Page 14 of The Bad Boy’s Homecoming (The Southern Hart Brothers #2)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Levi
What Kinda Man
S itting in the small waiting room next to Declan made it abundantly clear that Levi was in over his head.
He was waiting to find out how bad Missy’s burn was but also hoping for a chance to see her and beg for her forgiveness.
Declan was at least a foot and probably thirty pounds bigger than him, and he looked mad.
“Tell me again why you’re still here?” Declan said.
“It was my fault and if I don’t stay here my grandmother and her entire book club will converge on this hospital until they’re assured Missy will be okay.”
Declan’s eyes narrowed on him. “Why is it your fault my cousin burned her hand?”
“When I walked in through the kitchen, I was carrying a few bags so I made a sudden entrance, and she wasn’t expecting me. She’d just started to move the full Dutch oven and stumbled back onto the stove.”
“So it was an accident,” Declan said.
Levi sighed. He wasn’t sure how much her cousin knew about what Missy said in the car about someone pushing her. Or if Declan had noticed how skittish she could be. He didn’t even know who it was, so he decided he better not say anything.
Declan looked at his watch.
“If you need to get back to your boys I can call you once Dalton’s done.”
Declan sighed. “I appreciate that, but I’m the only family Missy has left. And she’s all I have besides my boys.”
Before Levi could respond Dalton walked in. “She’s doing great. Luckily only a second-degree burn, but it is severe. I cleaned it and treated it, and it’s going to be painful for a few days while the skin rejuvenates.”
“Is she still in a lot of pain?” Levi asked, unable to be silent.
“I numbed her hand to clean it, and we’ve just given her an IV with pain reliever and a sleeping aid,” Dalton said, directed to Declan.
“Can she come home with me?” Declan asked.
“Not tonight. I need to keep her here overnight, so we can help her keep her hand immobilized, and increase her pain reliever if needed. I’ll clean her hand again in the morning, and I can easily do house visits for the week. Keeping it clean is essential,” Dalton said.
“I can stay,” Levi said.
Dalton and Declan both looked at him.
“I feel like this is my fault and Gran just texted me to say I better not let Missy out of my sight.”
“The neighbor is with the boys, and I’d bet my life’s savings they’re running circles around her instead of getting ready for bed,” Declan said.
“I’ve got at least another hour of paperwork to do, and usually the attending stays overnight with a patient. So I’ll be here either way.”
“Can I see her before I go?” Declan asked.
“Of course, go ahead back,” Dalton said.
Levi watched Declan head back to the surgery suite, but as soon as they were alone Dalton crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes on him.
“Why are you acting like Missy is yours to worry about and volunteering to stay here with her?”
“It was my fault. I noticed how jumpy she can be earlier this week. I shouldn’t have been so abrupt when I returned to Gran’s.
I knew she was holding something back. Then in the car she confided something to me and I’m not going to repeat what she said, so don’t ask. But maybe you and Wesley already know.”
“So you’re worried about her and you’re going to stay here tonight no matter what I say?”
“Yes.”
“Levi, I can’t let you see her. You’re not her next of kin, and she didn’t request for you to have access. In fact I get the feeling she’d prefer you not stay.”
“I’ll feel better if I stay, then if she gets hungry or needs anything you can send me out for it.”
Dalton sighed but before he could try to lecture him any further, Wesley walked into the hospital with their grandmother and a large cooler bag.
“Are we having a family reunion?” Dalton asked.
“Gran wanted to check on Missy and packed up some of the soup Missy made,” Wesley said, holding up a bag.
“I also packed a change of clothes and a toothbrush for our girl,” Gran said.
Declan walked back in and Levi could see the large man looked shaken.
“She looks so tiny and alone in there. Maybe I can get my boys to sleep and head back to sit with her,” Declan said.
Dalton patted his shoulder. “She’s going to be fine, and I can almost guarantee she won’t wake up for hours.”
“Alright, but I’ll be back in the morning, with the boys before school and she can stay with me while she recovers. I work from home so I can easily wait on her,” Declan said.
Levi moved next to his grandmother. “We can sit with her for a bit if you’re okay with it?”
“I could read to her and keep her company,” his grandmother said, producing a large book. “The book club is rescheduled for when Missy is feeling better and can join us,” Gran said.
“That would be really thoughtful of you, Mrs. Hart. I appreciate it,” Declan said, as his phone started to go off.
“I’ll walk you out,” Wesley said.
Declan shook Dalton’s hand. “Thank you, Doc. I’m not sure what if any insurance Missy has. Please send me the bill. I don’t want her to worry about it.”
“We’ll see you in the morning,” Dalton said.
“It sounded like Declan just gave us both permission to stick around and sit with Missy,” Levi said, with his arm wrapped around Gran’s shoulders.
“Fine, go ahead. I’m going to write up some notes and then I need to kick you both out of her room before the hospital closes.”
Levi led his grandmother back to the surgical suite and was also struck by how small and alone Missy looked under several blankets. There was an IV in one arm and her hand was immobilized in some contraption that hung up above her bed in a sling.
“Oh, sweet girl,” Gran said, in her soothing tone. Then she sat on the opposite side of Missy’s bad arm, pulling the chair as close to the bed as she could get it. She stroked Missy’s good arm that lay outside the blankets.
Levi stood watching over Missy, feeling the strongest possessive instinct mixed with a hollowing out in his gut. Like he’d been sucker punched.
“I don’t think staying with her cousin and two rowdy young boys is a good place for her to recuperate,” Levi said.
“No, you’re right, grandson. She needs her own quiet room, her comfy bed, and us doting on her. She needs to be near her art and her studio.”
“Then we’ll just have to convince Missy in the morning,” Levi said.
“Of course I might need your help taking care of her. Going up and down those stairs.”
“I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, Gran.” Levi pulled up another chair to sit just behind his grandmother and watch over Missy.
“In that case you can read this book out loud to us, while I knit and then you can attend the book club with us, when Missy is ready.”
His grandmother handed him a large black book with a red apple on the front and it looked like it was at least five hundred pages. If this was how he was going to gain access to be close to Missy, then so be it.
He opened up the book and began to read aloud, Missy’s chest rose and fell slowly while she slept, and his grandmother pulled out her knitting.