Page 33 of The Fire Captain's Unexpected Baby
Then, both of us jolt thoroughly awake at the incessant ringing of my phone. I dive toward the nightstand, heart racing. What if something happened to Noah?
My pulse slows when I recognize the hospital’s number.
“Mr. Oakley fell and banged himself up pretty good,” Kathy says without preamble. “He’s not in danger or anything, but I thought you would want to know.”
“I do.” I’m already climbing out of bed and grabbing the nearest pair of dark blue scrubs. I would never let Mr. Oakley sit in the hospital alone when I have nothing going on.
“Everything okay?” Aaron asks. He sits up, blankets pooling around his bare waist.
“Mr. Oakley fell. I’m going to the hospital to check on him.”
“Is he going to be okay?” He climbs out of bed to put on his own clothes, just as hurried as I am.
A smile tugs at my lips. We have just been unceremoniously pulled out of bed, but his concern is for someone else.
“He’ll be fine, but I’m going to keep him company,” I explain.
“I’ll take care of the puppies today,” he volunteers. “I can take them home with me when you leave.”
We talk about the logistics of him taking the puppies while I pour two thermoses of coffee to go—one with cream and sugar for me and one black for Mr. Oakley. Hospital coffee isn’t very good.
Aaron refuses his mug.
“I’ll check in with you later,” he says at the door.
We both try to balance our things as I lock the door behind us. He tries to lean in and kiss me lightly on the lips, but the wriggling puppies in his arms make it hard.
“I’ll take a rain check on the kiss,” I laugh.
Aaron turns left toward his house, refusing the ride I offered him. I reverse and navigate to the hospital, leisurely walking through locked doors to room six.
“I brought coffee for you,” I announce.
Mr. Oakley looks smaller than usual in his hospital bed. The nurses have fluffed a few extra pillows behind his left shoulder. Another one peeks out from beneath his hip. He must have fallen on his side.
“You didn’t have to come in,” he says, accepting the thermos. “An old man falls all the time. Nothing broken, or so they tell me.”
“I just came to check on my favorite man before work.”
I had no intentions of working today, but I told Kathy I would work the shift, if only to keep an eye on Mr. Oakley as much as possible.
“Where is Noah this morning?” He looks disappointed that I showed up alone.
“With Levi,” I reply. “I’ll bring him by to see you soon. I know you miss him. We’ve been… busy.”
“Busy,” Mr. Oakley echoes, a mischievous smile on his face. “Would that have anything to do with the man you brought here a few days ago?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I blush and set to work in his room, looking at the chart and taking his vitals.
“I remember when Mrs. Oakley and I met.” His eyes turn a misty shade of blue with memory. “I knew she was different. Special. I had never felt like that before. Like the world revolved around her.”
I don’t say anything. He so rarely talks about his late wife.
“You’ll know when you find the right person,” he says, suddenly taking my hand in his own.
The other nurses think Mr. Oakley is a grumpy old man, but I know how sweet he is beneath it all.
“I’ll take your word for it.” I squeeze his hand and release it. “I have to go get the update from the other nurses. I’ll be back to check on you very soon, okay?”
