“I’m good.”

Hudson rolled his eyes and turned to Lily. “He’s good.”

She gave a small smile.

“He staying here with you?” Hudson asked her.

She glanced at Aidan, who was watching her from those melting brown eyes. “Yes.”

“He thinks he’s ‘good,’” Hudson warned. “But he’s full of shit. He’s dehydrated from working the fire, so keep him in fluids.”

“And his injury?”

“He’s had worse. Just keep him down as long as you can. And good luck with that, by the way.” Hudson headed to the door.

Lily followed him. “Are you sure he’s going to be okay?”

“Physically, yeah. He’s running a pint low, but sleep is all he really needs.”

“What about … not physically?”

At the front door, Hudson paused and turned to look at her. “Not physically?”

“Yeah.” She spoke low enough for only him to hear. “You know, mentally.”

Hudson studied her a moment and then spoke just as quietly. “I think you’ve got him all twisted up. Again.”

“Again?” she repeated.

“Look, you left Cedar Ridge for some damn good reasons. I get it. You needed off the mountain. But you left a hole in him, Lily, one he’s never quite closed.”

“My leaving here had nothing to do with him,” she said.

He lifted a hand to stop her from saying anything more, not that she would have. “Like I said, I get it,” he said. “But I also get that you’re only here until something else comes along. For his sake, I hope that’s soon. Because the longer you stay, Lily, the harder it will be on him when you go again.”

She stared at him, so intense, so protective of his older brother, and she missed that bond she’d once had with Ashley like she’d miss a limb if it got cut off. “You’re making a lot of assumptions,” she said.

“Maybe,” he said. “Maybe not. Just don’t hurt him again, Lily.”

“I don’t intend to.”

Hudson searched her gaze and, not looking relieved in the slightest, he nodded at her and left.

Lily locked up, got another glass of water and a plate of cheese and crackers—look at her playing nurse—and headed back to the bed where she stopped to eyeball her patient.

He was in the exact same position as when they’d left him a few moments ago, flat on his back, arms stretched above his head.

Fast asleep.

Chapter 27