He should have just left him.
He’d been gone less than four days. He didn’t think anything would happen in that time.
He’d been wrong.
He was never leaving her again. She was far too precious to him. He ignored a warning from a nurse to slow down and moved to the room number he’d been given, opening the door.
And he froze at the sight that greeted him.
He knew Archer was with her. It was the only thing that had kept him sane. When he’d talked to Archer, she’d been sleeping, but Archer had given him the lowdown. Her cabin had caught on fire, it and everything in it was completely gone. She’d run into a burning fucking building to grab a damn toy. He’d sworn long and loudly upon hearing that.
Archer had to calm him down, reminding him that she hadn’t been thinking rationally. That she’d lost everything.
She was in the hospital with second-degree burns to her hands and suffering from smoke inhalation. If she had someone to take care of her, they would likely release her tomorrow.
Well, he’d see to that. She was coming home with him and she’d be lucky if she wasn’t grounded until she was fifty.
Later. That could all come later. Once he’d ensured her health.
But none of that was what made him pause in the doorway. He was struck still as Archer wiped Caley’s face gently with a napkin. Then he picked up a sandwich, feeding her.
It was an innocent gesture. There was nothing untoward about any of it. But there was something so intimate in the way they stared at each other.
Doc studied his brother, noticed the soft smile on his face. Then he looked to Caley. She stared up at Archer, happiness radiating from her.
He frowned. Something stirred inside him. Jealousy? Suspicion?
“What’s going on here?”
26
She started choking on the sandwich that Archer had just fed her. He ended up leaning her forward and patting her back.
“Spit it out, love. Spit it out!” He held his hand cupped under her mouth.
Eww. Gross.
“Caley, spit. Now.”
She spat it out, her nose wrinkling in disgust. Archer didn’t look as though it bothered him in the slightest. He just grabbed a napkin and wiped up the mess.
“Issy. Why did you have to yell like that? This is a hospital. She’s recovering.” Archer turned to glare at his brother.
Issy was here.
She smiled as she turned to look at him. Then she saw something hard on his face. Her smile dropped. Why was he so upset? Was it something she’d done? But how?
Did he not want her anymore?
Panic flooded her. Archer turned to her; his eyes filled with concern. “Don’t worry, love. He’s not angry at you.”
“Don’t call her that.” Issy stepped forward, his hands curled into fists. “How long?”
“What?” she asked. “How long what?”
“Hush, love,” Archer said quietly. “He’s not talking to you.”
Archer had been her rock since he arrived. He’d cajoled her into eating. Kept her entertained. Cheered her up when she’d fallen apart. She didn’t know what she would have done without him. And she didn’t understand why Issy was so angry.