Fighting Fate (Granton University #1)(59)

He stared out at her a moment longer before he blew out a hard breath. “Okay,” he said. But his body still shook with the need to seek vengeance.

How could anyone hurt her? Accident or not, he wanted to find her father and beat him senseless. He wanted to—

Catching his breath, Logan ran a trembling hand over his hair. He hadn’t wanted to hit anyone for three years. The thought of physical violence against another member of her family nauseated him.

Stomach heaving, he turned his back to her and sucked in an icy cold breath through his teeth. “I don’t know where Jamie is,” he said, somehow stepping away from the situation and trying to ground himself in the reason they were actually here. “Should we go ahead and go inside?”

Paige nodded, looking relieved. “Yes. Probably.”

He stepped toward the glass door until it automatically slid open. When he stood aside, letting her precede him into the clinic, Paige murmured a surprised thank you and brushed past, her posture rigid and stride stiff.

He followed her, wanting to beg her forgiveness for his reaction to her bruise, though he wasn’t sorry in the least. He still wanted to hurt her father. But he couldn’t handle her being so formal and rigid with him. But Lordy, she smelled good. Cinnamon and vanilla and pure Paige. Keeping just enough distance so he couldn’t drive himself crazy inhaling any more of her heavenly scent, he paused when she did as they reached a nurse’s station.

An attendant in bright blue scrubs glanced up from checking a monitor and eyed them curiously. “Can I help you?”

Logan shoved his hands into his back pockets while Paige spoke up. “Yes. We’re with the Granton University grief group to meet with some patients in the children’s ward.”

“Oh.” A welcoming smile spread across the nurse’s face. “You’re just in time. They’re already in the playroom, waiting for you.”

As she moved out from behind the counter, Paige glanced hesitantly toward Logan. He cleared his throat and turned to the nurse. “Um, excuse me. But what exactly are we supposed to do?”

The nurse shrugged, her grin amused. “Just…entertain them. It doesn’t matter, really. They love any kind of company.” She moved off, hurrying down the hall before either Logan or Paige could ask anything else.

Paige looked up at him, her eyebrows arched in question. “I guess we’re just supposed to entertain them, then.”

“Entertain them,” he repeated. “Right.”





Looming large and awkward beside Paige, Logan shifted his weight from one foot to the other in the middle of the children’s ward playroom. A roomful of small, expectant faces peered up at him, assembled in a half circle around them. About a dozen sat cross-legged on the floor while another half dozen watched him from wheelchairs, and two more from beds they’d been rolled in on.

None of them had hair.

He gulped, certain he was going to mess this up no matter what he did. “Uh…hi, everyone.” He made a big, slow wave, only imaging how lame he must appear. “I’m Logan.”

“And I’m Paige,” she chirped with a bright, cheery smile.

He sent her a brief, grateful look, glad someone else was there to bumble through this with him.

“So, umm, I guess we’re supposed to entertain you guys.” Lowering his voice, he stepped closer to them and cupped his mouth with one hand to speak confidentially quiet. “So, even if we totally suck, please at least act entertained. ’Kay?”

They laughed, and somewhere inside him, he glowed with pleasure. There was just something about making a group of sick children laugh. It almost shocked him how good it felt.

Beside him, a sharp elbow dug into his ribs. “Excuse me?” Paige set her hands on her hips and sent him a scowl. “I don’t know about you, but I personally don’t plan on sucking at all.” She put on such an overdone look of outrage, the children giggled again.

He blinked, stunned to realize she was playacting. And after what they’d just gone through outside too.

“Oh, I beg your pardon, my lady.” He swept a low bow, jumping into his own role, and was relieved when more giggles arose. “I forgot you were incapable of suckage.”

After a brief, forgiving nod, she sniffed and lifted her chin, assuming the station of princess—or queen, or whatever she wanted to be—and waved out one regal hand with a flourish. “Think nothing of it, peasant. Just make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Unable to stop a wide grin, he turned to his audience. “I guess we have an hour to not-suck then? What do you guys want to do?”

When no one immediately raised a hand or suggested anything, Paige jumped up and down, clapping her hands. “Oh, I know, I know! Let’s ride unicorns across a magical meadow full of pretty, colorful flowers that smell like fresh roses.”

Logan arched an eyebrow. The kids laughed and cheered her idea on. At least the girls did. Most of the boys booed. When they settled, Logan made a face. “Why don’t we read a book or something instead?”

“But we always read books with visitors,” one boy grumbled.

“Yeah. I want to ride a unicorn,” another girl piped up.

Suddenly, the room was full of impossible suggestions. Climbing mountains, magic carpet rides, fighting zombies, swimming in the ocean, going to Disney World.