Page 29 of Love for a Lifetime

No, but your son didn’t have a problem asking.

“I insist,” Olivia added. “You’ll have all kinds of back problems if you try to sleep in that recliner over there.”

All three women looked at the chair in question to find Jennifer lounging with her head back, sound asleep.

“Looks like it’s not too bad,” Judy said with a chuckle.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll run to the gift shop and get a toothbrush in a little bit. The goats and chickens are already cared for today. I’m free as a bird.”

Judy leaned to the side to look around Olivia at Dawson. “Well, would you be okay with that, hon?”

“I don’t need anyone to stay with me, Mom. Go on home.”

Olivia tilted her chin down and gave Dawson a side glance. Of course he didn’t need anyone, but he’d asked her to stay anyway.

Anyone would get bored sitting in a hospital room for hours on end. He just needed some company. Anyone would do. Why did it have to be her when spending time with him sent her heart into a tailspin?

8

OLIVIA

Olivia waved at Laurie with one finger as she passed the nurse’s desk. Dawson had been a patient for almost six hours now, and he’d already won over his nurse’s heart. Granted, she was happily married and in her fifties, but Dawson had a way of folding people into his inner circle at record speeds.

“Did you get that boy something good?” Laurie asked.

Olivia held up the bag she carried. “Bison burger.”

“And what’s that?” the nurse asked as she tilted her chin toward Olivia’s other hand.

“Milkshake.”

Laurie hummed. “I wish I had a friend like you. Does he know he’s lucky?”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “He knows. He’s spoiled rotten.”

A rolling laugh filled the area as Laurie pressed a hand to her chest. “That’s the truth if I ever heard it. Tell him I’ll be coming by in a few to give him more pain meds.”

“I will,” Olivia said as she continued down the hallway. She gave a soft knock on Dawson’s door before opening it. “Honey, I’m home.”

Dawson scooted up higher in the folded bed and took a long, deep inhale. “It smells amazing. You’re an angel.”

“You won’t be singing my praises when I keep you up all night with my snoring.”

Dawson reached for the bag and practically tore it open. “I am unaffected by your snores. The sound of your respiration makes me happy.”

Olivia scoffed. “Has that line ever worked for you?”

Stuffing a fry into his mouth, Dawson looked up at her with wide eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” What did she mean? Sometimes, Dawson joked, but other times, it was easy to misconstrue his honesty for a tease. “Never mind.”

He pulled two burgers out of the bag and arranged them on opposite sides of the tray table hovering over his lap. He unfolded the wrapper on her burger before pulling out the fries.

When the food was all laid out, he moved his injured leg to one side with a slight wince and bent the other to the side under the tray. He gestured to the foot of the bed. “Have a seat.”

Olivia slowly lowered to the bed. The juicy burger laid out in front of her had her mouth watering.

Dawson propped his elbows on the table and clasped his hands. “You ready?”

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