Wildflower Hearts

8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

“ I hear your star patient is up and kicking.”

She grabbed a small travel-size container of milk from the cafeteria display case. “He’s cranky and has an attitude, but that’s to be expected. The medication is wearing off, and he’s no longer asleep to not notice the pain.”

Pediatric doctor Larissa Shevitz grabbed a small container of orange juice. “Bruce informs me you’re the only RN on the sixth floor currently. That’s quite an accomplishment, considering you’re the only assigned nurse he has.”

She frowned. “I wasn’t aware of that.”

“I thought you were.” Larissa gazed at Lyla with sympathetic eyes. “Your floor only has Diane, Melissa, and Reba now.”

“I have a minimum of seven patients every two hours. Four of those are already in-house patients.”

“I heard. Hence me thinking you already knew!”

She cleared her throat and shot the doctor a smile. “If you’ll excuse me, Dr. Shevitz, I must return to my floor.”

“Of course.”

Lyla paid for the order, quickly making her way to the elevators, and was back on her floor before she had time to recollect herself. She brushed her face with the sleeve of her scrubs and stepped off the elevator instantly collided with the person standing there.

“I’m sorry I…”

“Was too busy crying to notice me standing here.”

Her head shot up. “Oh, hello, Elias.”

He eyed her closely, eyebrows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

She motioned him out of the way of the elevator and brushed her face clean one final time. “No reason.”

"Don't lie.” He stretched his arm out to place his hand on the wall. He wasn't trapping her in completely, but his muscular frame made it impossible for her to step around him without touching him. "I don't like seeing ladies cry. Tell me what's wrong."

“I’ve had a hard day, okay? They keep throwing all this shit at me because I never say no,” she grumbled as she clutched the food tray in her hands. “This hospital is my job, and I love it, but it’s becoming my entire life. My day off with you was the first time I had a nice lunch with someone not working here or by myself.”

“You’re wearing yourself out, Sweetheart.” He reached out to stroke her cheek. “What don’t you let me take you to dinner?”

“Nurse Hamilton?”

She jolted, eyes wide as she spotted Bruce. “Yes, Doctor?”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, perfectly alright,” she blushed. “I was about to deliver some food to Mr. Kingsley.”

He eyed Elias but nodded. “I’ll leave you to it.” He checked his watch. “I want you to take off early. You’ve been here too long.”

“But I can-”

“I mean it.” He glanced at Elias. “Make sure she heeds my command.”

“Yes, sir.”

Bruce walked off down the hallway, and Lyla jerked her gaze over at Elias to find him grinning at her.

“I’m glad you find it funny.”

“I didn’t say it was funny. It’s more like perfect timing.”

“Dinner doesn’t happen at eight in the morning, Elias.”

“No, but breakfast does.”

She shook her head, unable to fight the smile that appeared as she approached Noah’s room with him following close behind her. “Your brother is beyond cranky.” She paused with her hand on the doorknob. “Is he usually that way?”

“Nah, he’s usually drunk or spaced out.”

She chuckled, and they entered to find Noah sitting up, his arms crossed against his chest. He glanced between the two of them. “You guys go to Egypt to get my food or what?”

“Do you even know where Egypt is?”

“Up your ass,” Noah pointed down with his middle finger, “And around the corner.” He twisted his finger up birdie style. “See?”

Lyla glanced at Elias. “See what I mean? Cranky!”

“Hey! You try being stuck in this bed while strangers wipe your ass for you, are forced to eat shitty food for fifty days straight, and see how you like it.”

“You’ve been here for four days.” She settled the tray over his lap.

“That’s right, little brother. Four, not fifty; way to count.”

The younger Kingsley glanced at his plate, eyes narrowing at the sight of the triangular-cut turkey sandwich, the apple set to the side, and the milk container. “Was this all they had?”

“It was all you could afford at the free table,” Elias glared.

“If you don’t want it…”

Noah must have heard the hurt in her voice. His gaze connected with hers. He shook his head and slid the tray closer to him. “No, this is great. Thank you.”

“If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to hit your call button. We’re stretched thin on staff, but I’ll try to get here as quickly as possible.”

“Yeah, uh, thanks again.”

Satisfied, she moved past Elias back into the hallway, pausing outside the door when he grabbed her elbow. “I meant what I said about taking you out to eat. I’ll be waiting when you get off.”

She opened her mouth to protest but quickly shut it before nodding. “See you in the morning.”

Her eyes went past him to see Noah watching the two of them curiously. When he saw he was caught, he whipped his gaze back down at his plate.

The restaurant he drove them to was only fifteen minutes away. She glanced around as they sat at a table near the back. She accepted the menu the waitress handed to her, and the petite blonde informed them she’d return soon to take their orders. As she left, Lyla studied the menu’s pictures and information. She knew Elias hadn’t opened his menu, instead settling in his chair to watch her.

She lowered her menu. “Something on your mind?”

“I can’t help but think how lucky I am in many ways. Ma used to tell me everything happens for a reason, but the day Noah almost died, I didn’t believe that anymore.” He cleared his throat. “You showed up, and things changed.”

“Elias-”

“Let me finish. Now he’s awake and talking to us. In a way, he’s the same old Noah, but I can see a different part of him.” Elias fiddled with his fork. “I can see it when he looks at you.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You don’t see it, but I do. You should have heard him talking when he first woke up. He thought you were a voice commanding him to come back. I think a small part of him believed you wanted him to return for you. I’m puzzled as to why he would think that.”

She shifted in her seat but kept her eyes on him. “I was in the room with him when he woke up, like Dr. Stewart told you. I was talking to him, and he happened to be on a subconscious level where he could hear me.”

“Why would he fight so hard because of that? What’d you say to him?”

“It was a normal conversation. I held his hand like I usually do with patients,” she shrugged. “I remember telling him that you were all worried about him, and that it was time to come back. I didn’t say-”

“I think he took that suggestion a little more personally than it really is.”

“Of course, he must have. I don’t even really know him.”

“Can I ask you something personal?”

She released the menu and reclined in her seat. “Sure, go ahead.”

“Are you attracted to my brother?”

With wide eyes, she stared at him. “What kind of question is that? Your brother has been in the hospital in a vulnerable state for days!”

“I’m asking because I didn’t want to get in the way if you liked him. He has a way of tricking women by looking cute and helpless all the time.”

“Wait, are you saying that you want to date me?”

“Since you cut to the chase first, yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”

The waitress returned, and she focused her attention on her menu with shaky hands. They ordered, sitting in silence until the food arrived. When they began to eat, He glanced every so often at her, but she concentrated entirely on her food. She didn’t focus on him again until they were finished.

Lyla wiped her mouth with her napkin and cleared her throat. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Elias.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “And why not?”

“The hospital has strict policies against…”

“This has nothing to do with the hospital. Separate yourself for once from what the hospital demands of you. This is about me wanting to date you, the woman, not the nurse.”

She toyed with her napkin. “I don’t think I’m ready for a relationship. I’m at the hospital constantly, and even though it sometimes stresses me out, it’s my life. It’s all I’ve ever had that made me feel like I was important and useful. That’s the only side of me you’ve ever seen because there is no other me. That’s all there is.”

“Give me a chance, and I’ll show you that you’re wrong.”

She cursed under her breath as she felt her bottom lip tremble. “I don’t know if I can. I’m scared.”

“I know.” He dug for his wallet, threw a large bill on the table, and stood. “Come on; let’s go.”

Without a sound, she buttoned her coat and followed him to his car.

The ride back to the hospital was silent, and he remained quiet as he pulled into the parking garage beside her car.

“Thanks for breakfast, Elias.” She didn’t meet his eyes and climbed from the passenger side, shutting the door quickly as she retrieved her keys. She paused at hearing his door open and shut. She fully faced his direction in time to see him come from around the back bumper toward her. “Is everything al-”

Elias gently cupped her face with his hands, carefully giving her space to step back if she truly wanted. “We’re all scared to some extent. I was afraid you’d automatically say no, but you didn’t. You fought the urge to say yes, and that gave me hope that somewhere deep inside you wanted to agree.”

“But-”

“And that’s a good enough answer for me.” He captured her mouth in a firm kiss, and she stiffened against him. Her eyes fluttered shut. Her hand dropped her keys unnoticed at her feet as she allowed herself to grip the front of his jacket.

When he finally broke the kiss, he smiled at the dazed expression on her face. She maintained a firm grip on him, eyes opening, and he could see the swirl of emotions lingering there. A car alarm went off somewhere in the depths of the garage, and she stepped away from him.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t of…” Lyla rubbed her forehead. “You kissed me.”

“You kissed me back.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’d like to kiss you again.”

The seconds ticked by like molasses. He couldn’t have been more surprised when she nodded.

[Three Months Later]

“Stop.” Lyla wagged her finger. “I’m on the clock,” she hissed, looking around. “People will see you.”

“See me do what? This?” Elias pulled her close to hug her and grinned as she giggled, trying harmlessly to shove him away.

“Let go!”

“When you guys are done,” an irritated voice interrupted, “with whatever that’s called, I’d like to get out of here.”

She pushed Elias away, ignoring his wide grin, and blushed. Nervously, she shoved her hair behind her ears. “I’m sorry, Noah. You must be beyond ready.”

He stood in the doorway of his room and adjusted the grip on the bag in his hand. “Yeah, I’m ready to get home.” He looked surprised when she stepped forward and threw her arms around his neck. He shot Elias a confused look, who shrugged in return, and he allowed his free arm to hug her back.

“I’m going to miss seeing you every day.” She squeezed his neck and then released him. “It won’t be the same without hearing you complain about taking your medication or all the snide remarks about how much you hate the food.”

“Nonsense,” Elias snorted. “You’ll be at the house as much as him. You’ll have a lot of time to hear him complain about Debra’s cooking.”

She blushed as she remembered it had been two nights since she had gone home, a bag of her belongings in his room. Since the day he kissed her, he had hardly left her alone, asking her on several dates, and showing up at all hours at the hospital. Eventually, she started hanging out with him and his family at their house. It progressed to staying a night or two from time to time. They hadn’t slept together, not that he hadn’t tried, but he had been respectful of her.

“It won’t be every day.”

Elias chuckled, giving her a knowing look before he motioned at Noah. “Come on, little brother. Time to get you home.” He leaned over to kiss her cheek, ignoring her protests and Melissa whistling behind the counter. “I’ll pick you up when you get off in the morning.”

“Okay. Noah, don’t forget to schedule your first therapy session appointment as soon as possible.”

He didn’t look at her but nodded. “Fine.”

“Take your meds on time, every day, and as directed.” Lyla bit her lower lip. “And don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything, like… you know, hospital-wise, or if you need to talk.”

His head lifted, watchful gaze catching her own, and he slung his bag strap onto his left shoulder. “I will.”

She hugged him again, and this time, he wrapped both of his arms around her before pulling away. “Now, go home and drive at a safe speed.” She poked Elias in the stomach. “I don’t want to see this boy in our OR again.”

“You got it.” He dug out his car keys. “Let’s go, Noah.”

She watched in silence while they walked past her. When they entered the elevator, Elias leaning to press the garage floor button, he raised his hand right as the doors shut. Noah remained beside him with his gaze directed on the floor. Turning to face the counter, she ignored Melissa’s wide grin and opened a patient file with her name. “Stop staring at me like that.”

Melissa motioned with wiggling fingers at Nurse Cook. “Pay up.”

Lyla raised her eyebrows, glancing between them. “Why? What for?”

“Because it only took the Kingsley boy two months to woo you instead of three.”

“You took bets?”

“How could I not?” Melissa laughed. “It was impossible not to, especially with all your speeches every time I saw you. Admit it, that man had your number since day one.”

“Whatever.” She couldn’t help the smile that appeared as she focused on the folder’s contents.

Smirking, Melissa accepted the twenty dollar bill. “So, is he a considerate lover or a real beast between the sheets?” She wiggled her eyebrows as she waved the money under her nose. “Wait, let me guess, he’s both.”

She felt her face flame red, refusing to look at either of them, and bit her lower lip. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Two months, and you don’t know?”

She looked up to see them staring at her in shock. “Why would I know? I haven’t slept with him.”

“Damn it.” With a sigh, Melissa handed the money back to Nurse Cook.