Page 63 of Anyone But You

“We wished we could do more,” Brittney added.

“You did enough.”

We took another two minutes to say our goodbyes, and I made a mental note to call my bank to see what was going on.

“I want to see my husband.”

“I know,” Dr. Hubbard murmured as he retrieved a flashlight pen from his coat. I knew the man was sick of me asking for Knox, but That Man Over There was bitten by a venomous snake and died.

“Are you in pain anywhere?”

“No.”

“Hold your head still and follow my pen with your eyes.”

I was relieved many seconds later when he tucked the flashlight pen into his coat.

“Dr. Hubbard, I have Ms. Caldwell’s blood work,” a nurse announced as she entered the examination room.

“Mrs. Ramsey,” I corrected firmly.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to offend,” she apologized quickly.

I’m not upset in the least bit, but I think, after everything, I deserve the title.

“Perfect. Let’s see what we’re working with.” Dr. Hubbard said, humming to himself as he reviewed my results on a tablet. “Well,Mrs. Ramsey, except for slight dehydration and malnourishment, your labs are perfect.”

“No babies, right?”

“Nope. No pregnancy.”

Thank God. I need to get my life back in order before I go down that route. Wait a minute. I might be getting ahead of myself. Does he even want children? We joked about it, but Knox’s near-death experience might turn him into one of those live-to-the-fullest types of people who want to explore the world and strike everything off their bucket list, and children might not be on that bucket list.

“What was your diet like on the island?”

“Pescatarian—shrimp, crab, fish, shark, lobster, octopus, oysters—a sea urchin once, but that didn’t blow over so well when I was stung.”

“Allergic reaction?”

“Not enough to worry—slight burning and a little swelling; that’s all.”

“What else sustained you on the island?”

“Seaweed, coconut, nuts, and fruits—oh, I almost forgot, once we ate some parrot hatchlings. And when Knox recovered my suitcase from the ocean, we had snacks I’d packed.”

He nodded. “You had a colorful diet while on the island, but you’re nearly underweight. I’m sure that’ll change when you return home and reintroduce fats, carbs, and sweets into your diet. However, it’d be ill-advised to get off the ship and have a triple cheeseburger and French fries for your first meal. After three months without these foods, you might be more prone to stomach issues like indigestion.”

“Honestly, this is the healthiest I’ve been since high school, and I don’t plan on putting all that weight back on. A triple cheeseburger doesn’t sound appealing in the least bit.”

The pager at Dr. Hubbard’s waist went off, alerting him to what I hoped was an update on Knox. I was on pins and needles while I waited for his response.

“Good news, Mrs. Ramsey. Mr. Ramsey is stable. Given the severity of the bite, I’m shocked he survived. You can visit him briefly.”

“Is he conscious?”

“He’s sedated, but we will bring him out of sedation once he gets some more rest. You ready?” I hopped off the examination table like my ass was on fire and followed closely as he led me further into the medical bay to Knox. “I’ll come back and get you in thirty minutes. From there, you’ll be escorted to a bunk room we prepared for you, where your dinner will be waiting.”

“Thank you,” I murmured as I stared down at Knox’s sleeping face. “Dr. Hubbard, is Knox in the clear?”