Ares folded himself into the chair beside me. “Better?”
Like one hundred percent. I capped the water. “Yeah. Thanks.”
“No problem.” He eyed me. “You need anything else?”
He appeared genuine about the ask and almost worried, which was a new look for him. Ares definitely cared about few people outside himself, and like a million percent not about me. He and his friends were cut from the same cloth.
I rubbed my hands on my shorts, saying nothing. I shook my head, and he sat back.
“Is it that bad?” he asked, sounding worried now. “Bru? He all right?”
I wished I could tell him. I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“No, they won’t tell me anything.” These people were being assholes, point-blank. I wet my lips. “I rode over in the ambulance with Bru, but when I got here, they took him back and told me I had to wait in the waiting room. He was stable, but they wouldn’t let me go with him because some kind of accident just happened in the area.”
“An accident?”
“Yeah, something on the highway,” I said. “Basically, they aren’t letting a lot of people back there. Just doctors and staff.” That’d been hours ago, hours with no news. “I keep asking for updates, but they aren’t telling me anything.”
I pushed my hands over my face, still in my fucking bed clothes. I’d barely gotten a chance to put shoes on in the middle of all this.
I literally thought I was going to lose my shit, all this too fucking much.
Ares got up. “I’m going to go talk to someone.” He shrugged. “Get some answers.”
I pulled my hands over my head, lacing my fingers behind my neck. “I already tried that. These people are being complete bitches.”
What I said made him chuckle, his hands diving into his hoodie pockets. He leaned forward. “No offense, little, but you’re not me.”
He sauntered away after that, casually striding up to the front desk. I watched in fascination as he chatted up who was easily a college girl behind the reception desk.
Her cheeks colored the tint of a stop sign, and right away, she got up after talking to him. My lips parted when she waved him to follow her.
He did, of course, but not before passing me a wink. He disappeared behind the hospital doors after her and was gone for about ten minutes before he returned. He came back with a chocolate bar and a smile on his lips.
He tossed the chocolate to me. “Bru’s fine. He’s sleeping.” What the fuck? “I didn’t see him, but I spoke to his doctor personally. He’s resting and stable, and you’re welcome for the chocolate, by the way.” He leaned forward. “Blair showed me where all the good snacks were.”
I noticed Blair was missing, and I wondered what other delights might have been exchanged back there. Ares had only had a few minutes, but something told me that probably didn’t matter. I sat back. “How did you just do that?”
He might have gotten a college girl to do what he wanted, but getting a doctor to stop and talk to him was different.
Then again, if she’d been a female doctor…
His big shoulders popped. “My family has a lot of influence over this hospital. When I come through, people move their feet.”
Aka they most likely donated a crap-ton of money. He didn’t say this, but he might as well have. Money was influence. Money talked.
His lips tightened a beat before he continued. He outlined his lips. “Anyway, his doctor says he’s fine. Bru’s actually not even down here anymore.”
I stood. “Where is he?”
“Since he’s stable, they’ve moved him to another wing of the hospital. He needs to stay overnight for observation.”
“Why didn’t they tell me?”
Ares pushed his hands into his pockets. “I guess they got a hold of y’all’s guardian. Spoke to the guy personally, and he agreed with the plan of action.” His eyebrows narrowed. “It seems your Montgomery took care of everything.”