The redheaded nurse returned the hug, said something else to him and then picked up a chart and disappeared down the labyrinth of hallways, giving me my opening to approach. Asa turned just as I reached him and his whiskey-colored eyes widened in shock as I put my hands on the center of his chest and gave him a solid shove. He fell back a step and caught himself on the edge of the desk where he had been snuggling with the nurse a moment ago.

“Royal is hurt and you’re already lining up her replacement? I told you if you broke her heart again I was going to break you.” The words snapped out harsh and fast, fueled by worry and anger.

Asa held his hands up and then moved them to shove back his sandy hair. “That nurse is engaged to one of my closest friends in case you missed the sparkler on her finger.” He lifted his tawny eyebrows at me. “She also used to live across the hall from Royal and considers her her best friend, so she’s just as worried as you and I are. Something you would know if you bothered to meet the new people in her life, Dom.”

I winced as a bolt of shame went through me. He had a point. When I got hurt, Royal had spiraled down into a dangerous depression and it wasn’t me that stopped her fall. It was her new group of friends, and this man who had been there for her without fail. I hadn’t made any kind of effort to meet them because it was a painful reminder that life and all the people I loved most in it moved on, grew, changed, while I was stuck just waiting to see if my body would heal. Everyone was going forward and I was stuck on pause. I hated it and kind of resented that while I couldn’t do anything about my situation, Royal’s life had become so full and vibrant. If I had been thinking clearly I probably would have put two and two together and realized the nurse was her friend Saint, who Royal talked about pretty much all the time.

I grumbled a weak apology that Asa graciously accepted. “What happened? Did she get hurt at work?” I was picturing a high-speed chase gone wrong, or a desperate suspect ramming into her patrol car trying to flee the scene of the crime.

Asa shook his head and heaved a deep sigh. “She was driving home from the grocery store and a kid texting ran a red light and T-boned her right on the driver’s side. The Four-Runner flipped, but she had her seat belt on, thank God.” He rubbed his hands over his face and I could see the pain and worry bright in his gaze. “She was in and out of consciousness at the scene, so they brought her in and rushed her in for a CT scan. Other than that, she got a wicked gash on her arm from broken glass and was complaining that it hurt to breathe, so she might have a couple busted ribs. Saint said she would come and let me know when they move her back into a room after the scan.” He blew out a breath and lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life, when Saint called and said there was an accident and that Royal was being rushed in.”

I nodded a little and felt some of the resentment I had towards this man who held my best friend’s heart in his hands fade. “I felt the same way when you called me. I automatically thought it had something to do with work.”

He swore under his breath. “Yeah. I worry about that call all the time, too, but it’s what she does, so it’s just part of loving her.”

That was surprisingly understanding, and I was starting to really see what Royal saw in this man aside from his obvious physical appeal.

“I called her mom. So she will be putting in an appearance at some point in time.” I watched as his jaw involuntarily clenched.

“Thanks for the warning.” He sounded like I had just told him the world was going to end and he was going to have to sit dockside and watch it all happen.

I wasn’t exactly a fan of Royal’s mom either, but there was something more to why Asa seemed to flat-out despise her. I wanted to ask about it, but I figured it could wait for another time. The pretty redheaded nurse was walking back towards us and this time there was no missing the sparkling diamond on her left ring finger. It wasn’t flashy or ostentatious but it was there and I felt like a total tool and a really shitty cop for not being more observant and getting all the facts before attacking Asa.

“She’s back in the room. She had a pretty ugly concussion that they want to keep under observation for a little bit and she’s gonna need pain meds for that cut on her arm. She’s probably going to want to follow up with a plastic surgeon.”

I blinked. “It’s that bad?”

The woman turned the softest, kindest gray eyes I had ever seen in my direction and looked at me quizzically.

Asa motioned between us. “Saint Ford, meet the elusive Dominic Voss, and might I say it’s about fucking time.” His twang was anything but sweet when he said it.

The redhead took a step forward and I thought she was going to reach for my hand, so I was stunned when she went right around the extended offering and went right in for a hug. I had to admit when her arms wrapped around my waist I felt a little better.

“Uh … nice to meet you, Saint.”

It sounded like she sniffled a little into my chest, so I patted her on the back. She pulled away from me and her eyes were indeed glassy with unshed tears when she looked up at me. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Dominic. I feel like I already know you. Royal talks about you all the time, and I was here the night they brought you in. Well, here but not on duty. I remember the trauma team thinking the prognosis wasn’t all that great, so I’m really happy to see you up and around.” She cleared her throat a little and turned to look back at Asa. “She’s got two broken ribs and a few that are really, really bruised. She’s not going to be moving around much the next few weeks.”

He nodded. “I’ll take care of her.”

She gave him a little grin. “I know you will, but if she needs anything I want you to call me.” She sighed and shook her head a little. “The kid that hit her didn’t get off so lucky. He snapped a couple vertebrae in his neck and spine. He’s lucky to be alive, but his careless act is going to have lifelong consequences. It’s sad, he’s so young.”

She gave us directions to the room they had Royal in and told Asa that she would check in on her friend before they discharged her. Asa and I silently made our way to the unit, both stiff with tension but maybe just maybe feeling a little stronger that we were facing the unknown together.

I let him go into the room first and almost ran into his broad back as he came to a sudden stop in front of me. I nudged him and when he moved so that he could reach the edge of Royal’s bed, I saw what had shocked him still.