'Mr Jordan?' The ward sister interrupted them, her expression serious. 'I'm sorry to disturb you but Paeds are on the phone. Your daughter is asking for you—and A and E have phoned twice while you've been up here. There's been a pile-up on the motorway and they're desperate for your help.'
Zach tipped his head back and muttered under his breath while Keely carefully hid her frustration. Obviously she was going to have to wait to find out what he wanted to say to her. The man was being pulled in different directions as usual.
The ward sister looked apologetic. 'What shall I tell Paeds?'
Keely struggled into a sitting position. 'Tell them to bring Phoebe up here. I'll keep her company until her daddy has finished in A and E.' She glanced nervously at Zach. 'If that's OK with you, of course.'
What would he say?
Would he refuse?
Was he still trying to keep her away from his daughter?
'You're not well enough to entertain a toddler.' He frowned at her and she sank back onto her pillows.
'I'll be fine. I want to see her, Zach. The staff here will help—'
'Well, of course we will.' The sister rose to the challenge and gave Keely a wink. 'I've got a niece and nephew of the same age so I'm sure I can cope with your daughter on my ward.'
Zach and Keely exchanged smiles. The woman had no idea of Phoebe's capacity for mischief.
'If you're sure you're up to it...' He leaned forward and brushed his lips against her forehead, a look of frustration crossing his handsome features. 'There's so much I want to say to you but it's obviously going to have to wait. Tell Phoebe I'll be up to see her when I've finished downstairs.'
She stared up at him, her eyes feasting on his firm mouth and his dark jaw. His calm strength surrounded her and she felt deliciously warm and safe after the horrors of the fire.
What did he want to say to her?
Keely watched him go and then closed her eyes, forcing herself not to hope for something that wasn't going to happen. In the meantime, she needed to talk to the doctor. In private. There was something she needed to ask him...
It was several hours later when Zach took the stairs two at a time and pushed open the door to the ward. He'd been in
A and E longer than he'd planned and he was worried about Keely.
'Oh, Mr Jordan.' The ward sister intercepted him, catching his arm and stopping him in mid-stride. 'I'm going to have to ask you to be quiet, I'm afraid. They're both asleep.'
'Asleep?' His brows met in a deep frown and he glanced towards Keely's room. 'My daughter's asleep, too? Did you put another bed in the room?'
The ward sister sighed and gave a rueful smile. 'I'm afraid not. It's against all the rules, of course, but your daughter was fretting so we overlooked it on this occasion. She's asleep in Dr Thompson's bed.'
Zach walked quietly to the side ward and paused in the doorway, something squeezing his heart as he stared at his daughter who was fast asleep, her sweet little body cuddled against Keely.
And Keely was asleep, too, each Of them holding the other tightly.
'Phoebe's a very lucky girl, Mr Jordan,' the ward sister said softly, her eyes resting on the pair in the bed. 'To have someone who loves her as much as that. Dr Thompson's in a great deal of pain but she insisted on reading to your daughter and cuddling her in the bed. When she heard that you were still busy downstairs she was determined that the child would sleep with her until you were available.'
For the first time in his adult life Zach felt a lump building in his throat, and gave a cough to clear it.
'You're right, of course,' he said gruffly. 'Phoebe is lucky.'
Totally exhausted from the events of the day, he gave a nod of thanks to the ward sister and stepped quietly into the darkened room.
He wanted to make sure that he was there when they both woke up.
Still half-asleep Keely suddenly realised that she was hot and then bit back a gasp of pain as a little body wriggled onto her burnt arm.
'OK, young lady...' Zach's deep voice came from right beside her and almost immediately Phoebe was lifted out of the bed. 'Sorry about that. I was waiting for her to wake up but I must have drifted off. Are you all right?'
Keely winced and managed a smile. 'I'm great,' she lied, trying to ignore the pain in her throat, her chest and her hand.