“They certainly are. We’ll remind her of this when she’s barfing her guts out in a couple of days.”

“Worth it,” Sam said.

Nick tightened his hold on her and for the first time since he wouldn’t wake up earlier, she was able to take a deep breath. He was okay, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

HOURS LATER, NICK ordered Sam and Angela to go get something to eat. They’d talked to Scotty by FaceTime on Angela’s phone so he could see that Nick was doing better and they could see that he was fine. Tracy had gotten him to eat some of the soup Celia sent over, and he’d even asked for ice cream.

Nick, on the other hand, wasn’t interested in food of any kind yet. “You guys go grab something. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Are you sure?” Sam messed with his blankets until she was happy with the way they covered him. They’d fielded another call from his dad, as well as Graham and Laine O’Connor. Nick’s adopted parents were also concerned about him.

He put his hand over hers. “I’m sure.”

“Come on,” Angela said, tugging Sam’s arm. “I’m starving.”

She’d kept them entertained with the increasingly desperate texts she’d received from Spencer as the day progressed. The kids were making a man out of him, or so Angela said.

They went to the cafeteria where Sam forced herself to choke down a turkey club even though she didn’t really want it. Angela said she’d be no good to anyone if she didn’t take care of herself. In deference to the day from hell, Sam indulged in a rare diet cola. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

“Best thing I ever tasted,” she said of the icy-cold soda.

“So I was going to call you today about something else.”

“What’s up?”

Angela dipped a French fry into ketchup and popped it into her mouth. “Mom’s in town and she wants to see you.”

Sam shook her head from the word town on. “Not now.”

“I think you need to see her. She has some news you should hear from her.”

“What kind of news?”

Angela shook her head. “It’s not mine to tell.”

“Seriously?”

“You know I would if I could.”

Sam blew out a deep breath. “This is just what I need right now with all the other crap I’ve got going on.”

“What was that thing with Freddie earlier?”

“Something for work that fell into my lap after I was suspended.”

“Is it something that’s going to get you into deeper shit than you’re already in?”

“Perhaps, but it could be such a huge big deal that no one will care about my role in it.”