Page 65 of Battle with a Billionaire

His son's expression shifted, revealing a sense of relief. “That’s good.”

“Maybe. She didn’t seem to be doing too well,” Grant said as he raked a hand through his hair.

“What do you mean?”

“She seemed sick or in pain. She had trouble keeping her eyes open,” Grant answered, the words sticking in his throat as his worry ramped up.

“That could be anything. It’s good that she’s awake,” he said as a transport person arrived and disappeared with Julia a moment later as Dr. Gray emerged from the room.

Grant stared after her as though his oxygen was disappearing.

“Derek? Is she okay?” Kyle asked.

“Yes. She’s doing well, all things considered. Complaining of a headache and sore ribs. We’re just going to do some standard tests to make sure there’s no underlying cause outside of the general toll her body’s been through.”

“MRI and CT?” Kyle asked.

“Yes. Other than that, the disorientation and nausea she experienced as she awoke seems to have passed.”

“That’s good, right?” Sierra asked.

“Yes, it’s very good. You can see her as soon as she’s back from the tests. We’ll talk again after her results are back.”

Grant nodded as he took a steadying breath, counting the minutes until she returned. He wanted to see her for himself and make sure she was okay.

“Call me when those test results are back,” Kyle said.

Dr. Gray nodded, clapping him on the shoulder. “Of course. This is a good sign. You should all rest a little easier now.”

Grant clung to the words, trying to believe them, but something about the way she’d reacted to her first moments of being back with them bothered him. He worried they’d find something in the tests that would set them back to square one. They’d fought so hard to get to this point, that he couldn’t bear to take a step backward.

As Sierra leaned against the wall, he paced the floor. The sterile hospital walls seemed to close in around him while the antiseptic smell mingled with his rising anxiety. The tension in his shoulders didn’t lessen until they wheeled her back into her room. He glanced at her as she passed, hoping for that soft smile to show that she’d recovered, but she only offered him a blank stare.

The transport woman dashed from the room, offering them a smile. “You can go on in.”

“Thanks,” he said as he hurried into the room with Sierra behind him. He rushed to the bed, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. “Oh, Julia, it’s so good to see you awake.”

He rubbed her head as his heart fluttered, waiting for her to answer.

“Yeah,” Sierra chimed in, holding her other hand, “we were so worried about you.”

Julia flicked her gaze between them, her features pinching. She seemed tense. Was she still in pain? Was something wrong?

“Julia? Are you okay?”

Sierra echoed his question.

Julia’s breathing turned erratic as she glanced between them. Something was wrong. He prayed it wasn’t anything serious. “Julia?”

Julia shook her head, her features filled with a mix of concern and something that resembled fear. “No.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked as his stomach flip-flopped.

She yanked her hand from his. His chest tightened. Was this the event that would push her over the edge? Was she leaving him?

She answered, her features pinching, and the words stopped his heart. “Who are you?”

Heat washed over him as he stared at her before he snapped his gaze to Sierra. Had he heard right? Had she just asked him who he was? The words hit him like a physical blow. His fear of losing her was now compounded by the harrowing possibility of her not remembering their shared life.

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