Chapter 26

A soft noise from my right drew my attention, and I cracked my eyes open. Everything hurt and exhaustion pulled at me, but I forced myself to focus.

A blonde woman stood next to the closet with her back to me. Who was she? A nurse? She didn't look familiar, but I hadn't gotten a good glimpse of her face yet.

On the nightstand a lamp glowed softly in front of the dark window. When I'd awoken earlier it had been daytime. How long had I been out this last time?

I watched as the woman quietly slipped clothes onto hangers, then hung them in the closet. "You don't have to do that."

My voice cracked, but the woman jumped and spun my way. Eyes wide, she slapped one hand over her heart. "I didn't know you were awake."

"I'm sorry." My voice broke again, and I winced at the scratchy sensation.

"Do you need a drink?" She hurried forward and picked up a glass, then filled it with water from a pitcher.

She handed it my way, and I grasped it with a shaky hand. She kept one hand at the ready in case I dropped it, and I gratefully lifted it to my lips and sipped. The cool water slipped over my tongue, and I drained the glass before handing it back to her.

She took it with a smile and replaced it on the dresser. "Better?"

I nodded. She pulled the chair close to the bed and sat. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Eva."

My eyes flared wide. "But Rodrigo said…"

She smiled. "I know. Crazy, right? We were all so worried about him. I'm glad he's okay. How are you feeling?"

I lifted one shoulder. "I'm not sure yet."

"What do you remember?" she gently prodded.

The memories came back in pieces. I remembered shouting, loud blasts, and pain. So much pain. I pressed one hand to the wound in my abdomen.

"Dr. Tillburn should be back soon. I'm sure you'll have questions for him."

I nodded slowly as something else occurred to me. "My shop. How long have I been out?"

"Almost three days," she replied. "And I hope it wasn't presumptuous of me, but I found a temp to fill in until you're able to go back."

Relief rushed through me. "Thank you."

"Of course." She smiled.

At that moment, Rodrigo entered the room, followed closely by a second gentleman. His face looked carved from stone, his eyes darker even than Rodrigo's, and my breath caught in my lungs.

Eva stood and swatted him. "I told you it was too soon. You're going to scare her."

"Sorry, angel."

I watched as he pressed a lingering kiss to her temple, feeling more than a little off balance. For the first time I noticed the large ring on her left finger. This man was her husband—Fox.

They were a striking couple, but they seemed so different. Where Eva was delicate and vibrant, Fox appeared cold and brooding. Then again, it was probably the same thing people said when they saw me with Rodrigo.

Fox turned those penetrating dark eyes on me. "Ms. Anderson. How are you feeling?"

"Fine, thank you."

He offered me a polite smile. "If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask. My resources are at your disposal."

I nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

Eva patted my arm. "We'll let you rest some more, but I'll stop back tomorrow after I check in at the shop."

The duo disappeared, leaving Rodrigo and me alone. He settled carefully on the edge of the bed and brushed a lock of hair off my cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," I admitted. "Still tired, like I could sleep for another week."

He opened his mouth to speak just as another voice spoke up. "Ms. Anderson. Glad to see you're finally awake."

Rodrigo immediately stood and turned to the man I assumed was the doctor. Just past middle age with salt and pepper hair, he had a kind smile that immediately put me at ease. He crossed the room and gestured toward me. "May I?"

I nodded, and he stepped closer to examine me. He proceeded to check my vitals, then cleaned the wound. "Looks like everything is healing nicely. You'll be sore for quite a while yet, but I think you're out of the woods."

"When can I go back to work?"

"The wound appears to be healing well, so I should expect you can go back in four to six weeks."

My jaw dropped. "I have a shop to run! I can't be out for a whole month!"

"Yes, you can." Rodrigo's tone brooked no argument. "Someone will carry out the regular duties until you're able to come back."

I couldn't hire an assistant even before the accident; now it would be impossible. I didn't have the money for this.

"And no heavy lifting," the doctor was saying. "We need to keep your stitches clean and intact. If anything happens, call me. Otherwise I'll be back in a week to check on you."

He gathered his things and disappeared, and I turned to Rodrigo. "I have to go back to work. I can't?—"

He shook his head. "All you need to do is rest and get better."

Tears scalded my eyes. "I can't afford any of this. I'll never be able to pay Fox back."

He cupped my face with his much larger hands and met my gaze. "Don't worry about the money. I'll take care of it." His thumbs swept over my cheeks, wiping away my tears. "You took care of me. Now it's my turn to take care of you."

Reluctantly, I settled back in the pillows, fatigue already making my mind hazy.

"Sleep, tesoro." Rodrigo kissed my forehead. "I'll be right here when you wake up."