Page 12 of Renewal After Dark

Kelsey was also thankful for her bosses, Mac and Maddie McCarthy, who’d been a huge source of support from the island. Mac was one of the people who’d worked so frantically to get them out of the rubble, and she’d never forget the comforting sound of his voice reassuring her as she awaited rescue.

Both Mac and Maddie had checked in regularly, had offered anything either she or Jeff needed and had told her not to worry about her job. It would be waiting for her whenever she was ready to come back. In the meantime, the grandmothers were pitching in to help with their five young kids.

A male nurse she hadn’t met before emerged from Jeff’s room. “He’s all cleaned up and ready for guests. Is one of you Kelsey?”

“That’d be me.”

“He’s asking for you.”

Kelsey ran the fingers of her left hand through her hair, pinched some color into her cheeks and took a couple of deep breaths, preparing herself to give him whatever he needed while bracing herself once again to see him badly injured. She smiled brightly as she entered the room, wanting to project only positivity and optimism.

Every day, it was all she could do not to crumble when she took in his bruised face, the tubes, machines, monitors, IVs. It was a lot.

“Hey,” he said gruffly. “There you are.”

She went to his bedside and took his hand, noticing the bruises on his face had begun to go yellow, which one of the nurses had told her was a sign of healing. “Here I am. You look so much better today.” That wasn’t true, but she’d never tell him otherwise. He’d been lightly sedated for much of the past week, so she hadn’t had much of a chance to talk to him.

His cracked lips curved into a small smile. “Is that the kind of wife you’re going to be? The kind that lies?”

“I’m not lying! You do look better, and you’re awake, which is a huge improvement.”

“I asked for a mirror earlier. I look like shit.”

“No, you don’t.”

“It’s okay. I had a barn cave in on me and lived to tell. That’s what matters, right?”

“Yes, definitely.” Kelsey’s emotions were like a kettle set to boil. “I can’t stop thinking about what you did, Jeff… You got hurt so badly saving me.”

“It’s worth every ache and pain to know you’re okay.”

She shook her head. “I can’t bear to see you hurt like this.”

“I’ll be okay. Eventually.”

“I’ll be right here for all of it.”

“I want to send you home because a hospital isn’t a fun place to hang out when you’re recovering from your own injuries, but I’d miss you too much.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“How’s your arm feeling?”

“A little better. The meds are helping.”

“I hate that you got hurt, too.”

“It’s nothing compared to what happened to you.”

He gazed at her with love and affection. “I can’t stop thinking about what went on before the roof fell in.”

At times like this, Kelsey wished she didn’t blush so easily.

“Do your rosy cheeks mean you’ve been thinking about it, too?”

“I’ve given it a little thought.”

“Only a little?”

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