Page 37 of Nanny for the Bodyguard

I hang up, not waiting for a response, and start for the console table by the door to grab my keys. But Jade is right behind me.

Dammit. I can’t leave her here.

“Uncle E, I’m getting scared. What happened?”

Jade looks like she’s about to cry, and I kneel down in front of her, putting my hands on her shoulders.

“Hazel’s been hurt. I need to go to the hospital to check on her. Do?—”

“I’m coming, too!” Jade’s eyes go wide, and she grabs my hand with the keys in it.

A nervous smile spreads over my face, and I give her a solemn nod. “Okay. I…I need you to listen to me when we’re there, okay? It’s a hospital, and I don’t know what happened.”

She nods back at me, pressing her lips together like she’s trying to silently tell me that she’ll be good, be quiet.

“Thank you, sweetie.” I pull her into my arms, hugging her against me so damn tightly. “Let’s go.”

When we get to the hospital, the ER is a zoo. It usually is, of course, but it’s the weekend, and the number of drunken disorderlies and fights that are breaking out right there in the med bay have my teeth on edge.

I rush up to the nurses’ station, making eye contact with the woman sitting at the computer.

“Hello, I’m here to see Hazel Dowd. I was just called by the hospital. I need to?—”

The nurse stands up, holding out her hands like she’s soothing a wild animal. “Alright, sir. Calm down for me, okay? What’s your name?”

Trying my best to take a deep breath, I squeeze my eyes closed for a moment. “Easton Hawke. The hospital just called me about her.”

“Okay, thank you.” She looks down at Jade, who is standing at my side. “Hey, honey. And you are?”

“I’m Jade. Hazel is my babysitter. Is she okay?”

“Hi, Jade. I’m Grace.” The nurse walks around to stand in front of us. “Hazel is going to be fine, but she was hurt pretty badly, okay? I’d like to send just your dad?—”

“Uncle,” Jade and I say simultaneously.

“Sorry, your uncle, in alone first, alright? I’ll stay out here with you.”

Jade looks up at me, and my heart cracks in half at the worried look on her face. I understand what Grace is saying, though.

“I’ll come get you, sweetie. Okay? I promise. But let me go see Hazel first.”

Her expression droops a little, but she nods. “Okay. Tell her I’m here, though!”

Smiling, I squeeze Jade’s hand. “I will, honey. I promise.”

Grace smiles, flagging down another nurse whose name tag reads Katie. “Hun, could you take Mr. Hawke in to see the patient in five? I’m going to stay with Jade here.”

Katie looks over at me, her eyebrows raising. “Oh, hello, Mr. Hawke. I called you on the phone. I’ll take you to see Ms. Dowd right away. She’s been asking for you.”

“Thank you.”

A thread of relief washes through me as I hear those words. If Hazel has been asking for me, she can talk, and if she can remember who she wants here, it can’t be that bad, right?

I’m led through a maze-like section of hallways and beds until I’m brought to a room with the number five displayed on a plastic flag-like thing over the door.

“I’ll give you some privacy. Just have Hazel page if she needs anything.”

“Okay.”