He looked at me. “I assume there is somewhere else she can go?”
“Yes.” I met her gaze directly. “My place—where she belongs.”
She sighed and closed her eyes.
But she didn’t argue.
I sat beside her, holding her hand. She coughed a lot at first, then she settled. Her neighbor’s daughter came in, tearfully thanking Grace, who smiled and pulled off her mask long enough to talk for a few moments. After the woman left, I put the mask back in place.
“No more talking.”
She shut her eyes, once again not arguing. I couldn’t take my eyes off her face. I watched her chest rise and fall. The doctor came in and checked her vitals. “She can go home. If her breathing gets bad, bring her back. Keep the bandage dry. Use this ointment on her cuts.” He handed me a slip of paper. “She might cough. It’s good—let her get it out. But if it keeps up…”
“I’ll bring her back.”
A nurse came in and gave Grace some scrubs so she wouldn’t have to wear the torn, wet clothing she’d arrived in.
As I was shoving her clothes into a plastic bag, her cell phone fell from the pocket of her sweater.
I saw all the missed calls from me, then six missed calls from “RvR-Dad,” and I suddenly realized if I had seen the news, so had her parents. As I held the phone, it buzzed again and I answered it.
“Hello?”
“Who the hell is this?” snapped a voice I recognized all too well.
“Richard,” I said patiently. “It’s Jaxson.”
He let out a string of profanity. “Where is Grace?”
From behind him, I heard Katy’s anxious voice. “Is she okay? Tell him about the apartment!”
“I already know. I am with Grace at the hospital—but she is fine,” I hastened to add. “She inhaled some smoke, and they were watching her. I’m taking her home.”
“Her apartment is gone. Where the hell is home?” Richard snarled.
“With me.”
“The fuck it is.”
I wasn’t going to argue with him. “I will text you my address. You can meet us there if you want.”
“What hospital?”
“St. Anthony’s, but we’ll be gone by the time you get here. She’ll be at my place.”
I hung up and looked behind me. Grace was clutching the doorframe, looking upset.
I smiled at her, not wanting her worried. “Guess my in-laws are coming for a visit. This should be fun.”
Chapter 28
Jaxson
I should have expected the punch. I knew Richard was furious. He had called again, cursing me for not getting in touch with them and telling me they were on their way. I let him rage, knowing he was right. I hadn’t thought to call her parents. I hadn’t thought to call anyone. Never having family, I hadn’t given it a thought until I saw his name on her phone.
I opened the door, and Richard led with his right hook. Luckily, something inside me was prepared, and I stepped away, his fist glancing off my chin. It still smarted, but this time, it would fade fast.
Katy gasped and grabbed his arm. “Richard!”
He glared, anger rolling off him. “He deserved that. Not calling us and telling us what was going on. You selfish prick. Do you have any idea how worried we were?”
“No. To be honest, you never crossed my mind. I was focused on Grace. She was all that mattered.”
That brought him up short. He looked at Katy, then found his anger again and pushed past me. “Where is she?”
I was about to kick him out. Tell him off and push him out of my place until I saw the glimmer of tears in his hazel eyes. I recognized the wild fear—the same one I had been feeling when I couldn’t find her. This was her father, and he was out of his mind with worry.
I pointed down the hall. “In the bedroom.”
He rushed away, leaving me with Katy.
“Jaxson.”
I looked down at her. “Mrs. VanRyan. Please come in. If you want a swing as well, could you aim for the left? The right side is already sore.”
“It’s still Katy—not Mrs. VanRyan.” She sighed. “As for my husband, he isn’t himself.”
“I hope not. This will be a long, painful relationship for me if it is.”
A smile tugged on her lips, then she frowned. “Is she really okay?”
“Go see for yourself. I was making her a cup of tea. I’ll make a pot.”
She laid her hand on my arm. “Are you all right? You look shattered.”
I captured her hand and squeezed it. “I will be. It-it was a scare for all of us.”
She studied me as if making a decision. “All right, then. Tea would be lovely. I’ll go see my daughter now.”
I watched her walk down the hall, wondering what else could happen today.
I finished making the tea, hearing voices in the living room. I frowned as I walked in and found Grace settling herself on the sofa. Her hair was still wet from the shower, and as I got close, I could still smell the smoke. I knew it would take a while to be completely rid of it. Richard looked calmer, although he was scowling.