Right As Rain (Complete)

Chapter 7

Maelee

I barely sleep thinking about Hudson and his stupid question game. It's too early when I open the door of the stairwell to return to my hospital floor. I shouldn't be here until three. But here I am, in scrubs, fresh out of surgery at seven a.m. I'm a walking British romance. Who does that?

A flash of light coming from Noah's room makes my stomach cringe.

A camera.

Ready to fire the staff member who would do something so stupid, I run towards it. Anyone wishing to capitalize on Noah being here better be prepared for a throw down. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see Jack holding up his phone from inside the doorway.

He laughs at my approach and hands me a cup of coffee. "Long night?" he asks. He's very calm this morning. Again, he is wearing a tight black t-shirt and jeans showing off his ripped arms and chest. "I didn't expect to see you here this morning."

I lean against the doorframe and try to catch my breath. "I wasn't exactly expecting you with a camera at seven in the morning either," I whisper, looking into the darkened room. "I'm pretty tough; you just almost lost your life."

Jack and I both know there is no way I could ever take him down, but he humors me. "I have no doubts I did. I'm glad to know there is extra security if needed."

He nods for me to join him inside Noah's room, and I happily oblige, sitting in the chair across from him, the same one I sat in last night.

"Did you work all night?" he quietly asks.

"No. I got called in a few hours ago," I tell him, taking a sip from the cup. The warmth and perfection of the perfectly executed cup of caffeine runs through to the depths of my soul. I didn't get home until after midnight and the hospital called me back in by five. "That's good," I hum, savoring the intense yet smooth flavor.

"It was Hudson's," he says. "He has a place he always goes; I'm sure he won't mind." He affectionately looks over to Hudson sleeping on the couch. He's lying on his side, with his back to us, hugging a pillow. His socked feet hang over the edge and his hair falls wildly in loose curls around his face. His lips are pursed open and quiet breaths move across them in time with his rising and falling chest.

"He's a good lad," Jack says with painful connotation. "They both are." With each passing second, I find myself becoming more and more concerned for both men. I'm sure the rumors and stories really get to them. I wonder how they handle it. "Hudson seems to have it worse than the others," Jack continues. "He does a good job pushing it off, but I know it gets harder each time. People only want garbage when it comes to him, I just don't get it."

Hudson rustles on the couch until he is lying flat on his back, covering his eyes. "Stop talking about me," he says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. His sleep-laced voice is thick and deeper than normal. It's so deep in fact, it rattles my chest. Hudson lifts his phone in the air and squints his eyes to read the screen. "Cal is here."

Jack stands from his chair and holds out his hand to help me from my own. I've learned a lot about the large man since we first met. Though his official job title is Band Manager for the members of Big Distraction, he is also kind of a bodyguard. Jack had a mini security session with Oak Valley's security staff yesterday afternoon. The very long story, made short, was no one could be in Noah's room without personal escort or prior approval.

I recognize Noah's dad the moment I lay eyes on him. They have the same bright blue eyes, tousled dirty blonde hair, and rosy cheeks. Judging by his thick fleece jacket, I assume it is much colder in Ireland than it is in California. When he spots Jack, he comes to us immediately. "What the bloody hell happened?" he asks, extending his hand to Jack.