His dad closed the door behind him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Andy moved toward him, taking his hand. “How are you feeling, really?”
“Like I’ve been run over by a fucking bus. I hate it here.”
“It’s a good hospital.”
“I don’t care. I need to get out of here.”
Andy put her hand on his forehead. “Look at me. Everything is going to be fine. I will take the necessary time off work, but you have to promise me you won’t do anything stupid. You’re here until the doctors say.”
“I don’t want to be here.”
“Tough.” She gave him a glare, followed by a smile. “I mean it, Rome. This is important. You could have died.”
“I could die every day.”
“Today, you were closer to it.” She leaned down and kissed his lips. “Please, for me. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Would you miss me?”
“More than you could ever imagine.”
“Fine. Fine. I will stay.”
“I will make sure everything is set up at my place. I’ll have to stop by your apartment and get some things for you.”
“My keys are in my belongings, or they should be.”
His belongings had been placed in a bag across the room.
Andy let him go to grab his keys. “There, I’ve got everything.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Me? I’m fine, Rome. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t scare me like that again.”
He snorted. “Because that’s what I wanted to do.” He sighed.
“You need to get some rest. I will be back soon.” She kissed his forehead.
Rome wanted to say the words as her lips brushed his, but they got stuck, and then the door opened, and his family chose that moment to come back into the room.
“I’ll be back,” she said.
He watched her go, checking out her ass as she walked away. He was injured, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t admire.
“The doctor has said you need to rest,” his father said.
“We’re going to head home for the night. Let you get some sleep, but we’ll be back first thing tomorrow,” his mother said.
“Keep an eye on Andy, would you?”
“She’s worried about you,” James said. “When I got to her place, she was freaking out.”
They told Rome how they weren’t able to contact her, and his mother didn’t remember straight away, so Andy was one of the last people to be contacted.
He let out a curse. “It’s my fault.”
“Stop that,” Eliza said. “This stuff happens, but you’re out of surgery, on the road to recovery, and everything is going to be fine now. Take it one day at a time.”
“Thanks.”
Rome watched them leave the hospital room. Just as his father was about to leave, he called him back, not wanting him to go just yet.
“Check my belongings.” It was only after Andy had gotten his keys that he thought about the engagement ring he’d purchased. “You should see a velvet box.”
His father opened the bag and rummaged around, pulling out the velvet box and opening it.
“Do you think she’ll like it?”
“Rome, she’s going to love it.”
“I was going to propose to her tonight. I think I’ll wait until I’m able to get down on one knee.”
“You’re sure about this, son?”
“More sure than anything. I love her, Dad, with my whole heart. She is who I want to be with.”
His dad closed the velvet box and stepped toward him, handing it to him. “Then hold on to it like a lifeline. It will help you to focus on getting better.”
Rome wrapped his fingers around the box, feeling a renewed strength.
“I’ll be back to check on you soon.” His father put a hand on his shoulder and leaned down, kissing his forehead. “Don’t ever scare me like that.”
“I’ll try not to. I’ll be a good boy.”
His father laughed. “You’ve got to learn to stay safe.”
He watched his father leave, and as they disappeared away from his room, Rome opened the box. It wasn’t much. A single diamond in the center. On seeing the ring, to Rome, it had felt like a promise of what was to come.
He would propose to her soon, and Andy would be his once and for all.
****
The hospital kept Rome for four days.
Four days where he got slightly moodier with each passing second. Andy didn’t mind. His moods were cute, as it was more a pout than anything else.
Her car was fixed from the shop. Caleb had told her it had been fixed for some time but Rome wanted an excuse to take her to work.
She wasn’t mad, but she was curious how he’d react when he saw her car waiting. She’d already pulled back the passenger seat as far as it would go so he’d be more comfortable.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
Jane was flitting around the room, picking up all of Rome’s stuff while Theodore was inside the bathroom with his son, helping him to get changed.