Page 8 of Passion Restored

“Owen Gallagher’s family?” Dr. Wilder asked.

“That’s us,” the largest said. “We’re his family.”

“Liz?” Murphy asked, his voice a little hoarse. “You work here?”

She could feel Dr. Wilder’s gaze on her, as well as that of the rest of the Gallaghers, and she felt like crawling under the table to avoid their stares. This was so not what she needed right now.

“Hello, Murphy. Small world, I know.” She tried to keep her voice light, but she knew there would be questions upon questions.

“I’m Dr. Wilder,” the man at her side continued. “You seem to know Liz. We worked on your brother.”

“Is he okay?” the woman standing between the two men asked.

“He’s in surgery now, but we have no reason to believe he won’t be up to a hundred percent soon,” Dr. Wilder explained.

“Surgery?” the brother with the most ink asked.

“We believe he has a lacerated spleen from the impact of the vehicle, and the surgeons are working diligently on it now. They will be able to tell you more once they finish. In addition to Mr. Gallagher’s spleen, he also has a fractured clavicle but it is only a hairline fracture so that is not as bad as it could have been. He also has a mild concussion and two broken ribs, as well as three bruised ones. His recovery will take a bit, but we have no reason to think he won’t be back to his normal self, possibly minus a spleen, in no time.”

The family let out a breath.

Dr. Wilder’s phone beeped, and he frowned as he read the screen. “I’m going to leave Nurse McKinley with you now to answer any questions you may have. You’re in good hands with her.” He gave Liz a nod and hurried out, leaving her alone with a group of very large men and seemingly even more dangerous women.

How on earth had she ended up in this situation?

“Liz?” Murphy asked.

“How do you know her?” the biggest one asked.

“We met Liz and her friend Tessa tonight,” Murphy explained.

“In the bar?” one of the women asked.

“Yes, Blake, in the bar. But Liz didn’t drink. Hell, I didn’t even finish my beer, and Owen didn’t have one at all. We were all just there,” Murphy explained. “Liz, this is my brother Graham and his wife, Blake.” He pointed to the biggest Gallagher and the woman at his side and then to the next group. “This is Jake and his wife Maya, and their husband, Border.” Murphy gave her a look that dared her to make anything of the triad, and she just raised a brow. She worked in a freaking ER; seeing three people who clearly loved and cared about each other didn’t even faze her.

“I’d say nice to meet you, but that’s never the case in an ER waiting room,” she said, and the family relaxed a fraction more. Apparently, she’d passed some kind of test because Graham’s eyes held a little bit of respect. She had a feeling this was the eldest brother, and his opinion held sway. Where, she wondered, did Owen fall in the lineup?

“Why don’t you guys take a seat?” she asked. “I’m here to answer as many questions as I can before I get called back.”

They reluctantly took their seats, and Liz sat next to Blake. Both women studied her, but Liz didn’t feel like they were judging in the way some women did. It was more that they were curious but protective. She actually admired that, and was a little jealous that Owen had so many people who cared about him.

Liz had Tessa.

But damn it, that was all she needed.

“I need to check on the baby,” Border said. He nodded at Graham and Blake. “I’ll make sure Rowan is good, too, though I’m sure they’re all still sleeping with Harry and Marie watching over them. I’ll be right back.”

The family asked Liz a few questions, and she did her best to answer them fully. With Owen still in surgery, she didn’t have all the answers, but she could at least talk about recovery time with regards to his other injuries. When her phone buzzed her back, she stood up and took her leave, but not before two detectives came over to talk with the family.

Now she was really curious as to what had happened after she’d left the bar with Tessa, but it wasn’t her business. She’d make sure Owen was okay after he got out of surgery because she always checked in on her patients, and then she’d push him from her mind.

After all, he was just a man in a bar. Just a patient.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

And unless she went upstairs to the surgical floor to physically check on him, she’d never see him again.

Good.

Because nothing good could come from seeing Owen Gallagher again.

Nothing.

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