Page 89 of Last Chance

This time when she dropped to the couch, Sawyer sat beside her and gathered her into his arms.

“He has to be all right,” Janie whispered. “I don’t care if we never see eye to eye on anything. I want him alive to gripe at me.”

“I understand.” Losing one of his brothers would devastate him. While holding Janie close, he sent Jesse a text. If his friend was awake, he’d respond.

Less than a minute later, Sawyer’s phone signaled an incoming call. “Talk to me,” Jesse said.

He told the team’s medic what the nurse had conveyed. “We’re in the family waiting room.”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Jesse ended the call.

His teammate’s haste gave him an indication of how serious the situation was.

“What did Jesse say?” Janie asked.

“He’s coming.”

She raised her gaze to Sawyer’s face. “Is that good?”

He could lie to her. He wouldn’t. “The medical issue is serious enough that Jesse feels he’s needed here.”

“I’m glad to have someone knowledgeable about medicine to answer my questions.” She smiled a little. “Medical jargon is tough to interpret.” She rested her head against his chest again.

Minutes later when Jesse walked into the waiting room, Janie was still in the same position. “Updates?” the medic asked.

“Not yet. Thanks for coming, Jesse.”

“We’re family, Sawyer. Our family has expanded to include Janie.”

“I can’t repay you for this,” Janie said. “I doubt you want any products from my store. However, if Simone comes in, I’ll be happy to give her the family and friends discount.”

“She’s already planning to come into Natural Bliss with the other women.”

“I’ll take care of them. I know exactly what to do for them.”

“How long have you been waiting for word from the doctor?”

“About an hour.”

A slight nod. “So, Janie, has Sawyer told you about his encounters with spiders on our missions?”

Sawyer rolled his eyes. Yeah, figured his teammate would tell funny stories on him. Jesse and the others had plenty of stories to tell on each other. As long as the stories occupied Janie’s mind with something other than worry for her brother, he’d allow himself to be the brunt of Jesse’s tales.

Janie straightened. “Oh, this has to be good.”

“Not nearly as good as Jesse is making it out to be,” Sawyer muttered. What man wanted his girl to know his own personal kryptonite?

The team medic grinned. “Depends on who you ask.” He launched into the first story about Sawyer’s close encounter with a Goliath bird-eating tarantula.

Janie shuddered. “I don’t blame you for being afraid of them, Sawyer.”

“Not afraid exactly.” Total lie. “They’re creepy. When they feel threatened, they rub the hairs on their legs together to create a hissing sound.”

“How big are they?”

“The size of a puppy.”

“I guess you don’t want one for a pet.”

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