“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Dr. Knight gave me a rundown of dos and don’ts, much of which I already knew, but I listened keenly anyway. When she was finished, I thanked her, and Ivy waved bye with her good hand. We walked out into the waiting room, Ivy perched on my hip with her lollipop clutched tight in her little fist. Ozzie was alone in the area, his eyes rimmed red, face blotchy.
“She’s fine, Ozzie,” I said. “Aren’t you, Ivy?”
“Ozzie, look!” She shoved her purple cast under his nose. “I got a sticker.”
Ozzie’s mouth trembled, but he smiled for her sake. “That’s a pretty sticker for a pretty little girl.”
“Will you draw a cat for me?” she asked him.
“Of course.”
I shifted her weight against me and met Ozzie’s eyes. “See. Almost as good as new. The doctor said it’s a buckle fracture. She’ll heal up fine.”
Ozzie’s voice cracked. “I don’t know if I can forgive myself. I should’ve been watching her. One bathroom break?—”
I shook my head firmly. “Don’t. Kids slip away. It happens. She’s all right. That’s what matters. You love her, and she knows it. I know it, and so does Hudson. That’s enough.”
His eyes filled again, but he nodded, pressing his lips together.
“Where’s Dad?”
“He went out to ask around for Hudson.”
I frowned, worry gnawing in my stomach. This was unlike him.
We stepped into the reception together, Ivy humming softly around her candy in her mouth. The sliding doors opened, and Dad stepped in, his hat low, and his face grim.
Something was wrong.
Hudson.
My heart clenched with fear.
“Ozzie, why don’t you take Ivy out to the car for a bit?” he said gently. “I need a word with Matty.”
Ozzie frowned but nodded. He kissed Ivy’s hair and took her from me, murmuring about picking out her favorite song for the ride home.
The second they were out of earshot, Dad turned to me. “I found Hudson.”
“Then where is he?”
“In jail.”
The words hit like a kick to the chest. I blinked, stunned. “What?”
Gray’s jaw flexed. “From what I could gather, he caused a scene at the bank. He and Grant got into an argument, and Hudson knocked him out cold.”
I just stood there, stunned, my pulse hammering in my ears. “Jesus Christ,” I muttered. “Hudson… I told him to leave it alone.”
I strode to the entrance but barely made it outside before Dad’s hand on my arm pulled me back. “Leave what alone? What the hell is going on?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s sure as hell not nothing. Hudson wouldn’t put himself in this position except for Ivy.” He sucked in a deep breath. “Or you. Now, am I going to find out what it is from you, or do I need to see Grant?”
