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  She looked frail and walked with a wobble, but she stayed on her feet. “What about the bar? We need to close up and let people know we won’t be open tonight.”

  “Mike will be here any minute.”

  Right after the words left his mouth, the front door opened and Mike walked in.

  “See? Everything will be fine, including you.” He propped her up near the door and talked to Mike to let him know what was going on. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Get everything cleaned up, and I’ll work on getting deliveries of new inventory. Can you handle that?”

  “Sure. Is she okay?”

  Colin shook his head. “She thinks she is, but I’m taking her to the hospital.”

  He put his arm around Elizabeth’s waist. She must’ve really been feeling like crap to not push him away.

  Once in the car, she turned to him, and said, “This is a total waste of time. I know what’s wrong with me. I already talked to my doctor, but he wouldn’t prescribe anything without seeing me. I thought I could wait until I got home.”

  Colin glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he pulled out into traffic. “So now you’re an MD too?”

  “I know my body. I have stomach ulcers. They’ve been under control.”

  “I guess all that stress and lack of sleep is catching up to you.”

  “Stress doesn’t cause ulcers. It just aggravates them.” Her arm wrapped around her middle again.

  He reached out and patted her thigh. “We’ll be there soon.”

  Unfortunately, they had to wait at the hospital. Stomach ulcers apparently weren’t a huge emergency. If only he could convince his heart and nerves of that. He paced in the waiting room, avoiding contact with the sick people sprawling in the chairs.

  “I’m fine. Go back to the bar.”

  “I’m not leaving you in the hospital alone.” How could she even think he’d leave? “Do you want me to call someone? Your parents?”

  Her eyes widened. “God, no.”

  The woman was impossible. His entire family would kill him if he was at the hospital and didn’t call. The antiseptic smell infiltrated his senses. He needed escape. “Sit here. I’m going to make some calls.”

  She waved a hand to dismiss him. He walked through the automatic sliding doors and breathed in the fresh air. Being at the hospital for Patrick’s birth had managed to erase some of the horrid memories he associated with hospitals, but he still hated the place. He pulled out his phone and called the one person he never wanted to ask for help.

  “Hi, Ryan. I really need a favor.”

  “What now?” He sounded tense, but at least he didn’t hang up.

  “My bar was broken into last night. Liquor, TVs, and barware were all destroyed. I need to get deliveries within the next couple of hours so that we can open on time. We’re airing the boxing match, and we have sponsors coming.”

  Ryan sighed.

  “I know I’m asking for a lot, and I swore I wouldn’t need your help, but to top it off, I’m at the hospital right now with Elizabeth.”

  “What happened?”

  “She thinks she’s fine, but she was throwing up blood less than a half hour ago. I can’t leave her here alone. I’ve got a manager and waitresses at the bar cleaning, and I’ll get back there as soon as I know what’s going on here.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I could really use your help.”

  “I have some favors I can call in. Anything specific I need to know?”

  “I’ll take whatever you can get me.”

  “Have you called the family?”

  Colin stopped his pacing. “No, just you. Why would I call anyone else?”

  “A woman you care about is in the hospital, your business is attacked, and you don’t think you should let the family know? Maybe you have been gone too long.”

  How did Ryan know he cared about Elizabeth? He’d never mentioned anything more than them being partners. “Yeah, well, Elizabeth doesn’t know them and wouldn’t want them here. I could probably use a couple of extra hands at the bar, though.”

  “You go take care of Elizabeth. I’ll make the calls to everyone else.” There was another pause. “I still can’t believe that you’re running The Irish.”

  Colin chuckled. “It’s called Brannigan’s Sports Bar now. Wait till you see it.”

  “Give me a call if you need anything else.”

  “Hey, Ry?”

  “Huh?”

  “Thanks. It means a lot.”

  “That’s what family’s for.”

  The conversation had been short, but it was the least stressful interaction they’d had in a long time.

  While Colin was outside, a nurse called Elizabeth into an exam room, if that’s what it could be called. She was sick of this stupid crap. She hadn’t had an attack like this in a year. She explained her symptoms, filled out all of the required paperwork, and gave them the number to her doctor. It was Saturday, so they’d get the emergency line, but Dr. Walsh would call back.

  The burn in her stomach rose up, and she grabbed the yellow plastic pan the nurse had left. She threw up again, hating the taste of bile and blood. She rinsed her mouth with a sip of water, afraid to swallow.

  She wished they would listen and just prescribe the antibiotics that would fix this. She sat on the uncomfortable bed and willed her stomach not to heave anymore. The curtain that gave her little privacy moved aside and the nurse returned.

  “Your fiancé is here.”

  “Fiancé?”

  The nurse’s eyebrows knit, suspicious that she’d been taken.

  “Of course. Send him in,” Elizabeth tried to cover.

  Colin pushed the curtain aside and smiled at the nurse, who blushed. The man could melt chocolate with a glance.

  When the nurse left, Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him. “Fiancé? Couldn’t you have said you were my brother?”

  A corner of his mouth lifted enough to make a dent in his cheek. “Do you really think they’d believe I was your brother once I got back here?”

  He winked and moved closer to the side of the bed. Sitting down, he took her hand and leaned over her.

  She turned her head. “God, don’t kiss me. I puked again.”

  He sighed. “Point taken.”

  He kissed her head and sat back. His thumb caressed her knuckles, and she wanted him to hold her. Not the thoughts of someone in the middle of a temporary fling.

  She closed her eyes. “You can go back to work. They’re going to need all the help they can get. I’m okay.”

  His gaze bore into her, calling her a liar without words.

  “It hurts. A lot. But I’ve been through this before. They’re going to talk to me, run a test, and then prescribe antibiotics. A couple of weeks on medication and I’m as good as new.”

  The warmth of his hand soothed her as he continued to stroke her knuckles rhythmically. “I hope you’re right.”

  He didn’t say any more, but Elizabeth began to feel smothered by his presence. She was used to being alone. It was how she spent most of her life. Traveling to different cities, working, she didn’t have room for a lot of permanent things.

  Colin was starting to feel permanent.

  She needed space. He had to go.

  “You’re tensing up again. Relax.”

  “I’m worried about the bar,” she lied. Sure, the bar was a pressing matter, but it wasn’t encroaching on her ability to breathe. That was all Colin.

  “It’s being taken care of.”

  The curtain swooshed open and the doctor walked in. He nodded at her and looked at the chart. “Ms. Brannigan.”

  “Do you want me to leave?” Colin asked.

  Yes. She squeezed his hand. “No.”

  The doctor, Dr. Weiss, flipped the chart closed and looked at her. “I’ve spoken to your primary physician and we both think we should do an endoscopy to make sure the bleeding is under control.”

  “Can’t you just give me the antibiotics? They worked last time.”
r />   “I will, but you told the nurse you’ve been vomiting blood for a few days. We need to make sure the problem isn’t bigger than a simple ulcer.”

  Elizabeth felt Colin’s glare when he heard Dr. Weiss. She’d been able to keep the severity of her condition from Colin. In truth, being with him helped. She was always more relaxed around him, and it wasn’t just the great orgasms. They shared meals together and his attitude was calming.

  And now she was trying to get rid of him.

  She sighed. “Okay. What’s the next step?”

  “As long as you’re here, we’ll admit you and do the test first thing in the morning. Barring any problems, you should be home by lunch.”

  “Let’s get this over with then.”

  Dr. Weiss left, and she turned to Colin. “Can you bring me the numbers for the bowling guys so I can cancel them for tomorrow?”

  “I’ll take care of everything. You rest and focus on getting better.”

  “I can’t do that if I’m worrying about my business.” She pushed up in the bed.

  He gently pushed her back down. “Our business. I told you I’ll handle it.”

  “You can’t handle it from here.”

  “I’m going back to the bar as soon as you’re settled in.”

  “I don’t need you here to settle me in. Go to work. Who knows what else might fall apart.”

  He stood and paced, like he needed to decide. Then he huffed out a breath. “Do you want me to bring you a bag or anything? I could go to your hotel room.”

  His strange bouts of generosity freaked her out. Her chest tightened and she clenched her jaw so it wouldn’t tremble. Thinking about the thin hospital gowns made up her mind. “I’d love to have my own clothes.”

  “I’ll get everything going at the bar and then come back. Where’s your room key?”

  She tossed her purse at him. “It’s in here. I need to go to the bathroom.”

  He grabbed her arm to help her up. “Do you want me to help?”

  “I can manage to pee on my own. Thanks.”

  She kicked off her heels and walked in her stocking feet to the bathroom. While on the toilet, she stripped off the pantyhose and tossed them in the trash. When she was done, she splashed cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth again. The pain in her abdomen was a dull rumble now. She could function like this.

  Hell, she had been functioning like this.

  She went back to bed to find Colin putting her purse back on the nightstand.

  “You sure you don’t want me to call someone?”

  “I’m fine. They’ll get me in a room, and I’ll probably go right to sleep.” She sat back on the bed.

  “Call me if you need anything.”

  She nodded.

  His fingers tilted her chin until her eyes met his. “Seriously. Anything, and I’ll be here.”

  She managed to croak out a whispered “Thanks.”

  He left the room as the nurse returned with a wheelchair.

  “I can walk.”

  “Rules are rules, Ms. Brannigan. Let’s get you to a room.”

  Colin left the hospital, grateful to get away, but swamped by the catalog of things he needed to take care of. First, he’d call Elizabeth’s friend. No matter what Elizabeth said, she shouldn’t be alone in the hospital. While she’d been in the bathroom, he’d copied Janie’s number from her cell phone. Before getting into his car, he dialed.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, may I speak to Janie?”

  “Speaking.” Her voice was cautious.

  “Hi, you probably don’t remember me, Colin O’Leary, but I’m Elizabeth Brannigan’s partner.”

  “Oh, I remember you, all right.” The tension in her voice eased a fraction. “How’d you get my number?”

  “I got it from Elizabeth. I’m calling because she’s in the hospital.”

  “What? Why?”

  “She says it’s stomach ulcers, and they’re going to run tests, but she’s staying overnight. She pushed me out to go back to the bar because we have some problems there, but she’s alone. She didn’t want me to call her family.” He glared out across the parking lot, wondering why.

  “No!” Janie’s voice screamed out. “I’m sorry. It’s just that Elizabeth’s family won’t exactly put her at ease. Give me the information, and I’ll stop by to see her.”

  Relief eased into his shoulders as he gave her the details. He said good-bye and started the car. Next up, get back to the bar and see how fast they could put everything back together. Moments later, his phone rang.

  “Hey, Mike. I’m on my way now. Any more problems?”

  “Uh, no, not exactly. Some guy came in and said he’s your brother. I mean, he looks like you, but then he started carrying in boxes of stuff, including new TVs.”

  Colin smiled. Ryan had come through. “I’ll be there in a little bit. Just do whatever he needs.”

  The knowledge that in a pinch his brother had come through for him made him feel good. For the first time in a long while, they felt like a team again. Colin pulled up at the bar.

  Inside, a hive of activity exploded. He scanned the area. Broken glass and puddles had been cleaned, Mike was restocking the shelves with liquor, and Ryan stood on a ladder attaching a new TV to the wall. Although part of him swelled with pride, a small prick of doubt told him he was still unnecessary.

  “ ’Bout time you got your ass in gear. Get over here and help with this,” Ryan called.

  Colin shook his head, but headed over and helped Ryan balance the TV.

  Once it was up, Ryan eyed him. “How’s Elizabeth?”

  Colin shrugged. “She says she’s fine. It’s stomach ulcers she’s had before.”

  “But?”

  “She was throwing up blood. It rattled me enough that I forced her to go to the hospital, only to find out that the blood had been going on for days. I knew she’d been chewing antacids for weeks, but I hadn’t expected that.” Until speaking with Ryan, he didn’t realize how scared he’d been. Something deep down tightened, and he attempted to uncoil it without inspection. He stretched his shoulders and rolled his head.

  “But she’ll be okay.” Although it was a statement, Ryan’s voice went up at the end in uncertainty.

  “Yeah.”

  Ryan pointed to another TV that needed to be installed. He ripped open the box. “Do you need to go back?”

  “I called one of her friends to stay with her. I’ll go back later tonight. I don’t think they’ll let me spend the night or anything.” But he’d thought about it. He wanted to. As much as the thought of being in the hospital freaked him out, he wanted to be with Elizabeth.

  He worked side by side with his little brother in a way they hadn’t done in a long time. The work and companionship settled him. He looked at Ryan. They’d wasted so much time over the past few years.

  “Thanks, man. It means a lot to me that you did this.”

  “We’re family. I know I’ve been critical of you, especially when it came to you getting involved with this bar, but you were right. It looks better than ever, and that’s because of you. Dad would be proud.”

  The words hung between them, a weight neither wanted to acknowledge. Colin hadn’t gained his father’s approval before his dad’s death, and he didn’t need Ryan’s, but getting it made an impression.

  Then Ryan punched him in the shoulder. “So what’s this thing with you and Elizabeth?”

  “We’re partners.”

  Ryan snorted. “You need to sell that a little better if you want it to work around the family. Moira’ll get one whiff and you’re toast.”

  Colin rolled his eyes. “I like her. We’re involved, but it’s nothing serious. Once we get everything working, she’s going back to Florida. We’re having fun while she’s here.”

  The words sounded hollow, even to his own ears.

  The entire staff worked together to get the bar open on time and they succeeded. Ryan left right before they opened, and part of Colin want
ed him to stay, not to continue helping, but just to hang out. The evening started out slow, but as it got closer to the beginning of the boxing match, the bar filled.

  Since it was a pay-per-view event, many of the neighbors walked in, knowing it would be cheaper to buy a few beers here to enjoy the match than to order it themselves. Marissa and Erin buzzed around nonstop while he and Mike worked the bar. The beer girls wove in between tables giggling with every man in the place. The waitresses followed in their wake to up-sell shots. He’d known the sponsorship would pan out.

  Even as he chatted up customers, Colin’s mind was elsewhere. He couldn’t stop thinking of Elizabeth. He’d hoped Janie had stayed with her. He watched the clock and the customers. As much as he wanted this night to be a success, he wanted them all to go home so he’d be free to go back to the hospital.

  Colin hadn’t known it was possible to be that exhausted. Even with the main event ending in a knockout in the first round, they’d been jammed all night. He’d decided to close a little early. He engaged the slide bolt lock on the basement door that he’d installed as an extra security measure and double-checked each door. Neither he nor Elizabeth could handle another hit to the business. Every inch of him ached and his eyelids had become sandpaper.

  In Elizabeth’s hotel room, he stared longingly at the bed. The scent of her cinnamon body wash filled the bathroom. He quickly grabbed her stuff and shoved it into the duffel he’d brought. He opened and closed every drawer in search of pajamas. Silky underwear slipped through his fingers. No way was he going to let her wear that in a hospital.

  He closed his eyes and pictured her. She slept naked beside him every night. The only time he’d seen her wear anything was when she pulled on one of his T-shirts. He shrugged and grabbed the shirt she seemed to favor and a pair of shorts. He checked the closet and only found her damn business suits. She’d want something comfortable to wear home tomorrow. But the woman didn’t own anything comfortable.