“I need you,” he replied, his voice shaking with emotion. “I love you, Katy VanRyan.”
“I love you.” I bent down and brushed my lips across his. “Nothing will change that fact, Richard. Nothing.”
He held on to my neck like a lifeline, a tear slipping down his face. It was rare I ever saw that sort of raw emotion from him. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
“You do that.”
I kissed him again and held him close until he relaxed. Brushing his face, he indicated the side of the bed. “Sit beside me, please.”
I perched on the mattress and held his hand. He was quiet, and I let him think. That was how he did things. He thought them through, then he acted.
“When can I see Gracie and Heather?”
I smiled. “I’ll have Laura and Graham bring them tomorrow.”Richard looked determined the next morning, despite not sleeping well. He kept waking, confused and worried. Even after I would get him settled, I felt the tension and concern radiating from him. He kept his eyes shut, but I knew he was pretending. I knew him well enough to know his mind would be racing, sorting and filing away all the information he had and figuring out how to deal with it. I wanted him to talk to me, yet I also knew that he needed to do this. It was how Richard coped.
He picked at his breakfast, made faces at the oatmeal and juice, and he pushed away the tray.
“What time are the girls coming?”
“Heather has a little cold, so she’s staying home. Gracie will be here in about an hour. You have to see the doctor and the physio people this afternoon. I don’t want you to get tired out.”
“Don’t baby me, Katy. My legs aren’t working, but I don’t need to be mollycoddled.”
His tone of voice was sharp, and I frowned. “I’m not worried about your legs, Richard. You just woke up from a coma. You have to take care of yourself.”
He blew out a breath. “Right. Sorry.”
I lifted his tray. “Okay.”
He reached out, laying his hand on my arm. “Katy, sweetheart. I am sorry. Really.”
“I know. You would feel better if you ate something. I’d feel better if you ate something.”
“Have you tasted what they call food here?”
“How about I have Maddox pick you up something?”
“I’d like a bagel.”
“I can arrange that.”
“And some decent coffee.”
“On it.”
“And a shower.”
“That, we’ll have to talk to the doctor about.”
He agreed. “I have a lot to talk to him about.”
I liked seeing the purpose on his face and hearing it in his voice. He needed that to tackle what was ahead of him.
“Okay. I’ll go call Maddox.”Gracie raced into Richard’s room, excited and eager.
“Daddy!”
She stopped by his bed, lifting her arms. He grimaced as he struggled to reach for her, unable to do so with his injuries. Maddox bent and lifted her beside Richard.
“Careful, Gracie. Daddy still has lots of boo-boos.”
Neither of them listened. Gracie crawled over Richard, getting as near as she could, and despite the grimace of pain that crossed his face, he held her close. I had to turn my head to stop from crying at watching the sweet moment. Gracie laid across him, talking directly into his face, her little hand patting him everywhere as if to make sure he was real. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as she babbled, her words coming so fast I couldn’t make them out.
Maddox had to turn away. Laura cried unabashedly. Graham blinked, then muttered something about having to return to the office. He kissed Laura’s head and left the room.
When Richard grimaced again, I leaned over and rubbed Gracie’s back. “Daddy needs you to sit up, okay?”
“Not go yet!”
“No,” I soothed. “You can stay for a while. Sit up beside Daddy.”
She squirmed as I arranged her beside him, and he wrapped his arm around her and let her talk, a smile on his face as he listened and caught up with his girl. He became tired quickly, his eyes drifting shut, then snapping open when she would pat his cheek.
I moved to the edge of the bed. “Daddy needs to have a nap.”
She looked at him, her brow furrowing. Her chin began to quiver. “He go to sweep again? For long time?”
Richard’s breath caught, and I hastened to reassure her. “No, he’s just a little tired, baby girl.”
He stroked her cheek with his index finger. “Daddy needs to get better so he can come home.”
His speech was getting better, and although still slow, it was improving. It was a good sign.
She almost vibrated with excitement. “Soon?”
His voice was weary. “As soon as I can.”
She pressed kisses to his cheeks and nose. “Otay. I tome back.”
He smiled, already drifting. Maddox lifted her down and turned to Laura. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”