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“Nah, I could tell you a story.” Rusty sat in the chair and racked his brains for something to distract Cross.

“Hey, I should tell you about this time Will took me with him to find a cow that’d figured out how to break fences by sitting on them.

” He tried to make his inexperience and the wily cow’s adventure amusing.

By the time he reached the part with the snake, he saw Cross’s eyes had shut.

He paused, waiting for a nudge to go on, but all he got was a fluttering snore.

Good enough.

Obviously, Cross was worn out and Rusty hadn’t missed the crease in Cross’s forehead and the restless way he fidgeted on the bed that marked pain not even the good drugs were controlling. If he could sleep, that was a win.

Rusty searched for a pen or bit of paper to leave a note, and ended up with a fat marker from a ledge on the whiteboard on the wall, and a paper towel.

Odds were, Marie might see his words so he didn’t want to write anything embarrassing.

In the end, he put, “Good luck with surgery. Text me. R.” and propped the note up on the chair beside the bed.

Then he eased out of the room, shutting the door as quietly as he could.

The guy in the chair outside the room gave him the same flat, disdainful stare as when he arrived. Rusty couldn’t help saying, “I didn’t smother him with a pillow, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

He had a moment to regret the quip as the guy surged to his feet, but from down the hall, Marie called, “Rusty. Hey, you came.”

She gave the bodyguard a wave and the man returned to his chair with a grunt that Rusty was free to interpret at will.

Marie stopped in front of Rusty. “How’s RJ?”

“Sleeping. He just dropped off.” He didn’t want to tell her not to go in and wake him, but he tried to convey that idea. “He seemed really tired. Some of the Rafters came by earlier.”

“He probably needs his rest.” Marie tilted her head. “I’d love the chance to talk to you. Can I buy you a coffee?”

“Uh, I have to get going. I have a game tonight and traffic down the 5 will only be worse the later it gets.”

“Let me walk you out to your truck, then.” She turned back toward the elevator.

He could hardly say no. “It’s a public hospital.”

“Thanks,” she said, as if that was a welcome.

She was silent, though, as they waited for the elevator, rode to the ground floor, and passed through the busy lobby out the front doors.

Rusty almost thought he was escaping the interrogation until she said, “RJ’s always been a really private guy.

I didn’t even know he was… not straight? ”

He shrugged his shoulder. That was as good a description as any, and he wasn’t about to try to explain Cross’s sexuality to his sister, especially when Rusty wasn’t sure where things stood himself.

“He asked me about dating someone young. I told him I’d done it once myself.”

The thought that Cross had used the word “dating” to his sister made Rusty want to smile, but maybe that was just her interpretation. “How did that go for you?”

“Well, we didn’t work out. Obviously, since I’m single. But I told RJ everyone was different.”

“Uh huh.” Rusty lengthened his stride, not feeling too bad about making Marie hustle a bit. “That’s true.”

“I’m just glad he has somebody besides me who cares about him a lot.”

“What about your parents?”

Marie made a little sound. “Well, they love us both. Dad’s busy and Mom’s kind of off in her own world, but they’d do anything for RJ.”

“Except come to his games?”

“Did he say that?”

Rusty shrugged.

“They’ve come to a few. Neither one is a hockey fan.”

“Neither were my folks until I started playing.”

“And do they come to your games?”

Rusty gritted his teeth, but his history was all out there on the internet, if Marie cared to look. Or she could’ve paid someone else to look for her. “Not since they found out I was the queer spawn of Satan.”

“Oh. I’m so sorry.” Either she hadn’t known or she was good at faking it.

“Yeah, well, they also don’t have a million bucks and a private plane to travel, if they wanted to.”

“RJ hasn’t exactly invited us to get involved in his life. I probably wouldn’t have met you if he hadn’t been injured.”

“Hello? He gave us seats side by side at the game.”

Marie stopped short, as if she’d forgotten that bit of truth, then trotted to rejoin him. “You’re right. That was a surprise. Maybe you’re good for him.”

Rusty reached his truck and turned to face her, his back to the shiny black metal. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to say.”

Marie laughed. “I’m not sure either. Just, he’s different with you. In a positive way. So you may be young, and he may be rich and stubborn, but don’t give up on him, okay?”

“Wasn’t planning to.” Rusty opened his door and Marie stepped back.

He got in, started the truck, and backed out carefully.

When he glanced in the rearview before heading to the exit, she still stood there, watching him go.

He noticed a fit, middle-aged man with a posture that looked vaguely military standing twenty feet from Marie, and as she turned away, she gathered the man to her with a gesture.

Bodyguard.

He’d dismissed Marie’s words, but there was rich and there was rich . He couldn’t help worrying that I’m not planning to was easier said than done.