Page 14 of Out of Nowhere

Seo-jun appeared at his side. “I’m right here. Everything’s fine.”

Grabbing him by the shirt, Dex sank sideways against Seo-jun’s chest, so relieved to have him there. “Did I hit my head?” Squinting, Dex pushed back a bit and focused on Seo-jun, who looked very concerned, and then at the woman next to him who wore a stethoscope around her neck. “Are you a doctor?” he asked her. “Am I…” He looked around the room at the monitors and the white walls. Was he in ahospital? Dex struggled to remember what had happened. He was headed to Brand’s apartment to take a nap. That’s all he knew.

“Dex, I’m Dr. Knight, and you’re at St. Ignatius. Try not to move. If you would let go of your friend, I’ll help ease you back on the pillows. That’s it,” she praised as Dex did as he was told. “You’ve got quite a lump on the back of your head. Are you feeling dizzy? Nauseous?”

“A little,” Dex said. “Where did you say I am?”

“You’re in the emergency room at the hospital,” Seo-jun said at the same time the doctor asked, “A little dizzy, nauseous, or both?”

“Both,” Dex said, turning his head to look at Seo-jun and wincing at the sharp pain. “What happened? Where am I?” He suddenly felt like someone had taken an eraser and wiped his mind clean. Wait. The grocery store. “Am I at the grocery store?”No, that wasn’t right. A bar. No, Brand’s apartment. But who was the woman?“Did I oversleep?”

Where was he again?

Seo-jun slipped his hand into his and squeezed. “Calm down. It’s okay.”

“It might take him a while to feel clear-headed again. I’m glad to see him fully conscious. I’ll be back to check on him in a little while.” A woman wearing the stethoscope moved away from the bed.Stethoscope. Doctor. Hospital.

“Who has a head injury?” Dex asked, then jolted. “Is it Brand?”

Seo-jun squeezed Dex’s hand again.Seo-jun was holding Dex’s hand.Dex tightened his grip on it to be sure.Yep. Flesh and bone. Warm palm.He laced their fingers together. Good.

“You do. Do you remember going back to Brand’s from the gym? You were going to take a nap,” Seo-jun prompted.

Dex started to nod, but that hurt. “Yes.”

“Not long after you left the gym, Brand’s neighbor called him and said she’d seen a big guy she’d never seen before coming out of his apartment. Brand and I rushed there and found you lying unconscious in the hall. We called an ambulance. You really gave us a scare.”

“How’s the pain?” a nurse came out of nowhere and asked. “Dr. Knight said you can have a high dose of acetaminophen if you need it.”

“Please,” Dex groaned.

“Okay, be right back.”

Jase suddenly appeared in front of him. “Dex, are you okay?”

“Where did you come from?” Dex asked, startled. “I’m so confused. I think I fell down at the store.”

Jase frowned and looked at Seo-jun, who, Dex suddenly realized, was holding his hand.No, wait. He knew that.

“The store?” Jase asked.

“He’s a little confused. The doctor said it was normal,” Seo-jun explained.

Who’s confused?“Seo-jun is holding my hand.” Dex lifted their clasped hands and stared at them. “He has such beautiful fingers. Don’t you think?” He looked at Jase.

Jase smiled. “They’re gorgeous.”

Seo-jun huffed, catching Dex’s attention.

“You’re here.” Dex couldn’t help the stupid smile that spread over his face. Seo-jun was so pretty. And hot.

The nurse returned and gave Dex the medication in a little white cup with a drink of water. After taking it, Dex closed hiseyes. “Make the noise and light go away, babe,” he said to Seo-jun.

“Did he just call youbabe?“ Jase asked.

“He has a brain injury.”

Someone adjusted the blanket covering Dex, but he didn’t open his eyes. He was too tired.

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