Letters from Peaceful Lane (New Americana 3)

“Will he be all right?” Allison forced the words out of her tight throat.

“He’s stable and sleeping. We’re monitoring his vitals.” The implications of what the doctor had left unsaid were terrifying.

“I’m leaving now. I’ll be there in twenty minutes—half an hour at most.”

She grabbed her purse, flew to the car, and backed out of the garage. The traffic was light at this hour. She floored the gas pedal, then forced herself to slow down. A ticket or an accident wasn’t going to help her get to Burke.

What if this setback was serious? What if—God forbid—she were to lose him? Allison tried to imagine what the loss would mean, especially with things so troubled between them and no chance to save their marriage. If Burke didn’t survive, she would always remember how she’d walked out of his hospital room hurt and angry, missing the last chance to tell him that she loved him.

Then there was Brianna. Burke’s daughter didn’t know what had just happened. She was bound to be frantic when she found out. And her plane would be landing in less than an hour. Someone would need to be there to meet the flight and prepare her.

If Allison went to the hospital and stayed with Burke, there was no way she could make it to the airport in time to meet Brianna’s plane. She would have to call somebody else to pick her up and bring her to the hospital. The most logical person to do that was Garrett.

She used the voice command in her car to make the call. Garrett answered on the second ring. He listened as Allison told him what had happened and what she needed.

“Damn,” he muttered. “I saw Burke right after you did. He seemed fine when I left. And the doctor doesn’t know what happened?”

“Not yet. They’re still trying to find out.”

“Sure, I’ll be glad to meet Brianna’s flight. She knows me, so it won’t be like a stranger is picking her up.”

“You’ll need to tell her what’s going on with her dad. Please do it gently. She’s bound to be upset.”

“Don’t worry. I know how to handle her.”

Before Allison could ask him what he meant, Garrett ended the call. It would be all right, she told herself as she crossed the Lake Taneycomo Bridge into town. Garrett knew Brianna and would take care of the girl. Right now, for her, the only thing that really mattered was getting to Burke.

She pulled into the parking lot at the rambling, one-story Ortho-Neuro Center, found a space, and dashed for the entrance. Her pulse galloped as she rushed to Burke’s room. The doctor had said he was stable. What did that mean? He could be in a coma and be stable.

A woman who looked too young to be a doctor was just coming out of his room. She gave Allison a smile—hopefully a good sign.

“If you’re Mrs. Caldwell, you’ll be glad to know your husband’s awake. We still haven’t discovered what happened to him. We’re beginning to think it might be stress-related.”

“Thank you.” Allison began to breathe normally again. “Can I go in and see him?”

“Of course. He asked for you as he was waking up. Remember, we want to keep him as quiet as possible. If he seems agitated, call the nurse.” The doctor walked away, then turned back. “You’re Brianna, right?”

“Brianna’s his daughter. I’m his wife—Allison.” At least Burke hadn’t asked for Kate this time. “Brianna wi

ll be here later this afternoon. She has red hair—like her mother.”

“Oh—thanks for straightening me out.” The doctor smiled again and hurried off down the hall. Allison opened the door to Burke’s room and walked softly inside.

Burke was lying back on the pillow. Beneath the bruises from the accident, his face was fearfully pale. An oxygen clip was fastened to his nose. He looked awful. But the monitors above his head showed that his vitals were good. Thank heaven for that.

Tears welled in Allison’s eyes as she leaned over him. What if she’d lost this stubborn, impossible, precious man?

His eyes opened, a surprising alertness flickering in their dark blue depths. He hadn’t spoken, but she could tell that he knew her.

“Hello, sleepyhead,” she whispered. “You look like hell.”

A feeble smile tugged at his lips. “I feel like hell,” he muttered. “What happened to me?”

“The doctor isn’t sure. They thought you might be having a heart attack, but that didn’t check out. What do you remember?”

“Not much. Just some chest pain, and then the monitors went crazy. After that, I must’ve blacked out, or they gave me something.”

Allison reached for his hand and held it, grateful that he wasn’t trying to push her away. “After the doctor called me, I couldn’t get here fast enough. You scared me half to death.”