“Whatever,” she grumbled.
“Megan?”
At the sound of Johnnie’s voice, Meggie tipped her head back and released an irritated sigh. “Oh god,” she said dramatically. Well, she’d wanted a diversion. Glancing toward the door, she saw Johnnie leaning in and beckoning her. She considered refusing Johnnie. He wouldn’t seek her out for pleasantries, butthe sooner she spoke to him, the sooner he’d leave. “Narci, wheel me into the hallway.”
His shoulders sagged and a relieved smile curved his mouth. “You got it, er, uh…what should I call you?”
“By my name, moron. Have I told you not to call me Meggie?”
“No, no, no. Don’t get upset with me–”
“Shut up. Tell me what’s wrong or stop how you’re behaving this minute.”
Not answering, Narci wheeled her into the hallway, halting her in front of her brother-in-law.
“What, Johnnie?” she demanded.
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I need to talk to you,” he said with hard-to-miss urgency.
“Does it have anything to do with Narci acting like an idiot?”
Johnnie exchanged a perplexed glance with Narci, then shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going on with him. This is something different. Please, Megan. It’s life-or-death.”
“Yours?” she grouched.
He reached out a hand to touch her, but she leaned away, glaring at him.
“Just hear me out. Please? I’m begging you.”
Christopher was probably on his way back to the hospital and she didn’t want to upset him any further. If he found her alone with Johnnie in this quiet, dimly lit hallway, he’d go ballistic. Besides, Johnnie wasn’t trustworthy. She didn’t trust being alone with him. “Take me out where the guys are in the waiting area, Narci.”
Johnnie stood in front of her wheelchair and refused to move.
“I’d…we’d…like to talk to you in private.”
“We?”
Clearing his throat, he nodded, unease sliding across his face. “Alone.”
“No. You must be out of your mind. Who’s the other person?”
“Easton.”
“Excuse me?”
“Easton,” Johnnie repeated on a mumble. “It’s urgent.”
“Wait for Christopher,” Meggie said flatly. “This is obviously club business.”
“It’s a delicate family matter, sweetheart. I swear I wouldn’t ask you otherwise.”
Still not trusting Johnnie, Meggie decided against refusing him. If it really was about her family, she needed to know the seriousness of the situation. “We can talk amongst ourselves in the waiting area,” she relented. “That’s my only offer.”
Johnnie nodded. “Deal.”
Only the squeaks of the chair wheels broke the silence as they made their way to ground zero for the club members, located in the big open waiting area outside the doors to her private wing.
The moment Narci wheeled her to where Easton waited, the club members stood and clapped, cheering and whistling.
