Page 6 of Fire Island
The hell?
I lean to one side, lifting the blanket. All that covers my body is a hospital gown. “Christ.”
The simple movement sends my head spinning. My stomach lurches upward. I panic, searching the small hospital room for something t?—
Grabbing the small bowl on the bedside table, I lose my stomach.
The door chooses this moment to open, and Iris breezes in like it’s the goddamn country club.
“Oh, you’re awake!” She’s by my side a second later, handing me a cloth, removing the bowl, and setting it on the bedside. Green eyes level with mine. “How are you feeling?”
I give her the foulest look I can muster, and she tilts her head. The happiness drains from her face as her eyes tighten and she forces a wobbly smile. “You scared me, Cal. If Em hadn’t go?—”
Her face breaks.
“Wha—what happened?” I croak.
Apparently, that’s the wrong thing to say. She sobs before she can tamp down the emotion.
“Em found you in a capsized boat. The both of you almost drowned, him trying to get you out.”
“Is he okay?”
Em. Emmett.
Guilt drowns out the next words I want to say. Did the man on board survive?
Did Emmett have to save us both?
“I’m just happy you’re both safe now.” Iris slides her hand inside mine, dropping onto the side of the bed. “But there’s someth?—”
The door whooshes open and a white-coat-clad man strides in, a nurse close behind.
“McCreary, you got lucky.” He holds a tablet up, tapping on the screen, not looking at me. I see nothing in this town’s changed. “A pretty bad concussion. How are you feeling today?” Still, he doesn’t look at me.
“Nauseous. Why do I have stitches?”
Now he looks up. “There was some damage to your temporal bone. A small plate was secured to patch it back up. The drain came out yesterday. No swelling. A good outcome. The stitches can come out in a few days. Like I said, lucky.”
The stone-faced doctor stares me down.
I don’t have the energy to put up a fight, so I lie down and close my eyes.
“Jamieson, can I speak to you outside?” Iris says, her voice far too saccharine. I suppress the smile that comes with the knowledge of what she’s going to do next.
“Of course.” He shuffles outside. The nurse stays, checking over the tubes sunk into my veins. Her gaze swings over the bandage and dressing on my head.
As the door swooshes closed, I watch through the large window as Iris spins back on the doctor. Her finger pokes his chest and her brows drop, the fiery little sister I’ve always loved serving Jamieson his own ass. It’s entertaining. Watching my favorite person in her element.
Where would we be without Irry?
I, for one, am willing to let her take the reins on this one. Relaxing into the bed, I let the soft warmth pull me into its embrace. A sting pinches my cock—the tip, to be more precise—and I grunt, jerking off the pillow.
“The hell?” I grind out, hands pulling at the blankets.
“Easy. You have a catheter. The discomfort should go away when we remove it. As soon as you are back on your feet.” The nurse offers a soft smile.
A catheter.
