Page 96 of Hero Unbound

Mr. Collier from the pharmacy came rushing in. “Theo, oh my goodness. Is Eva all right? This is all my fault.”

Theo led the older man to a chair and had him sit. He was pale and sweaty. “I’m sure it’s not your fault. But can you tell me what happened?”

“I don’t know for sure, but I heard Eva fell. I asked her to put a box up in the second-floor storage hole above the pharmacy. She must have fallen doing that.”

“I’m sure it’s not your fault,” Gareth put in. “Eva is so clumsy.”

Theo’s hands clenched into fists.

“I’m sorry.” Mr. Collier looked annoyed. “Who are you?”

“I’m Eva’s fiancé, Gareth Metter.” He put on a charming smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Mr. Collier looked over at Theo, confusion obvious on his face. It was no secret he and Eva were together. “She’s his ex-fiancée, if she was ever even that.”

“I see.” It was clear he didn’t. Not that anyone could blame him.

Theo squeezed the older man’s shoulder. “I know the first thing Eva would say is that this isn’t your fault. Not unless you pushed her off the ladder.”

“Still, I feel responsible.”

Dr. Annie Mackay walked into the room, hearing part of the conversation. “Gerald, you’re not responsible. Don’t worry.”

That didn’t seem to appease Mr. Collier. “I gave her the keys to the car she’s going to buy from me so she could test drive it. When she didn’t come back right away, I assumed she’d taken me up on the offer to use it today.”

Theo pursed his lips. She’d bought the car because she thought he wanted her to leave. He needed to talk to her, even if he didn’t have the perfect words yet. He needed to at least let her know that he wasn’t leaving her to fight this battle alone anymore.

Dr. Annie walked over and squeezed Mr. Collier’s hand. “She’s going to be fine. I can’t give you any details without her permission, but you don’t need to worry. Why don’t you head on back to work? I’ll make sure someone contacts you with an update soon.”

He nodded, and Dr. Annie gestured over to the nurse who had walked into the waiting room with her. The woman took Mr. Collier’s arm, speaking to him gently as they walked toward the exit.

They were barely out of the room before Gareth walked over to Annie with his hand outstretched. “Hi. I’m Dr. Gareth Metter. Eva is my fiancée.”

“Ex,” Theo cut in. “At best.”

“I was listed as Eva’s emergency contact.”

She shook Gareth’s hand. “Anne Mackay.”

“I’d like to see Eva now, if possible. I know her best. She might be confused. Is she conscious? Talking? Was the head trauma significant?”

Gareth positioned himself so he was turning Dr. Annie back toward the emergency room. The move was subtle, slick.

But there was no way in hell Theo was going to let Gareth in the room with Eva unless that was what she specifically asked for.

He moved so he was blocking their progress. “Dr. Annie, I know Metter is listed as the emergency contact and Eva might be on his insurance, but I don’t think she wants to see him. The opposite, in fact.”

Gareth gave her a sad smile. “Dr. Mackay, it’s true that Eva and I are going through a rough patch, but I certainly know her better than someone who just met her a month ago, no matter what the status of their relationship is. And as I said, sometimes Eva can get very confused. I just want to help her.”

“She left him, Annie,” Theo insisted again. “For a reason.”

They were starting to draw the attention of others in the room—medical staff and visitors alike.

Dr. Annie realized it too. “Why don’t you both come into my office.”

Gareth’s smile didn’t falter, but Theo caught the clench in the other man’s jaw. He was pissed that he wasn’t getting his way. Good.

They both followed Annie into her office, and she shut the door behind her.

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