Page 101 of Love in Fine Print

“Yes. You. About a million times,” I answered what I was sure had been a rhetorical question.

We walked into the courtroom, and I found myself leaning on Trevor’s arm just to stay upright. When we reached the bench, I lowered down into the seat and took a deep breath.

I closed my eyes until I heard the bailiff instructed everyone to rise. I did…and then the entire room went black.

44

BEN

I peeled my eyes open,and the first thing I was aware of was a loud ringing. The next thing I realized was it was pitch black in the room. The entire day had passed. It took me a second to get my bearings and realize that the sound was my phone. I glanced around and saw that I must have fallen asleep on the couch. Dolly was beside me, and she sighed heavily because my phone had disturbed her nap.

My plan had just been to close my eyes for a few moments, but apparently, I’d gone out like a light. I picked it up and saw that it was Olivia calling me.

“Hey, I miss?—”

“Ben,” a man’s voice came over the line.

“Who is this?” I asked as I sat up straight with alarm.

Why did a man have my wife’s phone and how did he know my name?

“It’s Trevor.”

Relief washed over me, but it was only a momentary reprieve before the alarm was back in full force.

“Olivia is in the hospital,” Trevor relayed.

“What? What hospital? Why!?” I stood up and started looking for my keys.

“San Francisco General. She wasn’t feeling well before court, I tried to convince her to postpone, but you know how stubborn?—”

“Trevor! What happened?” Trevor was a master storyteller, he could weave a tale that kept people mesmerized, but right now, I needed him to give me theDragnetversion, just the facts.

“She passed out. The paramedics woke her up with smelling salts, but she was still pretty out of it when they put her in the ambulance.”

“The ambulance. She hates hospitals,” I said aloud as I processed what was happening.

“I know. I have been trying to get information, but no one is telling me anything because I’m not next of kin.”

“I’m on my way. If you see her or hear anything before I get there, call me.”

“Will do.”

I hung up the phone and pushed my feet into my shoes. Dolly was whining as she followed me out to the door. I had no idea how long I’d be at the hospital and who would let her out. I put her leash on her and rushed next door.

After two knocks, Miss B opened the door. “I thought you were the police with that knock.”

“Olivia fainted at court. They took her to SFGH. Can you keep Dolly?”

Miss B grabbed the leash. “Of course! Go! Call me with updates!”

I was off the porch and in my truck in seconds. The drive that should have taken about thirty minutes across town, I was able to make in half that time. I didn’t give a fuck about all the traffic laws I’d broken, or how many tickets I was sure I was going to get from being caught on cameras going the wrong way down a one-way street and running red lights. All I cared about was getting to Olivia.

When I pulled into the parking garage, there were no spots available on the first level, or the second, or the third. After finding one on the fourth, I pulled the emergency brake before hopping out, sprinting across the concrete and down four flights of stairs.

There was no way I was going to wait for the elevator, not when I had legs that worked. I was almost hit by a car as I dashed across the driveway and into the sliding doors of the E.R. I scanned the waiting room, and when I didn’t see Trevor, I raced to the help desk.

“Olivia Bradshaw,” I stated loudly to the man seated behind the desk.

---