discharged.”
“Thank you.”
Drew nodded before turning on his heel and walking away. Hank wanted to check on Thom—make sure he didn’t need anything, but he couldn’t stop himself from watching the Alpha leave. His Alpha. If Drew would have him, he’d take the oath. The man had won him over.
When Drew turned a corner, Hank took a settling breath then crossed into the small room. The stink of anesthetic and blood assaulted him and for one second he had to force himself to breathe. There were few things he hated in this world as much as the sticky-sweet smell of human blood.
“You okay?” Thom’s weak voice highlighted the ironic nature of the question.
“Asked the man in the hospital bed?”
Thom laughed at the reminder. “What? I was shot, not blinded. You and Drew were having a pretty intense conversation. Then you went white when you came into my room.” His smile died. “The doctor didn’t tell you something about me, did he?”
“No.” He smiled. “I’m pretty sure divulging your prognosis would get him fired. Hospitals take patient-doctor confidentiality pretty seriously.” He took a seat in the chair next to the bed. “We were talking about the shooting. The police don’t have any leads. Makes us worried the threat might still be out there when you’re discharged.”
Thom’s brow wrinkled as he frowned. “Oh. I hadn’t thought about what might happen when I go home.”
“Can’t blame you. You won’t be going home for a couple of days, and I’m sure you’ve got a lot on your mind right now.”
“I figured you guys were talking about your delivery.”
Hank’s heart melted a little. Here the farmer was, laid up in a hospital bed with a bullet wound and he worried about their delivery. “Drew made sure the delivery was taken care of. His mechanic already replaced the tires. There’s still time for me to pick it up and drive it to Los Lobos tonight.”
“I am real sorry about the chaos.”
“No need to apologize. This morning added a bit of adventure to an otherwise-boring week.” Hank didn’t want him to feel bad for anything, especially since his gut still told him the attack was on the Tao pack more than the farmer. “I do need to run something by you.”
“Okay.”
Here goes . He took a deep breath and started, “Drew and I think you might benefit from a little extra help around the farm. Only until you’re healed.”
Thom cleared his throat. “I’ve got help. Also, I’m not an invalid.” He sat up straighter in the bed as if the action would prove he was capable of taking care of himself.
“We didn’t mean to imply we thought you were. Running a farm has to be a hard on a good day. You’re going to be laid up for at least a couple of weeks. We wanted to help. An extra pair of hands couldn’t hurt, could it?” He held his hands palm up in front of him as he spoke.
Thom glanced at Hank’s hands and the sweetest shade of red swept over his cheeks—like strawberries in the summer. It took every ounce of control he had not to run his fingers along Thom’s blush.
“Whose hands?” He shook his head and coughed lightly. “I mean, who would you send to help with the farm?”
“Me.” Hank said the word so softly, it might as well have been a whisper. “Before you say anything, you should know I’d need a place to sleep while I’m there.” His heart raced and his stomach knotted with sexual tension as he imagined sleeping in a warm bed next to the handsome farmer.
Thom’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped into an O as he stared at Hank. “You?” Surely the man wasn’t suggesting what Thom hoped he was. Gorgeous men didn’t drop from the sky and throw themselves into his bed.
“I’m strong and capable.” The trucker’s chest puffed up at the question as if he’d been insulted. “You won’t find a better man.”
Thom shook his head. “No. I didn’t mean….” He took a deep breath. “I appreciate the offer. Thank you.
“Thank you.”
Drew nodded before turning on his heel and walking away. Hank wanted to check on Thom—make sure he didn’t need anything, but he couldn’t stop himself from watching the Alpha leave. His Alpha. If Drew would have him, he’d take the oath. The man had won him over.
When Drew turned a corner, Hank took a settling breath then crossed into the small room. The stink of anesthetic and blood assaulted him and for one second he had to force himself to breathe. There were few things he hated in this world as much as the sticky-sweet smell of human blood.
“You okay?” Thom’s weak voice highlighted the ironic nature of the question.
“Asked the man in the hospital bed?”
Thom laughed at the reminder. “What? I was shot, not blinded. You and Drew were having a pretty intense conversation. Then you went white when you came into my room.” His smile died. “The doctor didn’t tell you something about me, did he?”
“No.” He smiled. “I’m pretty sure divulging your prognosis would get him fired. Hospitals take patient-doctor confidentiality pretty seriously.” He took a seat in the chair next to the bed. “We were talking about the shooting. The police don’t have any leads. Makes us worried the threat might still be out there when you’re discharged.”
Thom’s brow wrinkled as he frowned. “Oh. I hadn’t thought about what might happen when I go home.”
“Can’t blame you. You won’t be going home for a couple of days, and I’m sure you’ve got a lot on your mind right now.”
“I figured you guys were talking about your delivery.”
Hank’s heart melted a little. Here the farmer was, laid up in a hospital bed with a bullet wound and he worried about their delivery. “Drew made sure the delivery was taken care of. His mechanic already replaced the tires. There’s still time for me to pick it up and drive it to Los Lobos tonight.”
“I am real sorry about the chaos.”
“No need to apologize. This morning added a bit of adventure to an otherwise-boring week.” Hank didn’t want him to feel bad for anything, especially since his gut still told him the attack was on the Tao pack more than the farmer. “I do need to run something by you.”
“Okay.”
Here goes . He took a deep breath and started, “Drew and I think you might benefit from a little extra help around the farm. Only until you’re healed.”
Thom cleared his throat. “I’ve got help. Also, I’m not an invalid.” He sat up straighter in the bed as if the action would prove he was capable of taking care of himself.
“We didn’t mean to imply we thought you were. Running a farm has to be a hard on a good day. You’re going to be laid up for at least a couple of weeks. We wanted to help. An extra pair of hands couldn’t hurt, could it?” He held his hands palm up in front of him as he spoke.
Thom glanced at Hank’s hands and the sweetest shade of red swept over his cheeks—like strawberries in the summer. It took every ounce of control he had not to run his fingers along Thom’s blush.
“Whose hands?” He shook his head and coughed lightly. “I mean, who would you send to help with the farm?”
“Me.” Hank said the word so softly, it might as well have been a whisper. “Before you say anything, you should know I’d need a place to sleep while I’m there.” His heart raced and his stomach knotted with sexual tension as he imagined sleeping in a warm bed next to the handsome farmer.
Thom’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped into an O as he stared at Hank. “You?” Surely the man wasn’t suggesting what Thom hoped he was. Gorgeous men didn’t drop from the sky and throw themselves into his bed.
“I’m strong and capable.” The trucker’s chest puffed up at the question as if he’d been insulted. “You won’t find a better man.”
Thom shook his head. “No. I didn’t mean….” He took a deep breath. “I appreciate the offer. Thank you.