Dating A Cop (The Dating Series Book 1)

by Love, B. T.

  “Oh!” Martha cried happily. “There he is!”

  I watched as his family and the nurses crowded closer around his bed. One nurse was recording his vitals and another was by his side. “Can you hear me James?” she asked him.

  “Is he okay?” Robert asked.

  “He’s fine. It's normal to experience some confusion when being brought out of sedation.”

  I stood up but couldn't really see what was going on. “Is he awake?” I asked Susan, who obviously wouldn't know the answer.

  She stood up next to me. “It sounds like it.”

  “James,” the nurse said next to him, “you are in the hospital. Can you keep your eyes open for me?”

  I saw the movement of his feet under the blankets. At first it was subtle, but then it picked up and he began to thrash around.

  “What's wrong?” Martha panicked.

  “We need some soft restraints in here!” the nurse shouted. “Hold him down!”

  His family backed away from his bedside and I could see that James was moving uncontrollably, and the two nurses were trying to hold him down. The machines surrounding him beeped sporadically. I brought my hand to my face and Susan wrapped her arms around me as tears welled up in my eyes.

  “Is he having a seizure?” Mark asked, he himself holding onto his parents, trying to keep them calm.

  Another nurse rushed into the room and applied restraints to his wrists and attached them to the bed. “There you go,” she told him. “You'll be okay.” She patted his shoulder and left the room, leaving us with his two usual nurses.

  “James you have to relax,” a nurse said as she reset the alarms on the machines. “You're in the hospital and we had to intubate you. Your family is here.”

  “Is he okay?” Robert asked.

  “Yes,” the other nurse answered. “He just panicked. It's hard to wake up to having a tube down your throat. We’ll have to keep the restraints on him to make sure he doesn't do it again; we don't want him to pull the tube out. And I'll put something in his I.V. to relax him a bit.”

  Robert nodded, and the three of them stepped beside the bed once more. Martha put her hand on her son’s head. “Hi sweetheart. How are you feeling?” James couldn't speak, but he wiggled his fingers. Martha grabbed his hand tightly.

  “Hi buddy,” Robert said to him. “You're going to be okay.”

  James silently watched his family as they took turns speaking to him. He didn't try to speak past the tube; he just calmly breathed and seemed to concentrate on their words.

  “Kate’s here,” I heard Martha tell him. “Do you want to see her?”

  I could barely see him nod, which was a hard feat for him to do in the neck brace. My heart raced as I wiped away the moisture from under my eyes and came forward. I was scared; I hated seeing him so broken and hurt.

  His family stood back and I came to the side of his bed. “Hi,” my voice cracked. I took his hand and he squeezed my fingers. “You're going to be okay.” He breathed steadily and watched my face. His eyes were void of the sparkle I was so used to seeing. “Do you know why you're here?” I asked. He nodded. “You got shot in your side and in your chest, did you know that?” He nodded again.

  “How did that happen?” Martha asked, her voice stressed.

  “He can't tell you that now, Mom,” Mark pointed out.

  “Oh, I know, I'm just not thinking right.”

  Robert put his arm around her. “It's okay, we’re all not thinking right.”

  “We’re going to do some more tests on him to make sure he’ll be able to breathe without the ventilator before taking it out,” the nurse said. “We need to ask everyone to step out while we do this so we can work with James without distraction.”

  “Oh, well, okay then,” Martha said. She came up and patted James lovingly on his shoulder. “I love you, son. We’ll see you in a bit.”

  Robert and Mark patted him as well. “Love you, bro,” Mark said. Robert could only smile at his son with glassy eyes; his emotions really got to him in that moment.

  “I'll meet you outside, Kate,” Susan told me as she left with the rest of the family.

  I nodded and looked back at James, who was watching me intently. I stroked his hair with my free hand. “Are you okay?” I asked. He nodded and ran his thumb back and forth across my knuckles. “I wish they would take these restraints off of your wrists. I guess you're just too strong for your own good, huh?” He watched me silently as the machine beeped next to us. “Sorry. You know me, always trying to make light of everything.” He squeezed my hand. I cleared my throat. “Are you scared?” He nodded. “Are you in pain?” He nodded. My eyebrows pulled together with concern. “I’ll tell your nurses.” I went to step away but he squeezed my hand tighter and tensed his arm. I focused my attention on him again. “What is it, baby?” His eyes searched my face. I sighed. “I'm so sorry you can't talk with that tube in.” Those eyes, lacking luster but piercing me like never before. It was as if he were trying to tell me something.

  “I'm sorry,” the nurse said, “but we’ll need you to step out. This would be a good time to get some rest or get something to eat. We’ll let you know when you can visit again.”

  “Will it take long?” I asked.

  “I would say to give us a good hour or so.”

  “Okay,” I smiled. I looked back at James, who was already looking at me. “I love you.” He squeezed my hand. I leaned forward and kissed his forehead, then his cheek, avoiding the ventilator tube. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

  Fifteen

  “You guys go in first and see him.”

  “Why don't you come in with us?” Mark asked.

  “I don't want to overwhelm him. And I want to visit him alone later.”

  Mark shrugged. “Whatever you want, Kate.” He smiled and turned to go into the room.

  “Hey Mark,” I stopped him. “Is Tyler coming back?”

  “I doubt it. Apparently his mom said it was too much for him to handle and she doesn't want to bring him around. I don't believe that for one second but there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”

  “Well I'm going to call Hailey and tell her what's going on. I'll have her call Tyler and talk to him.”

  “Yeah that's probably a good idea.”

  * * *

  One by one James’s family came out of the room. They all looked tired, but they also seemed relieved.

  “How is he?” I asked.

  “Good,” Martha answered. “Sore, but good. The doctor said he has a long road of recovery ahead of him but he's out of the woods for now.”

  “That's good news,” I sighed.

  “He wants to see you,” Mark told me.

  “Okay, I'll go in now.”

  “Come back to our hotel room later and get some rest, okay?” Martha said. “That's where we’re going. We’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

  “Yeah, okay,” I smiled.

  Susan hugged me. “I doubt that's going to happen,” she laughed in my ear. “You won't leave this hospital.”

  “You know me too well.”

  * * *

  The calm beeps cut into the quietness of the room. I entered with fluid steps. He was sitting up in bed with his head relaxed against the white pillow, and his eyes were closed. They had removed the ventilator tube but kept his neck brace on. He seemed more relaxed.

  “James?”

  He opened his eyes and smiled. “Hi,” he whispered.

  I went to his bedside and bent over to hug him. His arms, now free of the soft restraints, lifted to circle around me. Heat formed behind my eyes. “Hi, baby.”

  “It's okay,” he whispered as he stroked my hair, his voice alien from the irritation of the ventilator tube. “I'm fine.”

  I stood up and wiped my face, and then caressed his forehead. “I was so worried.”

  “I know.”

  “How's your pain?”

  “It's there,” he smiled. “But they have me on some good stuff.” />
  “I can tell,” I chuckled through my stuffy nose.

  He took my hand in his. “How are you?”

  “Oh, um, that's not important baby.”

  “Yes it is. How are you?”

  I took my hand away from his face and pulled the chair next to his bed closer so I could sit down. “Oh, I’m fine.”

  He squeezed my hand. “Bull.”

  “James, this is about you right now, not me.”

  “You're a part of me.”

  I leaned my head to the side with a down-turned smile. “It's been rough. I thought I was going to lose you. When Mark called me, it, it was like a nightmare. He couldn't even give me any details, he just said you were shot and taken by helicopter from the scene.” I started to cry as I recalled the memory. “And I left work and drove here, not knowing whether or not you were going to be alive.”

  He wiped my tears. “I'm sorry I put you through that.”

  “Why are you apologizing? Don't apologize for getting wounded while you were on duty.”

  “I wasn't careful,” he coughed out his words.

  I straightened in my chair. “Okay, you're getting too worked up. You need to stop talking; let's discuss this later.”

  “No.”

  I scoffed. “What do you mean, no? You were shot in the chest and you almost died. I'm not going to be responsible for you regressing in your healing.”

  “I killed him,” he whispered, his voice gravelly. “Did anyone tell you that?”

  My eyebrows pulled together. “Killed who?”

  “The man who killed the Chief.”

  I was stunned. “You found him?”

  “Yeah; that's who shot me. I pulled him over after I caught him speeding. When I asked for his license he pulled out his wallet and I noticed the gang tattoos on his arms.”

  “Oh my god. What did you do?”

  He swallowed hard. “The wrong thing. I, I lost my cool, pulled my gun on him. I just saw red once I realized it was him.”

  “But how did you know he was the one?”

  “A few of the gang members we arrested the day of Brad’s murder ratted him out to get a break on their sentences. He’d been arrested before so we had an old jail photo to go by. Didn't I tell you that?”

  “No.”

  “Well, when I pulled him over I didn't even recognize him until I saw his tattoos. He had the same exact ones from the photo. I pulled my gun and told him to get out.”

  “But how is that losing your cool? Isn't that what you should have done?”

  “No, I should have taken his license back to my car and called for backup.”

  “Well,” I sighed, “what happened after that?”

  “When I drew my gun and stepped back he opened his door and pulled out an AK-47. I didn't even see it in his car.”

  “And he shot you first?”

  “Yeah, in my side. Then I fired at the same time as when he shot and hit my chest. It was really close range.”

  “And are you sure you killed him?”

  “Yeah,” he wheezed. “His brains were splattered all over the side of his car.”

  A nurse entered the room. “Mr. Brown, I can't have you talking too much; you're getting too winded and your lung isn't functioning at its full capacity. Give it a rest.”

  “I'm sorry,” I said, springing up from my chair. “Do I need to leave?”

  “No,” James answered. “Please don't go. I won't talk anymore.”

  The nurse put an oxygen mask over his face. “Breathe, and listen to your fiancé. No more talking.”

  James’s eyebrows lifted high on his forehead. I put my finger to my lips and silently shushed him. The nurse left the room.

  “Fiancé?” he asked, smiling behind the plastic mask.

  “Hey, no talking,” I replied. “Nurse’s orders.” I sat back down and sighed. “What am I going to do with you?” He watched me quietly. “You're the love of my life, and I almost lost you.”

  He squeezed my hand. “Matt all over again.”

  “Shush.” My eyes wandered over his face as I digested what he said. “Yeah, Matt all over again. And worse, in a way.”

  “How so?”

  “Hailey. She's devastated. It's like she's living the whole experience over again. She cares about you so much.”

  “I know, and I'm so sorry . . .”

  “Hey, no talking.”

  He grunted with frustration.

  “Well, you told me you would get the guy who killed Brad. I guess you kept your word on that, huh?” He stayed quiet. “It's a shame it had to happen how it did, though.” Silence. “You'll have a couple of nasty scars, that's for sure.”

  “Girls like scars.”

  “You're right,” I chuckled. “Especially ones acquired from being a bad ass. You're so dangerous,” I joked.

  “Dangerous,” he repeated. “That's what happens when you keep the wrong promise I guess.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I promised that I would find the guy who killed Brad, but I also promised you that I would be careful when I was out doing my job. I even remember talking to you about being well-trained. That's how I convinced you to be with me in the first place.”

  “You didn't convince me to be with you. I wanted to be with you.”

  “Do you still want to be with me?”

  “Of course,” I smiled. “I couldn't leave you now if I tried. I'm too much in love with you.”

  He smiled and I leaned forward, holding his hand to my face. His thumb stroked my cheek. “I saw you.”

  “Saw me? When?”

  “When I was shot. I fell to the ground and radioed for help, and as I was laying there staring up at the sky I saw Tyler, and then I saw Hailey and then you. I just saw your faces smiling at me. Then some guy came over to help and I saw his face above me. He said it was going to be okay, but it, it was your voice that came out of his mouth.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. I was in so much pain but as soon as I heard your voice the pain left. That's the last thing I remember seeing, his face with your voice.”

  “That's so strange. But I'm glad it happened; I'm glad your pain went away.”

  “I heard you again before I woke up.”

  “You did?”

  He nodded. “You said you wanted me to hold you in my stare.”

  I smiled against his hand. “Yeah, I said that. I was afraid I wouldn't ever see your beautiful eyes again. You heard me say that?” He nodded. “Did you hear anything else I said? Or what anyone else said for that matter?”

  “I remember things here and there. I can't say for sure if some of them were things I hallucinated or not.”

  I sighed and closed my eyes, taking advantage of the moment with him. He was alive; he was safe.

  He breathed carefully in and out, still relying on his oxygen mask for support. “You like being called my fiancé, huh?” he asked.

  I smiled and opened my eyes. “You heard that?”

  “So you said it?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I was hoping that wasn't a hallucination.”

  I lifted my head. “Your mom told them I was your fiancé so they would let me in to see you.”

  “So it wasn't your idea?”

  “No.”

  “Hmmm.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Oh, come on,” I hounded him with slight irritation.

  “I'm not supposed to talk.”

  “Oh now you decide to listen?” I laughed.

  “I guess I'm just bummed that it wasn't your idea to call yourself my fiancé.”

  I twisted my lips, trying to hold back a smile. “Well I'm sorry if I was more concerned with your well-being than with what I was calling myself at the—”

  “Do you want to be?”

  “Do I want to be what?”

  “Do you want to be my fiancé?”

  I puffed out a laugh and looked down at our hands that were bound toge
ther. “James . . .”

  “What?”

  “You, you've just been involved in a life threatening incident. You don't have to propose to me just because you almost died.”

  “I didn't propose to you; I just asked if you wanted to be my fiancé.”

  I looked at his face, his eyes hooded and tired, his oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth. The poor guy looked exhausted, and all he wanted to know was if I wanted to be his fiancé. Of course I did; nothing would make me happier. But I was a bit concerned that it was the pain medication speaking and not him. I sighed and managed a small smile. “Yes.”

  “Then marry me.”

  “James,” I shook my head, “you're not thinking clearly. You're on pain medication and—”

  “Stop, Katie.” He brought his hand up and grabbed his oxygen mask, pulling it down away from his mouth. “Give me more credit than that. Do you really think this is the first time I've thought about marrying you?”

  “I, I don't know.”

  “Well, it's not.”

  “It's not?”

  “No, of course it's not. I'm in love with you; I've been in love with you for a very long time. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out the right way to propose to you, but maybe this is it. I just wish I had the ring with me.”

  “Ring?” I grinned.

  “Yeah, it's at home; I bought it a few weeks back. Now, the only thing I can't do right now is get down on my knee, so I'll just do it this way. Here, take my other hand.”

  I smiled as I took his hand in mine. “What are you doing?”

  “Katie,” he whispered hoarsely, “having you in my life saved me. Your voice took away the pain I went through, as it does in everyday situations I face. I have loved you as my girlfriend for too long. Now it's time for me to love you as my wife. Will you marry me?”

  I could barely contain myself; I was so happy. I took my hand away from his and slid the oxygen mask back up onto his face. “Yes, James. I will marry you.”

  * * *