“Hey there, Frankie.” Roman’s head lolled against the pillow, and he gave her a goofy smile. “I was wondering when you’d turn up.”
“I’ll leave you two alone.” Paige gave her a pat on the arm. “You need anything, I’ll be at the station just out there.”
“Thanks, Paige.” Frankie let out a long breath. “How are you feeling?” Frankie stood at the foot of his bed, more uncertain than she could ever remember feeling. That was strange, because she always knew what to do. Even when she didn’t, she moved through the uncertainty with purpose and calm. But seeing this strong man looking as if he’d gone ten rounds with Godzilla left her hesitant about what to do next. She partly wanted to yell at him for scaring her—the other part wanted to throw her arms around him. She couldn’t help it, she’d been worried.
“I feel great.” He looked to the side, then the other side and back at her. “Everything’s really, really great.”
Frankie covered her mouth with her hand before her smile emerged. “Do you remember what happened?”
“Splat!” Roman tried to smack his hands together and missed by a mile. “Ladder just went whoosh and I went splat. And from what people tell me, I made a decided thunk.”
This time, Frankie had to turn away to hide the laugh. It took a bit longer than expected to get herself under control, but eventually she faced him again. On the nightstand, his phone buzzed.
“Darn thing hasn’t stopped ringing since I got here.” Roman pointed at the phone and frowned. “Stop that.”
“How about we see who it is?” Frankie picked up the phone. Roman grabbed her arm, his fingers warm on her skin. “What?”
“Splat!”
“Got it. We’ll call you Splatman from now on, okay?”
“O-kay!” Roman gave her a thumbs-up as his eyes began to droop. Yeah, he’d be out for the count any time now.
“Hey, Roman?” She held up his phone. “It’s your mother.”
“Uh-oh. She’s got her mom-dar working overtime.” Roman sighed. “She always knows when something’s happened. Always knows. Let it go. She’ll call back. Hey, Frankie?”
The call ended. Frankie didn’t like the idea of his mother worrying. She might not be an expert when it came to mother-child relationships, but she’d seen parental intuition at work. Parents knew when something was wrong with their kid, no matter how old they got.
“Yo, Frankie!” Roman’s voice raised.
“Shh.” Frankie stepped closer to the bed. “There are other patients here, you know. Stop being such a loudmouth.”
“Frankie.” Roman smiled again. That sparkling, chest-clenching smile that had her grinning. “You’re a knockout, Frankie Bettencourt. Did I tell you that?”
“Ah.” Frankie’s cheeks went hotter than an inferno. “No, you did not.” But the way he’d kissed her the other day had given her an inkling. That said, now was not the time or place to have this discussion with her boss.
“Because I shouldn’t say it,” Roman said in a singsongy voice. “Nope. Can’t tell the knockout fireman...woman...person I work with that she is a sight to behold. That is R-O-N-G-E, wrong.” He lifted a finger to his lips. “Shh. Don’t tell Frankie I told you. I think she might punch me for it.”
Frankie glanced over her shoulder and found Paige leaning against the door frame, chuckling.
“I won’t say a word,” Frankie promised. “How about you get some sleep, big guy.”
“Splatman,” Roman mumbled as his eyes drifted closed.
“Oh, he’s going to be so sorry he said that,” Frankie told Paige as she picked up his phone again. “If he’s looking for this, let him know I have it. I’d better get back to the station. Um. How much medication did you give him?”
Paige laughed and walked out with her. “Enough he won’t remember a word he said. But I’m betting you might.”
“All the calls and hospital runs I’ve been on, I’ve received my share of confused injury-induced compliments,” Frankie said. “They don’t tend to stick in my head.” But this one? Something told her this one would be the exception. Frankie texted Jasper to pick her up at the hospital, where she’d been dropped off earlier.
* * *
TODAY, FRANKIE THOUGHT, might end up being the longest day of her life. She looked outside and found the sun continuing to stream. It had only been a few hours since she’d seen Roman at the hospital, but that seemed ages ago as she watched her brother and Ozzy bring furniture up from the basement. “And it’s not over yet.”