“It’s not a job at McDonald’s. The show’s been scheduled for a month. The rests of the band is counting on me.”
“But your Dad’s in the ER—”“
“I know where my dad is. I can’t do anything here. My dad and I would only argue about me singing at Dunc’s—”
“He’s right about Duncan’s.” I’d last seen her sing at her dad’s Fourth of July party. I thought she and Sterling were going to come to blows over that. Sterling had a pretty limited idea of what ladies should do, and lately he’d been even more vocal about it. “That place gets awful wild.”
“You should come. I’ll make sure they take real good care of you and Maisy.”
“Of course I can’t come.” Oh God. The noise, the flashing lights, and the alcohol? Last thing I needed. “I’d rather be here for Uncle Sterling.”
She shuddered. “I despise hospitals. People die in these places all the damn time.”
The woman sitting across from us shot Andi a filthy look.
In typical Andi fashion, she leaned over and addressed her directly. “Sorry.”
She turned to me, crossed her feet at the ankles, and grinned.
Black lace-up work boots made of some kind of high-end leather embroidered with red roses, they clomped when she moved her feet. No doubt they had steel toes. Our girl was part ranch hand and part diva and she’d come into some cash. Together, we watched the sour-faced woman walk away. I felt bad because maybe she was worried about someone she loved, and there Andi went, being all Andi.
“Is that your idea of empathy?” I asked.
She wrinkled her nose. “Foreign concept. Why put yourself in other people’s shoes if you like the ones you’ve got on better?”
I thought—hoped—she was joking. “I love you despite that nasty attitude.”
“Nobody ever paid me to be nice.” Then she linked our arms, put her head down on my shoulder, and whispered, “This isn’t real, right? Dad’s too mean to die.”
“Nobody knows yet.”
“Fuck that. He’ll be fine.” Her determined chin came up. “He’s Sterling goddamn Chandler, isn’t he? He’s going to be just fine.”
“Sure he is,” I said as she settled down next to me to wait. The hospital paging system came to life every few minutes, calling out doctors’ names and codes. Wheels squeaked toward us as a man rolled a janitorial cart into the waiting room. He mopped the floor where someone had spilled coffee, leaving a few of those yellowPiso Mojado/Wet Floor signs in his wake. The floor in the ER always needs mopping.
I’ve spent so much time waiting in these places.
When the code blue sounded and we saw a crash cart go by, Andi stiffened. I put my arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “There’s a ton of people in there, honey. Don’t borrow trouble.”
“He’s right.” Declan had returned from the nurse’s station. “They still need to do some tests but in the meantime, your father’s in stable condition.”
Andi searched his face. “What does that mean?”
“It means they’re watching and waiting and we’ll find out more as they know. More important, though”—he pointed at me—“you need to keep to your schedule. Did you even get any sleep last night?”
I nodded. “Some. In the car.”
Doc shook his head. “Not good enough. Andi and Ryder will take you to Foz and Elena.”
“We’ve got a long drive ahead of us,” Ryder stood and stretched. Shoulder to shoulder with the Doc, he looked worn out but well.
I rose from my chair. “Aren’t you going back with them?”
Declan shook his head. “I’ll go back later when we know more about Sterling.”
“Sterling won’t thank you for your trouble.” Ryder’s concern for the Doc’s feelings warmed me. “You can take Andi back and I’ll stay.”
“Jonas needs his dad. You go. I can help Elena and Foz when they come back.” Declan kissed the side of Ry’s jaw just under his ear. If I hadn’t been watching so closely I wouldn’t have seen Ry’s little shiver of pleasure.
