Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“Alexa said family only.” And Liza wasn’t family.
Dare stared at her for a few seconds. Liza held her breath, wondering what he was thinking, knowing she’d go with him if he asked.
He didn’t.
She wasn’t surprised, but she was oddly deflated as she settled into a seat to wait for his return. Nobody bothered her as she stared at the bare walls, twisting her hands together, sick to her stomach. Her thoughts ran the gamut from gratitude that Tess would be okay to the reality of owing some loan shark fifty thousand dollars to her missing brother who’d caused it all.
“How’s the wrist?” Nash asked, surprising her by walking over and joining her.
Liza turned her hand over and glanced down. “It’s sore, and it’s bruising. But I’ll be fine. I appreciate the concern, but you should focus on Tess.”
Nash placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. The sweet gesture took her by surprise, and she laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
She glanced up at him.
With the lighter brother in coloring, he didn’t resemble Dare or Ethan, but he was definitely good-looking. He just wasn’t Dare. “I was thinking before that you Barron brothers constantly take me by surprise. Then you walk over here, concerned about me when your sister’s lying in a hospital bed.”
Nash lowered himself into the seat beside her. “Just because Tess had a rough night doesn’t mean you didn’t. It also doesn’t mean you don’t matter.”
Liza shook her head hard. She didn’t want to break down and sob because his caring voice was crowding her, the events of the day overwhelming her.
“I’m fine,” she said, knowing he was just being nice. Decent to her because she’d had a scare too.
“You need to tell Dare what happened today,” Nash said, staring into her eyes, as if he could see straight through to her innermost thoughts.
The Barron siblings had that in common, too, the ability to make a person spill their soul. She blinked, not wanting him to know how hard her heart beat for his brother.
She swallowed hard. “I will. When he’s not so upset about Tess.”
“That’s not going to happen anytime soon. We’re all upset about Tess. But like I said, that doesn’t make what’s happening with you less important.”
He was wrong, but it was nice of him to try to convince her otherwise. “Don’t you have a wife who needs you?” she asked lightly, hoping to distract him.
“She’s the one who sent me over to check on you.” Nash smiled at that.
“She’s special,” Liza said of Kelly. She rubbed her hands against her slacks. She was feeling edgy and uncomfortable and just wanted this long, awful day to be over.
“I happen to agree.” Nash paused. “I also think you should have gone in with Dare. He would have liked the support.”
“Then he should have asked.” Instead of letting her get away with the “I’m not family” excuse. Liza bit the inside of her cheek, knowing she should have kept the words inside but unable to hold them back.
“Yeah, well, we Barron brothers don’t fall easily, but when we do, we fall hard. Cut him some slack. He’ll come around.” Nash rose to his feet.
Liza smiled. “Thanks, Nash.”
“Anytime.” He winked and walked away.
Drained, Liza laid her head back and shut her eyes, closing out the fluorescent lights and ugly beige walls and the pain surrounding her.
Chapter Seventeen
Dare walked down the hall to Tess’s cubicle, his heart in his throat. He passed rows of closed curtains, whispering families, and beeping machines. As a cop, he’d been here before, had brought victims in, and dealt with the doctors. Having family here was different.
Tess being here was different.
He came to the last closed curtain and knew it had to be hers. A nurse was just stepping out as he reached for the drape.
“Is this Tess Moss?” he asked.
The kind-looking older woman nodded. “She’s sleeping.”
“I’m her brother. I won’t wake her. I just need to see she’s okay.”
The nurse nodded. “Go on in.”
Dare stepped inside. Tess lay propped up, her light brown hair spread over the white pillow. The makeup she’d probably painstakingly applied ran down her face, giving her black-looking eyes, her face streaked from tears.
She wouldn’t be a happy camper when she woke up and took a long look. But at least she’d wake up.
He didn’t know how he’d come to love this kid so much in such a short time, but she was as much a part of him as his brothers. He felt as responsible for her as he did for his siblings and even their wives. Even Ethan, as much as Dare wouldn’t have believed that a year ago.
He pulled up a chair and eased over to the edge of the bed, taking her hand. She didn’t stir.
“Hey, squirt.” He knew she was sleeping, but he needed to talk to her, and he kept his voice low. “What were you doing drinking beer? Even nursing one?” he asked, not expecting an answer. “You’re too good for parties like that. And heaven knows you don’t need to be anything like Ethan or me at your age.”