Page 48 of Playboy

Gabby’s eyelids fluttered, and a faint, painful groan escaped her lips. Playboy’s breath hitched as her fingers curled weakly around his.

“Oh my God,” Wendy gasped, tears spilling over as she leaned in, her voice trembling. “Sweetheart, it’s Mom. Can you hear me?”

Gabby’s eyes slowly opened, blinking against the bright light of the hospital room. She looked disoriented, her gaze drifting between Playboy and her mom. Her voice, when it came, was hoarse and barely audible. “Mom?”

“I’m here, baby,” Wendy sobbed, clutching Gabby’s other hand as if she’d never let it go. “Tanner and I are right here.”

Playboy felt his own eyes welling up as he watched the scene unfold. He couldn’t believe it.

He leaned down, his voice a bit shaky as he spoke close to her ear. “I’m here, Gabs. I’ve missed you so much.”

Gabby’s gaze shifted to him, and a small, tired smile curved her lips. “Tanner…” she whispered. Her voice was weak but filled with recognition.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Welcome back, beautiful.”

“I missed you too.” Her eyes started to droop. “Thirsty,” she muttered softly.

Playboy and Wendy exchanged a tearful and relieved look. He sat back down and took her hand in his again while Wendy raced out of the room to find the nurse and get her some water.

???

Gabby wasn’t sure what was going on. One minute, she was floating in a strange, weightless void where time didn’t seem to exist, and the next minute, she was lying in a strange bed with her mom and Playboy hovering over her.

After being in the dark for so long, the brightness in the room was making it hard for her to focus.

“Mom?” She whispered.

“I’m here, baby,” her mom sobbed, clutching Gabby’s other hand as if she’d never let go. “Tanner and I are right here.”

“I’m here, Gabs. I’ve missed you so much,” she heard Playboy say.

Gabby’s gaze shifted to him, and a small, tired smile curved her lips. “Tanner…” she whispered.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Welcome back, beautiful.”

His warm lips against her skin made her smile. Well, she at least tried to smile. She felt so tired.

“I missed you too.”

She felt her eyes start to droop, but she didn’t want to go back to sleep. Not yet, at least. She had so many questions. But she needed something to drink.

“Thirsty,” she mumbled, looking between her mom and Playboy.

Her mom patted her hand. “I’ll be right back.”

Playboy sat back down and took her hand in his again.

It was then that she got a really good look at her surroundings as she took in the stark white walls, the bed, and the machines in the room. She was in the hospital. But why? And when did Playboy and her mom meet? The last thing she remembered, she and Playboy were making plans with her parents to have dinner with them when they came to visit her. Obviously, a lot had happened that she wasn’t aware of.

Scrunching up her forehead, she looked at Playboy. “Why am I in the hospital?”

He gave her a questionable look. “You don’t remember?” he asked, an edge of concern laced his voice.

Before she could answer him, three nurses and a doctor rushed into the room, followed by her mom and dad. Now shewas really confused and somewhat a bit frightened though she didn’t know exactly why, but deep down she knew something was wrong.

Before the medical staff could do anything, her dad rushed to her side and kissed her cheek.

“Welcome back, kiddo. You had us scared out of our minds,” he told her. His voice was deep but thick with emotion, and his eyes glistened with unshed tears. It took a lot to make her dad cry. So, whatever was going on with her must have been pretty bad.

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