Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64765 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64765 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
“They did. She was out before she got under the covers.” Thoreau saw the tension around Seamus’ eyes and his smiled faded. “How’s everybody else holding up?”
His business partner found a stool and sat down with a sigh. “Two cousins laid up at the same time, one of them as physically altered as Noah? Honestly, I think we’re all still in shock. They’ve been running into fires for years, but this is the first time we’ve acknowledged the reality that they could be badly hurt.”
He hadn’t seen how altered Noah was, but he’d heard all about it from Fiona. “Have you seen him? Noah?”
Seamus paled. “I have. It could have been a lot worse if it weren’t for Wyatt, but he’s still got one hell of a road ahead.”
“Well he’s got you. And the rest of his family, shocked or not. That’ll help.”
“And Mom. Thank God for Ellen Finn,” Seamus praised with a small grin. “All us big, tough Finns could learn a thing or two from that woman. She even glared Dad out of the room until he could manage to talk to Noah without crying. At the moment, Younger is the only one she trusts to be in there with him when she isn’t around, and he feels so guilty about neglecting Wyatt, he keeps texting whoever is visiting him to let him know he’s there.”
“He’s a good guy. But sweet little Ellen is the taskmaster?”
Seamus chuckled. “You’ve never seen my mother in a true crisis. Sweet little Ellen knows it’s going to be hard enough for Noah to fight through his recovery without a bunch of assholes gasping every time they see his face. The doctor said that when he’s ready, there are new surgeries that can do a lot to minimize the damage. But first he has to heal. He has to want to. He gets it. My mother gets it. Even Hugo, gets it. Me? I still want to cry just thinking about what he’s going through.”
Thoreau didn’t blame him. He imagined the Finn men would have a rougher time with something like that. Especially Wyatt’s brothers. They didn’t admit to weakness easily in that family. “And Wyatt? Fiona said they’re letting him go tomorrow?”
“He still hurts, but yes, he’s out in the morning. He should be good as new in another month or so, as long as he takes it easy. No exertion for a while. Not until his PT starts. I’ve been looking into it so we can look after him.”
Although he’d heard most of this from Fiona, Thoreau nodded, making mental notes to himself. He’d need to coordinate his schedule with her to make it feasible. Especially for the few weeks Wyatt needed extra care. But this could work.
“I’m going to convince him to stay at the Wayne-plex during his recovery.”
Seamus did a double-take. “You’re what?”
Thoreau shrugged. “I have the room, and I already know everyone was arguing about where to put him so Noah could have his nurse at home. This solves that problem.”
Staring at him enigmatically, Seamus admitted, “There were arguments, and yes, once Noah gets out of the hospital, he needs a live-in, at least between surgeries. But he can—”
“I’m assuming there’s already someone there to help with little Zach, too? Or is he staying with your parents?” Thoreau interrupted with a bland, innocent expression.
“Nanny,” Seamus answered shortly, starting to frown. “Thor, I appreciate the offer, but he might be more comfortable with his family.”
Thoreau wasn’t so sure. And he wasn’t budging.
“You could technically say I’m family by marriage. I don’t have kids or animals. I’m a decent cook, and I have an extra apartment attached to mine for additional privacy or extended family visits. Not to mention, I have something at my place that will motivate Wyatt to heal faster than he would hanging out at your place playing videogames with Wes and Little Sean.”
Seamus snorted and shook his head. “Fiona?”
“I see you’ve met your cousin Wyatt. Yes. Fiona.”
Seamus seemed bemused. “Younger and I have been talking about the situation nonstop for the last two days, wondering if we should get him situated at the townhouse, just to move him again when Noah comes home. But we didn’t even put your duplex on the list for consideration. It seems kind of out of the blue.”
If he only knew.
“Impulsive is my middle name,” Thoreau said blandly.
Seamus crossed his thick arms, his blue eyes narrowing. “It really isn’t, and I don’t mean to do the Dad thing again, but I have to ask what this is about. To be honest, we’d given up on trying to figure out what’s been going on between the three of you a while ago, but you and Wyatt have never been the ‘You can stay at my place to recuperate’ kind of friends. At least, it never seemed like you were. We weren’t even sure any of you were still talking until Fiona showed up at the hospital.”