Page 31 of Wicked Healing

She glanced at him guiltily. “In the break room.”

He thought about the size of the facility. “Which break room,” he asked with a laugh.

“On number six.”

Sixth floor. Near the administration offices? “Are you here with a patient?”

She shook her head again. “My dad is a boss.”

“What’s his name?” Luca asked, but he had a sneaking suspicion who she belonged to. The dark hair and blue eyes were a pretty strong tell…

“Paul Jameson.”

Yup. That’s what he thought. “Let’s go talk to your dad.”

He held out a hand to her, not sure if she’d take it or not. But she did, slipping her little fingers into his hold. They walked to the elevator hand in hand. It only took a second to arrive, and they began to lift to the sixth floor.

“Did you lose your leg like my daddy lost his arm?”

“Yes. In a way. If you’re around tomorrow you’ll have to come see my dog, Wicked. He has a prosthetic too.”

“Really?”

The elevator bumped to a stop and she went quiet. Luca had never been here but he remembered Paul saying his office was up here somewhere. As if he’d heard his name called Paul came around the corner down the hallway. When he saw Luca holding his daughter’s hand, his face closed down.

“Hope,” he said firmly, “you were not supposed to leave this floor.”

Her fingers tightened on Luca’s hand before she let it go. “I know, Daddy, but I was bored. There’s nothing to do in the waiting room. And my battery died on my tablet.”

Paul looked at Luca. “Where was she?”

“She was showing me the Koi in the atrium.”

Paul’s eyes widened slightly before he sighed, looking down at his daughter. There was frustration and love in the look and Luca wondered why the girl was here, rather than at home or with a sitter. Paul was single, Luca knew that much, but he hadn’t realized he had a little girl.

“I told her to come find me tomorrow morning if she’s here. Wicked will be back and he loves little girls.” Paul gave him a grateful nod. “Erin is taking him back to Phoenix, then coming back to get me in a week when I’m released.”

Paul cocked his head, his dark brows furrowed. “You’re going home with her?”

It was Luca’s turn to nod. “She has an apartment available on her ranch and it will give us more time to work with Wicked.”

Paul’s eyes narrowed and Luca hoped he couldn’t see through the flimsy excuse. He was going to Erin’s because he wanted to and for no other reason.

“If that’s what you think will be best,” Paul said, no judgement in his calm voice.

Luca appreciated that. He had to do what he thought he could live with and he didn’t need to be criticized for it. His mother was going to rip him a new asshole, but if he was honest with himself he was kind of looking forward to it because it would give him a reason to leave. Which was totally wrong. That shouldn’t be why he wanted to go to Arizona.

Honestly, he wanted to be with Erin more. In the short time he’d known her she’d changed his life, literally, as well as that of his dog. She’d given him hope when there had been none and he appreciated that more than she could ever know.

Did he see a relationship with her? Yes, he could, if the timing was better. It was such a cliché falling in love with the first woman he had serious contact with other than the nursing staff. Whether he could actually see it or not, he knew he had to have some emotional issues going on, what with surviving death and everything else that had gone on over the past two months.

Luca knew that he was not in a position to make rational life decisions right now, so he had to go with his gut. Wicked loved her and he… enjoyed being with her.

It would be enough.

* * *

Erin arrived packedand ready to drive. Wicked seemed to understand that something was up because he strained at the lead. Or maybe he was just anxious to see Luca. She was as well, and she was disappointed she wouldn’t be seeing him for the next week. After that, though, she’d be with him a lot, or at least near by. More than her mother, even. He would be living on her property.

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