Page 125 of Bloom: Part 1

“No.” My stomach flipped. Over the past few days, I’d received a slew of messages, but I had ignored them. I was pretty sure what they entailed. My identity and location were blown. Given this wasn’t the first time, I knew what they would expect: relocation.

“You all right to get to the hospital on your own?” Bay asked.

A lump formed in my throat. I’d thought all these men Bloom was associated with would want to drive a wedge between us, but they were the ones who were treating me like family. “Yeah, I’m just going to wash up and head out.”

“Then I’ll take little missy home. If you learn anything new, call us.”

“Of course.”

By the time I finished my shower, dressed, and returned downstairs, Bay had left. On the kitchen table, he’d left a list of numbers where I could reach him if I needed anything. I folded it carefully and slipped it into my wallet.

On the way to the hospital, my phone rang. I ignored it and let it go to voice mail. It rang again. After the third time, I knew the caller wasn’t going to give up.

“This is Dr. Collier.”

“Dr. Collier, this is your gardener. The autumn leaves have fallen early this year.”

My stomach clenched. This was it. The call I’d been dreading. It might have been ten years, but the secret code still lived vividly in my mind.

“It’s not that bad, is it? Surely, we can wait a while before we rake it.”

“Unfortunately, the longer we put it off, the more leaves will pile up. Do you understand?”

They wanted to relocate me already?

“I’d rather wait until the leaves pile up some. It’s too premature.”

“I’m not sure you understand how serious the situation is. The gardeners in New York don’t wait for all the leaves to fall before they get to work.”

Shit. Shit. Shit. His mention of New York was enough to make my heart race. “This isn’t New York. I’m afraid I’ll have to insist. I’ll call you if I change my mind.”

I ended the call before he could remind me of the danger of what I’d just done. It was almost a week. New York might already be in Smoky Vale.

I can’t leave Bloom.

At the hospital, I made a beeline for Bloom’s room. Nurse Hatchett ran after me.

“Dr. Collier, the CEO is here along with the Board of Directors. They’ve called a meeting and expect you to be there ASAP.”

I’d seen the notice about the meeting, but just as I’d ignored it yesterday, I intended to ignore it today as well. “Is he awake?” I asked.

“No, sir.”

“Then I can’t meet with them. Please convey my apologies.”

“But, Dr. Collier—”

I entered Bloom’s room and closed the door behind me, the heavy wood muffling Nurse Hatchett’s protests. Bloom lay motionless, his steady breathing comforting. I swept my gaze over him for any visible signs of distress or discomfort in case anyone had been neglectful while I was away. Rationally, I knew the staff was capable and worked hard. They weren’t slackers, but I had to make sure.

I checked his vitals, then consulted his electronic health records to read the last reports made on his condition. He’dexperienced bouts of wakefulness while I was away. Thank god. Everything seemed steady with no signs of deterioration.

I gently brushed a stray curl from his forehead, then traced a familiar path down his cheek. “Why do you insist on being so stubborn?” I whispered. “Don’t you know how valuable you are to me? What makes you think I can live without you? I need you, Bloom, so you better wake up soon.”

A knock on the door brought an end to my vigil. James. What was he doing here? I wasn’t in the mood to handle his meddling.

“You look much better,” he said.

“I suppose I should thank you for interfering?”

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