Page 31 of Shattered

She tried to remember the last thing she’d eaten. Some crackers, fruit and a little bit of tea. No wonder her stomach was growling so bad. “I am kinda hungry.”

“I’ll get you something. What do you feel like?”

“Some soup maybe? And crackers?” She sighed. “I’d love a decaf or herbal tea, too, if they have any.” Something hot, to warm her from the inside out, melt the icy fear that had formed in the pit of her belly.

“I’ll find some. Maybe I’ll get a double portion, and some snacks to keep you going, since you’re eating for two now.”

She forced a little smile. “Yes.”

Tuck’s gaze cut to Nathan, then back to her. He gestured toward the bed. “May I?”

“Of course.” She wanted them to acknowledge Nathan. Talk to him. Maybe he could still hear them and they just didn’t realize it.

Tuck rounded the other side of the bed, stood looking down at Nathan for a long moment, then took Nathan’s right hand and spoke in a low, clear voice, his southern drawl soothing her as much as his words did. “Doc, it’s Tuck. Just wanted to say the boys and I are all thinking about you. We need you, brother. So you go on and take all the time you need to heal up, but you gotta get better. And we’ll look after your lady until you can do it yourself.”

Taya’s eyes burned with an unexpected rush of tears. “I appreciate that, thank you.”

Both Tuck’s and Matt’s gazes snapped to her. “You’re both family to us all,” Matt said. “And we take care of our family.”

She broke eye contact because it was simply too overwhelming to hold it, and because her throat was now clogged. “Thanks.” It was barely a whisper, but it was important to her that they know how much she appreciated their support and kindness. Everyone had been so wonderful to her since she’d gotten together with Nathan, from the guys, to Matt and Briar, and all the female significant others.

“How are the others?” she asked Matt.

“Vance is all settled in his room two floors down. They’re keeping him in for at least another few days, for observation. Carm and her mom are with him. The others just left a little while ago. They were all hanging around downstairs waiting for word on Doc. They wanted to see him, but Tuck and I had a hard enough time getting permission to come in here, so I told everyone to go home and said I’d update them if anything changed. I didn’t want them all coming up here at once, but the boys will be stopping in to visit Nate on a rotating basis.” He paused, studying her. “If that’s all right with you.”

She appreciated him checking. “Yes, absolutely. And it would mean a lot to Nathan.”

“Well, he means a lot to all of us.” Again those clear green eyes met hers. “And so do you, Taya. We’re here for you too, no matter what.”

She bit her lip and nodded, swallowing the tears.

“I’m gonna go grab you some food,” Tuck said, backing toward the door. “Back in a bit.”

As soon as the door swung shut behind him, Matt took Tuck’s place to stand on the other side of Nathan’s bed. “You keep fighting, Doc,” he told Nathan, gripping her husband’s limp hand in his. “Just keep fighting.” He straightened and shifted his gaze to her, still holding Nathan’s hand. “You must be tired.”

She nodded. “I’m beat.” Physically, mentally, emotionally. She was drained to the point of feeling hollow inside. But she’d been too keyed up with worry to risk falling asleep. What if Nathan woke or needed her, and she missed it?

“You staying the night?” Matt asked her.

“Oh,yeah. I’m not leaving his side until he wakes up.” She wanted to crawl onto the bed with Nathan, lie close to him and put her head next to his on the pillow, but he’d just had a major life-saving operation and she was scared of bumping or jostling him in her sleep. So the dreaded pullout chair it was.

Matt nodded as though unsurprised, then glanced around the tiny room and frowned. “I’ll see if I can get a small inflatable or foam mattress in here for you. Those pullout chairs are like sleeping on a short plywood board.”

They really were. “I’d love that, thank you.”

He focused on her again. “It’s nothing. Whatever you need, we’ll get it for you. And you don’t have to stay here all the time. If you decide you need a break, take it. One of us will always be here to sit with him, and that’s a promise.”

She moaned and covered her eyes with one hand. “I’ve been doing such a good job of holding it together, but you’re gonna make me cry.”

His low chuckle floated through the air, warm as a hug. “No shame if you do. I won’t tell anyone.”

She loved him dearly. All of them. And to help him pull through and beat the odds, Nathan needed all the support and encouragement he could get.

Matt was as good as his word. After Tuck brought her a tray of food, both men left and reappeared under an hour later with an inflatable mattress, complete with bedding. They not only set it up for her, but Matt literally tucked her in, too, arranging the blankets around her.

Then he crouched down next to her and smoothed a hand over her hair. “You’ve got my number?”

“Yes.”

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