'Zach...' Her voice barely functioned, little more than a hoarse croak coming from her lips as she tried to speak.
'I'm right here.' He was by her side in an instant and she felt a rush of panic.
'Phoebe?'
'Alive and well.' A muscle worked in his jaw. 'Thanks to you.'
'Oh, thank God...' She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. 'I really thought...'
She didn't want to tell him what she'd thought, but he read her mind and sat down on the edge of her bed, his hand covering her uninjured one.
'I can imagine what you thought. And I can't thank you enough, Keely.' He rubbed his forehead and shook his head slowly. 'I don't know what to say to you. I don't know how to even begin to thank you.'
'You don't have to thank me. I'm just glad she's all right. I was so worried.' Her voice was getting stronger and she didn't feel anywhere near as bad as she thought she should. 'My throat's sore, Zach.'
'It will be.' He nodded. 'You were intubated.'
Her eyes widened. 'Really?'
'Really.' He gave a tired smile. 'For a while back there it was touch and go. You gave me a fright.'
She closed her eyes and breathed out. 'You poor thing. You must have been so worried about little Phoebe.'
'I was equally worried about you,' he said quietly, his eyes fixed on her face. 'Whatever possessed you to take such a risk, Keely? To go into a burning house? You could have been killed.'
A vivid picture of the heat and the flames filled her mind and she shuddered.
'Don't talk about it—I've never been so scared in my life.'
His jaw tightened. 'But you still did it...'
'I had to find Phoebe.' Her face was serious.
'How did you know she was in there? Barbara said that no one had actually seen her enter the house. You could have been risking your life for nothing.'
'I knew she was in there.' Keely smiled weakly. 'She lost her bear again and she's always dropping it in the playroom. I didn't really have a choice. What if I hadn't gone in, Zach? By the time the fire engines arrived she'd have—'
'Don't!' He interrupted her roughly and shook his head, obviously unable to contemplate such an awful scenario. 'I just can't believe you took such a risk for my daughter.'
'I love her, Zach.'
His eyes locked with hers. 'I owe you so much.'
She shook her head and her eyes filled with tears. 'You don't owe me anything, Zach. I'm just glad she's OK. Where is she now?'
'On the ward. They're keeping her in for observation.'
'I'll pop down and see her later.' Keely looked hesitantly at Zach. 'That's if you don't mind, of course...'
Was he still anxious to keep her away from his daughter?
'Keely, don't!' Zach's voice was gruff and his grip on her hand tightened. 'Don't remind me what a total idiot I've been. Will you ever forgive me?'
He thought he'd been an idiot? What did that mean? What was he saying?
He looked at her steadily, his blue eyes searching every inch of her pale face.
'This really isn't the time or the place, but there's something I need to say to you.' His voice was rough and his grip on her hand tightened.