“Yeah, sure. You sent the nurse out so you could make a break for it.”
He grinned. “That, too.”
“I thought you said Hank was the danger junkie,” Deanna said, her frown back in place. “But the lieutenant says you’re the one who took all the chances tonight.”
“Calculated risks,” Sean insisted. “There’s a difference.” To his chagrin, the night’s events finally caught up with him and his knees almost gave way. He reached for the doorjamb, but Deanna was right there, putting his arm around her shoulder and leading him back into the room, muttering a stream of surprisingly colorful curses all the way. He grinned.
“I hope you don’t use that language around Kevin,” he said.
“Of course not.” She scowled at him. “He never deserves it.”
“And I do?”
She settled him onto his bed and pulled up the sheet as if she were tucking in her son. This time when she reached out to Sean, she did touch him, smoothing his hair gently back from his forehead.
“Yes,” she said softly. “I think you do.”
Sean sighed, relaxing at last. He let his eyes drift shut.
“Not supposed to be this way,” he murmured. “Supposed to be looking out for you.”
“Oh, Sean, don’t you realize you have people who care about you now?” Deanna whispered. “People who would be devastated if anything happened to you?”
Her fierce words drifted into his subconscious and he finally fell asleep, a smile on his lips.
Chapter Ten
Despite assurances that Sean was going to be fine and that he’d probably be released from the hospital by midday, Deanna refused to budge from his bedside. Ruby was just as adamant about staying beside Hank. Deanna left the room only long enough to get her son. Kevin crept in from the waiting room, studied Sean intently as if to satisfy himself that his hero was okay, then fell back to sleep in a chair in the corner.
Deanna had never in her life been as terrified as she had been the night before when the lieutenant had called to inform Ruby about the fire. Nor had she ever seen Ruby as shaken. Despite the lieutenant’s reassurances that both men were going to make it, neither Ruby or Deanna had hesitated before dragging on clothes and heading for the hospital to see the men for themselves.
“I’ve never felt this wiped out in my life,” Ruby mumbled from across the room.
“It’s been a long night. We should probably go home, shower and go to work,” Deanna said half-heartedly.
Ruby looked at her as if she were crazy. “I’m not going anywhere. Give me some change. I’ll call the office and explain things to Charlotte the snake.”
Deanna managed a weak grin at the venomous but fitting nickname. “You really need to stop calling her that. One of these days you’re going to say it in front of her.”
“Well, she is a snake,” Ruby retorted. “Just look what she did to you, making you take the rap for that report that didn’t get mailed to the other law firm. I guarantee she’ll never own up to that to Hodges.”
“She’s been better since then,” Deanna said. “Haven’t you noticed? She actually says good morning when she comes in, and adds please and thank you to her commands.”
“Only because she’s terrified you’re going to rat her out to Hodges,” Ruby insisted.
“Hey, ladies, could you keep it down? My head’s killing me,” Hank muttered hoarsely.
Ruby was on her feet in an instant, the expression on her face a dead giveaway. Deanna wondered if Hank could see it. Was he smart enough to see all the love Ruby would willingly shower on him, if only he was ready for it?
“Hey, beautiful.”
Sean’s voice drew Deanna’s attention away from the other couple. She smiled at him. “Now I know your injuries were more severe than they’re saying, if you think I’m beautiful.”
“You are beautiful.” He started to sit up, then winced and fell back down. “Have you been here all night?”
“Yes.”
“Kevin?”
She gestured toward the corner. “Sound asleep.”
“Go home.”
“Trying to get rid of me after I’ve invested all this time and energy worrying about you?” she teased.
“You fainted last night. You need to be in bed, too.” A devilish grin crept over his face. He patted the bed beside him. “Of course, there’s plenty of room here.”
Deanna laughed. “I don’t think so. By the way, after you fell asleep I tried to reach your brother. There was no answer at the apartment, so I left a message on the answering machine at the pub. Somebody named Rory called here a little while ago and spoke to the nurse. He says Ryan and Maggie went away for a couple of days, but they’ll be back this afternoon and he’ll let them know what happened.”
“Thanks.” He glanced across the room toward Hank. “Hey, buddy, how are you feeling?”
Hank’s pithy response had them all grinning.
“Watch your language,” Sean said, sobering. “Kevin’s here.”
Hank winced. “Sorry.” He fell silent, his expression unreadable. “Hey, buddy, I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me anything,” Sean said. “You’d have done the same for me.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that you risked your life to come back after me.”
“I’m the one responsible for you being in that building in the first place. If I hadn’t been so damned stubborn, you’d never have been in danger.”
Deanna heard the unmistakable regret in Sean’s voice and knew that he’d have been tormented for the rest of his life if he hadn’t gotten Hank out alive. She reached for his hand and squeezed.
“Just be grateful you’re both here to tell the tale,” she said. “You can’t go back and change the past.”
Sean studied her intently. “Something you might want to remember, as well,” he said lightly.
Before she could reply, Kevin yawned widely, blinked and stared around the room until his gaze fell on Sean.
“Hey, Sean,” he said sleepily.
“Hey, kiddo.”
Wearing socks but no sneakers, Kevin padded over to the side of the bed, his gaze immediately drawn to Sean’s injured face. “Does that hurt?”
“Not too
