It’s okay, Ava. We’re here, and we’ll figure it out.”
I burrowed into his side, his warmth welcome. A few moments later, Beth appeared, a bag in hand. “Here is some coffee and a set of dry scrubs. You change. Ronan will go to Hunter’s and get his ID and Cash. He can stay with us. Evan will love it.” She spoke to Ronan. “Go to Ava’s and get her dry clothes and shoes. Socks too. I’ll sit with her until you come back.”
He pressed a kiss to my head. “Any idea where I’ll find his wallet?”
“It’s always by the front door or on his dresser. It’s brown.”
“Okay. Give me the keys.”
I handed him the keys I’d taken from Hunter’s front door. He knew the code for my lock.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Beth tugged on my arm. “Go change before you catch pneumonia. I’ll be here.”
I nodded and shuffled to the bathroom. I used the blanket to dry my skin, shivering as I tugged on the scrubs. My socks were soaked, so I rolled them up with my wet things. The sneakers were wet as well, but there was nothing I could do about that right now.
Beth was waiting when I returned, another dry blanket in hand. “Take off your shoes and sit with your feet under you. You’ll warm up faster.”
I did as she instructed, grateful for the warm blanket. I sipped the horrible coffee, ignoring the taste and appreciating the heat.
The nurse I had spoken to came out to tell me the doctors were with my fiancé and they were doing some tests. I told her my brother had gone to get the health card for me. She left, promising me an update soon.
Beth tucked the blanket back up around my shoulders. “Your fiancé?” she asked quietly. “Is there something I should know?”
I shook my head. “That was the only way they would let me in the ambulance or tell me anything.”
She nodded, watching me closely.
“But you love him,” she said simply.
I met her eyes, her dark-brown gaze soft and sympathetic.
“Yes,” I admitted. “I do.”
She patted my hand.
“We’ll get through this.”
I nodded, praying she was right.
* * *
Ronan returned, and I gave the information to the desk. I was able to fill in most of the questions, although a few I was unsure of. I couldn’t recall seeing any medications in his bathroom, nor could I recall him mentioning any allergies. I only prayed I was right. I confessed we’d been together just a short time and I was unsure, so she made some notes on the chart.
I felt better, dressed in my own clothes and fresh dry socks and shoes. I was calmer knowing Hunter was being looked after by professionals.
I convinced Ronan and Beth to leave, promising I would call. They had to get home to Evan and look after Cash. When I inquired why they were in the hospital, it turned out Beth had burned her hand and Ronan wanted it looked at, the overprotective husband he was. She held up the appendage, showing me the bandage.
“Hardly needed,” she whispered. “I think they just put it on to shut him up.”
“I heard that,” he said dryly.
“You were meant to. You scared them, I think, acting all big and hulky.”
“Hmmph,” was his only reply.
“You call me when you’re ready to come home. I’ll come get you,” Ronan assured me.
I waved them off and sat in the waiting room. I paced a bit, sat, checked my phone, stared at Hunter’s cell phone, which Ronan had grabbed. It was password-protected, but the lock screen made me smile. It was a picture he’d taken of me sitting on the porch with Cash beside me, my head leaning on him. It occurred to me that meant something. What, I wasn’t sure, but somehow, I knew it did.
They finally came to get me, and I was able to speak with a doctor. In Hunter’s room, I swallowed my nerves as I looked at him. His head was bandaged, his arm in a sling, and there was a boot on his leg. His face was bruised and swollen.
I stood beside the bed, aching to touch him, terrified to hurt him. The doctor introduced himself.
“I’m Dr. Michaels. Your fiancé has suffered a major fall. His shoulder was dislocated. He has two broken ribs, a badly sprained ankle, and a concussion. Not to mention the contusions and cuts from the fall itself. His core temperature was low when you brought him in, indicating he’d been lying outside for a few hours in the cold.” He closed the tablet with a snap. “He’s lucky it’s not worse and you found him when you did. We brought up his temperature slowly, and he’s woken up a few times. He knew his name, although he was a little fuzzy on other details. We’ll monitor him for the next twenty-four hours.”