My Beautiful Neighbor (The Greene Family Book 1) by Piper Rayne (phonics reading books TXT) 📕

stairs and Fisher goes over and picks it up, clearing the screen. He tosses it in the laundry basket. “Good job having 911 on your phone, but next time, press the green button.”

“I don’t think you need to lecture her on safety right now,” I tell him.

“It’s a proven fact that you should do it now when she’s still reeling from being scared.”

“Oh really, where did you hear that?”

“When we were training the new K-9 unit,” he sneers.

“She’s not a dog,” I grind out.

Presley puts both of her hands in the air. “Stop it, you two.”

I help her up to the kitchen and sit her on a chair then grab a bag of peas from the freezer. Who knows how long this bag has been in there since it’s only used for injuries. Putting it on the back of her head, she sighs, her eyes closing.

“She can’t fall asleep for an hour at least. Maybe we should take her in,” Fisher says.

“Not a bad idea.” I move to pick her up. Better to be safe.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m fine. Just give me a minute.” She closes her eyes again,

Yeah, we’re not going to play this way.

“We’re going.” I lift her. The fact that she’s not trying to get out of my arms says she’s not so sure herself.

“I’ll go with you,” Fisher says.

“No, you have a shift. I’ll be fine. Marla and Dad are there anyway.”

Rylan broke his leg at soccer, so he’s at the hospital, waiting to get casted. To him, it feels like a life sentence since he can’t play for a while. Jed and Adam dropped us off and went to the sports place to pick up Rylan’s stuff.

“You gotta keep her awake, man,” Fisher says.

“I’m good. Just help me get her in the truck.”

But after her body slumps against me, I take Fisher up on his offer. With Fisher’s help, I get Presley in the truck and take us to the hospital, Fisher telling her over and over again to keep her eyes open.

I drop the two of them off at the emergency room doors of our small hospital here in Sunrise Bay, park, and head inside. She’s already in a room when I reach them, thanks to Fisher’s connections.

Marla comes out of Rylan’s room, looking confused. “He’s fine, Cade.”

“I know. I’m here for someone else.”

She follows me to the room where we find Fisher is staring at Presley, a flashlight in her eyes. A nurse is getting her vitals.

“What happened?” Marla asks.

“Fisher scared the hell out of her, and she fell backward down the basement stairs.”

“She’s responding well, but we’ll need to get a CT scan,” the nurse says.

“Thanks, Allie,” Fisher says.

I hold Presley’s hand and use my free hand to smooth her hair, whispering to help keep her awake.

“I’m fairly sure she’s here overnight.” Allie squeezes Fisher’s shoulder and leaves the room.

I stare at him until he notices and asks, “What?”

“How close of a relationship do you have with Nurse Allie?” I ask.

“None of your fucking business,” he says.

“Fisher, language, and he’s right, Cade, it’s none of your business,” Marla says.

“Since when?” I ask. “Apparently my life is a fucking open book.”

“Language,” Marla says. “I’m going to go tell your dad what’s going on. I’ll be back.”

She leaves the room and I look at Fisher. “I’m staying with her. You can take my truck back to the house.”

He stands as though he wants to leave, which surprises me since Nurse Allie is obviously perfecting her bedside manner with Fisher. “Call Clara.”

I shake my head.

“Her sister can stay with her. I mean, are you two like…” He waits for me to fill in the blank, which I’m not going to do.

“I want to be here, jackass. Try it sometime. You might enjoy it.”

He rolls his eyes and leaves the room.

A doctor comes in, and Presley groans as he tries to give her a neurological exam. But she gets through it. Allie was right—Presley is staying overnight.

“Does she have family we should call?” the doctor asks me.

“No, it’s just me,” I answer.

It’s then I realize how different our lives are. She has her parents and Clara, but that’s all I really know. I can’t imagine not having a hospital room full of people—like Rylan just did for a broken leg.

Sure, I could call Clara or even Presley’s mom, but her mom’s in Connecticut. She wouldn’t get here until the morning, if that. From what I gather, they have money and people with money do pull off some things fast, but she can’t stop time. And I will call Clara—once I know exactly what’s going on. For now, I’ll be the one who’s here for Presley.

It sinks in how strong she is for coming to this town all by herself, not having anyone who has her back.

“I’m going to put her in a gown. Maybe you want to step out,” Allie says.

“I can do it.”

“Um. You’re not even related and—”

“He can do it,” Presley mumbles. “He’s seen me naked.”

Allie smirks as I take the gown from her and close the curtain.

“This is not how I wanted to undress you tonight.” I get Presley to sit up and I take off her shirt and her bra, wishing like hell we were in bed and I had a box of condoms on the nightstand.

“Me either. How is your brother?” she asks.

I kiss her temple and get the gown over the front of her, then I unbutton, unzip, and pull her jeans off of her. “He’ll be fine until I kick his ass for scaring you.”

I pull the blanket over her, fold up her clothes, and put them on the vacant chair.

“I meant your other brother.”

“He’s fine. It was a clean break. But don’t be surprised if we get a visitor in here named Marla Greene, my stepmom.”

She giggles and seems more alert now.

A man wearing scrubs walks in. “I’m going to take her for a CT scan.”

I kiss her forehead and whisper that I’ll be here when she