Page 96 of When You Stayed
Her brown hair, which was swept up into a sleek updo, looked flawless. Her mouth twitched, though, as she replied. “We didn’t have to administer any drugs, just a topical anesthetic. According to your boyfriend, you hadn’t slept the night prior. Your body was likely exhausted and needed the nap.”
Oh. I fought the blush invading my face, but lost. “So, I could have gone home…hours ago?”
“Yes, but it’s no big deal. We’d rather ensure you’re nice and rested.”
I gazed over at all the pink flowers, which made it seem like I had been here for days. “What about all of those, why are they here?”
The nurse smiled again, closing the bandage on my arm. “Your sister, I believe. She came in and said the room was too bleak.”
Oh Taryn, my favorite human at present. “Are my parents here, or anyone else?”
Did they really all leave me here?
“They’re all here. We asked them to leave the room because they couldn’t agree on who would stay. I seem to recall there being a rather surly guy who said he wasn’t leaving because you were ‘his’…not sure what he meant by that, but he seemed very invested in you being okay. Then there was your dad who seemed really upset, and your mom sat down and refused to get up. Your sister and two other girls stopped by…I’m not entirely sure what happened, but security told them all to leave.”
That sounded about right.
“Could you ask my sister to come in please?”
The nurse thinned her lips in a placating sort of way. “Honey, you’re discharged. We’ve been waiting for you to wake up. You can go whenever you’re ready.”
How could they be so nonchalant about this? “I was shot…”
“You’ll be fine, but I will send your sister in to help you load up all these flowers.” She patted my shoulder on her way out of the room.
Unbelievable. Pushing the covers down, I realized I wasn’t even in a gown. They’d ripped my sleeve so they could access my arm. Otherwise, I was still completely dressed.
“Royce, oh my gosh, are you okay?” Taryn rushed into the room. With the way her hair was styled today, she looked almost like Florence Pugh. I was so jealous of how easily she changed her hair or her makeup to test out something new or that might look different on her.
“I’m fine, just a little embarrassed.”
Taryn slid onto the bed, her golden brows furrowing. “Why?”
My shoes were tucked under the nearby chair, but Taryn saw where I was looking and jumped up to grab them.
“I was only admitted because I was tired. I’ve been discharged for a while…but they were waiting for me to wake up.”
My sister’s mouth spread into a smile. I pointed my finger at her. “Don’t laugh.”
She bit her lip as if to hold off the sensation.
“Only you would get shot by a bullet and need to sleep it off. And only you would actually be allowed to stay and sleep.”
Pushing my feet into my shoes, I stood up. My head ached, right along with my arm.
“Grazed. I was grazed. How did I get here anyway?”
My sister let out a dreamy sigh, falling back onto the bed. “Ford carried you. I guess he found you out there…and the rest I probably can’t talk about here.”
Right. Rodney. A swarm of raw emotion filled my chest. It was mostly anger and hurt, not any sadness at all. While I didn’t remember what had happened, I knew the Stone Rider world well enough to know that Rodney wouldn’t have made it out alive.
“How does Ford seem?” I asked hesitantly.
My sister grabbed my purse and leather cut that somehow made it back here.
“Protective, angry, and tired.”
“Shit, he hasn’t slept either.” I rubbed my brow.
