They returned her to a reclining position, then physical therapists arrived to work with her. A speech therapist administered a swallow study, to test if she could swallow water without choking. She had to concentrate on swallowing more than ever before but she passed the test.

Through it all, Luke remained. He watched with vigilance. He asked questions and defended Finley’s opinions and demanded they back off when he could tell they’d pushed her too far or asked her to do something that caused her pain.

She wished she could cut them all off and loudly announce, What I need, in order to feel better, is time alone with Luke. They were trained health professionals. Their sole aim was to help her. She knew this. Yet what she earnestly wanted was for everyone to go away. She had so many questions for Luke. She wanted to ask them all, then she wanted him to lie next to her in the quiet so she could throw an arm over his chest and rest her head on his shoulder and sleep for a long, long time. That was the medicine she needed.

But time alone with Luke she did not get. When the staffers finished with her, Meadow and Bridget were on hand. Then Robbie and June reentered. Then her cousins. Akira. More. Five people were in the room with her when she started nodding off for the night. A good hostess shouldn’t fall asleep in front of her guests, she thought fuzzily.

Then she was out.

God had brought Finley back.

Luke was certain of it. He’d prayed and prayed that God would bring her back and He had. Now it was Luke’s job to follow through on what he’d determined he’d do the night of her injury.

Get things right. With how he treated Finley. With his pursuit of the Vance brothers.

He’d folded out the futon in her room and was lying on it, one knee bent up. He wedged his forearm between the back of his head and a pillow so that he had a view of her.

The machines hummed. An IV dripped medicine and fluid into her veins while Finley slept peacefully. No longer in a coma. Simply sleeping.

He knew she cared about him. Beyond that, he wasn’t sure of her feelings. She was very open. She’d said soon after they met that she’d give him her treasure if he wanted it. She’d once told him, “I’ll love Chase forever.” She’d once asked, “Are you interested in dating me?”

If she loved him, she would’ve told him. Right?