The doctor stared hard at him and then lowered his clipboard to his waist. “I believe you, Mr. Beardsley. Tell you what. You give me the name of the physician you hire as well as the name of the hospital that will be overseeing her care and I’ll have her medical records transferred. I’ll want to talk to her physician personally and make sure he’s aware of the severity and the complexity of the situation. I’ll also want to make sure the hospital is prepared to take the baby at the first sign of distress. And that they have adequately trained personnel for this situation.”

“Thank you,” Ryan said sincerely. “Kelly and I both appreciate your attention in this matter.”

“Just take good care of her. I hate to see the young lady so sad.”

Ryan nodded, his chest tight. He’d take good care of her, no doubt, but it remained to be seen if he could make her happy again. Still, he wasn’t about to give up. He’d turned his back on her once. Never again would she have any cause to doubt him. If it took him forever, he’d make damn sure she knew she could count on him.

* * *

Kelly sat in the armchair by the window in her hospital room and stared out as snowflakes drifted down in crazy little spirals. Though it was plenty warm in her room, a chill crept over her shoulders and she shivered.

“Do you want a blanket?” Ryan asked.

She turned her head in surprise. She hadn’t expected him back, though she should have known he wouldn’t be gone for long. He’d been a constant presence over the past few days, always there, anticipating her every need.

“Sorry if I startled you,” he said in a low voice.

“You didn’t. I just didn’t hear you come in.”

He moved in front of her and perched on the windowsill. He shoved his hands in his pockets and then leveled a stare at her.

“I just finished talking to your doctor. He’s willing to release you.”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“There are conditions, of course. He’s very concerned over your health.”

She frowned. “What conditions?”

“I’ve already made all the arrangements. I’ve taken care of everything. There’s nothing you need to worry about. Just concentrate on getting well and regaining your strength.”

She shook her head, trying to clear some of the constant fuzz that seemed to permeate her brain lately. She’d existed in a fog ever since her collapse, and worse, her fatigue had grown worse. Something inside stirred, though, as though she ought to protest, but she couldn’t summon the mental energy to do it.

When she remained silent, Ryan continued on.

“We’re leaving the city. An ambulance is going to transport you to the airport where a medical team is going to fly us to St. Angelo.”