“He’s going to get hurt if we don’t find him.”

Jo leaned closer to Wyatt. “What’s she talking about?”

“A lot of questions, not all of them make sense.”

“Miss Gina’s going to be mad.”

When Hope started to repeat what he’d already heard a few times, Wyatt knew it was going to be an even longer night than the day had been.

“Miss Gina is happy you’re okay, sweetie.”

“No!” Hope’s voice rose with conviction. “Miss Gina is going to be mad if we don’t find the puppy!”

To Wyatt’s side, he saw Jo’s frame freeze.

She took a step closer to the bed. “Hope, honey?”

“Auntie Jo . . . can you find him?”

Melanie sighed again. “Hope, there isn’t any—”

Jo placed a hand on Mel’s shoulder and shook her head.

“Where’s the puppy, Hope? Did you see it?”

Hope closed her eyes as if searching behind her lids for the answer. “No. I heard it. And Miss Gina won’t be mad if we find him.”

It was then some of the pieces fell into place. Hope moving far away from the house in search of a puppy . . . down a ravine.

Hope started to close her eyes. “We should find the puppy.”

“We’ll look, honey.”

That seemed to quiet her down.

Just when they thought Hope was done talking, her next words brought the temperature in the room down twenty degrees.

“Maybe Mr. Lewis found the puppy. He’s good at finding animals.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“Who is Mr. Lewis?”

Melanie didn’t think her head, her heart, or her adrenaline could pump any faster. Then she turned to see who asked the question and realized it could all double with the presence of one man.

“Nathan.”

Jo took a step in front of the man, blocking his view. “I told you to call me when you got off the plane,” Jo scolded with her tone.

Nathan placed a hand on Jo’s arm and attempted to push her aside. “I’m here to see my daughter.”

Melanie cringed and snapped a glance to Hope.

Hope was looking around the room as if seeing it for the first time. “Mommy, where am I?”

“Out of my way.” Nathan’s voice bordered on violent as he pushed past Jo. “Good God, what happened to her?”

“Keep your voice down, Nathan,” Melanie tried to calm him.

“Don’t tell me to keep it down. Is this what you call protecting our daughter?”

Once again, Melanie cringed.

“Mommy, who’s that?”

“I’m your daddy, Hope. And I’m going to protect you from now on.”

“Hey!” Jo shoved in between the bed and Nathan.

“Please, Nathan. Not now!”

Hope started to cry. “Mommy . . . where am I?”

“You’re either going to arrest me or get the hell out of my way, woman!” Nathan all but spat in Jo’s face.

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Mommy . . . why is that man yelling at Aunt Jo?”

“You know, Nathan . . . now might not be the best time to upset the patient.” Wyatt’s words brought Nathan’s gaze across the bed.

“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?”

Melanie felt the charge in the air crack when the nurse walked into the room. “I don’t know what’s going on in here, but it stops now!” She pushed past Jo, Nathan, and Wyatt and moved to the monitor above the bed. “Everyone out!”

“Mommy!”

“Except Mom. Everyone else, solve your issues outside.”

“Let’s go,” Jo said, placing her hand on Nathan’s arm with a nudge toward the door.

He shook her off. “She’s my daughter, too.”

The monitor started to ping.

The nurse placed both hands on her hips. “Out!”

“I have rights.” Nathan lowered his tone and glared at the nurse.

“And we have rules. One visitor at a time. Out!”

Melanie felt Hope squeeze her hand as Nathan looked at everyone but his daughter before storming out of the room.

“We’ll be right outside.” Wyatt kissed the top of Melanie’s head and smiled at Hope.

The nurse closed the door after they left and pulled the curtain around the bed. She pressed a few things on the monitor and checked Hope’s IV. “How are you feeling, honey?”

“Who are you?” Hope’s tears were already drying up.

“I’m Clarisse, one of the nurses. You’re at the hospital.”

Hope looked down at her arm. “I broke my arm.”

“Yes, you did. Do you remember falling?”

Hope shook her head.

“It’s okay.”

Clarisse turned her attention to Melanie. “We should try and keep her calm. The bed in ICU will be ready in about an hour, until then I’m going to keep visitors away.”

Melanie looked at the monitor. “What happened?”

“Her pulse shot up. Then I heard the yelling. She’s had enough stress.”

“I’m tired,” Hope said, closing her eyes.

“You sleep, sweetie. I’m right here.”

Melanie nodded toward the door and slipped away from the bed with the nurse. In hushed tones, she explained the situation.

“Hope doesn’t know her father. He’s just reentered the picture and seems determined to cause chaos.”

Clarisse frowned. “I’ll notify risk management and the nursing director. Maybe they can talk with him and let him see how his impact isn’t helping the situation right now.”